Sri Lankan president’s fleeing was on the cards
Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, fleeing to the Maldives, was on the cards after the island nation plunged into its worst political and economic crisis. Gotabaya’s blunders resulted in the country running out of money, food, cooking gas, fuel and medicine, stoking public anger. Protesters overran the President’s office, the President’s Secretariat and the Prime Minister’s official residence even as Ranil Wickremesinghe took on the mantle of Acting President. However, the Modi government has done well to distance itself from the Rajapaksas.
N J Ravi Chander, Bengaluru
Konkani mandatory for pvt sector jobs
Cuncolim MLA Yuri Alemao must be congratulated for advocating the cause of official language Konkani in the ongoing legislative Assembly session and for suggesting the government of the day to henceforth make qualification in Konkani mandatory for all government jobs in Goa.
Well, such a clause should also be extended and made compulsory for all the private sector companies, major industries like factories, casinos, 3-5 star hotels etc in the state because the Managing Directors/owners of all these are historically seen giving jobs only for outsiders in their establishments by giving their own silly justifications to keep Goans out forever and branding them as lazy in Goa. Hey, if Goans are really lazy (as being always hyped/claimed by all the private company owners over the years) then how come these same Goans are seen today taking up even some odd jobs and practically working hard for 12 to 18 hours a day in some of the western/foreign countries of the world? I therefore feel that the government of the day should take a serious note of the above mentioned fact and force the Managing Directors/owners of all the private sector companies in the State to first offer good decent salaries and to make the qualification in the Konkani language mandatory whilst recruiting people for jobs instead of giving their own clumsy/silly excuses for keeping our Goans out from their respective establishments by simply calling them as lazy in Goa.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Education in
today’s world
Education was and will always continue to be the most important factor for us, be it formal or informal, our previous generations had limited resources in terms of the digital space, however the importance of education was the same at that time as well.
In the past people would stick to a single profession that they spent their lives to gain expertise on, while in today’s generation everything is available within the internet and there is literally no age restriction to learn anything at anytime, this has increased perspective among people and also increased a lot of opportunities in terms of career growth as there are a lot more opportunities such as content writing, digital marketing, data analyst and so on other than just the traditional careers like teacher, doctor and so on.
We also need to understand that learning never ends and can be experienced in any form or art.
Elroy Lopes, by email
Presidential candidate conundrum
Draupadi Murmu’s candidature for the presidential polls has created a deep fissure in the opposition camp like no other BJP strategy in recent times. Soon after accusing the saffron party of betrayal, Uddhav Thackeray found himself backing the overwhelming sentiments for Murmu among his MPs. Trapped between risking exit of more Shiv Sainiks from the party and further antagonising his MVA coalition partners, Uddhav’s support signifies his weakening authority and inability to hold his flock together. Shiv Sena woke up after the 2014 Maharashtra Assembly elections when BJP stopped playing second fiddle to Sena. Eknath Shinde’s revolt signalled that most Sainiks have become resigned to BJP’s dominance or even embraced it to get even with Thackeray. Jharkhand CM Soren is similarly stuck. Opposing Murmu’s candidature would rile his tribal vote base, but supporting her will strain its alliance with the Congress. Like Shiv Sena’s Hindutva, BJP wants to subsume JMM’S tribal identity politics into its Hindu unity project. BJP has landed several other parties like JD (U), AIADMK, JD(S), in the same dilemma – to ally, oppose or stay neutral. Damned if you do, doomed if you don’t. It’s truly a masterstroke of epic proportions by the Lotus outfit. At this rate there won’t be any opposition left by 2024, which suits the Sanghis just fine.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Complete underground cabling work
With the onset of monsoon, power failure is bound to occur and we cannot blame anyone in particular. The linemen are doing their work diligently, but what is lacking is the proper action from the government side. The planned underground cabling is required urgently, though the new minister holding the portfolio has promised to do so. It is to be seen how many decades it may take.
I am saying this from the bitter experience we have in Arossim and beyond. Underground cabling was done in Arossim, from Sukbhatt Ramavexi and taken further and connected to the main road, from where it went ahead to Cansaulim. Now this was done about three years back, but till today we have not felt the benefit of it. In between last year, it was said the line was being tested. But what happened to the test outcome nobody knows. Possibly the cabling was faulty and failed. If it is so, is it not the Government’s responsibility to take the contractor to task and make him to rectify the defects or claim damages? Why we are silent? Is it because the then Power Minister had a soft corner for the contractor or something else that public should not know?
I hope and pray the new Power Minister will look into this failed underground cabling and ensure that the localities mentioned above get early relief.
Antonio f. Fernandes,
Arossim
Ban adults from
using playing
facilities in parks
‘Herald’ on Thursday carried a photograph of domestic tourists using swings meant for children at Miramar beach. It must be said that this is not an isolated instance. Domestic tourists are seen using other playing equipment like sew-saw, merry-go-round, etc. meant for children at other parks as well. It is pertinent to note that several children parks have installed new playing equipment for use by children. When these facilities like swings, slides etc are used by adults, these can get damaged as these are not meant to carry the weight of adults. It must be said that many domestic tourists are of nuisance value and using the playing facilities in the park is one instance of their unruly behaviour. Those in charge of the park need to see to it that the adult tourists do not use the playing facilities meant for children which can of course be used by children accompanying these tourists. Usually parks engage the services of a watchman. The watchman on duty needs to see that the playing facilities are not used by adults. If things do not improve, it may be necessary to put up a sign-board warning adults not to use the playing equipment meant for children. There should be a complete ban on adults using equipment installed in the park meant for children.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
