видимо, правду говорит человек, в газетах пишут про забастовку таксистов против русских "захватчиков"
HERALD REPORTER
MARGAO, NOV 29
"Give us our daily bread", was the common plea one heard from tourist taxi owners and drivers from Salcete's coastal belt as they felt let down by politicians of all hues to protect their livelihood being invaded by tour operators and Russian Reps.
Visit any place along the coastal belt – right from Cavelossim to Colva – and it was not uncommon to come across tourist taxi owners and their families giving vent to their resentment and frustration over the failure by successive governments to address their long-standing genuine demands of the sons-of-the-soil.
Even PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao, who has professed his support for the tourist taxi operators, has been asked to get their demands passed since as he is now very much a part of the present Digambar Kamat government.
The tourist taxi owners lamented that Tourism Minister and Benaulim MLA Mickey Pacheco too has not done anything to meet their demands. "We had approached him when Pacheco was the Tourism Minister in the Parrikar government. Nothing has happened since then", a taxi operator rued.
The taxi owners and drivers rued that they had knocked the doors on former Ministers and MLAs and politicians, but in vain. "No one looks after our interests. They ask our votes at the time of polls, but soon forget to honour their promises", he added.
Asked Tony Fernandes, President of Benaulim Tourist Taxi owners and drivers: "The entry of Russian reps and tour operators has denied us even one trip a week. How are we to sustain our families, afford maintenance of vehicles and pay the bank loan".
Remarked a young taxi driver from Varca: "Incumbent Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat says his government is for the aam admi. We the tourist taxi drivers are the real aam admi. Unlike the tour operators, we are not into business. This is our livelihood. We only plead with the Chief Minister and the present government to give us a single taxi trip to feed our families".
Says Colva tourist taxi owner Connie Rodrigues: "We are on the streets today because the tour operators have deprived us of our livelihood. Give us our daily bread. If we don't earn anything, the banks will attach our taxis. Will the government be in a position to provide us jobs and support our families".
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