The following is a letter sent to the attention of the Hon. Chief Minister, Govt. of Goa:

GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY
(Regd. under Indian Societies Registration Act, 1960)
P.O. Box 1335, 13014 Safat,
KUWAIT

July 23, 1998
Hon. Chief Minister of Goa
Government of Goa
Panaji, GOA

Dear Sir,

We crave leave to submit the following for you kind consideration and necessary action, on top priority basis due to the urgency of the matter.

1. The patient named above was a victim of a motor car accident while crossing the road on the ill fated day on 25/12/1996. She was admitted to the Amiri Hospital, Kuwait immediately thereafter and her condition was very critical.

2. After a prolonged treatment of over one and a half year her condition seems to have improved considerably and is now on the verge of being transferred to India for further treatment.

3. Being a destitute with no one to care for her, the Goan Welfare Society - Kuwait stood by and rendered all possible help to ensure that she got a humane treatment at the hospital.

4. Now as the need has arisen to transfer the patient back to Goa for continuing the treatment, we appeal to your goodself to kindly make the necessary arrangements for her to be hospitalized at the Goa Medical College and ensure that suitable aid is granted to her in consideration of the distressed circumstances.

5. A copy of the Medical Report form the Amiri Hospital, Kuwait dated 22nd July, 1998 is enclosed herewith for your kind perusal.

6. The entire repatriation cost upto Bombay by Kuwait Airways only will be borne by Authorities here. Onward arrangements are to be made by the patient. Since the patient is not in a position to bear the cost, we appeal the Government of Goa to do the necessary travel arrangements from Bombay to Goa along with a nurse deputed by the Hospital Authorities, Ministry of Health - State of Kuwait.

7. It may be kindly noted that during the visit of Dr. Wilfred D'Souza Hon. Dy. Chief Minister and Minister of Health, to Kuwait last year (May 1997), the matter was referred to him and he made it a point to personally visit the patient along with the undersigned. Soon thereafter, necessary instructions were given to the Indian Embassy officials to pursue the case in the interest of Goan Community and assured us that if the need arises she would be treated at the Goa Medical College upon being transferred to Goa.

8. Under the critical circumstances, we have no option but to look forward to your timely intervention and invaluable assistance in reaching out to a deserving humanitarian cause. We do sincerely appreciate your humanitarian consideration and express our sincere thanks to you and at the same time assure you of our continued support for the upliftment of Goa and Goans.

Thanking you.

Yours in service.

(ALEX WILSON COELHO) PRESIDENT
(RABINDRA PIMENTA) GENERAL SECRETARY

c.c.: Hon. Member of Parliament
Mr. Francisco Sardinha

c.c.: Editors of Goan dailies
(for your info)

From: Joel D'souza (Newsclips From Goa)
September 3, 1998
NEWS IN BRIEF:
 

VERNA/CONSOA: Ninette Maria Fernandes, who was in a coma since her accident in Kuwait in December 1996, is improving a bit at the Goa Medical College, bringing some consolation to her near and dear ones.

PRESS RELEASE FROM GOAN WELFARE SOCIETY - KUWAIT
Email: gws_kuwait@hotmail.com

GOAN ACCIDENT VICTIM REPATRIATED FROM KUWAIT

The 12th of August 1998 marked the dawn of a new life for Mrs. Ninette Maria Zinha Fernandes, who was transferred to the Goa Medical Hospital, Bambolim-Goa, in a seemingly improved condition, after having been discharged from the Amiri Hospital, Kuwait after a prolonged treatment. Her anguish was far from over at the time of being discharged. Medical reports testify that she was in a comatosed state for well over one and a half year, as a direct result of a deadly motorcar accident, being hit by a speeding car on the ill-fated day of 25th December 1996 while crossing the road at Rawda, Kuwait.

According to a press statement issued by the President of the Goan Welfare Society (GWS)-Kuwait, Mr. Alex Wilson Coelho, she has been flown to Goa on a stretcher, accompanied by an attendant nurse, Mrs. Jolly Paul, deputed by the Amiri Hospital Authorities. Apart from the sponsor, Abu Talal, a number of well wishers and representatives of GWS were present at the hospital and later accompanied the ambulance to the Kuwait International Airport from where she boarded the Kuwait Airways flight to Mumbai to be connected to Air India Flight to Goa. On her arrival at the Goa Airport, she was received by her family members and representatives of GWS, Mrs. Philomena Rebello and Mrs. Fatima Coelho e Quadros. Mrs. Inez Cota Carvalho, renowned social worker, who was personally present to receive the patient organized the special ambulance, and was instrumental in getting her admitted to the Goa Medical College.

While narrating the woes of the victim, Mr. Coelho reported that Mrs. N.M.Z. Fernandes hailed from a poor family from Consua, Verna, Salcette and had come to Kuwait in May 1996 and took up a job of a maid at a Kuwaiti house. She had no other relatives in Kuwait at the time of the unfortunate accident. She had been severely injured due to the impact and was rushed to the Intensive Care Unit at the Amiri Hospital in an uncontious state, where she was treated during the entire period. As soon as the incident was reported to GWS, the office bearers spared no pains and rendered all possible assistance to the victim, in a bid to alleviate her plight. He further stated that, frequent visits were paid to the hospital to find out the progress of the victim and pass on the information to her family members in Goa and other Gulf countries.

Mr. Coelho stated that since the accident was a hit and run case, legal protection was required to bring the culprit to books. As such, GWS moved the Embassy of India through a petition urging the Embassy officials to intervene to safeguard the interests of the victim and ensure that justice was metted out to her, providing for suitable pecuniary compensation as per the law in force. The Embassy officials responded favourably to initiate legal proceedings as required by law after the judgement was passed by the Traffic Court.

Mr. Coelho further contented that GWS worked in close liaison with the Embassy of India officials, the medical and non-medical staff of the Amiri Hospital establishing a rapport for the benefit of the victim, not to mention that GWS maintained close links with the family members of the victim through the courtesy of Mrs. Inez Cota Carvalho, renowned social worker, who looked after the interest of Mrs. N.M.Z. Fernandes' family back home.

Having met the medical and non-medical staff of the Amiri Hospital, Mr. Coelho pointed out that much praise is due to the team of doctors, namely Dr. Yaqoub Al-Nisf - Director of the Amiri Hospital, for having taken keen interest in the patient's treatment; Dr. Prakash, Dr. Ahmed Al-Sharhan, Dr. Ammar Fawaz Al-Ammar, for having tirelessly worked for the well being of the patient and the tender care with which she was treated. In fact, Dr. Al-Sharhan visited the patient even at the time of discharge.

Prominent among the non-medical staff was Mrs. Majda Ali - a social worker attached to the Amiri Hospital, who went out of the way to help in every possible avenue to ensure that the patient was not neglected nor deprived of her humanitarian privileges. It is through her good efforts that many a hurdles were crossed quite steadily. Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC) provided excellent services and KAC's Special Handling Cell took pains to ensure smooth handling at transit points. It is worthwhile to mention that KAC was considerate to charge only one fare on humanitarian ground whereas the applicable fare should have been for three seat being a stretcher case.

It was pointed out that with reluctance, due to technical reasons for two different carriers being involved, Air India agreed to connect the patient from Mumbai to Goa. GWS had to pay for three seats for the stretcher patient alone and one additional seat for the attendant nurse and there was no humanitarian consideration being an Indian national accorded by Air India. Being left with no choice, GWS paid for four tickets out of their own funds on charitable grounds. However, the service rendered to the patient by Air India both in Mumbai and Goa is praise-worthy.

Mr. Coelho appreciated the goodwill shown by a few social workers of religious groups who collected small alms which were sent to the patient's mother, along with clothings and foodstuff for the patient's children. May God shower abundant blessings on the generous donors. He regretted failure on the part of the Government of Goa to respond to the requests of the Embassy of India-Kuwait and the appeal of Goan Welfare Society-Kuwait, perhaps due to the political infighting.

In conclusion, Mr. Coelho expressed satisfaction that the Kuwaiti Government through the Ministry of Public Health (MPH) and the Al-Amiri Hospital has done their best for Mrs. N.M.Z. Fernandes and now pray that the Government of Goa will follow suit and wish her a speedy recovery from her prolonged ailment

It is a happy augury that on the eve of CHRISTMAS 98, by destiny of fate, the portals of justice opened wide, pouring abounding joys into the lives of the anguished family of Mrs. Maria Ninette Fernandes, who has been languishing in a comatose state since the tragic road accident, which has been much talked about, that occurred on the ill-fated day of Christmas 1996. She is continuing to receive the best of attention and treatment at her residence at Verna-Goa, and her condition is said to be improving, as per the reports received from her family members lately.

The impartial trial has come to a conclusive end and the judgement passed in favour of the said victim Mrs. Maria Ninette Fernandes, who has been awarded a compensation amounting to KD 14,000/- odd, equivalent to approx. 2 million Indian Rupees. All this has been made possible, thanks to the selfless efforts of Mr. Alex Wilson Coelho, President of Goan Welfare Society - Kuwait, who unmindful of the critics, tirelessly performed his duty, as the one and only one of the anguished family, chosen by the renowned social worker, Mrs. Inez Cotta Carvalho, who is the bonafide protector of the family. Had it not been for his persuasive efforts, in fulfillment of the commitments given to the anguished family, things could have been different.

It is a matter of great joy and rejoicing that justice has prevailed despite all odds. Let us on this auspicious occasion of CHRISTMAS solemnly commit ourselves to serve the needy to the best of our abilities.

Rabindra Pimenta, General Secretary
Goan Welfare Society - Kuwait

Forwarded by Orlando D'Mello,
Managing Committee Member,
Goan Welfare Society, Kuwait
Email:orlandod@usa.net

O B I T U A R Y

The Goan Welfare Society – Kuwait, deeply moans the sad demise of Mrs. Maria Ninette Fernandes of Verna, Salcete, Goa, who breathed her last  on  2nd of July, 2000, after having  suffered the agony of being in a  comatosed state for  a  long  period of over three and half years continuously, due to a tragic  motor accident that occurred in Kuwait on 25th December, 1996.

It may be recalled that the deceased was transferred from the Amiri Hospital in  Kuwait  to the Goa Medical Hospital on 12th of August 1998 due to the timely intervention and assistance rendered by the Goan Welfare Society-Kuwait.

It was very fortunate that the deceased was awarded a compensation of around Rs.21 lakhs by the legal court in Kuwait in pursuance of her  case  by the  Goan Welfare Society again way back in December 1998.

The President  and  members  of the Managing committee of the Goan Welfare Society convey heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved mother, husband  and   little  children  of the deceased and pray God gives them the courage to bear the irreparable loss at a tender age.

May her soul rest in peace.

Goan Welfare Society – Kuwait