CALANGUTE: The beach shacks licence fee should be reduced due to delay in the allotment process, Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS) general secretary John Lobo said following the draw of lots for shacks held on Tuesday.
“The shack licence fee is for the beach shacks season which is for seven months. But this time the shacks have already been delayed by two months and we would like to request the Tourism Department and the minister to accordingly reduce the fee proportionately. Two months delay means two months loss of business,” Lobo said, stating that the delay was caused by a couple of vested interests.
He also said they are not happy with the beach shacks policy in its present form which completely sidelines the old-time beach shack owners who have been in the business for decades. “My father started a shack in Baga in 1978 when there were hardly any tourists. We’re the genuine shack owners. We promoted tourism. We’re the backbone of tourism. We catered to tourists when there was nothing here. But we’ve got absolutely no respect. This shack policy is wrong to give so many shacks to newcomers,” he said.
Lobo reiterated the SOWS demand that the shack policy should also have categories for “senior” shack owners who have been in the business for decades. “The Tourism Department is saying the shacks policy has more shacks for newcomers this time because it is meant for the unemployed. But there are so many experienced shack owners who have not got the licence. What are they going to do – stay unemployed? How are they going to feed their families? They have to take up something. The Tourism Department should keep this in consideration,” Lobo said.
