NT NETWORK
Margao
Calls to allow seafarers to be considered as frontline workers and be administered the COVID vaccination grew louder on Saturday. Local MLA Churchill Alemao said he had spoken to the Chief Minister about the issue and was assured the vaccination would start on June 1, while the district Congress committee has called on local panchayats to pass resolutions demanding early vaccination to seafarers.
Since the past several weeks, seafarer’s association and members have been calling for the state government to start vaccination for seafarers at the state’s major port, MPT as advised by the Director General of Shipping in a recent circular. Speaking about the issue, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao said he had received assurances that the vaccination would start soon.
“The Tika Utsav started in my constituency since April 14 has made it very convenient for every citizen to get the vaccine. During this period, I had written a letter to the Chief Minister requesting him to provide vaccination for all seafarers as well as Goans who are stuck in the state but who are working in Dubai, London and other places. They should be given first preference as frontline workers. To take this forward, I also had several meetings with the Chief Minister from time to time and today I have been assured that the vaccination for these frontline workers especially seafarers will start from June 1. I’m grateful and thankful to the Chief Minister for the same,” said Alemao.
Meanwhile, president of the South Goa District Congress Committee Joseph Dias called on local panchayats to pass resolutions demanding the early vaccination. “The government is just not in a mood to start early COVID vaccinations for seafarers who may lose their jobs if they don’t get vaccinated on time. I appeal to all the local panchayats to pass a resolution demanding immediate vaccination to all the seafarers who are likely to join on duty in the next two to three months,” he said.
He further complimented the Chinchinim Panchayat which had recently passed a resolution with the same demand. “The government’s apathy towards Goan seafarers has come to the fore time and again. Last year they deliberately delayed the repatriation of seafarers who had to face problems on arrival at ports and had to pass through nightmares during the isolation period. Most of them were looted with huge charges on testing and quarantine facilities,” said Dias.
States including Kerala and Tamil Nadu, pointed Dias have already started organising special drives to vaccinate seafarers from their respective states saying it was unfortunate that Goa had yet to start vaccination for seafarers.