I shall be on holiday in Goa from 13 Dec. 2003 to 31 Jan. 2004. During this period a restricted newsletter service will operate. You can contact me at the usual e-mail address and urgent message will be posted in the What’s New Box at www.goanvoice.org.uk However, please send in any announcements ASAP if you wish to avoid the possibility of publication delays. Eddie Fernandes, eddie@fernandes.u-net.com

COMMUNITY NEWS

Issue 2003-45 of this newsletter carried a report from the Coventry Evening Telegraph of 6 Nov. 2003 that the 20 months suspension of Alban Barros D’Sa (ex-Nairobi), from Walsgrave Hospital had cost £600,000. The article did not make it clear that the High Court ruled that the suspension was totally unjustified and that Parliament and the media were unanimous in his support. Mr Barros D’Sa was reinstated as a NHS Consultant. He had continued with his private practice in the period of his suspension. To access the special supplement with his bio data and background of the case, click here.

On 3 Dec. the Daily Telegraph. “Mother Nature's eye problem.” The article featured Dr Francesca Cordeiro, head of the glaucoma and optic nerve research group at the Institute of Ophthalmology, London. She is developing new methods of halting the scarring processes in the retina in glaucoma with novel gene therapy and drugs to stop nerve cells from dying. For full text, 1592 words, click here.For an account of her work see also “Towards better treatment of glaucoma”, BMJ 2000;320:1619-1620 at http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/320/7250/1619 Dr Cordeiro is ex-Saligao and is married to Raj Persaud.

Thank you for feedback to the User survey. There was overall satisfaction with the present newsletter. In fact, almost everyone praised it lavishly (but I expect those who do not regard it highly did not bother to send feedback). Some felt that the Death announcement section could be eliminated but most regarded it as essential. The Goa News service appears to be equally liked and disliked. Planned changes include introducing classifieds and having a Daily Bulletin on the website with a shorter weekly newsletter. Funding will continue to be from Donations. It is hoped to have greater input from the world-wide Goan Community. If this project does not have Community support, it does not deserve to exist.

Donations received.   £20: Alfred Rebello;    £25: Dark Star Social Club; Goan Musical Society; Slough Goans; South East Goans; Thornton Heath Goans.    £100: Jerome Mendes

DEATHS

1 Dec. Los Banos (California). SISTER IRENE D. BARROS SA (born 1918). Sister Barros Sa was a native of Panjim, Goa, India. After graduating from college she worked for her father, a local doctor, as a pharmacist until she was called to be a nun. She came to the United States in 1963 and taught at Five Wounds School from 1978 to 1993. She enjoyed science and music, and played the piano and other instruments. The rosary and a Mass will be at 1 p.m. Fri. 5 Dec. at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, with burial at Los Banos District Cemetery. Source: Modesto Bee 3 Dec. Full text at:
http://www.modbee.com/obituaries/story/7846372p-8729096c.html

30 Nov. London. THEODORE MARTIN D’COSTA (ex Thika and Nairobi). Husband of late Belivia. Father of Manuel/Crista, Tim/Margaret, Aurelia/Piety, Basil/Grace.
Funeral is at 12.00 noon on Wed. 10 Dec. at Church of St Philip and St James, Poplar Walk, Herne Hill, South London. Condolences to dcostaire@ukonline.co.uk

30 Nov: Chorao, Goa. JOSEPH DE SOUZA. Husband of Filomena. Father of Lilia/Francis Vaz (UK). Brother of Denzil de Souza (London) and Maira de Souza (Lucknow).

27 Nov. Hanwell, UK. CLEM D'SOUZA (ex-Kilifi, Kenya). Husband of late Etta, Father to Gregory/Dulcina, Marshall/Dorothy, Eustace/Ruby, Grace/Eric, Tony. Grandfather to Christopher, Laura, Richard, Darren, Tracy, Tessa, Lancelot, Genevieve and Michelle.
Funeral is at 12 noon on Fri. 12th December 2003 at Sacred Heart Church, London Road, Bushey, Herts. Condolences to gpr_dsouza@hotmail.com

15 Nov. London. CAETANO ROSARIO DE SOUZA. Husband of Mabel. Son of late Elisen/late Malvina Godinho.

XMAS GREETINGS

Expressions - the Flower Shop in Goa has announced their Xmas Packages. The Deluxe Xmas Hamper (Rs. 1,750/- £23) is a satin lined Hamper containing a Flower arrangement, Greeting card, Christmas Cake, bottle of Champagne, a Christmas Stocking full of exquisite Christmas Delicacies and a natural Christmas tree in a pot. The Season's Stocking (Rs. 850/- £11) is a Christmas Stocking full of exquisite Christmas Delicacies, a Greeting card and a Flower Arrangement. Both packages include delivery anywhere in Goa on Christmas Eve. Limited stocks. 'First come - first serve' basis so don't wait till the last date (20th Dec) for ordering. Details and Order Form available at http://www.goa-world.com/expressions/xmas/ or e-mail cpinto@sancharnet.in

Help A Poor Child Goa have produced screen printed Christmas Cards (designed by local school children). These are available from Help A Poor Child UK at 50p each. All proceeds will go to help the needy children in Goa. If you are interested in purchasing some of these cards, please contact Bernie Gracias on 020 8723 1322.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

29 Nov. The Daily Telegraph. Spend Christmas Day on the beach by departing on December 13 from Manchester for 14 nights' b & b at the two-star Hotel Renton Manor in exotic Baga Beach for £616 per person through Jewel in the Crown Holidays (01293 533338, www.jewelholidays.com).

29 Nov. Birmingham Post. Goa Jewel in the Crown (01293 533338) offers 14-nights' B&B ex-Manchester Dec 4 & 6, from £429, incl local transfers.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

27 Nov. Financial Express. Martha's Breakfast Home (MBH), run by the husband and wife team of Martha & Paul D'Souza, is a fairly successful B&B tucked way in the Mapusa area of North Goa. The "breakfast" part of it rests in the backyard of the couple's ancestral home, while eight rooms plus a cottage comprise the "bed" part. The Spanish omelettes and sunnyside up egg with juicy sausages are to die for. Full text (435 words) and photograph http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=47200

29 Nov. Times of India. Mando festival turned Goa into a mini Singapore. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/328892.cms

29 Nov. Navhind Times. Dr Ehrlich Desa, Director of the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) since 1994, is leaving the Institute for the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), an arm of UNESCO, based in Paris. Dr Ehrlich Desa was born in 1947 and has a Ph D in microwaves from the University of Sheffield, UK. Full text at: http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=112929 Dr Desa’s biodata is at: http://24.46.17.81:8090/nio/jsp/director.jsp

30 Nov. Navhind Times. Goa puts up pavilion at World Tourism Mart in UK. Goa’s participation in the WTM was a success. Thousands of people visited the Goa pavilion, which proved more popular that the India pavilion. The Goan evening was attended by leading travel agents, tour operators and media people and the proceedings were enlivened by a band of Goans settled in London, who also performed Goan cultural dances, etc. Full text at
http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=113014

1 Dec. Financial Express. Profile of Chief Minister, Manohar Parrikar.
http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=47316

1 Dec. Rediff. The US-based Sam Link Group will launch a ferry catamaran service between Mumbai and Goa in the next 15 days and is planning to start passenger ship service to Maldives and UAE within the next year. The Mumbai to Goa service will take eight hours and cost Rs 1,700 (economy) and Rs 2,000 (executive). The voyage to UAE and Maldives will take about 40 hours. Full text at: http://www.rediff.com/money/2003/dec/01ship.htm

2. Dec. Times of India. A mysterious billionaire, whose identity is a closely guarded secret and who is presently on a honeymoon, is due to visit Goa for a day, arriving in a yacht, the 152-foot M/Y Montigne, said to be worth $90 million. What has brought to India is his love for curry. When he was in the UK some time ago, he would go out to eat curry every night it is claimed. Text at http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/334100.cms

4 Dec. Reuters. The BPL group has bought out AT&T Wireless Services Inc's stake in their joint mobile phone venture. Full text at:
http://www.reuters.com/locales/newsArticle.jsp?type=technologyNews&locale=en_IN&storyID=3934868

IN THE NEWS

27 Nov. The Ledger. (US). Brian Pereira, president of the National Kidney Foundation, discusses erythropoietin, or EPO, a natural hormone used primarily to treat anemia caused by cancer chemotherapy or kidney failure. For full text click here . For a profile of Dr Pereira see: www.nemc.org/medicine/pereira.htm

28 Nov. Coastweek. Mombasa Catholics Mourn Late Father Miguel De Sa who passed away on 23 Nov. He was born in Goa in 1919 and served in Zanzibar; Mombasa (1961-1964 Holy Ghost Cathedral Mombasa with Fr McSweeney); 1965-1966: Malindi; 1967-1977 Mariakani; 1978: Makupa; 1979-1988 Chonyi. Full text, 199 words at http://www.coastweek.com/2648-04.htm

28 Nov. Vancouver Sun. Douglas Nazareth, president of the Canada-India Business Council’s British Columbia chapter said that the huge pharmaceutical industry in India was developing very quickly. "They can manufacture drugs to the highest international standards and sell them in North America for far less than it costs to make them here," he said. Nazareth said the Indian film industry could generate a lot of new business for B.C. if the 2004 International Indian Film Academy awards came to Vancouver next year, He said employment in the call-centre industry in India is growing at a phenomenal rate now for two big reasons -- cheap labour and the country's high literacy rate.

30 Nov. Financial Express. Of Sun-Kissed Beaches And Lazy Afternoons. Walking alone on the beach or doing a trance-dance at a bar. No matter what your idea of fun is, Goa offers it all. http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=47293

30 Nov. The Observer. Goa by motorbike. Feature article, 3233 words, by Paul Simon. Excerpts: Forget road etiquette, all you need know is that small gives way to big, quiet gives way to loud, and everything gives way to the sacred.
…I signalled once to a bunch of boys splashing about in a river that I wanted to take their photo, and as soon as the camera reached my eye they pulled down their swimming trunks to flash me….
Full text at http://travel.guardian.co.uk/countries/story/0,7451,1096016,00.html

2 Dec. West Australian (Perth). Only one of the two English backpackers who fled the country while on bail on charges of bashing Paul de Souza in September last year will be chased by Australian authorities. Mr de Souza required seven plates and 55 screws in his face after the assault. Full text at http://www.thewest.com.au/20031202/news/general/tw-news-general-home-sto116502.html

3 Dec. Daily Mail. LIBDEM MP Paul Marsden last night faced a stinging onslaught from the outraged mother of a young woman… Miss Pinto's mother Rosaleen said, “I have strict laws about right and wrong behaviour and I base that on my Christian belief. The values of some MPs are strange.”

3 Dec. South China Morning Post (Hong Kong). When Cartier decided to launch a new range of jewellery, they “looked to Goa, a small Indian state south of Mumbai, which has been treasured for many years by travellers, poets and artists for its cultural diversity and natural splendour.” They have called the new collection Delices de Goa. "The stones used in Delices de Goa are reminiscent of the colours of the sea, the sky and all the naturalness in Goa.”

4 Dec. Gulf Daily News (Bahrain). The Young Goans Club's two-day Golden Jubilee celebration kicked off with special prayers last night. Full text at:
http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Articles.asp?Article=68262&Sn=BNEW

FORTHCOMING

See http://www.lanfranc.com/publications/location/directions.htm for help in locating Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon

Sat, 6 Dec. From midday. Anya Souza, daughter of F.N. Souza (see http://goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/AnyaSouza.html) is having an exhibition cum sale of her work at 15D Belsize Crescent, London NW3 5QY

Sat. 6 Dec.: YLGS Christmas Party (Thames Boat Cruise & Disco) from 7pm-11pm on M.V. Erasmus. Tickets £15. STRICTLY ONLY 250 TICKETS. For More Info & Tickets, contact Myra 0798 449 6221 or funds@ylgs.org.uk

Sat 6 Dec. Thornton Heath Goans. Celebrate the Feast of St Francis Xavier. Mass at 6p.m. in St. Andrew Church, Brook Road, Thornton Heath followed by a social. Music by "Take Note". Limited tickets at £8 includes meal with a drink. Children under 12 free admission. Call Juliette DeMenezes 0208 765 0258.

Sun. 7 Dec. G.O.A. FEAST OF St FRANCIS XAVIER at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon starting with Mass at 12.30 pm. Choir by the GOAN MUSICAL SOCIETY Contacts: Diego Pinto 020 - 8767 0663 Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 - 8771 4457 Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322

Sun. 7 Dec. Swindon, Wiltshire. Feast of St Francis Xavier celebrated by the newly formed Goan Wiltshire Welfare Association (GWWA). Mass at 1.00 pm at the Community Centre, Cranmore Ave, Park South, Swindon followed by a get-together to mark the first formal function of the GWWA. All Goans are invited. Entry fee £8, adults and £4 children above 10 yrs. Call Angelo DeMello, 01793-831377 or email nigerald@yahoo.com

SOLD OUT Sat. 13 Dec. 7.30pm to late. Christmas Dance at Jasmin’s Club.

Sun. 14 Dec. G.O.A. Children's Christmas Party at Archbishop Lanfranc School 1pm to 5.30pm. Tickets: Members £5 per child, Guests £7.50 per child inclusive of kiddies meal and entertainment. Caterer & Licensed bar available. Contacts: Ilona Fernandes 020 - 8300 5347, Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 - 8771 4457, Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322

Sun. 14 Dec. 1:00pm- 4pm. The South East Goans Sports & Social Club: Children's Christmas Party. St. Stephen's Parish Hall, 26 Deepdene Road, Welling, Kent. Includes Food and Drink, Entertainer, Competitions, Prizes, Games and Nativity Play. Members at £4.00 and Guests at £5.00. Contacts: Evelyn: 01322 433393; Chris: 01322 400732; Victor: 020 8303 5106; Terry: 01322 449486.

Sun 21 Dec. 4pm - The Asian Chaplaincy. Children's Konkani Mass and Christmas Party will be celebrated at Our Lady & St Christopher's Catholic Church, 32 High Street, Cranford, Middlesex.

Fri. 26 Dec.12.00 – 6.00. South East Goans Family Fun Day. St. Stephen's Hall, Welling. All proceeds go to Mother Teresa Home in Panjim. Food and Snacks available. Donations in cash or prizes are most welcome. Adults £2 and Child £1. Book early as hall capacity only 135. Contact: Victor on 02083035106; Alex on 02083030974 or committee members.

Fri 26 Dec. 7pm till 1am. Slough Goans Christmas Dance at the Polish Association Club, Stoke Poges Lane. Music by 'Say One Do One'. Tickets £10 before 8th Dec. and £12 after. Tony/Suzy Rodrigues 01753 675072, Edwin 01753 531383, Felix 0208 6404151 Say1do1@hotmail.com Limited Tickets.

Sun 28 Dec. 4pm - The Asian Chaplaincy. Konkani Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady & St Christopher's Catholic Church, 32 High Street, Cranford, Middlesex.

Wed 31 Dec. (6.30pm till 3.00am). Dark Star Social Club. New Year's Eve Gala Ball at Harrow Leisure Centre, Byron Hall (capacity 1400), Christchurch Avenue, Harrow (nearest station Harrow & Wealdstone). Music by CALIBRE and DARK STAR. Tickets: Adult £15; Child £10. Contacts: Derrick Pereira 020-8952 8899; Hazel Rodrigues 020-8357 6776; Bernie Gracias 020-8723 1322; Savio Pereira 020-8679 4331.

Wed. 31 Dec. (7pm till late). The Saligao Association (London) is holding its New Year’s Eve Ball at Tolworth Recreation Centre, Tolworth, Fullers Way North, Surrey, KT6 7LQ. Music by 'Guava Groove'. Members £17, Guests £19. Meals and snacks are included. Further details from Zemira Fernandes 01895 259947, Marlene Vaz 020 8669 5838, Sergio Coelho 020 8543 4681, Julius Sequeira 020 8460 6385

Wed. 31st Dec. (7pm till 12:30am). The South East Goans Sports & Social Club: New Year s Eve Ball at the Woolwich Town Hall, Market Street, London, SE18. Music and Disco by Mustang & Say One Do One . Entry inc. snacks: Members £14; Guests £18. Contacts: Eusebio: 020 8304 9089; Alex:020 8306 0974; Evelyn: 01322 433393; Chris: 01322 400732; Victor: 020 8303 5106; Bonnie:020 8851 4677; Terry: 01322 449486.

Sat. 3 Jan. G.O.A. GOAN EXTRAVAGANZA at Wandsworth Town Hall from 7.00 pm. Music by Calibre and Say One Do One. Further details from - Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 - 8771 4457 Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322

FOR LATER EVENTS SEE http://www.goanvoice.org.uk