Team Herald
MARGAO: The Goan Seamen Association of India on Saturday held their protest in Benaulim to highlight failure of the government to restart the seafarers’ welfare pension scheme for the retired seafarers and widows.
The scheme has been stopped since October 2019, for almost a year. Earlier, the GSAI held their protests at Assolna and Velim.
“Benaulim people have pride that a Goan MLA has become a Member of Parliament. Churchill Alemao, if has the love for the seamen and the people of Benaulim, must take up the issue with the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant and help to restart the pension of the seafarers and widows,” said GSAI President Frank Viegas.
A retired seafarer Caetano lamented his plight. “We had put the proposal to the former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar to contribute for the seamen’s pension scheme. He assured to do it and gave Rs 2,500 to the seafarers as a pension. However, it was stopped in 2019,” he said.
The retired Benaulim seamen urged the MLA of Benaulim to put up their demand before the Chief Minister to provide them justice and restart the pension scheme immediately.
The GSAI said that even as the seafarers have been declared as key workers all the other people get pensions but the seafarers don’t.
