OBITUARY: A much loved headmistress, claimed in a road mishap By Miguel Braganza braganza.mig...@gmail.com
Another life has been needlessly lost due to a combination of bad road design, narrow road, steep slope and a car driver's hurry. The poor crane driver is possibly suffering the collateral damage... for having tried to save the negligent car driver who had moved into the path of the crane while negotiating the turn. Who was driving the car and why he or she should not share the guilt of causing Jacinta's premature death will, perhaps, never be asked. Jacinta Fernandes, was a much loved person among anyone who came in touch with her. She touched lives beyond her husband, Kevin, sons Nigel and Nolan and daughter, Rosanne, whom we see every Sunday morning for the 7.15 am mass in the St. Britto school chapel. She had even carved a niche in the hearts of the people of Mandrem-Pernem, where she served as the Headmistress of Our Lady of Rosary High School. She was much loved in the parishes of Mapusa and Bastora. Her last rites were held at the St. Jerome Church, Mapusa (Milagres Church). The funeral cortege left her residence at Birmottem ward, near the road junction between the roads through Bastora from Green Park and Mapusa Tar junctions, of Bastora at 4.00 p.m. on July 2, 2013. To most Britto Old Boys (BOBs), she was best known as the wife of BOB Kevin or sister-in-law of the twins, Fr. Cedric Fernandes SJ (current Headmaster/Principal of St. Britto High School, Mapusa and former Vice-Principal of Loyola HS, Margao) and Fr. Cecil Fernandes SJ (former Vice-Principal of St. Britto HS, Mapusa, currently at St. Paul's Campus, Belgaum). Alumnae of St. Mary's Convent will perhaps know her as the sister in law of Carol Fernandes e Souza, Ruth Fernandes e Sequeira, Renee Fernandes e Gama, all of whom grew up in the house where now the Gomes-Catao building stands. Sr. Rosanne AC and Sr. Carmella AC are the direct links to that house. BOB Cesar Cabral and BOB Bosco de Sa have volunteered as "Traffic Wardens" to help the Mapusa Traffic Police to regulate the traffic at peak hours at the Court-old St. Mary's School circle at Feira Alta, Mapusa that our so-called 'Town Planners' of the North Goa PDA and Mhapsa Municipal Council are hell-bent to further aggravate by converting almost the entire heritage residential area of Altinho-Pamusa into "C-2 Commercial Zone"... with inadequate, or without any, parking spaces in the new buildings that are being given "occupancy certificates" left, right and centre. One hopes that the tragic death of Jacinta Fernandes in a road accident will not be in vain, but will serve to open the eyes of the Goa Government, the "concerned" authorities and the people of Mapusa, if not of the whole state, to the need for better traffic planning and execution. May her soul rest in peace with the assurance that the survivors will do their bit to change their lives and be a bit more caring... as road users, at least. -- Headmistress crushed under crane in Siolim TNN | Jul 2, 2013, 07.17 AM IST MAPUSA: The dangerous Marna-Siolim slope claimed yet another life on Monday evening. This time it was that of school headmistress Jacinta Fernandes, 56, a resident of Bastora. According to police, Jacinta, headmistress of Our Lady of Rosary High School in Mandrem, was returning home, when at the Siolim-Marna slope her two-wheeler was crushed by a crane proceeding towards Morjim. Police said a car proceeding towards Mapusa came in the way of the crane and fearing collusion the crane driver turned left and hit the scooter driven by Jacinta and then a compound wall belonging to one Andrew Fernandes. The impact was such that Jacinta was thrown inside the compound and the scooter crushed under the crane. Police said Jacinta was rushed to north Goa district hospital but succumbed to injuries on the way. Anjuna police arrested crane driver Sheikh Shadique. Locals alleged that this is an accident prone spot on the Siolim-Marna slope and has been claiming many lives but the authorities haven't bothered to address the issue. The road is frequently used by commuters as it reduces the distance to Mapusa. "How many more lives need to be destroyed before the government acts and rectifies bad road engineering?" Sadashiv Naik who travels on the road frequently asked. "We have seen many accidents at this spot. Heavy vehicles should not be allowed on this road and the road could bypassed from the killer spot to meet the main road," Sodiem-Siolim sarpanch Nilesh Vaigankar said. When contacted Mapusa traffic cell police inspector Salim Sheikh said they have already recommended a bypass on the accident prone stretch to the PWD and work is likely to be taken up soon. "As a temporary measure the road will be widened wherever possible and the corners will be rounded up to avoid accidents," Sheikh said. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Headmistress-crushed-under-crane-in-Siolim/articleshow/20869998.cms Contact the writer: Miguel A. Braganza, House No.5/4-A Opposite Zonal Agriculture Office & Farm Xettiavaddo, MAPUSA- 403507 Goa. INDIA Ph +91-9822982676; 91-832-2255139 Send your feedback to braganza.mig...@gmail.com and to goa...@goanet.org Condolences via bosfernan...@gmail.com