MARGAO
Coming out strongly against moves to install speed governors for tourist taxi vehicles, South Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association on Tuesday made a fervent plea to the government to consider tourist taxi operators as tourism stakeholders and take them into confidence before implementing any measures.
"We totally object to the installation of speed governors for our tourist vehicles as the same will not serve any purpose. Police records reveal that only one per cent of accidents are caused by tourist vehicles. Most of the accidents are caused by private vehicles. Speed governors will hinder the movement of vehicles to reach tourists to the airport and vice versa," asserted Association general secretary Roque Fernandes.
At a media briefing, Roque demanded to know why successive governments have not considered tourist taxi operators as the tourism stakeholders. "Most of the problems arise because the government does not consider us as tourism stakeholders and seek to impose measures unilaterally without taking us into confidence," Roque said.
While pooh-poohing the demand raised by GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral in favour of speed governors, Roque and Clyde Fernandes said that even insurance companies do not want to take responsibility of the vehicles in the event any damage is caused to the vehicles by the speed governors. They demanded to know why the government has no plan to cover all vehicles in Goa with the speed governors.
Kennedy Goes and Jose Afonso said the tourist taxi operators have no objections to install meters, but hastened to add that the government should first crack a whip against the 8,000 private taxi operators in the State. "We have no objection to the metres, but is the government ready to initiate action against the private taxis and illegal tour operators," they questioned.
Asserting that tourist taxi operations is the only business left with local Goans, who are eking a living on the operations, Roque said the government should protect the interest of the locals engaged in the business. "Our demands are pending before the Chief Minister. Both the North and South Goa operators are united on the issues facing the local tourist taxi owners. Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao and Calangute MLA Michael Lobo have been supporting us in our struggle," he said, while making a humble plea to the government to hear their difficulties and help us carry on the business in a hassle free environment.
