MARGAO
Tourism stakeholders in the coastal village of Cavelossim have red-flagged the proposed Blue Flag Certification for the world-famous beach belt, claiming the certification is proposed to bring the private players to control the tourism business by displacing the locals.
A day after the local stakeholders protested over the presence of tourism and GEL officials at the beach belt on Monday, the tourism stakeholders comprising water sports operators, taxi operators and others assembled at the Tourist Facilitation Centre (CFC) on Tuesday morning to oppose the Blue Flag certification.
Benaulim MLA Venzy Viegas and Cavelossim sarpanch Dixon Vaz took up the cudgels for the stakeholders, saying they will stand by the locals engaged in the tourism business. The duo also promised to take up the issues with Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte.
Water sports operator, Roy Barretto said the Cavelossim gram sabha had vehemently opposed the Blue Flag certification for the Cavelossim beach belt but lamented that the government has set up the facilitation centre and toilets during the Covid pandemic.
“We are opposed to the Blue Flag certification, but the government is bulldozing with the project without taking the locals into confidence. They appear hell-bent on bringing outsiders to control the tourism business at the cost of the locals,” Roy said
Saying that Cavelossim is the hub of starred resorts, with the village playing host to seven five-star hotels, Roy has warned that the locals will not remain silent if they are sidelined in the scheme of things.
Sarpanch Dixon Vaz pointed out that the panchayat would stand by the local tourism stakeholders, saying the government should take the locals into confidence before taking any decision.
Saying that the government should not compare Cavelossim to Calangute and Candolim, Dixon said he and the panchayat are fully behind the local stakeholders.
“There’s a fear that the local stakeholders will be displaced from the tourism business. In the past, the government had made an abortive attempt to bring in Goa Miles to the village,” he added.
