Goan Voice - UK - providing updated comprehensive news coverage on Goa daily.

Obituary

Death: Maria Theresa Lobo
15 Apr: London, UK. MARIA THERESA LOBO (formerly of Baveja Building, Karachi). Passed away after a lengthy illness most courageously borne. Beloved wife of Joachim Paul Lobo (London), cherished and treasured mother of Wilma Pereira (Ivan) London, Joel Lobo (Odette) Calgary, Jennifer Martyres (Austin) Peterborough, England and Brian Lobo (Christina) Toronto. Grandmother of Gavin, Simon, Alexander, Carol, Michelle, Hayley, Carol, Jason, Chloe, Larissa, Brittany and Eldon. [Info: Pompie Gois]

Death: Kenneth Lobo

14 Apr: Vancouver, Canada. KENNETH JOHN LOBO. Born 1928. He is survived by his wife Hennie, his one and only love of 65 years, his daughters Helen (Vince) DeAngelis and Tina Lobo-Hardick, his son Don (Maria) Lobo and his grandchildren Clay, Marina and Sophia. He is predeceased by his son-in-law Patrick Hardick. The Funeral Service will be held at St. Bernadette Parish at 6543 132nd St. Surrey. Burial will follow at Gardens of Gethsemani. For further details click here

News Summary

Book Launch: 'A Railway Runs Through: Goans of British East Africa'.

For the programme for the book launch on 3 May, 2014 at the HSBC Social Club, Beckenham: click here
If you wish to attend this function, and have not yet registered, please do so. If you wish to collect a book on behalf of a friend or family, please let us know in advance so that adequate stocks are available on the day. email

Goa’s new airport turning into a traveller's nightmare

16 Apr: Times of India. Goa's new integrated airport terminal at Dabolim is being dubbed a traveller's nightmare, thanks to its haphazard layout, poor signage and abysmal levels of maintenance and cleanliness. The naval airport's civil enclave handles over 4 million passengers annually, a large number of them international tourists. In 2013, Goa received 4.9 lakh international tourists from 30 countries… several of the rooms on the first floor, including customs and immigrations offices, got waterlogged last week, when South Goa experienced some rain… click here

Goa Police issue advisory to foreign tourists
16 Apr: Herald. In the wake of a non-Goan couple looting foreigners by snatching their bags, Goa Police have issued an advisory comprising do’s and don’ts for tourists in the sixth edition of their quarterly newsletter published recently… The eight-page newsletter has listed out six safety tips for Goa’s visitors to ensure they don’t fall victim to organised crime syndicates… At least three such theft cases are reported to Goa police every week. British tourist Anni Minter was robbed of currency (pounds and euros), equal to Rs 4.50 lakh during his stay in a Candolim resort. Another UK tourist, John Charles Platt has alleged that £ 8200 and Rs one lakh Indian currency was stolen from his room… click here

Ileana D’Cruz raises temperatures in a bikini photoshoot

click to enlarge

15 Apr: Ileana D’Cruz might have played a simple girl in Barfi! but she has no qualms about shedding the saree and donning a bikini. The Main Tera Hero actor shot for Man’s World magazine in swimsuits and boy, she could have any guy eating out of her palm… The cover calls her a summer scorcher and we have no doubt that she is one. On the inside pages of the annual swimsuit issue of the popular glossy, we get to see Ileana in more swimwear. She’s seen wearing a black monokini by Shivan & Narresh and she certainly looks stunning! In one shot, Ileana is seen in a twist blouse and free spirit briefs by Roxy… click here
For a Wikipedia profile of Ileana D’Cruz, click here

The baby makers: Critics push for regulation of India's booming surrogacy industry
15 Apr: ABC News (Aus). As more than 800 million Indians go to the polls this month, the main political party candidates are being urged to finally push through legislation to regulate the country's booming commercial surrogacy industry. The calls come as increasing numbers of foreigners, including many Australians, pay thousands of dollars to Indian surrogacy centres to fulfil their need to have children… click here

Kuwait: Skynet Raiders, DBO, YRC Rising Stars move into next round

14 Apr: Arab Times. The Skynet Raiders, Don Bosco Oratory and YRC Rising Stars moved into the next round of the GOA Rolling Trophy organized by Goan Overseas Association, Friday at the MOH grounds… With this the woeful season of hosts Goa Maroons continues to torment them. They bowed out of the tournament beaten by a youthful Don Bosco Oratory (DBO) in a five-goal thriller… click here

Video: Goa India's Holiday Destination
14 Apr: Kyle McCarthy. An in-depth look at the wonders of Goa, India's smallest state, and its beautiful beaches along the west coast facing the Arabian Sea. This video was produced by Goa Tourism for a travel market we attended recently, and should help families decide if this is the right destination for them. Enjoy! … 11m. 28s. click here

Oman: Indian Social Club Goan Wing hosts Fun Day for kids

15 Apr: Times of Oman. Indian Social Club, Goan Wing organised Children’s Fun Day, its first since its launch in January this year, in the ISC hall in Darsait… The event’s main focus was to give the children, aged 6 to 12 years, a chance to showcase their creative skills in a fun and engaging atmosphere … The success of the Fun Day was evident from the smiling faces of the children and the Goan Wing hopes to organise more events in the future… click here
For the Facebook, Indian Social Club - Goan Wing site, click here

Modi: Britain can't simply shrug off this Hindu extremist
14 Apr: The Guardian (UK). Imagine this. A pogrom takes place in a foreign country targeting a minority group, say Christians, with hundreds brutally killed by rampaging mobs, many mutilated and raped, and foetuses removed from pregnant women. Thousands flee destroyed homes. The provincial leader on whose watch these events take place is a politician with open links to extremist Islamist organisations. Three holidaying British citizens are among the massacred. Allegations emerge that this politician's language helped foment the massacres. With one of his cabinet jailed for her role in the pogroms he becomes the frontrunner to lead this increasingly powerful country. Would you worry? … click here

A Glimpse of Goan History

13 Apr: Sunday Guardian. Balcão’ is a cozy leisure space, which literally means a balcony in Goan parlance. The Balcao represents an age gone by when there existed special bond between neighbours and social relations were transcribed on love, warmth and of affection. Trying to celebrate this uniquely Goan phenomenon, Balcao — the exhibition at Dhoomimal Gallery [New Delhi] showcases the strong Portuguese influence on Goan culture. The exhibition aims at presenting the capital with a window into Goan culture and way of life through the works of Goan artists and selective pieces by F. N. Souza… click here

Why a Modi win in India will become a headache for Canada
14 Apr: The Globe and Mail (Canada). … For the last 12 years, Mr. Modi has been denied a visa to Canada. Ottawa has justified the ban by relying on a provision in Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act that bars suspected human rights abusers. In 2002, as chief minister of Gujarat – an Indian state of more than 60 million inhabitants – Mr. Modi was in power during religious riots in which 1,000 people were killed, mostly Muslims. Though the Supreme Court of India eventually cleared Mr. Modi of any wrongdoing, his fervent Hindu nationalism and alleged support of what many see as anti-Muslim pogroms poisons his foreign relations. For more than a decade, Mr. Modi has been totally unwelcome. In fact, he’s been shunned by several other Western countries, including the United States ... click here

Obituary

Death: Emeliana Diniz
10 April: Norbury, London. EMELIANA DINIZ. Aged 87; ex-Nairobi. Wife of the late Miguel Joao Diniz. Mother to Margarida, Remy, Vigilia and Rosinha. Mother-in-law to Mario, Wanda, Michael and the late Vincent. Granny to Natasha, Martin, Leanne, Louisa, Laeticia, Natalie, Matthew, Danzel and Emma. Great-Granny to Maya, Peter and Elijiah. Funeral service to be arranged. Condolences to: email

News Summary

Rock on: Goa - the third best beach party spot on the planet

15 Apr: USA Today. Matador Network's new travel guide, 101 Places to Get F*cked Up Before You Die, features hilarious-yet-useful advice, stunning photography and plenty of fun destination ideas. But the section on beaches stands out. As the book's editor, David Miller, says, "There's an innate sensuality to being in the sun, being by the water. Of wearing less (no?) clothes. Swimming, surfing, diving. Eating local food." … so raise your glass and take a tour of the 15 best beaches for a rockin' good time: 1. Tel Aviv, Israel … 2. Cape Town, South Africa … 3. Goa, India: At the end of India's infamous Hippie Trail lies Goa, a beachside perch that's somehow home to both mellow yogic living and night-long debauchery. Spend your days perfecting your warrior pose, looking out over the ocean, and your nights raging at Silent Noise. Pull on a wireless headset and see what the crowd is tuning into… click here

Kitesurfing makes waves on Goa's seas
15 Apr: Times of India. It's two in the afternoon and blazing hot. The blinding white sand and sparkling waters off Morjim beach are dotted with patches of neon that seem to have a life of their own. From afar, they look like giant psychedelic butterflies, but a closer look will show you a group of athletic men riding the waves on surfboards and performing extraordinary jumps and somersaults-all while harnessed to a powerful synthetic kite. Meet Goa's kitesurfing community-a group that eats, sleeps and breathes the extreme sport that combines the thrills of surfing, paragliding and gymnastics into one… click here

Mumbai: A stretch that smells of history at every step

15 Apr: Indian Express. Whiff of freshly factory baked Wibs bread, sight of fresh catch sold by Koli fisherwomen, buildings with Chinese names, details of historical families etched on the walls of a Catholic church, Goan music in the background and elderly Muslim men enjoying a cup of tea at an Irani cafe – all on one stretch. Walking from Dockyard railway station to Mazagaon Pier leaves you stumbling on pieces of history… click here

Goa warned: Good times are over
15 Apr: Travel Mole (UK). India's good-time state of Goa has been warned that it must change its ways to remain competitive. Francisco de Braganca, president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, said the "golden age of tourism" in Goa was over and the destination needed to take a new direction. In the sixties, Goa was best know as a hippie destination for Europe's flower children, and while a few have clung on to that lifestyle, Russian tourists have arrived in numbers and are now Goa's biggest market. "Goa's good times are over," said de Braganca, speaking at the launch of the Goa International Travel Market… click here

Introducing Floyd Cardoz

14 Apr: Daily Meal (USA). In 2011, Cardoz won Bravo’s Top Chef Masters competition, donating his $100,000 grand prize to the Young Scientist Cancer Research Fund at New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine… Q: What's your earliest food memory? A: the meals I remember the most are the ones we had when we were in Goa visiting my grandmother and great-grandmother. Every summer we spent four to six weeks at their home in Goa. We only ate Goan food. Our eggs and chicken were from the yard, the seafood was the freshest, caught that morning. The rice was from our fields and the coconuts used were from our coconut groves. Every meal was cooked in earthen pots over wood fires that went all day long. The mangos and jackfruit were from our yard as was the water from our well. All food waste was fed to our pigs, which were eventually slaughtered for sausages, salted pork, roasts, and stews… The one person who most profoundly affected me (even though I came to that realization recently) was my maternal grandmother, Esme … I am also looking forward to publishing my second book. My love for cooking starts with my family and these recipes will have its origins in what I cook on the weekend at home. 3 pages. 2714 words. click here

Goa tourism to have website in 5-6 languages
15 Apr: Times of India. After relaunching its website recently, Goa tourism now plans to have it in five or six foreign languages… A tourism official said they intend to set-up the multilingual website in languages like Arabic, German and Russian among others but it will take a while… click here

Antique Portuguese Furniture

14 Apr: Navhind Times. The world’s hottest market for real Portuguese antique furniture is Goa. Goans who have dumped and burnt their antique furniture years ago are realizing the blunder they have committed. Today, they are trying too hard to regain that lost glory that once gave their sitting-rooms grandeur splendour ambience… Because of our ignorance people are taken on a roadside ride. There are seven antique styles, out of which the two famous are the Euro style which is also the Portuguese style found in Goa and the British style antique furniture found in Mumbai and Belgaum… click here

The Italian job
14 Apr: Navhind Times. 100 years ago, a wandering Italian family came to Goa carrying with them a secret recipe on how to make ‘Buona Pasta’. Nothing was heard of them after that, until two years ago when a family member found an antique document that described a house in Parra. This set the ball rolling for a Goan-Italian joint venture that led to the birth of ‘Buona Pasta’, a pasta manufacturing unit in Pilerne… click here

Obituary

Update: Death: Paulinus Franciscus (Joe) Fernandes

25 Mar: Mumbai, India. PAULINUS FRANCISCUS FERNANDES (Popularly known as JOE ). Aged 84. Ex Kampala, Uganda. Was an Internatiuonal Field Hockey Umpire. Son of late Francisus Fernandes and late Romalina Fernandes. Brother/Sister of late Fanny, late Celto, Michael (U.K), late Renni late Victor, Assumption (India), late Mecredi and late Martha.Uncle of Basil/Jasmina Lobo (Uganda) and daughters Shannon & Mairin Lobo; Uncle of Dolly and Alwyn Lobo (India), Uncle of Maria, Melrose, Manuela and Melroy Fernandes (UK), Uncle of Miriam Menezes (USA) and Francis, Herman and Freddie Fernandes (Sweden) and Cato (USA) . Funeral was held in Mumbai on 26 March in Mumbai. Condolences to email

News Summary

Siridao chapel could have Jewish history: Historian

14 Apr: Times of India. The quaint architecture of the Jesus of Nazareth chapel at Siridao (photo) has remained shrouded in obscurity, but a few are convinced the unusual dome-shaped structure holds a key to evidence of pre-Portuguese Christianity and a multicultural society in the area… A circular platform on the floor behind the altar and a few other features resemble the setup of a Jewish synagogue. Says Fr Cosme Jose Costa, a historian and a priest from society of Pilar, "Around the circular pattern, there are several holes in the wall, which could have been receptacles for storing the scrolls of the Torah, the first five books of the Bible." … The village itself is now reduced to a deserted place due to large-scale migration… click here
What statues are they in Siridao? 14 Apr: Times of India. Three unique statues standing at vantage points of Siridao village continue to baffle local residents and visitors curious about their origin and antiquity. The stone-carved statues are remarkably distinctive and, perhaps, unlike any sculptures or figures seen anywhere in Goa… click here

Chemical fertilizers chasing fish away: NIO director
14 Apr: Times of India. Fish production off India's coastline has been hit because of the over-zealous use of chemical fertilizers by farmers, said SWA Naqvi, director of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO). Listing out the negative influences of the green revolution on India's farming practices, Naqvi said, "As synthetic fertilizer is available cheap, ignorant farmers apply two to three times the required amount to their fields, hoping for a bumper crop. Plants can only absorb a certain amount, and the excess nitrogen gets washed off into water bodies, eventually landing up in the sea," he pointed out… click here

Foreigners voice concern over garbage menace in Mandrem

14 Apr: Herald. When 206 people, including 102 foreigners from 14 different countries, voice their concern over garbage in Mandrem, it appears that the local panchayat has not done enough to resolve the problem. “The whole point of our letter to the chief minister is to force the panchayat to take action, because it is the panchayat’s responsibility to keep the streets clean. There are many like- minded foreigners equally disturbed by all unnecessary garbage on the streets,” said David Cleaver, a British national who is spearheading the cleanliness campaign in Mandrem… click here

Women who have sex before marriage should be hanged, says senior politician in India's Socialist Party
13 Apr: The Telegraph (UK). Mulayam Singh Yadav, the head of India’s Socialist (Samajwadi) Party, said he would get rid of a recently introduced law that handed death sentences to repeat rape offenders, because it was not uncommon “for boys to make mistakes”. He told an election rally that rape happens because women lead men on … His original comments were echoed by the Socialist Party’s Maharashtra unit chief, Abu Azmi, who said that women who have sex outside marriage should be punished by death, even if they are raped… click here

Roland Francis: Merger and the G.O.A. Toronto - Stray Thoughts of a Toronto Goan

In my last article [Goan Voice, 31 Mar. 2014] I gave an overview of the situation in which the two players viz. the G.O.A. and the Can-orient Christian Association, the two biggest Goan and pseudo-Goan Toronto clubs find themselves. I also briefly mentioned the pitfalls they have to overcome and why they need to merge in the first place besides the obvious compulsions of unity

Anyone going to the G.O.A.'s annual meeting today, would have been disappointed at the brevity of the update of the merger talks. If anybody thought they were well underway, they would have to push the brakes to the floor on their expectations. What has happened so far is at the very preliminary stage. Some meetings have taken place but only at the higher level. The fact that the two lady-Presidents have initiated this, has confirmed my view that they are on the same page. As enthusiastic as the G.O.A.'s top officer may be on this, she has shown neither her determination on this file, nor willingness to indicate the direction of her will. Leaders must not shy away from such firmness unless of course she is yet to play her trump cards.

G.O.A. is competent in placing good structure. Years of successfully completing projects from mere ideas to total fulfillment have taught them quite a few well learnt lessons. They have an efficient team in place as usual, but are hampered by calcified thinking (not age related), by a vocal minority of their membership that dutifully and cleverly never fails to attend important meetings where their opinion counts for more than just their numbers. Canorient probably has such a minority too, but remains mysteriously much more nimble than the G.O.A in most matters, as an organization.

The G.O.A. has set a time table for the merger, as good planning requires. First the formation of a sub-committee entrusted with the study and meetings with the other side, followed by recommendations and town hall and then their result presented to a Special AGM. Then perhaps back to the drawing board and culmination, hopefully getting a rubber stamp at a special meeting or nearest AGM. Their target date is the second quarter of 2015, but in my opinion, they have likely underestimated the contentious issues involved or have underestimated their vocal minority. There is also the possibility that the membership rises as one to oppose the plan. Don't forget most of them have been there for many years, many have volunteered for office way back then and would not relish their handiwork disappearing in a thunderstorm that will bring a new sky. Another possibility, this time a better one, is that Madame President with her trusted executive, in the style of India's famous Maratha queen, Lakshmibai, otherwise known as Jhansi ki Rani (queen of Jhansi) waving a weapon, riding her trusty steed, vanquishing the British in her neck of the woods (the erstwhile Central Provinces), decimates the opposition with fire in her belly or her quiet charm, whichever works best.

Frivolity aside, the G.O.A. is a large stately cruise liner that carries many finicky passengers ready to complain at the slightest inconvenience. It has sailed many seas, a few of them rough but the revolving and always well-appointed officers and crew have been providing its fare paying passengers with a good time whatever the challenge. But legendary liners do not always turn on a dime. And yet the coming challenges require that it does. Perhaps it will make use of modern instrumentation (in this case grasping new ideas quickly) to meet those challenges, but remember while a ship's complement of officers and crew get good wages, the hard working bees and the queen of G.O.A. (not the best of comparisons) get nothing but the goodwill of the community. Goans are a little stingy with that, preferring to judge rather than grant.

Let us for a change, not act true to form when they bring us this merger.

Comments to roland.francis@gmail.com

News Summary

Video: Shooting On Goa Border (1955)

13 Apr: British Pathé. Satygrahis [Freedom Fighters] arriving in Belgaum by train on way to border between Goa and India. People with banners and getting down from train. Mass meeting at Banda in progress, where Satygrahis raise anti-Portugal slogans. Demonstrators demand the end of Portuguese rule and return of Goa to India. Satygrahis marching to the border after the mass meeting carrying banners. Satygrahis at the Goa territory and opposite the Portuguese soldiers opening fire on the unarmed Indian people. Satygrahis crawling forward on the ground, but the volley of fire from the Portuguese soldiers prevent them from obtaining any further progress. Portuguese soldier firing from hut. Mass of Satygrahis demonstrating and shouting slogans… 1m. 04s. click here
Video: Anti-Portuguese Demonstrations Over Goa (1955). 13 Apr: British Pathé. 0m. 25s. click here

First open heart surgery at Goa Medical College a success
12 Aug: Times of India. The first ever open-heart surgery performed in the state-run Goa Medical College on Thursday is a success— the 28-year-old patient from Caranzalem, who spent nearly six months on the waiting list, is recovering well, said Dr Shirish Borkar, chief cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. This complex operation, performed to treat an atrial-septal defect (a birth defect commonly called 'hole in the heart') marks a proud first for the 172-year old hospital, which launched its cardiothoracic programme in February this year. And with the huge burden of heart disease in the state, the department has already chalked up a waiting list of surgeries to be performed every day until the end of May… click here

Sur La Mer, in Goa, a quiet, laid-back, hidey hole for celebrities

Apr. 2014. Harpers Bazaar. Tucked away in North Goa, down a lovely secluded walk from Morjim Beach, and near La Plage and Sublime, Goa’s must-visit restaurants, Sur La Mer is reminiscent of a Portuguese casa complete with rich, classic furniture. Each room opens onto a balcony where you can enjoy your champagne breakfast or a morning cuppa … Intimate, cosy, and laid-back, Sur La Mer’s rustic vibe is for those who are looking to get away from cookie-cutter resorts, where things are not written in stone and the staff is eager to make your stay special. For example, at the bar, when a drink is poured, the barman is known to declare, “We don’t measure our drinks at Sur La Mer.” You can’t the experience here either… click here
The Villa, if you’re Goa addict. Apr. 2014. Harpers Bazaar. Begin your days at the quaintly named Breakfast Room in this 200-year-old Indo-Portuguese style mansion with a lovely open courtyard at the heart of the space. If all your holidays see you heading to Goa, The Villa might be your best villa-hotel option… click here

Goan culture at the crossroads. By Anthony Gomes
13 Apr: Herald. Undoubtedly, there is a unique Goan culture that is common to both Hindu and Catholic. That culture is the product of Portuguese rule of 451 years which gave Goa its distinct Common Civil Code, probably the most valuable living legacy left by the Portuguese, the baroque churches, the body of St. Francis Xavier, a folk culture consisting of the Konkani tiatr, the mando and the dulpod… Anthony Gomes is Professor of Medicine (Cardiology) at the Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Icahn School of Medicine in New York. 1498 words. click here

Elections: Over 76 p.c. exercise franchise in Goa

13 Apr: Herald. Unprecedented voting percentages ~ highest so far for Parliamentary elections in the State ~ marked peaceful polling in Goa after a lacklustre election campaign as overall 76.82% voters came out and voted in the State’s two constituencies. Last time around ~ 2009 ~ the final figures were 55.36%, showing a clear jump of almost 25.5%... North Goa polled higher, 78.60% out of a total of 5,15,247 voters, while South Goa polled 75.14% out of 5,44,706 voters… click here
Video: 12 Apr. Prudent Media English News. Goa has witnessed a record turnout of 78% polling for Lok Sabha elections… 8m. 05s. click here
The Election results will be declared on 16 May. For the Wikipedia entry: Opinion polling for the Indian general election, 2014, which predicts that the Goa results will be Congress: 1, BJP: 1, click here.

News Summary

Floyd Cardoz Quits North End Grill restaurant in New York

11 Apr: New York Times. Floyd Cardoz, the executive chef at North End Grill is leaving the restaurant and its parent company where he has worked for nearly 17 years … “I am interested in opening a restaurant in India,” said Mr. Cardoz, who was born in that country. “An employee at North End Grill has gone back to India and is working on a space in Bombay to open something in the next six months. I hope to work with him. But I do not intend to move to India.” Mr. Cardoz said he also planned to open an Indian restaurant in New York, after he had a chance to relax for a few months and “reconnect” with his son, who is leaving for college. “Indian food is not well represented in New York, or the United States for that matter,” he said. “Why can’t it be made as popular as Chipotle?” click here
For a Goan Voice profile of Floyd Cardoz, click here

Improve tourism, not the toilets
12 Apr: The Goan. … The ever so loyal British tourist, along with the French and German folk, are now scarce. Of course, for the average restauranteur, a Russian tourist spends in a night what the average British tourist would spend in three. But this is an obsession with the ‘get rich quick’ trend, pander to the people who have the most money. At some places, even the free spending domestic tourists are ignored. The switch in loyalties over the past two years has been so sudden, a blink and you miss the shirtless beer belly walking by. The tedious visa processes have made it even more difficult for these tourists to look at staying in Goa for as long as they did before… Sticking a few toilets on the beach is not going to start a revolution for Goa’s tourism. It’s only going to add to the stench… click here

Secular Jugular: the BJP almost had it in the bag...till the Church woke up

21 Apr: Outlook. By Arun Sinha. Till three or four weeks ago, the BJP appeared to have half-won both the Lok Sabha seats in Goa … However, just as the BJP grandees were rolling out the red carpet for themselves, they were shaken by a rumble of thunder from the Goa church—the broadcast of a warning to the laity: do not let yourselves be deceived by “models of good governance”; they are “a myth as they are ridden by a lack of transparency, accountability and participatory equality as exposed in various reports”. Indigenous people in various parts of the country are being “marginalised and deprived” in favour of “communal-corporate interests”. “The secular spirit has been infiltrated by communal-corporate interests which is visible even in Goa.” Ergo, vote for a secular party to avert the danger… click here

Dry days in Goa leave tourists sulking
12 Apr: Times of India. For young tourists looking to wine and dine and dance their worries away, a trip to Goa in the throes of election fever is proving to be the worst holiday ever. The week-long early curfew imposed by the Election Commission, coupled with two dry days on Friday and Saturday has left tourists feeling "cheated". A trip to the tourism hotspots in coastal North Goa would tell you why-the streets of Candolim and Calangute wear an uncharacteristically gloomy look-most popular beach shacks are shutters down and a few straggling groups of tourists are seen walking around, looking bored… click here
Video: India: Booze curfew leaves Goa's tourists parched. RuptlyTV (Russia). 1m. 11s. click here

Goa bags 4 tourism awards

12 Apr. Travel Biz Monitor. Goa Tourism has once again bagged top honours at an awards function hosted by Travel & Leisure India and South Asia (T&L), where the state was declared as the Best Honeymoon Destination, Best Family Destination, Best Leisure Destination and the Best Party Destination for India and South East Asia. Not only did Goa bag four awards in various categories but also emerged as Runner Up for Best Wedding Destination. The awards were conferred recently at a function held in New Delhi, as per a release. click here

Elections 2014: Parrikar predicts BJP's victory
12 Apr. The Hindu.Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar predicted victory for the BJP candidates by huge margins in the two Lok Sabha constituencies in Goa. He said that the Congress created a fear psychosis among minorities in the name of Mr. Modi in some pockets of South Goa constituency. click here

Obituary

Amended Notice: Death and Funeral of Joaquim Alex Soares (Alcin)
In the Death announcement of Alcin, which appeared in Goan Voice on 10th April, there was an error with the email for condolence messages. The correct address is rs74soares@hotmail.co.uk
The funeral arrangements have now been confirmed for 10:30 on Wednesday 23rd April at St Lawrence's Church (9 The Green, Feltham, TW13 4AF). Donations in memory of Alcin may be made, if desired, to Help A Poor Child. Click here For further details click here
For a photo and death announcement of Alcin, For further details click here

News Summary

Swindon: Children woken to escape from blaze

Ubaldo Carvalho

11 Apr: Swindon Advertiser. A family was forced out onto the streets early yesterday morning after a fire in a neighbouring house spread and gutted the top floor of their home. After spotting smoke pouring from the roof of his County Road property, Pedro Carvalho quickly rushed his wife, brother and three children aged eight, six and one and half years outside before firefighters arrived… Pedro said: “My wife is now talking to the insurance company to find out what to do next…The cause of the fire is believed to be down to an accidental electrical fault but is being investigated … click here

Rio, Bhootnath Make It A Week Of Sequels
11 Apr: Coastweek (Mombasa, Kenya). Amitabh Bachchan played the role of the ghost that befriends a young boy who has come to live in the haunted house in Goa in Bhootnath (bhooth – ghost, Nath - the name of the man who owned and died in the house … The film makes makes it’s worldwide release at the Nyali Cinemax. Bachchan has been cast as Bhootnath again and instead of the idyllic location of Goa, it is set in a chaotic city suburb. Despite achieving salvation, Bhootnath is kicked out from the hereafter because he made connection and a bond with a human (the young boy Aman) while in Goa… click here

Lovebirds nabbed for robbing foreigners

11 Apr: Herald. A young non-Goan couple, who fell in love on Facebook and fled from their respective homes to Goa and later resorted to robbing foreigners to make a living, was arrested by Mapusa police at Arambol on Wednesday. The ‘love birds’ identified as John Rodrigues ( 20) from Karwar and final year ‘ runaway’ student from Mumbai, Divya Chawan ( 21) are charged with a spate of robberies at Pernem and Anjuna. North Goa police also suspect their involvement in more such cases… The arrests have led to cracking of three bag snatching cases reported by Ukraine and UK tourists … The girl would ride the bike while the boy would snatch bags …The arrest was possible after a foreign national clicked a photograph and posted it on Facebook explaining her ordeal… The duo told police they had met on Facebook and began dating thereafter. They took on to the crime after they eloped from their homes… The officers claimed to have recovered a part of the stolen property including two expensive cameras of around Rs 70,000 each and cell phone, valued at almost Rs two lakh… click here

Goa's elite want to flaunt feni the world over
11 Apr: Times of India. It had all the trappings of a sophisticated wine-tasting party-the women turned out in their finest evening wear; the men in bow-ties; the crystal was sparkling, and the table linen, the whitest of the white… The world's first 12-day feni festival, the 'Cashew Trail' is proof enough that the local brew is slowly rising out of the grimy taverns of Goa to grace the cellars of the country's foremost alcohol connoisseurs… There was even talk of fine-tuning the distillation process to eliminate the strong smell of the drink. But when the 500-odd guests who attended the festival, were asked, all of them vehemently disagreed - even the expats and wine-drinkers. People have now come to love the unique flavour of feni as it is … click here

UK: Forthcoming Events

Marathon Man

13 Apr: London Marathon. Francis Borges (photo) is to compete: Running Number: 56867. He lives in Belgium with his wife and two children. He has very kindly agreed to solicit sponsorship for the Goan Welfare Society (UK). Please support him. For more information about Francis Borges and to check the sponsorship page, click here.

Sat. 3 May. The Goan Association (U.K) is pleased to invite you to the book launch of 'A Railway Runs Through.' The book is the outcome of the three year 'Histories of British-Goans Project' and forms a unique record of our history. The launch will take place at 1:30 pm on Saturday May 3, 2014 at the following address: Sterling Suite, HSBC Sports and Social Club. Lennard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 1QW.
Ample parking available. For those travelling by rail, the New Beckenham BR station (Travelcard Zone 4) is adjacent to this club. Refreshments will be served at the event. Please confirm your attendance to lescarvalhos@yahoo.com indicating the names of those in your party. Thanks to a generous grant by the Heritage Lottery Fund, 100 copies of this book will be available for distribution, free of charge, on this day (restricted to one copy per family) on a first come, first serve basis. For more information about the project, click here.

Sun. 4 May: Swindon. Santa Cruz Goan Association, UK. Feast of the Holy Cross. Mass at 3:30pm.at Holy Rood Church, 2 Groundwell Rd, Swindon SN1 2LU. Thereafter, to 11pm. Dine & Dance at St. Joseph's Catholic College, Ocotal Way, Swindon, SN3 3LR. Tickets: Adult: £10 (includes Buffet). Children under 10 free. Contact: Joe - 07886994169; Freddy - 07856070378; Marcus - 07593254960. For the flyer, click here.

Sun, 4 May: Cortalim Union (UK) celebrates the Feast Saints Philip & James and raising funds for CANCER RESEARCH UK and CHARITIES IN CORTALIM at Woodside High School Hall, White Hart Lane, London N22 5QJ. Mass at 13.30pm. Music by "RAINBOW'S END". Adult Tickets £15 and Under 12, £8. Contact Tino Goes (0208 697 7819), Laurente Gomes (0208 641 5995), Ligor D'Mello (0190 864 7396) and Mel Fernandes (0208 888 0393). For the flyer, click here.

Sun. 4 May: FEAST OF MÃE DE DEUS: The Saligão Association UK invites you to celebrate Mass at 12 noon, followed by a Social until 8pm. Venue: Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon CR9 3AS. Music for the Social by Say One Do One Disco, with Catering by Maggie. Licensed Bar. Tickets: £13/£10/£5 (members); £15/£10/£5 (guests). Contact: Selina de Sa 020 8643 9675. For the flyer with details, click here.

For Later Events See www.goanvoice.org.uk/events.php

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Since you saw it here ...

Edited by Eddie Fernandes editor@goanvoice.org.uk

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