Margao- Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar has urged the Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and Chief Minister of Goa Dr Pramod Sawant not to disown our own Goan Seafarers and other Goans currently working in various Countries who are holding Portuguese Passport in this critical times of Covid19 pandemic across the globe.
Most of our own Sons of the Soil opted for Portuguese Passport with a sole intention of getting easy jobs in European Countries, but they always maintained ties with the motherland Goa. They have in a way supported Goan economy with foreign exchange earnings. Their families survive on the hard earned money of these Seafarers some of whom are Portuguese Passaport holders.
It will be completely against humanity to disown the Goan sons during this critical and testing times. I urge Chief Minister to take up the issue with the Prime Minister of India well in advance for immunity during these abnormal global crisis and ensure that the Portuguese Passport Seafarers are given easy entry in their own Motherland Goa.
As the Union Home Ministry has issued Standard Operating Procedure(SOP) for disembarking Seafarers in India, it is important that Goa Government must ensure that they are not kept waiting at Sea and neccessary protocol is put in place for their disembarking immediately on arrival. The 40 day ordial faced by Crew on Mariella Discovery should not be repeated again.
