Goan Voice UK: Newsletter. Issue 2008-24. June. 19, 2008

Calgary: Audrey Mascarenhas: Local innovation takes spotlight

10 Jun: Calgary Herald. Audrey Mascarenhas, president of Calgary-based Questor Technology Inc. which manufactures waste gas incinerators used to reduce flaring is typical of the new breed of entrepreneur who is exporting made-in-Canada solutions to the world…According to Mascarenhas, gas that is burned off is gas that could improve people's lives and living standards… 722 words. Click here.
Audrey was born in Nakuru, Kenya, the daughter of Vincent and Angela nee D’sa; granddaughter of Lilly Arminia Desouza and Piedade Florencio D’sa; niece of Oscar and Meg D’Sa (UK). The family immigrated to Toronto in 1974 and she traces her Goan roots to Sangolda (father) and Moira (mother). For a profile of her, click here.

Canada: Ken Pereira: Hockey

11 Jun: CBC. The Canadian’s men’s national field hockey team won their first match of a 12-day European tour, downing Great Britain 1-0 in Dublin, Ireland. Click here.

Tony D'Souza: Growing back to Goa

12 Jun: Metro (UK). Tony D'Souza’s father was a Konkan - a marginalised group of Catholic Indians from Goa whose faith is the result of the brutal Goa Inquisition…the particularly savage conversion programme included rubbing the mouths of Hindus with raw pork to render them 'untouchables' and encourage them to convert…'We were about the only Konkan family in Chicago. It was a struggle,' he says dryly…The Konkans is published today by Portobello, priced £10.99… 926 words.
For the Tony D’Souza website with reviews, extracts, ordering info, audio clips, etc. click here.

Toronto: Video: Isabella Fernandes: Ontario’s health system

12 Jun: CNW. Some Ontarians are confused and frustrated by delays, redundancies and poor communication…Isabella Fernandes has asthma, diabetes and high blood pressure. She says that too often she's left in the dark about her own health and has to call the doctor several times for appointments…She says, “I don't know what's going on with my health”. Click here.
Isabella is based in Toronto and is employed at Ryerson University. She immigrated to Canada in 1999 from Chinchinim, South Goa.

Thomas & Seby Pereira: Golden Anniversary Celebration

13 Jun: By Marie Fernandez. Dominic’s, in San Francisco, was the venue for the Golden Wedding Anniversary celebration of Thomas and Sebastiana (Seby) Pereira … Some readers may well recall Thomas at Barclays Bank, Mombasa…Their children, Cynthia, Anita., Phillip and Brian together with Lisa (daughter in law) and grandson Nicholas did justice to the occasion… Fil da Cunha was Master of Ceremonies at the event which was officiated by Rev. Father Al Furtado…Archie Dennis and Dorothy De Souza serenaded the couple … Tony’s Mascarenhas (Seby’s brother) and Philomena Dias (Thomas’ sister) delivered loving and warm speeches... For the full text click here.

Video: Floyd Cardoz & Sons: Halibut with watermelon curry

13 Jun: NBC News – Today. Floyd Cardoz is the executive chef of Tabla restaurant in New York, where he mixes traditional Indian spices with everyday fare. In celebration of Father's Day, Floyd and his two sons, 14-year-old Peter and 10-year-old Justin, prepare halibut with watermelon curry.4.42s. Click here.
For the text of the recipe click here.
For the GVUK Floyd Cardoz supplement click here.

Record price for Indian painting

13 Jun: BBC. A sale of a painting by the late Indian painter Francis Newton Souza has set a record for an Indian work of art. Souza's 1955 work, Birth, was sold for £1,273,250 ($2,519,762) at an auction of modern South Asian art at Christie's earlier this week. Souza, who died in 2002, was born in Goa and lived in London and New York…258 words. Click here.

Trevor Fernandes: Kenya tourism push
14 Jun: Sydney Morning Herald. Tourism was much damaged by the violence that erupted after the January election. The Kenyan Government has announced a "national makeover" … Trevor Fernandes, whose family has owned and operated Wildlife Safari out of Nairobi for 36 years and who now lives in Perth, welcomes the government initiative, reiterating the message that life in Kenya and for the tourism industry is back to normal. 333 words. Click here.

Fr. Seby Mascarenhas visits Canada June 11-29th

14 Jun: Peterborough Examiner. Fr. Seby of Pilar, Goa, was featured in the movie "The Lotus and the Cross," a documentary film that explores the phenomenon of 'Inculturation' and how Hindu rituals and symbols are intermingling with the practice of Christianity in India. While in Canada, he will offer public lectures, retreats and worship in Peterborough, Ottawa and Winnipeg. For details click here or contact Louise Graves, Ph.D, (204) 254-0323, l.graves@iitheoed.com

The Goans of Swindon
15 Jun: Herald (Goa). The Bane of Bhaile. By Tomcat…A Tiatr in Swindon had been organised in honour of Churchill Allemao’s visit and some people got into a fight over a seat … Swindon Goans are divided into two groups – people from Siridao and people from Goa Velha … it’s not only Goans in Goa who are facing a problem because of migrants - Goans in Swindon are losing jobs to Polish immigrants…273 words. Click here.

Video: Keith Vaz on mislaid documents

16 Jun: BBC. Confidential government files have been found on a commuter train for the second time in a week. Chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz, told the BBC that the documents should never have left the office. 2m. 41s. Click here.

Lambert Mascarenhas: A Fierce Fighter at 94
16 Jun: Navhind Times. By Tomazinho Cardozo. …At ninety-four, Lambert is bitter about the attitude of the non-resident Goans towards Goa. Goans went abroad and preferred Europe, Canada, USA or Australia to Goa. They now want that the Goa government should protect their properties and houses. They are now trying to advise us on what to do and what not to do in Goa while residing elsewhere in the world. “If you are really interested in the good of Goa then come back to Goa and work with us for its development. Do not give us tall sermons on issues of development”, he thundered. 928 words. Click here.

California: Kimberly D'Costa set for Girls State

16 Jun: The Reporter (Vacaville, Calif)…Kimberly D'Costa, a Vanden High School student who maintains a GPA of 4.2 and will be a captain on next year's academic decathlon team, has the system down as well. "I really try to find the balance between school and other activities," said D'Costa. "I try to do all my homework and study for all of my tests first, then I go to practice after school and do other activities." Click here.

Adelrick D'Cruz: Conviction over sexual assault
17 Jun: Waverley Leader (Australia). Alderick D’Souza has been convicted over the 1984 indecent assault of a 17-year-old girl in Benalla. He was fined $500 and put on a two-year good behaviour bond a sentence that has been criticised widely by support groups as an insult to the girl and other sexual assault victims. 134 words.

'RadioGoa' a gift to Konkani music lovers

18 Jun: Daily News and Analysis. RadioGoa, a unique venture run by Dubai-based Benedict Lobo has helped Konkani music transcend its traditional boundaries and be available worldwide… RadioGoa, an internet based medium giving all kind of Konkani music, has become a hit with the non resident Goans and Goans alike…In UK the service is supported by NR-Goan Rene Barreto and back home in Goa by Cheryl Lobo… For text, 608 words, click here.
To listen to RadioGoa bookmark www.radiogoa.net/

Video: Louis Fernandes: South Asian Mall in Canada

18 Jun. Rogers.com. Louis Fernandes interview on TV on 9th Jun. about the Taj Centre, Brampton. For the video clip, 10m. 45s. click here.
For the project website click here.
For brief personal details of Louis Fernandes which appeared in GVUK 2008-24, click here.

Alfredo de Melo: Fighting Nazis and industry leadership

18 Jun: Times of India. Alfredo de Melo is a WWII veteran from Goa now resident of Montevideo, Uruguay…he was parachuting on to the battle fields of Europe to fight the Nazis in World War II. The war over he set off for Uruguay, to establish a business…Now 84 Alfredo hasn’t forget the Goa of his childhood. His book, ‘From Goa to Patagonia’ released last year, recounts in fond detail the years he spent in Portuguese Goa...758 words. Click here.

Father Raymond J. de Souza: The Lord's Prayer isn't a white thing
18 Jun: The National Post. The Ontario legislature voted unanimously last week to maintain the recitation of the Lord’s Prayer at Queen’s Park, adding non-Christian prayers on a rotational basis…It’s really a very parochial view, that Christianity is a white thing, or a European thing or, even more preposterously for a country less than 200 years old, a native-born thing. 726 words + comments. Click here.

London: Joanne D'Mello in concert 20 June

20 Jun: Joanne D’Mello from Goa is on a four year’s full-time advance course in vocal music in the Royal Collage of Music, London. She is singing in a choir concert of Polyphony and twentieth century music inspired by polyphony for Cancer Research. It is £7 on the door, with all ticket proceeds going to the Charity. The concert starts at 7:30pm at Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street, Mayfair. Click here.

18 Jun: Parra, Goa. ANA BEATRIZ D'SOUZA (MRS ORFINO). Ex-Kampala. Wife of late Orfino. Mother of late Alba/Ignatius (Canada), Edwiges (Eddie)/Renate (Germany), Anita/Francis. Grandmother of Patricia/Gary (Canada), Jennifer/Kevin (Canada), Alison/Ashu (England), Sharon/Antonio (Germany), Lillian, Valerian.

17 Jun: Santa Cruz, Goa. JOSE AB FERNANDES. (Born 1955). Husband of Sucorinha. Brother of Domingos Jose/late Lalita (Portugal), late Remedios, Luis/Amelia (UK), Loreto/Paulina (Paris)

17 Jun: Navelim, Goa. BIBIANA PEREIRA GOMES (Ex-Kenya; born on 1923). Wife of late M Jack S Gomes. Mother of Eva/Melvyn D'Sa (UK), Melita/late Archie Fernandes (Canada), Freda/Saj Vine (USA). Sister of late Francisco/Alipia, Raul, Egidio/Rosy Pereira, late Ciria, late Alex, late Magdalena/late Francis. Grandmother of Malcolm, Ivan, Kurt, Jason and Zara.

15 Jun: Bradenton, Florida. APOLLO C. COLACO (Born 1930; Ex-Kuwait, Bradenton since 1979). Husband of Eroneia. Father of Conrad (Bradenton), Desiree Windham (Bradenton) and Bluma Lantzy (Brandon) Brother of Lena Coutinho (Goa).

15 Jun: Canada. CAPT. THOMAS REBEIRO. Husband of Rose, Ex-Principal St. Isabels High School, Mazagon, Mumbai. Father of Sharon/Boniface, Clinton/Marie.

15 Jun: Mumbai. MRS ARLENE NORONHA. (Ex-Principal Sacred Heart, Worli, Mumbai). Husband of Pop Noronha. Mother of Sanjay’Komal (USA).

14 Jun: Navelim., Goa. COSME MAXIMIANO FERNANDES (Born 1919, Ex Dar-es-Salaam). Husband of Bibiana. Father of late Melville/Aspy, Milton/Maria (Dar-es-Salaam), Merlin, SP/Felicidade. Funeral on 15 June at 4.30:Rosary Church, Navelim.

13 Jun: Toronto. ELDRIC FERNANDES (Ex Grindlays Bank, Mumbai). Husband of Joan. Father of Denzil, Hazel & late Cheryl Ann. Condolences to fernadd@rogers.com

11 June: Agassaim, Goa. SANTANA GONSALVES E PIRES: Mother of Antonio/Catherin Pires (USA), Maria/Agnelo Gonsalves (USA); grandmother of Jacinta and Jason Pires, Malisa, Abel Jennifer Gonsalves (USA). Funeral: 14 June at 4 pm.

Goa: a sort of racy and mildly unrespectable seaside playground
May 2008: IGWB: International Gaming & Wagering Business…Goa is absolutely the right location for offshore casinos. Some 65 flights come in every day including 30 charter flights full of tourists during season and all of them look for some form of entertainment in addition to the beaches… India isn’t against land casinos, per se; it just wants them owned by Indians…Goa is a special case…Some Indians perceive Goa as a sort of racy and mildly unrespectable seaside playground best kept in a cultural isolation ward. The temptation to draw parallels between Goa and Macau in China is strong, as Deutsche Bank suggests…2110 words. Click here.

Park Hyatt Goa favoured by Middle East travellers
12 Jun. Al-Bawaba News. Rising numbers of affluent travellers from the Middle East are opting to travel to Goa and stay at the award winning world class resort and spa, Park Hyatt Goa…1062 words. Click here.

Air India Express cancels Dubai-Goa operations
13 Jun: Gulf News (Dubai). Dubai: Air India Express, a budget airline from India, has decided to cancel its operations to Goa just a week after it opened its seat bookings much to the annoyance of the travellers who bought a ticket…It was scheduled to operate its flights to Goa from June 18 thrice a week… More than 500,000 Goans live in the UAE…342 words. Click here.

Foreign Investments in India: Draft for Comments
13 June 2008: RBI. The Reserve Bank has placed the draft Master Circular on Foreign Investments in India on its website for public comments. The feedback may be e-mailed by 20 June 2008. The Master Circular has been updated taking into account FEMA, Acquisition of immovable property; Establishment of an Office in India and Investment in capital of partnership firms or proprietary concern. 108 pages. Click here.

150 lifeguards to man Goa’s beaches by Oct
13 Jun: Times of India. Come October, and Goa’s beaches might be manned by almost 150 lifeguards — a first in the state’s history if all goes as planned. 408 words. Click here.

How to be a beach babe
14 Jun: The Telegraph (India). Achla Sachdev draws up a Goa guide, fashion-wise. Just the thought of Goa makes me smile. Mention it and I can’t stop dreaming…If you have forgotten to carry your bikini or feel your old one is dated, don’t fret. In Goa, there’s a bikini available for everyone in a store called Bikini Shop located on the Calangute-Baga beach stretch. This shop is a franchise from Bangkok. Click here.

Mumbai-based firm to man beach belts in Goa
14 Jun: Business Standard. Drishti Adventure Sports Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based private firm will now manage Goa's two important beach stretches infamous for drowning deaths… 46 deaths due to drowning in the year 2004, 22 in 2005, 44 in 2006, 72 in 2007 and till date 35 deaths this year. Arrivals of foreign tourists to the state have declined marginally since February 18 when the body of British teenager Scarlett Keeling was found on Anjuna beach. Click here.

UK nationals rapist still at large
14 Jun: Navhind Times. The police are yet to nab the culprit accused of raping a UK national who was allegedly raped in Curca by an unknown person who offered her a lift from Kala Academy to Mapusa. The police had rounded up nearly 250 look-alikes of the suspect but to no avail… An identification parade proved to be futile. Click here.

Goa should cancel off shore casino licences: BJP
15 Jun: PTI. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday demanded that Goa should cancel all off shore casino licences. "We don't require any off shore casino. State government should cancel all the licences by bringing in amendment to Anti Gambling Act," Goa's BJP Chief Shripad Naik told reporters. 189 words. Click here.

Goa's offshore casinos in troubled water
15 Jun: Deccan Herald. By Devika Sequeira. …Besieged by protests over its ill-conceived open door policy on offshore casinos, the Goa government is set for a rethink on licensing new floating casinos… 435 words. Click here.

Larry Sequeira: Tanzania and Kenya in one trip
15 Jun: The Sunday Times (UK). Larry Sequeira of Shirley, Surrey writes: “My wife [Sandra] and I would like to visit Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Crater in Tanzania plus a five day chill out in Lamu, Kenya in autumn 2009. Firstly is that the best time to go? We have a moderate budget of about £2,250 per person and can you suggest a tour company that can help us? To check out the answer, 471 words, click here.

Meet the New Goan Voice UK Sponsors:
Aim4Africa: Tailormade African Safaris (ex-Tanzanian Goan founders). Visits to Kenyan and Tanzanian Goan Institutes also arranged. Tel. (0845)4084541 or (0114)2552533. www.aim4africa.com enquiries@aim4africa.com

Goan doctors overcharging foreigners
16 Jun: Navhind Times…is Goa slowly loosing out on its potential of providing quality services to the patients at reasonable rates?...The doctors are learning from the taxi drivers and are over charging the foreigners…noted dentist Dr Hubert Gomes observed that patients compare services in other states and feel that they are being overcharged in Goa… the spurt in crime along the coastal belt and the unscrupulous taxi drivers, have sent wrong signals to potential tourists. 771 words. Click here.

Editorial: Indecent exposure and tourism
16 Jun: Herald. …Despite the government’s feeble efforts to check sale of land to foreigners, it seems highly improbable that it can stop them from legitimately buying a piece of property here…Early in the morning, kids who are on their they way to school sometimes get to see bikini-clad foreigners taking a morning jog down the road…It’s time that the law enforcing agencies, as well as ordinary Goans, stand up and tell the foreigner to cover up. 587 words. Click here.

Editorial: A Short-sighted Goa
17 Jun: Navhind Times. Medical tourism is in the nascent stage in Goa. It is not on very organised lines. At this stage, to hear that patients from abroad (medical tourists) are feeling that they are being “overcharged”, as a report in this newspaper on Monday indicates, is disturbing. 533 words. Click here.

The grass is greener
17 Jun: Arabian Business.Com (Dubai)…For those feeling frazzled with Dubai's fast pace of life and stressed out over work-related woes, it seems Goa can offer a complete change of pace - the secluded location has afforded the properties there a relatively hassle-free existence to date. 261 words. Click here.

Traffic cops prey on tourists
17 Jun: Times of India. …The law requires a vehicle owner to carry original documents at all times but an officer can accept an attested photocopy … tourists hiring vehicles tend to be given unattested photocopies and have to pay a bribe to avoid being booked. 504 words. Click here.

Patrina Churm conned by toyboy in Goa
18 Jun: The Telegraph (UK). Patrina Churm, 55, a divorcee who had a holiday romance in Goa with a man 25 years younger has been left "penniless and terrified" after being conned out of more than £80,000 by Guroo, a Kashmiri … Last month, in an identical case, Sarah Matheson, a divorced 54-year-old, revealed she was conned out of £80,000 by another Kashmiri man she also met on a beach in Goa…. Guroo also took more than £10,000 in cash which she had taken to India to buy a flat in Goa…589 words. Click here.

Drug traffickers get smart
18 Jun: Times of India. Goa is not just an epicentre, where drugs are sold at rave and trance parties, but now Goa has become a transit point for drugs, from where it is shipped out to European countries and even neighbouring states…The Goa police has finally woken up to the fact that there is an urgent need to check trafficking of narcotic drugs… 462 words. Click here.

Medical Tourism: The new prescription
18 Jun: Express Travel World. India has already become a preferred medical tourism destination; the challenge is to keep it that way…There is an emerging trend of companies having a mixed portfolio of hotels, hospitals, ayurvedic resorts and travel agencies under one umbrella. The Alcon Victor Group has started promoting medical tourism and are targeting the European market to Goa for treatments ranging from cosmetic and plastic surgery, dentistry and orthopaedics… 2607 words. Click here.

Lifeguard recruits struggle through tests
18 Jun: Times of India. On day one of the lifeguard recruitment drive, 26 recruits were shortlisted but they had a tough time meeting the criteria as they had to swim 400 metres in nine minutes. The organisers were compelled to relax the rules by two minutes…Forty of the existing lifeguards refused to take the test…339 words. Click here.

Inflation may spell doom for Goa’s charter boom
19 Jun: Herald. The charter boom in Goa could be heading for bleak days ahead as rising inflation, recession world over and hike in aviation fuel is expected to cut charter arrivals to Goa by 7 to 8 per cent in the forthcoming 2008-09 season…charters from the UK dropped from 388 last year to 365 this year… 367 words. Click here.

$500 million Israeli housing projects in Goa
12 Jun: Globes (Israel business). Yaakov Engel and Hezi Hermoni have purchased land for the building of three residential projects in Goa. The project will be carried out through Engel's privately-held real estate developer EngelInvest Group. The two partners will invest $500 million in the building of 2,030 apartments. Engel Invest expects the proceeds from the project to total $1 billion. The projects are in Cortalim, Panaji and Dona Paula where the apartments will reportedly sell at $5,000 per square meter. 295 words. Click here.

Goan identity erodes with onslaught of migrants
12 Jun: MeriNews. By Armstrong Vaz. One day, Goans will be strangers in their own land. The Goan identity will fade away and they will be left repenting, for having flirted with danger and damaged their birthplace. It's time Goans wake up and initiate saving their identity…1183 words. Click here.

Goa law minister charged in 'fake ticket scam'
13 Jun: Express India. A court in Goa has framed criminal charges against BCCI Vice President and State's Law Minister Dayanand Narvekar in connection with the 'fake ticket scam' reported during a 2001 India-Australia One Day International (ODI) match. Narvekar and eight others, were charged with cheating, criminal conspiracy, forgery, for the purpose of cheating, and causing disappearance of evidence…The case will come up for hearing in the first week of July... 1m. 35s. Click here.

Seven SEZs scraped, Goa may have to compensate
14 Jun: Financial Express. Goa’s harried Special Economic Zone (SEZ) developers literally had the ground removed from beneath their feet as the Goa Industrial Development Corporation that had originally allotted the land revoked it for seven such zones including three notified ones. 806 words. Click here.

Roman script Konkani: Downright discrimination
15 June: Times of India. Olivinho Gomes is vehement about the injustice meted to the vast population in the state who use Konkani in the Roman script… 646 words. Click here.

Number of investors soar in bullish Goa
15 Jun: Times of India. The stock market is no longer a big black hole for Goans. Brokers say there has been an almost 300% increase in the last five years in the number of people venturing into the riskier, albeit profitable, arena of trading equities. 470 words. Click here.

St Anthony: loved by all Goans
15 Jun: Herald. Thirteenth of June is a day marked by the Goans to go to church and pay homage to their dear saint – St. Anthony of Padua. You will find a statue of this saint in almost all the altars in Goan houses…The moment any precious object like a gold chain or a set of keys is lost or stolen the Goans - whether Hindus or Catholics - immediately seek recourse to the saint…574 words. Click here.

Decoding the Surname
16 Jun: Navhind Times. Goan surnames have a deep-rooted history. Following conversions, the Hindus and Muslims of Goa acquired new Portuguese surnames. Many of the Christian families in Goa have traced their original Hindu surnames. Many have shown keen interest in finding their roots in their Hindu ancestry. It is very interesting… 499 words. Click here.

Goa: Archdiocese Stresses Faith Formation
16 Jun: UCAN. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao said Catholic clergy, Religious, families, politicians and businesspeople should all work for faith formation…he asks families to "seriously question" themselves if television and the Internet take precedence over prayers….418 words. Click here.

Churches in Goa rate as treasures
17 June. Spero News (Texas). India and Goa in particular, has many heritage sites worthy of being classified as world heritage sites. There is a concerted effort of Goa's tourism policy to focus on cultural tourism as a specific dimension of tourism. Parts of Goa remain like untouched pages out of the history book. Grand old houses, intricately carved temples, grandiose churches and historical monuments are like a treasure trove of historical nuggets… 878 words. Click here.

Church Programs Emboldens Goans To Fight For Rights
17 Jun: UCAN. By Bosco de Souza Eremita. …11 villages where Catholics form the majority have challenged their village headman for various acts of omission and commission…People's opposition has forced the councils to revoke licenses for some projects… Carlinhos Peres says, "Land prices are stabilizing, whereas earlier they were galloping”…the government has now woken up "to the uncomfortable reality of people power in motion." 574 words. Click here.

Goa Govt: Employees call off strike
17 Jun: Zee News. The week-long indefinite strike by government employees in Goa was called off after the Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) was invoked in the state by Chief Minister Digamber Kamat. 269 words. Click here.

SEZ decision may cost govt Rs 500 crore
18 Jun: Herald. The Union Commerce Ministry officials have claimed that the Goa government’s stand of scrapping the three notified SEZs may cost the exchequer a whopping Rs 350 crore to Rs 500 crore in compensation. 393 words. Click here.

The Rape of Goa...as a tool to Save Goa?
18 Jun: Gomantak Times. By Jason Keith Fernandes. The Rape of Goa, a photo documentary, by Rajan Parrikar is filled with images of violence… It pins the blame on politicians, without questioning our own complicity in this problem, allowing us to blame 'greedy Goans' and outsiders. For full text, 1203 words, at www.dervishnotes.blogspot.com/
To watch the documentary online click here.

Goa Police: Irked DGP lashes out at police complaint panel
18 Jun: Times of India. The State Police Complaint Authority (SPCA) is acting beyond its jurisdiction and eroding the very foundations of the criminal justice system through its interference in the day-to-day administrative functioning of and investigations by the police, the director general of police has complained to the chief secretary in a confidential letter…404 words. Click here.

Weekly Update
19 Jun: Times of India – Goa. Exchange rates £= 83.60; $ = 42.88; Euro = 66.36
Weather: Intermittent spells of rain or thundershowers. Max = 31.7; Min = 26.0. Humidity 78% to 82 %

Scarlett Keeling: Family set to mark birthday
13 Jun: North Devon Journal (UK). The family Scarlett Keeling is preparing to mark what would have been her 16th birthday on Tuesday, June 17… her mother, Fiona MacKeown, has enlisted the help of her MP Geoffrey Cox… Fiona’s visa has expired and she said she is having difficulty in obtaining a new one. She also said the coroner here has tried to co-operate with the Indian authorities, but is not getting anywhere…Ms MacKeown is currently creating a garden in the grounds of the family home where she plans to bury Scarlett. 378 words. Click here.

Scarlett Keeling: CBI objects to Mannion leaving India
17 Jun: Navhind Times. In the petition filed by Mannion challenging the Look Out Circular issued by the state government, the CBI on Monday filed an affidavit before the court objecting to the lifting of the LOC… 298 words. Click here.

Mike Masala rues being witness in Scarlett case
19 Jun: Times of India. British national Michael Mannion, a crucial eyewitness in the Scarlett Keeling rape and murder case, has advised all British nationals never to volunteer to depose in India if they are a witness to a crime. 251 words. Click here.

Formula 1 Party charity auction offers ‘once in a lifetime’ lots
13 Jun: Formula 1. A ‘once in a lifetime’ auction is available online and at the official F1 Party, part of the build-up to next month’s British Grand Prix, in aid of London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity. The auction includes: live like a billionaire for week with first class flights to India on an all-expenses-paid trip, including seven luxurious nights at the Kingfisher [Vijay Mallya] Villa in Goa. To take part and help the charity build a new Heart and Lung centre, you can visit the website at www.gosh-f1-party.com. Click here.

The perfect literary travelling companions to India.
14 Jun: The Guardian. By William Dalrymple…Good places to start might be a couple of Rushdies - perhaps Midnight's Children and The Moor's Last Sigh (both Vintage) - A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth (Harper Perennial), The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy (Flamingo), Sea of Poppies by Amitav Ghosh (John Murray)… 617 words. Click here.

Mangalore to be world seat of Konkani culture
15 Jun: Times of India. While Goa is the only state in the country to have Konkani as its official language, however, the biggest centre for the development of the Konkani language, art and culture is being set up in Mangalore, in Karnataka. 324 words. Click here.

10 Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon
16 Jun: Navhind Times. The magic mixture of honey and cinnamon has been known for hundreds of years for their miraculous curing power. Benefits include: For Curing Arthritis; Hair Loss; Toothache; Reducing Cholesterol; Cure Colds; Stomach Upset; Immune System; Longevity; Weight Loss. 493 words. Click here.

India: ‘Targeting migrant workers against Constitution’
16 Jun: Times of India. The Bombay high court has reminded workers that it will not pay to target non-Maharashtrians and prevent them from working in the state…436 words. Click here.

The Sea of Poppies. Book review by William Dalrymple
16 Jun: Financial Times. The Sea of Poppies. By Amitav Ghosh. John Murray £18.99, 480 pages. Amitav Ghosh is a living embodiment of what has become one of his principal themes: the journeyings and displacements of the Indian diaspora. Born in Calcutta, he has studied in Delhi, Oxford and Cairo, taught in Harvard, and currently has three writing desks: one each in Bengal, Goa and Brooklyn. 931 words. Click here.

London: Food and Drink Festival: 29 June: Lewisham
16 Jun: Lewisham Borough Council. Lewisham Town Centre will host its first ever festival of food and drink in the award winning Cornmill Gardens between 10am – 4pm on Sunday, 29 June…there will be a huge range of food and drink on offer …Local Goan dishes…Authentic Indian pickles… Click here.

Leicester Asian football team to India
18 Jun: Argentina Star. A team of Asian youngsters will play football matches in India under a project to use the sport as a way of developing links between the two countries. Leicester has put together a squad to play matches in Goa this October…The initiative was launched by Milan Mandaric, Keith Vaz and Sir Richard Stagg. 142 words. Click here.

In an article by Fr. Desmond de Souza, titled India: Churches in Goa Rated as Treasures , we are told that " India and Goa in particular has many heritage sites worthy of being classified as world heritage sites. Parts of Goa remain like untouched pages of the history book. Grand old houses, intricately carved temples, grandiose churches and historical monuments are like a treasure trove of historical nuggets." We are further told about the current efforts being made to obtain such heritage status for specific sites.

"Why we don't want migrants [in Goa]" is the theme of a heated discussion with contestants understandably taking opposite sides. As Goan Voice (UK) readers are, by and large, migrants to Britain, they could make a valuable contribution to this debate on Goanet.

In a theme titled 'Let the Revolution Begin' we note many observations about the outcomes of the activities of the freedom fighters who helped oust the Portuguese from Goa in 1961. The current posters seem to wonder to what extent the aims of the former freedom fighters have been achieved to date.

In a short piece by Chris Fernandes and titled 'Beware of Fraudsters' we are provided a vivid account of fraudsters in Vancouver, Canada, who clearly exploit the desire of young people wishing to emigrate to Canada from Goa. Chris' concern should alert us to the many scams around the world determined to take money from gullible people. For further details, click here.

In an article titled Canadian Immigration Bill- C50 , Eugene Correia draws our attention to the 'report' of immigration lawyer Richard Kurland that says that, Indo-Canadians will be seriously disadvantaged by Bill-C50 currently being debated in the Canadian Parliament. The gist of the article is that " there is a whopping 145,556 people in in the queue in New Delhi but that the 2008 target [for visas] only allows for 9245... the queue in Delhi measures 15 years." By way of a personal observation by yours truly, it intrigues me that a vast country with only some 20 million inhabitants, Canada is putting on a brake on the kind of people well known for making substantial contributions to the economies of other countries like the USA and the UK.

Finally, many GV(UK) readers will remember the song Malaika written by Fadhili Williams who lived in Mombasa, Kenya. Now, in a number of Goanet posts, it becomes clear that the song has virtually achieved iconic status across the world. Following many responses to Tony Barros in New York State, he recently said, "It seems that I sure opened a "pandora box" as I was not aware that so many Goanetters were very well informed about this great Swahili ballad.

NEWS: Asian Network Report. BBC Radio Asian Network
Mon 23rd Jun. 18:30 to 19:00. A special report

DOCUMENTARY: Warship. Channel five
Mon 23rd Jun. 21:00 to 22:00. The aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious reaches Goa.

DOCUMENTARY: Windrush. BBC 4
Mon 23rd Jun to Thu 26 Jun. 20:00 to 21:00. Four-part historical documentary series of the first major influx of people from the Caribbean on the troopship Empire Windrush.

GARDENING: Model Gardens. UKTV Gardens
Wed 25th Jun. 20:30 to 21:00. Indian Garden. Uma's love of travel and Indian family background is incorporated in designing a new garden for her.

FINANCE: In Business. BBC Radio Four
Thu 26th Jun. 20:30 to 21:00. Western-style supermarkets - both Indian and foreign - are attempting to gain a foothold in India in the face of organised and vocal opposition.

TRAVEL: Globe Trekker. Travel Channel
Thu 26th Jun 22:00 to 23:00. Indian Ocean Islands: Mauritius, Seychelles and Reunion.

Sun 29 Jun: Benaulim Association celebrates the feast of St John the Baptist at Woodside High School Hall (formerly Known as White Hart Lane School) opp The New River Sports Centre, White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London N22. Holy Mass at 12.30 followed by a social gathering and dancing to the music by Maz & Co. + Disco. Tickets: Members £8.00, Guests £10.00, Children 8 - 16 £4 and Under 8 FREE. For tickets and further information please contact Josephine 0208 967 7471, Mary 0208 803 9752 or Santan 0208 952 9365

Sun 6 Jul: Bakuli (Uganda) Reunion. 10th anniversary of the reunion at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Surrey CR9 3AS from 1.00pm - 8.30pm. Live music by Mustang and disco by DJO. Tickets, which include a meal and snacks, are £13.00 for Adults and £6.00 for children 2 -12. The event is open to all. For tickets and further information please contact Tony Lobo 020 8542 0528 or Reg Da Cunha 020 7732 2659 e-mail regdacunha@aol.com

Sun. 6 Jul. The Aldona Association will be celebrating the Feast of their Patron, St. Thomas at St.Edmund's Church Hall Croyland Road, Edmonton N9 7BZ on 6 July 2008. Mass will commence at 12.00pm followed by dancing to the music of Maz 'n'Co. Ticket cost includes snacks and a meal, Members £10.00, Guests £12.50 and children 5-16 yrs £6.00. You can download an application form from our website: www.aldonalondon.org.uk or email: aldonalondon@hotmail.com. For further details contact Jude-020 8360 4102, Les-020 8440 8832 or Tino-0162 8680 529.

Sun. 13 Jul. G.O.A. Golf Open at Blue Mountain Golf Course, Bracknell. Further details from: Jacinto D'Silva 020 - 8723 1233, Menino Mascarenhas 01784 211832

Sun: 20 July. Tivim Feast. Mass will be celebrated at 1.30 pm at 185 St Boniface Church, Mitcham Road, Tooting followed by an afternoon of celebration and dancing to the sounds of "Nite Life" at St Boniface Church Hall. Further details from Norma Menezes Rahim on 020 8771 4457.

Sun. 27 Jul. G.O.A. Goan Festival in conjunction with Goan Organisations at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Starts with Holy Mass at 12.15 pm. Contact: Herbert Fernandes 01277 651052, Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022. For stall applications: Bernie Gracias 020 – 8723 1322

Sat. 2 Aug. 7 pm. Swindon. Konkani Dramatic Association UK presents John D'Silva's 25th Silver Jubilee production tiatr, "NATTOK" Charlie Chaplin from Goa coming to London with his best performance artistes. Plus artistes from UK. Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. Ticket: £12.00 or £10.00 in advance. Contact: Xavier 0179 3325686/ 07961560935. For the flyer click here.