TEAM HERALD
bureau@herald-goa.com
CALANGUTE: Welcoming the government’s decision to shutdown liquor shops by 9 pm, Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and his rival, former MLA Agnelo Fernandes, are however, unhappy that pubs and restaurants are to close by 1 am as they feared that this could have an adverse impact on tourism in and around Calangute.
“The government has come out with a notification restricting timings of restaurant and pubs, besides the sale of liquor. We welcome the decision to close down liquor shops by 9 pm in the coastal belt, especially since liquor shops were eating into the business of hoteliers, restaurants, shacks, etc. However, the government’s decision to close restaurants by 1 am will affect the tourism in and around Calangute,” said Lobo, while addressing a press conference at his Calangute office.
“Since Goa is world famous for its night life, domestic and international tourists may shy away from Goa. Tourists have preferred Goa for these very reasons, even though they have other tourist destinations like Kerala. Tourists tend to leave their hotels for dinner after 10.30 pm, but the forced closure at 1 am will severely affect their activity,” he added.
Asked if Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was under pressure from the hotel lobby, Lobo replied in the negative. “The chief minister must have been briefed by Police on drunken driving, but this can be taken care of by proper implementation of rules in force. But the curtailment of night life is not the answer to the solution,” opined the MLA.
When contacted, former MLA Agnelo Fernandes also felt that the decision to curtail night life will greatly affect tourism in the State.
“The minority community will be the worst affected as tourism business along the coastal areas of Goa are mostly run by the Catholic community. The BJP government has brought mining industry to a standstill and it will now destroy tourism in Goa,” said Fernandes.
