What's a Lamanis??

http://www.new-age.co.uk/images/goa/lamani-trader.jpg

You learn something every day! Thanks for that Martin!

I wonder if the tourists had complained or if the police just decided to arrest them?

It certainly sounds like they've been busy!

Guess the police will be totally fed with with arresting and re-arresting them by march 2011 and so will leave them alone! How I look forward to having my big toe pinched when I am asleep sunbathing by one of the peddlers!

It's all part of the beach "entertainment" watching them scatter when the "undercover" policeman comes onto the beach looking for his back-hander! We even hid one of the small children under our sunbed last year....what a laugh out-witting the "local" copper.

Lamanis arrested, cases of smoking in public being charged and people arrested for playing loud music - most un-Goan like for the laws of the land to be implemented.

Will it last?

Am I correct in recalling reading that the police were to be/have been relieved of their responsibilities on the tourist beaches? The tourism department is to establish it's own uniformed branch (ex-military people) to ensure the shacks adhere to sun bed numbers and keep the lamanis away from tourists. Is it the police or the tourist board behind the current "crackdown"?

The police had a lamentable reputation for their operations on the beaches - being a cynic I doubt the new regime will do a deal better.

That said, I was sceptical about the establishment of the Drishti Lifeguards on the Goan beaches but they seem to be doing a good job.

I remember a few years ago there used to be tourist police responsable for the beaches . They were mostle middle aged, overweight, and wore white uniforms, presumably to make it easier to be spotted by the sellers ! Not sure what happened to them. It was reported that a seperate force would be created for the beach security, not much more has been reported on this. Presumabley this will free up the boys in khaki to concentrate on smashing up shacks whenever the whim takes them. SteveK makes a good point however, I was one of those who had a good snigger when the Pagoda style Lifeguard shacks appeared, and thought, like most Goan schemes,it would fail, but they seem to be doing an excellent job, hardly a day goes by in the local press without a report of another tourist being snatched from a watery grave,as they like to put it.
Alan

Lots of new local laws to allow the police to collect more "fines".

All goes up the chain everyone happy unless you were the one fined.

Great way to keep the tourists happy.

Out of interest how much do you think any of this money will actually end up where it is supposed to?

Papa