Publication of this newsletter has switched to Thursdays (13.00 GMT)

COMMUNITY NEWS

Kenya will honour its athletes in Nairobi on 25 Jan.. Seraphino Antao has been invited for the celebrations and arrives there on Fri., 24 Jan. at 6.40am on flight KQ101. He can be contacted at the Safari Park Hotel in Thika Road, Nairobi where he will be for 4 days.
From http://www.kenyaweb.com/sports/athletics/ Seraphino "The Gazelle" Antao wins gold in the 100m and 200m races becoming the first Kenyan to win a gold medal in the Commonwealth games. See him in action at www.runningpast.com/sportscasters/antao.jpg

Telediscount announced on 20 Jan. that telephone call rates to India, including Goa, have been slashed to 10p/min (25p/min to mobiles). No pre-payment or account needed. Call 0871 9 998 998 and when you get the dial tone, key in the Goa tel. number: 00-91-832-1234-567for example. Your normal service provider will bill you for the call. Details at http://www.telediscount.co.uk/ Calls to Canada, US, Australia and most of Europe cost 1p/min.
BTW. Did you know that you can send free short text messages to mobiles in Goa by e-mailing mobilenumber@attcell.net for 9822 numbers and mobilenumber@bplcell.com for 9823 ones.

From Mail On Sunday, 19 Jan.: On June 3, 2001, we said solicitor Mrs Maria Fernandes helped a Venezuelan banker avoid normal immigration procedures and obtain a British passport. We now accept that Mrs Fernandes did nothing improper in this matter. We also accept she correctly informed the Filkin Parliamentary inquiry that accounts for Mapesbury Communications Ltd were filed by a man who later died. We apologise for any embarrassment caused.

On Mon. 17 Feb. 2003, Fado singer Mariza performs at London QEH. She is from Mozambique and her grand-mother came from Goa. She is "destined to become one of the world's great divas" according to The Sunday Times. From The Independent, 22 Sep. 2002: In 1975, the family returned to Lisbon, where they opened a little restaurant known as Anabela's, after her mother who cooked "African, with a touch of Goan, and very well". Her CD is available on World Connection / Proper in the UK. Her UK tour, 14 Feb to 2 Mar., includes performances at Manchester, Basingstoke, Coventry, Dublin, Belfast, Bristol, Gateshead and Edinburgh. The London date is selling very fast and will sell out soon. In May she will perform in Miami and New York. More info at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/world/womad2002/biog_mariza.shtml http://www.worldmusicportal.com/Artists/European/Portugal/mariza.htm http://www.ritmoartists.com/Mariza/mariza.htm

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From Rene Barreto: Goa Unseen - a photographic exhibition by James Taylor runs to 20 Feb. at Foyles gallery, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H. Open from 9.30am to 8pm Mon-Sat, 12pm-6pm Sun. Entrance is free.

DEATHS

18 Jan: Nuvem, Goa: LUIS FD PEREIRA (Ex-Dar-es-Saalam): husband of Benny, father of Mauricia/Victor Hugo, August/Rita (Canada), Annie/Trevor (Muscat), Janet/Pio (Dubai), Maggie/Dr Eddie.

19 Jan. San Diego, California. MRS HELTRUDE PINTO , nee D'Souza. (ex Mombasa, Kenya). Wife of the late Seby Pinto. Mother of Neville Pinto, Mervyn Pinto, (San Diego). Sister to Alexander, John (London), the late Dr Max. C. De Souza and Arminda (Goa). All ex Mombasa. Condolences to nevillepinto@cox.net or John@jaa.globalnet.co.uk

20 Jan. Toronto. IMMACULATE ANGELA COELHO. Sister of Sircula, Elma and Magneric (Anthony). (Ex-Nairobi) .Funeral was on 23 Jan.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES
mainly from Joel D'Souza in Goa, courtesy of GOACOM

The first two-day International Kite Festival took off at the Vagator beach in North Goa on January 18. Joel's report and brilliant photographs are at http://www.goacom.com/news/clippings/kites/kites.html

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Agnelo Pires, a Goan poet based at Miami-Florida for the last ten years, has been awarded the International Poet of Merit Silver Bowl Award by the International Society of Poets at a function held recently in Washington.

Goa plans to go gaga... all night long. Goa's carnival celebrations will be held Feb. 1-4. This year there will also be big midnight beach events along the Calangute-Baga-Candolim stretch. Economic Times 20 Jan. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/cms.dll/html/uncomp/articleshow?artid=34899077

The laterite structure of the 350-year-old Patto bridge seems to be under attack by crabs, which is found to be weakening the bridge, according to PWD reports. Herald 21 Jan.
http://www.oherald.com/newherald/newsBRN.asp?qId=1330&qSec=BRN&qNType=R

Oliver Sean's debut album, I LIKE IT is scheduled to be aired on MTV on January 22. The album was conceptualized in London where it was telecast by Sky TV and other channels across Europe and America. He is the son of Goa's veteran musician, late Victor Alvares. His website, http://www.geocities.com/stud_man_98/ has links to his MP3 downloads

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IN THE NEWS

11 Jan. Drapers Record. Warren Noronha, Kim Jones and Jens Laugesen are to receive Topshop New Generation sponsorship for catwalk shows at the autumn 03 presentations at London Fashion Week. See his Spring/Summer 03 show and the earlier one here.

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14 Jan. Bristol Evening Post. Headline: Get Hitched in Goa. Thomas Cook is the first UK operator to launch Goa as a wedding destination. From October 2003 to April 2004 Thomas Cook will fly twice a week to Goa from Gatwick and on Saturdays from Manchester. Thomas Cook offers wedding packages at four hotels in Goa, and there are basic, deluxe and exotic wedding packages to choose from. Prices start at £1,869 per couple, including a basic wedding package, departing from Gatwick between April 15-30, based on two adults sharing a double room at the four-star Majorda Beach Hotel for seven nights on a bed and breakfast basis. Goa will also be included in the brand new brochure to be launched by Thomas Cook on 30 January. For Full text, 332 words, click here.. For a Goa wedding guide, see: http://goacom.com/culture/wedding_guide/

15 Jan. The Southland Times (New Zealand). There are certain towns on the regular Asian trail - Bali, Kathmandu and Goa - that travellers retreat to when in need of some respite, medication perhaps and replenishment of kit.
They might also succumb to some Western-style indulgence while they're there. Such towns, ideally, are of manageable size and offer just enough to do so as not to overtax. They often have an atmosphere conducive to art.

19 Jan. Daily Record, New Jersey …Last week, a high-level governmental official from Goa, a state in India, met in a Morristown restaurant reception with Goans living in the United States. When asked about the dual citizenship, Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the new law would funnel support back into India.
"It can help India by way of getting back with their own citizens who have migrated for better opportunities," Parrikar said. "It can be greatly useful in the sense that it can keep the ties."… Full text at: http://www.dailyrecord.com/news/03/01/19/news5-india.htm

20 Jan. PR Newswire (US): Mr Parrikar at San Jose. Excerpt: Mr. Manohar Parrikar, the Chief Minister of the Indian State of Goa, regaled the audience with stories about how he went from winning elections for student government positions in IIT to successfully running a major Indian state. He underlined the importance of setting high ethical standards in politics, and said that his proudest achievement as an IIT alumnus has been in showing that "good politicians can make a difference." For Full text, click here..

20 Jan. Ulster TV. Rats in kitchens, cockroach infestation and a wardrobe being used as a toilet were some of the complaints received by Holiday TravelWatch and include 17 from the Sun Village resort in Goa. The watchdog's founder, Brenda Wall said, ``The hotel in Goa constitutes serious health hazards to anyone staying there. The standards are barbaric and should never have been offered to British holidaymakers." Full text at http://u.tv/newsroom/indepth.asp?pt=n&id=27889 Other reports regarding this appeared in the Evening Times (Scotland), Evening Standard (London), The Scotsman.

21 Jan. Hindustan Times . Catarina Portas, a journalist with the Portuguese edition of Marie Claire first visited Goa in 1990 when she was 19. She has made 7 visits since and has published a book, Goa: Historia de Um Encontro (Goa: The Story Of An Encounter), which is already into its second edition. Full text and photograph at: http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/674_141693,00310001.htm

In the British Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 182, p57-62, 2003 Vikram Patel describes an evaluation of a community based rehabilitation program for schizophrenia in a rural region of India. His new book, 'Where There Is No Psychiatrist' is published this month, price £8. Further details from http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/publications/gaskell/75_7.htm

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Sociocultural determinants of contraceptive method choice in Goa and Kerala. By Rajaretnam, T. Journal of Family Welfare Vol 46; Part 2, p. 1-11.

FORTHCOMING

(for a list of events scheduled for the next 12 months, see:http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/forthcoming.htm)

Sun. 26 Jan. 1.30pm - Commemoration Mass to honour the Birth Anniversary of VEN. FR. AGNELO DE SOUZA will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, Wellesley Road, West Croydon. For details please contact Felix DeSouza on 020 8686 1876

Sun 26 Jan. 4.00 p.m. Konkani Mass in Honour of Blessed Joseph Vaz, Patron of Goa to be held at Our Lady and St. Christopher's Church, Cranford. Contact Fr. Oliver Antao, Asian Chaplaincy 020 8563 9102

Fri 31 Jan: YLGS (Young London Goans Society) Free membership, 18+ Monthly Meet Up 6pm - late. Venue: Los Locos Bar/Restaurant, 24/26 Russell Street, Convent Garden, London WC2. NEW MEMBERS WELCOME! Contact: Alison 07799 586793 alisonbraganza@hotmail.com Marie 07958 373076 marie.pereira@talk21.com or James 0795 739 5811 goateez@yahoo.com

Fri. 31 Jan. 21:00. (60 mins.) TV programme. Channel: Discovery - Travel & Adventure. Megan McCormick explores western India, from Rajasthan through to Mumbai, then south to Pune and the sun-drenched beaches of Goa.

Sat. 8 Feb. Goan Association (UK) Youth Disco at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon at 7pm. Music by Nite Life. Entrance £3. Bring your own drinks. Food available. Contact: Lily/Tony D'Souza 020-8644 5310, Wilma/Cedric D'Cruz 020-8954 1596, Leanne Rodrigues 020-8349 3844, Monica Lobo 020-8672 9509, Diego Pinto 020-8767 0663.
http://www.lanfranc.com/publications/location/map/full_map_tl.htm

Fri. 14 Feb. 7-11pm. Valentine's Disco at the Goan Community Centre, Keston Rd. N17 for the youth aged 13-19.Dance to the sensational DJDEX, sound system by 'Say One Do One' Just £2 inc. food . Great Fun! For tickets contact Dexter 8376 1068/07986 658 0460/Sarita 07961 044 079 email djdex_sosolidcrew@hotmail.com or tickness_2000@hotmail.com

Sat. 15 Feb. From 7pm.Valentine's Night at the Goan Community Centre. Live band 'Nuvel Vision' playing your old tyme favourites remembering 'them good ole days'. Relive that night! Come & join in the game of Mr & Mrs to reveal how well you know (or don't know) your partner! Tickets £5. No objection to bringing your own food & drink. Contact candyrose2000@hotmail.com or Josephine 8967 7471 or Maria 8376 1609.

Sun. 23 Feb. 2.00p.m. Goan Heritage (U.K), formerly Youth Of Goa (U.K). By public demand, second show of the Tiatr "Asro" (Shelter). At Archbishop Lanfranc School Hall, Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey. For tickets please contact Felix Gonsalves on 020 8450 2129,Jimmy Braganza on 020 8450 5623, Fr. Oliver Antao on 020 8563 9102. http://www.lanfranc.com/publications/location/map/full_map_tl.htm

Sun 2 Mar. 12.20 pm Mungul Feast at White Hart Lane School Hall, White Hart Lane (Opp New River Sports Centre) Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass followed by a Social, Music by Breakthru and the Sounds Of Nitelife ( Disco). For Tickets and further details please contact: Rosalind - 0208 767 8652, Rosy - 0208 352 9450 or Lucas - 0209 967 7471.
Map at http://www.whatsgoingon.demon.co.uk/albion/hls/riverfinal/rivermap.htm

Sun 2 Mar. 12.30 pm. Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Spring Gala Dance in aid of St Michael's Parish Hall, Mitcham. Music Maz and Co. Tickets £12 inc. meal. Contact Norma Rodrigues, 0208 764 3664. http://www.lanfranc.com/publications/location/map/full_map_tl.htm