CALANGUTE: Watersports operators from the north Goa coastal belt on Friday demanded that the Tourism Department cancel the Goa Electronics Limited (GEL) queue system for their boat rides.
Watersports operators from Calangute, Candolim, Baga, Chapora, Vagator and also from South Goa met Calangute MLA Michael Lobo and BJP State President Sadananad Tanavade in Lobo’s office at Calangute to press for their demand.
They said the existing queue system had been introduced by former chief minister Manohar Parrikar in 2013 after they had opposed a government-proposed system.
“In the current system, each area/beach/jetty has its own association and ticket counter with a queue system. We want our own counters which we are operating since 2013. We don’t want GEL counter,” watersports operators from Sinquerim said.
“This is a money-making racket. We find it difficult to understand why the GEL has been brought into this when it is we who have invested in the boats and this business for all these years. For each ticket, they will take Rs 50 commission and they want us to pay tax when we are already paying the Tourism Department, Fisheries Department and others,” Roy Barreto from South Goa said.
Lobo and Tanavade promised to inform Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and the Tourism Minister about their demand and urge them to find a solution to the issue.
