FORTHCOMING

26 Nov. 13:30- Fr Agnelo's Day. St. George's Cathedral Southwark. Commencing with Mass.

28 Nov. Patricia Rozario performs in a concert of music by Sir John Tavener at St John's, Smith Square, London SW1.

2 Dec. 15:00- BBC Radio 4. Play: Singh Tangos. Bettina Gracias writes about a clash of cultures within one Asian family.

2 Dec, 19:00. Goan Community Association (North London) Religious opening Community Centre, Portakabin, Keston Centre Car Park, Keston Rd., N17 6PW. For details contact Candy on 0795 835 5784.

3 Dec. Mass 12:30. Goan Association (UK). Feast of St. Francis Xavier. ATC Hall, South Wimbledon. Tickets £2 each (limited to the first 100 applicants). GMS Choir. Diego Pinto 020-8767-0663 or Bernie Gracias 020 8723 1322

3 Dec. 12:30- South East Goans. St. Francis Xavier. Mass: Our Lady of the Angels & St. Joseph's Church The Friary, Carlton Road, Erith, Kent. Principal Celebrant: Rt. Rev. Bishop Charles Henderson. Dance: 1.15 - 8pm Carlton Hall (next to Church). Music by "ANGELO" one man band & "SAY ONE DO ONE" Disco. Tickets (Includes Meal): - Senior Citizen Member £3, Adult Member £5, Non Member £7, Child (under 12) £2. Sharon D'Souza 020 8301 5242. southeastgoans.d-souza@virgin.net

3 Dec. 12:30- North London Goans Feast of St Francis Xavier. White Hart Lane School Hall, Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass at 12.30 followed by a social gathering. Tickets: Oboe Noronha 020 8340 0439; Seby D'Silva 020 8245 5463; John Fernandes 020 8881 4579; Tony Gomes 020 8245 1364; Meredith Soares; 020 8803 4173; Manu Fernandes 020 8809 1128.

3 Dec. West London Goans. Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221.

3 Dec. 12:00-20:00. Newham Goans. Feast of St. Francis Xavier. Fords Sports Club, Newbury Park, Ilford. Allen Braganza, 0208-472 5629.

3 Dec. 11:15- The Goans from St Anslem's Church, Tooting Bec. Celebration of the Feast of St Francis Xavier. Mass followed by a get-together in the lower Church Hall. Price £4.00 with a meal and music. Edna Moraes-DeSouza 0208 672 1973.

3 Dec. Southampton. Feast Of St. Francis Xavier. Mass (11:00) at St Edmund's Church, Rockstone Place, followed by Entertainment (12:45-19:30), at Springhill Primary School Hall, Milton Road. Parking at New College, next to the Church. Adults £6.50; Children (3-15 Years) £3.50; Under 3 Free. Carlos Coutinho, coutinho@lgu.ac.uk

4 Dec. 20:00- The Burford Society presents "A Garden of Weeds" - a one hour recital by Viola da Cunha (mezzo soprano), Geoffrey Elkan (clarinet), Christine Greig (piano). United Reform Church, Fox Lane, (corner of Burford Gardens), Palmers Green, London. £2.

10 Dec. Goan Association (UK). AGM/EGM Archbishop Lanfranc School. Open to fully paid-up members only.

10 Dec, 13:00. Goan Community Association (North London) Mayor's opening Community Centre, Portakabin, Keston Centre Car Park, Keston Rd., N17 6PW. Entrance by raffle. For details contact Candy on 0795 835 5784.

16 Dec. 20:00- Patricia Rozario in Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra.

17 Dec Childrens Xmas Party. West London Goans. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

17 Dec. 1pm - 4.30pm South East Goans. CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PARTY. St. Stephens's Parish Hall, Deepdene Road, Welling, Kent. Includes ENTERTAINER, COMPETITIONS & NATIVITY PLAY. Food and drink on sale for parents. Tickets-2 years and over (includes food & drinks) : Member Child £3, Non Member Child £5 Contact Sharon D'Souza on 020 8301 5242 Email: southeastgoans.d-souza@virgin.net

23 Dec. 18:00 - Goan Hockey Club (Goan Assoc. UK). Christmas Dinner Dance. St Mildred's Church Hall, Bingham Road, Addiscombe, Croydon (next to Tram link station). Disco: NITE LIFE. All members, ex-hockey players and Guests welcome. Limited Tickets at £14 pp. - 3 Course meal & Glass of wine. Contact: Tony Pereira 020 8777 3453, Plino Martins 020 8657 8951 or Richard Fernandes 020 8300 5347

28 Dec. 14:45-16:45 and 17:00-21:00. The Goan Musical Society has the pleasure of hosting two parties at the EMC, Vestry Hall,336 London Road, Mitcham for children and youth. The first party is for children, aged 6 -12. The second party is for youth. There will be music, snacks and soft drinks available. Tickets £2.50 each to cover these costs. Please ring William or Rhona Marques on 0208 669 4615 for further details and tickets. See also:
http://www.geocities.com/g.m.s/Christmas2000.htm

31 Dec. 18:30-03:00 Grand New Year's Eve Gala Ball. Dark Star Social Club. Harrow Leisure Centre. Tickets: Adults £10 (before 10 Dec.) £15 thereafter. Children £6. Entertainment: Live Band and Dark Star Disco. Derrick Pereira - 020-8952 8899. Hazel Rodrigues 020-8357 6776. Flavio Gracias - 020-8723 1322.

31st Dec. 6.30pm South East Goans. MILLENNIUM BALL Woolwich Town Hall. Market Street, London, S.E.18 Music by the superb BAND "BREAKTHRU" with excellent DISCO by "NITE LIFE" Prizes include -DVD Player & Music system. CHEAP Licensed Bar. Ticket prices- Includes Snacks: Member- £14. Non Member- £16, first 30 Children- £7. Contact Sharon on 020 8301 5242. Email: southeastgoans.d-souza@virgin.net

31 Dec. 19:00 - 03:00 Saligao Assoc. Ball. Tolworth Recreation Centre, Fullers Way North, Tolworth, Surrey. Music by Calibre and Disco. Before 30 Nov. £15 members; £18 guests. £20 thereafter. Reduction for under 17's. Ticket prices includes a meal. Zemira Fernandes 01895-259947 or Harold D'Souza 01273 302242.

31 Dec. West London Goans. New Years Dance at Brentford Leisure Centre. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

6 Jan. - Goan Association. Goan Extravaganza. Wandsworth Town Hall. Norma Menezes-Rahim 020-8771 4457 or Bernie Gracias 020-8723 1322.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Report and photographs of the Goan Musical Society Showcase event of 11 Nov at Putney, in association with the Wandsworth Arts Festival, "A Goan Cultural Evening", are at: http://www.geocities.com/g.m.s/11November00.htm

Congratulations to Charles and Tessy D'Mello on the birth of their son on 4th November - first grandchild to Irene and the late Santan D'Mello.

Julio Ribeiro, IPS, former Indian Ambassador to Romania, will inaugurate the International Goan Convention on December 30 in Panjim. The Vice-Chancellor of the Goa University, Balkrishna Sonde, will preside. Hosted by Institute Menezes Braganza and organised by World Wide Goans, the convention will focus on the youth and have six presentations, says Aires Rodrigues, convenor of World Wide Goans. airesrod@goatelecom.com or telephone 444012 or 444248

Special Christmas Offer: Free subscription to this newsletter for all your friends and relatives! Send their e-mail addresses to eddie@fernandes.u-net.com and they will be subscribed with a Christmas greeting message from you. Offer expires 4 Dec.

DEATHS

17 Nov. Mapusa: JOSE JOAQUIM DO ROSARIO DO CARMO SOUZA (Ex-Customs, Dar-es-Salam), husband of Justina, father of Leo/Dr Premila, Collins and Sybil.

18 Nov. Santa Cruz: FELECIDADE DIAS E FERNANDES, wife of late Inacio Mariano, mother of Joao Caetano/Ana Maria, Agnelo/Joyce (Kuwait), Roquzinho/Astrid (Scotland), Santanita/Luis, Loreta/Wlfargo.

18 Nov. Aldona: MARIA FELICIA D'CRUZ E D'SOUZA, relict of late Pascoal Joao, mother of Thomas/Agatha (London), Philo/Peter(Goa), Angela/Hillary (Slough), Patrick/Fatima (Kuwait) and Marian(Goa).

LOOKING FOR

We are having a goanetters meeting in Goa around Xmas - details soon. Herman Carneiro, founder of Goanet whilst still a teenager in Boston is currently in London studying at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. He is desperately trying to get 3 tickets for flights to Goa.- dep. 16-23 Dec. Rtn. 4-7 Jan. Tel. Herman: 0207 685 2507

FLIGHT CORNER

Gatwick or Man. to Goa, 2 weeks, out 24th , 25th & 30th Nov £199 inc. Phone Anton DeSouza 020 8686 5888.

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

The Chief Minister, Mr Manohar Parrikar, inaugurated Sony's exclusive showroom, at Miramar on 20 Nov.

An unique Saraswat food festival will be held at Panjim's Kala Academy on Dec. 23 and 24. The delectable spread will include teekhashe fov, shirvalyo, kandgachyo nevryo, nachanyachem satva, mana, muthkye, teesryanchem dangor and other rare treats.

Statistics provided by the police indicate that murder is becoming an option for resolving family and love problems. Of the 35 murders recorded from January to October 2000, 11 fall in the above categories.

For Fr Agnel's - Pilar Feast, see: http://www.goa-world.net/fr-agnels/ See also: http://www.goa-world.net/jezu-krist-jayanti/

As part of the Goa-Northumberland Teachers Exchange launched by Dave Futers, Sylvia Dickson (30) and Lynn Mills (44), two high school teachers from England, are on a visit to Goa. They will interact with a range of schools mostly in rural areas.

An album of religious songs, in Reggae and Rock'n'Roll style, by Fr Ranson and Fr Eulalio of the Pilar Society, is now out.

Balair Charters from Switzerland, has commenced operations to Goa till the end of April 2001. http://www.balair-cta.ch/

The first issue of the new Konkani research bulletin, 'Sod' by the Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr was released recently.

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

12 Nov. The Observer. Food & drink special: X'cutti Pronounced 'shakuti', this complex blend of spices in a base of coconut paste, based on a Goan recipe, it is an exceptional slop-on curry sauce (or marinade if you have time). One of the best I've ever found in a jar. (Geeta's, pounds 1.99 for 275g, Sainsbury's.)

17 Nov. Evening Standard Jewel in the Crown Holidays (01293 533338) is offering a fortnight in Goa for £339 per person, including B&B at the Maizons Star Resort, one km from Baga in northern Goa, and return flights from Gatwick on the 25th.

*18 Nov. Navhind Times. India is to double seat capacity for international travel, Tourism Minister, Mr Ananth Kumar, has said. He has also pledged to reduce the cost of travel to India.

*19 Nov. Times of India. Goa plans to break the season barrier. 419 words.

*19 Nov. Independent on Sunday. Sainsbury's won the gold and silver trophies for best Supermarket products of the year. GOLD: Sainsbury's Ultra-Thin Mushroom Medley Pizza. SILVER: Ready meals: Sainsbury's Goan Fish Curry. 213 words.

*20 Nov. Evening Standard. Goa featured in the Top 10 Christmas Destinations. "However, unless you booked up months ago, or have a sugar daddy to bankroll the exorbitant last-minute air fares, dreaming is probably as far as you will get."

*20 Nov. Evening Standard. Two British tourists drove a moped 3-wheeler rickshaw 12,000 miles back to England.

*22 Nov. Gomantak Times. F M Parker writes: The appalling lack of driving skills apparent in Goa boils down to the absence of a driving test of any exactitude. Not one of the drivers, be it of car or bike that I have seen in Goa in recent months would pass a driving test in England or rest of Europe, let alone the written test. See also the Feature article on Road Traffic in Goa by Dr. Henry D' Souza of Mississauga, Canada at http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/nov/msg00055.html

*23 Nov. Times of India. Peter Dubbeldam consultant from PEP Management Consultants, Trowbridge visiting the timeshare facilities in India said, "Most timeshare customers in UK and America want to come to India and to Goa in particular."