Team Herald
MARGAO: Congress MLA Aleixo Reginaldo Lourenco on Saturday accused the government of systematically destroying industries in Goa and more particularly the tourism industry, which has now become the mainstay of the Goan economy.
“I do not know what the CAC is doing in the absence of the Chief Minister as it appears that the tourism industry is sought to be strangulated just like killing the goose that lays the golden egg,” he said briefing media persons.
He pointed out that the arrival of cruise vessels at Mormugao Port Trust this year has declined by 23 per cent despite MPT offering a discount to the tune of Rs 10 crore on berthing and handling costs to cruise ships.
He said this was because MPT was sought to be promoted more as a coal hub than for cruise liners.
“Manohar Parrikar should urge the Centre to promote MPT as a hub for cruise liners visiting India, which would not only be environmentally safer but also serve as a great revenue earner for the State and the country,” he said.
He also blamed GST for the decline in arrival of tourists during the Christmas season, which is the peak of tourism season in Goa adding that tourist arrivals in the state during the last season dropped by around 30 per cent.
He lamented that Goa is being promoted like Macau for tourism by encouraging only casinos, drugs and prostitution with the government failing to provide any infrastructural facilities to the tourists.
“There are no changing rooms at the beaches even today,” he said while pointing out that visitors are accosted by beggars and strangers especially drug peddlers.
“The presence of drugs is the reason for the decline in the number of high-end tourists visiting Goa and even for the drop in families visiting the state as they are scared of the drug lords,” he said adding that it is unfortunate that the government is yet to announce its policy against drugs or take serious action against drug peddlers in Goa.
Recalling that the then chief minister Pratapsing Rane had cancelled tourism junkets to US as no tourists from that country visit Goa, he questioned the wisdom of Tourism Minister and his family to tour that country recently.
“When there are no tourists coming to Goa from the US, Babu will have to explain what benefits his junket did to tourism in Goa or we shall presume that it was an excuse to visit the Chief Minister who is undergoing treatment in the US,” he said adding that the Tourism Minister ought to also explain how the various tours to different countries have helped tourism in Goa.
He said the government should stop all wasteful expenditure including the unnecessary projects being undertaken through the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation.
“Instead the government should identify the problem areas and work out a solution,” he added.
He said the government should develop places that truly attract tourists instead of only looking at BJP represented constituencies for development and added that focus should be on the industry instead of individuals.
“Mining has already come to an end in Goa and the government is unable to do anything for months now and next will be the turn of the tourism industry to die a natural death with the present policies of the government,” he added.
