======================================================================== Ongoing: Exhibition of paintings, Art Chamber, Calangute www.goa-art.com Dec 14 onwards: Shireen Mody's Goa 2002 exhibition, Arpora. Tel 2276759 Dec 17, 18, 20: Indo-Portuguese furniture, lectures Fundacao Ph 2230728 Jan 18-19: International kite carnival at Morgim beach, Pernem ========================================================================
With the Supreme Court having declined to accept my plea against the appointment of Mr. Avinash Vaze as Chairman of the Goa Public Service Commission the legal battle ends as it cannot travel to the Hague. However I am content that I did everything possible to take on this issue in public interest. The matter can only now be judged by the People's Court. I have, and continue to believe that the appointment of Mr Vaze was highly improper. Many bad selections made under his stewardship have been challenged. I myself had to challenge two of them. So it was proper to get to the root of the rot and challenge his appointment itself. The Courts look to the legality of issues and cannot teach Government ethics and morals. In Mr Vilas Thali's case the Government may have been entitled to appoint an Additional Advocate -General but his subsequent conduct is deplorable and the man should have been shunted out as he did not live up to the high traditions and tender his resignation. Just recovering the amount falsely drawn by Mr Thali does not meet the ends of justice. In fact criminal proceedings should have been instituted against him for systematically defrauding the State exchequer. But if you are Mr Parrikar's kin, the Criminal Procedure code goes into a deep slumber mode. In Mr Avinash Vaze's case he was suspended as Deputy Chief (Legal) of E.D.C. and after disciplinary proceedings he incurred a penalty of compulsory retirement. However in the appeal the Chairman of EDC exonerated Mr. Vaze of the charge by directing Mr. Vaze to deposit the amount taken as building advance. However this did not address his dishonesty in deceiving the Corporation in the first place. This exoneration might have entitled him to continue at EDC but could never have been in place especially in consideration of the high integrity which is required for the appointment of the post of Chairman of Goa Public Service Commission, Goa Public Service Commission occupies a pivotal place of importance in the State of Goa and the integrity and efficiency of its administrative apparatus depends considerably on the quality of selections made by the Public Service Commission. The selection of the best talent for administration and administrative services can only be done if the Chairman and the Members of the Public Service Commission are eminent men possessing a high calibre, competence and integrity, who would inspire confidence in the public mind about the objectivity and impartiality of the selections to be made by them. The Goa Government should have ensured that its Public Service Commission is manned by competent, honest and independent persons of outstanding ability and high reputations who command the confidence of people and would not allow themselves to be deflected by any extraneous considerations from discharging their duty of making selection strictly on merits. It is very evident that Mr. Vaze's appointment has been made for extraneous considerations and is based on political motives, as he is a staunch BJP supporter. The integrity of the Public Service Commissions is a matter of great concern specially considering the fact that other Public Service Commissions like in the Punjab and Maharashtra have brought out scams and even the Chairmen of these Public Service Commissions were arrested for wrong doings or corruption. It may be within my control to now forego a holiday and pay Mr Avinash Vaze Rs 5000/- towards the costs as directed by the Honourable High Court. What will be beyond any one's reach is the damage that Mr Vaze will continue to inflict on the sanctity and integrity of the Goa Public Service Commission. For this, the people of Goa will have to pay the price. I have paid mine! Filing PILs is time consuming and nerve wracking, leave aside the monetary expense involved and the enemies you cultivate. And to top it all you have to endure the threatening calls and unholy comments from certain people, including Manohar Parrikar. In fighting for a public cause you should be ready to risk your life. In death I can be assured a lot of tears of joy from my "friends" Amol Naik, Esvonta Porobo, Dnyneshwar Pednekar, Avinash Vaze and others. The stray dogs too would express a joyous sigh of relief knowing little that their true friend is gone as they will continue languishing in pain on the streets of Goa, thanks to the animal activists that make a killing sterilising them. Pubic Interest litigants may go but the institution of Public Interest Litigation is here to stay whether the Government likes it or not. Aires Rodrigues Ribandar ---------------------------------------------------------- ***** CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2002 ***** Dec 14 - Goan Association of New Jersey, Inc., Somerset +1 (732) 599-7644 Dec 21 - GOA-LA, Los Angeles, +1 (714) 821-6168 Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a free party announcement ----------------------------------------------------------
