FORTHCOMING

9 Dec. 14:30 (£5) and 19:30(£7.50). St Augustine's Church, St Augustine's Avenue, South Croydon. Operatic music by young professional Goans: Elizabeth Menezes, David Menezes, and friends. Bryanne Promotions 020-8681 8652

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.Nearest tube: Turnpike Lane. Entrance by raffle. For details contact Candy on 0795 835 5784.

10 Dec 2.00 to 4.30 PM. St Margaret's Road East Twickenham, Middx. The Medjugorje Network celebrates the Life of Fr Slavko Barbaric, OFM. For further information ring Amelia Gomes on 020 8861 2073.

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

17 Dec. 13:00-18:30. Childrens Xmas Party. West London Goans. Hounslow. 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.

25 Dec. 19:00- West London Goans . Christmas Dance. St Michael's & Martin's Parish Centre, Bath Road, Hounslow. Live Band & Disco. Adults £5. Children £3. Ivan Soares 0208-400 3714. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

26 Dec. 2-9 p.m. Goan Community Association. Christmas Hop + Children performing a Nativity Play to Konkanim Music. Disco. Goan Community Centre, Keston Rd., N17. Nearest tube: Turnpike Lane. Prices range from £2-£6 depending on age and membership. Ticket prices includes meal. Candy 020 8245 2413. James Po 020 8444 4420.

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, age 6 -12. The second party is for youth, age < 23) There will be music, snacks and soft drinks available. Tickets £2.50 each to cover these costs. Call 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. £20 (inc. meal) with reduction for <17. Zemira Fernandes 01895-259947 or Harold D'Souza 01273 302242.

31 Dec. 19:00 - 01:00. New Years Eve Party // Sydenham Church Hall SE26// music by Innovations Disco // Adults £6 Children <14 , £3 //Bring your own food/snacks and drinks // dress code smart // contact Vicky D'Mello 0208 698 9678 (after 12dec), Myna Rooney 0208 961 3036 ( to 12 dec) or Vince Fernandes 0208 764 8780. email vince@marisol15.freeserve.co.uk or mellovicky@hotmail.com

31 Dec. 19:00- West London Goans. New Years Eve Gala Ball. Brentford Leisure Centre, 658 Chiswick High Road, Brentford. Music by Mellow Tones. Members £12. Guests £15. Children 6-16 =£10, <5 =£5. Gate = £25. Marc Fernandes 01932 781 221

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

COMMUNITY NEWS

Please note that the Postal Service of this Newsletter is suspended till 12 Jan 2001. Contributions in the period 8 Dec to 4 Jan inc., should be sent to John J. D'Souza, jjds@ican.net or Bernie / Flavio Gracias, 020-8723 1322.

Goanet-Canada Newsletter. Dec. 2, 2000 is at:
http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/dec/msg00004.html

From Rene Barreto: Buy a home computer package for £60 in the first phase of the UK Govt. Computers within Reach programme. To be eligible you must live in London, Birmingham, Liverpool or Bradford and be in receipt of one or more of the following allowances: Job seekers allowance, Income support, Incapacity Benefit or Minimum Pension. email barreto@dircon.co.uk for details or purchase one of the Computer mags.

DEATHS

9 Nov. London. ARTHUR AGOSTINHO PIEDADE REBELLO (ex-Mombasa) husband of Pulqueria, Father/Father-in-law of Gilbert/Greffie, John, Carmen/Pietro and David. Funeral was in Panjim on 2 Dec. 2000.

25 Nov. Canada: URSULA VENEZIANA NEE BARRETTO, wife of late John Crisosto Lobo (Calangute/Kenya).

30 Nov. Toronto. FRANCISCO D'COSTA Husband to Rosita. Father to Gloria and Osmond, Jean and Al, Regina and George, Sylvia and Bulla, Rico, Vicki and Francis.

4 Dec. Basingstoke, Hants. AIDA BERNADETTE VAZ E NUNES, (ex.Thika, Kenya) relict of Caetano Antonio, mother of Alfredo/Lidia (Basingstoke), Anita/Joe Andrade (London), Alzira/Victor Fernandes (Canada). Funeral: Fri. 8 Dec., 13:30, St Joseph's Church, Basingstoke. Enquiries: Joe Andrade. 91 St Anthony's Ave., Woodford Green, IG8 7EN. Tel 020 8504 6632.

4 Dec. Bexleyheath, Kent. GILLIAN PEREIRA (ex-Mombasa) - daughter of Ignatius & Edna Pereira. Succumbed after a long struggle against leukaemia. Funeral service at 11.30am on Monday, 11th December at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 420 Long Lane, Bexleyheath, Kent. No flowers please. Donations to Dr. Rassam Haematology Research Project.

LOOKING FOR

Kalwant Singh seeks Peter Fernandes, (now in Montreal?), his college friend from Kampala in 1972. Also Herman Desouza and Ivor Braganza. in UK. Reply to: kalwant.ajimal@which.net

FLIGHT CORNER

2 Dec. The Daily Mirror. Travel. If Santa and sleigh bells are not your scene, then Goa could be your destination - temperatures are hot enough to keep the reindeer away. Departing on December 21 from Manchester, 14 nights B&B accommodation at the Abalone Resort in Arpora is pounds 799 per person. Goa. Jewel in the Crown Holidays: 01293 533 338.

3 Dec. Sunday Mirror. One week B&B break to Goa in India from Hayes & Jarvis departs on December 21. Prices start at pounds 686 per person and include flights from Gatwick and transfers. Details: 0870 89 89 890.

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

Goa police have launched an awareness campaign targeting foreigners on the issues relating to immigration, visas and drugs.
Goa, together with the rest of India is in the grips of an indefinite Postal strike. Christmas cards will be inevitably delayed!
Goa's traffic Police has introduced breath analysers to curb drunken driving.
The estimated figure of HIV positive cases in Goa number around 10,000.
A delegation of World Wide Goans, led by its convenor Aires Rodrigues, called on Chief Minister Parrikar on December 30, and urged him to set up an NRI cell in Goa on the lines of those set up by some other Indian states.
Goa's Police force is to revert to the khaki uniforms. The blue and white ones designed by Wendell Rodrigues, created problems. Evidently many out of State visitors do not recognise them as Police personnel owing to the trendy garb.
GOA WEATHER Dec 6: ( Max temp: 32.3 deg C, Min temp: 20.5 deg C. Relative Humidity: 39%

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

Reita Faria...Miss World 1966, interviewed in London. See:
http://www.goacom.com/news/news2000/dec/msg00011.html
30 Nov. Western Morning News (Plymouth) Weather Forecast: …Further afield, Goa and the Maldives will provide plenty of sunshine and temperatures reaching a delightful 30 Celsius…
3 Dec. Observer. Once a Portuguese colony, Goa provides an enticing mix of Indian and Portuguese cultures that make the 11-hour flight seem worth it once you arrive. Prices are cheap and there is almost no rain at this time of year but some may find the contrast of luxury hotels and relative Indian poverty unsettling. Hayes & Jarvis (0870 89 89 890) is offering a seven-night stay in the Alphaville Hotel with breakfast and return flights from Gatwick for £487 if you depart between 11 and 18 January.