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VASCO
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said the government’s decision on the GoaMiles taxi app had been taken keeping in mind the long-term interests of the tourism industry and the taxi operators.
Addressing a gathering on the occasion of Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho’s 60th birthday celebrations at the Jogger’s Park in Dabolim, Sawant was responding to Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao’s disappointment over the chief minister’s extreme decisions which had hurt some locals.
Without naming the GoaMiles taxi app service, Alemao said at the gathering that some decisions by the chief minister had been extreme and would not go down well with certain locals.
While praising the CM for doing a great job, Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao, however, claimed that some locals had been hurt and had been left behind.
Alemao appealed to Sawant to take local interests into confidence and expressed full faith that the chief minister will address their grievances.
Replying to Alemao’s speech, Sawant admitted that he had had no plans to raise the taxi issue on the occasion of Mauvin’s 60th birthday.
“But since Churchill has spoken about this issue, I would like to inform Churchill and the Goans that this government is not against anyone.”
“Some extreme decisions were necessary in the larger interests of the State. The decision we have taken on the GoaMiles taxi app is keeping in mind the long-term interests of the tourism industry and the taxi operators.”
Appealing to the striking taxi operators, the chief minister said: “We are with you. Don’t stay away and be sidelined. Come and approach us and we will resolve your issues. I appeal to all striking taxi operators that we are willing to listen to them.”
