Offline exams
A prominent School has postponed the offline first unit test for Class XII amid protests from students. Recently, the final exams for Engg. students were held online. Earlier there were vehement protests from politically-backed student unions against offline exams. One college wanted offline exams, but students protested as the other colleges had online classes.
Can we blame the students for unfair practices? Binge movies, indeed, considering the declining cases in Goa. There must be uniformity and this must come from the board/University. What is the VC of the GU doing? From the sliding ranks, nothing. His key objective was lavish furnishings.
Surely there must be some weightage given to those colleges who conducted offline exams vis-a-vis those that had online exams for the same exam? The College or the Board /University should provide an additional certificate mentioning this as also on the marksheet while the others must mention online exams.
Uniformity and fairness must be the key, else education too will be chaotic like the country’s financial situation: quality does not come from the masses. The passport to good jobs is the mark sheet: with millions from India vying for a few jobs, equality must be the key.
R Fernandes, Margao
Health centre at Old Ribandar hospital
While focusing that Health is Wealth, the thrust should have been to decentralise availability of Healthcare facilities. But it is intriguing that Government is dithering on the promised Community Health Centre at the Old Ribandar hospital despite the fact that it would benefit not only Ribandar but also neighbouring residents of Chimbel, Merces, Old Goa and in the Island of Divar
The Old Ribandar Hospital was Asia’s first medical school established in 1867 with a glorious history and this heritage structure needs to be preserved by maintaining its history in restoring the premises with all possible Health Care facilities.
In 2017 then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had assured that within three months full medical care facilities would be restored at the Old Ribandar Hospital.
On October 8 last year MLA Babush Monserrate promised that Health facilities there would start as 30 bedded with a 24X7 Casualty cum Trauma unit equipped with all the required facilities and that it would be expanded in stages to be a full-fledged Hospital while that very week the same was also assured by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
We can only hope that promises become a reality with Healthcare facilities at the old Ribandar Hospital being restored on a priority so that it is accessible round the clock for those requiring medical assistance.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
India needs a good leader
In the light of Afghanistan present fiasco, it is imperative that we also ponder on the present circumstances in India which may lead to the same fate of Afghanistan. Due to past PMs, who had vision for nation building, efforts and determination to build the community in the nation, we have freedom to upkeep ourselves unlike what transpired in Afghanistan, which we need to learn from the following lessons from Afghanistan.
Possessing a house, car or comfortable transport provided by the Government or private, having comfortable bank balance, business, life with freedom, friends, neighbours, etc, will all turn to dust if our nation does not withstand the vagaries of civil strife and our government fails us due to nation selling.
Our assets have no value if our country loses its assets. We have instances where rogue investors who have fled our country with thousands of crores of rupees and if our politicians are allowed a free reign, who will replicate these rogues, then rest assured we can become refugees in minutes vis-a-vis Afghanistan.
Therefore it is imperative that we build our nation by choosing strong leadership unlike the present lot. These freebies doled out by our leaders and voting for those who give you short term gains will erode our stability and peace.
Our country is representing our family and we need a system to be put in place where education is our right, wherein we need to increase the allotment to education. We need a leader with a long term vision and to eradicate these fly-by-night politicians who fool us with their freebies.
Although our hearts cry out to the people of Afghanistan and also empathise with them, it is now necessary to choose a good leader for India.
Chris Fernandes, Mandrem
No garden of Eden for eves
Crimes against women have been witnessing a steep surge in the sunshine State, more so with the onset of the pandemic and has tarnished Goa’s image as a safe travel/residence destination. In fact some countries have issued travel advisories to single women travellers to avoid Goa in their itinerary. Consider this, our Hon’ble CM on the floor of the assembly has admitted that at least four cases of crime against the fairer sex have been registered every day since 2017 and there have been 286 rape cases over the past four years.
Many instances are never reported for fear of social stigma or shame because the perpetrator was known to the woman. Every other day newspaper headlines scream about some crime or the other being committed on eves, ranging from chain snatching to molestation to rape to murder. Due to media pressure investigations are quick to be announced but the pace slackens once the spotlight is off and the papers have something new to chew on.
Politicians merely pay lip service to the protection of women but actually do precious little on the ground to ensure it.
No dedicated police force or courts exist for women-related offences, in fact most of the law enforcement machinery is either deployed towards so called VIP duty or for settling political scores. Even a rudimentary thing like regular patrolling is missing from the State’s armoury.
A worrisome trend being seen nowadays is interstate gangs treating Goa as their playground and making it more unsafe for citizens.
Vinay Dwivedi, Benaulim
Talibans on verge of murderous regime
The Afghanistan government’s collapse is tragic. Afghanistan political leaders gave up and fled the country. The Taliban want the whole of Afghanistan under their command.
The Taliban, like in the 1990s, promise stability and security. But the tragedy is that Afghan million population would be subjected, once again, to one of the most barbaric forms of religious totalitarianism.
The limited progress and freedoms the Afghans earned over the last 20 years are now at risk of being surrendered to a murderous militia with scant regard for human rights, specially rights of women..
Pakistan combining with Taliban in terms of terrorism is a major threat to India. The international forum must be vigilant in preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a haven for jihadist terrorists.
The greatest risk is that the Taliban takeover will lead to a new version of Al Qaeda or Islamic State. India is not the only country to be left worried over the return of the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Several Asian countries consider the return of Taliban as a security headache.
Though the Taliban has made vague reassurances, Afghanistan fears a bleak, unpredictable future under the Taliban.
The collapse of the Afghan government and return of Taliban rule could accelerate the possible threat of terrorist groups reforming in the country.
K G Vilop, Chorao
