He has also requested the GSAI president and managing committee to call a meeting of seamen to discuss the same and start working towards the fulfillment of the promises.
“On August 15, Avertano Furtado had declared that the government is going to create a separate seafarers cell and provide a nodal office, Passport Seva Kendra, at Matanhy Saldanha Administrative Complex, Margao, for the benefit of the seamen community,” said Michael, adding that nothing had been done thereafter.
He further stated that Manohar Parrikar, as opposition leader, had promised to launch a pension scheme for retired seamen, group insurance for working seamen, and elect a seafarers commissioner after coming into power.
“Even his promises have not seen the light of the day. It looks like BJP wants to take these pending promises of last election to the manifesto of the next election,” said Michael.
He continued, “It’s high time that BJP starts acting. For the last 50 years, all political parties have only used us as vote banks. In the last election, after so many years seamen were mentioned in the manifestos of politicians. That is because GSAI took up some genuine and important issues of Goa’s seamen community. But till date, no MLA has taken up any issue inside or outside of the Assembly.”
Michael has also expressed a need for political parties to include seamen as they are the back bone of Goa’s economy. “Most villages in South Goa have a large number of seamen. Almost every house in the constituencies of Benaulim, Cuncolim and Velim has a sizable number of seamen.”
