IT IS CHRISTMAS IN GOA!

HELLO JESUS! Goa has some of the best Bethlehem cribs around in creative tableaux. They visually recount the story of baby Jesus, born circa 6 BC in a shepherd’s manger with farmyard animals around. Baby Jesus grew up to be Jesus Christ, “the king of Jews” who was crucified most cruelly by Rome’s Pontius Pilate… it heralded the beginning of Christianity. It’s worth catching up with the life and times of Jesus by going up to the Archbishop’s Palace at Altinho, Panaji, one of these days for a dekho of this crib in the final week of 2020! (PIX BY SANDESH NAIK)

NDA DISRESPECT TO FARMERS

THE Modi-led NDA government at the centre has thrown all caution to the wind and is showing scant disrespect to the feelings and thoughts of farmers in the country — by not repealing the three farm laws that are detrimental to the livelihood and concerns of farmers in India.
In fact the government is showing double standards because it is this same government led by Narendra Modi that claimed that they had solved various issues of the farmers by providing them with various schemes for better farming practices. Why is it that the government is now not paying heed to the farmers on protest and repealing the laws? These very farmers who make up almost 50% of the population of India were earlier instrumental in supporting the government! The government should gracefully accept that the farmers do not like the laws and what they will spell out for them and repeal the laws.
Is it that the government is trying to somehow cover its tracks of double standards which have been exposed? Today (December 20, 2020) the farmers are observing Shradanjali Diwas or a day of mourning for the farmers who have lost their lives in this current agitation against manipulative farm laws that have been enacted to the detriment of farmers livelihood and human rights.
At this juncture the NDA government is rubbing salt into the wounds of the farming community. Hundreds of farmers have already committed suicide and are still doing so because of their bleak circumstances – with this latest act of passing the three laws to corporatize their livelihood in the worst context possible the NDA government has truly lost the trust of the farming community in India.
Will this signal the end of the reign of NDA as several state governments have extended support to the farmers in their quest for repealing the three farm laws that go against the interests of the farmers of India? The government of India has lost the moral authority to govern India given its intransigence and it could very well lead to its downfall.
— Elvidio Miranda, Panaji

COMPETITIVE EXAMS
ONCE again Goans crumbled at competitive exams: The CBRT for Junior Scale Officers! Such exams are meant to sift the candidates as the posts are very few. How many different types of questions can you post? Sooner than later you have to ask questions not in keeping with the post. Like NEET, meant for medics, has in depth questions on maths and physics.
What good was all this when we have more than 700 Covid-10 deaths while other countries have under 30? A south Indian, working in finance for a mine owner in Goa, asked me how would I answer the question from my boss: How are you going to solve this? I failed. The answer, he told me, is: Sir, what outcome do you want? What about a GK question, for CBRT: How do you see the Ayodhya verdict? Freedom in India today?
What about the IAS Officers? They too answer some tough papers which they even manage to crack! What good? India, only belatedly, more than a week after the UK disclosed a new coronavirus variant, shut down flights from UK. Goa, which had 4 flights a week to the UK, did not even mandate a RT-PCR test, despite faring miserably in the pandemic and even the SC commenting on the spread. Why, even the Sensex has tanked 1700 points because of the new strain!
What were the IAS Officers in Goa doing? The CM declared that the stoppage of flights would affect tourism?! Even now, passengers from the UK may have travelled to Thailand during the last week and may end up in Goa! What are the IAS Officers doing?
We need to change the competitive exams syllabus from just whittling down the numbers. Questions are posed on topics unrelated to the posts for the sole purpose of cutting down the numbers. Yes, you will ensure more knowledgeable candidates, but as seen above, of what use is it? For NEET, we must include RCA – root cause of analysis –and risk management, knowledge of which is solely lacking and a direct cause of the pathetic handling of the Covid-19 pandemic in Goa.
And what about the politicians? Where was AAP when Goa continued to entertain UK flights? Even now they are silent. Yes, politicians know how to respond to the question: How to solve this problem? Their master is not the citizens. Why is no case being filed for the kidnapping of activists? Yes, kidnapping. Reportedly, the names and badges of the policemen who took in the group of protesters were removed.
— R Fernandes, Margao

covid scenario not over
As 2020 is nearing its end, it has been a year that has created havoc worldwide on account of the current pandemic. Damage has been seen across the globe. So many very precious lives have been lost by people succumbing to COVID-19. In our country itself the death toll is almost 150,000. Medically and economically people right across the earth are feeling the pain and suffering with anxiety and fear.
In the prevailing grim scenario it is pertinent that we take every step and all measures to ensure that we do not enhance or aggravate the virus from further spreading. We are currently in a very dangerous state of affairs and every possible caution must be taken to ensure that this pandemic does not further worsen the current already sad state of affairs.
Across India the number of COVID cases is continuing to mount up at an alarming rate and should be a matter of great concern. Caution and focus with zero complacency must be key in our battle against a vicious virus. The government has to show dedicated and determined leadership by making the fight against pandemic the number one priority and taking swift action to improve the health care facilities across the nation. As a means to protect our environment it would be imperative that we stay away from setting up any polluting projects and industries. There has to be a consistent thrust on maintaining sanitation and cleanliness all over while social distancing and wearing of masks will now be a way of life at least for the near future. But let us not be blind to the fact that we need to be also kind, concerned and compassionate at all times to those in distress.
Everyone’s thrust has been to boost one’s immunity. From Vitamin C to Zinc is what everyone has been seeking recourse of. For the last four months I have been doing brisk walking for an hour every morning including the weekends. And the feeling has been great and good. Having been blessed with good teachers all through my academic days, now as a senior citizen, I am very fortunate to have good doctor friends, whose medical advice and knowledgeable guidance is just a phone call away.
This pandemic is proving to be a marathon and not a sprint with the adverse effects destined to last even longer. The Government along with medical and scientific experts must work together and do whatever it takes to get the situation under control. It is imperative that the measures are then implemented urgently as a stitch in time saves nine.
With this pandemic still raging and nobody knowing what is in store we can only hope and pray for better days in 2021 by being confident in ourselves and always with a very positive mental attitude.
— Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar