BY MELBA MERGULHÃO-CARVALHO ANTÃO

Though the government has revealed that there are 85 entrepreneurs of foreign origin in the state, locals claim the number is much higher.

IS THE government aware of all the foreigner nationals involved in business activities in the state? A list was prepared of foreigner entrepreneurs in which the name, nationality, type of business, the name of the locals in whose name the business was being run, address of the premises of the business and the duration of the business, were indicated. Above all, the passport and valid business visa details were provided too. As per the verification conducted by the police, 56 foreign businessmen in North Goa and 29 foreign businessmen in South Goa are involved in various business activities in Old Goa, Mapusa, Pernem, Anjuna, Calangute, Porvorim, Colva, Canacona and Vasco and include all nationalities particularly English, German, Russian, Italian, Nederland, French, Swiss, Portuguese, etc. According to the list, the largest number of entrepreneurs of non-Indian origin plied their trade in Anjuna (29) entrepreneurs, Calangute (11), Porvorim (7), Canacona (10) and Vasco (11).

NEFARIOUS DEALINGS

THE MLA of Mandrem, Laxmikant Parsekar, represents the coastal villages of Tiracol, Arambol, Mandrem, Morjim and Palyem where, “The tourism infrastructure provided by the government and the Tourism Department is almost nil with neither a tourist hostel nor restaurant. Private local parties have provided whatever infrastructure exists there for tourists who visit these villages for their scenic beauty. But, unfortunately, many of the foreign tourists have got involved in the local businesses.” Parsekar opines, “When they come on a tourist visa they are visitors and should enjoy themselves, spend money here and return home but instead they involve themselves in trade without the necessary visa. A local who earns Rs. 50,000 per season, for example, is offered Rs. One lakh per season and the local offers his business to the foreigner, on rent or lease, and the business runs in the name of the villager by the foreigner, may be with an expired visa.”

Parsekar wants the Home department to look into the expiration of visas as “There is a possibility of tourist visas being extended for a price. The business goes into the hands of foreigners who are supposed to spend money in Goa instead of taking the money out of Goa which adversely affects our economy.” The other possibility is that under cover of an ordinary business, illegal activities are conducted, “and the Home department is ignorant of it or may turn a blind eye. It is not just the problem of depriving the state of its revenue, but there’s also the problem of security along the coastal belt where bars, restaurants, massage parlours, coffee shops etc, are used to carry out dealings in drug and sex trafficking which is destroying not only tourism in Goa, but also our youth since the perpetrators don’t care about the law or security when his main concern is his underhand business.

In list presented by the government, only three foreigners have been shown to be involved in business activity in the entire Pernem taluka, points out Parsekar. “But there are more than 100 foreigners involved in some business or the other in the Pernem taluka which means that the government is not aware of over 97% businesses that are accounted for. This indicates both governmental lethargy and corruption prevailing in the whole endeavour. Involvement of foreigners in local businesses must be discouraged - let them enjoy, spend and go home and not clandestinely stay behind to make money. The question of security is at stake and the government should take cognisance of this matter. As a responsible citizen of the state, it is my duty to highlight this discrepancy.” Parsekar points out, “My constituency is no different from other constituencies rather it is just a sample of what exists in constituencies along the coastal belt of Goa.”

VIGILANCE ESSENTIAL

FOREIGNERS, predominantly Russians are operating their own shacks while locals lose their business,” claims Vijay A. Pai Khot, MLA of Canacona and adds, “Russians have purchased land not just in my constituency, but in Calangute, Morjim and Mandrem. They come on tourist visas and have no right to do business. We have raised the question in the Assembly and demanded that the government take action and ask hard questions or tomorrow all the shacks will be run by Russians and will pump their profits outside the state and reduce the state’s prosperity.” He feels “the government must start an enquiry process before things get out of hand and our security and economy is threatened. It is better to take precautions than to search for cures when its too late.”

When Goan Observer tried to get the Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco’s opinion on this matter, his OSD, Lyndon Monteiro told us on the Minister’s behalf, “The Home Ministry is in charge of the security of the state. However, the Tourism Ministry works closely with the Home Ministry. Any inputs received, are immediately passed on to the Home Ministry for necessary action. For example, if we get inputs of foreigner nationals indulging in drug trafficking we pass that on and the Vigilance department takes it up and does the needful.”

THE REAL WORRY

THE problem is not of some foreigners conducting business here and who have certified credentials, “We are talking about money laundering, drug trafficking, foreign criminals hiding in Goa from the law of their land, etc - that’s our worry. And because of these crooked people, the entire state could be put to a major risk. In order to safeguard our security, we want the government to screen foreigners who enter as tourists, but stay behind as businessmen,” emphasises Francis D’Souza, the Mapusa BJP MLA and queries, “What is the government doing about the influx of Russians who claim to be tourists when everyone knows that they could be part of a mafia and set up a network that organises crime and gangs, especially in areas where they have formed their own strongholds.” Our police force cannot handle small-time local crimes; they will be surely overwhelmed by the Russian mafia with their hi-tech crimes backed by weaponry and other gizmos should such a situation arise in their self-guarded hubs at Morjim in the North and Canacona in the South.
Arun Desai, Additional Director, Vigilance, informs Goan Observer that “We are dealing with Persons of Non-Indian Origin (PNIO) who have bought agricultural land without permission from the Reserve Bank of India,” even though they have all their documents okayed from the local bodies through agents or other means. If the RBI clearance is missing, the PNIO will have to forfeit the land and leave the country. The Additional Director informs us that they expect to complete enquires in a couple of months.

There are foreigners who are legally doing business as hoteliers or spa owners in Goa but there are also many Goans doing business in foreign countries especially in the UK and USA making big bucks on Goan cuisine. “We have to be worried about Kashmiris who rent a shop for Rs. 20,000 per month. Does he make a sale of Kashmiri artefacts worth Rs. 20,000? He does not and it is common knowledge that other activities are carried out by them to pay the rent and sundry expenses. Does the government check the ‘other’ activities? No. In fact, the culprits carry on unhindered,” points out Joseph Sequeira, former sarpanch of Calangute.

The state government is well aware of what is going on and where because they have all the machinery at their disposal like the Vigilance department and police, but are not doing anything because they have their own personal agenda. Sequeira narrates that all types of parlours are banned in Calangute, including ayurvedic ones, which claim to be medicinal and turn out to be erotic outlets. “But last week the Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s (GTDC) chairman and MLA Shyam Satardekar inaugurated an ayurvedic treatment centre and spa at the Calangute Residency without the prior permission of the Calangute panchayat. One the one hand, the panchayat is trying to rein in negative activity in areas under their jurisdiction, but the government overrides our efforts,” Sequeira states.

CENTRE’S DOMAIN

“THE world is now a global village and Goans are working and conducting business practically all over the world. But when it comes down to our own sweet Goa, we are up in arms with the slogans of ‘Goa for Goans and dilution of our identity’ and so on and so forth. We do not care whether there are employment opportunities for our youth in the present or the future. Some enterprising people from outside India have recognised the business opportunities in Goa while holidaying in Goa, so they adopt a short cut and take locals as their partners to avoid liabilities if they wish to wind up their business as and when necessary,” explains Manguirish Pai Raikar, member GCCI, who does not consider foreign businessmen a threat to security, “On the contrary, they show you new avenues of business as well as teach you professionalism.”

“The bad apples need to be weeded out by the enforcement machinery which sometimes compromises over a few pennies and should be instructed to work in the interest of the country. The expert professionals who have come and given us innovative ideas have also helped us to strengthen tourism in the state,” Raikar believes. As far as the foreign exchange outflow is concerned, Raikar considers it “peanuts compared to what they and their friends bring into the state. Besides, the transfer of business profits out of Goa is no concern of the state government as it falls under the jurisdiction of the central government.”