Easy to dupe Goans
The news of robbing of 8 shops at Shiroda, looting of a jeweller by a fake woman police inspector at Ponda, stealing of gold ornaments by a fake woman health officer at Curti, snatching of a gold chain elsewhere, all of which happened recently, is indeed alarming. This shows how easy it is to rob or dupe people of Goa anytime.
With economic condition having worsened and jobless people having become desperate, we can expect a spate of robberies to happen. There is absolutely no fear of the law in Goa because our laws are lenient, trial of the accused takes ages and conviction is rare. There is urgent need to relook at the whole system and review the law and order situation here. In villages like mine, where there is no police station, at least night patrolling was the need of the time. This too has been stopped.
On our part, people will have to be more careful not to carry big sums of money or wearing expensive jewellery when going out.
Rodney de Souza, Assagao
Muzzles are counter productive
A few days back the Goa government issued what was virtually a gag order (circular is too refined a term) to it’s employees, amongst other things it ‘advised’ them not to get involved in agitations and campaigns against official policies. Sending petitions directly to the CM and governor was declared against service rules and mentioned that such action shall warrant strong disciplinary action. The order just falls short of branding the employees as betrayed.
This muzzling of dissent/contrarian stands is nothing but fascism by other means, I am reminded of George Bush’s statement “You are either with us or against us” during the Gulf War. This dangerous trend has percolated right down from the top where people who don’t share the government’s point of view/inclinations are demonised and stamped ‘anti national’. All citizens (and that includes government employees) of a free country have a constitutional right to voice their concerns, views, and observations from platforms they deem fit.
Muzzles masquerading as circulars do nothing but provide a firewall for ineffectual, authoritarian state regimes to hide behind a veil of silence and not be held accountable for their deeds or policies. Using diktats as a substitute for good governance/administration and by extension as an instrument of state policy to browbeat employees into submission will prove counterproductive in the long run.
The Goa government should do a rethink and withdraw this draconian circular unless it wants a case of “Nero fiddled as Rome burnt.”
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Maintenance of Vaddem lake
It must be said that whenever something new is built, renovated or installed, maintenance becomes of prime importance. However this has not been followed with respect to the Vaddem lake which is the pride of Vasco city. The lake is in a state of neglect with damaged gates at the sides and other cleanliness related issues making for a sore sight. It is understood that the land area where the lake is located belongs to the Fabrica of St. Andrew’s Church in Vasco.
However the Mormugao Municipal Council is of the opinion that the maintenance work of the beautified lake should be carried out by the civic body. The beautification work of the lake was done by Goa State Urban Development Agency (GSUDA) after the Vasco church authorities approached it. Since the building of the St. Andrew’s Higher Secondary School is in close proximity, the church authorities would be in a better position to carry out the maintenance work on a regular basis. The pending issue as regards to who should do the maintenance work of the lake needs to be sorted out in an amicable manner without politicizing it. It would be in the fitness of things for the Vasco Municipality to concentrate on maintaining the gardens and parks and other public places in the city and hand over the maintenance of the Vaddem lake to the parishioners of the Vasco church.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Does humanity really exist?
The coronavirus pandemic has brought an enormous effect on people’s lifestyle. Many lost their jobs and are forced to stay at home, while some of them continue it online, while few others started their own business at home. It is truly said that an idle greedy mind is a devil’s workshop. On one side Covid-19 is spreading and overtaking simultaneously there’s a rise to the number of robberies, thefts, murders.
Nowadays people are hungry for money as their sources of gaining has stopped and the greed of earning money fast leads to crimes. Recently sawmill at Anjuna was attacked, Swapnil Walke’s murder case and there are a lot of cyber crimes going on like hacking people accounts and stealing people’s money online and so on is threatening the Goans. Public is also becoming cruel day by day, they watch murders as though they are watching movies, but they don’t dare to step forward to help the victim, just because they don’t want to involve in their cases as they don’t want to go to police station numerous times for inquires. Accusers not only steal, but they take the life of the victim. Nowadays we don’t feel safe in our own house, in our own state, as the fear of unknown is with-in. There’s a need to introspect ourselves and to be careful, especially on social media and be aware about what is happening in our surrounding. The entire law enforcement has to be revamped to make Goa safe again. This is not the Goa we knew, nor can we blame others. We need to question ourselves does humanity really exist? The next time when you see a victim being accused dare to help him or her as he or she is also somebody’s son or daughter. Stay indoors, stay safe.
Princy Gonsalves, Quepem
