letters to the editor

Humanity thrives

On a blissful Sunday morning, I felt overwhelmed and rather touched to read the piece about 'HOME' (Dated October 15), an animal welfare initiative pioneered by such an enterprising soul, Ms Ruth Walsh.

Streeties are sadly a myriad problem looming large over the local administrative bodies, as they have multiplied over leaps and bounds in many a town/village of Goa.

In such a scenario where these government bodies have invariably failed in containing the population of these streeties, the thin line between being unpaid street guards to blatant nuisance has further narrowed and 'HOME' is a service rendered in the right direction.

I appeal to the team to put out the word and much of us will be eager in knowing how we could contribute to this noble cause. Where humanity seems to be fading out in the wake out terrible atrocities against humans and animals alike, round the globe; may such initiatives be a wakeup call to all authorities concerned to expedite their duties and let humans and humanity thrive.

Nikhil A Jacob, Ribandar 

Prevention of suicides

Incidents of suicides by young people are on the rise in Goa and many other places in India including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by students. Farmer suicides are also a major concern in India due to failing crops and lack of timely support from the Government.

As rightly pointed out by Anselm Baretto in his letter titled Borim bridge (October 21), those who have decided to commit suicide will achieve their goal anywhere as it is difficult to keep a watch over them 24 x 7. The barriers on the major bridges can serve as a preventive measure for people from jumping over but cannot prevent them from giving up their lives.

The main support system for prevention of suicides must start with the families who must seek timely help from organisations like COOJ or God Saves Life-Line (GSL) or IPHB. Students can be educated through talks on suicide prevention as suicide does not solve any kind of problem but creates more problems for the families of the victims.

 Matias Lobo, Oman

Celebrating Diwali

I am feeling truly secular for first time in India till now dominated by pseudo-secularism through officially celebrating Diwali 2017 at Ayodhya (UP).

By recreating return of Lord Rama in Ayodhya after 14-year exile on 18.10.2017 on the most appropriate occasion of Diwali, Chief Minister Yogi Aditya Nath has for the first time made majority community of Hindus feel like living in their own country.

It is real secularism when such a bold decision based on religious aspects was taken officially without any fear of negative impact on minority votes. Otherwise till now pseudo-secularism prevailed in regimes of non-BJP governments when there was a policy of minority-appeasing for vote-bank politics. It is evident that celebrating Deepawali officially in such a grand manner also by creating world-record of lighting 171,000 lamps did not in any manner hurt minorities in any manner. Rather people of minority-community engaged in preparations got earnings and employments.

 Even neighbouring Sri Lanka is taking advantage of Ramayana-tourism for promoting international tourism in that country. Likewise developing Ayodhya and other places associated with Lord Rama as tourist-attractions will promote domestic as well as international tourism creating employment opportunities including even for minority-communities.

Madhu Agrawal, Delhi

Doctors' internship

Students of medicines slog it out for more than 5 years before they become qualified doctors. Having obtained their degree, they need to intern as resident medical doctors, prior to starting their own practice or else joining a clinic or hospital. 

It is noticed that students graduating from government medical colleges tend to seek internship in private hospitals rather than serve in their alma mater. This should be discouraged by the government since the students have studied at highly subsidised rates but tend to use their talents elsewhere. Moreover, there is always a dearth of doctors in government hospitals and clinics and therefore students need to intern at least for a couple of years before branching out.

Students from other states who wish to return to their home state should also serve in their government hospitals. Every Indian government hospital should obtain an undertaking from the students that they would intern in government hospitals, both in rural and urban areas, for a period of not less than two years.

Perhaps such a mechanism is in place but not implemented mandatorily. 

Sridhar D. Iyer, Caranzalem 

Training tourist guides

Goa happens to be a preferred tourist destination among foreign visitors to the country. There are several tourist guides in the state who take the tourists to place of tourist attraction and give a brief history of the place.

A tourist guide is a mirror for the tourists, as she/he presents a place before the tourists in a beautiful way. Tourist guide can be a good career option for those who love exploring heritage, culture, and nature.

Career as a tourist guide is preferred mostly by young aspirants. The job of a tourist guide is both remunerative and challenging. An efficient tourist guide can make any place look beautiful and captivating to the tourists. However, for achieving this, the guide must uphold the cultural traditions and heritage of the place, along with social customs and even local legends.

A travel guide must have extensive knowledge of the popular tourist destinations particularly those associated with art, architecture, and culture. Possessing a pleasing personality and the ability to entertain tourists of any age group is always an added advantage. Tourist guides can be the face and voice of tourism in the Goa.

This aspect of proper training of tourist guides in the state needs to be given due importance by the Tourism Department, so that the state comes up with tourist guides with all the good qualities and sufficient knowledge of history and geography of the place.

Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco

Marked prices on commodities

Purchasing of cloth and readymade dresses, bed sheets , towels, the cost price is anybody’s guess .There is absolutely no way of knowing how much the buyers are fleeced by the traders .Why these commodities alone among all other goods on sale do not carry a marked price for the benefit of the consumers?

The customers are held to ransom by the sellers. Sale of goods of any sort must not be permitted without the manufacturer’s indicating printed prices or their original labels. During Janata Party short rule, it was mandatory to print the price on every yard of the cloth. It was discontinued thereafter under pressures from traders for obvious reasons.

The practice should be reintroduced It is an offence to sale goods above printed prices and also erasing, fudging the original prices with stickers.

Nelson Lopes, Chinchinim