CALANGUTE: When the taxis came back on the road after a two-day agitation, many shack and restaurant owners were relieved because their businesses had come to a virtual halt. But this relief is tinged with the sad realisation that in the absence of other forms of transport, the taxi lobby has a free run to flex its muscles and bring tourism to a standstill.
Hence their response to the manner in which the agitation was called off, with compromises to taxi drivers, is a mix of relief and caution. There is a clear understanding that uncontrolled overcharging by taxi drivers and the absence of app-based transport had led to less tourists coming to the belt.
Shack and restaurant owners are happy about the temporary management of the taxi issue, but they feel Ola/Uber will help to bring the situation under control if taxis fail install speed governors.
Talking to Herald, the owner of the popular Bon Appetit shack and resort Jojo said, “It was a tough time during those three days when the tourist taxis went off road. Since they went off road, we had not much customers coming in. What Michael Lobo has done is good work and I am sure that similar to this temporary solution Michael will also come up with a permanent solution to this problem.”
Another shack owner Lavita Fernandes said, “The decision which Lobo has taken is good but the situation has gone out of control. The taxis charge according to their whims and fancies which is not right. If all the taxis install digital meters, things would be in control.”
But Goans in Calangute – and Michael Lobo must hear this – are upset and peeved at the actions of the taxi lobby. A local Nicholas Fernandes said, “Traveling in taxis have turned into a nightmare. If the route charges are Rs 500, they ask for more than Rs 1000 which is not fair. If the taxis are not ready to install speed governors and meters than government should come up with services like Ola/Uber.”
Another local said, “The tourist taxis have completely taken over the tourism business. They charge taxi fares which are more than the actual charges. This is totally illegal and the government should come up with some kind of solution.”
Aren’t these voters of Calangute? Don’t they have a voice? Shouldn’t they be heard?
So what really are Lobo’s compulsions in literally becoming the spokesperson of the taxi lobby. Lobo’s Calangute constituency has around 27000 votes and the constituency has highest number of taxis around 5000 approximately out of 20,000 throughout Goa.
Besides this, he has more than a passing interest in the Saligao constituency, where his wife Delilah has a following and nurses political ambitions. Many of the taxi operators in Calangute are voters of Saligao.
Considering these numbers, one opines that if Lobo does not support them, his electoral prospects become extremely tight.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders in Calangute said that the Lobo has no authority to give false assurance to tourist taxis and fool them since they are his vote bank.
Former Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequira said, “Lobo is using the taxi drivers for his own gains. He is fooling the taxi owners. By signing an agreement with the taxi owners, he has only created a stop gap for a short period of time. But who is Michael to give the assurance. The assurance should have been given by the Chief Minister or the Transport Department.”
Agnelo Fernandes, ex-Congress MLA of Calangute constituency, said, “Who is Michael Lobo to give assurance to taxi owners? His signing has no meaning since he is not the Chief Minister or any higher authority from Transport Department. This is a political game and Michael is doing it for his personal gain.”
Fernandes further said, “Why should the public be inconvenienced? Taxi drivers/owners are ambassadors of Goa since they are the first who meet the tourists. There is a way how they should behave with tourists but now things have changed and taxi owners are now threatening the tourists and cheating them with their taxi fares. Only if the taxi owners’ demands are genuine then the government should fulfill their demands.”
