Goan Voice UK: Newsletter. Issue 2008-08. Feb. 21, 2008

Peter Nazareth Enlivens Classes with His Multi-cultural Heritage

Feb 2008. The Iowa Source (via GoaNet) … On a cool night during the dry season in Uganda, Peter Nazareth had a dream. He awoke, wrote it down, and included it in his first novel. Days after its release, Nazareth’s dream became reality and the Asians were expelled from Uganda … Today he is a professor of English at the University of Iowa … Nazareth’s mother is the eldest of 14 children. Nazareth’s grandfather, Mathias Francis Gomes, had three children with his first wife. Most of Gomes’s 17 offspring are now married to people of different cultures … 1588 words. [Feedback to pnazareth05@msn.com]. For full text click here.

Canada: Stephen Lobo: Little Mosque on the Prairie

13 Feb: Mervyn Lobo wrote to Goans Tanzanite group that Stephen Lobo (ex-Tanga, Tanzania) appears in the new series of Little Mosque on the Prairie (Wed 8pm on CBC). The photograph is a still from the first episode broadcast on 13 Feb.
For more about him check out the Stephen Lobo Goan Voice UK supplement. Click here.
For the Stephen Lobo website with filmography, demo reel, photo gallery, press clippings and contact details see www.stephenlobo.net/ The demo reel is compulsive viewing! Click here.

Thomas Pereira: Norway: Football: Viking

14 Feb. Rogalands Avis (Norway). Viking FC is in training. Thomas Pereira and Maurice Ross will be in the team playing on Friday. Click here.
Thomas is the son of Kirstin and Austin Pereira (ex Masaka, Uganda). He is married to Hanne and they have three sons. For his profile click here.
For the Thomas Pereira Wikipedia entry click here.
For the Times of India article – Norway’s Soccer Goan Viking click here.

Anil de Sequeira: Pupils learn all ingredients for good health

14 Feb. Bath Chronicle (UK). Hundreds of children from 20 schools and colleges were served up with healthy eating messages last week at Bath Spa University … Subject leader Dr Anil de Sequeira said: "The university has a long tradition of providing vocationally- orientated food and nutrition courses that train tomorrow's food and nutrition professionals. "We see our role in the broader scheme of education in the industry, providing advice and support to food businesses, as well as high-calibre graduates to work in them." 174 words. Click here.
Dr Anil de Sequeira is the son of the late Erasmo (MP from 1967-77) and Maureen de Sequeira (Moira, and grandson of Goa's legendary politician, Jack de Sequeira). He has been in the UK since 1990 and is currently Subject Leader: Food Studies at Bath Spa University. For a profile of him click here.

Carol Vaz returns to Dubai

Click to enlarge

15 Feb: Khaleej Times (UAE). Dubai is regarded a materialistic haven, a shopper’s paradise. But Carol Vaz, a wheelchair-bound young woman’s story proves that Dubai cares … Six years ago she left Dubai in a coma, at 15, the innocent victim of a horrific car accident … Her distraught parents quit their jobs and took her to Mumbai … a miracle did happen, and Carol slowly emerged from her deep slumber … She was now confined to the house and bound to the wheelchair. But she has come back to Dubai! 1675 words. Click here.

Dr. Francis J. Pinto: Pharming Announces Annual Results 2007

15 Feb. PharmaLive. Biotech company Pharming Group NV announced its financial results for the year ending 31 December, 2007 … * Cash position of € 65.3 million compared to € 31.3 million in 2006 … "In 2007, the Company made good progress on the development of several products and developed new research initiatives," said Dr. Francis J. Pinto, CEO of Pharming … Click here.
Dr Francis Pinto was a Director of Glaxo when based in London. India Business Insight, Aug 22, 2000 reported that "he has planned to devote his time to a non-profit organisation in Goa. He has proposed to start a children's museum. He is engaged in a big teaching programme and healthcare activity in Goa"

Mississauga: Chris D'Souza: It's not how it looks, students hear
15 Feb: Mississauga News. More than 1,000 Grade 7 students from the Dufferin Peel Catholic District School Board attended a Diversity Forum today at the John Paul ll Cultural Centre … The diversity forum was initiated four years ago after Les Storey, principal of Christ the King school, along with Chris D'Souza, the Equity and Diversity officer at DPCSB … The Board-wide initiative mirrors the fact Mississauga is one of the most diverse cities in the world, said D'Souza. “We live in neighbourhoods that are different ethnically, different faith groups and have different immigrant status,” D'Souza said. Click here.
For a photo and profile of Chris D’Souza and family click here.

Collien Fernandes @ 2008 "Echo" Music Awards

15 Feb: Berlin, Germany. Collien Fernandes received rapturous media attention when she arrived at the "Echo" Music Awards. To check the links click here.
For the Collien Fernandes Wikipedia profile click here.
For the Collien Fernandes official website with photos, video clips, news, music downloads click here.

Australia beckons Indian youth
16 Feb: Merinews. By Armstrong Vaz. The USA has been the dream destination for Indians for decades. But with the falling US dollar, Indians have been exploring other countries to study and settle in the long run, and Australia is one country, which is enticing Indians in recent years … 1093 words. Click here.

Eva Fernandes: Having a Baby? Relax

16 Feb: Bristol Evening Post. Eight years ago Eva Fernandes launched a shop called Born (www.borndirect.com) in Bristol. It is, she says, an "all natural, one-stop centre for babies and mums". Now, Eva is throwing her weight behind a new project which claims to give women a more rounded approach to their pregnancy by offering holistic antenatal support. The Relaxed Birth and Parenting course has a team of experts … For more information, click here. …
For text of article, 715 words click here.Born has shops in London, Bristol, New Zealand and online. Eva was born in North London, the third daughter of East African refugees who fled Idi Amin's dictatorship in 1970. She writes, "The first home I remember was a bedsit with 1 room for all 5 of us to sleep in with a kitchen attached and shared bathroom/toilet … Her parents, Glorio and Antoinette Fernandes live in London and are ex-Nairobi (Eastleigh/Pangani) They trace their Goan roots to Verna (father) and Benaulim (mother). For more about Eva click here.

Canada: Troy DeSouza: The chickens are cock-a-doodling all the time
17 Feb: Times Colonist (Canada). Elizabeth Cooper is packing up about 35 live chickens to head for the provincial Interior after losing a court battle over the roosters' crowing … Troy DeSouza, the lawyer acting for the Capital Regional District, said the roosters crow all day, creating a real disturbance. "They are cock-a-doodling all the time … It's one of those things: You have to live with your neighbours," he said. Click here.
For a photograph and profile of Troy DeSouza click here.

Sylvia Fernandes: VisitBritain hosts road shows in India

18 Feb. 2008: Express TravelWorld. The tourism agency of Britain, VisitBritain hosted its annual roadshow in Ahmedabad, Pune, Nagpur and Goa. Says Sylvia Fernandes, the board's representative, "We want to extend our reach to less serviced regions and create more awareness about the United Kingdom … Fernandes added that the aim of the workshop was to sell more of British products to the travel trade … For full text,184 words, click here.
Sylvia Fernandes, 28, traces her Goan roots to Saligao. Her hobbies include dancing, swimming and reading

Goans explore Europe through Portuguese citizenship
19 Feb: MeriNews. By Armstrong Vaz. Thousands of Indians from the Portuguese colonies have gone to Europe and settled there after acquiring Portuguese citizenship. A Portuguese citizenship, gives them passage to work and settle anywhere in Europe as European citizens … For most Goans the most favoured destination is UK. Rough estimates indicate that there are more than 50,000 Portuguese Goans in England … 858 words … Click here.

Illegal migration to USA - its pitfalls
19 Feb: MeriNews. By Armstrong Vaz …if there are a few Indians trickling in through the legal channels there are thousands who slip into USA through dubious means … For the Indians jumping ship the first job in the US is working at a gas station owned by Indians or Bangladeshis or in a motel … 1047 words. Click here.

Uganda: Cricket: Texeira
20 Feb: The Monitor (Uganda). By Vali Jamal. A fortnight ago, the Aga Khan and Muslim XI cricket hero Guste came into my restaurant to do an interview of his memories of cricket then for a magazine I am doing on Ugandan Asians. We remembered the names of famous players from different sides like John McAdam of the Europeans, Texeira of the Goans … Click here.

Max, 19, hits the road
14 Feb. The Guardian (UK). … I fly into Mumbai today, but will move down to Goa pretty sharpish and chill there for a few days - a nice, slow introduction hopefully … I have already experienced my first taste of India [when I applied for my visa] - and I only had to go as far as Aldwych. The Indian High Commission (London) is a funny place … 689 words + comments. Click here.

Colva Beach Stalemate
14 Feb: Herald. A stinking creek; clogged drains, stray dogs and cattle loitering on the beach and complaints of tourists about the mess welcomed Tourism Minister, Mickky Pacheco to Colva beach as he conducted an inspection on Wednesday noon. However, he was quick to blame the Finance Minister for the ugly situation … 410 words. Click here.

A Goa vacation with initial complications
14 Feb: NGZ Online (Germany). Goa was my dream goal since my childhood after reading of Heinz Helfgen adventures there, on a bicycle in the 50's. Now I had the chance of a short holiday there … Click here.

Hotels to display ‘appeal’ for identity proof from tourists
15 Feb: Herald. Hotels all over Goa will now display an appeal or advisory formulated by Goa Police at their reception counters requesting guests to furnish an identity proof or some native reference before checking in. 452 words. Click here.

Visas to India: The electronic bureaucrat
16 Feb. The Economist (UK). At 6.15 am outside the Indian High Commission 109 people are sleepily waiting for the visa section to open … the passport and its owner must be physically present. The £30 ($60) fee must be in cash; the visa form must be filled in by hand and authenticated with a signature and a photograph. The procedure has scarcely changed in 60 years. The 500 people waiting at 8.30am, when the visa office opens, should get their visas by noon, though on busy days stragglers may be told to collect it the next day. Applying by post is possible, but may take weeks … 1460 words. Click here.

Goa’s Second Boom
16 Feb: Berliner Zeitung. The former hippie stronghold is on the way to a high-quality mass destination for the Indian middle class … 1246 words. Click here.

Indian mission in UK to outsource visa process
16 Feb: Times of India. With a rising number of people from Britain queuing up to visit India, the Indian High Commission will outsource the Visa Application Process from May this year. VFS Global, the company that handles the Visa applications for the British High Commission in India will handle applications said Acting High Commissioner Asoke Mukerji. On an average the High Commission issued 500,000 visas in a year, the same as the British High Commission issues to Indians wishing to visit the UK. 267 words. Click here.

Easter Holidays
16 Feb: South Wales Echo. Goa: Kuoni (01306 747 008) offers seven nights’ B&B in a four star hotel from £579 from Apr 19, with other reduced prices on deps Mar 8-April 19.

Hot Spot
16 Feb: The Sun (UK). Goa is 35oC - 14 nights' B&B at the three-star Hotel Palmarinha, Calangute, is from £519pp, leaving Manchester on Feb 23. See cosmos.co.uk or call 0871 423 8560.

Goa is a real goer
17 Feb: Sunday Times (Perth) … Goa was impressive. It did not appear so busy, noisy and jammed with people, and you could even see the clear, blue sky … Goa still has its fair share of poverty, traffic problems, half-finished roads, open-air urinals, etc. However, all this is compensated for by the apparent spaciousness and a general pleasant holiday atmosphere which would easily assist in acclimatising travellers to India … 645 words.

Rob Da Bank: Me and my travels
17 Feb: The Observer (UK). Rob Da Bank, DJ and festival organiser writes: My idea of paradise is a guesthouse in Palolem in Goa called Bhakti Kutir. It's a wicked place run by a German couple, half in the jungle, half by the beach. They have a healthy wholefood ethos and a swami who does meditation every day. We went a couple of years ago and it was just brilliant. Click here.

Goodbye Goa. By David Jenkins (UK)
18 Feb: Herald. This letter is from a very sad tourist. My wife and I have been coming to Goa for 10 years every winter. But this will be the last time we spend our money or our time in Goa. 317 words. Click here.

Competition: A week for two in Kerala
18 Feb. The Guardian. Vote for your best trip and enter our £25,000 prize draw. What were the highs and lows of your travels last year? The Observer Travel Awards honour the best in the business, based entirely on your verdicts … The prize includes breakfast, transfers and flights, and must be taken between 1 April and 30 June or 1 August and 30 September. Value: £2,250. Click here.

Goa gets £156m from the Central Government
14 Feb: Navhind Times. The central government today allocated Rs 1,220 crore (approx £156m) for the development of infrastructure in Goa to host the National Games to be held in 2011 and also for construction of internal roads. 297 words. Click here.

Captivating music video on Amchem Goem

14 Feb: Navhind Times. Goa with its beaches, backwaters, greenery, temples, churches, mosques, Shigmotsav, Carnival, traditional dances, various art forms and achievers who made their mark in various fields thus taking the state to a new height, came alive in ‘Sobit Amchem Goem’ music video released on 13 Feb. The CD presents a visual musical rendering of Goa’s secular fabric … For text, 483 words, click here.
For a videoclip (1m. 57s) of the trailer, click here.

High incidence of breast cancer in Goa worries doctors
15 Feb: The Hindu. Medicos in Goa have expressed the need to commission a study on high incidence of breast cancer in the state and work out a strategy to curb the disease … Goa has an average of 1000 cancer patients every year, and 70 cases per lakh population, which is much higher than the national average of 50 cases per lakh … 256 words. Click here.

Goa: Not immune to ‘hate-outsider’ syndrome
15 Feb: Indian Express. Goa’s local population is slowly turning against the influx of “outsiders” who threaten the local way of life. In fact, it is not the short-term visitor from the West who is facing the cold shoulder, but people from other parts of the country. “Bhaile” is the mildly derisive term employed by Hindus and Catholics alike on “outsiders” who are unable to fit in … 653 words. Click here.

Unseasonal rain takes Goa by surprise
16 Feb: Herald. The unseasonal rain in some parts of the State and a sudden rise in the temperatures in the last two days is due to the cloudy weather conditions and the trough formed in the upper level of the region, says the Meteorological Observatory of Goa, Altinho. Click here.

Deprived of jobs, Goan youths log out for greener pastures
16 Feb: Economic Times. Growing public protests that have stalled many development projects in Goa now seem to be taking a heavy toll on its economy. With no new industry setting up shop here, the Goan political class is worried about increasing unemployment that has triggered a talent exodus from the state. 411 words. Click here.

Goa to have 40 knowledge centres
16 Feb: The Hindu. The Goa Government has decided to make knowledge of information technology (IT) mandatory for government employment and proposed to set up 40 knowledge centres in towns and villages cross the State to impart training in information technology. Click here.

Goa’s Corrupt Sub-Registries
17 Feb. Herald (via GoaNet). Valmiki Faleiro writes about his experiences regarding the Government officials who are responsible for the registration of property documents … “There is this latest spin in the hands of Goa’s Sub-Registrars. In the face of the purchase of land by foreigners, the government has issued a caution circular to Sub-Registrars. Even if a foreigner of Indian origin is party to a deed Sub-Registrars now ask for a copy of the PIO (Person of Indian Origin) Card. This is patently bad. PIOs from only a few select countries are entitled to PIO Cards … What happens if you never found the need to apply for one? … 775 words. Click here.

Maria de Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues: The Goa That Was

17 Feb: Navhind Times. Remembering Goa,’ authored by Maria de Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues, is a compilation of thought-provoking articles, Reflections on feasts, festivals and fairs in `amchem Goem’ of yesterdays, the summer holidays, the picnics, the urge to visit the beauty saloons, the jardim slide, the travel by ferry, the Goan cuisine and several aspects related to Goa, leave a tinge of disappointment in the mind of the reader about the present … 474 words. Click here.
The photo shows Maria who is the Circulation Librarian at Panjim Central Library and is from the album by Rajan Parrikar of the Library. To check out the other photographs in this breathtaking album, click here.

Remo: Concert sans loud music
17 Feb: PTI. By Rupesh Samant. Advocating the need to enjoy concerts and music without disturbing the locality, renowned pop singer, Remo Fernandes, will hold a concert in Goa on Feb. 19, on a small sound system … The concert titled "Goa: Keep Heaven Clean" aims to promote cleanliness on Goan beaches and to respect neighbouring people's sound privacy … Nostalgic about the past, Remo said "our parents generation danced all night long to Johnson and His Jolly Boys without a single microphone or loudspeaker. Unfortunately of late our hearing and sensitivity for music as been jaded by excessively and unnecessarily loud sound systems." 426 words. Click here.
17 Feb: NDTV. Govt may issue postage stamps on Remo Fernandes … Click here.
For the GVUK Remo Fernandes supplement click here.

India is irresistible!
17 Feb. Daily News & Analysis. Francesca Smith, Model. She says, “My family moved to Goa six years back and almost three years back, I came to Mumbai with my boyfriend. Living here has been a great experience.” … She doesn’t let stress get the better of her. “When I am not working, I am off to Goa. I feel that’s very important considering life in Mumbai can get hectic at times when your body asks for that much-needed break,” she says. Click here.

Locals thrash Russian for desecrating cross
19 Feb: Herald. Vitaly Golabovsky, a Russian in his mid-thirties was brutally assaulted by locals at Arambol on Monday, after he allegedly desecrated a cross near the beach. He was mercilessly beaten by a mob and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital … no arrests have been made so far. 151 words. Click here.

Japanese expats in Goa on terror hit list
19 Feb: Deccan Herald. Along with the Americans in Karnataka and Goa, Japanese expats were also reportedly on the hitlist of the terrorists suspects arrested last month. 398 words. Click here.

Flipping Out at the Berlin Film fest
14 Feb: The Jerusalem Post. The Berlin International Film Festival, which began yesterday and which will run until February 17, will have a strong Israeli presence. An Israeli documentary being shown in the Forum section is Yoav Shamir's Flipping Out which looks at the phenomenon of burned-out soldiers who head to the drug-rave scene in Goa and northern India after their discharge … Click here.

Bar girls turned escorts enjoy life kingsize
14 Feb: Sify News. They used to entertain at Mumbai's dance bars. But after the government clamped down on these home-grown pubs three years ago, many bar girls have taken to playing business companions and wives for a fee … Bankers, business executives, doctors, cricketers and even senior police officials are among the people taking bar girls as companions to places like Goa … The girls said business companions are charged anything between Rs.30,000 and Rs.45,000 as payment for one month of "outside assignments". Perks like gold and silver jewellery, saris, dresses and sweet packets also are there … 635 words. Click here.

Should Leicester have a Statue of Gandhi?
14 Feb: Leicester Mercury. … Leicester East MP Keith Vaz wants to erect a statue of former Indian leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in Leicester … He wants a 7ft to 9ft-tall bronzed statue of the Indian leader on a patch of green land near Friends Tandoori, at the corner of Belgrave Road and Donaldson Road … The majority of people writing to the Leicester Mercury Mailbox page seem to prefer a statue of someone who was from Leicester, rather than a great Indian leader with no link to the city … The campaign, meanwhile, rolls on. No planning application has been submitted to the city council yet but the search has begun for a sculptor. 1333 words. Click here.

Kenya: James Kanyotu buried with the country’s most kept secrets
14 Feb: Nation (Kenya). Kenya’s longest serving spy master James Kanyotu has passed on at 71, taking with him Kenya’s best-kept secrets about some of the most gruesome and trying moments in the nation’s history … Kanyotu oversaw the organisation play its hidden hand in some of Kenya’s most critical and trying historical moments such as the assassination of leading politicians like Pio Gama Pinto … Photo and text. Click here.

Valentines Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra ‘caught’ in Goa!

Click to enlarge

15 Feb: Herald. There was definitely love in the air all over the country today and Goa was no exception. Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra were caught by journalists at the Dabolim airport on the morning of Valentine’s Day, onboard a flight from Mumbai. When they stepped out of the terminal they were rattled on being confronted by the media and scooted back inside. Shilpa has recently acknowledged that she is dating Raj Kundra, a small time producer and her business manager of sorts, after having denied it for a long time. Click here.

Britain rejects former generals' view on multiculturalism
15 Feb: IANS. The British government and senior Asian MP Keith Vaz have strongly rejected a report that is said to reflect consensus by a group of retired generals that Britain's multicultural society is to blame for problems of terrorism and extremism. The report by the Royal United Services International, the country's oldest military think tank, says Britain is becoming a soft touch and a "fragmenting, post-Christian society" with a "misplaced deference to multiculturalism", all of which undermined the fight against extremists … Goan-origin Vaz, who came to Britain at the age of 14, said the retired generals did not appear to have examined multiculturalism and "see what benefits it has given the country" … 549 words. Click here.

‘Indian caste system created by British"
15 Feb: India Interacts. The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) has claimed that caste discrimination does not exist in Britain - and that caste, in any case, was created by the British in India … The Council claims that Labour Party MPs Rob Marris and Jeremy Corbyn, “who are lobbying the Department of Communities and Local Government to legislate against caste discrimination, may have been misled by Christian groups who want, quite simply, to "save" people from the ‘falsehood" of Hinduism and convert people to Christianity." 424 words. Click here.

UK, Canada & Tanzania: Healthy passage to India
15 Feb: New Statesman (UK). Britain has been in high-level discussions with India about the possibility of flying NHS patients there for treatment to cut waiting times … Last year, some 150,000 foreigners travelled to India and paid for their own treatment. But the health services of some countries do send patients considerable distances for treatment. Tanzania is one. In the past five years, nearly 200 Tanzanians have travelled to India for heart surgery. Canada is another. Patients can be reimbursed for treatment abroad, provided they have approval from the provincial authority. 689 words. Click here.

India: Banda sisters
15 Feb: The Guardian (UK). In one of India's poorest regions, hundreds of pink-clad female vigilantes are challenging male violence and corruption … The Gulabi Gang was formed two years ago. Gulabi means pink, and refers to the electric shade of the uniform worn by the 500-plus members, who hail from Banda's arid villages. The women have become folk heroes, winning public support for a series of Robin Hood-style operations … The gang has stopped child marriages, forced police officers to register cases of domestic violence and got roads built by dragging the official responsible from his desk on to the dust track in question. 1224 words. click here.

Vindaloo [!]
16 Feb: Irish Times. It's hardly the first country you think of for wine, but India has a growing number of reliable producers … Portuguese settlers also played a role in Goa. They kept their meat in barrels of wine that was heavily doused with mashed garlic and spices, a style they referred to as vin d'alho, or garlic wine - later more widely known as vindaloo … Click here.

Online: Short Film: Where's Sandra?

16 Feb: From the Director, Paromita Vohra: It is a film about a stereotypical figure of the Indian Catholic woman - Sandra from Bandra … At the most literal level, this film is about the Christian women of Bombay who created a certain space for women in general. They were the earliest women in Bombay to enter the workforce, which was part of the reason for the unease around them and for the sexual stereotyping that they received. But they also embodied a certain spirit - of fun, of pleasure and a certain chutzpah … The film includes comments by Jerry Pinto and Eunice de Souza, etc 18 minutes. To watch the film, click here.

Boris Johnson wants to be Mayor of London
16 Feb: The Globe and Mail (Canada). The atmosphere at Cadogan Hall had rapidly descended the staircase of civility … Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, a journalist also on the panel at Cadogan Hall who says she was abused by the audience for criticizing Mr. Johnson, sees something more sinister beneath the exterior. “There's a very serious right-winger under this man's charm and buffoonery and it needs to be seriously examined.” … 2644 words.
For video clips of the debate click here.

USA: Rahul Shrivastav: Worked his way through the ranks
17 Feb: Centre Daily Times (PA, USA). Rahul Shrivastav got his first job as a butler in Goa … Aged 30, he is now banquet manager at The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. He has been in State College a little more than two years, having obtained a bachelor’s degree in hospitality at schools in India and Australia. “I had hospitality in my heart and I wanted to serve people,” he said. 790 words. Click here.

Migrants face hard choices in Canada. By Meena Menezes
17 Feb: Gulf Daily News (Bahrain). A once proud man hangs up his business suit to clean lavatories, to feed his family. A successful journalist trains for a job in a supermarket, while others from skilled or senior posts do anything from driving cabs to working in factories, to make ends meet. The first taste of life in Canada can be bitter, as new arrivals must take any job they can get to support their families. 2489 words. Click here.

Mumbai: 10,000 march against Gorai SEZ
18 Feb: Times of India. Over 10,000 people marched to the gates of Essel World at Gorai to protest against the Special Economic Zone coming up in the area … The government has initiated plans to acquire over 5,000 acres of land for the SEZ … Gordon D’Souza, vice-president of Mumbai Catholic Sabha, said the demonstration symbolised the feelings of the people in the area and more protests were being planned in the coming months. “We are talking to other organisations in the state and will come up with a combined protest shortly,’’ he said. 327 words. Click here.

Easter opening for Qatar’s first church
18 Feb: The Peninsula (Qatar). The consecration of Qatar's first church will be celebrated on March 14. Cardinal Ivan Dias from Vatican will lead the consecration ceremonies … Meanwhile, a debate has been raging in several Arab dailies in Qatar … Photos and text 487 words. Click here.

Oscar Lobo: Live, Streaming - Konkani Music from Melbourne
18 Feb: From Oscar Lobo (Melbourne) via GoaNet. Konkani music will be played on Thu. 21 Feb. between 11.00 am and 11.30 am (Midnight to 00:30 GMT) on the respected 3CR Community Radio 85.5 AM. Konkani songs are also expected to be played on Tuesdays (starting 19 Feb.) between 12 to 2.00 pm (subject to schedule of songs for that day) as part of the programme, "Music Sans Frontieres". You can access the broadcasts via the internet – live streaming or podcast. Go to www.3cr.org.au/

Print-On-Demand Publishing Service Launched in India
18 Feb: PTI. CinnamonTeal Print & Publishing Services [Margao Goa] has successfully launched India's first Print-On-Demand (POD) service … Self-publishing now becomes unbelievably simple … Queenie Fernandes and Leonard Fernandes, the co-founders of CinnamonTeal are very enthusiastic about their prospects … 568 words. Click here.

Anglican Archbishop Embraces Sharia Law. By Dinesh D'Souza
18 Feb: TownHall.com. Atheists can break out the champagne: there really are some wacky religious people out there. One of them seems to be Rowan Williams, the archbishop of Canterbury … 931 words. Click here.
Bestselling author Dinesh D'Souza's new book What's So Great About Christianity has just been released.
For the Wikipedia profile of him “D'Souza was born in Bombay to parents from the state of Goa …” Click here.
For the Dinesh D’Souza website click here.

Keith Vaz MP hosts special reception in honour of restaurateur Sanjay Anand
19 Feb: Asian News. A special celebration was held at the House of Commons by Rt. Hon Keith Vaz MP in recognition of the MBE that was awarded to restaurant aficionado, Sanjay Anand … ‘The Brilliant Hotel’ in Nairobi was where Sanjay’s late father made his name with his exceptional and unmatchable cooking talent. Madhu’s Brilliant restaurant opened in the UK in 1980 … The rest as they say is history … The chefs cook some of the Anand signature dishes, Punjabi cuisine with a unique Kenyan Asian twist. Photo and text, 917 words. Click here.

A New Role for Bollywood's Bardot
20 Feb: New York Times. Mallika Sherawat, the actress known in some circles as Bollywood’s Bardot, has been cast as an ascetic who befriends Jesus of Nazareth in “The Aquarian Gospel,” a Hollywood film based on the legend that Jesus visited India, Reuters reported. Click here.
For the Mallika Sherawat website click here.

Migrants must pay a tax to enter UK
20 Feb: The Telegraph (UK). Foreigners coming to Britain are to face a new "immigrant tax" under Government plans to try to make them help pay for the schools and hospitals they use, ministers are to announce. Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary, will announce the plans which include a 'points system' for those seeking British citizenship … 922 words. Click here.

Hong Kong: Godfrey Fernandes: Knifing charge reduced over 'psychosis'
20 Feb: South China Morning Post. Godfrey Fernandes, 25, a steward with a shipping company, was charged with wounding a 77-year-old woman at the Prince Margaret Hospital. His defence counsel briefed the court about the findings of psychiatrists, who said Godfrey was psychotic and could not control his actions … Fernandes had worked for four years as a steward in a shipping company and was diagnosed with psychiatric problems when aboard a ship to Hong Kong. His company sent him to the hospital's emergency unit. His workmates helped him pack his belongings, which included a fruit knife. 402 words. Click here.

Mumbai: The Jazz files
21 Feb: Express India. A new play explores the plight of Mumbai’s long forgotten Goan musicians … set against the backdrop of the late 40's, it breaks barriers of time and space and traces the lives of composers and musicians like Mickey Correa, Chic Chocolate, Anthony Gonsalves, Lucila and George Pacheco, who created and sustained Mumbai's jazz era from the 1930s until the 1960s. 519 words. Click here.

Britain to woo young Indians away from US
21 Feb: Zee News. The UK-India Business Council (UKIBC), the lead group promoting bilateral trade between India and Britain, on Wednesday launched an initiative aimed at wooing young Indian business executives who are looking at America rather than Britain as their preferred business partners. 345 words. Click here.

Nuns launch plans to fight trafficking of women
22 Feb: National Catholic Reporter (USA). Superiors general of about 35 women’s congregations based in India have drafted a plan to fight the trafficking of women and children … The meeting on trafficking followed the four-day annual plenary of the women’s section of the Conference of Religious India. At the annual meeting, several participants expressed concern over gender discrimination within the church. Some said women religious are treated as “just decorators,” … Chavanod Sr. Evelyn Monteiro, a theologian, observed that one reason for male domination in the church has been women’s lack of competence in theology …
Sr. Jyothi Fernandes, who directs Mater Dei theological institute in Old Goa, wrote a position paper on the subject … 598 words. Click here.

The State of Goa, a location for relatively 'small' daily English newspapers is abuzz to the news that, a substantial long established daily paper---the Times of India (ToI), will enter the Goa market. This is seen by some as a mixed blessing. At one level, it could lead to the demise of papers like the Navhind Times, the Herald, and the Gomantak Times among others. On the other hand, the ToI may provide a major boost to Goa. This is what one Goa journalist (Frederick Noronha) had to say in his substantial Open Letter to the ToI..."one only hopes that the arrival of the Times of India to Goa could be an opportunity for the local media to wake-up to the possibilities of reader-driven, truth-driven journalism...but then, the experiences of other cities where the ToI has set up shop (Bangalore, Pune, Chandigarh) hasn't been a happy one." Find out more about this issue and perhaps even convey our views as readers of the electronic Goan Voice (UK) that is now increasingly read worldwide.

The Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary in Goa provides a relatively safe habitat for many wild animals. While much wildlife the world over faces destruction by man to the point of extinction, it is good to know that leopards in the vicinity of Bicholim (that do cause some havoc to the locals from time to time), have been regularly trapped by the Forest Department and then released in Bondla.

How seriously do the 5 star hotels along the Goa beach take their responsibility for cleaning up the mess left by their tourist clients? Lionel Messias states that apart from a photo-opportunity at the start of the tourist season, Goa's beaches are dirty 24/7 throughout the tourist season. This is despite the millions of taxpayers' rupees allocated for cleaning the beaches from Pernem to Canacona.

Frederick Noronha (as above), is keen to discover as much as possible about recent Goan migration to Swindon in England and would particularly like to hear about this from UK Goans. Hopefully, our readers will contribute further to the excellent GV(UK) Swindon supplement available at click here.

Oil rich Qatar is in the throes of a controversy about the building of Christian churches on its territory where an estimated 100,000 residents are Christian workers from abroad, and further, that only 200,000 are native Qataris in a population of 900,000. According to Simon D'Silva, "while some indigenous traditionalists quote Prophet Mohammed as saying that, no two religions will come together in the [Islamic] Arabian Peninsula, others argue that this injunction applied specifically to Mecca and Medina---Islam's holiest cities in Saudi Arabia." Indeed, two points are worth noting: a) that places of worship for various religions are a fundamental human right guaranteed by Islam and, b) once Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Church opens in Qatar at Easter in 2008, Saudi Arabia will be the only Arab nation in the Arabian Peninsula that bans Christian churches.

Finally, Goanet informs us that, there will be 40 Knowledge Centres established in Goa soon. The Goa Government has "decided that, knowledge of Information Technology (IT) will be mandatory for government employment." These IT Centres will be located in towns and villages across the State.

RELIGIOUS: Faith and Music. ITV1
Mon 25th Feb. 00:15 to 00:50. Cliff Richard tells how he put his career on the line to profess his faith in God. Born Harry Webb in India, Cliff arrived in the UK with his parents at the age of eight, and as a teenager was determined to become the British Elvis.

DRAMA: Afternoon Play. BBC Radio Four
Mon. 25th Feb. 14:15 to 15:00. Jess and Sandeep's friendship crosses the racial divide in Bristol. Jess is black and Sandeep is Asian. When Sandeep's father's shop is burnt down by two masked black men, community tensions rise and their friendship is put to the test.

NEWS: Desi Pubs. BBC Radio Asian Network
Mon 25th Feb. 18:30 to 19:00. Two Pints of Lager and a Plate of Chicken. Bobby Friction goes on a personal journey to see how and why Asian-owned 'desi' pubs make such an impact on the community and what it is that makes them so different.

CHAT SHOW: Night Waves. BBC Radio Three
Mon. 25th Feb. 21:45 to 22:30. David Edgar talks about Testing the Echo, his play about a group of immigrants preparing to take the new British citizenship exam.

MAGAZINE PROGRAMME: Desi DNA. BBC 2
Wed. 27th Feb. 23:20 to 23:50. Asian arts and lifestyle magazine.

DOCUMENTARY: Indian School. BBC 2
Wed. 27th Feb. 23:50 to 00:20. Spiritual Journey. The students of the two schools are preparing to celebrate Diwali.

DOCUMENTARY: Analysis. BBC Radio Four
Thu. 28th Feb. Time: 20:30 to 21:00. Is the prosperity in India filtering down to the mass of the population or simply creating a larger gulf between the rich and poor.

DOCUMENTARY: A Race Apart. BBC Radio Four
Fri. 29th Feb. 11:00 to 11:30. Sarfraz Manzoor talks to American students from two different universities who have opted for a racially segregated education, whether black or white.

Sun. 23 Mar. Konkani Dramatic Association proudly presents 'Easter Dance' at St John’s Church Hall, Bourne Hill, Palmers Green, London N13 4DA. From: 2.30 p.m. - 9.00 p.m. Music provided by Nite Life. Tickets, (includes buffet meal): adults £10.00 Children £5 (5-16, under 5 free). Dress: Formal (Strictly NO Jeans or Trainers). For tickets & further details call the following: Antonio - 0208 4529406 / 07988896904; Judy - 0208 76302606 / 07949403741; Domacian - 0208 3761609 / 07940501196; Rosy - 0208 8352 9450; Johnny - 0208 7693168

Sun 6 Apr. 1pm – 8.30pm. Charity Dance in aid of Osteoporosis Brittle Bone Disease. Venue: Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon, Surrey CR9 3AS. All proceeds will go to St. George’s Hospital Tooting. Featuring Music by Dimensions Band. Disco by ‘Say One Do One’. Plus Cabaret shows. Admission: Adults - £13 with food; Children (4-10 yrs) - £5 with food. For tickets, please contact: Derrick Pereira – 020 8952 8899; Clare D’Souza – 01784 421421; Irene Mendonca – 020 8767 2762; Hazel Rodrigues – 020 8357 6776; Bernie Gracias 020 8723 1322.

Sat 31 May. 7pm. GOA Anniversary and May Ball. Wandsworth Town Hall Contact: Norma Menezes-Rahim Telephone 020 8771 4457.