the goan I network
MAPUSA
Calangute Zilla Panchayat member Shawn Martins on Tuesday said he will quit from his post and will contest in the ensuing panchayat election in Calangute.
In fact, NGPDA chairman and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo made the announcement that the Calangute ZP member would resign at a public function while inaugurating a fitness park in Sinquerim.
“I have decided to resign as ZP member and contest in the panchayat elections in Calangute,” Shawn Martins said to The Goan later.
Martins said he would contest from ward 10, a ward presently represented by two-time panch member and former sarpanch, Annie Coelho.
When asked whether climbing down from the ZP post and contesting for the post of a local panch was a sort of demotion, he said he did not look at it that way.
“In terms of getting work done, I don’t think it as a downgrade. You can do a lot of work by working at the panchayat level than as a ZP member,” Martins said. “Issues like garbage, traffic management, tackling menace of strays and many other local issues can be resolved as a panch member than as a ZP member,” he added.
He said nothing was discussed yet on whether he would be the sarpanch candidate if elected in the panchayat polls.
On his date of resignation the ZP member said that he will discuss the plans with the Calangute MLA and accordingly decide when to resign.
