the goan I network
MARGAO
Women power reigned supreme at the Cuncolim Municipal Council when Panzy Coutinho became the fifth woman chairperson of the 12-member civic body on Friday.
Reserved for women, Panzy has joined four other women councillors, who had held the post during the last four years, including Polita Carneiro, Kiran Naik, Angela Luis Painginkar, with Lavita Mascarenhas presiding over the post twice.
Thanks to the decision of the eight-member ruling group to rotate the chair amongst all the women members of the civic body before the term ends in October next year, Panzy is the third women to benefit from the arrangement. Like her immediate predecessors, Angela Luis Painginkar and Kiran Naik, who quit the post to make way for others as per the rotation arrangement, Panzy will step down from office after presiding over the post for three months.
Councillor Succorina Coutinho, who is the lone woman, who has not occupied the coveted seat, is expected to succeed Panzy after three months.
Sources in the civic body informed that the ruling group will decide on the question of finalising the candidate who will assume office for the last two months before the civic body goes to the polls in October.
A member of the ruling group Mario Moraes told the media that the group had taken the decision to give opportunity for all the women to occupy the post during the current term. “Since women comprised of half the membership of the 12-member civic body, it was decided to give the opportunity to all the members to preside over the post,” he said.
Whether the arrangement to rotate the chair has benefitted the public at large is a subject for debate, when the chairpersons remain in office for just three months, sources said the arrangement has in the bargain ensured stability in the civic body, virtually ruling out no confidence motions in recent months.
After assuming office, Panzy has promised to usher in the development of the town by taking all members into confidence.
