Why cater to only ‘high-spending’ tourists?
All Indian States, including Goa, wishes for the visit of ‘high-spending’ tourists to boost tourism and to lay the red carpet. The stakeholders such as hoteliers, restaurants, taxi and tour operators and many others, rub their hands in glee that the tourists with deep pockets would be spendthrifts, especially if they are foreigners.
But generally this is not the case as the high-spenders would prefer upper crust hotels, move in high-end cars, enjoy fine dining, and shop for branded items. These leave no scope for the budget hotels and allied businesses to get a share of the profit. In contrast, middle-class to budget-conscious tourists, more so the domestic ones, spend significantly and not in starred places.
In Goa, foreigners prefer to chill on the beach and nurse a beer or two for hours while the domestic tourists would spend money like water in a jiffy on foods, drinks, casinos and beach clothes. Businesses have a better turnover thanks to these tourists rather than the nose-in-the air types. Rich tourists may not visit a country or State more than once unlike their lesser brethren who are repeat clients. Let not the tourism industry focus too much on the ‘high-spending’ visitors who may be relatively less in number, at the cost of lakhs of mundane tourists. Goa tourism industry could carry out an exercise by analysing data of the last five years and examine the number of high-end tourists and their spending habits vis-à-vis the other tourists. This would reveal a true picture of the gains made so far, if any, rather than presumptions that we need to cater mainly to high-spenders.
Sridhar D’Iyer, Caranzalem
Injustice faced by advocates
Despite the Supreme Court and various High Courts having clearly ruled that the legal profession does not involve commercial activity, the Electricity and Water-supply departments have been unlawfully imposing a commercial tariff on the offices of Advocates across the State. Furthermore the Municipalities and Panchayats have also been illegally treating the offices of Advocates as a commercial enterprise. All this after the Courts having clearly ruled that the legal profession is a noble profession, and not a business or a trade.
It would be appropriate for the office of our very proactive Advocate General to clarify the legal position and kindly issue an office memorandum to the Chief Electrical Engineer, PWD Chief Engineer and the Directors of Municipal Administration and Panchayats so that the offices of the Advocates are not unduly overcharged. Let us hope our various Advocate Associations will also take steps to highlight and redress this injustice being meted out to Advocates.
The charges for the Noble Profession must be set on a non-commercial basis and in keeping with the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar
Protect Goan clubs in Mumbai
The Goan clubs in Mumbai which are also known as Bomboiche Goenche Kudd in Konkani have played an important role in the lives of Goans who went to Mumbai in search of jobs. There were around 450 such clubs in Mumbai but as of now only 160 remain.
Each Kudd is named after a Goan village and most of them are in Dhabitalao, Mazgaon and other surrounding areas. From the 18th century, Goans migrated to the commercial hub of Mumbai in search of jobs. The membership monthly rent was from Rs 50 to 100 for the dormitory style accommodation. The members left their belongings in trunks with their names and membership numbers on it which are still present in the clubs. Club rules are written in Konkani and English on the wall and members follow daily rosary, bedding must be rolled up by 8 am, lights have to be switched off by 10:30 pm, playing cards, carom games, housie were specially played on Sundays and the members enjoyed alcohol and cooked tasty Goan food. The seamen would halt at the Kudd in Bombay before starting each voyage or spend a few days, before heading back to Goa for breaks. Kudds were the shelter for Goans who were trying for jobs in Mumbai, Gulf and for the seafarers.
Requesting Goans to save and protect the clubs which need to be renovated as builders are eyeing them and some of our own selfish members want to sell them for the greed of money.
Let us keep this kudds alive for our next generation.
Ronnie D’Souza, Chandor
Gone but not forgotten
Two-time Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, who has been chosen for the country’s highest civilian award of Bharat Ratna posthumously on the eve of his birth centenary celebrations, richly deserves the honour for his visionary leadership, besides leaving an indelible mark on the country’s socio-political fabric.
The late leader, who was popularly known as ‘Jan Nayak’, is always remembered as the stalwart of reservation politics, and as someone untouched by the venality and nepotism that many of the present day Indian politicians are well known for.
It is said that Karpoori Thakur lived a simple life. In fact, when he first became an MLA in 1952, he was selected for an official delegation to Austria. Since he didn’t own a coat, he borrowed a torn one from his friend. And when Marshal Tito, the president of Yugoslavia noticed the torn coat, he gifted Thakur a new one.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Beach sentinels need of the hour
In an attempt to keep Goa’s coastline spotless and hygienic, the state government will reportedly spend a whopping sum of Rs 90 cr for cleaning fifty beach stretches for the next five years. This must be considered a huge amount of public funds being spent for cleaning the beaches which is primarily littered by visitors to the beaches.
Litter on the beaches isn’t just an eyesore, it can be dangerous, too. Sharp pieces of metal and glass, which can easily be hidden in the sand, can cause serious injuries. It is pertinent to note that from time to time, people offer their time and labour to collect garbage along the shores, in order to make it a safe environment.
It is said that ‘prevention is better than cure’. Prevention of littering our beaches will save the state huge sums spent in beach cleaning operations. It is learnt that the Department of Tourism on Thursday launched the ‘Beach Vigil App’ in a bid to enhance beach management and address various beach-related issues. The App focuses on timely reporting and resolution on issues like drinking on the beach, hawkers selling food items on the beach, littering of the beach sand among others. It would be necessary to have beach sentinels who could be given access to this mobile app so that any illegalities are immediately reported to the police by the sentinels with photographic evidence.
Adelmo Fernandes, Vasco
