the goan I network
MARGAO
The Goan Seamen Association of India has urged the government to give the beach cleaning contract to the 3000 strong retired seafarers and the 1000 widows of seafarers inhabiting the coast
line from Pernem to
Canacona.
Addressing the media after the executive committee of the organization, GSAI spokesman Dixon Vaz said that a delegation of the seafarers will approach the Tourism Minister Babu Ajgaonkar and Tourism Director with a plea to give the beach cleaning contract to the Goan retired seamen and widows.
“We have more than 3,000 retired seamen and around 1000 widows, both of whom are well experienced in maintaining cleanliness. Our retired seamen are well, with more than 30 years of sea faring experience of safety, security and supervision. The Goan coast, right from Pernem to Canacona, is inhabited by a large number of seamen population,” he added.
The GSAI spokesman further said that the organization will soon file the writ petition in the High court on the issue of ex-gratia relief to the retired seafarers.
“The GSAI has already served notices on the Director General of Shipping, NUSI, Seafarers Welfare Society. We are convinced that the Society as well as the Union are trying to fool the retired seafarers and their widows with meager one-time compensation,” Dixon said, while demanding a monthly ex-gratia relief of Rs 5,000 to each of the retired seafarers and their widows.
The GSAI also demanded that the government take more interest in quickly bringing back the bodies of seamen who die on board the ships. Citing the death of Suizon Rodrigues, a seaman from Cuncolim, who died in an accident on board the ship, Dixon said the body of the seaman has come home after a period of 25 days.
“We condemn the attitude of NUSI for not even making a courtesy call to Suizon’s family. The DG shipping and the Goa government should put a mechanism in place wherein bodies of seamen who die on ships are brought back home expeditiously,” he added.
