Eternal precaution,need of the hour
When, with the upsurge of COVID-19 cases in Goa, we should have been exercising extra caution and care, what sadly appears is the ineptitude and insolence on the part of the state administration to throw caution to the winds and seemingly undoing all the good that Goa’s intense lockdown had achieved, by brusquely opening the doors to visitors who constitute the bulk of carriers of the virus to our state.
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Goans have, by and large, been strictly adhering to the guidelines issued by the MHA in the wake of the pandemic, so as to restrain the disease from making inroads into our beloved land. It would be foolhardiness on our part at this crucial juncture to let down our guard and gamble with life and trade it for economic gains.
As the world grapples with the precarious situation arisen since the outbreak of the deadly virus, hopingly enduring its inconveniences and vicissitudes, let us not give in to complacency and laid-back approach but continue to exercise eternal precaution, taking the right measures necessary to prevent the virus from spreading further.
Beset by umpteen challenges due to the lockdown, we have, with much difficulty and strain withstood the challenges of the raging turbulence. What we desire at the moment is a strong leadership that seeks to safeguard its citizenry and an equally responsible citizenry that responds in unison to the demands of these testing times.
Incidentally, it is a long drawn battle we need to engage ourselves in, before we can actually let down the sails. Till then stay home, stay secure and stay healthy.
Tomas Lobo, Pilerne
Teachers have committed no crime
Directorate of Education (DoE) at the behest of a few elements have finally issued notices to four teachers who were reportedly involved in setting the recent Class X English paper and for portraying the government in poor light with regards to corruption and job opportunities in Goa but why? Have these teachers committed a crime by exposing the actual ground scenario of today in terms of employment/job opportunities due to the faulty policies, if not corrupt practices of our respective governments in Goa?
Facts are facts. Our governments have indeed miserably failed to generate employment and to provide decent jobs for genuine Goans with good salaries in their own home state of Goa. Of course, our governments over the years might have set up many industries in some parts of Goa bullying Goans but they have been of no real use as the employers of all such industries (mostly run by outsiders) have been deliberately hiring only the poor migrants from their own neighbouring states for low salaries by keeping Goans out giving their own silly excuses, if not justifications and branding them all as born lazy.
Today, even the government jobs are practically not just sold to the highest bidder but are also given fully depending on the religion of a person by mischievously keeping all the minorities out and it is due to this main reason that one can see mostly the minorities in large numbers compulsorily migrating in foreign countries for the purpose of employment to have a decent living.
The government of the day, instead of going on the defensive and punishing the poor innocent teachers for trying to show all the faulty corrupt employment policies of all respective governments (past and present) in the mirror through the Class X English paper should therefore learn to accept all such hard facts/realities and finally try to help all Goans (especially the minorities) in terms of employment by practically being more human and less communal to really stop them from leaving Goa for good in the near future.
Jerry Fernandes, Saligao
Strategy for immigrant Workers
Further to the publication in Herald of May 26 headed “UP CM moots strategy for immigrant workers”, I would like to suggest to the powers that be that Goa should also set up a working committee now, when our entire immigrant worker population is heading home to their native States, to consider and implement a similar strategy for when they return.
They should be issued a 2-yr laminated – identification card – work visa, return home, reapply and return for another stint and so on; the visa must have conditions i.e. Aadhaar card #, health certificate from State Hospital, etc. These are personal ‘Work Visas” for construction and service only with no license to invest and employ, change names to Goan names, own shops and drive taxis, be Panchayat Officers, have voting rights in this State and other such diversions from the only reason they were imported in the first instance which have been the cause of much strife between them and locals.
A photocopy of this Visa would be a record for the proprietor of the accommodation they are renting and for filing with the local Police, The accompanying wives must have a similar Visa, separately, if they intend taking up work here. UP and MNS have the right idea, at the right time; we should consider a similar control too – good for the non-exploitation of the Immigrant and the thankful acceptance of their presence in this State.
Carlos Mascarenhas, Salcete
Unnecessary controversies!
I’m rather disappointed by the latest controversy spiralling out of the so-called ‘objectionable’ statement in the Class X English paper. What’s more shocking is that the DoE has reportedly issued notices to four concerned teachers.
Evidently, this was a personal view opined by a fictional character in a question paper, so why make hue and cry out of it? Let free expression prick the conscience of those guilty!
Must we paint only a rosy picture regarding the current state-of-affairs? As public, we clearly know the ground reality regarding employment and infrastructure levels, as compared to foreign shores…
Instead of provoking baseless controversies over such petty matters, why not dedicate deeper time and thought into more relevant issues plaguing our nation?
Jude Fernandes, Vasco
Common cold and COVID-19
The South West monsoon is round the corner. In a couple of weeks, it will be raining cats and dogs in the state. With the rains come the various illness like common cold, flu, showing symptoms of sore throat, body-ache, running nose and high temperature. Incidentally most, if not all, of these symptoms are also seen in people suffering from COVID-19. The question that will arise is how do the common man differentiate from a common cold with it’s accompanying symptoms and the deadly COVID-19. Obviously, people will be rushing to private practitioners, private and government hospitals to make sure they are not infected by the coronavirus. With so many people visiting the hospitals, there is every possibility of cross-infection. Those who had just a common cold could be infected by the COVID-19 virus at the hospital as a result of reduced immunity. There could also be several asymptomatic cases. During the rainy season it seems absolutely necessary for the people not to panic if they have a common cold.
It would be desirable for the Health Department officials to lay down guidelines on how to differentiate between a common cold that one may catch during the monsoon season and the coronavirus infection.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
