The Goan judiciary has all good to speak about one of their
senior most judges in the state, Dr Alvaro Noronha Ferreira. As he turns 90
today, he is still a guiding force for those in the legal field.
Originally from Margao, Alvaro Mouzinho Alberto de Noronha
Ferreira is the son of late Caetano Filipe Ferreira and late Palmira Noronha.
Born on May 27, 1933, in Mozambique, he is the fourth of five children, first
three girls and the last two boys. On the family’s return to Goa, Alvaro completed
the Lyceum Course in the Liceu Nacional Afonso de Albuquerque, at Panjim and
travelled to Portugal where he joined the Law Course at the University of
Coimbra.
According to a contemporary of Dr Alvaro, 92-year-old Dr
Fernando Jorge Colaco, Dr Alvaro in 1957, returned to Goa and was appointed as
Delegado do Procurador da Republica’, or Agent of the Public Ministry in the
“Comarca” (Judicial Division) of Daman, of the common cadre of the Overseas
Judiciary. After about three years in the post, he was transferred and
appointed as Municipal Judge of the then ‘Julgado Municipal Especial’ of
Mormugao, at Vasco da Gama.
After the Liberation of Goa in 1961, he has been judge in the
‘Comarcas’ of Salsete, llhas and Bardez, promoted to the District and Sessions
Judge in North and South Goa, till his retirement by superannuation in 1993. He
served the judicial system in Goa for 36 years with unfailing dedication,
honesty and good intentions. As Dr Fernando also says, in the inner circle of
his family, Dr Alvaro is fondly known as ‘O do Bom Conselho’ (The Man of Good
Counsel).
Dr Alvaro has been
steadily supported by his wife, Maria Satya Costa, a biochemist. They were
married in 1975 and she quit her job as an assistant professor at Lisbon
University to live in Goa. They are blessed with four children, Filipe (PhD
robotics), Dr Carlos, a specialist in gastroenterology in Portugal and Dr
Teresa Ferreira, head of the Department of Neurology at the Goa Medical
College, Bambolim and Adv Jorge, and five grandchildren.
Former Judge, High
Court of Bombay, Justice Filomeno Manuel Reis enrolled as an advocate in 1981
and practiced in civil and criminal Courts in the State of Goa and before High
Court of Bombay, Goa Bench, in Civil, Criminal, Constitutional and Company
matters for 26 years and specialized in Civil Law before being appointed as a
High Court Judge.
“We join countless
others in wishing eminent judge Dr Alvaro de Noronha Ferreira on this memorable
milestone occasion of his birth. He exemplified the ideals of a judge committed
to consider each case carefully, meticulously and fairly. As a young lawyer, I
was immensely inspired by his practical wisdom combined with admirable
civility, unceasing energy and a healthy sense of self-deprecating humour. His
humbleness, unpretentiousness, uprightness and human compassion are some of the
pristine qualities which will always endure. May God continue to infinitely
bless him in the years to come in the company of his loveable family,” says
Justice F M Reis.
A senior advocate for
over four decades, Adv Radharao Gracias, recently released his first fictional
book, ‘A Shortcut to Tipperary’. When it comes to sharing his experience in
court with Dr Alvaro, he says, “Dr Alvaro is one of the judges who would pass
orders whether favourable or non-favourable irrespective of that, they were
passed on merit as he saw it. His ways were such as a judge in my time which is
very rare. He was a one of a kind and well-mannered judge and he knew how to
deal with lawyers. That is the reason even at his retirement he was held with
high esteem among the lawyers fraternity. He never has any airs about himself
and he treated all, whether rich or poor, mighty and the not so might, the
same. He has always been equitable to all.”
A retired banker,
Sanjeev Kerkar has known the Costa family, especially Satya and her sister late
Dr Adelia Costa, who served as the director of Abade Faria Hospital, the then
psychiatric hospital in Panjim, and the first Goan woman to obtain the
specialty of neurology in 1958. “I have known Dr Alvaro for over many years and
since we are now mostly based in Mumbai, whenever I visit Goa, we meet Dr
Alvaro and Satya. Goa is blessed with a fine judge like Dr Alvaro and even
after his retirement, he continued serving the people. He was also conscious
about the people who could not get aid to resolve their legal issues. He was
always free for consultation. On the personal front, the conduct of the entire
Ferreira family is extremely polite, professional and thorough. They are very
humble, helpful and will come down to the level of the person without any
airs,” says Sanjeev.
Adv Zilman Coelho
Pereira, the president of High Court Bar Association has been the Advocate
General of Goa, two terms in a row. Speaking about Dr Alvaro, he says, “Dr
Alvaro has dispensed justice as a good judge and he has been qualities of being
a good person and a good judge. When I was the Advocate General of Goa, he was
the chairman of Goa Public Service Commission and he acted impartially and he
was just. I took him as a judge not out of fear but more as a friend. Compared
to those days, the quality of judges like him are a rarity now.”
Caranzalem-based
Agnelo Po has worked as a stenographer in the Panjim Court from 1969 onwards
and has been in close contact with Dr Alvaro since then. “I have known him for
over 50 years and he is a gem of a person. Even after retirement in 1993, he
kept himself busy and could be seen right from 6 am to 7 pm, wearing crisp
ironed shirts and pants and always well dressed with polished shoes and working
for the people. I took his inspiration and after my retirement in 2007, within
15 months, I started working for Justice Eurico Santana Da Silva,” says Agnelo.
Incidentally Justice Eurico and Dr Alvaro have remained friends since their
university days at Coimbra.
He further adds, “Dr
Alvaro is a good friend and we are more than just employee and employer. He
loves gardening and one of his favourite plants was a lime tree on the terrace
of his house in Miramar that gave fruit throughout the year. He also tried his
hand at carpentry. You can start a conversation with him on any topic as he is
so well read and well informed. Even at the age of 90, he still goes out for
walks in the neighbourhood.”
Dr
Alvaro de Noronha Ferreira has left his just imprint on the Goan Judiciary
system and still continues to inspire the young to follow the profession with
great integrity.