Benaulim-based traditional fisherman Pele Fernandes ,who played host to the UK First Lady Akshata Murthy and her family and the Second Lady of India Dr Sudesh Dhankhar, wife of India’s vice–president Jagdeep Dhankar at his water sports facility over the last two months, received yet another pat on his back for promoting Goan hospitality and tourism in his own small way at Benaulim, recently declared as Asia’s third best beach.
This time Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte, who descended at the Benaulim beach with local MLA Venzy Viegas on Friday just minutes before opening the Spirts of Goa festival at neighbouring Colva, showered praises on Pele, saying the fisherman, who operates water sports, represents Goan culture.
When the Tourism Minister was on the beach with Pele, an UK-based Goan family had come down to the Benaulim beach for water sports. A sibling of the family told the Tourism Minister that Pele has taken care of them during water sports on the beach. To this, Khaunte replied back saying that Pele is Goan culture and went on to say the fisherman is active at Benaulim.
The family also showered praises on the Tourism Minister, saying Khaunte has been doing good work in the field of tourism, and urged him to keep up the good work.
A beaming Pele expressed his happiness over the compliment from the Tourism Minister as well as the UK-based Goan family. “I felt honoured after the Goan family acknowledged our services rendered to them during water sports. I am also honoured with the compliment made by the Tourism Minister,” he said.
Pele pointed out that ever since his water sports played host to UK First Lady Akshata Murthy and his family, including children at the Benaulim beach earlier this year, many a UK-based Goan family have been coming for water sports during their visit to the home state. “Our Goans in the UK felt happy when I had made a plea to the UK Prime Minister’s wife Akshata to take care of the Goan families staying in UK. Since then, many of them have called on me and took to water sports during their visit to their home state,” he said.
