Editor,
Apropos the write-up by an aggrieved parent of a student of Pine Mount School (ST Dec 16, 2013) I too would like to register my strongest protest at the manner in which some students are being harassed like that. That such incidents can happen in Pine Mount School which is a residential school with a Principal who lives in the school premises (at least when the incident happened) is something that requires introspection and condemnation. As a parent and an ex-pupil, it saddens me to see such careless teachers who happen to be in the profession simply because it is their birth-right to teach in the school where their mothers once taught. I recollect a few years ago, this very same space was exploited to install an insider, a serving senior teacher as the Principal of the school – but to what avail? It goes without saying that the school had been left to a very weak, indifferent and indecisive Principal.
I fully endorse that not only teachers be recruited by the MPSC but also the Principal’s post be advertised by the MPSC to ensure that a deserving candidate is appointed. After Ms Amy Smith Rangad’s retirement, the post of the Principal has been handed over to the senior most teacher. Seniority does not necessarily translate into merit or efficiency. We cannot forget the manner in which a former Vice Principal (who held the post of Principal illegally) had been unceremoniously removed by the government.
Thus, I argue before the government that the post of Principal which falls vacant in 2014 be filled by an outsider/ advertised by the MPSC. This will ensure greater efficiency and better leadership and control over errant teachers.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
Starve the enemy!
Editor,
Apropos the news item, “Garo Hills underdeveloped because of insurgency’ (ST 15th Dec 2013) it was reported that the Social Welfare Minister and legislator from Garo Hills, Deborah Marak stated that Garo Hills continues to remain one of the most underdeveloped regions in the State because of insurgency related activities. No doubt this may be true as of now. But let us not overlook the fact that Garo Hills has never really developed even before the insurgency problems though the Garo Hills districts have been getting their share of development funds of the government right from the time the state was created. The legislators from the districts then and now have a lot to answer for this and the blame should directly go to them. The public are also equally responsible for not taking these legislators to task.
However, in the matter of insurgency as stated by the Minister judging from the activities of those who claim that they are true to the cause one can safely conclude that they are in fact actually extortionists for their own personal cause and there is really no revolutionary spirit in them. The Minister as well as all other politicians from Garo Hills are fully aware of that. But why these extortionists survived for so long and have not been crushed till date in spite of the force and might of the government baffles many. It is also easy to identify the activities which are the source of opportunities for the extortionists. Coal mining is one such activity. It is a major activity which benefits only the few while causing destruction everywhere and the money that comes from coal mining and its ancillary activities gives more opportunities for the extortionists to fill their coffers, thereby enabling them to spread more terror and mayhem. We often learn from history that the one way to defeat the enemy is to starve him by laying a siege on him. So why can our politicians from Garo Hills not call for a ban on coal mining activities for a few years to starve these extortionists? Surely they must have read history. Again, there is no logic for the government to pump in more development money to Garo Hills when work suffers and there are no positive results. Rather, these extortionists are being fed more and more out of this development fund. The politicians should be conscious of this too. Garo Hills is sinking because politicians from Garo Hills do not have the vision, sincerity, courage, conviction and the political will to really do something. Its plain hypocrisy all the time.
Yours etc.,
Justine Marak,
Via email