Protests in Goa as shifting of offshore casinos unlikely

Civil society and political groups Atanasio ‘Babush’ Monserrate’s non-fulfillment of poll promise to remove offshore casinos from the River Mandovi within 100 days of hisꦐ election.

The proꦚtest was led by Aam Aadmi Party leader (AAP) Valmiki Naik and backed by other groups, incluꦕding leaders from the Congress party.

“Babush Monserrate’s promise for 100 days was a joke. Even if he ꦐwere to fulfill it, it would not make a difference. Whe🃏n you want to clean the house, you do not take the garbage from one room to the next. We want them (casinos) out of Goa, not shifted from the river,” Naik said.

“As far🌟 as the casinos are concerned, I am out to remove them from Panjim. I stand by my promises. My promise🔯s are meant to be kept not to be broken.”

I had said 100 da꧅ys during the elections so now that I am in the government let us see how it can be done. My stand on 🥂the casino vessels does not change even though I am entering the BJP,” Monserrate told local media.

Meanwhile, Stܫate Ports Minister Michael Lobo told local media that his department was willing to subject to it being technically feasible.

He added that shifting of offshore casinos to a gaming zone near theඣ Mopa airport in the near future was a ꦫpossibility and was part of former Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s vision. He adde💜d that the Chief Minister and cabinet will take a policy decision on shifting of offshore casinos to land.

In the last couple of months, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has given an assurance that locals will be banned from entering casinos and offs🗹hore casinos would 🌺be shifted from their current location in the River Mཧandovi.

While refusing to give definitive timelines by which time such a decision would be taken, Sawant had indicated that a policy change would be done after tꦉaking all stakeholders into con🤡fidence.

The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) had also passed a resolution last month to not renew the trade licenseᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ♏⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚs of the six offshore casinos docked on the River Mandovi, when they come up for re🏅newal in the April-June 2020 period.