Margao: Responding to Goa Transport Minister Mauvin Godinho's comments regarding the local Taxi operators, Benaulim, South Goa-based social worker and youth leader Warren Alemao did not mince words in saying the Minister is playing to the corporates and big players, while disregarding and neglecting local Goan taxi operators, leaving them to "die".

 

"The government is killing small businesses. Entire families depend on the business generated out of one taxi. There are hundreds, if not thousands of such families. App-based aggregators like Ola and Uber will not work in a State like Goa. The system is different. We need to promote and optimize local tourist taxis and local taxi operators, instead of shutting them down and bringing in multinationals into the scene," Warren said, speaking to media persons in South Goa.

 

"The Transport Minister wants to hang until death the individual or single taxi operators. There are thousands of families in Goa whose survival depends on a single taxi or single tourist vehicle. The Minister's hint to introduce Ola and Uber in the coastal state, disregarding the struggles faced by local taxi operators is deeply concerning. The Minister should not prioritize external perception over the livelihood of Goan Taxi drivers," Warren said in a press statement.

 

Blasting the Minister for his stance vis-a-vis small businessmen, Warren averred that the decline in the arrival of quality foreign tourists is the main problem that needs to be addressed.

 

"We cannot compare Goa with larger states like Maharashtra, Karnataka or Uttar Pradesh whose population is over 100 times that of Goa. Instead of imposing unnecessary hurdles and bottlenecks on local Taxi operators, the transport minister should prioritize the development of a comprehensive tourism infrastructure and ecosystem that benefits all stakeholders. This approach would ensure sustainable growth and protect the livelihood of Goan taxi drivers, rather than risking their jobs for the sake of accommodating multinational taxi apps. Our small state of goa DOES NOT require such taxi apps that will come in and kill the local taxi business. What Goa needs is a well-planned tourism network taking all stakeholders into confidence. It's imperative for the Minister to consider the long-term impact on local businesses before making decisions that could potentially harm or even destroy their livelihoods," Warren said in a statement shared on social media.