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COMMUNITY NEWS

Berna Cruz, a Canadian national chose to return to Toronto via Chicago after her holiday in India. The U.S. Immigration officials claimed she was using a fake passport. She was asked how she could have a Latin name. The officers were not convinced when she told them that her family is from Goa, where such names are common. Cruz says an officer also asked here why her surname was not "Singh" and commented that it was clever of her to use a Spanish name. Cruz, who is separated from her husband, says she told the officers that her maiden name is Fernandez.
"It's horrible. It was humiliating," said Cruz. "What I felt was that it was total discrimination, racism." She was denied consular assistance and threatened with jail.
She was deported to India but managed to disembark in Dubai where she got Canadian Embassy officials to arrange for her to fly directly to Toronto.
The case has provoked sharp response in Canada and across the world. Canada said it would press Washington to probe the case. Text of some of the Press coverage is at:
http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/newsletter/2003-8/supp1/BernaCruz.html

Warren Noronha's London Fashion Week show took place on Wed 19 Feb. 15.45. "He has attracted sharp-eyed celebrities and directional stores." Click here...
The collection is also significant in that it is the designer's first to be sold to a wider public. Despite showing on a large scale for the last three seasons, Noronha has actually been rather shrewd with his long-term game plan. "I wanted to really establish myself before committing to a large amount of sales." 15 Feb. The Independent.
At the tender age of 27, Warren Noronha already senses what he has to do to realise his ambitions…sales are very much stronger in Paris and the US than in his home market…acknowledged talents such as Noronha command attention commensurate with their star billing. 15 Feb. The Times.

Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Goa's Chief Minister in Montreal.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

From left to right: Fr. Manuel Rodrigues, Fr. Agnelo Pinto, Mrs. Thereza D'Souza, Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Mr. Nehru Rodrigues (President of Quebec Goan Association), Mrs. Phyl Gomes (Secretary of QGA) and Mr. Jackson D'Souza (Director QGA)

The Fourth Meeting of the Goan Engineers & Professionals was held last Sunday, Feb. 9 and was well attended by a good cross-section of Goan Engineers and Associates. A Goan Networking/Business Group is to be set up. An inaugural meeting of this group is to be held within four weeks. All interested parties should contact Stephanie Mendes stephaniemendes@yahoo.com or Tim de Mello timdemello@hotmail.com

From Carmo D'Cruz: Jim Mascarenhas, aged 8, of Maidenbower Middle School won the "Generations As Partners" National Art Contest. Jim's design will be featured in an intergenerational handbook for teachers and health professionals. Crawley Observer. Jim is son of Alfred and Leonita Mascarenhas of Crawley, West Sussex. For text and photograph, click here.....

DEATHS

4 Feb. Sutton, Surrey. BERYL JANE BOTELHO, (formerly of Goan Estate, Nairobi). Wife of the late Cajy Botelho. Mother of Joy Fonseca, Grace Lobo, Ruby/Derek Lathey and Jude Botelho. Grandmother of Rob & Ralph Fonseca, Jessica McIntire and Elaine, Alison & Melissa Lobo. Great grandmother of Amber-Nicole McIntire. Passed away peacefully at St Helier's Hospital. Funeral Mass 11am, Tue. 18 Feb. at Sacred Heart Church, Wimbledon. Burial 3pm, Wed. 19 Feb. in St Peter's Church, Frimley, Surrey. Condolences c/o Alison Lobo: radar1972@hotmail.com

15 Feb. Canada. ANA FRANCISCA LOBO. Daughter of late Jose Antonio/late Maria Catarina Lobo. Sister of Zezito (Germany), late Fernando/Zenita Amaral (Bombay), Marie Anne/John Sequeira (Canada) and Ancy/Kumar Sookraj (Canada).

FLIGHT INFORMATION

15 Feb. The Telegraph. Two weeks' b & b in Goa costs £389 per person with Unijet (0870 533 6336, http://www.unijet.com) based on two sharing. Flights depart from Gatwick on March 30.

PRIZE COMPETITION

The Daily Star ran a Valentine's Special phone-in quiz from 14-17 Feb. The prize was a holiday for two to Goa. Details were posted on the www.goanvoice.org.uk website.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES
mainly from Joel D'Souza in Goa, courtesy of GOACOM

A new bridge is to be constructed between Panaji and Patto, Ribandar, parallel to the existing causeway. http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=021532

It could soon start raining computers in Goa's junior colleges. But plans to give virtually free computers to students is beginning to face a flood of questions. By Pamela D'Mello. Asian Age 19 Feb. http://www.asianage.com/main.asp?layout=2&cat1=5&cat2=89&newsid=41207

The Indian National Family Health Survey observed that the quality of life of the Goan women was below average. One of the conclusions is that in Goa there is widespread acceptance among married women that the beating by husbands is justified under some circumstances.
http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=021531

IN THE NEWS

12 Feb. Gulf Daily News (Bahrain). Valentine's Day will be celebrated early at the Young Goans Club.
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/arc_Articles.asp?Article=43781&Sn=BNEW&IssueID=25329

13 Feb. Montreal Gazette. The Quebec Goan Association holds its annual meeting on March 2 at 2 p.m. at St. Anthony's Parish Hall, 1950 St. Antoine St. W. Call (450) 466-4469.

13 Feb. Asbury Park Press (New Jersey). Nilkant Kamat and other Goans in the area have created the Goan Association. Kamat said the association began as a group of Goans having dinner at each other's homes in the 1970s. In 2001-02, Kamat served as president of the association, overseeing biannual reunions for hundreds of Goans. With the help of his daughter, Anuya, 22, he has brought the Goan Association onto the Internet. Mohan Hede, 67, a Goan native has served as president of the association and was one of its original founders. When he compares the "tight-knit family" the Goan Association is today to his first years in America, he said the true value of the group reveals itself. Nilkant said he is aware that the truly important aspects of his tradition have followed him here, embodied in his family, the Goan Association. For full article, 773 words, click here.......

14 Feb. Retail Week (UK). Fashion group Next is a favourite with tailors in Goa, who use Next's catalogue to let their customers choose suits or dresses that they would like copied. A smiling tailor will then produce a pretty good copy for £40. That is about a third of Next's catalogue price. But because the tailors rely on catalogues brought out to them by holidaymakers, shoppers often have to make do with last year's styles.

14 Feb. Malay Mail, Malaysia. Singapore songstress Marina Xavier has released her new - and first - jazz album, entitled When The World Was Young. Her father came from Goa, India, her mother was Portuguese. She made a name for herself in the Indian music department with Made In India, which found its way on to so many compilations, it was hard to keep track. The song was also picked up by Indian model-singer Alisha who turned it into a big hit.
http://www.emedia.com.my/Current_News/MM/Friday/Entertainment/20030214094041

14 Feb. Gulf News (Dubai). A Goan wedding. 682 words. Excerpts: My sister-in-law's family - Goans one and all - sure knows how to have a good time. I just loved the ambience and the smells of Goan food permeating one's nostrils, making one's mouth water.
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/Opinion.asp?ArticleID=77311

15 Feb. National Post (Canada): Travel article on Goa, 1322 words by Jeffrey Alford. Excerpts: I've always sworn I'd never come to Goa, because every traveller in India comes to Goa, but here I am with my partner, Naomi, and our two children…Goa is not what I expected. The Goa I expected was based on its reputation for all-night raves, hashish at every table, loud music and foreigners doing crazy things. But here on Palolem Beach, life's not at all this way. Already we are big Goa fans. For text and photograph, click here...

15 Feb. Birmingham Post. Headline: At last, paradise found on Goa's golden beaches. By Frank Welsby. 1,202 words. Extracts: Oh that day in the palm-shaded fishing hamlet of Agonda Beach (population 42), South Goa was magical. With not a footprint in sight, we were alone on the breathtaking two-mile white sanded beach. We decided Mandrem, in North Goa, was our second favourite beach. Five years ago, crescent-shaped Palolem in South Goa was the state's original paradise beach. Now miffed locals call it Paradise Lost. Away from the honeypot beaches there is much to marvel at in Goa. The sightseeing finally done, we settled into sosegad, the Goan laid-back lifestyle.

16 Feb. Newsday (New York). The weekly feature on a special person who helps make New York a better place. Dr. Agnelo Dias, a psychologist is Director of the Asian Outreach Clinic. The clinic serves Asian children from varied backgrounds with issues like substance abuse, mental health, abuse and neglect and after school education. For photograph and text (320 words), click here....

17 Feb. The East African Standard. Hundreds of unsponsored Kenyan students studying in the US are to drop out of college as new regulations will not allow them to work off campus to raise their tuition fees. "They are in huge arrears at my college," says June Noronha, a lecturer at the College of St Catherine Minnesota, who is President of the Association of International Educator's (Nafsa). She is a Kenyan of Goan origin who went to High school at Pangani Girls and whose parents live in Nairobi. Full text, 1104 words at http://allafrica.com/stories/200302170519.html

FORTHCOMING
(for a list of events scheduled for the next 12 months, see: http://www.goanvoice.org.uk)

See http://www.lanfranc.com/publications/location/directions.htm for help in locating Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon

Sun. 23 Feb. 2.00p.m. Goan Heritage (U.K), formerly Youth Of Goa (U.K). By public demand, second show of the Tiatr "Asro" (Shelter). At Archbishop Lanfranc School Hall, Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey. For tickets please contact Felix Gonsalves on 020 8450 2129,Jimmy Braganza on 020 8450 5623, Fr.Oliver Antao on 020 8563 9102.

Fri. 28 Feb. YLGS (Young London Goans Society) Free membership, 18+ Monthly Meet Up 6pm - late. New Venue: MOTION, Hungerford House, Embankment, London, WC2N 6PA. Nearest Tube: Embankment/Charing Cross. NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Contact: Alison 07799 586793 alisonbraganza@hotmail.com Marie 07958 373076 marie.pereira@talk21.com or James 0795 739 5811goateez@yahoo.com. See http://www.motion-bar.co.uk/ for map and details of venue.

Sun 2 Mar. 12.30 pm Mungul Feast. 25th Anniversary Celebrations at White Hart Lane School Hall, White Hart Lane (Opp New River Sports Centre) Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass followed by a Social, Music by Breakthru and the Sounds Of Nitelife ( Disco). For Tickets and further details please contact: Rosalind - 0208 767 8652, Rosy - 0208 352 9450 or Lucas - 0209 967 7471. Map at http://www.whatsgoingon.demon.co.uk/albion/hls/riverfinal/rivermap.htm

Sun 2 Mar. 12.30 pm. Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Spring Gala Dance in aid of St Michael's Parish Hall, Mitcham. Music Maz and Co. Tickets £12 inc. meal. Contact Norma Rodrigues, 0208 764 3664.

Thu. 6 Mar. 7pm onwards. BOWLING NIGHT. YLGS (Young London Goans Society) Free membership 18+. Venue: Queens Bowling Alley, 17 Queensway, Bayswater, London W2 4QP. Nearest Tube: Queensway. NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Please contact Alison (by Friday 28th Feb) on 07799 586793 or alisonbraganza@hotmail.com to reserve a place.

Sat. 8th Mar. 8-11 pm celebrating 'International Women's Day' at the Goan Community Centre, Keston Rd. N17.Enjoy line Dancing, self Defence for Women, Bingo, Discussions on delicate issues concerning vulnerable women in a 'Man's World'. Entrance FREE. Bring a plate of food and a drink to share. Contact Roma 88881400 or candyrose2000@hotmail.com

Sat. 8th Mar. 7 pm till 11 pm. Join 'Say One Do One Disco' in an evening playing R&B, Garage and latest tunes. Free entry. Upstairs in the Princess Louise Pub, 208 High Holborn. For details call Paul on 07956 496190, Nigel 07956 984532 or email: say1do1@hotmail.com

Sat. 15 Mar. 7 pm- Saligao Association Rockin' Spring Nite at the David Lloyd Centre, Bushey Road, Raynes Park. (5 mins from Wimbledon Chase Station). Music by 'Life is Good'. Buffet included. Tickets £10 (members and guests) or £15 for tickets plus the use of the David Lloyd Centre all day. Contact Nathan DeSouza, DeSouza1@aol.com , Serge Coelho 0208 543 4681 or Selina de Sa, 10 Penshurst Way, Cheam, Surrey, SM2 6HR. Full details from http://www.saligao.co.uk/

Sun. 16 Mar. 12 noon - 6pm. Saligao Association. White Tie Tea Dance. Irish Centre, Hartfield Road, Wimbledon. £8 for members and £10 for guests. Discounts before 14 Feb. For further information please contact Nathan DeSouza, DeSouza1@aol.com Serge Coelho 0208 543 4681 or Selina de Sa on 0208 643 9675.