3-yr shack allotment comes in for criticism (Herald)

3-yr shack allotment comes in for criticism July 31, 2013 TEAM HERALD teamherald@herald-goa.com MARGAO: The Traditional Shack Owners Association has said the proposed policy to allot shacks for a three-year period will not be feasible unless a mechanism is put in place to protect the interests of the genuine shack owners. Spokesman of the association Kennedy Afonso said the Tourism Department had in the past come up with useless shack policies, which were drafted without taking the views of shack owners, the actual stake holders in the business. “Sometimes, the Tourism Department comes up with policies that will suit the interest of a few shack owners, who manipulate certain clauses to suit their needs. While the three-year shack allocation sounds good, it all depends on its implementation. There is fear and apprehension amongst shack owners that the Tourism officials might again bring the seniority factory through the back door. This criterion was found faulty by the High Court and was literally thrown out by the Supreme Court,” Afonso added. He pointed out that the three-year policy will throw up a host of questions, including the fact that it might result in one shack owner getting more than 2-3 shacks. “These kinds of winners will make a killing by subletting the shacks for the next three years, to those shack owners, who are not so fortunate to win the lottery,” he added. He pointed out that many genuine shack owners might be displaced, with no hope of earning a livelihood for the next three years. http://www.heraldgoa.in/News/Local%20News/3-yr-shack-allotment-comes-in-for-criticism/77622.html