Director NRI Affairs to call on Director General of Shipping on CDC issue

the goan I network | MARCH 06, 2018, 01:30 AM IST
Director NRI Affairs to call on Director  General of Shipping on CDC issue

MARGAO 

With the immigration authorities denying travel to three seafarers without the Indian CDC and the beleaguered seafarers demanding abolishing of the SSC requirement norm for the CDC, the Director NRI Affairs on Monday decided to call on the Director General, Shipping, fearing move will only add to the unemployment problem in Goa after mining.  

After a two-hour long interaction with the beleaguered seafarers at an interaction arranged by the Goan Seamen Association of India here on Monday, Director NRI Affairs Shamsunder Parab conceded that the SSC qualification requirement for Indian CDC threatens to render so many Goans unemployed at a time when mining has taken a big hit. 

“The NRI Affairs, Goa will forcefully take up with the Director General, Shipping, how the qualification will render so many seafarers unemployed in Goa and add to the unemployment problem. Individual applications received from the affected seafarers will be processed and forwarded to the DG, Shipping, for necessary action,” Parab told the media after the interaction.  

He has suggested that the DG, Shipping, can exempt the SSC requirement norm for the seafarers already working on the cruise liners, with an assurance that they will comply with the requirements after a time frame. “I have found out that the cruise companies have not insisted on the educational qualifications. The CDC criteria has been mandated by the DG, Shipping. The NRI Affairs, Goa will write to the DG Shipping to exempt the seafarers already working on the cruise liners for a long time,” Parab said.  

During the interaction, some of the beleaguered seafarers told the NRI Affairs Director why the Indian government, which cannot give them any jobs, are out to deny them employment on the cruise liners when the companies have not yet insisted on the educational qualification. 

“When the Indian government cannot provide any jobs to the unemployed, why are they putting spokes in the smooth travel of the seafarers, when the companies are not insisting on the SSC qualification?” a seafarer questioned Parab.  

It was also revealed during the interaction that as many as three seafarers had to return home from the airport after being denied the travel by the immigration for want of the Indian CDC.  

Goan Seamen Association of India, spokesman Dixon Vaz said Goan seafarers and their counterparts from other states are indeed facing a serious issue and it is time the Goa government forcefully takes up the issue with the Centre on top most priority. “What the seafarers fail to understand is when the shipping companies have no issue with the educational qualification, why is the Shipping Director General insisting on it?” Dixon questioned.  

Saying that around 1000 Goan seamen may fall victims to the DG Shipping SSC rule, Dixon demanded that the government should not just relax the rules, but completely abolish the educational qualification requirement without further delay in the interest of the seafarers. 

“Some of the seafarers have been sent back by the Immigration for want of the Indian CDC. We fail to understand how come the immigration department can stop the seafarers from travelling abroad,” he wondered.

 GSAI President Franklyn D’Costa informed that the Association he had already dashed off letters to the TCP Minster Vijai Sardesdai and South Goa MP Narendra Sawaikar, but the ground reality remains unchanged.  


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