MARGAO: While most Goan businessmen downed their shutters fearing backlash for not supporting the nationwide bandh on Wednesday, most non-Goans traders were up and running since morning.
From Gogol to Aquem-Alto, non-Goans run close to 80 shops, out of which 51 remained open on Wednesday braving the bandh. This is just one difference in attitude between Goan and non-Goan businessmen towards business, prompting a non-Goan trader to quip, “Laidback Goans will be forced to either fall in line or fall by the side soon.”
“The competition in every business has increased significantly in recent times and so has the buying capacity of customers. Today, every business is demanding 12 hours of work daily. But the way Goans have been traditionally doing business would push off the race soon,” warned Swapnil Gholba, a non-Goan who runs a home decor shop in Vidyanagar-Aquem.
“Goans have developed a strong purchasing power now and a businessman should be ready to meet the ‘anytime-anywhere’ needs of consumers,” added
Swapnil.
A Goan businessman in Margao told Herald that he kept his shop closed as he feared an attack on his shop by the bandh
organizers.
“Who’s going to suffer if any incident of forceful closure happens?” he asked and reasoned that, “I would rather stay at home” than risk the day.
