the goan I network
PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has assured that the state government is more than prepared to meet the testing and quarantining requirements that will arise with the repatriation of all Goan seafarers.
Briefing the media, CM Sawant said, “Goan seafarers will need around 8,000 rooms and we are prepared to provide testing and quarantining facilities accordingly. The state has identified around 20,000 rooms. If the need be, we can take over all these in a phased manner. Order of MHA is expected to be out by Monday and our action will be planned in the next two days. We are deciding whether the seafarers stuck on Mumbai Port can be brought back by sea route or by air.”
He further disclosed that the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman has shown willingness to help the government.
The state government had called upon all religious institutions to identify rooms on their premises to quarantine seafarers.
Meanwhile, it was also informed that the repatriation of other, non-seafaring Goans stuck in various countries across the world will be the next item on the agenda for the government. “The Ministry of External Affairs is collecting data about all Indians and we will know the plan soon,” CM has said.
Also, the Goa Jesuit Province Priests have extended support to the Seafarers by providing them the spiritual/mental counselling via WhatsApp calling.
Meanwhile, exhorting the Catholic community to experience the mercy of God and serve the other, Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao on Sunday prayed for the Goan seafarers stranded in different parts of the world.
Archbishop Ferrao was delivering his homily during the Eucharistic celebration on the Divine Mercy Sunday, which was televised from the Archbishop’s House in the morning.
