Margao: Fatorda MLA Vijai Sardesai on Sunday said that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has set a record for convening short assembly sessions.
“In my 13 years as an MLA, I have never witnessed such a scenario. This is not a two-day session in reality. The first day is reserved for the Governor’s speech, which is essentially written by the government. This leaves us with effectively a single-day session,” he said, speaking at an event in Fatorda.
Lashing out at the state government for announcing a two-day assembly session, Sardesai said it is inadequate to address pressing issues facing Goa. Sardesai challenged the state government for a discussion on critical matters in a public forum.
“This assembly session is inadequate. If necessary, we may have to take this discussion to Azad Maidan to ensure the real issues are addressed and resolved. It’s time to make Goa, Goa again,” he said.
On issues of land grab cases, cash-for-jobs scams, tourism decline, and mining, Sardesai criticised the government’s lack of transparency and accountability. “Every influencer is explaining why Goa is declining, but these issues are not on the table for discussion. Questions like whether mining resumption benefits locals, how stray dogs are impacting tourism, and the reasons behind Goa’s dwindling appeal as a tourist destination are being ignored,” he said.
Comparing Goa’s tourism trajectory with Dubai, Sardesai said that while Dubai has seen a 40% rise in tourism since 2019, Goa has witnessed a 60% decline during the same period.
“The golden period for tourism in Goa was between 2011 and 2019. Today, we’re struggling to reach 2019 levels. If there’s no tourism, if mining is controlled by outsiders, and if locals are leaving Goa, what will be left of our state?” he asked.
