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Governor shows Goans what good governance is all about

Sandesh Prabhudesai in Panaji

Ex-servicemen can be better than bureaucrats to run the administration if given a chance, Governor Lieutenant General (retired) Jack Frederick Ralph Jacob, PSVM has proved, within a fortnight of taking over as administrator of Goa under President's rule.

Goa was his first assignment as governor, courtesy the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre which transferred high-profile bureaucrat T R Satishchandran within three months of coming to power.

Two months after moving into the palatial Cabo Raj Bhavan last April, Lt General Jacob was caught in a controversy over dismissing then Congress Chief Minister Pratapsing Rane.

It sparked off an uproar in Parliament, where he was blamed for acting in a partisan manner in order to install a BJP-supported coalition government led by Congress rebel Dr Wilfred de Souza.

But his detractors were proved wrong when he reinstalled the Congress government within three-and-a-half months, as Dr de Souza was reduced to a minority by his own colleagues who rejoined the Congress to make Luizinho Faleiro the third chief minister in four months.

However, Lt General Jacob had to face criticism for not recommending dissolution at that stage, in November itself, and allowing a razor-thin "strong" government to be installed with a majority of one in the 40-member House. Goa's politicians allowed him to wash away this impression last month, when once again there was a revolt by two legislators to bring down the Faleiro government.

While pushing for an early election in the state, the general is now managing the army of susegado (a popular Portuguese word in Goa for easy-going people) government employees, the ratio of which is the highest in the country, with every 28th Goan working in the government.

While making tall claims of efficient administration, the ruling politicians seldom bothered to actually tighten up their 45,000-strong vote bank of state employees in the tiny tourist state. But Lt General Jacob's disciplined functioning has kept them on their toes.

Sharp at 0930 hours, he drives down in his Ford to the Secretariat from Raj Bhavan, and leaves his office only at 1830 hours, except for a one-hour gap for lunch. He has a series of meetings with the bureaucrats on urgent issues of human necessities, like water, power, road repairs, sewage and what not.

If not in on meetings, he is found entering any office of any department, without making any plans in advance, due to which employees are now seen working seriously than merely chatting or wandering around. Without giving any prior notice, he has now also started visiting government offices outside and has reportedly plans to go up to the taluka level.

For the first time in Goa's recent history, the administration, from the secretary down to the peon, is seen actually functioning, as there is no scope to approach any politician who could stall his transfer or suspension for maladministration, like in the past. The credit, of course, goes to Lt General Jacob, the 78-year-old young man in a hurry...

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