TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Asserting that the Director of Shipping is the only authority for issuing Indian CDCs for
seafarers and not any trade union, the Goan Seamen Association of India (GSAI) has vowed to fight till
seafarers working on the cruise liners are issued the Indian CDCs.
GSAI President Dixon Vaz said GSAI has taken up the issue with the present and previous Chief
Minister, all the three MPs, Shipping Ministry office, Director General of Shipping, NRI Commissioner
and will soon leave for Delhi to meet Union Shipping Minister. “We are happy to note that we have
received a positive reply to our demand for Indian CDCs for seafarers working on cruise liners”, he told
the media on Saturday.
Lashing out at NUSI for taking advantage of their efforts to resolve the CDC issue, Vaz accused NUSI
for allegedly misleading the seafarers on the issue. “Since NUSI has allegedly failed to serve their
members, they want to divert our attention and take credit for the Indian CDC issue. GSA has no
problem as long as seafarers get the CDC, but NUSI should not mislead the seafers”, he said.
Vaz demanded to know why NUSI is not working hard to enhance the monthly ex-gratia relief till date
and lashed out at the Trade Union for not making its Khareband office a full-fledged one. “I would like to
ask NUSI general secretary what happened to the promise he made three years ago to all the merchant
Navy employees that they will be made permanent”, he asked.
Vaz also questioned the need to undergo certain courses to make a seafarer eligible for a CDC, saying
that seafarers employed on cruise liners have already undergone the necessary courses over the years.
GSAI secretary Benny Da Costa, treasurer Santan Pereira also addressed the media on the CDC
issue.
Meanwhile, GSAI will commemorate World Maritime Day on April 5 by holding a free diabetic camp for
the seafarers. Dixon Vaz said the diabetic detection and awareness camp will be held at the Apollo
Victor hospital. The senior doctors will demonstrate how to detect, prevent and control diabetic.
