FORTHCOMING

31 Mar. 18:30-20:00 Goan Association (UK) Public Relations Dept. India Club, 143 Strand, London WC2. Speakeasy brainstorming evening. £1 (optional). Open to all. Melvyn Fernandes 020-8378 5600 melrose@dial.pipex.com

1 Apr. 19:00 - 24:00. Mothers Day Social. Botwell Social Centre, Botwell Lane, Hayes, Middlesex. £6. Food for sale. Licensed Bar. Music by Velvet Orchid. Tel. Greg 020-8579 8154, Tessy, 01784-433 302 or Irene 020-8567 9155.

4 Apr. 10:00 Funeral of HYGENO PEREIRA. St Andrews Catholic Church, Thornton Heath (For details see Deaths section).

9 Apr. 12:30. Bastora Union. URGENT meeting at Club Jasmine (formerly Palm Springs), 202 Upper Tooting Road, SW17 7TG, to elect a committee and discuss the next social. (From Conrad Monteiro).

9 Apr. 15:00 Moira Assoc. Asian Chaplaincy, St. Augustine's Priory, 55 Fulham Palace Road London W6 Mass offered for the repose of the soul of Robert D'Souza. Lloyd D'Souza 0181 301 5242.

23 Apr. 19:00 Goan Association UK & Dark Star Social Club. Grand Easter Ball. Lola Jones Hall London SW17. Edna Moraes-de Souza 0181-672 1973, Savio Pereira 0181-679 4331, Hazel Rodrigues 0181-357 6776 or Flavio Gracias 0181-723 1322.

23 Apr. 19:00-0100 Music Mania Dinner Dance Thamesmere Leisure Suite, Woolwich. Breakthru Band and Music Mania Disco. Tony/Roseline Joanes 0181 265 9644, Vincent/Sabina 0181 244 5598 or Paul/Veronica Barretto 0181 311 1195

23 Apr. 15:00-23:00 Mapuca Union Easter Dance. Say One Do One Disco. Bishop Thomas Grant School, Beltrees Grove, Streatham, London SW16. Eusebio Pinto 0208-802 6373 or Matthew D'Souza 0208-304 9089.

30 Apr. 12:00-19:45. Cortalim Union Feast. White Hart Lane School, Wood Green, N 22. Mass followed by dance. Tickets: Rita, 0181- 800 5413; Manu, 0181-809 1128; Maria, 0181-803 5146 or Assumption, 0181-641 5995. Please book in advance.

1 May 13:00-19:30 Uganda Reunion Social. Wandsworth Town Hall, SW18. Open to all. Apply for tickets by 8th April, none will be sold at the door. Joe Mendes 020-8303 3974.

13 May 19:00-24:00 Xavierites Assoc. Annual Dinner Dance. Police Club, Aldenham Road, Bushey , Herts. Music by Velvet Touch. Members and Guests. £25.00 each. Cherie Martins, 020 8363 0086 or e-mail oscarmartins@compuserve.com by 20 Apr.

14 May 13:00- Annual Assolna, Velim, Cuncolim (AVC) Union Social. Bishop Thomas Grant School , Streatham, London SW16. Book early to avoid disappointment. Eunice Barros 0181 672 0807 or Nico Antao 0181 560 6559.

21 May. 13:45 - Asian Chaplaincy. Festival of Patron Saints. Mass followed by cultural programme. Tel. 020-8563 9102

4 June. Wandsworth Town Hall Ex Students from Catholic Parochial and St Teresa's Boys and Girls School, Nairobi. Millennium Reunion. Norma Menezes 0208-771 4457 Menezrahim@aol.com or Tonyjo Fernandes 01895 259947.

6 -13 June. Asian Chaplaincy. Holy Land Pilgrimage. £599. Derek Gomes. 020-7263 5203 DEREKGOMES@compuserve.com

18 June. 12:00- Siolim Union. 20th anniversary & Feast of St. Anthony of Padua. Bishop Thomas Grant School, Beltrees Grove, Streatham, London SW16 Mass followed by Dance. Maz & Co. and Fantasy Disco. Members and guests welcome. Derrick Fernandes 020-8395 1084 or Eugene Fernandes 020-8240 0818

22 July. 20:00-24:00. Thames Cruise + Dinner Dance. Limited numbers. Edna Moraes-De Souza 020-8672 1973

23 July. 12:30- Tivim Social. Bishop Thomas Grant School Hall, SW16. Norma Menezes-Rahim 020-8771 4457

30 July. Goan Association UK. Annual Goan Festival. Diego Pinto 020-8767-0663 (offers of help). Norma Menezes-Rahim 020-8771 4457(organisational arrangements). Bernie Gracias (stall applications).

30 July 12:00 Aylesford Pilgrimage. Rev. A.T. Moraes 020-8977 5682

REGULAR EVENTS

Last Friday each alternate (odd no.) month : 18:30-20:00 Goan Association (UK) Public Relations Dept. India Club, 143 Strand, London WC2. Speakeasy brainstorming evening. £1 (optional). Open to all. Melvyn Fernandes 020-8378 5600

Asian Chaplaincy, Hammersmith 020-8563 9102. 2nd Su. monthly. 15:00 Mass + Novena +tea & biscuits + bingo. Last Sun. monthly 15:00 Konkanim Mass + get-together + bingo. Tel. 020-8563 9102.

Regina Pacis Convent, 10 Chiswick Lane, London W4. 18:30-19:30. Every alternate Wed. Meditation. Tel 020 8563 9102

34 Potterne Close, Castlecombe Drive, SW19. 18:30 - 19:30. 1st Sunday each month. Meditation + Mass. Tel 020 8563 9102

St. Anslem's Church Southall 15:00 1st Sunday each month. Mass. Tel 020 8563 9102

Sacred Heart Convent, 6 Osterley Park, Southall. 18:30 - 19:30. Alternate Fridays. Children's Prayer Group. Tel 020 8563 9102

COMMUNITY NEWS

Goan Community Festival with BBC Music Live. Participants are invited to audition for the event, which is to be held on Sun 28th May. For details contact Ida D'Souza 0208 881 2921. Last date for entry is 9th April.

Gerard da Cunha's Houses of Goa, the new lavishly illustrated, "coffee table" masterpiece is available from The Africa Book Centre. 38 King St, London WC2. Cost £35 but there is a 25% off any book offer for personal shoppers which ends on April. 1. If you are unable to get there on time, tel 0171-240-6649 and they will set aside a copy for you, at the discounted rate.

Jason Rebello performs with Sting at the Royal Albert Hall London till 7 Apr. From the Sunday Telegraph (26 Mar) :… Jason Rebello - the latest in a long line of world-class keyboard players employed by Sting - delivered a cracking solo. The Times (27 Mar) … The entire band, but especially pianist Jason Rebello, shone on the set… Sting is at www.sting.compaq.com

Des Fernandes, des@utaita.u-net.com Lecturer at De Montfort University has an exhibition of some of his paintings at the Leighton Buzzard Library Gallery, Lake Street, Leighton Buzzard, March 23-April 20, Mon.-Fri. 9.30am-6pm; Sat. 9.30am-4pm.

Goan jazz saxophonist, 'Jazzy' Joe Pereira whose GMS' London workshop featured in these columns last August, performed along with Aninha Lobo (piano) and Michael Gracias (bass guitar) for US President Bill Clinton, and had daughter Chelsea dancing to his tunes at the Oberoi Hotel lobby in Bombay last Friday. "I'm going to remember it for all my life," Clinton said of Joe's jazz.

The Event of the Year, the Annual Goan Festival takes place on 30 July in Croydon this year. Diego Pinto 020-8767 0663

DEATHS

21 Mar. Nairobi. LOURENCINHO FERNANDES, father of Maria/Kerry Fraser of Nunavut, Canada, Aires/Bianca (Italy), Rosalia, Theresa, Inocentia/Martin, and Bosco (UK).

25 Mar. Bahrain. MARIANO JOHN PEREIRA. H/o Gladys Merces Pereira, Father of Nevis (Abu Dhabi), Olivia/Anthony Baretto, Jimmy (USA), Natalino. Brother of Roque (UK)/ Maria (UK) etc.

26 Mar. Cuncolim, Goa. THEOTONIO D BORGES, freedom fighter, husband of Visitacao, father of Rufina, Paul (Bahrain)/Glancy, Francis/Crispina (Belgium), Irene/Philip (London).

28 Mar. Thornton Heath, Surrey. HYGENO PEREIRA (ex Nairobi) husband of Eliza Pereira. (Data from Norton Antao).

SERVICES

Discos and Bands. GUAVA GROOVE: Ian Pinto, 0208 337 1563 or Gary Coutinho 0208 854 6636 MUSIC MANIA Tony Joanes 0208 265 9644 or Vincent 0208 244 5598 SAY ONE DO ONE DISCO Nigel-0208-376-1068 or Paul-07956-496190 Next week Goan Caterers. Entries required by Tues. 4 April.

FLIGHT CORNER

Instant holidays, 01704 833197,http://www.instant-holidays.co.uk/ Gatwick. 31 Mar. 1w £179; 2w £199.

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

Efforts are on to attract investments by Goans in and outside the country stated Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha.
In the last three years, 130 murders were reported in Goa . 98 of them have been detected according to official sources. Goa was selected as the venue for the Indian launch of the Fa range of toiletries, which took place this week. In 1998-99, foreign tourists arrivals in Goa by charter totalled 90,635 by 356 flights.
150 representatives from all Goan associations in Portugal had a get-together at Pinheiro Manso restaurant, Coimbra. Panjim. 16 members of the Anti-Meta Strips Citizens Actions Committee began a fast to death strike on 27 March..

Visit Goanet at www.goacom.com/goanet. Some of the highlights:

10926 Details of the annual Budget of Goa government. Shiv Kumar
10916 A Beginners Guide To Goa-related Resources On The Internet. Ulysses Menezes.
10899 British angels of mercy give Goa's strays animals a hope. Frederick Noronha

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

*21 Mar. Financial Times. Victor Menezes, [a Goan expatriate, with roots in Divar], has been named the Chief Executive Officer of Citibank North America, one of the largest banking groups in the USA. 353 words

22 Mar. Leicester Mercury, Councillor Merlyn Vaz, Labour chairwoman of Leicester City Council's Senior Citizens' Forum, said she was delighted and surprised the Chancellor had chosen to make the elderly a Budget priority.

*22 Mar. Leicester Mercury, Diplomats are blocking Campaign claim family of murdered Edgar Fernandes. 160 words.

*23 Mar. Leicester Mercury. A fresh row has broken out between Campaign groups and the Maltese Government. 261 words

*23 Mar. Evening Chronicle (Newcastle). Teachers from Goa are to visit a Newcastle school to learn new skills. 272 words.

*23 Mar. The Mirror . Robert McPhail, 44, was cleared by the jury of being drunk and disorderly on the Monarch Manchester to Goa flight in Jan.. He had complained of the in-flight food and asked the cabin crew to heat up the pie he had brought along. Fellow passengers had danced the conga down the aisle and one woman allegedly stripped… 368 words

26 Mar. The Sunday Telegraph. Their friends thought they were crazy, but Victoria Hislop and her husband Ian, (of BBC2's Have I got News for You) decided to ignore all such anxieties and went off to Goa with their young son and daughter. 1701 words