Tourism stakeholders in Xaxti yet to decide

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

MARGAO: Tourism stakeholders along Salcete’s coastal belt appear undecided and confused as political rivals jostle to woo them towards their respective camps as the D-day draws near.

Be it shack owners or tourist taxi operators operating from Salcete’s coastline, no one wants to unveil their stand for the moment vis-a-vis their support for the candidates and political parties contesting the April 12 poll. Neither the Shack Owners Society headed by Cruz Cardozo nor the South Goa Tourist Taxi operators led by Seby Fernandes could throw light or offer their comment on the coming Lok sabha poll, other than saying that members are yet to take a stand on the election.

A shack owner maintained that they are indeed in a confused state of mind over extending support to the candidates. And he made a mention about that fact that their counterparts in the Calangute-Candolim-Baga belt find themselves in a similar situation with the battle unfolding in the Lobo and Sequeira camps.

Significantly, a stakeholder remarked that while many a member dependent on the tourism industry may be inclined to vote for the Congress, they cannot afford to come out openly and antagonise the ruling dispensation for fear of a backlash.

The situation of the tourist taxi operators is no different. They say their long-pending issue with the tourist taxi operators remains unresolved till date. The meeting called by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on March 26 stands postponed and a new date will be fixed by his office after the April 12 poll.  

Sources in the know said that Benaulim MLA Caitu Silva, who was mediating between the tourist taxi operators and the government over the long pending demands of the operators, has already come out openly in support of BJP candidate Narendra Sawaikar. Caitu’s move, sources said, will further put the stakeholders in a tight corner, as the ruling dispensation would certainly expect the stakeholders to support the party nominee in South Goa.

A tourist taxi operator Jeorge Fernandes said that they had several meetings with the government over their long-pending issue, but there’s no solution till date. “The meeting fixed on March 26 stands postponed and I wonder whether the government is only offering us bait to settle our issue after the election”, Jeorge added.