Goemkarponn desk
MARGAO: All Goa Bar & Restaurant Owners Association has made an appeal to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to allow them to open following COVID19 SOPs.
The association has also demanded tax relief during the lockdown period.
“We, the bar and restaurant owners, are badly affected by lockdown last year and now the curfew. Our businesses have come to a standstill, without any relief. Ours is the only business owned by 90% of Goans. Businessmen are desperate and are ready to rent out and even sell their ancestral business to anyone,” said president Michael Carrasco
He said the government has considered any relief to redcurrants.
“It looks that running a Bar and Restaurant is a crime in the society of Goa. Last year, we were officially closed down for six months and now for three months again,” he said.
Carrasco said that the govt has also imposed an increase in licence fees, hike in excise rates, separate charges for AC and Non AC premises and now also charged bars and restaurants as per area of operation.
“How does the govt expect we Goans to survive. Shack owners, migrants labour etc., have been given relief in some way or the other. Why can’t we? Today the fish market is open; malls are open; wholesale liquor shops are open. Why should we not be open? We are ready to follow all SOPs imposed by the government,” he said.
Carrasco says that since the positive cases and death rates have reduced, Govt should consider the opening of business to avoid distress sale, closure and renting out to non-Goans. More than monetary losses, there are job losses as our industry is of unskilled and skilled labour,” he said.
He said due to the restaurant closures, all other subsidiary bossiness of vegetable, meat, fruit, fish vendors etc., are affected.
“There is also psychological distress in the society. The govt should wake up and allow all operations to start to avoid panic among our business colleagues and unrest in our society,” he added.
