Manoj Patil lives in Caranzalem. He has filed his nomination from Ward 4 for the coming Municipal Elections scheduled to be held on the 12th of March, as an Independent candidate not affiliated to any Panel.
Few of his thoughts are mentioned below: Why should the people support an Independent candidate not affiliated to any Panel? A lot of people share the frustration that so little progress has been made in recent years. The main political parties have been given plenty of opportunities, but they have all failed to deliver. The people of the city have been betrayed by the men of violence and the political hardliners. We are living in turbulent times with governance itself having plunged into a pitiful state. People must ensure that the Corporation is not turned into a Court of a king, where personal loyalty becomes more important than any democratic participation. The choice before the people is therefore between freedom and fear, between speedy development and scams and corruption and between democratic participation and remote control rule. People must choose the former. What do you feel are the real issues during these elections? I am running on the platform of no politics, just action. This election should be all about bread and butter issues and what the Corporation can and must do for the people. We all deserve better services in our neighborhoods, better opportunities to improve the lives of our families, improved garbage collection, proper sanitation, and good and clean roads with adequate street lighting. Our ward and city can and must be better: better roads, better neighborhoods, better ways of tackling crime, better parks and better all round facilities. The crux of my campaign will be to turn my ward and the city of Panjim into one of the most satisfying and attractive places to live and work in, or to put it in other words, a Panjim that strides into the future with grace and confidence. What is your vision for your ward? My vision for my ward is realistic, honest and compassionate: it is about putting people in charge of governance; it is about changing the system of governance, it is about demanding greater discipline and a better work ethic from those who matter, it is about morality in the handling of public resources and most importantly it is about forging a new kind of patriotism. The People shall govern is my watchword which means that the people of the ward shall play a prominent role in the beautification, development and improvement of the ward. I seek to make our ward an example to the State on how people, when given the opportunity, can build the best future. On how people, when given the charge of their ward, can together build better communities! I plan to work towards introducing a 24 hours ambulance service facility through the Corporation for the residents of the city and also a 24 hours call center to deal with municipal emergencies. If elected, what goals have you set for yourself? I believe in creating a responsible society where the duty of the Corporator is loud and very clear: to provide world class civic amenities, to ensure a better life for all, to boost entrepreneurship, to improve the quality of our surroundings and our environment, to work towards ensuring quality services for all and most importantly to act as a bridge between the people and the Corporation. Why should the people not take your promises too as empty promises? I have been actively involved in community service for the last more than 15 years through my association with the Jaycees and Rotary. Over the years, I have organized various community programs like blood donation and tree plantation drives, training workshops for the children and the Youth, festival programs, childrens festivals, trade shows, etc. It is only after years of proven record in community service that I have filed my nomination for the post of a Corporator in Ward 4. I am going to the people as their humble community worker sharing my belief with them that they, and not the Government, should be in charge of their own life. Do you have any special plans for the children, the Youth and Senior Citizens? My aim is that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in cultural life, and I want that involvement to start as early as possible. I plan to introduce a Cultural and Sports policy for the city, in collaboration with organizations like the Jaycees and Rotary, which will guarantee that all children and young people will be given the chance, enhance their cultural talent and give a huge boost to their sporting abilities. To organize training and business workshops to enhance the spirit of entrepreneurship is also one of my key priorities. For the senior citizens, cultural and leisure programs over the weekends will be organized. yours sincerely Manoj Patil Candidate- Ward 4