Accidental’ CM has failed miserably
The continuance of Pramod Sawant as Chief Minister of Goa is now clearly untenable. The ‘accidental’ Chief Minister has miserably failed on all fronts and for the last few months, there is a glaring lack of leadership, planning and resolve to deal with a raging pandemic spiraling out of control and the economy which was stagnating is now just worsening.
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Pramod Sawant evidently does not enjoy the confidence of even Governor Satya Pal Malik who has been in Goa for just eight months but has clearly gauged the dynamics and affairs of the State. During my last meeting with him I could see how pained and distressed the Governor was on the manner in which Goa was sinking.
Governor Malik is truly concerned about our State like former Governors Lt Gen. J.F.R. Jacob and B.V. Wanchoo.
Malik is very modest, practical and someone who believes in delivering good governance to the poorest of the poor. A gregarious personality with a robust heart who has always been a socialist. He is indeed a good listener with a very clear mind and believes in achieving results. A very caring and considerate soul he is.
Goa is at this critical time crying out for calm, sincere and experienced political leadership. Union Minister Shripad Naik may well be BJP’s person to fill that vacuum. The quote ‘Cometh the hour cometh the man’ is so apt at this challenging and uncertain times.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Will 3-day lockdown be the solution?
Our learned CM has decided to put our state Goa, which was two months back in Green Zone and now gradually turning into Red Zone to 3 day lockdown and curfew from 8pm to 6am till August 3.
Some months back when there was just seven positive cases reported in Goa, I had rightly predicted that the number would go above 2000 if the entry points was not strictly monitored. Everyone knows from where the Coronavirus has entered and due to poor management at the borders the cases have spread. No doubt our susegad Goans have taken the norms set up by our Government lightly of not wearing masks, not keeping social distancing, washing hands frequently, parting, etc etc. Now that the cases are on uphill the only solution is as follows:
1. Stop tourists entering Goa, at least till October as they are the carriers of this virus and as there is plenty of relaxation and no proper checking at the entry points. 2. Heavy penalty for all those not following the norms laid out, irrespective of their political affiliations. Fines should be ten times more and on third default simple imprisonment. 3. Penalty and fines not only for defaulters but also for law enforces incase they are found taking bribes. Preferably the law enforcers should be patrolling around busy outlets in plain clothes. 4. All Goans and others who have their second home in Goa should be strictly asked to undergo paid COVID test and kept in Institutional quarantine till the result is tested negative.
In no way home quarantine is the best option, as the law enforcers are not doing their duties religiously nor those asked to stay 14 days home quarantine are abiding to it. If the above suggestions are not implemented even 3 months lockdown or further will not solve the problem and there is a fear the cases will rise to above 20000.
Anthony Fernandes, Assagao
Politicos view on lockdown
The opposition parties have expressed differing views on the ongoing stint of a 3-day lockdown. While some politicos wanted a lockdown for an extended period of time, others dubbed it as unscientific, citing the Government of buying time to reply to the Supreme Court’s disqualification petition against the turncoat MLAs.
But all said and done one cannot wish away the corona virus by fixing timelines of lockdown as it is a foregone conclusion that we have to, willy-nilly, live with the virus and adapt to it as a new normal, as was the case with past epidemics like Ebola, MERS, SARS etc., which lasted for years. The contradicting opinions of the ruling MLAs and the flip flops of our CM has added confusion in the minds of the people about the direction and seriousness of the Government in combating COVID-19 pandemic by week-end lockdowns.
In a further expose of our CM’s flip-flops, in a review meeting convened ahead of the lockdown, the Governor has put the onus on CM as an ‘error of judgement’ while expressing his bonhomie with the press for relying on their reports. In a lighter vein, in the current situation, COVID has totally emasculated men at the hands of their wives, having lost their erstwhile identity, with employers thinking of making work from home culture a new normal.
Everette Assis Telles, Margao
State lockdowns
There was a prolonged national lockdown for months that too in Goa with 4 hours notice causing immense trauma, damage and suffering and it was done to flatten the curve and buy time for States to get ready for the long haul.
If Goa was lethargic for whatever reasons, just after lifting restrictions for industries and labour to limp back from tremendous losses and disrupted transport and supply chains, now increasing corona infected numbers due people carelessness or inadequate hospital/ quarantine facilities etc has to be dealt with localised. Properly planned and targetted areas, internal and external factors considered with enforceable guidelines so everyone is on the same frequency and there is no confusion.
This 3 day announced lockdown has seen panic buying of essential commodities, stocks running out with no hope of replacement, impatient crowds throwing social distances and ethics to the wind, prices shooting up with much cheating and industries and labor having to cope already pushed to the brink. Reportedly it appears nobody can trust the government speaking in conflicting voices.
Many industries may have to close down and more jobs will be lost with people now tapping into their savings going bankrupt! The hard fact is best possible but accept some patients will die rather than everyone to die of malnutrition, hunger or impoverished to despair with dangerous and disastrous consequences for the nation!
John Eric Gomes, Porvorim
