Goan Voice UK: Newsletter. Issue 2005-45. Nov. 24, 2005

From Eddie Fernandes. I am in Goa till 9 Dec. and I will try to maintain continuity of newsletter service during the period. You can e-mail me as before at eddie@fernandes.u-net.com (9823 627 161) In case of urgency please email Bernie Gracias at BERNIEGRACIAS@aol.com (tel 020-8723-1322) with copies to me and sneha@goacom.org

London: Just Opened.
17 Nov: Caterer & Hotelkeeper. 11 Abingdon Road is the latest addition to Rebecca Mascarenhas's portfolio of neighbourhood restaurants, which includes Sonny's in Barnes and the Phoenix in Putney. The restaurant offers a seasonal menu of modern British food with daily specials. It has four interconnecting rooms decorated with Mascarenhas's contemporary art collection.

UK: Jose Dias, M4 crash driver hopes to escape prison sentence
18 Nov. Slough Express. A distraught motorist who caused a horrific crash which killed a close relative has been told he could face 14 years behind bars. Jose Dias admitted last month to causing death by dangerous driving following the accident on a motorway sliproad. His wife Maria's cousin, Zenobia Fernandez, was thrown from the car on to the hard-shoulder of the M4. She died in hospital from her injuries. Judge Charles Elly warned Dias, of Farnham Road, Slough, that he could face a maximum jail term of 14 years. But Dias, whose wife and daughter still live in Goa, India, said: "I am still hoping for a community sentence. I haven't got any previous convictions and I am hoping all my circumstances will be taken into account. Judge Elly granted the defendant bail and ordered him to return to the court on Friday December 16. Click here.

20 Nov: Toronto, Canada. MARIA (Mary) ANTAO in a tragic car accident. Loving wife of the late Joseph Antao, adored mother of Liza/Darren, Yvonne/Greg, Jane/Randy and cherished and devoted Nana to Kaitlyn, Nicole, Rachel and Amanda. Beloved sister of Antonio, Bernie and the late Agnes. Condolences to gferns2002@yahoo.com

20 Nov. St.Estevam, Goa. MARIA DELICIOSA PAIVA E NUNES. Wife of late Thomas Nunes. Mother of Alberto/Olga(England), Mira/late Antonio.

Stitching A Unique Medical Tourism Package
18 Nov: Express Travel & Tourism. ... We are setting up a prototype office in Baroda followed by two more by August 15, 2006 in Mumbai and Goa ... Click here.

Fly club to Goa for £249
19 Nov: The Guardian. You'd be hard pushed to get economy seats for this price. Goaway is offering premium club flights to Goa for £249 (from Manchester or London) departing Dec 1 & 8. Seven nights' B&B at the three-star Silla Goa Resort costs £99. www.goaway.co.uk 020-7258 7800. Click here.

Traveller vs Chaveller. Is a luxury holiday better than adventure at the ends of the earth
19 Nov: The Daily Mail (London). By Joan Bakewell. In the innocent Eighties, when Goa was still a pretty well-kept secret, its long miles of beaches were empty. You'd find an occasional elephant or two decked out in saffron robes being taken on pilgrimage by its mahout. There was a sprinkling of ethnic traders hawking brilliant silks and beads to a few hippies and one or two of us fleeing the cities of the west. We would hire bicycles and ride along the water's edge, stopping at bamboo shacks where they were grilling fresh fish, and we would eat and talk with New Zealand backpackers and local fishermen. No shoes, no makeup, no style-wars and often no swimsuits. Heaven. One day, we came upon a walled-off settlement, inaccessible, for inmates only. It looked exclusive - like a prison is exclusive. We ventured inside and saw the future: glossy foyers, marbleflooring, air-conditioning, linen-draped tables with European cuisine, coloured drinks decked with flowers. The holidaymakers - showing off their tans and their kaftans - were waited on by locals in limp uniforms, for the most part silent, even servile. It had no more reality than a film set. We rushed away in horror.

Virgin Airlines eyes hospitality sector
21 Nov: Business Line. The UK-based Virgin Atlantic Airlines is not only keen to expand its operations in India but could also look at entering the hospitality sector on its own ... Earlier this year, the airlines Chief Executive, Steve Ridgeway said, "We are also looking at operating to Goa along with Virgin Holidays. It is possible that we start operations to Goa before going to Bangalore or Hyderabad." Click here.

Indian internal Airfares at incredibly low rates
22 Nov: Rediff. The Wadia group-promoted low-cost carrier GoAir took off on November 4 with scheduled services to Goa, Ahmedabad and Coimbatore from Mumbai. The airline offers Mumbai-Goa at Rs 999. http://us.rediff.com/money/2005/nov/22airfare.htm

Wish you were here without the hassle?
22 Nov: The Scotsman. I am in an internet café in Goa. I have spent the day on a couple of palm-lined beaches and, in another couple of hours, I'll bed down for the night in my bamboo beach hut. It is an idyllic lifestyle... Click here.

The Best Places To Avoid The Burberry And Bling Brigade This Winter
23 Nov: The Evening Standard (London). Goa is more chippies than hippies these days. With a big increase in flights to the subcontinent, Chavellers now enjoy their late-night curry in authentic style.

India's 'Pearl of the Orient'
24 Nov: Bangkok Post. Feature travel article. Goa's beaches and hotels compare favourably with those in Bali and Phuket, but it's the unmistakable Portuguese flair that endears it to visitors. It's India's best-known beach destination. Think of green palms, blue seas, white sands, in the southwestern part of India - it's Goa. Think of Indian temples and Portuguese churches, beach bungalows and luxury resorts, tangy food and toe-tapping rhythms, cruises and chartered flights - it's all Goa. And since last year, the picturesque town has become a film-hub, with the country's biggest film festival held in November-December. Click here.

Most NRIs Buy Second-hand Cars for their stay
24 Nov: Indian Express. Come November-December and the city gets ready to welcome its NRI visitors. And so do the second-hand car dealers. With more and more NRIs opting for second-hand cars during their brief stay in their native land, the automobile market feels the heat during winter. The trend is common in Mumbai and Goa ... NRIs purchase a second-hand car at a price less than 50 per cent of the showroom price, use the vehicle and then have it resold before going back. For NRIs, who trade in dollars and pounds, this not just a reasonable deal but the best one. The resale value is only 25-30 per cent less that what they had paid for, they have the luxury to move around in a four-wheeler wherever they go and are freed from the expense of hiring a taxi and putting up with a local driver ... NRIs don’t fuss too much over the price. All they demand is that the vehicle be in good condition ... A rented luxury car costs you Rs 5-6 per km and they charge a minimum for 300 km. This means that per month, for a travelling NRI the bill would come around Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000, excluding the driver’s lodging and boarding expenses. In that case, one’s own second-hand car is the best bet. Click here.

Tribute: Ven Fr Agnelo, a spiritual guide for Goans
18 Nov: Navhind Times. This year Fr Agnelo’s Day is celebrated on November 19, even though on November 20 is the 78th death anniversary of the servant of God, Venerable Fr Agnelo de Souza, since November 20 is the Solemnity of Christ the King.If we read the life of Fr Agnelo and meet the people who knew him, we come to the conclusion that he did not work wonders in his life. But everyone, who knew him, said that Fr Agnelo was a man of God and a man for others. Click here.

It’s no joyride for foreign tourists in Goa
18 Nov: Daily News & Analysis. Foreign tourists coming to Goa have been caught in the crossfire between South Goa taxi operators and tour operators. Result: many, who have come here from thousands of miles, are confined to their hotel rooms in the coastal areas of Salcette lest they be targeted by militant taxi owners. Click here.

Enter Mopa, exit Dabolim
20 Nov: Herald. In a new twist to the Mopa airport row, it’s now crystal clear that the Dabolim airport will be shut down for civilian operations upon the commissioning of the new airport. Contrary to the stand adopted by local politicians that Goa would have two airports at Dabolim and Mopa, records reveal that the Union Cabinet had on March 29, 2000 taken a decision to close Dabolim airport after Mopa becomes a reality. The Union Civil Aviation Ministry had communicated this decision to Goa chief secretary on May 1, 2005. http://oheraldo.in/comment/reply/6656

Goa learns from past mistakes. By Ervell E. Menezes
20 Nov. The Tribune. The powers that be are trying to avoid a repetition of 2004. They have decided to shift the beach screening from Miramar to Caranzalem. There is also a move to provide IFFI with a Goan flavour. Click here.

An Ill-Organised Film Festival. By Nandkumar Kamat
21 Nov: Navhind Times. The International film festival of India, (IFFI) to be held in Goa, episode II, under the Congress-NCP-MGP ruling dispensation, needs to proceed smoothly and peacefully without any law and order situation. Click here.

Football: Goa lifts Santosh Trophy title
22 Nov: Navhind Times. In a fitting finale to 60th National Football Championship for Air India Express-Santosh Trophy, Goan hurricane annexed their dream run beating Maharashtra 3-1 to pocket their fourth title. In the exciting showdown that went into extra time and offered splendid football, high drama and finally miss of a spot kick, Maharashtra ultimately went short of their luck, in search of their fifth win. Click here.

Goa plans ban on all plastic carry bags
22 Nov: The Hindu. The Goa Government has set up a committee to study the feasibility of imposing a ban on plastic carry bags across the State. Click here.

Tour operators fear slowdown in tourism sector
23 Nov: Navhind Times. A virtual non-agreement on every issue raised by the taxi and tour operators has led many to believe that Goa's tourism industry is on the verge of total collapse, despite the third-round of meeting scheduled between the two on December 1. Click here.

Goanet took a decision a short while ago to focus more sharply on issues specifically relating to Goa. As a contributor/observer for the Goan Voice (UK) I note that this decision has had a positive outcome and I hope that readers of the GV will agree with me on this point. There are now many more articles relating to Goa itself and the articles in Konkani will hopefully help those in the Goan Diaspora (especially younger ones) to brush up on their written and spoken Konkani usage.

Helga do Rosario Gomes has been reporting in much detail, on Goanet, about her second trip to the Antarctic. Find out more about Helga and her exciting research activity.

"As many as 200 films from India and abroad will be screened at the IFFI being held in Goa for the second consecutive year. The tiny tourist state has now been declared a permanent venue to host the prestigous festival." There is so much on Goanet about this 36th IFFI.

Steffi Cardozo, named after the former tennis star Steffi Graff, is only 16 but is clearly excelling in the field of athletics in Goa/India. She has hopes of eventually making it to the Olympics. In wishing her well, do follow her profile and achievements on Goanet.

The heated but well argued controversy surrounding the Goa Town & Country Planning Bill should be of interest to many GV(UK) readers.

The risk of HIV/AIDS infection in India and Goa specifically, has been aired in a very responsible way in an article: 'The Increasing Risk.' Find out more about this and how, unexpectedly, gender is increasingly of significant concern.

While Goa has been a land of dreams and romance among so many other things, find out about Goan handicrafts in an ineresting article titled; Goan Handicrafts--Elegant and Excusite.

Finally, a few words for reflection from Domnic Fernandes. "There is no shop in the world where we can buy friends. That is why we treasure them, knowing we can't find any replacement over the counter."

More details can be found at the Goanet archives at http://www.goanet.org Or to subscribe to Goanet, send an email to subscribe@goanet.org

Olivia Inge: "I just love playing a bad girl"
18 Nov: The Evening Standard (London). Model Olivia Inge has appeared in Vogue, was the face of Gap, and made her catwalk debut at 16 for Vivienne Westwood. She currently works for Agent Provocateur, taking part in "underground" theatre productions. ... She picks up accessories from markets such as Portobello and Spitalfields, but her prized possession is a silver ring from her boyfriend - a tree surgeon who she has been with 'on and off for six years'. They live together in Brixton and have just bought a holiday home in Goa. A fan of Indian fashion, she plans to spend at least one month of the year there.

Film fest kicks off in new Goa digs
18 Nov: Variety (USA) India's biggest movie event, the government-backed 36th Intl. Film Festival of India, will kick off in its new permanent home in Goa on Thursday ... As last year, Bollywood blockbusters will unspool on screens set up on Goa's beaches. Click here.

Property: Best Buys Abroad This Week: Goa
19 Nov: The Daily Telegraph (UK). If you are a speculative investor Goa is not a goer ...freehold title is only forthcoming after spending 182 days of the previous tax year ... "Today's buyers have kept their noses clean and cut their hair. You have to love Goa and embrace all its glorious contradictions,'' said Dr John Britto, of leading Goa developer Acron (acronindia.com). ... Health tourists visit Goa for its cheap operations (hip rather than hippie replacements) in good medical facilities. Development projects, a thriving tourist trade and an educated workforce are burnishing this pearl of the Orient and its potpourri of cultures and religions. English is widely spoken; the welcome warm ... You cannot grease the palms of Goa ..."Your money goes a long way here. A couple can live comfortably on pounds 400 a month, eating out regularly,'' says Mr Britto. Acron has properties starting from pounds 15,000 for a one-bedroom apartment, up to pounds 100,000 villas. A person of Indian origin can buy freehold and repatriate any sales proceeds. 652 words.

"There's no such thing as a black table or a white table in here now"
19 Nov: Leicester Mercury. Is Leicester a city of ghettos, as community relations expert Trevor Phillips has suggested? Or are the different races mixing well? Adam Wakelin went to three very different parts of the city to find out. 1,388 words. Click here.

Qatar: Goan driver repatriated for selling liquor
19 Nov: The Peninsula (Qatar). Santana B Ferrao, 58 a driver of a trading company, who was employed for 25 years, was repatriated home on Thursday after their employers said liquor in “commercial quantities” was found from his lodging. He originally hails from Mapsa in Goa but is settled in Mumbai. He has a college-going daughter whose education he was financing from here. Ferrao approached the embassy of India for help, asking it to intervene and help him get a reprieve for three to four days but in vain. Click here.

Top Indian 24 hr news channel comes to UK
21 Nov: Asians in Media. NDTV, India's largest private broadcaster is officially launching on Sky digital next week in an already crowded market catering for British Asian viewers. Click here.

New 'quality' Asian newspaper launches in London
21 Nov: Asians in Media. A new freely distributed newspaper has launched in London to cater for an upmarket British Asian audience, with a plan to eventually cover all of the UK. Click here.

Raids on Indian health officials
21 Nov: BBC News. CBI, India's top detective agency has carried out raids on government health officials suspected of a medical equipment scam. The raids are in connection with the purchase of alleged "substandard laparoscopic equipment" for use in various government hospitals. Officers of the CBI raided 14 office premises and residences of government doctors and health officials in Delhi, as well as in the cities of Bangalore, Trivandrum and Goa. Click here.

Bahrain: Goan housewife helps police track down gold thief
22 Nov: Gulf Daily News (Bahrain). A Goan housewife helped police track down a Bahraini thief, who snatched a gold necklace from around her neck in broad daylight. The woman had just left an Internet cafe near her Manama apartment and was walking along the street when a Bahraini man ran up from behind, snatched the necklace and ran off. ... "This is the first time something like this has happened to me having lived here for nearly 20 years," said the victim. "It's sad to see that Bahrain is not the same place it was just 10 years ago. Click here.

Asia plans flight to Kolkata
24 Nov, Times of India. Air Asia, the Malaysian low-cost carrier promoted by Tony Fernandes, may soon start flights to Kolkata, a place which shares an emotional chord with Goan-Portugese entrepreneur. Fernandes, Air Asia's group CEO said, "The question is no longer if, it's when. In fact I'm planning a trip early next year to India, during which I hope to firm up the details." Click here.

Television

Sun. 27/11: Nat Geographic: 9.00pm (60mins) Seconds from Disaster
Examining the reasons why the hotel "New World" in Singapore's Little India district, collapsed in 1986 killing 33 people.

Tues. 29/11: Channel 5: 8.00pm (60mins) The Da Vinci Code: Myth Revealed
Experts including art historian Brian Sewell, Priory of Sion authority Lynn Pickett and architect Maxwell Hutchinson examine the author's view that Leonardo's art work held secret messages, which referred to a cover up by the church. An attempt to separate fact from fiction in Dan Brown's best selling novel The Da Vinci Code.

Tues. 29/11: Animal Planet: 9.00pm (60mins) Wild India
The star of tonight's programme is the snow leopard, a glorious creature that looks like it belongs in the toy store, Hamleys, but would probably take your face off with one clip of its paw. The bulk of the action takes place in the peaks of the Himalayas.

Wed. 30/11: UKTV History: 7.30pm (30mins) Nation on Film
The issue of immigration from the 1950's to the 70's.

Fri. 2/12: BBC 2: 9.00pm (50mins) The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag
New series: The first of three Manhunters dramas exploring tales of beasts eating humans. Jim Corbett a legendary hunter of man- eating cats in British India pursues a cunning killer that had devoured more than 100 people in the Himalayan foothills.

Radio

Sat. 26/11: BBC Radio Three: 3.00pm (60mins) Music: World Routes:
Lucy Duran presents the first of two programmes from Zanzibar. She gets to know the Swahili Arab-influenced musical style Taarab and visits Ikwan Safaa, Africa's oldest music club.

Sun. 27/11: BBC Radio 4: 7.45pm (45mins) Tales from Firozsha Baag
4/5 Auspicious Occasion. Set in a Bombay apartment building: Rustomji is consumed by fleshy torments while his wife prepares for an important visit to the temple.

Thurs. 1/12: BBC Radio 4: 8.00pm (30mins) The Battle of Lozells
Some weeks ago tension between the Asian and black communities erupted in violence in the Lozells area of Birmingham. Journalist Amardeep Bassey examines the causes and reveals a history of mutual suspicion and rivalry.

Fri. 25 Nov. From 7.30pm – HAPC Dinner & Dance in aid of the South Asia Earthquake Appeal. The HELP A POOR CHILD charity www.helpapoorchild.com has, with generous support from various sponsors and companies, organised a Dinner & Dance and the exquisite Banqueting Suite, ATHENA, Rutland Street, Leicester. Local Goan band KARIBU and Orchestra MUSIC WORLD (from India) will provide the entertainment. For tickets and further information please email info@helpapoorchild.com or call the Box Office 0870 600 50 40.

Sun. 27 Nov. 5.00pm - The Asian Chaplaincy. Konkani Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady & St Christopher's Catholic Church, 32 High Street, Cranford, Middlesex

Sun. 4 Dec. G.O.A. FEAST OF ST FRANCIS XAVIER. Our Lady of the Visitation Church, Greenford Road, Greenford, Middlesex. Mass at 1.30pm, followed by a social in the Parish Centre. Tickets for social only £3 single £5 couple. Contacts: Diego Pinto 020 - 8767 0663 Alfred Rebello 020 - 8337 8022. A coach is being organised from Croydon, with a pick-up in Tooting, cost £5 per person. Contact: Cornelius Monteiro on 020-8681 8716.

Sun 11 Dec. G.O.A. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PANTO. CINDERELLA - The Most Magical Panto Of Them All! - featuring the "Spectacular Flying Coach and Horses" at Fairfield Hall, Croydon. Tickets: Members £6, non-members £12. Reporting time 12.30pm. Contact: Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 - 8771 4457. Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322

Sat. 17 Dec. UK Konkans. Nathalache Festh 2005 at St. Chad's Church Hall, South Norwood, London. The event is an opportunity for Catholics from Mangalore, Bombay, Goa to come together and have a wonderful time, celebrate the day and truly get into the mood of Christmas. It is a family event; with konkani music, dance, plays, home made food, spot games, bingo, tombula and many other attractions. Further details can be found at http://www.ukkonkans.com or telephone Melwyn Vaz or Stella Vaz on 07985 732 837

Sun. 18 Dec. 5.00pm - The Asian Chaplaincy. Konkani Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady & St Christopher's Catholic Church, 32 High Street, Cranford, Middlesex

31 Dec 7pm – 1am: South East Goans New Years Eve Dance. Mustang & Music Mania. Disco, Snacks, Licenced Bar, Secure Parking. Only £14 Members/£18 Non-members. Under 12 Free. Haberdashers College, 135 Pepys Road, Lewisham, London SE14 5SF Tickets: Ronald 020 8303 3386 Dominic 07854 490617

Sat. 31 Dec. Dark Star Social Club proudly present the New Year's Eve Gala Ball at Harrow Leisure Centre. 7.00pm to 2.00am. Music by Dark Star and Say-1-Do-1. Capacity 1,400 with New Licensed Bar. For Tickets and further details, contact Hazel Rodrigues 020-8357 6776, Bernie Gracias 020-8723 1322 or email info@dssclub.co.uk.