A delegation from the Mormugao Stevedores Association met Goa Forward Party (GFP) Chief Vijai Sardesai to express deep concern over the declining employment opportunities for locals at the Mormugao Port Authority, particularly in light of potential berth privatization.
Lyndon Rodrigues, president of the association, stated that around 1,200 people have already been negatively impacted, with fears that nearly 1,000 more may lose their livelihood directly if the berth is privatized. He emphasized the cascading economic effect such a move could have on the broader community, affecting families and small businesses linked to port operations.
Responding to the delegation, Sardesai assured them that he would raise the issue in the upcoming Goa Legislative Assembly session. He further urged the Goa government to initiate dialogue with the central government, calling it the "main engine" behind such decisions, to ensure justice for Goans—"our own goykar."
"I have already spoken to the South Goa MP and asked him to raise the matter with the Union Shipping Minister," Sardesai added. He called for a unified political front to safeguard the jobs and welfare of Goans dependent on the port.
With the privatization of key infrastructure looming, the stevedores and political representatives are pressing for urgent intervention to prevent a large-scale employment crisis in South Goa.