Will delay in recruiting volunteers jeopardize Games security?
FRANCIS X. RIBEIRO
PANJIM: The Lusofonia Games have hit another rough patch. The Lusofonia Games Organising Committee (LUGOC), is seized with the lack of entries for Sports Specific Volunteers, which till date is much below the expected numbers.required, with few volunteers signing in.
Added to this hitch is the confusion that prevails over the duties of Sports Specific Volunteers (SSVs). While LUGOC expects the Sports Specific Volunteers to mop floors and serve players with water, besides other non-technical duties, secretaries of various Sports Associations, who have been entrusted the task to provide SSVs to LUGOC to assist in hosting various sports disciplines, cite a number of reasons that is discouraging Goans to volunteer willingly.
It is pertinent to note that LUGOC has called for applications for two categories of volunteers, just about a couple of months ago. Those who have a fluent command over Portuguese language who will be considered as General Volunteers and those who have experience in sports who will fall under the category of Sports Specific Volunteers (SSVs).
Of the expected 1,500 SSVs needed by LUGOC, it is reliably learnt that just about 300 have been registered so far, leaving a huge backlog of 1200. LUGOC is worried as every one who volunteers must be subjected to police scrutiny for security reason.
Keshav Chandra, Lusofonia Games CEO told Herald that “Except for government servants,” thorough police clearance is mandatory and needed for every volunteer, official, member of the administrative staff before they can take up their posting, adding that government servants do not need to be subjected to police scrutiny.
To a query as to how many volunteers had been registered so far by LUGOC, Mr. Chandra himself was unaware, stating that he did not have the details at hand.
When various problems faced by the Associations were brought to his notice, he said that the job was purely volunteering and therefore did not merit any remuneration, accommodation etc. “We shall provide them with a kit and food. I don’t understand what’s the problem, here in Goa,” he asked.
Mr Keshav Chandra has not done his home work well, a sports enthusiast from Mandrem declared. “He fails to recognize that the cost of living in Goa is very high as compared to other parts of the country. Besides transport comes to a halt as early as 8.00 p.m. unlike the metros. These factors must be taken into consideration,” the enthusiast who hoped to volunteer said.
State Volleyball Association secretary Santosh Bandodkar informed that he could manage just 20 SS volunteers of the required 40 demanded by LUGOC.
“Till date we are unaware of the exact duties of the SSVs. It is difficult to rope in SSVs as many of our boys and girls are employed permanently in private compnies. Besides the timings of work (10 am till late hours in the night) and no provisions made for accommodation has been a deterrent for many. No emoluments have been fixed, except that sports kit and food will be provided,” disclosed Bandodkar.
State Athletics Association secretary Paresh, disclosed that LUGOC had requested for 150 SSVs and 150 officials for the conduct of athletics. The Association could manage only 90 SSVs and 30 technical officers. “Due to lack of incentives and facilities many of our volunteers have opted out. We have quite a few enthusiasts from Canacona but they are deterred because no accommodation has been provided. It appears that there is a lot of confusion amongst those within LUGOC,” Prakash disclosed pointing out that they could rope in SSVs from neighboring states, but they must be offered accommodation and other relevant perks.
Prakash was also quick to point out that the Opening of the Lusofonia Games falls on November 2nd, the day Hindus will celebrate the important festival of Diwali.
“How will our Hindu SSVs brothers and sisters attend the Lusofonia Games function?” he questioned.
Vero Nunes, secretary of Goa Table Tennis Association, has till date not handed over even a single SSVs name, since he is unclear about the job specifications of the SSVs. “I was being told that their job includes serving water and balls to the players, besides moping the floors. This is not the job of the SSVs,” he said disputing the mandate of SSVs.
“LUGOC is confused and has no idea what the duties of the SSVs are. Besides LUGOC has made no provision to pay any sort of remuneration to the SSVs. After prodding them on the issue, they finally decided to pay Rs 300 as allowance per day, which is a joke, for Goans, considering the high cost of living in the State,” he said.
With the prevailing confusion and with no takers for sports volunteering, the delay could turn into a security concern for the Games. With international teams expecting to arrive during the second half of October, the security concerns are likely to heighten, if this issue is not resolve immediately. Last minute recruitment may snowball into a serious security issue as it would be a nightmare to ascertain the antecedents of the volunteers at the last minute.
SP Vijay Singh in charge of the Security for the Lusofonia Games told Herald that the proposal for the scrutiny of volunteers for security purposes is on.
“The process for the verification of bio data is on,” he said, adding that the list (of volunteers) would be given by the respective Associations. According to the police, the verification would be done to check if any of the proposed volunteers was involved in any criminal activity.
But Singh said that at present only the bio data would be checked. He also said that the process for planning of security measures including for deployment of forces has also begun.
All said and done, with the infrastructure in doldrums, the organizational departments are also in a mess. Senior officials of LUGOC are now squarely blaming the tainted Commonwealth Games official, Rajkumar Sacheti, who was appointed as an advisor, under whose charge the organizational departments come under.
It is the CEO of the Lusofonia Games Keshav Chandra who recommended Sacheti to the Government of Goa, as advisor. Sacheti is learnt to be facing a CBI inquiry for sins of commission and omission during the Commonwealth Games held a New Delhi.
Now the proverbial million dollar question is ~who will they blame for the organizational chaos prevailing in the LUGOC? Is it the ban on the IOA? Or the rains that lashed Goa? Who, Mr Sachetti and Mr Keshav Chandra do you say is responsible? Goans or the those so called experts `Commonwealth experienced personnel’ from Delhi, that you guys have recruited?
