I AM writing with regard to the BJP’s statement that “Diocesan Society should resolve MOI issue”. It appears as if Dr Wilfred Mesquita is making a move to prompt the Diocesan Society to back off on their insistence on providing education in the English medium at the primary level. I would like to bring to his kind notice that Konkani was not even a compulsory subject when I passed my SSC in 1989.

IN BLATANT violation of the law, the police force in Goa is made to work very long hours without being paid any overtime The constables, in particular, are not allowed to go home and be with their family for days if not for weeks. The working and living conditions at some of the police stations and barracks is inhuman, to say the least. In a way the treatment meted out to the police force is a clear human rights violation.

I AM writing in reference to devolution of powers to local bodies in Goa. As things are, one can visit any village in Goa and observe the powers of the zilla parishads and Panchayat Raj in Goa. The panchayats and zilla parishads should be abolished or rather the laws should be amended to curtail their powers as they have abused them.

TOURISM is the main industry in Goa today. Its success, however, depends on the facilities available to tourists visiting various parts of Goa. Therefore, balanced infrastructural development is a must. When tourism is Goa’s mainstay, shifting the airport to one end is ridiculous.

DESPITE THE promise by former Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar that a Calvim-Carona bridge would be built, in accordance with the demands of the people, one wonders how the electricity department was given permission to erect giant electric towers on either side of the river passing overhead High Tension Line (where the route for the proposed bridge was to come)!

WITH the panchayat elections coming up and a new government in place, I hope it is realistic to say the past is behind us and the future beckons us with a new set of ethics. In my own village, Cansaulim, I hope we will be able to elect ‘mini Matanhys’, people who have the courage of their convictions, people who are honest, and people who have a a clean public record and unsullied reputation. That is the least we owe the late Matanhy Saldanha!

THE HERALD edit “No party should contest against BJP in Cortalim by polls” (March 23, 2012) smacks of sycophancy. In fact, it is an insult to Matanhy Saldanha’s memory. Matanhy was such a crusader, such a brave fighter, such an intrepid man who would not want anyone to win elections without a tough fight.

WHILE IN the opposition, Manohar Parrikar had vociferously demanded the removal of casinos. He had himself led agitations seeking the removal of casinos. Now, as chief minister, he has gone back on his own principles by endorsing the gambling industry in his budget.

IF I was asked to choose one person for the qualities of honesty, kindness and sincerity, I would definitely choose Matanhy Saldanha. Matanhy Saldanha was my teacher in school, at Don Bosco High School in Panaji where I studied. Apart from being a good teacher, he was also a social activist, a writer, speaker, environmentalist, politician and most importantly a simple, kind-hearted, human being.

CONGRATULATIONS to the BJP on their victory. Money and muscle power is so strong in Goa that there was every possibility of the same corrupt government being elected back to power. If that had to happen and we had to endure them for another five years, Goa would have been completely devastated by the real estate lobby of contractors, builders, hoteliers, mega project for outsiders and also because of the rampant conversion of land.