With the COVID-19 cases escalating by the day the government has to be extremely careful in its plans to even partially reopen schools. With lack of proper infrastructure to treat and manage the COVID infected patients it would be proper for the authorities to tread very cautiously or we may reach a point of further crisis. We cannot be putting the lives of the students and their teachers at risk. This pandemic is proving to be a marathon and not a sprint and to be two steps ahead of any politician’s ill thought out plan.
There is no doubt that the economy and tourism must revive, but the priority has to be the health of the people which cannot and should not be compromised. At the moment the focus of the government has to be on taking proper care of every patient in this current raging pandemic. All attempts must be made to save every life possible. Certain politicians for reasons best known are keen to restart Casinos. But in the prevailing situation it could be a wrong gamble only leading to further chaos. Our economy was already sliding on a downward spiral pre-covid through bad management of the economy. Covid has only exposed in a cruel but timely way the desperate medical and health services and the fragile economy of our state. The time for cheap gesture politics and cosmetic changes like statues and new Raj Bhavans that have no real benefit for the many must stop. The Government must realise that vanity projects that are often disguised as scams with no accountability can no longer continue in such dire conditions. They have to take their primary responsibility and number one priority of protecting its citizens who are anxious and living in fear and in growing poverty, seriously and devote every paisa of our scare financial and human resource towards their wellbeing by focussing on its fight against this destructive virus by improving medical services. Distractions like the re-opening of Casinos to benefit the corrupt few especially some politicians will be detrimental to the people and the state and may prove beneficial to the virus. The health and prosperity of our people and the state must not be dependant on the roll of a dice but on a well thought out strategy, its urgent implementation and resolute determination to improve facilities for the many and to fight the virus at all costs and at the same time to help all those in desperate need of financial survival. Government must realise that they are elected to serve the people and respond to their needs and priorities and not to pre-determine their needs based on their own electoral survival! Aires Rodrigues Advocate High Court C/G-2, Shopping Complex Ribandar Retreat, Ribandar – Goa – 403006 Mobile No: 9822684372 Office Tel No: (0832) 2444012 Email: [email protected] Or [email protected] You can also reach me on Facebook.com/ AiresRodrigues Twitter@rodrigues_aires www.airesrodrigues.com
