Panaji: Taleigao MLA and former minister Jennifer Monserrate passed away after a prolonged illness at a private hospital in Dona Paula on Sunday. She was 56.
During her political career spanning more than a decade, she remained actively involved in public service, focusing on the development of Taleigao and the state. She served three terms in the Goa Legislative Assembly and was also a minister in the state Cabinet (2019-2022).
Her mortal remains will be kept at her residence in Taleigao from 10 am on Monday to enable the public to pay their last respects.
A funeral Mass will be held at 3.30 pm at Taleigao Church, followed by the final rites at the Hindu Crematorium at St Inez, Panaji, in accordance with her last wish.
On hearing the news on Sunday, several politicians, including state BJP president Damodar ‘Damu’ Naik and CCP councillors, rushed to the hospital. In the evening, a large number of people gathered at the Monserrate residence in Taleigao to pay their last respects.
Jennifer was the first woman elected as MLA from the Taleigao constituency. Born on March 24, 1970, she began her political career in March 2005 when she was elected chairperson of the North Goa Zilla Panchayat. She also served as a member of the Taleigao panchayat before entering the Goa Legislative Assembly in 2012.
Jennifer and her husband, Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate, were among the 10 Congress MLAs who joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in July 2019. Following this, Jennifer was inducted into Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s Cabinet and was entrusted with the Revenue, Information Technology, and Labour and Employment portfolios. She took a number of initiatives in all her portfolios and was the only woman minister in the Cabinet at the time. She was also known as a compassionate legislator, ready to help the sick and the needy. She successfully contested the 2022 Assembly election on a BJP ticket.
The Monserrate couple became the first husband-and-wife duo to serve simultaneously as MLAs in the Goa Legislative Assembly in 2012. While Jennifer was elected from Taleigao, Babush was elected from Santa Cruz.
She is also survived by her two sons, Panaji Mayor Rohit Monserrate and Amit.
Tributes poured in from across the political spectrum following news of her demise, with leaders remembering her for her contribution to public life and her role as the first woman MLA from Taleigao.
Two-day state mourning
Panaji: The Goa government has declared a two-day state mourning following the demise of Taleigao MLA Jennifer Monserrate, who passed away on Sunday.
In a notification issued by the General Administration Department from the Secretariat at Porvorim, the government expressed its profound sorrow over the death of the legislator.
As a mark of respect, state mourning will be observed across Goa from July 19 to July 20, both days inclusive.
During the mourning period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings where it is regularly flown. There will also be no official entertainment during the two-day period.
The notification was issued by order and in the name of the Governor of Goa and signed by Shweta R Harmalkar, Under Secretary (GA-II).
