FORTHCOMING

2 Dec. 15:00- BBC Radio 4. Singh Tangos By Bettina Gracias (author of Goan Flame broadcast on 18 Oct). Anxious to immerse themselves in British culture and shake off their Indian roots, Mr & Mrs Singh take up ballroom dancing.

2 Dec, 19:00. Goan Community Association (North London) Religious opening Community Centre, Portakabin, Keston Centre Car Park, Keston Rd., N15 6PW. For details contact Candy on 0795 835 5784.

2 Dec. 19:45- North London Symphony Orchestra's Concert at the United Reform Church, Fox Lane, Palmers Green, London N13. Programme of music of Mendelssohn, Brahms and Schubert. Oboe Noronha 020-8340 0439.

3 Dec. Mass 12:30. Goan Association (UK). Feast of St. Francis Xavier. ATC Hall, South Wimbledon. Tickets £2 each (limited to the first 100 applicants). GMS Choir. Diego Pinto 020-8767-0663 or Bernie Gracias 020 8723 1322

3 Dec. 12:30- South East Goans. St. Francis Xavier. Mass: Our Lady of the Angels & St. Joseph's Church The Friary, Carlton Road, Erith, Kent. Principal Celebrant: Rt. Rev. Bishop Charles Henderson. Dance: 1.15 - 8pm Carlton Hall (next to Church). Music by "ANGELO" one man band & "SAY ONE DO ONE" Disco. Tickets (Includes Meal): - Senior Citizen Member £3, Adult Member £5, Non Member £7, Child (under 12) £2. Sharon D'Souza 020 8301 5242. southeastgoans.d-souza@virgin.net

3 Dec. 12:30- North London Goans Feast of St Francis Xavier. White Hart Lane School Hall, Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass at 12.30 followed by a social gathering. Tickets: Oboe Noronha 020 8340 0439; Seby D'Silva 020 8245 5463; John Fernandes 020 8881 4579; Tony Gomes 020 8245 1364; Meredith Soares; 020 8803 4173; Manu Fernandes 020 8809 1128.

3 Dec. 12:00- St Michael's & Martin's Parish Centre, Bath Road, Hounslow. West London Goans. Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Music by Revellers. Adults £8; Senior Citizens (Members) Free; Children 6-12 £4.50. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221.

3 Dec. 12:00-20:00. Newham Goans. Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Fords Sports Club, Newbury Park, Ilford. Allen Braganza, 0208-472 5629.

3 Dec. 11:15- The Goans from St Anslem's Church, Tooting Bec. Celebration of the Feast of St Francis Xavier. Mass followed by a get-together in the lower Church Hall. Price £4.00 with a meal and music. Edna Moraes-DeSouza 0208 672 1973.

3 Dec. Southampton. Feast Of St. Francis Xavier. Mass (11:00) at St Edmund's Church, Rockstone Place, followed by Entertainment (12:45-19:30), at Springhill Primary School Hall, Milton Road. Parking at New College, next to the Church. Adults £6.50; Children (3-15 Years) £3.50; Under 3 Free. Carlos Couthino, coutinho@lgu.ac.uk

3 Dec. BBC1.19:20-20:00. TV Holiday Guide includes Holly Samos discovery of a bargain break in Goa…

4 Dec. 20:00- The Burford Society presents "A Garden of Weeds" - a one hour recital by Viola da Cunha (mezzo soprano), Geoffrey Elkan (clarinet), Christine Greig (piano). United Reform Church, Fox Lane, (corner of Burford Gardens), Palmers Green, London. £2.

9 Dec. 14:30 (£5) and 19:30(£7.50). St Augustine's Church, St Augustine's Avenue, South Croydon. Operatic music by young professional Goans: Elizabeth Menezes, David Menezes, and friends. Bryanne Promotions 020-8681 8652

10 Dec. Goan Association (UK). AGM/EGM Archbishop Lanfranc School. Open to fully paid-up members only.

10 Dec, 13:00. Goan Community Association (North London) Mayor's opening Community Centre, Portakabin, Keston Centre Car Park, Keston Rd., N15 6PW. Entrance by raffle. For details contact Candy on 0795 835 5784.

10 Dec 2.00 to 4.30 PM. St Margaret's Road East Twickenham, Middx. The Medjugorje Network celebrates the Life of Fr Slavko Barbaric, OFM. For further information, ring Amelia Gomes on 020 8861 2073

16 Dec. 20:00- Patricia Rozario in Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra.

17 Dec. 13:00-18:30. Childrens Xmas Party. West London Goans. Hounslow. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

17 Dec. 1pm - 4.30pm South East Goans. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY. St. Stephens's Parish Hall, Deepdene Road, Welling, Kent. Includes ENTERTAINER, COMPETITIONS & NATIVITY PLAY. Food and drink on sale for parents. Tickets-2 years and over (includes food & drinks) : Member Child £3, Non Member Child £5 Contact Sharon D'Souza on 020 8301 5242 Email: southeastgoans.d-souza@virgin.net

23 Dec. 18:00 - Goan Hockey Club (Goan Assoc. UK). Christmas Dinner Dance. St Mildred's Church Hall, Bingham Road, Addiscombe, Croydon (next to Tram link station). Disco: NITE LIFE. All members, ex-hockey players and Guests welcome. Limited Tickets at £14 pp. - 3 Course meal & Glass of wine. Contact: Tony Pereira 020 8777 3453, Plino Martins 020 8657 8951 or Richard Fernandes 020 8300 5347

25 Dec. 19:00- West London Goans . Christmas Dance. St Michael's & Martin's Parish Centre, Bath Road, Hounslow. Live Band & Disco. Adults £5. Children £3. Ivan Soares 0208-400 3714. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

26 Dec. 2-9 pm. Goan Community Association. Christmas Hop + Children performing a Nativity Play to Konkanim Music. Music by SAY ONE DO ONE disco. Keston Centre, Keston Rd., N15. <20 Dec. Members = £5 others £6. >20 Dec. = £8. At the Door = £10. Ticket prices includes a meal. Candy 020 8245 2413. James Po 020 8444 4420.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Amelia Gomes circulates the MEDJUGORJE - OUR LADY'S MONTHLY MESSAGE AND IT'S REFLECTION BY Mgr George Tutto. If you would like to receive monthly copies please phone 020 8861 2073.

For photographs and account of the Renovation Of St Francis Xavier's Church, Nairobi Appeal, see: http://www.goacom.com/community/associations/africa/sfx/
e-mail Denzyl Castelino: d-castelino@dfid.gov.uk

Julio Ribeiro, IPS, former Indian Ambassador to Romania, will inaugurate the International Goan Convention on December 30 in Panjim. The Vice-Chancellor of the Goa University, Balkrishna Sonde, will preside. Hosted by Institute Menezes Braganza and organised by World Wide Goans, the convention will focus on the youth and have six presentations, says Aires Rodrigues, convenor of World Wide Goans. airesrod@goatelecom.com or telephone 444012 or 444248. For Programme details, see: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/dec/igc2000a.html Or call Eddie Fernandes in Goa (9 Dec - 6 Jan.) - 444633

Please note: Eddie & Lira Fernandes will be on holiday in Goa 9 Dec to 6 Jan. During this period, John J. D'Souza, jjds@ican.net will edit the newsletter. Please send all contributions to him. Best wishes for Xmas & New Year to all.

DEATHS

23 Nov. Taleigao: MARIA RUZAD CABRAL E FERNANDES, wife of Antonio Luis, mother of Paixao/Pamela (Kuwait), Felix/Effie (Dubai), Santan/Margarita, Manuxin/Martha (Muscat, Alzira/Zacharias (London).

27 Nov. Salvador do Mundo: LOURDES D'SOUZA, husband of Maria Angela, brother of late Lucy/Casmiro, Lira/late Sinhorinho, Lenilda/Severino D'Souza (Kent), late Joel/Martha Dias, Alpheo/Blanche Dias.

LOOKING FOR

A vacancy exists for a full time Medical Secretary in the Northolt area. Contact the Practice Manager, Yeading Medical Centre on 020-8841 8222.

FLIGHT CORNER

25 Nov. The Daily Mirror. Depart from Manchester on November 30 and enjoy two weeks for pounds 349 on a sun drenched beach in Goa with temperatures hovering in the low 90s. Jewel in the Crown Holidays: 01293 533 338

NEWS HEADLINES
( mainly from Joel D'Souza in Goa, courtesy of GOACOM, e-mail: goanow@sancharnet.in )

For details of The New Year's Eve Executive Ball of the Year in Goa see: http://www.blascoexecutivecentre.com

India's air ambulance service of Bombay now covers Goa. Call The India Aeromedical Service 98200 43432 or 98210 21255.

Last weekend saw some 90-odd police raids on the illegal "matka" gambling dens, apparently on the orders of the new Chief Minister. However, he subsequently relented and now the transactions are made openly as if they are legitimate.

Goa's postal workers are expected to go on indefinite strike from 5 Dec. leading delays in Christmas card processing

Goa is one of the venues for the Football Millennium Cup being played in the second half of Jan 2001. It will feature 16 international teams - Qatar, Jordan, Iraq, Bahrain, Cameroon, Chile, Japan, hosts India, Uruguay, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Columbia, New Zealand, Uzbekistan and Yugoslavia.

Barbara Lawton, who is currently vacationing in Goa, reports a new scam - being harassed to attend long high-pressure Presentations on property time-share in Goa - minimum investment £4,500.

Canada-3000 is to start new direct flights from Canada to India next Oct. Angus Kinnear, President of Canada 3000 said, "Goa in India fits the bill perfectly. Because of its beaches and climate, I believe Goa will be very popular with Canadian tourists."

The police are baffled that thieves entered the carpentry section of Aguada's Central Jail and stole tools worth around Rs.3000.

IN THE NEWS
(e-mail eddie@fernandes.u-net.com for the full text of items marked *) .

24 Nov. Evening Standard "Things are looking up for Sainsbury's. It swept the board at this year's Supermarketing Quality Food and Drink Awards…Goan Fish Curry (Pounds 3.49, 400g), made with hake in a sensitively spiced coconut and tamarind sauce, won the ready-meals category. I defied the cooking instructions (five minutes in a microwave or 20 minutes in the oven) and simmered it in a saucepan for five minutes, before adding a handful of spinach. Another couple of minutes and it was ready. It was so good that I shall definitely be stashing a couple in the freezer…should feed two."

27 Nov. Times of India. John Cecchini of the UK based music group, Ministry of Sound, on a visit to Mumbai said "In Europe, Goa enjoys the reputation of being the Trance centre of India …when I played in Goa and Pune, I received such a great response that the organisers invited me to Mumbai too…"