Newsletter. 2007-11. Mar. 15, 2007
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COMMUNITY NEWS

Canada: Calgary: Vanessa Barretto: Retro cool:
3 Mar: Calgary Herald. Vanessa Barretto has taken the coolest bits of 1970s kitsch and applying them to her Bankview condo. The petite and ebullient 24-year-old calls the look of her first pad "retro cool." … As the youngest of three siblings, Barretto was lucky to receive gifts and hand-me-downs from her sister and brother …
Barretto collected from trips to Mexico, Europe and Africa, such as the Makonde carvings from Tanzania ... Vanessa Barretto, 24, a Marketing co-ordinator, has a 500-square-foot, one-bedroom in Bankview, purchased in 2006. 913 words.
For first page of the feature Click here.
For the second page Click here.
Vanessa was born in Calgary. She is the daughter of Anna and the late Johnny (ex-Dar-es-salaam, Tanzania); sister of Trudy and Jeremy.

Kenya: Lewis De Souza: Visit Africa Safaris
6 Mar: Kenya Times. Michio Hiraiwa, 72, and his daughter Masayo, 46, the well-known Japanese father and daughter wildlife photographer team have published eight volumes on Kenya’s wildlife. The Kenya Government has bestowed upon them the title of “Tourism Goodwill Ambassadors of Kenya.” … Their tours are professionally organised and coordinated by a reputable tour firm - Visit Africa Safaris, through the managing director Lewis De Souza. For text Click here.
The new Visit Africa Safari website is at http://www.visitafricakenya.com/

Kenya: The Micato Pintos
10 Mar: The Arizona Republic. At Micato Safaris sponsors America Shares, a program that supports children and schools in African nations. Travelers are encouraged to add a day to their trip and visit an orphanage or school, help build community facilities, or deliver gifts to needy children and those stricken with AIDS. Click here.
6 Mar: The East African. Preparations for the 35th IAAF World Crosscountry Championships, to be held in Mombasa, Kenya, are in the home stretch following participation confirmation from 71 countries … In the area of sports tourism, a leading tour firm, Micato, has brought in a group of 61 Americans who will do the Western Kenya circuit, visiting training camps and living with athletes before flying down to Mombasa for the Championships … Click here.
Micato was founded in Nairobi by Felix & Jane Pinto 35 years ago. For the Pinto Family bios Click here.

UK: Keith Vaz seeks probe into lack of appointment of Asians, blacks
11 Mar: The Hindu. Leading NRI Labour MP Keith Vaz has sought a probe into the alleged lack of appointment of Asian and black people to ceremonial positions in Britain. 253 words.Click here

Toronto: Chris D'Souza: Anti-racism strategy a step towards equity
11 Mar: The Brampton Guardian. The Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board administrators believe anti-racism message bears repeating among students and staff. Equity and Diversity Officer Chris D'Souza is responsible for carrying that message to 89,000 students and 10,000 employees in one of the most ethnically diverse school communities in the country. D'Souza estimates he does 500 presentations a year focusing on racism, the Catholic message of respect for others, human rights, bullying, cyber-bullying and diversity … Text, 1440 words, Click here.
For a profile of Chris D’Souza Click here.

Marialena Fernandes: Return of the native
13 Mar. The Hindu. A chamber musician and a programme curator, Marialena Fernandes got her feel for western classical music from her grandmother's home in Bangalore … Born in Bombay into a Goan-Manglorean Christian family, Marialena's mother, the famous Hetty Fernandes was a singer with the All India Radio …
Marialena profiled as chamber musician and programme curator, foundation of the Gemini-Quartet, artistic director of several concert series with programmes, which offer a much-needed platform for young musicians … A few years ago when Zubin Mehta started the Meli Mehta Music Foundation, in Mumbai, he made her a board member. 703 words. Click Here

New Zealand: Sean D’Souza interviewed
13 Mar: ChrisG.com. Sean D’Souza is a cartoonist, marketing guru and expert on sales psychology based in Auckland, New Zealand. Highlights include: 1. Why he doesn’t believe in advertising. 2. How he is giving blogging another chance. 3. His thoughts on Internet Marketers. 4. And why you really don’t want more work. Click here.
Sean was born in Bombay and traces his Goan roots to Assagao. He is the son of Winfred and Edmond; brother of Warner and Cherida. His hobbies include travelling & food. For his photos, bio, website see http://www.psychotactics.com/

Floyd Cardoz: Indian spices, without fear
14 Mar: Newsday (New York). Once in a blue moon, a cookbook comes along that refreshes the outlook as well as the palate … Floyd Cardoz, executive chef of Tabla restaurant in Manhattan, has written such a book. Open the covers of "One Spice, Two Spice: American Food, Indian Flavors" (William Morrow, $34.95), make any one of its 140 recipes, and watch the moon turn blue … a marriage of Cardoz' Indian heritage, Portuguese ancestry, French culinary training and American taste … Cardoz comes from Goa …
He was raised Roman Catholic by Indian parents so enthralled by American culture that they named him after boxing champion Floyd Patterson. 661 words. Click here.
For the GVUK Floyd Cardoz Supplement Click here.

UK: Dr Agnelo Fernandes: Drive to improve round-the-clock NHS services
14 Mar. Government News Network. The 'Out of Hours Clinical Audit Toolkit', developed with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), is designed to improve the quality of services. Built on existing best practice, it has been developed by experienced clinicians, including RCGP Fellow Dr Agnelo Fernandes, with first hand knowledge of commissioning and providing out-of-hours services and has been trialled successfully in a number of settings. 982 words. Click here.
For a GVUK Supplement of Dr Agnelo Fernandes click here.

Canada: Hockey: Devohn Teixeira
14 Mar: At 18, Devohn is the youngest player to represent Team Canada in indoor field hockey. It was incredible for me playing with the more seasoned members of the team and I look forward to many more exciting tournaments” said Devohn. Devohn is the youngest son of Audrey and Chris Teixeira of Mississauga and is a Senior at Gonzaga Secondary school.
He is the grandson of Michael Teixeira (ex-Uganda) and Bart Noronha (ex-Kenya), two very talented and experienced sportsmen. [Info from Stephen de Souza, Mississauga] For a GVUK Supplement with more photographs of Devohn (and other Goan team members) see. http://goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/DevohnTeixeira.html

DEATHS

13 Mar: Perth, Australia. THOMAS FERNANDES (ex, Dar-es-salaam: Barclays Bank 1952 – 1967; ex-Moshi: National Bank of Commerce 1967 - 1970; and ex-Dubai, 1976 – 1989). Husband of Lina. Father of Janet, Fiona and Avril. In 1990 Thomas migrated to Perth with his family. He suffered a stroke in Nov 2003 from which he never fully recovered.
Funeral Mass at St. Joaquim's Church, Victoria Park. Perth W.A. on Mon. 19 Mar. at 10.00am followed by burial. Condolences to tome_lina@yahoo.com.au [Info from Fernando & Yvonne Aquino]

12 Mar: Pilar, Goa. FR. ISMAEL FRIAS PINTO (SFX). Son of late Mario & late Lizelia. Brother of late Virginia/late Jesus Gomes, late Francisco/Sofia, late Elba, late Jose/late Cristalina, late Angelo, Amancio/Maria, Sr. Zinia(FC), Terencio/Bernadette. The Eucharistic celebration will be held 13 Mar at 4 p.m. at Mission Seminary Pilar followed by burial.

9 Mar: Lisbon. JOAQUIM SANTANA DA SILVA. Brother of Eurico/Telma, Genaro/Alice and Marina/Olegario Jacques.

9 Mar: Candolim, Goa: WENCES (WENCY) DESOUZA [ex Gailey and Roberts, Kenya (Kitale & Nairobi) and Uganda (Embale & Kampala)]. Husband of Anne DeSouza, Father of Herman/Ingrid DeSouza (UK), Late Rita/John Powell (UK), Philip DeSouza (Bangalore) & Susan DeSouza (LA, US), Grandfather to Darrell & Nicola. Funeral on 12 Mar in Candolim, Goa. Condolences to Herman at Desouza4@btopenworld.com

9 Mar: Santa Cruz, Goa. MARIA AUGUSTA MASCARENHAS. Relict of late Benedict Vincent. Mother of late Peter, Dr Maria/Dr Joe D’Costa, Phillipina/Diago Fernandes, Pauline/Gregory D’Mello (UK) and Juliana/Dr Edmund Rodrigues.

8 Mar: Bastora, Goa. SIRA COUTINHO E D’SOUZA: Wife of late John, mother of Maria, Donna, Charmaine and later Peter. Sister of Dr Alley Coutinho (UK), Anne Fernandes (Canada) and Belinda Coutinho (USA).

8 Mar: Bandra, Mumbai. DAISY PEREIRA. Wife of late Basil. Mother of Aloma/late Robert, Sandra/Peter (London, Funeral on 10 Mar. at 4:30 pm at St Theresa’s Church Bandra.

7 Mar: Wood Green London. CAJI BRAGANZA (ex-Majorda & Nairobi). Husband of Lily. Father of Cleancy & Levina. Son of the late Mr Gregorio & Mrs Rosa Braganza, Brother of Francesca Cardozo, Joe, Roma Mendes and Francis. Brother-in-law of Herculano/Maria Santana, Milagres/Joyce. Funeral mass at 1:00 pm on Fri. 16 Mar. at St Paul’s Church, (St Paul’s Church ) 22 Bradley Road, London N22 7SZ. Condolences ton.henriques@btinternet.com

7 Mar: Calgary, Canada. JEANNE MONTEIRO. Widow of late Lancelot. Mother of Noella, Keith/Cheryl, Gavin/Charmaine, Natalie/Fred D’Souza. Sister of Roland, Barney, Eric & Mona. Funeral was on 9 Mar. [Calgary Herald 9 Mar].

7 Mar: Doncaster, Yorkshire. UK. FLORENCE D’CUNHA. (Ex-Masaka, Uganda). Wife of Minzar. Mother of Clarence and Sheila. Grandmother of Ayesha. Sister of Francis (Babu); Bertha and Antoinette. She will be deeply missed.
Funeral on Monday 19th Mar. at 1.00 pm at Christ the King Church. Skipwith Gardens, New Rossington. Doncaster, Yorkshire, DN11 0TU. Burial at Wadworth Lane Cemetery, Wadworth Lane, Rossington, Doncaster. Reception at The Rossington Miners Welfare H.O, Westend Lane, Rossington, Doncaster DN11 OBU. Condolences to Menino D'Cunha, 45 Bankwood Crescent, Rossington. Doncaster or bertha.fernandes@talk.talk.net [Info from Francisco De Souza].

5 Mar: Yorktown, VA. MYRTLE MARY D'SOUZA. Wife of late Longino D'Souza. She is survived by five sons, Anthony D'Souza of Los Angeles, Calf. Kelwyn D'Souza of Yorktown, VA., Trevor D'Souza and Zeno D'Souza, both of Mumbai, India, Denzil D'Souza of Chicago, Ill; two daughters, Denise Misquitta and Melanine Rebello, both of Mumbai, India; 13 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Click here.

29 Jan: Belfast. PROFESSOR AIRES BARROS D'SA (ex-Nairobi). From The Times (UK) 13 March 2007: Professor Aires Barros D'Sa, surgeon, died aged 67 … Born to a Goan family in 1939 in Nairobi, Aires Agnelo Barnabé Barros D’Sa grew up in Kenya. Educated at the Duke of Gloucester School, he gained a scholarship to medical school in Bombay. However, the Indian blockade of Goa, which heralded the end of Portuguese rule, altered his course and in 1959 he took up a scholarship to Queen’s University, Belfast … 789 words. Click here.
Excerpts from Debretts People of Today: BARROS D'SA, Prof, Aires Agnelo Barnabé; OBE (2000). Son of Inaçio Francisco Purificação Saúde D'Sa (d 1978), of London, and Maria Eslinda Inês, née Barros (d 1998); marr 12 May 1972, Elizabeth Anne. 4 daughters (Vivienne Frances, Lisa Maria, Miranda Ruth, Angelina Dawn).


MEET OUR SPONSORS

Aerotours & Aerosafaris – Nick DeMello
Specialising in African Safaris, Desert Safaris (Dubai) and tours in India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, South Africa & Mauritius.
e-mail: aerotours@on.aibn.com
Website: http://www.aerosafaris.com

HOLIDAY INFORMATION


Manchester/Goa. Dep 16 Mar. £159 rtn
Somak also has £209 with accom. For 14 days. Go to http://www.somak.com/ and select book online

Travel
9 March 2007: Evening News – Scotland. Goa Way (0207-258 7800) offers seven-night packages through March/April from GBP 320, flight only from GBP 199, from Gatwick and Manchester.

Goa it alone: Away from the crowds in India's party state
10 Mar. The Independent (UK). Feature article. Escaping Goa's busy tourist resorts is easy - if you know how. Sophie Lam heads off the beaten track in search of solitude, and finds restored heritage homes and wild, deserted beaches … 2219 words. Click here

This Week’s Deal
11 Mar: Sunday Telegraph. Goa flight only £199. Goaway (020 7258 7800; www.goaway.co.uk) offers return flights from Gatwick and Manchester departing on March 16 or 23 and throughout April.

Last minute
11 Mar: The Sunday Mirror. £629. Save £199 on a break to Goa. Seven nights' allinclusive at the four-star Resort Sun Village near Baga costs from £629pp including flights from Gatwick on March 24. Details Olympic Holidays, 0870 429 5090.

Love me Diu
11 Mar: Sydney Morning Herald. … Diu is one of the former Portuguese territories in India, the main one being Goa, which became a hippie-trail hangout in the 1960s and '70s and has morphed into a party town for backpackers and ravers. Thankfully, Diu possesses much of Goa's charm and history but has been spared the scourge of trance music and bong shops... My hotel is run by a laid-back, sarong-wearing local named George d'Souza. George is a member of the island's dwindling Catholic community and the kind of guy whom tourists love - friendly, easygoing and, as I will discover, capable of throwing a great party. Click here.

Yoga: Getting it Om in India
11 Mar: The Sunday Telegraph (UK). If you want authentic yoga without sacrificing Western comforts, the new Indian resort of SwaSwara is just the place … It is a new resort on the borders of Goa and Karnataka and is keen to attract yoga novices. The resort overlooks a beautiful stretch of the Konkan coast, which locals say is just like Goa was before it became spoilt. Ohm is the nearest of five secluded beaches. 954 words. Click here.

Kitchen sink holidays
13 Mar: The Times (UK). Cooking holidays in India are dish du jour for curry-loving Brits … Goa is celebrated for its textured marriage of Portuguese and South Indian culinary traditions … On The Menu, a pet project of a group of Brits, was a pioneer in the Indian cookery break market … The setting is golden sands, lazily swaying coconut palms and an attitude to living the Goans term “susegad”, which roughly translates as “stuff that malarkey, let’s chill man” … Shop for ingredients in the chaotic Mapusa market - rustle up the coconut-laced Goan fish curry, as well as international classics such as chicken tikka. Click here.

£239 -- Easter Flights to Goa ex Manchester
14 Mar. Travel dates: 6 Apr. £239 return (inc taxes). Departs Manchester on Good Friday, 6 April for 2 weeks. Also London Gatwick this Friday - 16 March, for the same price. Call Goa Way on 0207 258 7800 to book.

Last Minute Deals: Flight Deals
14 Mar: Birmingham Mail. Silly prices to Goa are on offer from Olympic Tropical & Exotic (0870 429 5090) including a one-week flight departing Manchester on March 24 for only £199 per person.

Last Minute Deals: Holiday Deals
14 Mar: Birmingham Mail. A FORTNIGHT'S bed & breakfast at the 3-star Marinha Dourada in Baga, Goa, costs £597 per person including flights and transfers, departing April 8 from Birmingham. To book call Thomas Cook at 08450 77 22 88


SITE WATCH

Goa: Holiday Truths
For the Holiday Truths discussion board with a listing of wide variety of holiday topics regarding Goa Click here.
Some of the topics: Reviews of Goa Hotels Click here
Malaria/mosquitoes/travel vaccinations Qs and As Click here
Restaurants-Recommendations and Q&As Click here
Good Toilet Guide Click here
Other topics covered includes Shopping, Fishing, ATMS/Changing Money, Visas, Flights, etc. etc. etc.

Goa Cultural Guide.
Check out the 24 page illustrated guide to Goa’s Museums, Art centres and Libraries. Download the 4 MB file. Go to http://www.divshare.com/download/217826-649 [Info from Frederick Noronha].


GOA NEWS HEADLINES

Playing around with studies
10 Mar: Business Standard. Every morning on the beach in Goa, I'd see teenage boys playing football, I asked one of them why they weren't in school. They were all sons of local fishermen, said they … The best way to get the attention of tourists, often, is football. “They play with us, get friendly, and give us odd jobs like fetching drinks, or acting as guides," said Thomas, "the tips during peak season are pretty good!" Another said, "Traditional work - farming, fishing and carpentry - don't require a school education either, but they won't get us very far, would they?" Most of the group felt that getting a driving licence (and someday, a taxi of their own) would take them further away from poverty than an education would. 629 words. Click here.

Kannadigas form biggest migrant group in Goa
10 Mar: Deccan Herald. By Devika Sequeira. An influx of migrants from Karnataka is dramatically altering Goa’s demographic composition, making Kannadigas the largest resident community here next to ethnic Goans … reliable political estimates say 20 per cent of Goa’s 1.34 million population today is of Kannadiga origin. 343 words. Click here

Goa’s wildlife for sale in Sanguem
11 Mar: Herald. Fed up with chicken, mutton or pork? Visit some of the restaurants in Sanguem taluka and feast yourself to the meat of wild boars, deer, wildcats, yaks and rabbits. 427 words. Click here

Video: Onset of spring: Goa celebrates Shigmo fest
12 Mar: NDTV. Goa is in a festive mood with colourful processions along the length and breadth of its various cities in the evenings to mark the onset of spring season. The festival known as 'Shigmo', which literally translates into 'the onset of spring', is marked by huge processions of floats and devotees dancing with gay abandon. Click here

Goa: Poor Social indicators
12 Mar: Herald. 40 per cent rural households have no access to toilets, nearly 17 per cent women experience spousal violence and nearly 12 per cent women marry before they turn 18. 363 words. Click here

Tiatra Academy, The Cultural Need of Goans. By Nandkumar Kamat
12 Mar: Navhind Times. The Minister for Art and Culture, Mr Digambar Kamat deserves to be complimented for announcing the government decision to establish Goa Tiatra Academy (GTA). 1119.Click here.

Goa: Villagers say no to Intl cricket stadium
12 Mar. The Hindu. Thivim village with 10,000 to 11,000 people is fighting the proposed international cricket stadium, which they say 'will eat into their livelihood.' The Rs60 crore-40,000-capacity international cricket stadium planned in their village has been a bone of contention as land acquired for the purpose is cultivable farmland. 407 words. Click here

Indian unpicks strange psychedelic saga
13 Mar: Times of India. Goa, which attracts almost all the 60,000 Israelis who visit India every year, appears to be the place the war-weary, violence-wracked demobbed Israeli soldier goes to lose himself in 'trance music', shut out the world and all its attendant bloodshed … British Indian Shruti Bhardwaj's thought-provoking documentary titled 'Post-Military Trip' (PMT), is to be broadcast globally by the BBC in May. … Bhardwaj, a young and feisty Kenyan-born Londoner, speaks Italian, has lived the life of a preppie in America and still calls India "home" … 615 words. Click here

Video: Goa MLA flouts law at rave party, stops police probe
13 Mar: CNN-IBN. CNN-IBN got access to a rave party at Congress MLA Jitendra Deshprabhu’s residence. All complaints by locals to the police to intervene went futile, not because the police couldn’t do much, but because they were just not allowed to. Deshprabhu was seen using his political position to prevent the police from carrying out investigation.
A radio-taped conversation shows just how blatantly police are influenced into inaction by those in power. Video 1. 4min. 8 sec. Click here
Video 2 shows the subsequent discussion between Deshprabhu and Parrikar. 5m.43s
15 Mar: CNN-IBN. Video: Goa gripped by rave party politics. Video 3. 1m.55s. Click here.

Alemaos' Gold
19 Mar: Outlook. There's trouble brewing for the controversial Alemao brothers with the customs department raising a 16-year-old case of gold smuggling against them. Churchill Alemao, former CM of Goa, is currently a Lok Sabha MP and wants to desert the Congress. His brother, Joaquim, holds the urban affairs portfolio in the state government. The third brother involved in the case, Ciabrao, dabbles in football and a wee bit of politics. The Alemaos were charged with smuggling and landing 250 kg gold in May 1991. "The Congress is behind this. It wants to harass me since I've decided to leave the party," says Churchill. 640 words.Click here.

IN THE NEWS

Toronto: Conrad Black & Xacutti
17 Feb. 2007. The Globe and Mail (Toronto). The crowd of budget-conscious restaurant-goers on College Street included two notables not often known for dining at a discount: Barbara Amiel and Conrad Black. They dined at the downtown bistro Xacutti — which typically offers Indian-inspired entrees in the $20-to-$30 … The $35 prix fixe menu would hardly have been a splurge for the couple. Lord Black is mired in a lawsuit against his former company, Hollinger International Inc., over allegations that he and three other executives took more than $80-million (U.S.) from the company.
13 September 2002. National Post. … Major power-wattage at Xacutti last week, when at one table sat diners Michael Douglas, Gerry Schwartz and Conrad Black …
The Xacutti website is at www.xacutti.com

Cafe Goa: Lowell, MA, US

8 Mar: Goan specialties, which are coconut-based and come from the western part of India, make this gourmet Indian restaurant standout, says manager Sunil Shrestha. "We definitely saw a need for an Indian restaurant in Westford," said Shrestha. Cafe Goa, located at 175 Littleton Road, offers a $9.95 lunch buffet that features 20-courses … Click here

Dope seized
9 Mar: Cybernoon. Mumbai Customs officials seized about four kilograms of hashish from a foreigner Gabrielle Stad Muller who was about to board a Swiss Airlines flight for Zurich … Muller has been living in Goa for the last ten years and is a British national. She also owns a jewelry shop in Goa … 378 words. Click here

Organic imports are Tony’s cup of tea
9 Mar: Hexham Courant (UK). Tony Harrison runs Haran Tea Imports in Hexham specialising in organic Indian tea. He got started in 2005 when he was lying on a beach in Goa and got talking to some people in the tea industry who told him that there was no market in India for organic tea. Now he imports it from India and sells it on to companies across England, Wales and Scotland. 514 words. Click here

Outsourcing old age!
9 Mar: Business Line. Deborah Moggach, novelist and screenwriter suggested outsourcing the elderly to India because "the weather's awful in Britain, pensions are shrinking; and it's cheaper to go on a budget holiday to Goa than take a train from London to Edinburgh. And, the Indian sun, low costs and traditional respect for old people will suit the elderly just fine." For text of article Click here.
The Deborah Moggach home page is at http://www.deborahmoggach.com/

Going that extra mile.
9 Mar: Optician (UK). … The Specsavers South Shields team is also very active in charity work - most recently they collected around 140 pairs of patients' old spectacles for Vision Aid Overseas, which were then distributed in Goa, India.

India: Women Want Catholic Church Structures Challenged
9 Mar: UCAN. On the eve of International Women's Day, some Catholic women in India urged women to challenge Church structures that they say deny women's claims and rights. A national conference of Catholic women held at Bangalore blamed existing patriarchal and hierarchical structures for the Church's current state. "They deter the basic claims and rights of women in the Church," the women said in their March 7 statement … Rita Noronha, a Catholic laywoman who attended the conference, said that the event laid a foundation "for positive thinking among women about equality." 642 words. Click here

Subodh Kerkar: His art tell its own story
10 Mar: Emirates Today (UAE). Double page illustrated feature. Growing up in Goa, Subodh Kerkar – who has been an artist for 20 years – has always felt a special relationship with all things maritime. As part of the Gulf Art Fair he is displaying some on his work on Dubai’s beach this weekend. Check out his website at http://www.subodhkerkar.com/
For text of article Click here.

Chris Souto: UK: Masterchef
10 Mar: Daily Mail. For a few aspiring cooks, the BBC’s Masterchef has opened up a whole new career. Two years ago, Chris Souto 35, was working in IT in Brussels, earning £120,000 a year. Today, he is living in a hostel in Goa, training with an Indian chef. Chris says: It’s testament to my passion for food that I have changed my life so radically ….
Masterchef has changed my life: I am a chef, and I’m going to have my own restaurant. There’s nothing like the adrenaline charge of producing great food. 560 words. Click here

Property's all the Goa
11 Mar: Sunday Tribune (Ireland). While restrictions exist for foreigners buying in India's richest region, prices are rising and the Indian Ocean state of Goa is becoming popular as both a party location and as a retirement destination, says Shane McGinley. Its laidback lifestyle and excellent climate are an attraction for retirees and with prices as low as EUR30,000 its not surprising it is becoming more popular … Up to 5,000 units of property have been sold to foreign buyers since the Foreign Exchange Management Act of 1999 came into force, easing foreign ownership … Over 50% of prime coastal properties are now owned by foreigners. 1362 words. Click here

London: Card deal makes capital your Oyster
11 Mar: Sunday Mercury (Birmingham). The Oyster travel card also offers "2 for 1" deals on top musicals, shows, restaurants and attractions. We dined at top Indian tapas bar Imli, where production of the card offers a three-course meal for two at the eaterie judged best Indian in the UK for just £16.50. The feast included spiced potato cakes, papdi chaat, fried chicken wings, masala grilled chicken, Goan pork, steamed rice and mango & basil sorbet - great value in London's over-priced West End. But hurry, the Imli deal lasts only until the end of March. For details Click here.
Imli’s Chef, Samir, is a Goan - see GVUK 2006-43.

200 dogs killed in India campaign
13 Mar: Boston Globe. Authorities in Bangalore have killed more than 200 strays in a bid to rid the city of dangerous packs of dogs, a move that has sparked protests and allegations of animal cruelty. Officials launched the drive after a young child was mauled to death by a pack of street dogs, the second such deadly incident in three months … 502 words. Click here

Perth, Aus: Adventures with food
14 Mar: Perth Now. Restaurateur and TV presenter Bobby Chinn's international childhood prepared him well for his role on World Cafe Asia. Chinn explores the adventurous side of cooking … future episodes will take him to Tokyo, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Shanghai, Amritsar, Bali, Taipei, Penang, Singapore, Beijing and Goa. World Cafe Asia is on Thursday, 6.30pm, on Discovery, Travel & Living. Click here.

Languid Lisboa
15 Mar: The Economic Times. Excerpt: … I tried in vain to find a Goan restaurant. I was told that there are hardly any, though a few of the cafes offer some Goan dishes as a part of their normal menu. Strange! In fact, the Goan identity remains quite low-key in Lisbon. This is quite unlike in other European cities like London or even Amsterdam where pravasi bharatiyas have maintained a very visible presence over decades. I was told that a few of the Goans who had made their way to Portugal during colonial rule had made a mark in professions and politics in the last century, but most had quietly merged with the mainstream rather than come up as a distinctive group. 1568 words. Click here.


RECENT ITEMS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST ON GOANET. BY CORNEL DACOSTA

Amidst the furore arising from Goa's (now discarded) Regional Development Plan 2011, an interesting article appears titled: Chandor Shows Us What Development from the Grassroots Really Looks Like. Rahul Goswani tells us about a development plan that has emerged through close consultation with the entire community in Chandor and how this could be an exemplary development plan for other parts of Goa.

A report in the local press informs us that the Government has decided to set up a Tiatr Academy for the overall development of this popular genre. However, while this is welcomed, we are reminded that the demand for the Roman script for Konkani has yet to receive Equal status to other scripts in the language Act of Goa of 1987.

Do Goan Voice (UK) readers access Wikipedia? And if so, would they care to comment on its usefulness or otherwise? Much has been written about this on-line 'peoples encyclopedia'---some strongly praising its usefulness while others criticising it from an academic/research perspective. An article by Vidyadhar Gadgil throws light on Wikipedia and titled--- Reaching The Next Billion: Wikipedia.

Gayatri Chakrovorty Spivak, originally from India, has been appointed to the prestigious post of Avalon Foundation Professor of Humanities and Director of the Centre for Comparative Literature and Society, at Columbia University, USA. University students, including mine, invariably found her ideas on globalisation and post-colonial theory fascinating and her bio on Goanet is illustrative of her substantial contribution to academia on a wide range of issues.

The problem arising from mining in Goa receives much coverage. This time, the focus is on "tax exemption being sought for a valuable non-renewable resource that is being exported out of the country... [and] there is no industry that compares in ecological destructiveness to mining." Have GV (UK) readers noted the illicit destruction of many hills in Goa for mining and residential purposes?
Do read an account of The Struggle for Assertion, Civil Liberties, Integration, Liberation and Rights in Goa through the Ages. This was the theme at a recent Seminar in Goa. GV (UK) readers, especially those hailing from Cuncolim, should be fascinated by the account of political activities of their forebears going back many centuries to more recent times.

Finally, and firstly, is the old hackneyed and borrowed saying really true that, "one can take a Goan out of Goa, but one cannot take Goa out of a Goan?" And secondly, is there now a discernible reduction in reportage about celebratory religious activity on Goanet such as village feasts the whole year prior to Lent? Hopefully, GV (UK) readers will comment on these views.

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


UK: TV & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS By Lira Fernandes

Documentary: The Quiz Exchange: BBC Radio 4 – also online.
Sat. 17 Mar. 10:30 to 11:00. Nicholas Parsons traverses India to observe the country's enthusiasm for a very British institution, the quiz.

Documentary: Tales from the Front Room: BBC4
Mon. 19 Mar 21:00 to 22:00. A host of black British names share memories of their front parlour - kept pristine and only for strangers in their early years in Britain.

Documentary: Coming to England. BBC2
Tue 20 Mar 13:00 to 13:20. Floella discovers racism when she goes to her first English school.

Travel: India Top 5: Hill Stations. Travel Channel
Wed 21 Mar. 20:30 to 21:00. Shimla, Kanchenjunga, Nainital, Jammu and Gangtok

Documentary: Racism: A History: BBC4
Wed 21 Mar. 21:00 to 22:00. First of three parts.

Cookery: Hairy Bikers Ride Again: BBC2
Thu. 22 Mar. 20:00 – 20:30. The Hairy Bikers roar back into action with a madcap tour of south India and cook up a storm

Magazine. Desi DNA: BBC 2
Thu: 22 Mar. 23:20 to 23:50. Includes the British-Asian identity crisis; interior design talent; lifestyle of an art collective in Paris.


FORTHCOMING

See http://www.lanfranc.com/lanfranc_location_2000.pdf for help in locating Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon

Sat. 14 Apr. 6.45-11.00 pm South East Goans presents "Carnival de Goa". An evening of fun and entertainment with Maz & Co. at Hurstmere School Hall, Hurst Road, Sidcup, DA15 9AW. Adults - £11, children 6-12 yrs £5, under 5's free. Meal and free drink on entry included in the ticket price. Contact: Ron 0208 303 3386, Chris 01322 400732, Dom 07854490617, Tat 0208 316 1473.

Sat. 21 Apr. – TIATR, TIATR, Goan Cultural Society proudly presents a Konkani Tiatr “GIRESTKAI” written & directed by Goa’s Radio Star, Anthony Marques, at St John’s Hall, Bourne Hill, Palmers Green, London N13 at 3.00pm. For details contact:- Bella – 020 8372 1253, Ida – 020 8881 2921, Camilo – 020 8801 3637 & Marques – 01628 783889.

Sun. 29 Apr. – TIATR, TIATR, Goan Cultural Society proudly presents a Konkani Tiatr “GIRESTKAI” written & directed by Goa’s Radio Star, Anthony Marques, at Archbishop Lanfranc Hall, Mitcham Road, Croydon at 2.00pm. For details contact:- Nina – 020 8767 0663, Cornelius 020 8681 8716, Bella – 020 8372 1253, & Marques – 01628 783889.

Sat 5 May 3:00pm -10:00pm. Cortalim Feast of Saints Philip and James at St. Aldhelm's Church Hall, Windmill Road, London N18 1PA. Mass at 3.00pm followed by and the crowning of the ‘May Queen’! Limited capacity of the hall, all tickets will need to be paid for in advance. The price of tickets including entry, free drink & meal are: Adults - £10. 11-18 years - £5. 2-10 years - £2.50. Call Maria- 0208-803-5146 or Melissa 0208-888-0393.

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