FORTHCOMING

13 Mar. 11:00. Church of St. Peter & Paul, Mitcham. Funeral of MANUEL FERNANDES. Father of Mary Anne, Henry, Julian and Alan. Died 22 Feb.

17 Mar. 16:00. Edgar Fernandes Campaign. Vigil at the Maltese High Commission, 36 Piccadilly (Tube: Piccadilly or Green Park)

17 Mar. 19:30 Wigmore Hall, London. Patricia Rozario (soprano) in a Romantic programme of songs and chamber music by Schubert and Brahms. Other instruments taking part -- clarinet, cello and piano.

18 Mar. 16:00 - 18:00 India Club, 143 Strand, London WC2. Open meeting to welcome David Futers from Newcastle (Teacher Exchange), Peter DeSouza (Goa University) and George Pinto (President Goan Institute, San Francisco). Followed by optional dinner. Tel. Marie Pereira 01689 858805, Flavio Gracias 0181-723 1322 or Eddie Fernandes 0181-883 4786

1 Apr. 19:00 - 24:00. Mothers Day Social. Botwell Social Centre, Botwell Lane, Hayes, Middlesex. £6. Food for sale. Licensed Bar. Music by Velvet Orchid. Tel. Greg 020-8579 8154, Tessy, 01784-433 302 or Irene 020-8567 9155.

9 Apr. 15:00 Moira Assoc. Asian Chaplaincy, St. Augustine's Priory, 55 Fulham Palace Road London W6 Mass offered for the repose of the soul of Robert D'Souza.

23 Apr. 19:00 Goan Association UK & Dark Star Social Club. Grand Easter Ball. Lola Jones Hall London SW17. Edna Moraes-de Souza 0181-672 1973, Savio Pereira 0181-679 4331, Hazel Rodrigues 0181-357 6776 or Flavio Gracias 0181-723 1322.

23 Apr. 19:00-0100 Music Mania Dinner Dance Thamesmere Leisure Suite, Woolwich. Breakthru Band and Music Mania Disco. Tony/Roseline Joanes 0181 265 9644, Vincent/Sabina 0181 244 5598 or Paul/Veronica Barretto 0181 311 1195

30 Apr. 12:00-19:45. Cortalim Union Feast. White Hart Lane School, Wood Green, N 22. Mass followed by dance. Tickets: Rita, 0181- 800 5413; Manu, 0181-809 1128; Maria, 0181-803 5146 or Assumption, 0181-641 5995. Please book in advance.

1 May 13:00-19:30 Uganda Reunion Social. Wandsworth Town Hall, SW18. Open to all. Apply for tickets by 8th April, none will be sold at the door. Joe Mendes 020-8303 3974.

14 May 13:00- Annual Assolna, Velim, Cuncolim (AVC) Union Social. Bishop Thomas Grant School Hall, Streatham, London SW16. Book early to avoid disappointment. Eunice Barros 0181 672 0807 or Nico Antao 0181 560 6559.

COMMUNITY NEWS

On 6 Mar. BBC Radio 4 the Face The Facts series carried a half-hour investigative report into Edgar Fernandes' murder suspect. Please e-mail the BBC, FTF@bbc.co.uk with expressions of interest and/or
concern. E-mail Edgar's sister, Fatima Fernandes, fernandesf@hotmail.com for details of the Campaign. Please do your best to turn up with your friends to the Vigil at the Maltese High Commission, 36 Piccadilly (Tube: Piccadilly or Green Park) on Friday 17 March at 16:00.

On Saturday 18 March, 16:00 - 18:00 we are having an open meeting to take advantage of a remarkable convergence of visitors. George Pinto, President of the Goan Institute San Francisco, will speak on The Computers for Goa Schools project and the Campaign to get Blessed Joseph Vaz canonised. David Futers of Newcastle is coming down specially to talk about the Teacher Exchange between Goa and the UK. Prof. Peter DeSouza (Goa University) has agreed to speak on Changes in Goa in the last 10 years. Marie Pereira will present her views on the Community needs of the Young Goans and Flavio Gracias will air his personal perspective on the future of the Goan Association (UK). Try not to miss it! Call Marie Pereira 01689 858805, Flavio Gracias 0181-723 1322 or Eddie Fernandes 0181-883 4786.

Sydney goanetter, Christina Pinto, ChristinaPinto@bigpond.com has offered to help secure Olympic tickets for UK Goans intending to attend the events. She has good contacts for the Equestrian events. E-mail her ASAP if you are interested!

From Joao Paulo Cota of GMS: An audiocassette called "Classic Goa - Hits of the millennium" has just been released in Goa. Excellent original Konkani lyrics by Canada based Silviano Barbosa set to traditional Konkani and Western tunes arranged by Josinho and sung by Goa's only Lorna, Anthony
San, Young Chico and others. For a review see, http://www.goacom.com/goanow/99/dec/people.html Price: £3.00 each. Joe Rebello 020 8684 8905 (after 7.00pm)

DEATHS

2 Mar. Caranzalem, Goa. ALINA GAMA (ex-Entebbe). Wife of late Leo, mother of Talula.

7 Mar. Calangute, Goa. BELLA MONTEIRO, wife of the late Diogo (Sonny), mother of Vivian/Rodolfina, Arthur/Ruby (London), Elizabeth/Joe D'Souza.

7 Mar. Velim, Goa. ELTRUDES RUFINA ANDRADE e D'COSTA (ex. Nairobi), wife of late Mr. Andre Pedro Santana D'Costa. Mother of Eunice/Francisco, Daisy/Justin, Driscol/Felix, Fanny/Antush, Martha/Edwin (all UK) & Vivy D'Costa (Toronto).

LOOKING FOR

Silvester Fernandes tracked the last one. This section has had 100% success so far. Send in your challenge!

FLIGHT CORNER

Airtours, http://www.airtours.co.uk/ tel 0870 2415299 has Manchester-Goa rtn. Dep. 23 Mar. 1w B&B £279 Bargainholidays, http://www.bargainholidays.com tel. 01222 330052. Manchester or Birmigham-Goa rtn. 11 Mar. 2w. £199; 13 Apr Gatwick-Goa rtn. 2w £379.

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

The Central government has decided to allocate frequencies to private parties for running FM Radio stations.

www.goa-Art.com a Goan art website enables art lovers anywhere in the world to buy paintings online from Goa.

The Sangath Society, a Goan Non- Governmental Organisation working in the fields of child development and family guidance is on the Internet at http://www.goacom.com/community/sangath

Indian Prime Minister A B Vajpayee has inaugurated the new Assembly complex at Porvorim.

Health Minister Dr Suresh Amonkar inaugurated the Home nursing service bureau at Siolim.

Goa 2000 Carnival - Fred's colour pictures are at
http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/mar/goacarnival2000.html For more photos, see:
http://www.goa-world.net/carnival2000/

Visit Goanet at www.goacom.com/goanet. Some of the highlights:

10507 Fun, feni ,,, and high-fashion. Designer chic in Goa. Frederick Noronha
10494 PM warns against defections by Goa MLAs. Trouble looming again. Eustaquio Santimano
10481 Teacher Exchange. Three Goa Teachers visit to UK update. David Futers
10445 Floriculture fails to flower in Goa. Eustaquio Santimano
10436 The Unique Goan Spirit. Frederick Menezes
10433 Minister's, Money & Mistakes! Aires Rodrigues.

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

1 Mar. Times of India. …The temperature during the daytime on Feb. 29 reached 37.2 degree Celsius, an all-time high for Feb. in Goa during the last 16 years.

*2 Mar. Leicester Mercury. Looking Ahead To The Next Decade Of Style. Extract: …Goa-based Wendell Rodricks said: "Every new year we release a line of styles that are festive in concept. Basically, that means shine, sparkle, skin, sex, black and more black. This trend will continue into the
future."… 630 words

*2 Mar. Times Of India. Dogged By Drug Menace, This Haven Turns Hell. 1142 words

*3 Mar. National Business Review (Australia). P&O's flagship Oriana is in the vanguard of a cruising revolution…Officers are British. Stewards and other ranks are mainly impeccably mannered Indians from Goa. 702 words.

*4 Mar. Herald (Goa) Suspected paedophile escapes. By Nishtha Desai. 1534 words

*4 Mar. Navhind Times (Goa). Land documents will be computerised by the end of the year. 471 words

4 Mar. Asian Age. Dinner diplomacy, lots of fun, Goa carnival has it all. By Pamela D'Mello. Text at:
http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/feb/msg00137.html

*6 Mar. The Birmingham Post. Killer May Be Freed In Row Over Death Sentence. The suspected killer of a north London librarian [Edgar Fernandes] could walk free from jail without charges being brought because of an international legal dispute… 319 words.

7 Mar. Evening Standard. Fay Maschler samples Durbar Tandoori 24 Hereford Road W2 that also features Goan Food. The Chef there has just won the International Indian Chef of the Year award at a competition held in Edinburgh.