Goemkarponn desk
CANACONA – Members of the Canacona Bar Owners Association (BOA) have demanded to rollback government’s decision to double the Bar License Fees stating it is unviable to pay up the hefty 100% license fee increase in view of the business slack post corona period.
BOA, along with Councillors Simon Rebello and Gandesh Madgaonkar, met with Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar to discuss difficulties arising from increased license fees and requested action.
‘It is not possible to pay up to 100% increased licence fees, especially in view of the post-Corona period, now Bar licenses have also increased and there’s no business as before, so it will be in everybody’s interest if the new guidelines on increasing the fees are withdrawn and cancelled’, Rebello told the Speaker.
A memorandum is submitted to the Speaker soliciting his intervention to persuade the government to withdraw the untenable 100% increase in Bar License Fees.
Speaker Tawadkar also hearing the group patiently assured them that the issue would be resolved promptly.
Meanwhile, some Senior citizens from the bar owners’ group also expressed their dissatisfaction with the Speaker over the behaviour of the Canacona Excise staff over the insistence on payment due towards a 100% net increase of license fees.
“My Fees are due in March, but the Excise office wants me to make the payments now”, one senior citizen complained to the Speaker.
Additionally, the Canacona Taxi Owners also raised concerns about regulations affecting their operations, including the need to restrain Goa Mile taxis from taking passengers on return trips, cancel the permit for Goa Mile taxis, and eliminate tolls to local taxis. The issues are reportedly under review with the Speaker for timely resolution, sources said.
