Every other year Goa bags an international award in Tourism: Best leisure destination etc. Our CM/ Tourism Minister happily accepts the same.
What next? Do we take measures to see we have International quality tourism
facilities?
Recently 3 people working/sheltering/ owning – nothing is known – a restaurant in N. Goa kidnapped and raped 2 women. They did this with utter impunity even letting the taxi driver go free not fearing he would go to the police: which means they had some influential backing. Are these the type of people we want to serve tourists in an internationally famous place? Is this the International standard? Would these 3 have been hired on a Cruise vessel or for any foreign restaurant/pub? No: only in Goa can this happen. Others have strict requirements: training from recognized institutes, references from previous employers on work and honesty etc.: there is control.
In Goa there is no effort made to control: which self-respecting hospitality personnel would want to rub shoulders with the above 3 people? These bars/restaurants just pick off people from the streets and thrust them on the customers. They double up as chain snatchers, burglars and muggers. Their kind will automatically attract similar employees and what will this ultimately lead to? More awards?
Even many bar/resort owners are from the same category and need to be screened. Pathetically, they are all able to purchase not only land/hotels but also Govt. servants. Can you see the end of the tunnel? And this breed of people are unleashed on unsuspecting Goans in the villages: the soft underbelly of Goa.
Last year a rickshaw driver doubled up as doctor in N. India administering injections and minor operations as revealed on National TV! If qualified personnel are not available should we continue to run the establishment? It must be made mandatory for restaurant employees to have references from previous establishments which have a certain degree of class: after all Goa is a world famous destination and you cannot put a waiter from a dabba to cater to these people! Ditto for those who wish to own restaurants/hotels: today many are just taken over for money laundering purposes. The TTAG seems to think that the only Stake holders in the Goa Tourism trade are those who can make Tourists part with their money: the rest are of no consequence. Do you ever wonder why major road works commence only in May: after the Tourism season is closed?
