Tourist taxi strike called off

NT NETWORK
Posted on 2008-12-02
PANAJI- The 4-day tourist taxi strike has been called off after a meeting between Federation of Associations of Taxi Operators and Drivers (FATTOD), tour operators and the authorities called by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat at his residence on Monday.
“We have called off the strike and hope that the government implements its promises as quickly as possible and gives us a Christmas present,” the president of FATTOD, Mr George Fernandes told ‘The Navhind Times’ after saying that at the meeting the Chief Minister had assured them that he would take action against the reps allegedly working on tourist visas, and stop them if found.
Present for the meeting besides the Chief Minister were the Transport Minister, Mr Ramkrishna Dhavalikar, the Chief Secretary, Mr J P Singh, the tourism secretary, Dr Modassir, the tourism director, Mr Elvis Gomes, five representatives of the tour operators, including TTAG president, Mr Ralph De Souza and five representatives of the FATTOD and Fr Valerian Vaz from the Centre for Responsible Tourism.
The meeting also conceded the demands of the taxi drivers of having a counter at the hotels on the condition that they would display their rates on the table.
Source say that the tour operators have also been asked to use local taxis instead of calling taxis from corporate firms.
However, as far as the airport drops by coaches is concerned, tour operators said that as the matter was in court, arbitrator who is a retired judge should be appointed to decide the matter. Mr Kamat asked the tourism director to appoint the arbitrator.
Mr Fernandes especially thanked the tourism director as “because of his initiative we could get to this point.”
The taxi drivers throughout Goa had resorted to a strike since Friday under the aegis of FATTOD as their 7-day ultimatum listing their four main demands had expired.
However, this clash between the taxi drivers and tour operators dates back to the late 1990s with the simmering feud erupting now and then.
“We are the sons of the soils. The tour operators are depriving us a means of earning our livelihood and we want that to stop. Tour operators should only pick up passengers from the airport and drop them back,” the federation president had argued.
The current face-off had political overtones too with the Public Works Department Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao pitching his weight behind the taxi drivers.
The strike had turned ugly in patches with the arrest of at least 40 taxi drivers by the police in the South on Sunday the latest in a series of incidents since the strike began.
They were allegedly arrested for blocking the tour buses carrying domestic and foreign tourists.
Meanwhile, the Centre of Responsible Tourism has appreciated the initiative of the government to invite the stakeholders for a discussions to find an amicable solution to the embroligo and hoped that such reasonable dialogue would continue so that benefits of tourism largely reach with local community.
The centre ardently desires that the tourism industry functions in a more responsible manner by respecting the dignity of the sector and by resolving the conflict that have crept in.