Vijai bats for South tourist taxi operators

the goan I network
MARGAO
Batting for tourist taxi operators, Town and Country Planning Minister Vijai Sardesai on Saturday said they were all Goemkars eking out a living from the tourism industry and he would play his role to protect their interests.
In fact, the TCP Minister spoke telephonically to Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in the presence of the tourist taxi operators and sought an appointment post-Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to resolve all issues facing the operators.
After the tourist taxi operators under the banner of South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners' Association called on him at his residence along with Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, the TCP Minister said the tourist taxi operators are justified in demanding a long-term plan.
He said even Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar will agree that a good ruler or administrator will also opt for a long-term plan. "There's a need to stand up for the tourist taxi operators. They are all Goemkars, but they will have to provide good service. Systemic issues are plaguing the tourist taxi operators over the issue of turf. They are demanding a five-year of the 10-year-old plan in place. I also believe that the government should not resort to ad hocism and I am confident that the CM will also agree with my view," he said.
Saying that he did not take much interest in the tourist taxi issue in the past with MLAs such as Churchill Alemao, Michael Lobo and Minister Jayesh Salgaocar taking up cudgels for the operators, Sardesai said he will play his role now since there's a need to stand up for the operators as they are all Goemkars.
Saying that the government will consult them in future before bringing any changes on the enforcement front, the TCP Minister further assured the South tourist taxi operators that neither the RTO nor the police would in future mete out any harassment to them at least in South Goa.
Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao told the media that unlike the tour operators, the tourist taxi operators need to be supported since they and their families eke out a living from the business. "We have decided to resolve the problems facing the taxi operators. The government needs to come out with a programme for five years. Tour operators are doing good business at the cost of the taxi operators. This has to stop immediately. They are all Niz Goemkars," Churchill added, while urging the TCP Minister to resolve all issues facing the taxi operators.

Speed governors not fair: South taxi operators' panel

MARGAO: Questioning the move to make speed governors applicable only for the tourist taxis when these are involved in less than one per cent of the accidents, South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners' Association on Saturday demanded that the government impart training as well as spread awareness to make the tourist taxi operators conversant with electronic gadgets, including operation of mobile apps and internet.
A memorandum submitted by the Association general secretary Roque Fernandes to TCP Minister Vijai Sardesai in the presence of Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao demanded an immediate stop to the operation of illegal tourist taxi business by illegal travel agents and tour operators.
While demanding a stop to illegal private taxi, rent-a-cab, rent-a-bike operations with immediate effect, the tourist taxi operators demanded that the gazette fare rate chart should be displayed at all hotel destinations, airports and other tourist spots for the benefit of tourists.
"Many Goans have given up their traditional businesses like toddy tapping and fishing in search of tourist taxi business as they relied on the business for their livelihood. But the ground reality is that mostly outsiders have taken up tourist taxi business and these non-Goan operators have been issued professional badges to carry out the tourist taxi business," the memorandum said, while further demanding that the hotels must be immediately directed to stop their own tourist taxis and buses.