FORTHCOMING

SOLD OUT! 27 May 18.30 - 22.00. BBC Music Live 2000. The Goan Musical Society.

28 May 13:00-20:00. BBC Music Live 2000. St Thomas More School, Glendale Avenue Wood Green N22. Goan Community Musical Festival. Entrance now £5 each. For tickets contact James 020 8444 4420, Ida 020 8881 2921, Darren 020 8376 1068 or Candy 0958 355 784. For details:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cgi-bin/alert/mlproginfo.pl?ix=187028&template=musiclive

29 May South East Goans French Day Trip - Seaside & Shopping at Le Touquet and Cite de Europe. Adults: £11 (members); £15 (Adult Non-Members) Child (< 16) £6 - must be accompanied by an adult. Packed Lunch and Soft Drink included. Collection points: 8.00 am Plumstead, 8.15 Welling, 8.30 Bexleyheath To book contact Rosario on 01322 432487 after 7pm.

2-4 June. The Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, London. EXALUS 2000. First International Alumni Reunion of St. Xavier's. The Extravaganza of Events includes Sail in the Millennium boat from Westminster to Greenwich and Fund Raising Concert. London contact Mr. Reza Beyad. Email:
rbeyad@zeefax.com Details at: http://www.xaviers.org/exalus.htm

4 June. Wandsworth Town Hall Ex Students from Catholic Parochial and St Teresa's Boys and Girls School, Nairobi. Millennium Reunion. Norma Menezes 020-8771 4457 Menezrahim@aol.com or Tonyjo Fernandes 01895 259947.

11 June. 13:00 - G.I. Nairobi Millennium Reunion. Bishop Thomas Grant School, Beltrees Grove, Streatham, London SW16. Jacket & Tie essential. Aires Fernandes 020-8488 0194, Eddie Caldeira 020-8503-9468 or Crescent Fernandes 020-8954 0435.

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

2 July. 12:00- Aldona Association London. Feast of Saint Thomas the Apostle. White Hart Lane School Hall, White Hart Lane, London N22. For tickets please contact Tony Fernandes 020-8804-5276; Felix Fernandes 020-8800-5413; Luis Gracias 020-8764-4353; or Joanita Fernandes 01908-696-882.

9 July. 12:00- Calangute Assoc. celebrates their feast commencing with Mass. Venue: Shamyana Restaurant, 429 London Road, Norbury, SW16. Contact Ian Remedios 020-8658 7769

22 July. 20:00-24:00. Thames Cruise + Dinner Dance. Westminster Pier. 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

23 July 12.00 - 20.00. Annual Guirim/Sangolda BBQ. Ewell Sports Ground, Banstead Road, Ewell. Jane Gracias (020) 8543 5454 or Laura Pinto (020) 8644 9588.

30 July. GOA Annual Goan Festival. Bishop Lafrance School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Diego Pinto 020-8767-0663 (offers of help). Norma Menezes-Rahim 020-8771 4457(organisational arrangements). Bernie Gracias 020-8723 1322 (stall applications).

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

13 Aug. Bastora Union Feast. Mass and Social at Merton Council Hall, Kingston Road, South Wimbledon. Cornelius Monteiro.

9 Sep. HAPC 20th Anniversary Gala Ball. Flavio Gracias 020-8723 1322

REGULAR EVENTS

Last Friday each alternate (odd no.) month : 18:30-20:00 Goan Association (UK) Public Relations Dept. Speakeasy brainstorming evening. 26 May event has been cancelled though!

Asian Chaplaincy, Hammersmith 020-8563 9102. 2nd Sun. 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

Steffi D'Silva completed her first assessment and has returned to Goa.

"Oboe" Noronha (ex Nairobi) performs with the North London Symphony Orchestra. Their next concert is at 19:45 on 1 July at Trinity Church, North Finchley. Contact A. Noronha, 020-8340 0439

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

Former Chief Minister Dr Wilfred De Souza urged the government to change the medium of instruction at the primary level to English considering the telecommunications revolution taking place in the world, which has now been turned into a global village and that competence in English has become essential.

Goa's Minister for Power, Digambar Kamat lamented the poor employment facilities in India and stated that only self-employment can come to the rescue of the youth. He also highlighted the job potential in the global market like USA, Germany, etc, and urged locals to opt for opportunities in those countries.

Fundacao Oriente, celebrated its five years in India in a grand style with Festa da Musica, a truly memorable programme with a liberal sprinkling of the best musical talent in Goa. Check out some great pictures and Real Video clips at: http://www.goacom.com/culture/festademusica/index.html

A youth camp entitled Youthopia-2000 was organised with a view to start a Youth wing in the Panjim Parish,

Vasco: Suicide city. Frustration with life has been linked to the unexpected rise in suicide cases in the port town. The sudden rise in suicides, 11 cases since March, has caused alarm.

The management of a starred South Goa hotel sacked its general manager after he reportedly approached Benaulim MLA Churchill Alemao for help. Alemao contacted the hotel and threatened to create problems if the manager was not reinstated within 24 hours. The management contacted Chief Minister Francisco Sardinha. and informed him that if political interference continued there would be no option but to shut the hotel down. The Chief Minister issued instructions to the police, directing them to stop such activities. The hotel also has lodged a police complaint accusing Alemao of threatening to cause law and order problems.

Mapusa Municipal Council has decided to provide for drinking water booths, toilets, first aid counter and banking facilities at the new market complex which is under construction there.

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

11736 Traffic police gear up to tackle rising accidents. Eustaquio Santimano. Times of India 24 May.
11730 Goa-UK Teachers Exchange ends on a high. David Futers.
11715 Goan flag and pledge of honor proposed by George Pinto.
11706 Churches under threat of "building boom" Frederick Noronha
11678 Blessed Joseph Vaz Campaign update. George Pinto.

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

16 May AAP News - Australia. …" a new shipboard casino operation based in Goa, India, was nearing finalisation and operations could commence within a few months." …

19 May. Gomantak Times. Editorial. The language issue, which rocked the State in 1987, has returned and this time, in all likelihood, it will spell the end of the Sardinha government. 519 words.

*20 May. Navhind Times. "Goan beaches badly need better facilities" Pannell Kerr Forster (PKF) Consultants Pvt Ltd London office has conducted a survey of United Kingdom charter operators which reveals that charter operators are not satisfied with the hygienic and sanitary conditions in the state and maintenance of the beaches. 641 words.

*21 May. The Deccan Herald. Forty years after their departure, it is ironically the Portuguese who are helping Goa put back the sheen on its architectural and archival heritage. By Devika Sequeira. 914 words.

*23 May Times of India. NRIs' demand for independent department of Goa Government to deal with their interests awaits Government approval. 476 words

*24 May. Herald (Goa).Sonia Hillidge came to Goa in 1997 and amid popular applause, set up International Animal Rescue to look after strays. Now she has been made to leave. She's a threat to national security, it is alleged. "I believe there is a personal vendetta on to get rid of me," states Hillidge. She feel that this is due to a rival organisation whose owner has been "mean to me for utterly no reason other than pure jealousy". 810 words.