US consulate: Harassment of cruise tourists at Mormugao unfortunate

PANAJI: The US consulate at Mumbai has taken note of the December 14 incident when taxi drivers at Mormugao port prevented US cruise passengers from embarking on their pre-booked tour in Goa. US consul general Mike Hankey said that he appreciates the state government’s move to initiate an inquiry into the incident.
Hankey, who is on an official visit to Goa, has met with Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), where the incident also came up for discussion.
“Some business people, they raised it (the incident) with me. I am aware of this unfortunate incident... it wasn’t only preventing US citizens from boarding a bus but it also maybe was interrupting a way to boost the local economy,” said Hankey.
On December 14, taxi drivers and taxi union leaders blocked the entry to Mormugao cruise jetty and harassed passengers who had arrived aboard the cruise ship MV Ocean Odyssey.
The passengers who had pre-booked a tour package for Goa were forced to return to the ship despite paying for immigration formalities because the local taxi union blocked the tour buses. The US consul general said that the US consulate is confident that the state government will resolve the issue.
“Tourists, they want to come in and they’re looking to have a good time and maybe spend some of their money. So we appreciate that the government has been taking note of this incident and I understand that the government has initiated an inquiry into it. It’s really something that we will defer to the local government, to address,” said Hankey.
GCCI officials, who met with Hankey, have conveyed to him that Goa welcomes visitors and is a hospitable place. Hankey said that tourism is an important way that boosts people-to-people relations between US and India, through Goa and it boosts the Goan economy.
During his visit to Goa, the consul general toured Abbot’s pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Goa, met with chairman of the Dempo Group of Industries Shrinivas Dempo and local industrialists to enhance bilateral economic ties between the US and Goa.