Current membership = 674. Tell your friends about the newsletter and help make it an effective Community channel.

FORTHCOMING

24 Feb. 7 p.m. Goan Association UK "VIVA CARNIVAL" at Bishop Thomas Grant School, Streatham. MUSIC/DANCING TO THE EVER POPULAR SAY ONE DO ONE DISCO. NOT TO BE MISSED: SPECTACULAR SHOW BY RIO LATINO. Dance to exotic Latin beat, plus cabaret. Fancy Dress optional. Tickets: Members and dependants over 12, £4; Guests £6; Children under 12 free. Available from Bernie Gracias 020-8723 1322 berniegracias@aol.com or Norma Menezes-Rahim, 020-8771 4457 menezrahim@aol.com.

25 Feb. 12:00- The Mungul Union [UK ] celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. White Hart Lane School Hall, White Hart Lane, London N22. Music by Silver Stardust. A Carnival Queen will also be selected. Tickets £7 inc. meal. Children £3. Contact Mr Cos Fernandes 020-8884 3124. Robert Fernandes 020-8524 1762. Xavier Fernandes 020 8360 9329. Rosy D'Silva 020-8352 9450.

3 Mar. 1.40- p.m.- The Family of St. Philomena will be celebrating Holy Mass at the English Martyrs Church, 2 Mitcham Lane, Streatham, SW16. Talk commences at 1.40 p.m. The chief celebrant is Monsignor G. Braschi, Director of St. Philomena's Shrine in Mugnano, Italy (very special occasion). Contact Philomena 020 8769-4254 for further details.

16 Apr. 12 noon - 10 p.m. Goan Community Millennium Celebration in conjunction with the Goan Association(UK) on Easter Monday at the Goan Community Centre, Keston Road, London N15. Opening Ceremony by the Mayor of Haringey at 12 noon. Stalls. Performance Football nearby in Downhills Park. Entertainment in Keston Centre from 2-6 p.m. followed by dancing to live band. Disco for the youth will be in the Goan Community Centre. Entrance £1 for 16 yrs and over. Event to accommodate 2000 people covering the areas of the Park & the two Halls so everyone is welcome. Ample car parking. If you wish to put up a stall or participate in the entertainment contact Nina Pinto on 020 8767 0663 or Candy on 020 8245 4513:e-mail candyrose2000@hotmail.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

From Candy Fernandes: Goan Community Assoc. North London: Thanks to everyone who attended the open day and enrolled for various classes. There are still some vacancies, for GCSE, Key Stage 1,2,3, Konkanim/English, Konkanim, Drama, Keep Fit, Line Dancing, IT. We hope to begin in March. 'KUWC' have already begun, to help parents assist their children in Literacy. These have been very successful, therefore the Council will continue with Numeracy. Just call 0958 355 784 and leave your name and phone no. or e-mail candyrose2000@hotmail.com leave the subject as 'Classes'.

Patricia Rozario - some forthcoming performances: (1) 27 Feb -- 7.30 PM at the Purcell Room. A chamber music recital with the Endymion Ensemble. Music by Tavener, Hildegard von Bingen, Webern and Part. (2) 8 March --7.45 PM at the QEH South Bank. Part of the Festival of Byzantine Music, Patricia sings with the London Chamber Choir. (3) 22 & 30 March St. John's, Smith Square. A solo song Recital -voice and piano. Songs by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Tavener (a World Premiere). Book early as it is already half sold.

Correction to issue of 10 Feb. The Millennium International Goan Pilgrimage to Aylesford Priory. Kent is on 23rd June not 3rd June. The correct e-mail address of the contact, Shirley Gonsalves, is xuelian55@hotmail.com tel. 01634 843510. There is going to be Art and craft, drama, story telling, music and debate workshops, culminating with Mass.

Should Keith Vaz Resign? Go to http://www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk/ and cast your vote online

DEATHS

15 Feb. Benaulim. MANUEL SANTANO FERRAO (Ex-Dar-es-Salaam), husband of Pedrinha, father of Paul/Filu, Valerian/Laurine, Reginald/Rosy, Constancio, Evaristo and Maria/Fermino.

18 Feb. Lisbon. ANGELA GRACIAS E COLLACO. (93), Daughter of J.A. Ismael Gracias. Widow of Manuel Collaco. Mother of Oscar & Odette Collaco; Fernando & Silvia Colaco; Manuela Colaco & Custodio Dias; Ivette Colaco; Alvaro & Adilia Colaco. Grand-Mother of 1) Rui & Graca Collaco, Carlos Collaco, Sonia Collaco, Rosa Collaco, 2) Teresa Colaco, Ronaldo Colaco, 3) Angela Colaco Dias & Antonio Ferra, Luz Colaco Dias, Jose & Sandra Colaco Dias, Joao e Bete Colaco Dias, Paulo e Bernadette Colaco Dias (London), 5) Heloisa Colaco, Anaisa Colaco. Great-grand-mother of Carlos and Carla Coutinho and great-great-grand-mother of David Coutinho. Funeral on Wed. 21 Feb from Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz, Carnide, Lisbon.

FLIGHT CORNER

Last Stop. Tel:0870 055 0310. Quote Ref: Travelfind. From Manchester Goa. Dep.01/03/01. BB. 2w. £259

Hays Travel. Tel:0870 1200 544 Quote Ref: Travelfind From :Gatwick . Dep 03/03/01 or 31/03/01. BB. 2w. £269

Midland Coop at http://www.extratravel.co.uk/ has Gatwick-Goa 2 week Dep 23 Feb: £199. 9 Mar: £239. 16 Mar: £249. Tel. 0800 3899553

17 Feb. Telegraph. Goa. £399 Depart March 1. B & b at the three-star Horizon Hotel in Calangute. Airtours (0870 241 5339). £409 Depart February 22. B & b at the Ondas do Mar, Candolim, for 14 nights. JMC (0870 758 0194). £847 March with scheduled flight via Bombay. Room only at the Fort Aguada Beach Resort. Trailfinders (020 7938 3939).

17 Feb. The Guardian. Grab some winter sun in Goa with Hayes & Jarvis (087089 89 890). A seven-night stay departing between 3 and 24 March costs from pounds 445 per person. Return flights from Gatwick, transfers and B&B accommodation at the Alphaville Hotel in north Goa are included in the price.

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

Steven White, the official of the recently launched International Indian Football Supporters Club, was accorded a warm welcome at Dabolim airport on Feb. 16. Rene Barretto, co-ordinator of IFSC, along with the officials of the Goa United Football Academy and Goan football fans were present on the occasion. See: http://oherald.com/sports/sat-sport1.htm

Last Saturday over 1,000 motorcyclists crowded Institute Menezes Braganza Hall, Panjim for the meeting organised by Aires Rodrigues to protest against the compulsory use of helmets. A Motorcycle Action Group was formed to fight the proposal.

This week in Goa 19 people have been arrested and fined Rs.1000 each for smoking in public.

Skin, Margaret Mascarenhas' first novel, published by Penguin, has received rave reviews. Read the review by Fred Noronha at: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2001/feb/msg00052.html

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

Introducing a new service - Audio-visual news from Goa compiled by Joel D'Souza. See http://www.goacom.com/news/

The February issue of GoaNOW is at www.goacom.com/goanow

*17 Feb. Leicester Mercury. Minister under pressure - Keith Vaz Interview. Excerpts: These have been three extraordinary weeks…My mother has obviously been kept away from the newspapers because she is very ill. My wife Maria has her own independent life…I've had around 50 letters of support from outside the constituency…a chap rang me up and said he was offered money by a newspaper to come down to Parliament to punch me on the nose… 1323 words Click here.....

*18 Feb. Independent on Sunday. Insiders' guide to Goa. By David Abram. Excerpts: The venality and bare-faced corruption of local politicians has even the most sossegarde ("laid-back") Goans seething…A big topic is the tribulations of the British Minister for Europe, Keith Vaz, whose family hail from Goa…No respectable Goan would be seen dead at The Nine Bar in Ozran, Vagator - sun-tanned young foreigners in skimpy "fluoro" outfits, tattoos and piercings…Goa has become a favourite bolthole for well-heeled Mumbaikars (Bombay-ites). Few Goans, however, would consider returning the compliment. Wealthy locals tend to hang out on the verandas of their own gorgeous Portuguese era palacios… 908 words. Click here...

*18 Feb. Mail on Sunday and 19 Feb. Evening Standard. India's green and pleasant land. By Lesley Thomas. Excerpts: 'We enjoy this place so much,' said Mrs Diana Good, from Rye in Sussex, who with husband John was making a 13th visit. 'The lovely weather, the food, the Goan people. Each time we leave there are tears all round.'…There are men with nasty looking implements who offer to clean your ears, a Dr Biswas offers cures for 'secret' diseases, and an old woman claims she can get you a new wife…people live in tidy houses on the banks of the warm, green water, and fish and travel in boats called Hail Mary, Immaculate and, somewhat puzzlingly, Infant Mary. 1305 words Click here....

*19 Feb. Toronto Star. My eyes have seen the glory of Goa's own patron saint. by Rosie Dimanno. Travel article on visit to Old Goa. 1311 words.
Text at: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2001/feb/msg00057.html

*21 Feb. Times of India. British racism and the tale of two Lords. [Re. Lord Bhikhu Parekh and Lord Meghnad Desai views on the Hindujas and Keith Vaz].
Text at: http://www.timesofindia.com/210201/21worl10.htm 959 words