MARGAO
Where have the members of the South Goa comunidade bodies gone? Do the majority of comunidade bodies exist only on paper? Elections to a majority of these bodies could not be held for want of quorum.
Even as these and many other unanswered questions have come to the fore with the district administration headed by Collector Ruchika Katyal and the Administrator of South Goa Comunidade capping the phase-wise exercise of electing new managing committees for the triennium 2022-25, the government is bracing up to handpick and nominate committees on the comunidade bodies where there were no polls.
In fact, strange it may seem, but true that more than half the comunidade bodies could not elect the new committees which comprise of the president, attorney and treasurer for the triennium, beginning March next year.
Reason: There was no quorum of members to participate in the election process, forcing the Presiding Officers to adjourn the meetings. In fact, elections for as many as 47 out of the 90 comunidade bodies spread across South Goa could not take place for want of quorum.
This implies the government is now bracing up to appoint the managing committees on a majority of the comunidade bodies, the ancient social agro-economic institutions.
Out of the 90 comunidade bodies in South Goa, the election could not be held for the comunidade of Raia due to uproar over the issue of membership. A glance at the list compiled by the office of the Administrator of Comunidades reveals that elections could not be held for as many as 47 comunidade bodies. New managing committees for the remaining 42 bodies have been put in place for the triennium 2022-25.
If elections for the Margao comunidade gave some anxious moments with heavy polling taking place to control the body, presiding officers and comunidade officials returned sans conducting polls for a majority of the bodies for want of quorum. While members of the Margao comunidade had lined up to cast their vote in the election held under police protection, similar action went missing in most of the comunidade offices for want of quorum.
A glance at the list further revealed that comunidade bodies in Canacona taluka registered cent per cent elections as compared to bodies in Sanguem, Quepem, Salcete and Mormugao.
Savio Corriea, who has been a member of the comunidade commission, pointed out that most of the comunidade bodies are defunct and non-functional. In fact, he said that most of these bodies exist only on paper for a host of reasons.
“The Tenancy law has spelt doom for the comunidade bodies. Some of these bodies have no land and no revenue. The agricultural fields which once belonged to these bodies are now in possession of the tenants under the Tenancy law”, he said.
Savio, who has been elected to the managing committee of the comunidade bodies of Verna, Margao and Aquem over the last 24 years, said only hills and mountains are left with some of the comunidade bodies, rendering them defunct for want of revenue.
Verna comunidade creates history
by electing first woman attorney
MARGAO:
While elections for the majority of the comunidade bodies in South Goa came a cropper for want of election, the Verna comunidade went on to create a record of sorts after electing the first woman attorney in its history.
In the elections held for the comunidade body, Maria Lina da Gama Martins has been elected as the first woman attorney in the history of the Verna comunidade.
Savio Corriea pointed out that this is perhaps the first time in the history of the Verna comunidade that a woman has been elected as attorney.
The elections to the Managing Committee for the triennium 2022-2025 witnessed a large turnout. Baylon Sequeira Vaz and Peter Arjun Rebelo were elected as the President and Treasurer, respectively.
Sherwyn Filipe Correia, Renato da Silva and Caetano Luis Pires were elected as the substitutes. All were elected unopposed.
Women power reigns supreme at Davorlim
MARGAO:
Women power reigned supreme at the Davorlim comunidade as the panel floated by Camilo Barretto got elected to the managing committee unopposed.
In the elections held for the Davorlim comunidade body, Roshal Fernandes was elected the president of the body. Camilo Barretto was elected for the post of Attorney, while Ramina Barbosa was elected the treasurer.
Camilo Barretto, who is the incumbent president of Davorlim comunidade, said Roshal and Ramina, both women have been elected to the body as president and treasurer.
Camilo, whose attempt to control the Margao comunidade came a cropper after his panel lost the election to the panel floated by Savio Correia and Celestin Noronha, said he has challenged the elections to the Margao comunidade before the Administrative Tribunal.
“Many of our voters could not exercise their franchise since the door of the Margao comunidade was found closed during the polls”, he claimed.
