The old year is coming to an end. It is time “to open one’s eyes” and ring out boorishness and ring in gentleness. Ring in the touchstone of “Common Good” for any course of action because that alone can be in accordance with the principles of our constitution. Ring out proud people who feel or say: “I am the monarch of all that I survey.” Ring in men who believe in equality and think that --- No person is high or low because of birth, gender, caste or creed; but all human beings are one and the same; be it a migrant or a local, the rich or the poor.

It is time to build bridges of understanding. Ring in a nation for all people to live in harmony without divisive lines of religion, as Christians, Parsis, Sikhs, Buddhists, Muslims and Hindus. Ring out a democracy which turns out to be a tool in the hands of the majority to suppress and threaten the minority.

It is time for all to stop pulling each other down like the crabs. Ring out authorities who are hardened manipulators for petty gains and know how to play with the people who fall prey to their tactics. Ring in bureaucrats whose only desire is to get-up-and-go to work for the greatest good of the greatest number.

Statistics reveal that every hour, four women are raped in our country. Ring out wicked men who chase and rape every skirt. Ring in men of good will who see every saree on the road as that of their mothers, wives and sisters. 

Our youth have to go to foreign countries in search of jobs and our farmers risk their possessions hoping for small returns; although, they play the major role in building the economy of our nation. Ring out men who lay the axe to the root of our verdant forests where birds sing for God’s glory. Ring in men who create employment for idle hands and bring in prosperity among farmers so that they need not shorten their life due to poverty; but double their income with minimum input and maximum output with organic agriculture; thus making Goa an agriculture centre that will improve tourism in our country and boost employment for our youth.

Garbage situation in Goa is awful. The ugly patches of garbage hit everyone in the eye. The pong emanating from the garbage is giving people staying around, bouts of nausea attack. Ring out people who are in the habit of flinging garbage on the road, in water bodies and at deserted places; and then blame the government for not cleaning it. Ring in disciplined behaviour among people to keep Goa clean and green --- a “Chak-a-Chak Goa”.  

Ring in peace and love for we are not going to live on this Earth forever; at the blink of an eye Death can take us in his arms. Till then let the fair breeze of love, peace and harmony blow and the whole world be one big extended family.

Ring out this old calendar in the far, far land of History. Ring in the new calendar with days of opportunity. So, ring out the false, ring in the true. It is time to write fresh chapters in the book of life.