WELCOME DR JENNIFER LEWIS AND HER CWC MEMBERS! Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was chief guest at the installation ceremony of the new president and CWC members of Fire & Life Safety Association of India, Goa Chapter, in a virtual online ceremony which took place on August 18, 2020. Also present, Nimit Sheth (regional director, FSAI) who welcomed the gathering, outgoing president FSAI Goa Chapter president Kulasekhar Kantipudi, Suresh Menon, Deepali Naik (director, Directorate of Women and Children) who in her address stressed on fire and safety precautions for women and children. Keynote speaker was Ashok Menon (adviser, FSAI and director, Fire & Emergency Services).

WE WILL REMEMBER SIR SATYA PAL MALIK!

GOA governor Satya Pal Malik who had become very popular amongst Goans in his short tenure of 10 months has been unceremoniously transferred to Meghalaya for frequently pulling up the present ruling dispensation over a variety of issues, especially the handling of Vasco/ other Covid-19 related cases. Also for openly rejecting the government’s recent proposal of constructing a new Raj Bhavan in the State during the on-going coronavirus pandemic.
Looks like the present government wants a puppet, if not a rubber stamp governor at its disposal to forcibly continue doing what it feels is right and to fast-track the destruction of Goa. Just because Governor Satya Pal Malik dared to side with the people of Goa and not the government on some issues, CM Pramod Sawant must have gone crying to the High Command to get the governor transferred immediately.
Our “Bivpachi Garaz Na” fame CM must have been very much upset with Governor Sastya Pal Malik for finally telling Goans that “Bivpacho Vell Pavlo” or “Bivpachi Garaz Asa” after seeing the fast spreading coronavirus cases in the state and mismanagement by the government of Goa.
A brave Satya Pal Malik will definitely be remembered for daring to raise a variety of pertinent issues and also for trying to do something for the people of Goa during his very short tenure, unlike the previous governor who practically behaved like a dummy if not a slave of the government at the Centre, waking up at midnight for taking sudden oath ceremonies of some MLAs/ministers and enjoying holidays at State expense.
This is to say a big thank you to Sir Satya Pal Malik for his valuable standing up for Goa. Goans will always remember and remain indebted to you and we wish you the very best in all your future endeavors. May God keep you safe, in good health, and bless you forever wherever you go.
—Jerry Fernandes, Saligao

GOA’S LOSS
WE knew two weeks in advance that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had managed to convince the High Command that Satya Pal Malik should be removed as governor of Goa. The decision was taken at the highest level and it was just about waiting for the Independence Day ceremony to be over.
The post of governor is an important Constitutional post as the chief executive of the State has executive, legislative, judicial and financial powers amongst other discretionary powers to ensure the smooth running of a State. When the government of the day abdicates in its duty the governor is duty bound to step in, and so Satya Pal Malik intervened in the State’s interest on issues like Mhadei, mining, COVID crisis and that skewered move of the Government to construct a new Raj Bhavan. He was also so keen that Goa should focus on agriculture and avoid environmental degradation.
The very unceremonial shunting of Satya Pal Malik was in bad taste. Goa has lost out on a gregarious personality with a robust heart who has always been a socialist. He was indeed a good listener with a very clear mind and believed in achieving results. A very caring and considerate soul he was.
We have lost a very modest, practical Governor who believed in delivering good governance to the poorest of the poor. He was very anguished and pained at the manner in which Goa was being misgoverned.
With a very irresponsible and insensitive Government in power, our only saving grace was that in Satya Pal Malik we had a very proactive and astute Governor who did not tolerate or approve any reckless actions and wrong decisions.
In his just 10 month tenure in Goa the very amiable Governor Malik was very popular and became the people’s voice while making the Raj Bhavan accessible to the common man. He had a mind of his own and to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s dismay Satya Pal Malik very rightly refused to be a rubber stamp Governor.
—Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

OF HELMETS AND COMORBIDITY
The State has made it mandatory to wear helmets while riding 2 wheelers. This is done to save the life of such riders. They even penalise such riders who disobey the rule.
The State through its various Govt. Doctors have clearly admitted that citizens with comorbidity will lose their lives if they contract the covid 19- whether they get themselves hospitalised in Covid Hospitals or private hospitals.
Are people aware of the risk level to their lives if they have 1 and if they have more than 1 comorbidity? Are they aware what are the comorbidities? Is obesity one? Under current situations are they not required to be given more rights? Separate ques, parking, first preference at public places/stores, option to work from home? Something must be done: their days seem to be numbered.
People in their forties and upwards are falling to Covid-19 if they have comorbidity. In other countries it is those with more than 1 comorbidity who are easily infected and at risk. How are they tackling the situation? Countries with 55 Lakh plus population have a total of just 25 deaths: surely they must be more successful in their handling of the situation? Why are we not collaborating with them?
What is the number of people above 45 years who have comorbidit(y)ies? How many above 55 years? How many are working Should not we get some data on this? It is not only the elderly with comorbidities who have died: working people less than middle aged people too have died. Are Private Doctors in touch with their patients having comorbidities ‘by phone’?
Are we going to sit back and watch them fall like nine-pins? Are they dispensable ? Are they in our minds when we open up hotels, tourism, mining, all ISL matches in Goa?
—R Fernandes,Margao