TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: As many as five Salcete MLAs were conspicuous by their absence at the district level Republic Day function at the South Goa Collectorate on Monday morning.
A number of chairs were found empty at the venue, indicating the continuing trend of dwindling participation at the State and National Day functions at the district Collectorate.
Leading the pack of absentees were RDA Minister, Mickky Pacheco, former Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat and MLAs Reginaldo Lourenco, Vijai Sardesai and Caitu Silva. Fisheries Minister, Avertano Furtado, who unfurled the National Tricolour along with MLAs Benjamin Silva and Rajan Naik were conspicuous by their presence.
Amongst other dignitaries who turned up for the function were Rajya Sabha MP Shantaram Naik, Margao Municipal chairperson Gonzaco Rebello, District Collector Venancio Furtado, district police chief Shekhar Prabhudessai, freedom fighters, citizens, councillors and students.
This is not the first time that the elected MLAs from Salcete have failed to turn up for a national day function in the State. Incidentally, Margao MLA and his Fatorda counterpart Vijai Sardesai have not so far attended a single function held at the district Collectorate since its commissioning.
