The claim and glory of who did or not to offer much delayed relief to sailors is but a cruel joke our representatives who thrive on our vote are duty bound to act in any such humanitarian mission and to press their demands consistently Still there is a long way to go to ascertain their wellbeing and rehabilitations. The pathetic conditions of seamen denied their paltry pensions and no signs of resumption has not bothered the MLA,s who get handsome pensions. with enough wealth of their own to sustain a generations next The wives of seamen set in motion the woes and agony of stranded sailors spread over the world and some in highly contagious hot spots which then saw flurry of actions at highest levels of Govt ,Every one is now shouting from roof tops appropriating glory which is not the crux of issue. The unemployment and finances of sailors is a far cry and long term pain The Govt of India had repatriated by air hundreds of Indians and quarantined. Nowhere we have heard about expenses to be borne . Foreigners have been transported from Goa airport inspite of ban. But just hundred seamen were shunted out unable to disembark on the shore of their own land. Those who work silently for the welfare of Goan citizens ONLY deserve our salute and not but those who see it as vote mileage must get the boot that deserves such shameless propaganda The Goa Govt , our thriving economy partly because of foreign exchange remittances. The exporters are suitably rewarded for earning foreign exchange. but our sailors when they touch our shores are inhumanly taxed on little house hold goods they bring as souvenirs to loved ones to their families. Are they given concessions comensurate with earnings in foreign exchange or reductions in amount of income tax for their long period of unemployment .These and other issues need serious considerations our fore fathers have worked years without continuous courses and specially when ships are better equipped with survival and communication facilities The periodic repeatition of compulsory courses are a conivance with retired officers and unions to line their pockets and bleed the sailors by exhorbitant fees just for 3 days course without which the sailors are un employable This is holding poor sailors to ransom. These issues need to be resolved rather than making mountain out of mole hill Have not the Nations around the world shown empathy and repatriated their citizens without much ado. Only the issue of sailors is delayed
Nelson Lopes Chinchinim Sent from my iPhone
