Recently, there has been a spate of news articles saying the tourism sector in Goa is going to the dumps. I am thrilled no end with the good news and pray the downward slide continues till tourism is wiped out for good from the face of Goa. Many may sing praises to tourism but I will gladly sing its requiem.
In my own biased mind I feel promotion of tourism, amongst other developmental initiatives, has been a curse for Goa and Goans on account of unwarranted pressure of tourism related activities, uncomfortable and disturbing hordes of people thronging into tiny Goa, unprecedented traffic chaos, sky rocketing cost of living (on-par-with-tourists) brought on us, horrendous amount of dirt and garbage suffocating Goa, the infamy of Goa being alluded as sin-city/state where all sorts of illicit activities are freely available, all types of criminals entering Goa for easy pickings, the ever rising crime graph – robberies, rapes, murders, decoities, cheating, prostitution, drugs, has destroyed our peaceful life and have brought only miseries on Goans.
Somebody needs to explain how has the common Goan benefited from tourism? The few beneficiaries are the residents and ever corrupt panchayats of coastal areas, the few taxi owners, few Goan but majority non-Goan hotel owners, many corrupt politicians who have raked in huge wealth and have all their fingers in the tourism pie. The common Goan will always be the silent sufferer of the ill effects of tourism in Goa.
Jaimes E. Rodrigues, Santa Cruz
