WHO IS SUPREME? PARTY OR INDIVIDUAL?

On 21.12.16  at  Araddy Vaddo, Candolim, during the “Corner Meeting” of Michael Lobo of BJP, attended by a fairly huge crowd, the local Sarpanch Sandra requested the voters to re-elect Sir Lobo on the basis of his individuality by ignoring his BJP tag. During the last election the same Sarpanch asked the voters to re-elect another Sir, the defeated Sir Agnelo Fernandes. I don’t know which Queen conferred the Knighthood on these Sirs to address them as such. Why this sudden change now in the stand of the  local Sarpanch and her colleagues is not known but it is imperative for the voters to know it if Sandra and her colleagues believe in democratic transparency.

Sandra cannot take the voters for a ride and voters are not “Ghanttaboil”, she cannot take the voters for granted. This is not a dancing session, yesterday one party and today another, this is nonsense. Voters are not “Khapurlim” who in one Konkani Proverb is described as “Khapurleak khuim kulei Sarke and Thanaim sarkim”. Because of her call last time, voters supported Congress and made BJP as their enemies. This time is Congress as their enemies? What is this?  Who gains in this Aya Rams and Gaya Rams business? We want to know the real reason behind deserting Agnelo Fernandes and his Congress by Candolim Panchayat headed by Sarpanch Sandra. Otherwise in the next election Sandra may come up with another party’s candidate. People in Candolim is losing their confidence on Sandra because she is proving to be volatile.    

          

However,  as per one story the problem started it seems when the major portion of the loot collected thru Bribe was by precedence pocketed by the last time defeated Sir which is not acceptable by other partners in the crime. No wonder, some Panch members and the Sir accumulated huge wealth when their salaries are miniscule.  The looters in Goa are looting the entire loot for themselves only when that money is meant for the welfare of the people.

Secondly, can we ignore the party tag of the candidate while voting for his individuality even though it is good? For any important issue of public interest can the elected representative overpower his party’s decision? Currently, is there any MLA in BJP rank who got hormones in his body to defy the party’s diktats?  If yes then there would be a voice raised seeking justice for Fr. Bismarque and for Terakol & Vanxim locals, so too against the IT attack on Catholic Church and many more issues.  If the Party supremo instructs any of its members to lower his Pant, he has to, otherwise he is out of the party.  And among the Catholic members there is not a single member in the ruling segment who got guts to challenge the party’s decision however anti-Christian that decision may be.  Even the so called great and strong the late Mathanay Saldanha had no balls to oppose the anti-Christian decision of Parricar government of knocking down the annual Christian holidays including on Good-Friday.   

Once the candidate is elected, he becomes a slave of the party even though he is elected not by the party but by the voters whose decisions he must follow. Will the elected representative assure us that he will ignore his party’s decision and support the voters’ decision because it is the voters who are supreme since  they elect him and not his party?  

Meantime, Congress in Calangute constituency will sink further if the defeated candidate is re-nominated as its candidate in the coming election. People are waiting to teach him again the lesson of revenge which he was teaching to the constituents when he was in power. Also people wants to know the source of income of any candidate contesting in Calangute constituency. For this, Luizin Faleiro as party president must declare his first because “charity begins at home”. Faleiro and Digvijay please take this as an ALERT.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

"ARC OF HOPE" - HOME FOR THE AGED (FEMALES) IN CANDOLIM.

During the Portuguese rule and even later on for some more years, there was only one Asilo (Old Aged Home) and that too only for males in Candolim at Pintos Vaddo.  Nowhere else was there any such an Asilo in the surrounding areas nor in the ambient villages.  The inmates in this Asilo which is still running well under the care of Goa government, are from all over Goa.  During those good old days spending one’s life in Asilo means a sort of lowliness but now it is somewhat different. And precisely because of this mindset Asilos are mushrooming almost in every village all over Goa.  In Candolim itself there are now two, one for the females  as well known as “ARC OF HOPE” situated at Murod, opposite to the Church.

Seen above is "ARC OF HOPE"

ARC OF HOPE was the initiative taken under the banner of St. Vincent de Paul and was started with the blessings of the then Archbishop Raul Gonsalves in April 1981. Now at 92 sheltered at Arc of Hope, Ms Esmeralda Gomes as In-Charge of this Home shouldered the responsibility for 32 long years to look after the inmates there. The current Home was inaugurated in 1984 in a plot gifted by one local lady Sr. Cristalina when she felt it was the need of the hour to house the inmates in a more spacious place.  In order to raise funds for the construction of this Home the people behind this project went begging for help almost to every house in Candolim besides organizing Dramas and other activities. Additionally, like a Bom Samaritan, Mr. Frank Simoes a kind hearted local helped this project financially and with the assistance of the then Spiritual Director Fr. Victor Rodrigues who supervised the working of this project, this project got a boost.

Seen above is one of the rooms for the inmates

In 1987 the ground floor followed by the first floor two years later was completed and now the entire project is ready as seen in the picture, thanks to the extra ordinary efforts put in by the dynamic team of the management that supervises this ARC OF HOPE, it has the capacity to accommodate 40 inmates under the care of efficient In-Chharge Ms Teodolina who is ably supported by two assistants, namely Lolita and Tulsi.  Besides, weekly once a doctor visits the Home to check the inmates’ health condition and a Nurse too every morning.

Seen above are some of the inmates

To keep the inmates happy they are provided with TV and In-door games and those who are capable are allowed to do the Stitching, Hair-dressing and other such jobs. The birthdays of the inmates are also celebrated with their family members at Arc of Hope.

Once a week the local Parish Priest celebrates the Holy Mass for the inmates and daily they recite 3 Rosaries. For the security of the inmates, a C.C.T.V. is also installed.

                                         One inmate preparing Envelopes from old Papers

Seeing the humanitarian work done at ARC OF HOPE, the villagers and visitors help generously the Home in Cash and Kind besides once a month on first Sunday outside the Church they do the collection in aid of their needs.

By seeing the poor – needy – aged with a smile on their faces, the great mission of Vincentian looks fulfilled.  The great credit for this achievement goes to all those involved in running this great project. May God Bless them all.

A.Veronica Fernandes.

POLITICAL SCENARIO OF CALANGUTE CONSTITUENCY.

The recent confrontation in Calangute between the two political heavyweights, namely Calangute MLA Michel Lobo and Calangute Dpty. Sarpanch Joseph Sequeira is the clear sign of the fierce events to take place all over Goa.  It is said “once tasted, Lion will never give up the blood (power)”. Both my friends are very popular in Calangute constituency.  As an MLA, Mr. Lobo has done a good developmental work in the constituency as no  MLA in the past has done but that does not mean he did a favour, on the contrary Mr. Lobo has done his duty for which he was elected. However, he surely deserves compliments for doing his duty well in fulfilment of his given promises. Where all other previous MLA’s failed Mr. Lobo succeeded in Calangute constituency.

Mr. Lobo is become a Lokhpriya in Calangute constituency and being so his candidature for BJP is a forgone conclusion. Last time also with the support of Joseph Sequeira, Mr. Lobo won his Seat but will it happen again minus Joseph support?  It is doubtful especially when the wave is anti BJP mainly because of its communal agenda even though Lobo is liked by the constituents there. But  Lobo is bound to follow the party diktats in which case he will have to surrender to the party decision meekly however much he may dislike those dictates because party is supreme otherwise he will be castigated.  He may be Secular,  Non-Communal and Pro-Goan but his party is not. That means he has to follow his party’s principles.

On the other side, Congress  party has not so far  declared its party candidate for Calangute Constituency though two names are making noise, one of Joseph Sequeira who enjoys better public support and the other of last defeated candidate who if re-nominated there is every possibility for history to repeat and again Congress to lose and lose miserably because now people do not want candidates who are proud, revengeful, arrogant and those who accumulate wealth thru illicit means.   

The best option for Congress and other parties trying to unseat the BJP is to get together under one Umbrella which is of paramount importance. If non-BJP parties want to contest the Calangute Seat independently and individually then all are going to lose and lose miserably.  This is the reality in Calangute Constituency.  

A.Veronica Fernandes.