MARGAO
Taking up cudgels for the beleaguered seamen, South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar has made a plea to Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari to reconsider the decision of the Director of Shipping in making SSC certificate mandatory for Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC).
The MP drew attention of the Union Shipping Minister that many seamen from Goa have been working onboard merchant navy and cruise liners and do not possess the SSC certificate. “The mandatory requirement of a SSC certificate may cause difficulty for the seamen to apply for the CDC and join back the ships,” he said.
In view of the hardships that are likely to arise for the seamen and to those working abroad, the South Goa MP has requested the Union Shipping Minister to direct the concerned officials to reconsider the decision in the light of the grievances anticipated by the seamen.
Sawaikar dashed off the letter to the Union Shipping Minister after receiving a representation from the president of Goan Seamen Association of India, Franklin D’Costa stating that the Director of Shipping has made SSC mandatory for Indian CDC.
This is the second representation that has been dashed off to the Union Shipping Minister. Earlier, TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai, upon a representation received from GSAI had made a plea to the Union Minister to waive SSC certification for issuance of Indian CDC.
