the goan I network
PANAJI
The rent-a-cab association on Friday alleged that Deputy Speaker Michael Lobo gave a character certificate to a native of Karnataka that would allow him to operate the business under the name Surya Travels’.
The rent-a-cab owners, mostly youth from Goa, and members of the association met Director of Transport Nikhil Desai and demanded that the department stop giving permissions to new
applicants.
The association members threatened to hold a protest march in Calangute next week if their demand is not met. The association members claimed if businessmen from outside Goa enter the market, existing rent-a-cab owners may face problem.
“After we applied for rent-a-cab permission in 2007, the government did not give it for about five years. We got permission after going to court. That time Michael Lobo did not help us, but now he is helping Surya Rathod by going out of the way,” North Goa rent-a-cab association spokesperson Amir Shirodkar alleged.
Meanwhile, Desai has asked the association to give a written memorandum to the government listing their demand. The association members have decided to meet him on Tuesday with a memorandum demanding a moratorium on new rent-a-cab services.
There are around 1500 cars registered with the transport department under rent-a-cab service and 99 percent of them belong to Goans, claimed the association vice-president Nitesh Chodankar.
