PANJIM, AUG 6
Tourism Department on Friday informed the House that it has not received even a single case of foreigners operating travel-and-guide business illegally.
Tourism Minister Nilkanth Halankar was replying to the calling attention tabled by Curtorim MLA Alexio Reginald Lourenco alleging that foreigners were illegally monopolizing large chunks of local travel-and-guide businesses.
Though the department does not hold enforcement powers, the reply stated it requested the Traffic Police and Transport Authority to take action against foreigners and others who are running illegal.
“Since, the department does not have any enforcement powers it is upto the Home Department and Transport Authorities to book any such illegal businesses,” replied the minister on the concluding day of the monsoon session of the Legislative Assembly.
The motion called upon the government to find a solution to protect the interest of the local tourist taxi owners and drivers who are overpowered by such illegal endeavors.
“Anger and anxiety in the minds of the local tourist taxi owners and drivers who are deprived of their legitimate means of income due to illegal business by foreigners and others without work permits under the name ‘Rep’ who are acting as local guides and holiday managers in collusion with tour operators and hoteliers…” an extract from the calling attention motion read.
Further, the minister pointed out that it was not feasible to ban any type of business carried out legally by any person, but at the same time, the department would examine the all illegal activities.
In the last tourist season, the then tourism minister (Mickky Pacheco) held a futile meeting of travel agencies and representatives of taxi driver unions. The travel agents alleged that taxi owners charged exorbitant fares and did not offer expected service.
They then expressed their willingness to outsource their local transport requirements through a government agency like GTDC and suggested local taxi owners could subsequently be given business through GTDC.
“However, the taxi owners association did not agree to the rates and hence the discussion broke down,” he said.
