Newsletter. Issue 2006-14. Apr. 06, 2006
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COMMUNITY NEWS

Profile: Rommel Pereira: The Metropolitan Housing Partnership
6 Apr: The Telegraph (UK). Rommel Pereira, after a long career in banking, may well be a real millionaire. But he certainly no longer works in the internet industry, having made a transition from dotcom mover-and-shaker to chief operating officer of the Metropolitan Housing Partnership. From Imperial College London … Ernst & Young … Reuters … Midland Bank … Chase Manhattan … For full text, 1075 words, click here.
Rommel Pereira was born in Nairobi in 1960, the son of Milton and Regina Pereira (Teacher, St Teresa’s School). He himself went to school there and the family emigrated to UK in 1973. His Goan roots are in Margao (father) and Betalbatim (mother).

One of India's 25 Hottest Young Executives: Francisco D'Souza
26 Mar: Business Today. Francisco D'Souza 36, Chief Operating Officer, Cognizant-The Accidental Indian.…At 24, he was already a co-founder of Cognizant Technology Solutions, an American IT services company that was created to leverage the India advantage. Today, he is Chief Operating Officer of the same company … D'Souza himself is a bit of a cultural chameleon. He was born in Nairobi and has studied all over the world …
Francisco D’Souza was born in Nairobi on 23 Aug, 1968, the son of Sushila and Placido D'Souza (born in 1933, ex-Anjuna, Goa ex India’s Consul General in New York and High Commissioner in Port of Spain, Hong Kong and Nairobi). His sisters are Jacinta, Lucia and Maria (one of GoaNet’s very first members). Francisco attended University of East Asia, Macau and Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh. He recently married Ines, a Brazilian.
For links to more information about Francisco D’Souza click here.

Indira Fernandes: Fashion tips in the bag
29 Mar: Parramatta Advertiser (Sydney, Australia). Year 10 and 11 students have taken a novel approach to re-using garbage and shopping bags, transforming them into plastic couture … "This is a small but significant way to assist the council program of making the community environmentally conscious," said Visual Arts Co-ordinator Indira Fernandes [ex-Mombasa].

Kuwait Goans Complain of Neglect
1 Apr: Goanet. A 3-member delegation of the NRI – Goa Facilitation Centre visit to Kuwait to appraised themselves of the problems faced by Goans … A sense of discontentment was expressed by a few attendees over the fact that despite three year of existence of the NRI Goa Facilitation Centre nothing concrete has really happened. [Post by Rabindra Pimenta] Click here.

Dubai Goans demand better treatment
1 Apr: Emirates Evening Post. Even as Goans in Dubai met up with a three-member delegation of the NRI - Goa Facilitation Centre appointed by the Governor of Goa to pour out their woes at a hotel last evening, they were dismayed over the step-motherly treament meted out to them by their state government.
For Eugene Correia’s report via GoaNet, part 1 click here. For part 2 click here.

Hockey: Kenya: Mombasa Institute hit Goan Institute 3-2
3 Apr: The Standard. Mombasa Institute registered their second league win at the weekend when they hit Goan Institute 3-2. Mombasa Institute beat Usiu 2-1 two weeks ago. Mombasa Sports Club lost 2-0 to Goan Institute at the former’s ground. Click here.

Probe into Mumbai wardrobe malfunctions
4 Apr: BBC News. The government in India's Maharashtra state has ordered an inquiry into Janet Jackson-style "wardrobe malfunctions" during Mumbai (Bombay) fashion week. In one incident, model Carol Gracias' halter top slipped, leaving her breasts completely exposed. In another, a model's skirt zip split, leaving her bare bottom visible. For text, 491 words and photos click here.
4 Apr: CNN-IBN. Cops to probe ramp flesh-show. For text and videoclip with fuzzy images click here. Carol Gracias was born and raised in Bandra, Bombay.

The Million Dollar Gift. By V M de Malar
4 Apr: Herald (via GoaNet). … Francis Newton Souza had a painting sold for well over one million dollars recently … Another important Goan artist. Vasudo Gaitonde's work from 1975 sold at Christie's auction house for 1.47 million dollars … Souza and Gaitonde lived tough lives, both of them scrambling for money well into old age, both of them selling their best work for the price of an occasional airline ticket. 728 words. Click here.

Oman: Curtorim Crowned Football Champions
4 Apr: Times of Oman. A nail-biting final carved out an exciting climax as Curtorim spurred by the overall brilliance on field clinched the pennant of the third Expatriates Open Eight-a-side Football Tournament … In the finale of the one-day soccer extravaganza, Curtorim defeated Saligao Sporting 3-2 via shootout to lift the coveted trophy. Click here.

Bahrain Boat Tragedy: Details of Goan victims
2 Apr: Daijiworld. With input from Stanislaus Mendonca - UK . Clarence Vyland (48), originally from Goa but settled in Nagpur his wife Mary Ann Vyland (45) were victims of the tragedy … Clarence's sister's birthday was on the fateful day, the celebration of which was postponed to the next day solely because Clarence had to attend this ferry party … Clarence's mother, who was in London visiting another son … the family has immediately rushed back to India. For photograph of the couple and full text at click here.

One More Body Found
3 Apr: Gulf Daily News. The body of Gabriel Fernandes, aged 44, was spotted floating in the morning, south of Fesht Al Adhm. He leaves a wife, Anita, and two sons Elvin, 21, and Fernandes, 20, who live in Mumbai. The family is originally from Goa. Click here.

The Final Family Snapshot
4 Apr: Gulf Daily News (Bahrain). Clarence and Mary Ann Vyland huddled together with their family for a happy snapshot - and a few hours later they were dead, victims of the Bahrain dhow disaster … Clarence’s mother, Monica, was on a holiday to visit another son, Herman, in the UK and she reached home on Sunday to make arrangements for the funeral … 682 words. Click here.

Canadian Goan accused of creating noise pollution at Moira
4 Apr: A group of villagers from Nova-Portugal, Moira in a complaint lodged at the Mapusa Police Station have mentioned that “a Canadian citizen has acquired a residential house in the village and converted it in to illegal factory from which engenders both noise pollution as well as water pollution.” ,,, It is learnt that Manuel Caldeira a migrant from Canada set up the ceramics manufacturing unit … Caldeira when contacted claimed that there is no problem with the unit. “This is pure harassment from the complainants,” he said. 431 words. http://oheraldo.in/node/11963
Manuel Caldeira has set up a NRI Goan Association site at http://www.goa500.com/

UK: Death of Christopher Menezes. Two teenagers arrested
5 Apr: BBC. Christopher Menezes, of Albourne Close, Hungerford, Berkshire, was found at the town's train station early on Saturday with serious head injuries. He was taken to Swindon's Great Western Hospital where he later died. Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the incident and have been bailed until 3 May pending further police inquiries …
Mr Menezes who was about 5ft 10 to 6ft with dark hair and was wearing jeans and a dark top. Anyone with information is asked to contact police.
3 Apr: Newbury Today. Hungerford Victim Named. Text at the link below.
Christopher Menezes was born in Phoeniz, Arizona, the son of Jane and Mark, brother of Sarah. Jane is English and Mark from Mangalore, India. Click here.

New York. Floyd Cardoz in action on April 13
5 Apr. Newsday (US) The flavors of India will be the focus of executive chef Floyd Cardoz at Tabla, 11 Madison Ave., where, on April 13 at 7 p.m., he will stage an "Unleavened Bread Bar" dinner. The multi-course meal, at $100 a person ($50 for children), includes wine pairings and such dishes as chicken tikka and Goan spiced brisket with ginger, chiles and whisky. To reserve, call 212-889-0667. For the GVUK Floyd Cardoz supplement click here.


DEATHS

4 Apr: Betalbatim, Goa. CAETANO MANUEL REMEDIOS FERNANDES (SONSO). Husband of Grasmila. Father of Maria/Felicio, Tereza/Remmy(USA), Arminda(Amina)/Santan(UK), Milly/Cleto, Leocadia/Lester(USA).

2 Apr. Mombasa, Kenya. JOAO ANTONIO D'SILVA. Father to Tony, Mary and Remeza. Father-in-law to Shashi, Agnela and Sebby. Grandfather to Anita, Pinky (Sharon), Billy (Joe), Donavan, Dominic, Linus, Victor and Isabella. Funeral was on 5 Apr. at the Holy Ghost Cathedral, Mombasa. Condolences to tony@simbacolt.com [Info from Maureen de Souza, Mombasa]

30 Mar. London. ANGELO JOE DE SOUZA (ex Arusha/Nairobi), Son of late Anthonio Francisco & Rofina (Bella) De Souza Beloved husband of Bonilla. Loving father of Judith Ann & Belinda. Brother/Brother-in-law of late Alda/late Louis, Felix/Theodora, Philo/late Peter, Edwin/Gloria (Houston), Laura/late Cyriaco, Lucas (Houston), Ayres/Mary (Mumbai), Romeo/Juliet (Houston), Blanche/Danny (Poona), Frederick/Kamla (Goa), Tony/Blanche (Mumbai), Leslie/Hilda and all their families.
The funeral mass will be held on Monday 10 Apr. at 10.15am at the Catholic Church of Our Lady of the Rosary & St. Patrick, 61 Blackhorse Road, Walthamstow, London E17 7AS. The cortege will then proceed to the Chingford Mount Cemetery. Condolences to LesCorteReal@aol.com

29 Mar: Bexleyheath, Kent. JOSEPH PEREIRA (born 29 Mar 1929, ex Customs, Mombasa & UK). Brother of Anthony/late Josephine. Funeral on Wed. 19 April, at 10.00 a.m. at Church of St. John Vianney, 21 Heathfield Road, Bexleyheath, Kent, DA6 8NP and 11.15 a.m. at Eltham Crematorium, Crown Woods Way, Eltham, London, SE9 2RF. No flowers please. Donations to Diabetics UK are welcome. Condolences to Herbert-Jennifer.Fernandes@tesco.net tel. (01277) 651052.

29 Mar: Toronto, Canada. CONCEICAO MARIA COUTINHO. (Born 1921, ex Cortalim, Goa & Nyeri/Nairobi, Kenya). Devoted wife of the late Sebastiao Coutinho. Dear mother of Manuel (Barbara) Coutinho; Leocadia (Joseph) Barreto; and Yolanda (Gildo) Fernandes. Cherished grandmother of the late Savio Barreto; Michelle (Jeremy) Pereira; Jude Fernandes; Neil Coutinho; and Elaine Fernandes. Funeral was on 2 Apr. Donations to the Canadian Diabetes Association; the Lung Association; and the Heart and Stroke Foundation would be appreciated by the family. Condolences to barbcoutinho@hotmail.com. For photograph and full details click here.

Obituary: Karachi: Rev Fr Archie D'Souza, 1942-2006
1 Apr. Daily Times (Karachi), In the early 1950s there was one place in the city where Hindus, Christians and Muslims would bump into each other for one purpose. This place was the D'Souza family wine shop in Saddar where a young Archie D'Souza first experienced the way the people of these three faiths interacted … With his death last week, the Christians, Muslims and Hindus of Karachi and Pakistan have lost a valuable diplomat. 624 words. Click here.


HOLIDAY INFORMATION

You just gotta Goa! By Caroline Peal
2 Apr: The News of the World. … Delicious fresh lobster at Brit-owned restaurant East Meets West is amazingly affordable and a treat for the tastebuds. For even cheaper fare, head to one of the numerous 'shacks' which line Baga beach … Panjim’s Horse Shoe restaurant which has an unbeatable Portuguese-Goan menu in air-conditioned surroundings. And there's a beach the locals call Gogo Gogo. A secluded sandy cove, beneath cloudless skies next to a sparkling sea. Take their advice and gogo … 533 words.

Goa Holidays
2 April 2006 The Sunday Mirror. £469 A week’s all-inclusive in Goa now costs from £469pp (saving £305). The price includes flights from Gatwick on April 22 and seven nights at the four-star Resort Sun Village near Baga. Details: 0870 429 5090
1 April 2006 Daily Post (North Wales). GOA Jewel in Crown (01293 533 338) offers 14-nights' half-board in three star resort in South Goan resort of Betalbatim ex-Manchester April 6 for £741.


GOA NEWS HEADLINES

Kashmiris make Goa their second home
31 Mar: PTI. 417 words. Hit by militancy back home, Goa has become the second home for Kashmiris, engaged in carpet and jewellery business for almost a decade. However, local businessmen allege Kashmiris have encroached upon the traditional business of Goans while Kashmiris term the charge as "wrong". Click here.

Goa to go ahead with plan on mandatory premarital HIV test
1 Apr: The Hindu. The Goa Government will go ahead with its proposed plan to make HIV/AIDS testing before marriage mandatory. Reacting to the reported opposition by United Nations AIDS Programme Country Director Denis Broun, Chief Minister Pratapsinh Rane said on Friday: "The UN HIV programme is not law, we are passing a law." Click here.

Goa Softens Stand On HIV Tests
1 Apr: Herald. The earlier Govt. decision making it compulsory for cou[les seeking to get married to undergo HIV tests may have to be amended due to UN (AIDS programme) stand on it. Rane said that in case the couple sign that they are not in favour of the test, it will be waived for them.

Factories charged with dumping toxic waste in Goa
1 Apr. Daily News & Analysis. The dumping of toxic waste packed in 700 cement bags and dumped in 10 locations by sponge iron plants in the Mollem national park and Bhagwan Mahavir wildlife sanctuary here could adversely their flora and fauna an NGO said. Click here.

Fr Eusebio's Killers Clothes Recovered
1 Apr: Herald. The police have recovered the clothes worn by the alleged killers of Fr Eusebio, Amit Shukla and Manish Dubhey (shown left) at the time of the gruesome murder. The suspects are in judicial custody at Margao, Goa.

Goa: 30 stolen statues seized
2 Apr: In a major breakthrough in church and chapel burglaries, around 30 antique statues, some made of ivory, were seized by the police from ‘Casa Popular’, an antique shop in Mapusa. Police said that most of the seized statues had been stolen from chapels and churches across the State. http://oheraldo.in/node/11914

Mapusa council urged to address outdoor defecation problem
2 Apr: Herald. Clusters of dwellings all over Mapusa lack toilet facilities and their occupants, including young ladies and girls, answer nature’s call in the open causing public nuisance and health hazard to all. 581 words. Click here.

Does Goa’s political smoke imply fire?
3 Apr: Daily News & Analysis. Political analysts say no, but the protagonists of Goa’s political drama have not stopped trying. On Tuesday, the Congress high command will talk to chief Minister Pratapsing Rane and GPCC president Ravi Naik to figure a way out of Goa’s latest political imbroglio. The current crisis is a result of the intertwining of many plots and subplots … 462 words. Click here.

Videoclip: Cricket: Pre-match Frolics in Goa
2 Apr: CNN-IBN. 1m.44s. Click here.

Heat and humidity comes into play as cricket caravan rolls into Goa
2 Apr. The Star (Malayasia). Goa's stamina-sapping heat and humidity will play a major part in the game plan of the Indian and English teams ahead of Monday's third limited-overs international at this coastal province. 605 words. Click here.

India beat England by 49 runs
3 Apr: BBC. India 294-6 beat England 245 by 49 runs. Yuvraj Singh's 103 condemned England to an eighth defeat in their last 10 one-day internationals as India took a 3-0 lead in the seven-match series. Click here.

Global Security Standards Drives the Market
5 Apr: PR Newswire (UK). … Government plans in India are to build three new international airports in Bangalore, Goa and Hyderabad. The government has allocated more than US$10 billion for this upgrade program alone. Click here.

Leopard caught in Panaji
5 Apr: Navhind Times. On Tuesday, officials succeeded in trapping a full-grown five-year old male leopard, in the backyard of a private bungalow, at Miramar.The animal was trapped and shifted to the Bondla wildlife sanctuary … This is the first occasion of a leopard being caught in the city. [Photograph shows the leopard after capture]. Click here.

IN THE NEWS

City bikers to earn Goa-faster stripes on 1500-mile trip
31 Mar: Edinburgh Evening News. Peter McLellan and Millar Graham are to ride from Goa, 1500 miles across India to raise more than £10,000 for the Rainbow Trust children's charity. Click here.

Call for tough laws on dowry fraud
31 Mar: BBC: Lawyers in India have called for tougher laws to tackle the problem of non-resident Indians (NRIs) marrying women in the country and then abandoning them when the traditional dowry is paid to him. Click here.

Kind Ken's so dogged about helping animals
31 Mar: Evening Herald. (Plymouth, UK). Ken Stephens is a professional dog-trainer who spends his days in Goa helping out at at the International Animal Rescue centre at Assagao … his wife has banned him from travelling by scooter after witnessing a serious accident. He said: "There are thousands of stray dogs roaming the beaches and streets in Goa which have to be put down. The first day I was there this year I cuddled four sick and starving pups while they were put to sleep" … A little funding goes a long way in India and £300 collected from friends before his last visit was described as "a phenomenal gift" by the centre's founder, John Hicks from North Devon, who started with a table and a tent in 1998 and is still there. The centre now has an operating theatre, three vets and kennels for 150 animals, as well as a host of local support staff. To help International Animal Rescue, visit www.iar.org.uk or contact Ken on 01752 862793. 510 words. Click here.

Goa as a volunteer worker
1 Apr. The Courier-Mail (Australia). Travellers looking to make a difference can join the Goa Volunteer India program combining volunteer work, travel and recreation possibilities with the beaches of Goa as part of Overseas Working Holidays' latest program … Click here.

The Property Market Has Gone Ballistic In Goa.
1 Apr: The Times of India. Excerpts: … The property market has gone ballistic in Goa - everyone is on a frantic buying spree, an invading army bent on a second 'liberation' of Goa from the Goans. The motto seems to be: If it doesn't move, grab it quick — before someone else does … The major — indeed the only — topic of discussion in Goa is property prices … What's fuelling property prices apart from Indians is foreigners are also buying into Goa … It's India without the Indianness. Goa is selling like hot vindaloo. And pretty soon there'll be no more of it left to sell, or to buy. And when that happens, Goa will stop being Goa and become something else … when Goa stops being Goa, what will the Goans do? Rent the place back from the new owners? 653 words. Click here.

Lack of women turns tables on India's men
2 Apr: Independent Online (South Africa). A declining sex ratio in Rajastan is prompting a girl's parents to spurn offers of marriage from men unless the potential groom's family also has a marriageable daughter for their son … The sex ratio in many of Rajasthan's districts has dropped to 922 girls for every thousand boys, according to the last census. In one or two villages, it has plummeted to less than 500 … 371 words. Click here.

Will India free the Rupee?
4 Apr: Rediff. India is loosening the reins on its currency. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has indicated his government's readiness to move towards capital account convertibility - making the flow of money in and out of the country for investments easier. The central bank announced the appointment of a six-person committee to produce a "road map" toward that goal by July 31. 1095 words. Click here.

Salesian in Goa: Jose Luis Carreno
Jose Luis Carreno was born in Spain, in 1905, entered the Salesian School in 1913 and was ordained in 1932. In October 1952, he was sent to Goa. … "Goa was love at first sight" wrote Fr. Carreno in his "Warp in the Loom." … At the end of his term as rector of Panjim in 1960, as he was about to leave for Europe, the students told him: "If we knew you wouldn’t come back, we wouldn’t have let you go to the airport." 1764 words. Click here.

RECENT ITEMS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST ON GOANET. BY CORNEL DACOSTA

Goan Voice (UK) readers will have heard of the late Francis Newton Souza. His paintings have sold for millions of US dollars recently. His life's work is well illustrated by VM Malar on Goanet. Malar also refers to another Goan artist, Vasudo Gaitonde whose untitled work sold at Christie's auction house for 14 million dollars recently. Do find out more from Malar's contribution which includes a commentary on several other Goan artists.

There is a wonderful ode dedicated to the woes of a dying princess in Goa. This lovely poem on Goanet is by Tony Fernandes and about a very sad princess. Who exactly is this princess? This is definitely well worth finding out about.

From Miguel Braganza, we have an excellent article titled: Making it a Mission--Fruits, Flowers and Vegetables. We are told about the recent establishment and financing of the National Horticultural Mission (NHM). New plant nurseries are planned to generate much saleable fruit. So too will be medicinal plants vegetables and spices under the ambit of NHM. In another post, from Miguel, we get an informative succinct compilation of writings of several women scholars in the field of history.

Emigration from Goa for economic reasons gets another substantial hearing on Goanet. However, this time the exploration goes further to class and political factors relating to emigration. Some of the discussion centred on the pre and post 1961 period but to cap it all, an in-depth article on this theme by F Noronha is definitely very illuminating.

Finally, for an unusual account of the recent Goan Carnival in Melbourne, do follow Oscar and Hazel Lobo's showcase scene Down Under. One key point made by Oscar in an address to the large happy gathering said " while it is important to maintain our culture, it is equally important to blend with mainstream Australians." Do find out much more about what Oscar, among others, said at this merry occasion.

More details can be found at the Goanet archives at http://www.goanet.org Or to subscribe to Goanet, send an email to subscribe@goanet.org


UK: TV & RADIO HIGHLIGHTS By Mafalda de’Sa

Television.

Fri. 7/4: Discovery Channel: 12.00pm (30mins) Feast India: Mumbai
In Mumbai, Barry Vera has an early morning session at a laughter club and enjoys some snack food at the nightly carnival-on-the-sand at Juhu.

Sat. 8/4: BBC 4: 10.45pm (85mins) Born into Brothels: Calcutta’s Red Light kids
Powerful documentary, about the children of Calcutta’s prostitutes.

Sun. 9/4: BBC 1: 9.00pm (60mins) The Queen at 80
First of two .Exclusive scenes and unprecedented access to private archive material, contribute to an intimate portrait of the monarch as she approaches her milestone birthday. Concludes next Sunday.

Mon. 10/4: BBC 2: 7.00pm (60mins) The Battle for Brixton
April 1981: Brian Paddick, now one of the Met’s most senior officers and renowned for his enlightened approach to modern policing, was a young sergeant in Brixton in 1981. He is witheringly honest in this documentary about the way black people were then routinely treated by the police: “We were the occupying army… and thinking of the black people of Brixton as the enemy; that blackness equated with criminality”.

Wed. 12/4: BBC 1: 11.40pm (30mins) England Expects
To mark Vaisakhi, the Sikh New Year, this profile of celebrated spin bowler Monty Panesar – the first Sikh to play cricket for England – follows Monty back to India, the birthplace of his parents and his religion.

Radio.

Sun. 9/4: BBC Radio 4: 5.00pm (40mins) Under the Rule of Benedict
One year after Cardinal Ratzinger was elected Pope, the BBC’s religious affairs correspondent, looks back over his first year, to see whether he has surprised his critics.


FORTHCOMING

See http://www.lanfranc.com/lanfranc_location_2000.pdf for help in locating Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon

Sun. 16 Apr. Easter Dinner Dance. 6.00 to 11.00 pm. St Mary’s Church Hall. Welling DA16 3QU. Disco by the fabulous Music Mania. Catering by Potbor Ha. Adults £12.50 Children (6 to 12) £5 Children below 5 – free. Includes snack, meal, dessert and free soft drink. Raffles and novelty games galore! Details musicmaniadisco@yahoo.co.uk Tony 020 8265 9644/077 4811 2667. Paul 020 8311 1195. Vincent 020 8244 5598

Sat. 22 Apr. G.O.A. Ruby Hockey Tournament at HSBC Sports Club, Lennard Road, Beckenham, Kent BR3 1QW. Contact: Richard Fernandes 020 – 8300 5347, Glyn Albuquerque 020 – 8680 2401

Sun. 23 Apr. Forum. Open Meeting to discuss the Future Direction of the Goan Association. Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon at 2.00pm

Sun. 30 Apr. G.O.A. Ruby Singles Snooker Tournament. Entries by email to: Felix Pereira malawifelix@hotmail.com

Sun.7 May. G.O.A. Ruby Goan Nostalgia - Cultural Show at Archbishop Lanfranc School at 3pm (gates will open at 2pm). Tickets: £5 adults, £2 children 8-13yrs. Food & drink will be on sale. contact: Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022

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


Thank you to the Contributors to this issue. Publication: Thursdays (13.00 GMT). Submissions required by the preceding Tuesday by e-mail to eddie@fernandes.u-net.com or post items to: Eddie Fernandes, 1 Onslow Gardens, London N10 3JT. Previous issues can be found at http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/


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