MARGAO
Incumbent MLA of Benaulim constituency, Venzy Viegas and former MLA Churchill Alemao paid tributes to former Sports Minister Monte Cruz, who had twice represented the Benaulim constituency in the 1980’s.
Both Venzy and Churchill said Monte Cruz will be remembered for building the Nehru stadium at Fatorda in a record six month time, which facilitated Goa to host national and international football and cricket matches in the last 35 years.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas: I was privileged to have blessings of Monte Cruz before I threw my hat in the 2022 election ring from Benaulim. He had a vision not only for Benaulim, but Goa as a whole as is evident by the fact that he got the Nehru stadium at Fatorda built in 180 days. He would be always remembered as the man who had built Goa’s only stadium of international standard, which was built with limited resources and has withstood the test of time.
Monte Cruz had a vision. This can be seen when he had planned water pipeline in Benaulim to ensure there’s no water scarcity. I want to follow in the footsteps of Monte Cruz and ensure replacement of the old water pipeline to cater to the growing water requirements.
I was privileged to raise in the Goa Assembly the popular demand of football fans to name one of the stands in the Nehru stadium after Monte Cruz. It would have been a tribute to the former Sports Minister if the government considered my demand during Monte’s lifetime. I will continue to make my humble request to the government to name a stand in the stadium after the former Sports Minister.
The former Sports Minister Churchill Alemao said the Nehru Stadium at Fatorda will forever remain in the memory of Monte Cruz for getting the imposing stadium ready within six months.
Both Churchill and Monte Cruz had crossed swords against each other twice in the battle for supremacy in Benaulim for around a decade.
Churhcill’s bid to make to the Goa Legislative Assembly from Benaulim in the 1984 election was scuttled by Monte Cruz when people re-elected him for the second consecutive term. A decade later, however, in the 1994 election, Churchill stopped Monte Cruz from making a comeback from Benaulim.
Leaving aside politics, Churchill said he and his family had supported Monte Cruz, first to get the Congress ticket in the 1980 election and to get him elected. “I was then a seaman. My uncle J B Ferrao had brought Monte Cruz to our old house. After having decided to support Monte, we all had gone to Dr Wilfred De Souza and Babu Naik for the ticket. Though they had raised some hurdles, these leaders had finally nominated Monte Cruz for Benaulim. We all had worked hard to ensure his success”, Churchill recalled.
As a Sports Minister, Churchill said he took the challenge of building the Nehru stadium at Fatorda. “Congress leader Margaret Alva was the Union Minister and she sanctioned the stadium at Fatorda. Monte Cruz got the project executed in record time. It has been built in a record time and it will remain in his memory”, he said.
