SATURDAY, APRIL 20, 2024
Govt jobs for genuine Goans?
This refers to the news item ‘Government takes employment express to Elections 2022’ (Herald, June 17) where it is indicated that 11,000 vacancies are to be filled up in various Government departments. Though it is a good decision to get our young boys employed but on the other side it is a selfish decision on the part of government because the government is embarking on this subject not with the intention of doing good to our jobless youth but to gain benefit for itself in the coming election by making its position strong to get more votes of the people in favour of BJP.
This is the cunningness of Government implemented through dictatorship of the ruling party. I must further ask, from where these recruits will be recruited, from the Register of Employment Exchange or from our neighbouring border areas directly?
Some of our politicians from the North are aggressively trying to create job opportunities for their youngsters in Goa by denying the jobs for Goans. The bribe money to sell these jobs will be playing the major role where even our CM will not be able to control. These jobs will go only to the highest bidders and not thru selection on merit. At this time, it is imperative that all the NGOs, trade unions, political parties, revolutionaries and other such groups must come forward to oversee the selection procedure especially to see that genuine Goans are given priority.
A Veronica Fernandes, Candolim
Ronaldo scores a ‘branded goal’
Ronaldo's gesture tumbled Coca Cola's market capitalisation, but this does not cause a dent in company's reputation. The beverage market in the world has been dominated only by a handful of brands. Few years ago occurrence of 'pesticides' in such drinks had stirred a controversy, while the silent-killer constituent 'sugar' had been safeguarded.
Research has found that sugar is more addictive than opioid drugs and can have withdrawal symptoms when one tends to cut their sugar intake. India remains to be second most affected country for people with diabetes in the world, but this just remains a statistic. Sugar is also the culprit behind heightened blood pressure, obesity, heart attacks, and the list goes on. Continued consumption of such drinks over these decades must have possibly tweaked the human genes into developing fragile organs in the newborns.
The companies have perennially played with the health of people worldwide, and are continuously doing so. In many households, it is a status symbol to have a bottle of fizzy drink in the fridge, and is offered to guests when they pay a visit. One must know that we as consumers can make or break a value of a brand. An industry that has an invisible target to increase consumers' visits to doctor’s clinics must be boycotted. This can only be achieved by concerted efforts to dismantle the psyche created. It is only then that these brands will move back and accept defeat.
Raghav Gadgil, Khandola
Tourism, a Catch 22 situation
The CM has mentioned that tourism shall be thrown open sans restrictions only after the entire eligible population of Goa has received at least the first dose of vaccine. The travel and tourism body has requested that activities be resumed as soon as the positivity rate drops below 5% while the High Court has mandated that only people who have a Covid -ve certificate be allowed entry to Goa.
Well meaning statutes are all very fine but the government should strictly implement its own protocols and the Court's orders lest the third wave overwhelms us; apparently no checking takes place at the state's land borders owing to laxity exhibited by the deployed personnel.
Perhaps the best way out is to only welcome visitors who have been fully vaccinated but for this strict checking mechanisms are to be put in place or else the gains of the past two weeks in terms of declining infection numbers would be frittered away.
Also Goa's image as a beach & booze party destination needs an overhaul, this brings in irresponsible low end tourists who roam about all over the place unmasked flouting Covid norms and are a danger to others. The state should attempt to reposition Goa as a 'responsible tourism' hub, targeted more towards high end visitors, every little effort counts.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Sense of outrage among people
It was heartbreaking to see people in the country plead for oxygen in the last few weeks. The Central government did nothing until the courts forced it to act. It is sad that government has no value for people's lives. India does not have enough infrastructure for its vast population, and here we have a prime minister who takes credit for good things and keeps quite or blames others when things go wrong
The defeat in West Bengal has humbled Modi and his team. Such setbacks are needed once in a while for BJP and its government at the Centre to get into redemptive mode. The government at the Centre considered itself to be a pharmacy of the world, India enthusiastically exported millions of vaccines. It is reeling under pressure because of its own wrong strategies and myopic vision.
There is palpable sense of outrage, neglect and betrayal over the handling of the pandemic. One cannot blame Modi only for that. We all are responsible in some manner or the other, for the devastating second wave. The Centre wanted the States to make arrangements for the remaining vaccines when the financial situation was frail was completely wrong decision hence the Central government had to change the decision and procure vaccines themselves and supply to the states.
Modi must be still popular, but his image has been severely dented. He needs to do something urgently to quell people’s anger.
Diomedes Pereira, Corlim
