Is Goa govt really set
to host G20 summit?
Goa is all set to host the first of the eight scheduled G20 meetings, starting from April 17 to 19 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, Bambolim amidst traffic congestion and chaos in the capital city due to haphazard digging of roads under Smart City Mission.
Unfortunately, most of the roads which have been finally hot-mixed from in and around Panjim city at the last minute due to this prestigious event have not been done up-to the mark and have no proper planning nor levelling at all at some places.
The worst part is that people who were appointed to make preparations for this upcoming event are now seen at the last minute unleashing labourers to do the painting of these roads and even making them to plant saplings at selective places to give the defaced Panjim city a picturesque view.
Is this the way to make preparations for such a prestigious event in Goa?
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Banking rules
and regulations
Recently the banking system has changed for customers. Now that we are in digital banking system, the new rules and regulations are strictly followed. The new system has electronic clearings and also many a times the cheques presented for clearance gets bounced and dishonoured. Many senior citizens who issue cheques are dishonoured for slight deviation in signature as there is slight deviation due to age factor. Earlier when no mobiles were there, banks use to call such customers on landline for reasons to avoid dishonour of cheques. Now we have all technology but bank has no time for courtesy call to their customers.
Today cheques are dishonoured if the same is paid to services like Electricity bills, water bills, insurance, Telephone bills , tax etc, the simple logic is no body will pay the dues for third persons and not honouring the cheque for small deviation is not acceptable. If the cheques are issued in personal name or to any party then the cheques can be dishonoured for deviation or error on dates and overwriting.
The banking sector needs to work on logic and consider the customers age and the situation. The banking sector needs to be more customer oriented. After merger, many banks changed their IFSC code and cheques were not accepted for old IFSC codes. The existing customers of previous banks before merger faced lot of difficulties after merger and were to abide by rules.
Raju Ramamurthy, Vasco
Will casinos be mistaken
for fishing vessels?
It is surprising to note that the state government, which has allowed promotion of casinos in order to attract high-end tourists, is now ashamed of offering the same to the delegates who have started arriving in Goa for G20 meetings scheduled to be held from April to July. All metal barricades with casino branding in Panaji are now being covered hastily using white cloth pieces in order to blank out the names of these casino operators which seem like an absurd move. Casino happens to be one of the prime revenue earners for the state government and appears to be a major part of the state tourism policy. Goa is well known across the world for the offshore casinos with several foreign tourists visiting them on a regular basis.
Why should the government be ashamed to show how it is earning a major share of the revenue for the state? If gambling is considered bad, then why is it allowed in the first place? The G20 meetings in the state will continue till July. Will the white cloth covering on the metal barricades survive the rains? And what about the floating casinos in the Mandovi river which are in full view of the delegates? Will they be mistaken for fishing vessels?
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
Beggars’ racket
Flourishing
The beggars’ racket gang in the heart of Margao City and throughout the state of Goa at various locations are spoiling the name and image of the tourism State Goa.
The beggars in Margao are disturbing the peace of shop owners and public passing by as they come in numbers asking for money. They even made their homes outside the Railway Station where they enjoy the open air space to cook and stay, the developments which is done outside the Railway Station for the people of Margao are taken care by outsiders as they drink alcohol and take sound good sleep with public’s hard earned money. They are also involved in various crimes in the state and the migrant workers around the MMC building creates problems to the people who are using footpath.
Most of the beggars target the people on traffic signals and if this continues than soon Goa will turn like a Mumbai slum area.
I kindly request the authorities to take quick action and keep an eye on them continuously so that they go to their original state.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
China’s nefarious designs
Unfazed by the repeated snubs from the Indian side, Beijing’s antics at the Line of Actuarial Control (LAC) at eastern Ladakh have continued unabated. Though the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of China has desisted from showing its strength in eastern Ladakh on the lines of Naku La in North Sikkim along the LAC, where it was forced to eat humble pie by the brave Indian soldiers, nonetheless its troop presence there is a cause of worry.
The PLA was looking to set its roots in Naku La, but seems to have flopped in its mission. So, its eyes are set on eastern Ladakh. As the Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has repeatedly reiterated, the situation in eastern Ladakh is serious and fragile.
Any chance of a troop pullout there may be nothing more than an illusion. Therefore, there cannot be peace and tranquillity till there are serious attempts towards troop withdrawal. Both countries are adamant that the other side take the early initiative towards withdrawal.
Reports that China is purchasing hand-combat weapons isn’t good news for India. Chinese
“renaming spree” of some areas in Arunachal Pradesh has been downplayed by India. But New Delhi has to be on its guard.
Ganapathi Bhat, Akola
Tenure of Goa
Assembly Sessions
Till last assembly session our Goa government has failed to conduct a full fledged assembly session which should be of atleast 20 to 30 days. Goa assembly sessions nowadays have always been of less than a week and sometimes even of 3 to 4 days. Is there any specific reason given for this curtailment of the duration of our assembly sessions? Are these 3 or 4 days sessions enough for all the 40 MLA’s to present people’s issues before the house? On top of that when any bill is presented, it is brought at the fag end of the day so that it is passed without any discussion on the pros and cons of the presented bill. We elect our MLAs as our representatives to discuss our issues in the house. When we elect our legislator we do not know whether he or she will be in the ruling side or in the opposition. Our Goa government is of 25 + 8 = 33 MLAs and still afraid of only 7 MLAs in the Opposition. Inspite of all this, some MLAs maintain stoic silence in the house while some sleep soundly. All these scenes are witnessed by the people who watch live telecast. Some even remain absent. Each and every MLA should take assembly sessions seriously and present people’s issues of their respective constituency. Hope in future we will have full-fledged assembly sessions and all the bills presented and passed after having a good healthy discussion on the pros and cons of the bill, because once the bill is passed it becomes a law for us Goans.
Natividade Fernandes, Cavelossim
