Curchorem: The family members of the seafarers of Quepem and from other places of South Goa protested against the charging of fees for quarantine facilities used by seafarers.
This took place at the present on the footpath of the main garden where the agitating locals, displayed placards and wore masks, while following the social distance norms.
The memorandum addressed to Collector of South Goa, Margao and signed by Mario Barretto and many other family members of seafarers, was submitted at the Deputy Collector’s office, Quepem. They called for reconsidering the decision of charging the company or the Goan seafarers and to make greater efforts to bring them back including those who are stranded in other countries as early as possible.
“The Goa government is charging the shipping companies heavily, towards institutional quarantine and COVID tests. These companies are looking after the seafarers on board since last the two months and are willingly bearing their cost of travelling. It is not a secret that these companies have lost business for the last two months and in these circumstances if they charge abruptly, there is likelihood that the companies may not re-employ them, in which case, Goans will then lose their jobs and this will ultimately affect their livelihood and lead to a rise in unemployment in the State,” said the locals.
They also stated that the seafarers are coming from safest place after two month’s total isolation, which could have been considered as quarantine period instead of again keeping them for seven days and charging.
Later, Quepem Police Inspector Santosh Dessai who was present there with his police force, urged the protesters to disperse from the venue as section 144 is in force during the lockdown period. Some protestors pointed out that section 144 appears to be applicable only for common man and not for the Chief Minister and other ministers/mlas, who were all seen together with no social distancing, during the recent inauguration of the grade separator project at Dabolim.
Supporting the protesters Quepem Councillor Filu D’Costa requested the government to consider their demand favourably as seamen are the backbone of Goa’s economy. Another Councillor Manuel Collaso also expressed similar views.
“Seafarers are contributing a lot in Goa’s economy by bringing in foreign currency to the government and they are not outsiders but sons of the soil. Therefore, the government must consider their genuine demand and scrap the quarantine fees immediately,” councillor Raul Pereira added.
