MAPUSA
The final rites of St Andre's first MLA late Teotonio John Pereira were conducted at the St Jerome Church on Thursday evening.
Pereira (91) had passed away in a private hospital in Mapusa on Wednesday.
The departed former legislator was given a 21-gun salute by the police during the final rites.
Among the many who were present at the final rites included Bishop Emeritus of Port Blair Alex Dias, outgoing MLAs Francis Silveira and Joshua de Souza, former union minister Ramakant Khalap, former speaker Tomazinho Cardozo and former MMC chairperson Armindo Braganza.
Earlier, a number of people from different walks of life paid their last respects to the departed former legislator at his residence at Shetyewada-Mapusa.
A four-time MLA, Teotonio Pereira first won the St Andre seat in 1963 and was re-elected in 1967 and 1972 on United Goans Party. He won the seat again in 1980 on Indian National Congress (U) in 1980.
Teotonio was actively associated in several movements in bid to maintain Goa’s identity right from the Opinion Poll to the agitation to grant official language status to Konkani in the State.
A successful businessman, he is credited to have started the inter-state bus service in the name of ‘Paulo Travels’.
