PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has maintained that it will not renew the trade licences of offshore casino vessels, anchored in River Mandovi.
All the six casino vessels have been shut since March-end due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The CCP has decided not to renew the trade licence of the offshore casinos. The licences were due for renewal after March 31,” CCP Mayor Uday Madkaikar said.
Madkaikar said that the taxi operators and hoteliers had approached him requesting that the renewal be granted for a period of two years for now to make up for the current pandemic.
“In this pandemic, if casinos don’t operate, we will have no business left. Already there is no business for them and their survival is at stake, they said,” Mayor said. Still, he said, our decision is firm not to renew the licence.
“But the final decision will be taken by the council,” he added.
