ADEUS BARONESS MARGARET THATCHER.

“He is a despot, a dictator, a monster”, these were the very harsh words I heard in the early morning from the mouth of the late Baroness Margaret Thatcher on BBC News bulletin on 2nd August 1990. These very harsh words were deservingly referred to Iraqi dictator the late Saddam Hussein and these harsh words were spoken by Margaret Thatcher from the USA where she went for the summit meeting with the American President Bush Sr. Cutting short her other appointments she immediately rushed to President Bush and forcefully requested him to give a lead to wage a war against Saddam Hussein to liberate Kuwait from illegal Iraqi invasion. She said this Iraqi invasion of Kuwait should never be allowed and by all means Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi troops must be kicked out from Kuwait. If this invasion of a small country by the mighty Iraq is allowed then there is every possibility for the powerful nations to swallow their weak neighbours, said she. Hence, she requested USA to give a lead and other nations will surely follow this lead to liberate Kuwait from the Iraqi occupation.

She was the most matured and wisdomatic politician, not only a mighty politician but also a mighty Statesman. Because of her statesmanship she managed to get the support of USA to liberate Falkland from the hands of Argentina. USA being a part of America had obligation to support its continent’s colleague Argentina against Britain but thru her wisdomatic and shrewd diplomacy Margaret Thatcher won over USA and because of USA’s open and clandestine support, Britain finally regained the control of Falkland.

Soviet Russia branded her as Iron Lady. Yes, it was a right name befitting her character. In Northern Ireland when the movement gained momentum for independence she shut her door for any negotiation for such talks even when so many young people died in hunger strike. She was so adamant that she even remarked saying “I don’t care for the deaths of hunger strikers”. Then the then Pope pleaded with the hunger strikers to end their strike and when Pope’s pleas also fell on deaf ears, Pope declared that “killing oneself thru hunger strike is a sin of suicide which is against Christian doctrine that prohibits oneself from taking one’s own life".

During the Commonwealth CHOGM Retreat in Goa in early eighties she made a point to go to Dona Paula where there is a small Cemetery where British soldiers killed in the Second World War were buried. Margaret Thatcher when she went to pay her homage to those British soldiers in that Cemetery she asked her aide “who looks after the maintenance of this Cemetery?” And when she was shown the old Goan lady standing at one corner and who was keeping the Cemetery clean, Margaret Thatcher was moved by the good work of that old Goan lady and removing from her bag gave that old Goan lady a few Notes of Indian Rupees, of course with tears in her eyes.

The other time I noticed tears in her eyes was when she was dethroned from the Premiership after serving for three long innings with top credibility.

In mid-eighties she visited Kuwait and during the Press Conference one Palestinian Journalist asked her a very lengthy question for which she bluntly remarked asking her Kuwaiti aide thus “is it a question or a speech”?

In her death world lost a great personality, a great political figure and a great statesman of whose type it is very difficult to come again. Her contribution in the movement for the liberation of Kuwait will be remembered in the history books written in golden letters. May her soul rest in peace.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.

DO NOT FORGET DR JACK SEQUEIRA

 

By Aires Rodrigues

 

It is appropriate that the Goa Government has decided to name the Goa Engineering College after Goa’s first Chief Minister late Dayanand Bandodokar.

But successive governments despite their assurances have done nothing in memory of Goa’s first Leader of the Opposition Dr Jack Sequeira. But for Dr Jack Sequeira’s then tireless efforts, Goa might have today been languishing as a mere taluka of Maharastra

Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira had a vision and passion for Goa. Only a few of such politicians still remain in our midst and will be also always remembered for the good they have done for this State. About the rest and in particularly some of the current politicians who have been leading and steering Goa down the gutters there will be no obituary to write and no land remaining to even raise a Samadhi. May be the Central jail being built at Colvale could be named after one of them.

Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira dared to speak what their heart felt. Unlike many of today’s politicians who are self-centered, they relentlessly raised and pursued issues concerning the backward, down-trodden and neglected communities of Goa.

 

It is imperative that students today in our schools and colleges should be told and made aware of the contribution of Dayanand Bandodkar and Dr Jack Sequeira towards Goa. They cannot remain our forgotten heroes.

 

Politics today is no longer a mission, not even an honest profession. It has been reduced to a scoundrel’s last resort. It has become a ruthless business, with morals and ethics twisted beyond recognition, thrown to the winds or long buried deep in the slush of ignorance and thuggery. Those belonging to a genre of politicians with qualities of head and heart cannot survive in today’s politics. Today a politician has to be thick skinned and a hypocrite to the core. He has to be ready to break and bend all the rules to survive

 

It is distressing to see and be witness the continuing rampant destruction and devastation of Goa. We were promised a Parivartan by this government but Goa is just getting further corroded beyond recognition. Posterity will never forgive them for their selfish role in this irreparable damage and destruction of what was once known as our once beautiful Goa, the Paradise of the East.

PARIVARTAN IN PANAJI.

By Aires Rodrigues

 

In a major setback to Chief Minister Mr. Manohar Parrikar, he has today lost his political control over the Corporation of City of Panaji. Manohar Parrikar pulled every trick under his sleeve to retain power at the CCP. He even manipulated most undemocratically and abruptly in postponing the Mayor’s election which was earlier scheduled last month. Manohar Parrikar publicly claims that he does not interfere in Municipal and Panchayat politics, but we know it all.

Will Manohar Parrikar’s losing grip over the CCP be the beginning of the much needed Parivartan? It has to be seen whether the Ponda Municipality which goes to the polls next month is the next destination.

Vaidehi Naik is one of the most incompetent and inept Mayor Panaji has seen. She was basically a puppet dancing to her master Manohar Parrikar’s tunes. Surendra Furtado may be a very seasoned Councillor but he would now as the Mayor have to deliver and prove his mettle. As a first step in the right direction he should surrender that red beacon which is being used on the Mayor’s car and not wait for the Supreme Court clamp down. The Supreme Court has now ruled that use of the red beacon should be limited to only top constitutional authorities.

Let us hope that now all the 30 Corporators will put their hands together for the better of Panaji. The CCP coffers are empty while it is embroiled in knee deep Corruption ridden scams and scandals. It all stinks more than Panaji’s garbage.