Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: Panaji councillor Jack Sukhija has demanded that the Goa government put on hold the Captain of Ports tender for the operation and maintenance of its terminal building and allied jetty facilities, questioning the proposed 40-year concession of government infrastructure to a private operator.
Calling the arrangement “privatisation in practice”, Sukhija questioned the distinction being made by the Captain of Ports Department between privatisation and a long-term licence.
“If you are giving away a licence for 40 years, if it is not equivalent to privatisation, then what is it? Most of us will not exist after 40 years. It is literally a handover of jetties to private entities,” Sukhija said at a press briefing in Panaji on Tuesday.
The Captain of Ports Department has maintained that the tender does not transfer ownership of the terminal building or government-owned jetties, but provides for their operation and maintenance. The department has also stated that casino operators will not be eligible to participate in the tender.
Sukhija, however, raised concerns over the effectiveness of such safeguards, citing the adjoining Santa Monica jetty. Referring to Shanta Infratech, which was awarded the Santa Monica facility, he alleged that the company had no apparent casino interest when it bid for the facility but was subsequently acquired by Delta Corp.
“Casino or casino-related entities will not be allowed to bid. But look at the Santa Monica jetty. Shanta Infratech at the time it was bid for had no casino interest. Today, 74 per cent of the company is owned by Deltin or Delta Corp. So what is this if not backdoor entry?” Sukhija said.
The press conference was attended by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Goa president Valmiki Naik, physician and music journalist Dr Luis Dias, freelance writer and journalist Cryselle Dias, and AAP supporters Shyam Kolamkar and Herton Fernandes.
Sukhija also questioned the inclusion of the Captain of Ports’ main building in the tender. He referred to an earlier court proceeding concerning the building, in which, according to him, the department had given an undertaking that the premises would be used for administrative purposes. He questioned whether the proposed arrangement was consistent with that position.
He further questioned the government’s plans to develop three new jetties at Kala Academy, Campal and Bhagwan Mahaveer Garden, and sought clarity on the pace and rationale behind the proposed development.
“What is the need for tenders for 10 jetties to be given out in such a short span of three months?” Sukhija asked, while also questioning who would bear the cost of the infrastructure.
A key concern raised by him was continued public access to the riverfront. He sought clarity on whether traditional ferry operators, fishermen and local communities would continue to have access to the facilities.
“Is the riverfront going to be blocked again? Are traditional ferry services, communities and fishermen going to be allowed, or is it a slow way to phase them out?” he said.
Sukhija said he had written to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Captain of Ports, Ports Minister Digambar Kamat, Panaji MLA Babush Monserrate, the Chief Secretary and the Corporation of the City of Panaji, seeking intervention in the matter.
He called for the tender process to be paused until the government provides clarity on the proposed arrangement and its long-term implications.
“We are asking the government to put the tender on hold until there is a clear resolution as to why this is being done so fast,” Sukhija said, while also calling for a proper environmental assessment and greater public consultation.
“Be transparent. Do not use the backdoor,” he said.
