JOSEPH PINTO | NT
CANDOLIM: Foreigners along Baga-Sinquerim stretch, who have come down for a holiday in Goa, are also facing the effects of demonetisation move of the central government. As regards foreign currency, presently exchange of upto Rs 5000 a week is permitted.
Many are also skeptical about using the cashless modes for transaction given the fact the country has seen several instances of ATM frauds, cyber thefts etc.
With business affected, the shacks along the coastal stretch in Candolim are allowing the foreigners, especially the regular customers, to drink and eat on credit. This way, the shack and guest house owners are trying to keep their businesses going during the ongoing cash-crunch situation caused due to demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 currency notes.
Some foreign tourists, put off by the situation, are complaining that their vacation has been wasted as they do not have cash to do major spending and are saying that they would have not come to Goa if they knew about it in advance.
Like the locals, the foreigners are also seen waiting in queues at ATMs to withdraw cash and visiting banks for exchange of foreign currency. And sometimes, even after waiting for hours at banks they have to return empty handed. Many are also considering going back because of cash crunch.
“We are in Goa for a holiday and not to stand in queues for hours to get money from ATM. We cannot spend properly and feel like our holiday has been a total waste. There should have been some relaxation in norms for tourists like us,” said a tourist from UK.
Another foreign tourist said that “thanks to the gesture of some shacks and guest house owners that we can drink, eat and stay comfortably due to services on credit to regular customers.”
However, the first-timers are having a tough time in coping with situation and are leading a hand-to-mouth existence.
Allan John Brown, British tourist, who has been coming to Goa for the last 17 years, said that “the Indian government’s decision to allow exchange of 60 pounds a week is too less. In the past, I used to exchange 250 pounds a week. The government should have intimated foreign tourists about such restrictions.”
Another tourist Maloney Knight said that this is her second visit to Goa but her friends, who have come for the first time, are facing a lot of problems due to severe cash crunch.
“Some friends of mine have come for the first time; I had to help them through my Goan friends in managing bills. Using debit cards is so unsafe because of lack of cyber security,” Knight said.
Tina Fernandes from Candolim, who runs a shack, says that she has been offering their services on credit to cash-strapped customers these days. “I have no other choice; there is no business. My regular foreign customers in the past would do a bill of Rs 2000-3000 a day, but now they hardly spend between Rs 500 to Rs 800,” she said.
Another shack owner from Candolim Victor said that some shacks have not even got their licences as yet and with this cash crunch situation, the business only looks to be bleak in days to come.
The waiters working at shacks and small restaurants have also been affected with they not getting much tips from customers.
Meanwhile, when the reporter contacted the crime branch, sources informed that there were two cases of cloning of debit cards registered and that too they were foreigners identified through CCTV cameras.