FRIDAY, APRIL 26, 2024
Celebrating a truly liberated Goa?
It is despicable that an acutely debt ridden Goa Government which is borrowing hundreds of crores every month has decided to merrily squander Rs100 crores to celebrate 60 years of Goa’s Liberation.
Ironically what Goa is witnessing today is another liberation movement by way of people’s uprising across the State against ill thought of projects that are sought to be bull dozed against the wishes of the people.
With the very crucial Mhadei issue haunting us and so many other extremely serious tribulations confronting the State, it is very inappropriate for the government to even have thought of such celebrations and that too while the pandemic is raging.
Goa needs to be freed from corruption, nepotism and see Good Governance. There has to be total transparency and accountability in the functioning of the government.
Our State has to be unchained from the menace of being a gambling, drug and prostitution den besides not being a safe hub for crime. Only then could we have reason to proudly celebrate a truly liberated Goa.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Take a signed bond from candidates
This has reference to the editorial ‘The Ruling MLAs are only fighting for their survival’ (Herald, Nov 28). The editorial was apt and very rightly stated, ruling MLAs are fighting for their survival. Looking at the larger picture with regard to the present agitation in Goa over the three controversial projects, the editorial points out that it is the 'turncoats' in the ruling party, who are on the opposing side. This could pose a hurdle in several States where governments have been formed through defections.
All political parties should learn to respect the verdict of the people. In order to set things right, it would only be fair that all candidates should file an affidavit or execute some sort of a bond at the time of filing nomination, pledging allegiance to the party for the entire term, if elected. Do we have the political will to do that?
Melville X D'Souza, Mumbai
Suspend Biometric Thumbprint scanner
It is understood that a biometric thumbprint scanner to record staff attendance at a government education office in North Goa has been linked to twelve Covid-19 cases, with one of them succumbing to the disease. The incident took place shortly after the State government decided to resume the practice of using biometric thumbprint scanners to record staff attendance at government offices from November 1. The practice was suspended due to the large number of Covid-19 cases in the state.
People take a lot of precaution to avoid getting infected by the novel coronavirus. However, if a biometric thumbprint scanner can act as a super-spreader then there is very little that the citizens can do. The practice of recording the staff attendance using such a scanner needs to be suspended with immediate effect till such time that there is no risk of getting infected by the virus.
It is pertinent to note that several private firms could be using the biometric thumbprint scanner to record the attendance of its staff. This practice needs to be suspended as we are still not out of the woods with regards to the pandemic. The practice of recording physical attendance needs to be resorted to in the offices. The health of the staff members in government offices and private firms is of paramount importance.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
A charmer with a golden left leg
The man was described in glorious terms by his fans. Fans went berserk on the mere mention of Diego Maradona. Parents named their sons after him. For critics of the game, Diego Maradona was an eccentric genius who climbed the zenith and plunged to the nadir in the blink of an eye.
Common man across the football crazy world drew inspiration from the diminutive player who rose from penury to affluence not due to a stroke of luck but by an unmatched, and an equally unimaginable, talent superbly complemented by hard work. Artistic dribbling, deft dodging, supreme ball control and deadly left-footed shots regalled the fans and brought glory to Argentina.
That the infamous "hand of the God" goal, and the famous "goal of the century", against England in the 1986 World Cup were equally eulogised by fans show the incomparable Maradona's popularity.
Substance use disorder was the bane of Maradona's life but the terrific footballer was a much loved man all over because people only liked to savour good memories associated with the legend. The great footballer was neither loyal to his wife nor was he mad about his life; he remained faithful to only 'football'.
Fans were not ready to accept the sinking feeling that Maradona was no longer with them -- he was immortal for them. As Argentina, that was guided to one World Cup win and a final, mourned the passing away of its favourite son, in Italy's Naples there was gloom all over because a champion footballer, who had lifted their club Napoli from the rut to the roof by leading them to two Serie A titles, was gone.
Why, football fanatics in distant Kerala and West Bengal bade a tearful adieu to the Argentine despite not having much connect with the footballer. That indeed was the spell cast on the football buffs by the man with a golden left leg.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
What entails a safe vaccine?
As multinational pharmaceutical companies are on the verge of getting regulatory nods from various countries as to which vaccine is the safest, (probably not absolutely safe) experts around the world should diligently study and verify as to which vaccine a particular country is going to recommend along with guidelines as to how to go about the task of formulating a road map as to how to start the arduous task of initiating first public use of the chosen vaccine.
While grading the vaccines according to their efficacy, it goes without saying that the vaccine with the highest efficacy is graded first followed by the next one and so on and so forth, solely on the merit of its efficacy.
It would be paramount if the expert committee in India go about the task of grading in right earnest and do not compromise on the percentage efficacy of the particular vaccine.
Would it be prudent to go along with the first vaccine out of the blocks or would it be prudent to wait for at least such time as when more efficacious vaccines are being offered for inoculation? The latter would be wiser as by then even the recipient can choose on medical advice, taking into consideration the circumstances especially for those who would have one type of co-morbidity.
It would be prudent to examine one particular vaccine that has say 90% efficacy, that particular vaccine will mean that the recipient will have 90% chances of not contracting Covid-19, but only 10% chances of falling prey.
Another way of looking at it would be to say that 10 persons out of the 100 would still run the risk of contracting the coronavirus.
As the world approaches the figure of 1 in every 100 being infected by the coronavirus and this could happen by the end of December this year, the efficacy of the vaccine should reduce the figure considerably, allowing those vaccinated more unfettered freedom to congregate and travel with a great deal of protection from the pandemic.
Knowing that the vaccine against polio is now almost 99.6 % effective, people could be expecting such a high degree of efficacy which may not be possible. Would they then settle for lesser efficacious choices? These guidelines have to be thoroughly researched before mass vaccination commences.
Elvidio Miranda, Panjim
