Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: A day after the restaurant association met him with a memorandum, Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant on Saturday announced the government is contemplating granting some relief to the restaurant owners.
“The government is contemplating giving some relief to the restaurant owners. We may allow them to operate with 50 p.c capacity,” Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant said.
On Friday, all Goa Bar & Restaurant Owners Association appealed to Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant to allow them to open following COVID19 SOPs.
The association 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.
“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.
