COMMUNITY NEWS

Russell D'Souza: Scribnia Officially Launches To The Public
11 Jun: PR Web. Scribnia, (http://scribnia.com) a website where users can rate and discover bloggers, columnists, and other online authors, is making the site available to the public for the first time … Scribnia co-founder Russell D'Souza says that users gets suggestions after having rated six authors similarly to Amazon's similar products feature…. 653 words. Click here.
Russell was born in the United States. His parents, Richard and Venetia, are from Goa but they grew up in Pakistan.

Vancouver: Ulrike Rodrigues: Girl Gone Goa
19 Jun: Vancouver Sun (Listings). Girl Gone Goa - Travel, sex, magic and cycling in an Indian state. Writer and adventurer Ulrike Rodrigues speaks about her six-month cycling trip. Bike Doctor, 137 W. Broadway, June 24, 6 pm, free, 604-780-6125. Not in Vancouver? No problem - check the Ulrike Rodrigues site. Click here.

Budding chefs get a taste of life in the pressure cooker
19 Jun: The West Australian… Opus sous chef Alan Desouza knows what it is like to work in some of the world’s toughest restaurants — he spent 18 months working in Gordon Ramsay’s Maze in London and several months with him in Los Angeles. “People think he (Ramsay) puts on a show for TV but he doesn’t…” 637 words + photo of Alan. Click here.

Malaysia: Datukship for Bridget Menezes
19 Jun: New Straits Times (Malaysia). NST columnist Bridget Menezes, who has a weekly column, Inner Growth, in NST's Life and Times on Tuesdays, was awarded the Darjah Indera Mahkota Pahang (DIMP) which carries the title "Datuk". The 73-year-old sprightly former music teacher and mother of three was born in Goa …
[For more info about her search the NST site] Click here.

Vancouver: Stephen D’Souza: Disabled, welfare kids miss out
19 Jun: Vancouver Sun. Hundreds of families with disabled children or on income assistance are scrambling to replan their summers after the provincial government froze a program that helps children attend summer camps… Stephen D’Souza, executive director of Burnaby Community Connections said he has seen an increase in requests for support … 957 words. Click here.
Stephen was born in Canada; his father, Joseph D’Souza, is ex-Nairobi. For the Burnaby website click here.

Newsletter of St. Xavier’s Society – Tanzania out now

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20 Jun: Newsy Vol. 2, no.2. Among the highlights: 9 Goan youths from Dar attempted Africa’s highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro. A six day trek up the mountain presented an amazing experience but a challenge that tested even the strongest. The Team comprised of Alarico Fernandes, Andrew and Arthur Pires, David Dias, Diamond Carvalho, Hansel Rodrigues, Mario Fernandes, Melvyn Gomes and Michelle Furtado. To get your copy of this and future issues write to the Editor, Michelle Furtado, at socials@goans.or.tz

Book Review: Jasmine D'Costa: Curry is thicker than water
20 Jun: The Globe and Mail (Canada) … Cobras and Pigs, Holy Cow! is a lighthearted take on the murderous fallout of religious dogma. In the coastal city of Mangalore, three families – Christian, Muslim and Hindu – endure a spiralling plague of black-magic hexes and harassments as perpetrators try to counter one another's tactics… For full text, 629 words, and photo, click here.
Jasmine was born in Bombay, lived in Bandra and then worked for two years in Goa before moving to Canada in 2004. For the Jasmine D’Costa website, go to www.jasminedcosta.com
To order the book click here.

Margaret Mascarenhas: Live Chat on 26 June
22 Jun. Examiner (USA). Literanista interviews (live chat) Margaret Mascarenhas. Online and via phone at Latina Bloggers. Margaret Mascarenhas is a consulting editor, columnist and novelist, the author of the diasporic novel, Skin, published by Penguin India (2001). An American citizen of Goan origin who grew up in Venezuela, she currently lives in Goa and is the Director of the Goa Centre for the Arts... 347 words. Click here.

Bombay: St Xavier's College: Calling Alumni
23 Jun: St Xavier's College at Bombay is compiling a database of its alumni and seeks details of past-pupils (name, present address, qualifications, present position, year of passing, subjects taken, residence telephone and mobile number, email ID). The same may be sent to xdp@xaviers.edu or admin@xaviers.edu Or register via http://www.xaviers.edu/frame10.htm says a note from Emily Andrade. [Info from GoaNet].
The 140th Year celebrations takes place on 17th and 18th July 2009 and on 3rd January 2010 there will be a special event for the batches graduating in 1984 and 1959.

Belgaum: St. Joseph’s School Reunion

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23 Jun: Gomantak Times. St. Joseph’s Convent High School, Belgaum decided to set up a Goa Chapter of the ex-students association. The first meeting was held on 14 June in Margao… Among those involved were Roselyn Pereira, Curie Rodrigues, Manisha Kyte and Marella D’Souza… Other ex-Josephite Chapters are to be set up in other major cities too …

Winnipeg: Chris D'Souza: Facility spurs area concerns
23 Jun: Winnipeg Sun. A proposal to build an addictions treatment and mental health centre in North Point Douglas has some area residents worried … "There is fear," said Chris D'Souza, chair of a neighbourhood residents' committee working to resolve the issues. "The fear is crime. Are there going to be addicts and drug dealers here?"… D'Souza though, suggests North Point Douglas is the right place for it… 256 words. Click here.

Canada: Theresa Pereira’s Wrongful Death
23 Jun: PR-USA.Net. Three years ago Theresa Pereira was a victim of Wrongful Death. Her daughter Beatrice has been volunteering time and energy as a representative of the Wrongful Death Law Reform Group … The Pereira family’s tragedy is one of four personal stories chronicled in an anthology – to access it go to http://www.bccpd.bc.ca
For an account of the tragedy and photographs of the family, check p.15 – 18 of the anthology. For the PR-USA briefing, click here.

Mississauga: Tara D’Souza: Phys. Ed. for the gamer generation
24 Jun: Globe & Mail. … Learning to walk with a prosthetic leg isn't exactly fun. Just ask Tara D'Souza, an 11-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., who lost her leg to flesh-eating disease in September, 2007. “It was boring,” she says. “What isn't boring, she says, is playing video games. And now researchers are hoping they can harness young amputees' enthusiasm for gaming to get them to do their physiotherapy exercises… Click here.

DUBAI: DEATH OF CHELSEA & NATHAN

Dubai: Prosecutors investigating children's 'food poison' deaths
19 Jun: The National (UAE). The death of two children last week has become a criminal matter after police remanded the case to the Public Prosecution yesterday. “We can’t give any more details until Sunday,” a spokesman for the Public Prosecution said yesterday… 240 words. Click here.
19 Jun: Khaleej Times (UAE). Grieving Father Agrees to Autopsy of Kids. Click here.
19 Jun. Khaleej Times. (UAE). D’Souzas Hopeful of Suitable Action. Click here.

Dubai: Hospital did not do anything to save my children, grieving dad claims
20 Jun: Gulf News (UAE). Patrick D'Souza, the father of Chelsea, seven, and Nathan, five, who died of suspected food poisoning last weekend, claimed hospitals in Dubai are not equipped to deal with food poisoning. He also wondered whether authorities have enough people to inspect restaurants since "we all love to eat in Dubai"… 267 words. Click here.

Dubai: What happened to Nathan and Chelsea?
21 Jun: Gulf News (UAE). A week has passed since the D'Souza children died, but important questions remain unanswered… A source, who has seen an initial official report, said it brings the authorities no closer to knowing the cause of the deaths… the housemaid who did not eat the restaurant food was also treated for food poisoning … 624 words. Click here.

Dubai: Death of Chelsea & Nathan
23 Jun: Gulf News (UAE).
Food Poisoning Probe Not Over.
School has been ‘hit hard’ by children’s death.
Dedicated Parents. Click here.

Sympathisers planning rally in Dubai for Chelsea, Nathan
24 Jun: Gulf News (Dubai) Hundreds of sympathisers have set up a group on Facebook called 'May Chelsea and Nathan D'Souza Rest in Peace.' An intense debate is going among the Facebook group members on whether to hold a peaceful rally at NMC hospital… the group had more than 1,830 members … 353 words. Click here.

Dubai: Death of Chelsea & Nathan
25 Jun: Gulf News (UAE). Proper treatment could have saved children, says D'Souza… Click here.
25 Jun: Gulf News (UAE). Father: 'They were all my world... How can I go on?' Click here.
25 Jun: Khaleej Times (UAE). Siblings' Bodies May be Flown to France Today. Click here.

Dubai: Siblings’ death: We may never know what killed them
25 Jun: Xpress. We may never find out what killed Nathan D’Souza and his older sister Chelsea. Xpress has learnt that this week’s autopsy done on the siblings has failed to conclusively establish the exact cause of their death…A number of samples from the bodies have been sent to a laboratory in Europe for investigation… 820 words. Click here.

Additional reports
25 Jun: Additional news reports from Gulf News, The National, Khaleej Times, WAM, etc. For links to these, click here.

DEATHS

24 Jun: Toronto. JOE DEVINE (Aged 78; Ex-Dar es Salaam). Husband of Ella. Loving father of Valerie (John Czernuszka), Patrick (Sandra Elsie), Vanora (Rick Turriff) and Viola. Proud “Papa” of Kyle and Emma, Matthew and Sarah, and Rachel and Adam. Dear brother of Philo (Dr. Jairam Kudchadker), Margaret (Joeji Pereira) and Marie. Visitation: Friday, June 26, 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Turner and Porter Funeral Home, 2180 Hurontario Street. Funeral Mass 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 27 at Holy Angels Church, 61 Jutland Rd, Etobicoke. Interment Assumption Cemetery. [Info from Claude Fernandes, Toronto]. For full details click here.

23 Jun: Toronto: CAJETAN DENIS D'SOUZA. (Born 1945). Beloved husband of the late Donna D'Souza. Son of the late Louisa and Felix D'Souza. Loving father and father-in-law of Craig and Farah D'Souza and Nicole and Brian Lobo. Very dear grandfather (Pa) to Evan and Owen Lobo. Loving brother and brother-in-law to Vincent and Evelyn D'Souza, Richard and Doris D'Souza. Visitation at Paul O'Connor Funeral Home, 1939 Lawrence Ave. E., Toronto June 26. Funeral Mass will be at St. Bonaventure's Church, 1330 Leslie St. on Saturday, June 27 at 10:30 a.m. Interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. For a photograph, Condolences and full details, click here.

22 Jun: Scarborough, Toronto. MAX MASCARENHAS (Ex- Dar es Salaam). Passed away peacefully. Beloved husband of Maria Alice Mascarenhas. Father of Denis/Shirley, Clifford/Liza, Newton and Carol. Grandfather of Michael, Amanda, Ryan and Chelsea. Visitation at Ogden Funeral Home, 4164 Sheppard Ave. East on Fri. 26 Jun. 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. Funeral Mass on Sat. 27 Jun. at Prince of Peace Church, 265 Alton Towers Circle at 9:45 a.m. Interment Christ the King Cemetery. Condolences to maria.mascarenhas@rogers.com. For full details, click here.

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21 Jun: Zanzibar. MARIA INEZ FERNANDES. Wife of late Anselmo. Mother of Rufina/Alvaro, Boniface/Merlyn and Arvino/Audrey and Claude/Maria. Grandmother of Taryn, Trevor,Terence, Rico, Rena and Angelo, Oscar and Tracey.
Funeral will take place Monday June 22nd at 11:00 am at St. Joseph's Cathedral, Zanzibar. Condolences to fernandesclaude@yahoo.com

20 Jun: Glen Mills (PA. USA). JUDE CORDEIRO. (Ex-Mombasa). Husband of Teresa. Father of Nigel and Alison. Brother of Mena. Viewing Wed, June 24, 9:30 - 11:15 at Pagano Funeral Home. 12:00 - Funeral Mass at St. Thomas The Apostle Church, 430 Valleybrook Road, Glen Mills. 1:30 - Lunch at 14 Grove Road, Glen Mills. Condolences to cordeirojt@msn.com
For a You Tube video (1m. 21s) of Jude and Teresa swing dancing at Berkeley a year ago, click here.

20 Jun: Mumbai. SR. SATURNINA (NINA) D’SOUZA. FMA. (Aged 81). Daughter of late Frederick and late Cursina. Funeral Mass on Sunday 21 June at Wadala, Mumbai.

18 Jun: Anjuna, Goa. ESMERALDA TOLENTINA DE MELLO (ex Nairobi). Relict of late Pascoal De Mello. Mother / Mother-in-law of Assumption (Sanoo) / Madeline, Timothy / Jenny, Raymond (Bijoo) / Hyacinth and Stan / Kathleen. For photo and more details click here.

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18 Jun: Montreal, Canada. CARMEN DE SOUZA (Aged 84: ex-Moira, Goa and Kampala, Uganda). Beloved wife of Jerome De Souza. Devoted mother to Gemma, Errol (Yvonne), Cecilia (Nagmeldin), Sheena (Carl), Peter (Huguette) and Nigel. Cherished grandmother to Warren, Marrisa, Nareman, our dearly departed Jasim, Nada, Sarah, Omer, Christopher, Lianna, Bradley and Andrea. Forever missed by her nine great-grandchildren. Visitation at Rideau Funeral Home, 4275 Sources Blvd, Dollard des Ormeaux on Sun. Jun. 21, from 2:00 to 5:00 and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. Mass at 10:00 a.m. Mon. Jun. 22 at St. Edward the Confessor, 98 Aurora Ave, Pointe-Claire. Internment at the Rideau Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, donations to the West Island Palliative Care Residence would be appreciated. [Condolences: peter.desouza@sympatico.ca]

6 Jun: Southampton (UK) . ETHAN FELIX SASIKUMAR (Born 2004) Son of Ethel and Amal. Brother of Evann. Funeral on 21 Jun. at 4:00 pm, St. Diego’s Church, Guirim, Goa.

WHO THE BLEEP CARES?
Weekly column by Selma Carvalho.

Who the bleep cares about Goa’s freedom fighters?

18th June, is celebrated as Goa Revolution day, for on that day in 1946, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia gave a clarion call to Goans to rise against colonial rule. This year, 36 freedom fighters, both living and posthumously, were honoured on this day, out of which, one Goan Catholic Liberato Rodrigues, made the roll-call of honour. What an insidious rewriting of history this is; a perpetuation of the post-liberation myth that Goan Catholics were twiddling their thumbs and playing the fiddle much like Nero, while Goa was being liberated.

First of all, how facile is it to think that Goa’s liberation commenced with the so called “clarion call” given out by Ram Manohar Lohia from Uttar Pradesh? Before that, I presume Goans were living in a sort of colonial induced stupor where they had come to terms with colonization. The fight for Goa’s liberation can hardly be constructed as some linear progression that began in 1946 and ended in 1961. Indeed, the fight for Goa’s freedom either for autonomy or total independence erupted frequently during the 450 years of colonization and at the forefront of this fight were Goan Catholics; lawyers who made the case in the courts of Portugal, priests who ran institutions and tried to shape public opinion, men of letters who operated newspapers and periodicals despite the vigilant Portuguese eye.

Historian Luis de Assis Correia, in his labour of love book, Goa: Through the mists of History, (Maureen Publishers, 2006) documents the lives of some of these brave heroes. In 1859, for instance, Bernando Francisco da Costa founded the first independent newspaper, O Ultramar, in Margao, at the time the hub of Goan intelligentsia. Bernando, albeit much too briefly and under the watchful eye of the Portuguese censor, gave a voice to the Goan. When the dictator, Governor General, Rafael de Andrade, took charge of Goa in 1895, he had Bernando, Father Antonio F. X Alvares, who ran a political weekly, O Brado Indiano, and several other prominent citizens, arrested for conspiring against Portugal and exiled to Mozambique, Damao and Diu. Bernando died in exile in Diu, away from the Goa he loved so much and for whom he ultimately gave his life.

Where are the monuments and the felicitations for surnames such as da Costa and Alvares? Their families forgotten, their courage and honour distorted by malicious charges of betrayal when some of them left for Portugal. Incidentally, Bernando’s son, Dr Alfredo da Costa, was to become an eminent obstetrician and is recognised in Portugal by the inauguration of the Alfredo da Costa Maternity Hospital, Lisbon. His great-grandson, Alfredo Nobre da Costa, became the first Prime Minister of Portugal, following the 1974 revolution.

The names of Goan Catholics who gave their lives for Goa will soon be erased from public memory, resting perhaps only on the pages of books written by other Goan Catholics. For the state-sponsored machinery is overtly or blatantly in cahoots with those elements who want to obliterate the memory of their contribution. Nearly fifty years after liberation, the so called association of freedom fighters that exists in Goa, has become nothing more than a chauvinist outfit infiltrated with the pollution of the extreme right-wing of India. The curious question is, why does such an organisation of “freedom fighters” exist at all in Goa? Are they perhaps anticipating some aging Portuguese generalissimos to suddenly bombard Goa with fados, for surely Portugal has long run out of foznehs.

Do leave your feedback at carvalho_sel@yahoo.com

TRAVEL & TOURISM NEWS:

Anju Timblo: Goan delight
16-30 Jun: Express Hospitality. "The hospitality industry in Goa needs to be revisited to address the needs of the business coming to Goa - domestic and international. There is also a need to pay attention to the infrastructure for today's requirements," says Anju Timblo, MD of Cidade de Goa… 575 words. Click here.

Incredible India
18 Jun: Galway Advertiser (Ireland). Classic India and Goa is a very popular combination tour and ideal for honeymooners, combining the splendour of the north with the paradise known as the ‘Pearl of the Orient’, Goa in the south. Besides the natural beauty, the fabulous beaches and sunshine, travellers to Goa love the laid-back, peaceful, warm, and friendly nature of the Goan people. From €1,880 per person. Click here.

Petition to Legalise Legitimate Goa Property Purchases
19 Jun: Petitions Number 10 Gov. UK. An E-Petition has been created to ask the UK Prime Minister to approach the Government of India and request them to take cognisance of and correct the unlawful actions of the State Government of Goa whereby property Deeds are not being registered if one of the parties is a foreign national. You must be a British citizen or UK resident to sign the petition. To view the petition in full and sign it (before 17 July) click here.

UK citizens petition Gordon Brown over Goa land
22 Jun: NDTV. Several British citizens who bought property in Goa have petitioned Prime Minister Gordon Brown to request the Indian government to resolve the impasse in which properties purchased by foreign nationals were not being registered. Over 125 people have signed it … The petition notes "Around 50,000 persons of Goan birth or descent now live in the UK. The Petitioners hope that they are happy here and are treated fairly and justly, and ask only that the government of Goa should extend the same courtesies to the few hundreds of foreign nationals who are full or part time residents of Goa… 376 words. Click here.
The Petition can be supported by any British citizen or UK resident by 17 July. To do so, click here.

I prefer Tamil Nadu
20 Jun: The Spectator (UK). Nicholas Coleridge, the novelist and Conde Nast supremo on his favourite Indian destination…. One of my favourite places is the French enclave at Pondicherry. One of my dreams is to live there some day… It's like Goa was 25 years ago, so far not ruined. One reason is that rich Indians haven't built their third homes here and the Russians and Italians haven't swarmed in as they have to Goa. … 543 words. Click here.

Goa finds favour with UK's Business Council
20 Jun: Times of India. The United Kingdom (UK) government's Business Council has rated Goa as the eleventh best emerging Indian city with potential for business relations with the UK… Adrian Mutton said that a "high level delegation from the UK" will arrive in Goa by August to review its infrastructure … Goa has a lot of talent and a very good network … "From a tourist destination, we want to change Goa's image into a destination with real potential for business," Mutton said… 428 words. Click here.

Win a gourmet trip to India
22 Jun: BBC Good Food. We've teamed up with Indian Odyssey to offer Good Food subscribers the chance to win an amazing tour for two and enjoy a glimpse into the rich historical and cultural past of India, while enjoying delicious food along the way… Closing date: 31 July 2009. Click here.

Indian immigrants allege harassment at British Airports
23 Jun: The Hindu. Indian immigrants have complained of harassment at British airports on returning to the U.K. from trips abroad, according to Highly Skilled Migrant Programme (HSMP) Forum, a non-profit organisation campaigning for the rights of skilled migrants…. [Alert by Herman D'Souza]. 243 words. Click here.

Tragic Derry man remembered in Goa
23 Jun: Derry Journal (Ireland). Sean Harkin of Derry tragically died in Goa in 2007… He had a casual job at 'Dylans Restaurant' on Palolem Beach and was so much liked there that a plaque has been mounted there in his memory … Simon Coyle who visited Goa recently is anxious to get in touch with the Harkin family to let them know how well loved Sean was in Goa … Photo + 409 words Click here.

Goa MP justifies freezing foreigners’ land deals
24 Jun: IANS. If the British government can enact laws to keep Indians out of certain jobs, then no foreigner should object to Goan authorities freezing land sale agreements where law violation is suspected, Congress MP Shantaram Naik said. He was reacting to reports that more than 100 British citizens had petitioned Gordon Brown after the Goa government froze land purchases of nearly 400 Britons … Naik said: “The British government has not lagged behind even in interfering with religious practices of certain Indian communities. India does not indulge in such things.” … 315 words. Click here.
If you believe that Mr Naik is talking nonsense and want to sign the petition, click here.

Britons buying land in Goa should abide by law: MP
25 Jun: Times of India. MP Shantaram Naik said that British nationals have to abide by Indian laws … He pointed out that he has submitted a notice of a private member's bill to amend Article 371 of the Constitution to empower the state legislature to enact a law to regulate the purchase of land by foreigners … 354 words.
[Ed: Seeking to submit a private members bill does not make it legal and it is even more repugnant to make it retrospective] Click here.

Cornel DaCosta: Goa Land Purchases by Foreigners
25 Jun: From GoaNet Highlights by Cornel DaCosta. Readers will be familiar with the difficulties faced by British families who have, in good faith and following proper procedures, legitimately bought homes in Goa. They currently seem to be hounded out of such properties by methods I consider devious and unethical. While many of us live comfortably in homes we purchased in the UK, the plight of many Brits in Goa is very sad and uncertain. Consequently, they have now petitioned PM Brown to "resolve the impasse in which properties purchased by foreign nationals were not being registered." To read about this click here.
There is an element of urgency to this petition as it will help all British citizens, of Goan origin or not who may find themselves in an identical situation regarding recently purchased properties in Goa. To stand up and be counted, (before 17th July 2009) Click here.

CASINOS

Congress leader backs Goa’s casinos
18 Jun: IANS. Amid strident criticism against the proliferation of offshore casinos by the Goa unit of Congress' women wing, senior party leader Prabha Thakur Thursday endorsed the industry that has rapidly grown during the Congress-led alliance rule in the coastal state… He said casinos would assist the local economy and help tourism … 363 words. Click here.

Goa minister claims casino duped him of Rs.1.25 crore winnings
18 Jun: IANS. Goa Tourism Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco has accused a casino operator, working out of a popular five-star resort in South Goa, of not paying him Rs.1.25 crore (approx £170,000) that he had won at the casino last month… 274 words. Click here.

Goa’s Tourism Minister: ‘Casino didn’t pay my winnings’
19 Jun: Times of India. Colva police on Thursday registered an offence against tourism minister Francisco Xavier “Mickky” Pacheco on charges of criminal intimidation based on a complaint filed by a casino manager of a popular beach resort at Majorda. In a counter complaint, Pacheco said the casino had duped him of his winnings that amount to Rs 1.25 crore [approx £170,000]… 347 words. Click here.

Goa minister's aide arrested for threatening casino staff
19 Jun: Daily News & Analysis. Mathew Diniz, a close aide of Goa tourism minister Francisco Pacheco was arrested on Thursday night for allegedly threatening Majorda Beach Resort’s Casino staff … 340 words. Click here.

Goa casino files complaint against tourism minister
21 Jun: IANS. Facing criminal charges for allegedly cheating Goa Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco of Rs.1.25 crore in gambling winnings, a casino firm has alleged that Pacheco in fact owed it Rs.30 lakh in dues. Gerald Fernandes, general manager of Treasures casino at Majorda beach resort has filed the complaint… Click here.

'BJP favoured offshore casinos in Goa'
22 Jun: Times of India. After training its guns on the Congress-led coalition in Goa for allowing both offshore and onshore casinos to run amok, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accused of pandering to the offshore casino lobby… 300 words. Click here.

Hotel Leela to exit from offshore casino in Goa
23 Jun: Business Standard. Hospitality firm Hotel Leela Ventures is negotiating with the MDLR Group to sell-off its offshore casino in Goa, a senior company official said today… 199 words. Click here.

Goa BJP changes tune, wants onshore casinos
24 Jun: IANS. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Goa Tuesday watered down its aggressive 'no-casino' policy, saying it opposes offshore casinos but onshore casinos were a "necessary evil" for the sake of tourism in the state… 287 words. Click here.

Goa offshore casinos: Government told to suspend operations
25 Jun: IANS. A state legislative panel Thursday directed the Goa government to suspend operations of five out of the six offshore casinos here because they lack the necessary permissions… 252 words. Click here.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

Vedanta group acquires Goa mining company in $368 million deal
11 Jun: IANS. Goa's biggest family-owned mining company, the Dempo group, has sold all its mining assets to Sesa Goa Limited, a majority-owned subsidy of the London-listed Vedanta Resources, for Rs.1,750 crore (Rs.17.50 billion/$368 million) in an all-cash deal… 303 words. Click here.

CM urges Goans to refrain from selling land to outsiders
19 Jun: Navhind Times. … Mr Kamat said, “One cannot sell land and property to the foreigners and speak about protecting the Goan identity, at the same time.” … The president of the Freedom Fighters Association, Mr Nagesh Karmali alleged that a team of the Portuguese television channel - RTP is constantly visiting Goa and seeking opinion from the rural public as to whether Goa was better placed during the Portuguese rule or not… 743 words. Click here.

Goa’s Health Minister Summoned
20 Jun: UNI. The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) here has summoned Goa Health Minister Vishwajit Rane to appear before the court on September 14 in connection with charges of having threatened to kill social activist Adv Aires Rodrigues on July 31, 2007… 188 words. Click here.

German girl, mother issued fresh summons
20 Jun: Times of India. The children's court on Friday issued fresh summons to a minor German girl and her mother in connection with the trial of education minister's son Rohit Monserrate in the alleged rape of the minor after the police said that the duo had left India in December, 2008…. The Court has fixed the matter for hearing on September 4… 164 words. Click here.

Join the Merchant Navy: Explore the World
20 Jun: Navhind Times. The state of Goa has the highest percentage of sea faring communities serving onboard foreign ships all over the world. A sea going career is highly rewarding, very adventurous, challenging, disciplined and highly paying… 516 words. Click here.

Tragedy strikes marriage party in Goa; 2 dead

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21 Jun: Herald. In a tragic accident, a head on collision between a wedding car and a Mumbai-bound bus left a bridesmaid and the car driver dead and four others injured on Saturday noon. The bride Ermelinda Fernandes escaped with minor injuries … Seven-year-old Rachel Coelho along with Ermelinda’s mother Elvira and a neighbour Maria Carvalho are undergoing treatment at hospital … The wedding of Ermelinda and Gulman Shaikh took place later in the evening… 341 words. Herald photo. Click here.

Declaration of Goa basilica as 'Portuguese wonder' draws protests
22 Jun: UCAN. Some people in Goa state are up in arms about a plan to list a 17th-century basilica and a fortress in Diu, both in western India, among seven wonders of Portuguese origin in the world … Some Catholic priests support the freedom fighters' objections. Father Delio Mendonca, director of Jesuit-run Xavier Centre of Historical Research at Porvorim, said nobody could declare the basilica "as of Portuguese origin." … 530 words. Click here.

Nobody makes Goan food the way Chef Rego does
22 Jun: Hindustan Times. Vir Sanghvi writes: “I have been eating Urbano de Rego’s food since the early 80s and I have never once had a meal that is short of spectacular. It has got to the stage where I now go to Goa only to eat Rego’s food. To say that the man is a genius is to understate his skills… Cyrus Todiwalla, who now offers innovative versions of Goan favourites at his London restaurant, Café Spice Namaste, learnt Goan food in Rego’s kitchen …” 1469 words. Click here.

Bullfighting revival plan stokes row in Goa
23 Jun: AFP (France). By Lita Barretto. Bullfighting was once a way of life in Goa, with thousands of people gathering on Sundays and public holidays to cheer on the animals as they locked horns. "Dhirio," as Goan bullfighting is called, was banned in 1998 after a spectator was killed by an angry bull but fights are still held clandestinely… it could now be set for a comeback after a politician who vowed to campaign against the ban won a seat in recent parliamentary elections… 705 words. Click here.

Two new suspected swine flu cases in Goa
23 Jun: PTI. Samples of two suspected flu patients in Goa have been sent for testing … A 32-year-old man had arrived from US on June 2 and developed flu-like symptoms after few days. His mother (50), who lives in Goa, also showed similar symptoms later… 168 words. Click here.

Goa: High Court issues notice to AG Kantak
23 Jun: UNI. The High Court today directed that further proceedings in the defamation case filed by the Advocate General Kantal against Adv Rodrigues before Magistrate Edgar Fernandes be stayed… Adv Rodrigues had challenged the Judge’s order which did not permit him to question Kantak’s competency, general character and reputation or the fees paid to him … 212 words. Click here.

Goa: Football: Savio Messias criticises Houghton remarks
23 Jun: Indian Football. Goa Football Association secretary Savio Messias [ex-Mombasa] has criticised national coach Bob Houghton who called the Santosh Trophy and Durand Cup useless tournaments. Savio said that the Santosh Trophy which had been going on sixty three years was still considered as one of the most prestigious tournaments of the country and Goa had just won it … Photo + 546 words. Click here.

Torn bed-sheets at Goa Medical College invites wrath of Health Minister
24 Jun: Navhind Times. The large-scale use of torn bed sheets in the paediatric ward of the Goa Medical College on Tuesday invited the displeasure of the Health Minister, Mr Vishwajit Rane, during a visit to the apex medical centre…879 words. Click here.

Linen shortage at Goa Medical College leads to deferred surgeries
24 Jun: Navhind Times. The doctors at the Goa Medical College have been facing a problem with a shortage of linen - particularly gowns and sheets of sterilised linen that has forced them to postpone many operations in the recent past… 473 words. Click here.

Greek drug lord in central excise net
24 Jun: Times of India. The anti-narcotics cell has busted a "narcotic drugs export trade" in Goa with the arrest of a Greek national in Anjuna. Antonios Kaminis, 46, who has floated an Anjuna-based export-import company, Mythos, was arrested after they intercepted his car and recovered 243 gm of cocaine worth about Rs 12.50 lakh in his possession, besides Rs 1.48 lakh in cash… Central excise officials said that the accused was one of the main drug dealers in Goa… 410 words. Click here.

200,000 jobless in Goa
25 Jun: Navhind Times. The number of unemployed people in Goa presently stands at 2 lakh, that is about 15 per cent of the total population … This figure includes 75,000 who have returned from abroad in the last 8 months - 50,000 from Gulf countries and 25,000 from elsewhere… Click here.
25 Jun: Navhind Times. Goa govt should measure influx from Gulf… Click here.
25 Jun: Navhind Times. No need to panic over Gulf retrenchments: NRI Commissioner. Click here.

IN THE NEWS:

Diabetes UK pinpoints key research in South Asian people
17 Jun: Diabetes UK: Diabetes UK and the South Asian Health Foundation (SAHF) are highlighting 16 research topics in a new report to find out more about diabetes in South Asian people. The report's recommendations aim to discover why Type 2 diabetes is up to six times more common in South Asian people than the general population… 412 words. Click here.

Freida Pinto tops
19 Jun: Veb Today. Move on Aishwarya Rai and Kareena Kapoor, Freida Pinto is here. If one wants to meet the top most heroine in India today, it has to be Freida Pinto. … she charges much more than a Kareena and Aishwarya … Freida is the free-types also; she has already expressed no hesitation for frontal nudity and lip-locks… Click here.

Journey from India to Canadian Dream
19 Jun: The Toronto Star (Page 1). Cecil Preyra arrived in Toronto from Mumbai 41 years ago… By the time his wife and children came over a few weeks later, Preyra still hadn't found a job, having been turned down 75 times. The family was poor and part of a Catholic minority in India … Today, the eldest son, Leonard, is expected to be named to the cabinet of Nova Scotia's first NDP government…. Among his children are three PhDs, a medical doctor, a producer, lawyers, a schoolteacher and principal ... 1047 words + photo. Click here.

Book Review: Bamba Beach
19 Jun: Birmingham Post (UK). Bamba Beach by Pratima Mitchell, is set in modern Goa and tells the story of Hari and his family who struggle to exist when the fish they catch to sell runs out. Enterprising Hari decides to wash cars - and it leads to some extraordinary changes in his life… ISBN 9781408108956. Paperback 80 pages. £4.99. For children. Click here.

India to change Tanzania's tourism profile
20 Jun: Arusha Times (Tanzania). If all goes well, Indian tour operators and travel agents have expressed interest in sending their clients to Tanzania, opening this destination to about five million potential visitors' base…. Abigail Rodrigues the editor for Hiblitz was a member of the Indian media visiting team… 628 words. Click here.

France: Goa Lace Treasures exhibited last weekend
21 Jun: La Voix du Nord (France). The Seborg Lace Exhibition was a big success. The highlight was undoubtedly the presence of people from Goa … Two young women, Nelinda and Thelma, and a man, Vivian, welcomed visitors eager to learn their lace art India… 218 words in French. Click here.

Maharashtra seeks to produce feni
21 Jun: Times of India. The government of Maharashtra state is looking into the possibility of allowing production of cashew feni and a proposal is likely to be submitted in the cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Goa, at present, is the only state that produces feni, which sells for between Rs 80 and Rs 100 a bottle. The drink is often smuggled into Maharashtra … 411 words. Click here.

A walking tour of misery
21 Jun: Philadelphia Inquirer. Book Review of Between the Assassinations By Aravind Adiga who won the 2008 Man Booker Prize for his debut novel, The White Tiger. This book is a collection of stories about the residents of the fictional town of Kittur [Goa?] … which is a muddle of castes, religions, and ethnicities … In St. Alfonso's Boys' High School a half-caste boy sets off a bomb in a chemistry classroom … George D'Souza, an eager mosquito-sprayer, works his way up to chauffeur for a pretty young woman, Mrs. Gomes, until a harmless but wrong gesture on his part undoes everything… 921 words. Click here.

Hard sell for Canada after Aussie racism
21 Jun: South Asian Observer (Canada). Seeing an obvious business opportunity in the continuing incidents of racist violence against Indians in Australia, an immigration consultancy in Punjab has launched a major campaign to project Canada as an alternative “safe” destination for students, professionals and entrepreneurs… 268 words. Click here.

Australia: Roanna Gonsalves: Curry Muncher
23 Jun: Eureka Street. Joanna Gonsalves, a Sydney-based writer who is working on her first novel writes a short story. Excerpts: Last week Vincent was attacked at the train station. We had much in common. We were both international students from Bombay, we worked in the same Indian restaurant and we even lived in the same Sydney suburb… 4352 words. Click here.

Labours of love as Indians find romance at work
24 Jun: Financial Times. Office romance can be frowned on in the west but employees at India's outsourcing companies are more likely to regard the workplace as a good testing-ground for a long-term relationship… Francisco D'Souza of Cognizant says the company draws the line only when relationships occur between people in a direct "reporting line"…When it comes to tying the knot, it seems traditional concerns such as caste quickly return to the fore… 715 words. Click here.

Portugal: Music: New Album "LisGoa" Launched
25 Jul: Expresso. On Saturday, the guitarist Antonio Chaínho presents a new album "LisGoa" at the Teatro Municipal da Guarda, in the company of the flutist Rao Kyao and Goan fadista Sonia Shirsat (Photo). In addition there will be Isabel de Noronha (voice), Carlos Barreto Xavier (music director), Tiago Oliveira (classical guitar), Paulo Sousa (sitar) and Raimund Engelhart ( tablas). Sónia Shirsat will interpret the themes in Hindi and Konkani … Text in Portuguese. Click here.

India left red-faced by overaged boys
25 Jun: The Guardian (UK). Indian officials were left red-faced when 16 of the 30 boys selected for a training camp for the Asian under-16 championships qualifiers were found to be overaged. The problem was exposed when the players underwent MRI tests in Goa … http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/feedarticle/8576153

UK: Auction: 1st July: Indo Portuguese display cabinet
1 July: Gorringes, Lewes, East Sussex. Lot 923. An Indo Portuguese bone and tortoiseshell inlaid display cabinet on stand, decorated throughout with flowerheads and scrolling foliage, with a single glazed door enclosing shelves, on stand with bobbin turned legs and stretchers, 5ft 11ins x 2ft 8ins. Estimate £2,000-3,000. Click here.

GOANET HIGHLIGHTS
BY Cornel DaCosta

An excellent observant and reflective article titled 'The Servant in the Indian Family' is written and presented by Aakar Patel. This long but very readable article is written with a touch of humour. Some parallels with the Goan posco may be noted. Click here.

Read about Goa's vanishing coastline by Tejas Mehta. He states that "one of the world's most beautiful and popular stretches of white sand are the Goa beaches. One stormy monsoon night in 2000 a 240m long ship, River Princess, broke its anchor and got stuck here. Since then it hasn't budged...this has led to an environmental disaster as these beaches are now almost on the verge of disappearing as the ship interferes with the natural movement of sand." To read more about this, click here.

Further to last week's material in the Goan Voice (UK) on the Inquisition in Goa, do get a greater feel for the prevailing discussion on Goanet in which two posts stand out in particular, between Dr Santosh Helekar and Dr Gilbert Lawrence. This is well illustrated http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet,org/2009-June/179079.html Do also read, an article titled 'Goa Inquisition was most Merciless and Cruel'. Here, Richard Zimler's novel 'Guardian of the Dawn' documents the Portuguese Inquisition in India. He points out that "apart from their law and religion, the Portuguese also imported and enforced their infamous methods of interrogation to subdue troublesome individuals." To read about this, click here.

While in the past, Goanet moderators generally dismissed a post when it was deemed to have “no relevance to Goa or Goans" a respite from such a rule was sometimes allowed on issues deemed "off topic"! Such is the case on material relating to the development of the potential economic giants like China and India. Having visited China recently, I should like to recommend two new books one could easily google, by Martin Jaques and Will Hutton. They provide contrasting views about the relative economic advances made by each country and how they may emerge in the near future. However, a slightly unusual article titled 'Small is Bountiful' by Aseem Shrivastava throws new light on China's progress in increasing employment in light industries. To see this click here.

Bullfighting whether in Spain or elsewhere has invariably had its critics or supporters. In Goa, bullfighting had a long tradition in villages but was banned in 1998 on the grounds of cruelty to animals. However, there is a possibility that the tradition will be revived following a pledge by Francisco Sardinha, a member of the Congress Party to build a designated bull ring in Goa. There are already many objections to this idea particularly from animal rights activists. Read about this. Click here.

Finally, GVUK readers will be familiar with the difficulties faced by British families who have, in good faith and following proper procedures, legitimately bought homes in Goa. They currently seem to be hounded out of such properties by methods I consider devious and unethical. While many of us live comfortably in homes we purchased in the UK, the plight of many Brits in Goa is very sad and uncertain. Consequently, they have now petitioned PM Brown to "resolve the impasse in which properties purchased by foreign nationals were not being registered." To read about this click here.

There is an element of urgency to this petition as it will help all British citizens, of Goan origin or not who may find themselves in an identical situation regarding purchased properties in Goa. To stand up and be counted, go, before 17th July 2009, to click here.

Please visit the Goanet archives at http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/
To subscribe to Goanet send an email to subscribe@goanet.org

SITCOM: Mumbai Calling. ITV1
Saturday 27th June 21:30 to 22:00. Sitcom set in a call centre in India. With Sanjeev Bhaskar.

DOCUMENTARY: Private Passions. BBC Radio Three
Sunday 28th June. 12:00 to 13:00. The guest is novelist and composer Amit Chaudhuri, who teaches creative writing at the University of East Anglia.

DOCUMENTARY: Heir Hunters. BBC 1
Monday 29th June. 09:15 to 10:00. Spinster Lily Fernandez who died alone in Sidcup in 2001 actually owned two properties, leading the team to India… Click here.

FILM: Anita and Me. BBC 1
Monday 29th June. 23:30 to 01:00. 12-year-old British Asian girl Meena is on the verge of her teenage years, when Anita, her blonde and glamorous 14-year-old neighbour becomes her friend. 2002.

HISTORY DOCUMENTARY: Infamous Assassinations. Yesterday
Tuesday 30th June. 06:00 to 06:30. Compelling documentary about the assassination in 1984 of Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, by her Sikh bodyguards.

DOCUMENTARY: Grimebusters. Sky3
Tuesday 30th June. 13:30 to 14:00. Restaurant inspectors John and Faye find some nasties that are definitely not supposed to be on the menu when they pay an unannounced visit to a local Indian.

DOCUMENTARY: Dispatches. Channel 4 (Also online).
Tuesday 30th June. 21:00 to 22:00. Terror in Mumbai. Dispatches presents a 360 degree view of the unfolding of last year's terrorist attack in Mumbai with exclusive new footage, evidence and interviews.

TRAVEL: Dom Joly's Happy Hour. Sky3
Wednesday 1st July. 00:00 to 01:00. In Goa, the pair don hippie disguises to investigate the hedonistic lifestyle of the locals and learn that alcohol has a religious importance.

DOCUMENTARY: Ross Kemp: A Kenya Special. Sky1
Wednesday 1st July. 22:00 to 23:30. In a gripping special Ross visits Kenya to investigate the Mungiki, said to be Africa's most deadly organisation. Strong language, violent scenes. Click here.

ARTS: Afternoon Play. BBC Radio Four
Thursday 2nd July. 14:15 to 15:02. The Torchwood team is led to Delhi on the trail of a dangerous energy field.

FORTHCOMING

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

Sun 28 Jun: Benaulim Association (UK) invites you to celebrate the feast of their patron saint St John the Baptist at Woodside High School Hall (formerly known as White Hart Lane School ), White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass will commence at 12.30pm SHARP followed by dancing to the music of Maz & Co (Band and Disco). Tickets Members £8.00 Guests £10, Children 10 - 16 yrs £4 and under 10 FREE. For catering purpose only tickets will not be sold at the door so please book early to avoid disappointment For tickets and further details please contact Josephine on joferns9@gmail.com or 0208 9677471 or Mary on 0208 8039752

Sun: 5 Jul. Aldona Association celebrates the Feast of our Patron Saint Thomas at Moss Hall School, Nether St. Finchley, N3 1NR. Walking distance from West Finchley Station. Mass at 12.30 p.m. followed by social to the live music of famous band MUSTANG. Tickets £13 Non members; £11 members; £6 children 6-12 years and under 5 free. Includes Goan snacks, main meal and dessert. For tickets please phone Vanessa 020 8800 5413, Oliver 020 8965 0979, Damacian 020 83761609. The Aldona website is at: www.aldonalondon.org.uk

Sat. 11th July and Sun. 12th July 2pm-5pm each day. Eucharistic Healing Services led by renowned Rev. Fr. Mathew Naickomparambil – Founder/Director of The Divine Retreat Centre, Potta, Kerala, India. Venue: All Saints Church, 531 Kenton Road, Harrow, Middlesex HA3 0UL. Contact: Maryann 0208 204 2293 mob: 0750 455 2168

Sun. 19 Jul. Tivimneses Association celebrate the feast of St Christopher at St Boniface Church Mitcham Road, Tooting. Mass at 1.30 pm followed by an afternoon of celebration and dancing to Maz & Co at St Boniface Church Hall. Tickets £13 Adults and Children £5 (12 years and under) inclusive of main meal and snacks. For tickets telephone: Norma on 020 8771 4457; Roland 7485 7878; Ronald 8298 9263; Ingrid 8905 3872; Helen 8304 5585; Elu 8654 1281; Fiona 8656 3317.

Sun. 26 Jul. G.O.A. GOAN FESTIVAL in conjunction with Goan Organisations at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Starts with Holy Mass at 12.15 pm. Contact: Herbert Fernandes 01277 651052, Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022. For stall applications contact: Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322.

FOR LATER EVENTS SEE http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/