Don’t forget Monte de Cruz
The 37th National Games got off to a rousing start on Thursday with the PM and CM singing paeans to sports and how the event will boost the moribund Goan economy. Of course Narendra Modi missed no opportunity to score political brownie points by emphatically stating that the BJP government had increased the sports budget by three times of what it was nine years ago.
At this time, let us not forget the person who made this possible, ex sports minister Francisco Monte de Cruz who was instrumental back in 1989 to miraculously pull off the feat of constructing the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Fatorda in less than six months. Babush, who worked tirelessly from 8 am till midnight and supervised the work personally is a forgotten hero as is Nehru in a New India where the cult of personality revolves around only one man and people who actually matter(ed) are unceremoniously relegated to the sidelines and every reference to them in the history books is erased.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Goa needs a ‘Sports kit for every child’ scheme
With National Games taking place in Goa, we also need our young minds to engage in extra-curricular activities like sports. I urge the government to think about the ‘sports kit for every child’ scheme, so that every child is encouraged to develop their natural abilities and outgrow their fears and insecurities and to prepare themselves for challenges of the real world where there is cutthroat competition. We need our children to flourish and outgrow the inferiority complex and the challenges set by society.
It will also encourage healthy conversation and common grounds to all children of Goa. We need to identify their innate abilities and develop them in the schooling system. Apart from the existing curriculum.
Education and sports is an integral part of human development. One cannot thrive without the other. Introducing a sports kit for every child scheme will be an advantageous for every child and the future of Goa.
Pemson Pereira, by email
Promote sports in remote tribal villages
It is learnt that the Gawda Kunbi Velip and Dhangar (GAKUVED) Federation has congratulated of Babu Gaonkar from Netravali, Sanguem, for clinching the first gold medal for Goa in ‘Modern Pentathlon’ at the ongoing 37th National Games at Goa. Incidentally Gaonkar who brought laurels to Goa belongs to a tribal farmer family. He has proved that those from the indigenous community can excel at the national level.
Babu Gaonkar is indeed an inspiration to the youth of the tribal villages who probably do not get much support to pursue their passion in various sports disciplines. The government needs to promote sports in remote villages in a big way. There needs to be a policy in place to unearth hidden sports talent in the remote villages. These youth should be given financial support to pursue a career in sports by providing proper training and exposure to competition. It needs to be noted that these youth come from poor families but could be burning with passion to achieve greatness in sports. With proper backing these sportspersons could even go ahead and represent the country at the international level.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Refusal to regularise illegalities laudable
This has reference to the report ‘HC dismisses plea for regularisation of illegal structure at Arambol’ (O Heraldo October 27, 2023).
The Bombay High Court order dismissing the plea for registration of an illegal structure at Arambol village in Goa, was appropriate and a step in the right direction. If something is illegal it has to go, irrespective of the application for so-called regularisation. Why build something when you very well know that it is illegal? It’s like the marketing gimmick, ‘buy now, pay later’. Are you sure you would be in a position to pay later? I would say it’s like, ‘buy now, repent at leisure’.
Melville X D’Souza, Mumbai
Double standards in Parliamentary ethics
Considering the bedlam in Parliament which we painfully watch, and the hate speech even from the first session in the new building, the Ethics Committee itself seems to act unethically! It is reported that in Mahua Mohitra’s case, she has promptly been asked to appear before it bringing out sharp differences in panel members because there seems to be different standards as pointed out by the non-BJP members, bringing to light action taken by another such committee constituted in the cases of BSP MP Danish Ali and BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri! The voting ended in 5 for and 5 against on partisan lines! This is not good for democracy where there seems to be a lack of morality and ethics in the functioning of our highest democratic body. That is what I hear people complain about, but if they vote for the same/winnable candidates as decided by the government/their party influencers, then they have only themselves to blame!
John Eric Gomes, Porvorim
Bring speedy end to the war
The Middle East war has reached unimaginable proportions. US military solidarity towards Israel is unflinching and provides a tremendous boost for a ground invasion in the coming days. USS Eisenhower, a massive aircraft carrier has been deployed in the Mediterranean waters, its sheer sight would ward off enemies. Numerous batteries of air defence systems and Patriots are supplied which make the buildup of the US assistance to Israel formidable.
Relentless air strikes on Gaza’s Hamas hideouts, and in the north Hezbollah outfits have dealt deadly blows with countless killed and scores of buildings flattened. Israel has rhetorically vowed total elimination of Hamas in retribution of the latter’s exuberant initial airstrikes. IDI has eliminated the deputy head of Hamas and Gaza has been pushed to the brink of collapse. Many lives and infrastructure could be saved if any one of the sides raises it’s hand up and say enough is enough.
Water, fuel, food medicine are cut off to Gaza, and with no fuel, incubators could be hit with 300 premature babies would be at risk of dying. Surgical instruments could stop functioning without power. Use of possible lone nuclear strike cannot be ruled out, thereby catapulting this war to the next level. Give peace a chance to bring a speedy end to this ill-fated war.
Ashley Noronha, Fatorda
A big loss for humanity
The conflict between Israel and Palestine has turned into a big loss for humanity. It seems that, in between the ‘game of politics,’ we lost humanity somewhere. If the conflict is not stopped, then there will be only land, not landowners, and essentially they are all fighting for land. Therefore, it should be stopped as quickly as possible.
Jahangir Ali, Mumbai
