HAPPY NEW YEAR

FORTHCOMING

6 Jan GOAN ASSOCIATION 2001 GOAN EXTRAVAGANZA
Wandsworth Town Hall Civic Suite - 7 p.m.
Music by Calibre and Disco Say One Do One
Contact: Norma Menezes-Rahim on 0208 771 4457email: menezrahim@aol.com Or Bernie Gracias 0208 723 1322 email:berniegracias@aol.com

THE GOAN CULTURAL SOCIETY UK An Extraordinary General meeting will held on Saturday 6th January 2001 at 6.00 pm, in St Luke room, St Paul's Church, Station Road, Woodgreen. The hall is located behind the church and access is via Bradley Road. Anyone interested in Singing, Acting or Dancing in our next production is welcome.

COMMUNITY NEWS

New Years Honours List Patricia Rozario received the OBE in the New Year's Honours this year for "services to opera". On 23 Dec. Patricia sang (soprano) in Handel's Messiah at the Royal Albert Hall with the London Symphony Orchestra.

The Goan Association(UK) The Board of Directors of GA (UK) Ltd, wish to convey to all its members, their best wishes for a Happy New Year.

The adjourned AGM/EGM of the Goan Assocation UK has been scheduled for Sunday 21st January 2001 at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. If business is not concluded on that day, the meeting(s) will continue the following Sunday at the same venue.

On the social front the Goan Association is holding a 2001 Extravaganza on Saturday 6th January 2001 at Wandsworth Town Hall.

THE INTERNATIONAL GOAN CONVENTION
A Superb Show of Goan Togetherness
Based on Report from "Joel D'Souza" <goanow@goatelecom.com>

The Second International Goan Convention organised by the World Wide Goans and the Institute Menezes Braganza, on December 30 in Panjim, was a grand success. The gala event with music, song, discussion and the presence of VVIPS and a large gathering of Goanswith several NRIS, netters and non-Goan wellwishers--confirmed that the 'crab mentality' (if any) was held in "suspended animation" for a while, allowing Goans of all shades to get together to discuss issues relevant/significant to Goa and also to ponder over why Goans in the State and those elsewhere view issues differently. Many of the Goans gathered there heard the guest of honour Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar for the first time, as he assured good governance. He was agreeable to the demand for an NRI cell but explained the difficulties in his way.

Goans also saw how tall and tough India's former super cop Julio Ribeiro was. Julio blamed corrupt politicians and even businessmen for the rising levels of corruption in the country. He said a few words in Marathi and apologised for his inability to express himself in Konkani.

The grand Goan event took off with Basilio Magno's "Proud to be a Goan", followed by "3 Wishes" sung by Evans Mendonca from Honkong, Konkani songs by Vee-am & Raisa Braganza, and children performing Anita Pinto's poem "I have a dream". George Pinto of Goan Institute of San Francisco and his wife Harriet, released the book "Of Umbrellas, Goddesses and Dreams: Essays on Goan Culture and Society" by Robert S Newman.

In his welcome address Aires Rodrigues, the convenor of the World Wide Goans, made a passionate please for an NRI cell. There were presentations by Tony Cordeiro, Ligia Noronha, Dr Peter D'Souza, Fr Romuald D'Souza and George Pinto's "A Vision on Goa". Papers of Dr Teotonio R de Souza, Dilip Sanvordekar and Santosh Helekar were also presented. Srinivas V S Dempo, chairman of the Dempo group of Companies and Balkrishna Sonde, vice chancellor of the Goa University, also spoke on the occasion. Emiliano da Cruz and his group entertained the audience during the lunch break. Several awards were distributed on the occasion. The Manovikas School of Margao, bagged the prestigious Goacom-CSI award of Rs.20,000 presented by Goacom Infosys Private Ltd.

Towards the end, Eddie Fernandes read out the Plan of Action and the Convention's resolution, before Chandrakant Keni, Vice chairman of the IMB, proposed a vote of thanks.

It has to be noted that virtually each one of the eminent speakers applauded Aires Rodrigues, whovirtually single-handedly--proved his organisational/planning abilities to confirm that Goans can get together with a little bit of effort to demand a Goa of their "dreams", the desired "change" in attitudes to be in tune with the times..

Message from President of World Wide Goans
From: "Tony Correia-Afonso" <tonyca@goatelecom.com>
To Goans World-Wide Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2000 11:32:04 +0530
As the newly-elected President of World Wide Goans, on behalf of my wife Marina and myself, our Committee and the organisation, I would like to extend compliments of the season and best wishes for Happy New Year to all Goans at home and abroad. We hope and pray that it brings Peace and Happiness for us all! I would also like to take this opportunity to appeal to all Goans concerned with the future of their motherland for their support and co-operation in our efforts to bring Goans world wide closer together and to thank our Convenor Aires Rodrigues for his outstanding achievements in this regard during the past two years.

Tony Correia-Afonso.

DEATHS

JOSE (CAIPHAS) DE SOUZA (ex Nairobi) from Kenton, Harrow died on 24/12/00. Husband of Robertina and father of Maria/Peter, Dominic/Clara and Felix/Jessica.

In Beford on 28th December 2000 - BENTO De SOUZA (ex Nairobi), husband of Gladys, father of Gwen, Celeste and Louise/Joe and grandfather of Mark and Steven. Funeral has been arranged for 11th January 2001 at St Josephs RC Church in Bedford, followed by cremation at Norse Crematorium.

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

G O A W E A T H E R After a slightly cold spell and a few showers, the weather is warming up in Goa. The temperature is 30.6 deg C at 11.30 am. The day is bright and sunny. The gentle breeze of the last couple of days has flown away.

BOAT CRUISE OPERATORS CAUTIONED: Following a report in the "Gomantak Times" of December 4, the Captain of Ports has declared that the department will take action against the boat tour operators, who ply vehicles with tourists or otherwise without registration, proper manning, insurance and requisite certificates on board the vessel.

FUNDING FOR CULTURE: CM Parrikar said on December 1 that the Goa government will soon formulate a policy for granting financial assistance and incentives to organisations, for holding programmes of renowned artists from the country capable of attracting tourist inflow in State. (GT)

TOURISTS DROWNED: The body of Allaudin Alibhai, a British national who had gone for a swim at the Calangute beach, was found at the beach on January 2. Ms Margirta of Bangalore, who pulled away by a strong current at the Arambol beach, where she was swimming with her friends. An unidentified foreigner was found dead in a well at Anjuna. (H)

NORTH INDIA IN DARKNESS: The entire North India, which is reeling under bitter cold wave conditions, plunged into total darkness on January 2 due to a major power failure in the early hours, paralysing railway service, water supply, hospitals, banking operations and telephone services.

SIOLIM ZAGOR: The Siolim zagor, one of the rarest Hindu-Catholic joint socio-religious events in Goa, was celebrated at coastal Gudem in western Siolim, on January 1. The zagor, an ethnic dance drama performed in Gudem for more than 600 years, was followed by a Konkani tiatr in which the bulk of the participants were Hindus. The colourful, nocturnal programme attracts a large crowd of people every year from Siolim and the surrounding villages. Besides those coming to watch the zagor and the tiatr, many come to play the "ghoddghoddo" (a sort of traditional gambling. (GN)