PANAJI
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said he will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to extend an official invitation to Pope Francis during the decennial Exposition of the relics of the 16th century saint Francis Xavier at Old Goa from November 21 this year to January 5 next year.
Sawant revealed his intention to have the Pope invited for the Exposition after chairing a meeting of the High Powered Coordination Committee, one of the two committees his government has constituted to ensure the Exposition is held successfully.
The other committee set up by the State government is the 'Exposition Secretariat' which will again be chaired by Sawant and will be responsible for the day-to-day affairs during the Exposition.
Apart from Sawant, the 'Exposition Secretariat Committee' also has in it Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira as co-vice chairmen. It also has top officials from the Goa police, PWD and some other departments which would come into play during the Exposition.
Both these committees also have in it clergymen nominated by the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman. The Exposition Secretariat has in it Fr Henry Falcao and Fr Lawrence Fernandes, SFX, while the High Powered Co-ordination Committee has five priests -- Henry Falcao, Patricio Fernandes, SJ, Simião Purificação Fernandes, Lawrence Fernandes, SFX, and Adrian Furtado.
Additionally meanwhile, the Archdiocese has also set up its own 'Exposition Committee' headed by Fr Henry Falcão as its convenor tasked with the responsibility to oversee the religious proceedings and ceremonies.
Other members in the Archdiocese committee are: Fr Patricio Fernandes, S.J., Fr Rosario Oliveira, Fr Simião Purificação Fernandes, Fr Barry Cardozo, Fr Valentine Alphonso, SAC, Fr Caetano Fernandes, Sr Elsy Fernandes, SFN, Sr Flavia Gomes, MSA, Richard Noronha, Colin Pereira, Melroy Simoes, Ninfa Da Silva, Aida Dourado and Alisa Da Costa.
In an official media release, meanwhile, the State government said that the 'Exposition Secretariat' will liaise with government departments including the Police, Transport, Panchayats, Tourism and PWD among others to ensure control and smooth conduct, co-ordination and supervision of all the requirements for the Exposition.
"It may requisition and avail the services of any authority/ agency/ govt dept and their officials, for the purpose," the government media release said.
Also, the High Powered Co-ordination Committee will hold complete powers to decide and execute related work to enable the smooth conduct of the Exposition, subject to Cabinet approval.
"All financial and administrative powers relating to execution of any kind of work/ infrastructure facilities and to provide any other facilities as required, will be vested with the Chairman of the Exposition Secretariat and any decision in this respect will be final," the media release said.
