Disappointed seafarers still question Benaulim MLA for not outrightly condemning a temporary pension scheme

MARGAO: Even as the Benaulim MLA hastened to “condemn” the government’s move not to notify a permanent pension scheme, the seafarer’s body expects the first-time MLA to be more vocal on the sensitive issue of pensions for seafarers.

Viegas being a seafarer, the seamen want the MLA to be more vocal and fight for thousands of seafarers in getting justice. Dixon Vaz, founder and President of the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) said that the seafarers’ community is not happy with Viegas’ stand on the recent notification pertaining to pension schemes. 

June 30, 2023, The Goa home department in a notification notified the scheme for a gross pension of Rs 2,500 per month to retired Indian seamen. But the catch was that the scheme that came into force on June 1, 2023, was only for a period of three years, against the promise of this being a permanent scheme.

Reacting to the seafarers, Venzy Viegas said that he is also not happy with the government’s decision to extend the scheme for three more years and not fulfilling the assurance given by the Chief Minister on the floor of the House. 

“I will pursue with the government to make the scheme permanent, instead of just next three years validity, and hence I will be writing to the Assurance Committee on the issue very soon and fight till the scheme is made permanent,” he stated. 

The MLAs perceived failure to unequivocally condemn the government’s decision to re-announce the much-awaited pension scheme has struck a raw nerve among seamen. “He should have been more vocal after the government failed to make the scheme permanent and just extended it for another three years. It was Benaulim MLA who withdrew his private member bill on the issue upon the assurance of the Chief Minister and hence he should have been the first one to raise his voice,” Vaz stated. 

It is pertinent to note that a group of seafarers had accused Venzy of acting like a mouthpiece of the Chief Minister by welcoming the decision, instead of demanding to make the scheme permanent. 

Viegas alleged that the BJP is creating confusion among seafarers who are now fighting against each other, which had never happened in the past. The MLA said that he was the one who succeeded in not only bringing the private member bill in the Assembly but got assurance from the government to make the scheme permanent. 

GSAI president Frank Viegas countered this and said that their proposal with the government was simple and that was to make this scheme permanent. “Actually, soon after the notification Benaulim MLA should have revolted against the government for failing to make the scheme permanent, despite assurance on the floor of the House. He should have condemned the government decision,” he concluded.