COMMUNITY NEWS

Lisa Barros D’Sa: Harry Potter pal turns to sex, drugs and crime
10 Feb: Reuters. ‘Cherrybomb,’ directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, is set in contemporary Northern Ireland. It stars Rupert Grint who plays Ron Weasley in the ‘Harry Potter’ movies … In ‘Cherrybomb,’ which had its world premiere Sunday at the Berlin International Film Festival, Grint plays a youth dabbling in drugs, joy-riding and the thrills of teenage sex… 356 words. For full text, click here.
Lisa is the daughter of the late Prof Aires Barros D’Sa (ex-Nairobi, 1939-2007) and Elizabeth; sister of Vivienne, Miranda and Angelina. Wife of Glenn Leyburn. For links to an obituary of her father click here.
Lisa will be present at a screening of the film at Cineworld, Belfast on 20th Feb. For details click here.
For more about the film, click here.

Nairobi: Clinton Fernandes: Microsoft eyes small businesses
11 Feb: Capital Business. Small and Medium sized businesses now have the chance to purchase genuine software following the launch of a financing option by Microsoft East Africa, Software Distributors Africa Limited (SDAL) and Micro Africa … SDAL Managing Director Clinton Fernandes pointed out that the drive was also expected to curb software piracy and help bring down the levels. It is estimated that piracy levels in Kenya are about 80 percent and 85 percent for the rest of the East Africa region… For text, 442 words, click here.
Clinton, clintonf@sdal.co.ke was born in Nairobi in 1969, the son of Salvacao Ciprian Fernandes and Glady Rose Vaz; brother of Sharon Noronha, Gillian Fernandes Staussi, and Shawn Fernandes; husband of Meskerem Seifu Urga.

Anti-foreigner protests worry Vaz
11 Feb: IANS. Keith Vaz, Britain's senior Asian MP, warned that renewed protests against foreign workers could set off a protectionist spiral and racism against Indian skilled workers in Britain… “At the moment the protests are against European Union nationals working in Britain perfectly legally. My worry is that people can try and stop the legal immigration of skilled workers from the sub-continent," Vaz said… "We need to be very clear that we are open for business in a globalised world" Vaz added. 274 words. Click here.

Canada: Calgary: Brendan Fernandes: February art
12 Feb: Gauntlet (Canada)… TRUCK contemporary art gallery, at 815 First St. SW, is hosting their opening reception of Brendan Fernandes' "Mutual Surrender," on Feb. 20. The artist, who works out of New York City and Toronto, was born in Kenya of Indian heritage. He examines the return to his birthplace by comparing stereotypes, documentary footage and his own experience. Fernandes has exhibited all over the world and has received various grants from the Ontario and Canada Council for the Arts. Click here.

Melissa to represent Kenya at Miss India Contest
13 Feb: Coastweek (Mombasa). Melissa DeBlok is all set to represent Kenya at the Miss India Worldwide contest taking part in Durban, South African on February 14th. Sarova Hotels expressed their support and said that Melissa representing Kenya will go a long way in terms of local and international tourism. www.coastweek.com/
Melissa has a Dutch father and Goan mother (Elsa Barreto of Nairobi).

Keith Vaz and his wife got free airline upgrade to first class but …
13 Feb: Daily Mail. Keith Vaz and his wife were upgraded on flights from London to Mumbai to first class by Jet Airways and left their two children to slum it in the business class … 542 words. Click here.

New Zealand: Francky Godinho: He's got heart
14 Feb: Hawke's Bay Today (NZ). Francky Godinho, chef at The Old Church in Meeanee has revamped the restaurant's menu for Valentine's Day… The 29-year-old, from Goa, left with the New Zealand Culinary Team for Wales on Thursday to compete in the Welsh International Culinary Championships next week…. 287 words.
Francky was born in Goa and worked in Dubai for eight years… he won the New Zealand’s Chef of the Year award in 2007. For The Old Church website visit www.theoldchurch.co.nz

Konkani music set to go global
14 Feb: Asian Age. By Pamela D’Mello. Popular Konkani songs of the Sixties and Seventies are set to get a European release, with Germany’s oldest independent music label, Trikont, putting a compilation on sale on Feb 27. Konkani Songs: Music from Goa, Made in Bombay releases on February 27 in Germany, with 22 songs retrieved from archives and rerecorded for a world release… In the CD are the region’s greatest evergreen hits. 207 words.
For a full list of tracks and ordering info click here.

Rebecca Pinto: “I Love You Because …
14 Feb: Edmonton Journal (Canada). Rebecca Pinto, 22 and her boyfriend Ghassan Ghazal, 26, are separated by 7,324 km, but that hasn’t put a damper on their budding relationship. They met in France last year and keep in touch by phone and webcam. Pinto and Ghazal met in Nancy, France, while she was on an overseas co-op term as part of her University of Alberta degree program. Ghazal had been sent to welcome Pinto at the train station in place of his friend, who was running late… Click here.

Roland Francis: Canadiana - Here Comes The Goan Bride
15 Feb: GoaNet. …The young Goan population in Toronto is unevenly balanced. There are more girls than boys and therefore the females become predators although clothed in the nicest sweetest lamb-like clothing and the sweetest demeanor. The boys will be macho…the girls although cleverer will pretty much act like dumb blondes … 1089 words. Click here.

USA (MD): Peter D’Souza: Hope House celebrates 25 years with fundraiser
16 Feb: Annapolis Capital (MD,USA) Hope House is celebrating its 25th year of serving the community with a party and fundraiser Saturday. The 41-bed inpatient addiction treatment facility ministers to an average of 960 people each year, Executive Director Peter D'Souza said… "I get calls every week where people tell me, 'If it weren't for Hope House, I would've died,' " D'Souza said. "It's a life-and-death situation."… 767 words. Click here.
Peter is married to Loretta D'Souza and father of Samantha. He was the President of the New York Goan Association in 2005.

Colorado: Harvey de Souza: Living life through music in Beaver Creek
16 Feb: Vail Daily (Colorado). Julia Fischer, along with the acclaimed Academy of St. Martin in the Fields (ASMF), is performing in Beaver Creek Wednesday night … According to Harvey de Souza, principal first violinist, having Fischer at the helm is a treat for the players as well as for the audience…De Souza has played with the Academy for nearly 16 years… 723 words. Click here.

Scotland: Bosco Santimano: Hearty eating is the recipe for life
17 Feb: The Herald (Scotland). The breakthrough for Bosco Santimano came when a cardiac specialist invited him to set up a demonstration kitchen at a hospital and patients who had suffered heart attacks were asked to sign up for healthy cooking classes. Four or five people signed up ahead of time, but on the day 25 people turned up… Goan-born Santimano was asked to run his You Can Cook course at Edinburgh's Astley Ainslie amid concern too few patients change their diet after a heart attack… 1013 words. Click here.
The Bosco Santimano site is at www.aromaticuisine.co.uk/

Australia: Dwayne Fernandes: Double win for amputee
17 Feb: Blacktown Advocate. Blacktown runner Dwayne Fernandes is an inspiration to amputees everywhere. Lack of sleep, asthma, -5 degree temperatures and a ‘crap breakfast’ were just minor obstacles for Dwayne Fernandes compared to the 1576 other problems he faced in New York recently as he scaled the mighty 1576-stair Empire State building Tower Run-Up … Fernandes has been invited to compete again and has every intention of returning. Photo + 474 words. Click here.

Toronto: Brett D'Souza: Athlete of the week
18 Feb: Toronto Star: Swimming. Brett D'Souza, aged 17. Won five events in one day at the Toronto District Colleges Athletic Association swim championships… Native of Bombay, India, he started competitive swimming at age 11… Could attend Ryerson, Toronto or York in the fall. Has an 80 per cent academic average and wants to pursue a career in computer engineering. 187 words. Click here.

Jeremy Dias: The International Day of Pink Feb. 19
18 Feb: Jer's Vision launches the 1st International Day of Pink on Wednesday, Feb.18th, 2009 at 11:45pm at Mercury Lounge, Ottawa right before a Quarter-Million. People will wear Pink to celebrate the Day of Pink in Canada, the US, and Europe to show their support for an end to bullying, discrimination and homophobia. "It is truly incredible!" said Executive Director, Jeremy Dias (founder of Jer's Vision)… for more information please see www.dayofpink.org or www.jersvision.org.Click here.

Toronto: Ken Coelho: Canoe trip with minister
19 Feb: Toronto Star. Economist Ken Coelho loves the great outdoors and is an enthusiastic canoeist… He joined the Natural Resources deputy minister David Lindsay on a recent field trip to Orillia, “Canoeing and bird-watching”… Coelho came to Canada from India 28 years ago and has worked for Ontario Public Service for 18 years…. Coelho says he's welcomed the opportunity to make Lindsay aware "of the issues people of my background face…760 words. Click here.

DEATHS

18 Feb. Porvorim, Goa. FR MATTHEW ALMEIDA. (Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr [TSKK], Porvorim, Goa). Fr Almeida was the author of “Konkani Course in Roman Script,” “Konknni Basic Course,” “Linguistic Glossary: English-Konknni and Konknni-English,” etc.
For an obituary, click here. For the Thomas Stephens Konknni Kendr website, view www.tskk.org/

16 Feb: Divar, Goa. DOMNIC XAVIER BRUNO FERNANDES (DOMIXAR): Husband of Agnes. Father of Joaquina/Eric Azavedo. Brother of late Jose Mathias/Olive (UK), late Fr Benjamin, Bertila/late Thomas Fernandes (UK), Clotildes/late Mathias Anthony Fernandes, late John/Alzira, Filomena/late Antonio Xavier Menezes.

13 Feb: Moira, Goa. MARTINHO SALVADOR DE SOUZA (SALUS) (Born 1930; ex Nairobi & Bombay). Husband of Caetanina (Lily). Father of Cynthia/James, Hazel/Cyril, Yvonne/Britto. Grandfather of Sheryl/Boniface, Clyde, Conrad, Myrtle, Daphne and Fiona. Great grandfather of Marika. Funeral was on 15 Feb. in Moira.

12 Feb: Leicester, UK. IGNATIUS RODRIGUES (Ex Kenya Breweries, Nairobi; Ex Leicester City Magistrates Court, Leicester). Husband of Ismalia Rodrigues. Father of Ilona/Derick (Sutton) Ingrid/Tony Carter (Solihull). Grandfather of Vanessa, Samantha (Sutton), Ashley & Nathan (Solihull).
Funeral Service will take place at 10 am on Friday 27th February 2009 at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 21 Hinckley Road, Leicester LE3 0TA followed by burial at Gilroes Cemetery, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9QG. Family flowers only. In lieu of flowers, donations to the National Stroke Association are welcome. Condolences to fernandesderick@hotmail.com

11 Feb: St Inez, Panjim. CYPRIAN VENANCIO D'SOUZA (aged 57; ex Mombasa). Most beloved husband of Carol. Loving father of Beverly/Giscard, Lynn (Dubai). Brother of Felix/Jane (Nairobi), Larry/Daphne (London), Cassy/Glen (Goa), Bella/Agnelo DaRocha (Portugal), Marlin/Lloyd (Muscat), Zezito/Adelaida. Funeral at St Inez Church; 3:45pm on 13th Feb.

FREIDA PINTO:

One Pinto too many, Freida?
12 Feb: Daily Mail (UK). Slumdog Millionaire stars Freida Pinto and Dev Patel looked a little worse for wear after enjoying a night on the town together. The pair partied at Maddox nightclub in London’s West End until the early hours of the morning. Pinto was helped into a waiting car by a friend as they headed home at 3.30am. Freida, 24, and Dev, 18, bonded during filming and have previously spoken of their fondness for each other… 641 words. Click here.

Slumdog Millionaire actress Freida dumps boyfriend
14 Feb: Sunday Mirror (UK). Just a year ago, Freida Pinto was a relatively unknown model engaged to Rohan Antao. But has Freida has dumped him … They met four years ago at St Xavier’s University and were best pals as well as lovers … Rohan took it very badly and hopes they will get back together. He has still not changed his relationship status on Facebook – it still says he is engaged… Rumours have persisted that Freida and Dev Patel are more than just friends… 537 words + photos. Click here.

Freida Pinto's Canadian relatives hyped for Oscars
16 Feb: Macleans. There could be frequent screams and squeals of joy at a Mississauga, Ont., home this Sunday as the Academy Awards air live from Los Angeles… "I just hope and pray that the movie takes all the awards," Janet D'Souza, one of Pinto's aunts said in a recent interview… D'Souza and Lydia Monteiro are sisters of Pinto's mother, Sylvia… 469 words. Click here.

Freida’s secret Goa wedding to Rohan Antao
17 Feb: Times of India. According to a source, Freida and Rohan had a secret wedding in Goa in December 2007… They had decided that they would get married in Goa, which is Rohan's hometown. They had booked a hotel for the wedding. “Rohan and Freida had decided to keep their marriage a secret …Rohan is still in shock at being dumped… 404 words. Click here.

Mystery over Slumdog Freida's 'secret husband'
18 Feb: Metro (London). She is Hollywood's hottest property and is set to be a star of this weekend's Oscars - and until today she was thought to be a single woman. But Slumdog Millionaire beauty Freida Pinto has been secretly married for the past year, it has been claimed… According to reports Pinto actually married college sweetheart Antao in an impromptu ceremony in Goa in December 2007. 418 words + photos. Click here.

WHO THE BLEEP CARES?
Weekly column by Selma Carvalho.

Who the Bleep cares about East African Goans?

My grand-father set sail for Africa, sometime in the 1920s. He worked for a bank in Nairobi for many years and returned in 1933, at the age of 38, to find himself a wife. As was typical of that era, he married a young girl of seventeen and became a doting father to three children. Cocooned by the comforts of family life, he never went back and took up a job in Pune, instead. As a family we don't know much about his time in Africa and so as an adult I set about trying to find out what sort of life he might have led.

To the Imperial British that ruled East Africa, Goans were never Indians. They were just Goans or more commonly, Goanese. P. Rogers of the Colonial office in an memo (1950) describes them as "by race and sentiment a distinct group." The British were meticulous record-keepers and there is a trace of Goan history that runs through early part of the 20th century and disappears after the 1960s. In 1907 there were just 295 Goans in Nairobi and by 1921, the Census records puts the number of Goans in Kenya at 2,000. There was an almost exponential rate of migration. Another indicator of Goan prominence in Kenya is their contribution to the Tax and Revenue department. In 1931, they contributed 7% of the Non-native Poll tax. Interestingly, in the same year they contributed 18.4% to consumption of Wines and Spirits. They had an enormous fondness for brandy and their consumption of this fiery liquid outstripped both the Europeans and Indian whereas the Europeans spent most of their money on whiskey. They also seemed to like their biscuits, jams, butter, tinned meats and true to their Goan roots they consumed large amounts of rice.

But ultimately what set Goans apart, is the respect they earned as a community, especially amongst the British. They were valued Civil Servants, and the Civil Services of the British Empire, were manned almost "down to a man" by Goans. They were prized for their honesty, trustworthiness and religious fervour. E. L Scott, the then Chief Secretary to the Government of Uganda (1932), came to be of the opinion that "the Goans in Uganda, in my days, were certainly a most industrious and well conducted community, devout Roman Catholics and as loyal to the British Empire as any British subjects." And the Earl of Lytton, stood up in the House of Lords, (1963) to declare, "There is a saying in Nairobi, 'The keys of all the white men's safes are in the pockets of the Goans'. They are a trustworthy community."

Their relationship with Africans was more ambivalent. Doubtless, language barriers and the racial prejudice predominant at the time did little to ease relations. Nevertheless, a dedicated group of Goans fought valiantly for African rights. J M Nazareth, Fitz de Sousa who was part of Jomo Kenyatta's defence team when accused of Mau Mau activities and, of course, Pio Gama-Pinto, who spent eight years incarcerated because of his support for African nationalist activities and ultimately gave his life to Kenya. Speaking to his widow, Emma Gama-Pinto, I can't help but admire the strength and courage of both Pio and Emma. J M Nazareth died somewhat broken by what came to known as the Asian Exodus from Africa. In his memoirs titled, Brown Man, Black Country, he writes, "To the Indians of Kenya, owed so much, repaid so ill."

The stories of Goans in East Africa will never fade or lose their lustre. They are to be told over and over again, so that history never forgets; once in Africa, lived a race called Goans.

Selma Carvalho is currently working on a book about Goans in the Diaspora. Do leave your feedback at carvalho_sel@yahoo.com

TRAVEL & TOURISM NEWS:

Detox in Goa's Sun-Baked Paradise
13 Feb: Daily Express (UK). Switching off her BlackBerry for a week of Ayurvedic healing, Jennifer Carr discovers Goa has a lot more to it than hedonistic hippies… 1142 words + photos. Click here.

Mosquitoes Wreaking Havoc on Goa
14 Feb: Goan Observer. Contrary to the Directorate of Health Services’ claims, vector borne diseases are on the rise… The increase in malaria cases is attributed to the rise in construction activity all over the State … The ill-equipped health centres refer the patients to the GMC already over burdened beyond its capacity … private practitioners take advantage of the poor government health services in the state and become businessmen more than healers … 1764 words. Click here.

Centre parts with funds for Goa Tourism
14 Feb: Times of India. Almost five years behind schedule, the central government has finally released funds for tourism projects in Goa, which the state government claims will cost around Rs. 72 crores. The projects include a Puritan Bhavan (a travellers’ lodge), upgrading of the Santa Monica jetty, creation of tourist centres along the Mandovi and Zuari rivers and restoration of the Old Goa heritage complex. 273 words. Click here.

No longer just King Momo, GTDC to put up floats in all categories
14 Feb: The Times of India. For the first time, the state government through its Department of Tourism will put up its own floats at the carnival parade. The decision was finalised on Thursday by the central committee formed to organise the Carnival festivities in the four major towns of Goa. Sources say the GTECH’s decision to participate in the parade will raise the bar and raise the presentation of the floats to a certain standard. 295 words. Click here.

Bill introduced to restrict land sale
14 Feb. Herald. Member of the Upper House in India, Shantaram Naik, introduced a private members constitutional amendment bill on Friday to enable State legislatures to frame laws restricting transfer of land and other immoveable properties on such grounds as duration of residence, social and economic needs of the State, environment and public interest as may be specified by the State… Naik contends “Land sharks from foreign countries are landing in States like Goa with tons of money buying huge areas, resulting in social and economic chaos…” 241 words. Click here.

No need to amend Constitution to stop sale of land in Goa: Experts
15 Feb Times of India. Rajya Sabha member Shantaram Naik's move to give state legislatures the authority to curb the sale of land in Goa has evoked diverse reactions … Constitutional expert Amrut Kansar said such a move is unnecessary as States already have the power to do so…. However former law minister Francis D'Souza said any Constitutional amendment required a two-thirds majority in the House. "At the moment the Congress does not seem to have even a simple majority…” said D'Souza… In March 2008 Goa introduced an amendment to give power to sub-registrars in the state to scrutinise sale deeds. The amendment is awaiting presidential assent… 689 words. Click here.

'Incredible' India loses lustre as tourists stay away
16 Feb: Welt Online (Germany). …Winter is peak season, but this year business has been slow and hotels are struggling to fill empty rooms due to mass cancellations by foreign tourists. All sectors have been hit, from pricey tours of Rajasthan, to budget beach holidays in Goa, which in recent years has become a favourite haunt for European tourists soaking up the sun during the winter at home. 1301 words. Click here.

Goa Carnival put terror concerns aside
16 Feb: NDTV. Notwithstanding security concerns in the aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks, the Goa Carnival later this month will take place on the promenade along the picturesque Mandovi river, officials said. Security agencies had suggested deviations from the traditional route citing a potential seaward terror threat, but the organisers of the Carnival 2009, to be held from February 21-24, have refused to follow them. 324 words. Click here.

6th casino enters Mandovi waters
18 Feb: Times of India. Touted as one of the biggest floating casinos in south east Asia, the sixth floating casino called Maharaja' entered the waters of the River Mandovi on Tuesday evening. The games that the casino features will be Texas hold em ' and American craps'… 201 words. Click here.

Late Deals
18 Feb: The Times (UK). Fly from Gatwick on Feb. 27 for a week in a guesthouse by the beach in Goa or Kerala and pay from £399 with Goaway. Combine both destinations on a fortnight's holiday from £499. 020-7258 7800
15 Feb: The News of the World (UK). Goa - £430, seven nights bed and breakfast at the 4-star Isola Di Cocco Hotel, Poovar, from Gatwick, leaving on March 20. See www.manos.co.uk or call 0844 879 8200.
14 Feb: Daily Post (North Wales). Goa - Jewel in Crown (0870 067 2352) 14-nights' B&B from Mar 5 from £473, two star hotel near Baga Beach.
8 Feb: The Sunday Mirror (UK). Goa from £433. Stay at the two-star Resorte Village Royale for 14 nights' B&B from £433pp with flights from Gatwick on March 5. Details: www.jewelholidays.com

Goa feels pinch of recession, terror and death
18 Feb: AFP (France). A double-whammy of the global economic turmoil and Mumbai terror attacks has hit Goa hard as a disappointing winter tourist season draws to a quiet close. Others point to the death of Scarlett Keeling for affecting visitor numbers, shedding light on a murky sub-culture of sex, drink and drugs…Business fell by between 30 and 40 percent in the peak month of December… Three other foreign women were raped in Goa last year but did not report the crimes to the police, a British tourist claimed… 753 words. Click here.

SCARLETT KEELING

Scarlett yet to be given decent burial
17 Feb: Times of India. One year after the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling, she is yet to be given a decent burial as her mother Fiona is yet to receive her daughter's organs. Fiona says that on February 18 “In Scarlett's remembrance, we are going to plant one hundred trees (brightly coloured willows) in the morning with the children and Scarlett's friends and then we are all going to the beach for the day." … 397 words. Click here.

Trees to mark Scarlett’s death
17 Feb: The Sun (UK). Murdered teen Scarlett Keeling's family want to plant 100 trees to mark the first anniversary of her death on February 18. Ms MacKeown now says she is being sent questions from the Indian police about her personal life and believes they are concentrating their investigation on her rather than Scarlett’s attacker … India’s Central Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the death and Ms MacKeown said she is hoping to meet them in the UK on March 3. 460 words. Click here.

Scarlett murder: Goa refuses to learn
18 Feb: Sify. It is past 1 a.m. on Anjuna beach. And nearly a year after her body was discovered on the sands here, Goa has disgracefully unlearned every lesson the Scarlett Keeling murder taught. 929 words. Click here.

One year on, mother remembers British teen killed in India
18 Feb: AFP (France). … Fiona is also worried that local investigators believe she is involved in drug trafficking. "They have sent me a list of questions and it looks like they're investigating me personally," MacKeown said. "They're not just asking me about my activities in and around Goa, they're asking me how I get my money, the ages of my children. It's none of their business. They think I was up to no good". 657 words. Click here.

Scarlett’s family mark the first anniversary of her death
18 Feb: This is North Devon (UK). The family of Scarlett Keeling are hoping to have a get-together, with Scarlett's siblings and friends on a beach in North Devon. They hoped to barbecue mackerel, play guitars and remember the "happy, bouncy teenager" who brought so much joy to their lives… 731 words. Click here.

I fear for my life in Goa, says Scarlett’s mother
19 Feb: IANS. …Fiona said the Goa police would arrest her the moment she landed. “The lawyer, Aires Rodrigues, who has filed a case, is good friends with sub-inspector Nerlon Albuquerque, who sabotaged my daughter’s case in the beginning,” she said… Asked about the progress of investigations in the case, CBI spokesperson Harsh Behl refused to comment … However, a senior official of the agency told IANS that “a CBI team may visit her mother in Britain this month.” 540 words. Click here.

Scarlett Keeling Remembered

Click to enlarge

19 Feb: Herald. Friends and well-wishers of Britsh teenager Scarlet Keeling light candles and offer flowers in her memory at the Anjuna beach where her body was found nearly a year ago. Photo By Rozario Estibeiro.

Who Killed Scarlett Keeling? TV Review by Selma Carvalho
By a strange set of circumstances, Fiona MacKeown, Clarence Mitchell, Marcus Sulley, Eddie Fernandes and I ended up having dinner a few weeks ago at the Konkan restaurant in London. Clarence is Fiona's PR agent and Marcus is the producer of the documentary, Who Killed Scarlett Keeling? which aired on Channel 4, February 12, 2009. Here she was, Fiona, at a Goan restaurant in the company of two Goans. Goa, it seems was irretrievably a part of her life, not quite in the way she had hoped it would be when she took that "once in a life-time trip" more than a year ago.

Fiona is not your poster-child for motherhood on either side of the Indian Ocean. She is a jutting splinter in the flesh of stiff upper-lip, British morality and a negation of middle-class aspiration; a two-parent family, two-door garage and a mortgage on a nice cottage perhaps somewhere in Devon, but only for the weekends. Fiona lives in Devon but in a caravan. By her own admission, she has led a tumultuous life. Jailed at seventeen and frequently at the receiving end of volatile relationships. Her nine children are fathered by four different men. She sustains her large family by breeding dogs, living off the land and encashing welfare cheques. Nor would she endear herself to any Goan parent. No Goan mother worth her salt would leave her child, in the charge of an adult male in a foreign country. But there's no getting away from the fact that Fiona is a mother. Her usually subdued demeanour becomes animated when I start to talk about my own daughter. The time to castigate Fiona was over the day Scarlett's body washed up on a Goan beach. From that day, this should have been strictly a murder investigation.

To some extent, this documentary succeeds in shifting back the focus on Scarlett. Stripped bare of the hoopla of parental neglect, drug-cartels and corrupt politicians, it concentrates instead on Fiona and her search for answers. A search which proves exhausting, infuriating and thus far in vain. Ultimately, this is what is so frightening about the Scarlett case. The sheer callousness of Goan police and polity. If a woman with the weight of a British Press and Foreign Office, cannot get answers, what chance do insignificant mortals without recourse to the echelons of power, have in expecting justice? The first shocking moment in the documentary, are the photographs of Scarlett's body. In a twist to the tale, these photographs were taken by Fiona herself in a bizarre candid camera episode. The photographs should have been documentary evidence, taken by a professional forensic expert, meticulously recorded, filed by police and made available through due process to Fiona's lawyer. Instead the police dismiss the bruises, as the body being assaulted by stones and water-debris. Even to the untrained eye, it becomes obvious that these were deliberate, pre-mortem bruises. It is only Fiona's photographs that re-open the case.

Marcus' camera deftly follows Fiona through her grieving process, capturing moments that tear at the heart, while being sensitive enough not to intrude on her privacy. The next unsettling moment, is the discovery that Julio Lobo, her supposed caretaker, was having sex with the fifteen-year old Scarlett. In the West, sex with a minor can earn you a prison sentence and a life-long registration as a sex-offender. As a Goan, I'm quite appalled by the almost debauched life, young men along the Anjuna-Baga-Calangute belt, seem to take for granted. A heady cocktail of drugs and sexual permissiveness which blurs the line between what is consensual adult sex and statutory rape of a minor. Strangely, only Fiona is held responsible for all that ails society both in Britain as well as Goa. And the irony of Goan justice is such that if a certain NGO is to have their way, the only person facing a prison sentence in this whole sordid affair is Fiona.

The documentary falls short of uncovering of substantive evidence or clues. Granted this cannot be the task of a documentary producer but the hype and release of pertinent information just prior to its airing, raised public expectations. I can't help feeling that a lot of what the camera captured during months of trailing Fiona, was laid to waste on the editing floor. And since it is the Goa State government that is being accused of a cover-up, caution may have won the day over libel.

Do leave your feedback at carvalho_sel@yahoo.com
UK residents can watch the documentary, 48 minutes long, before 11 Mar 2009, by clicking here.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

UK, Goan schools' seminar today
13 Feb: Times of India. The British Council is set to extend its partnership programme of teacher exchange between UK and Goa far beyond the existing six… Four UK teachers are visiting Goa from February 9 to 15 and two from February 14 to 21. 262 words. Click here.

Goa MP wants bullfighting ban lifted
13 Feb: Rediff. Congress member of Parliament Francisco Sardinha on Friday moved a private member's Bill in the Lok Sabha to revoke the ban on bullfights, asserting that these festivities form part of a tradition going back centuries. Goa MP wants bullfighting ban lifted … 397 words. Click here.

Vaigankar planned Aires Rodrigues attack: Report
14 Feb: Times of India. The report of the test done on Sandeep Vaigankar, the main accused in the attack on advocate Aires Rodrigues last year, has revealed that he planned it. However, the test done on him to ascertain whether he had received any instructions from education minister Atanasio "Babush" Monserrate to assault Rodrigues, was found to be "inconclusive" … 422 words. Click here.

Father Nascimento’s book “Follow Me” released
14 Feb. Herald. Father Nascimento Mascarenhas, released his book, “Follow Me”. The book, his fifth and second in the series of “Follow Me" was hailed by the presenter, Father Joseph Rowland Salema, as a “very timely one and will be also of great help for the incipient lovers of history.” Included in the book are revelations of topography, social customs, political administration, trade laws, social evils and agrarian systems of 16th century, Goa. 278 words. Click here.

Goan yacht ready to make history
14 Feb: Sail World (UK). India’s maiden mission to solo circumnavigate the globe will be attempted on a sail boat made on the island of Divar and named Mhadei. No boat flying the Indian flag has undertaken a solo circumnavigation under sail… Incidentally, the first person to solo circumnavigate the globe non-stop, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston of the UK in 1968-69 in 312 days, is in Goa to help tune the boat and train Donde for the mission. 203 words. Click here.

Allison D’Souza from Vasco is 'Miss Goa 2009'
15 Feb: Daijiworld. Allison D’Souza from Vasco, was crowned "Miss Goa 2009." Runner up was Ronda Martins from Panjim. Allison told reporters, “I am very much excited. This is one kind of gift I have presented to my family on Valentine’s Day. I am really happy. It’s a dream come true for me.” Judges said, the Goan girls have the potential to make their future in modelling and acting. Girls were said to be confident and fluent in their command of languages. For more photographs and commentary, 338 words, click here.

Clowns under security scanner
15 Feb: Deccan Herald. Clowning around during Carnival may not be that much fun this year. The Goa police will be taking a close look at clowns and masked revellers turning out to jig at Goa’s Carnival parades. The cops are apologetic, but new security measures demand that they specifically scrutinise those whose faces are covered, they say… Click here.

Protesters form human chain to demand removal of beached ship
15 Feb: IANS. Hundreds of people formed a human chain at Candolim, in North Goa Sunday evening, to demand the removal of a cargo ship which had beached off Candolim nine years ago… Former convener of the Goa Bachao Abhiyaan (GBA) Oscar Rebello said that people should raise the tempo of public protests and enter into a direct dialogue with the government. 369 words. Click here.

Couples keep their date with Valentine’s Day
15 Feb: Navhind Times. Despite threats by right-wing extremists groups to disrupt Valentine’s Day celebrations across India, young couples kept their date with the patron saint of all lovers. Sporadic incidents of violence, did however, mar its image. In Karnataka, the Sri Rama Rene, who earlier had attacked girls in a pub in Mangalore, this time launched an attack on a party of young boys and girls at a BPO company in Belgaum. In Haryana, a girl student found alone in the company of a male student, was rounded up by a sub-inspector and repeatedly abused, even as the public watched without intervening. 515 words. Click here.

Minister promises new medical college
17 Feb: Times of India. Union minister for labour and employment Oscar Fernandes promised to set up a new medical college in Goa provided the state government makes available land for the purpose…The proposal was accepted by chief minister Digambar Kamat who in turn said the state would make the land available… 392 words. Click here.

Much-awaited Goa Tiatr Academy opens today
16 Feb: Herald. The inauguration of the much-awaited Goa Tiatr Academy on Monday will mark yet another chapter in the 117-year-old history of Konkani Tiatr – the most popular drama form in the State. Guilherme Almeida takes a look at the aims and objectives of Tiatr Academy and finds out from the President of the Academy, Tomazinho Cardozo the significance of the institution… 642 words. Click here.

Long cherished dream of tiatrists finally comes true
17 Feb: Herald. By Elvis Sequeira. The faces of tiatrists lit with joy as veteran tiatrist Master Vaz lit the traditional lamp to at the inaugural function to mark the opening of the Tiatr Academy. Herald spoke to some veteran tiatrists, to get their views on what this new venture means for tiatrs and tiatrists… 820 words. Click here.

Goa: Culture and Moral Policing
17 Feb: Herald. By Joe D’Souza. Ever since the girls visiting a pub in Mangalore were attacked by activists claiming to be members of Shri Ram Sena, there were many parents of teenage youth who gave a sigh of relief. “It is a blessing in disguise,” was what a mother of a young college girl in Goa felt … crime against women is on the rise, mainly due to the faulty social policies of the Congress governments encouraging pubs, casinos and raves… 1308 words. Click here.

Government employee arrested for rape of British citizen last year
17 Feb. IANS. , Lawrence Dias, 26, a state forest department employee has been arrested for the rape of a British national more than a year ago… “The victim was returning from a classical music concert and Dias had offered her a lift. He took her to a nearby thicket surrounding a spring where he raped her,” Deputy Superintendent of Police Sammy Tavares told reporters, adding that Dias had confessed to the crime. 191 words. Click here.
For an original text/video report of the crime click here.

Goa property prices come down by 25%
18 Feb: Times of India. The meltdown has started to trickle into Goa's real estate market. According to developers, prime property rates are down by 5-10%, while the prices of flats constructed by small-time builders are down by 20-25% since the New Year. Prices, they predict, are likely to fall further by mid-2009… architect Dean D'Cruz said that the prices are set to fall further by at least 20% in the next few months. 480 words. Click here.

Rule of law triumphs in resignation of Parliamentary secretaries
19 Feb: UNI. The rule of law triumphed with the resignation of two parliamentary secretaries in Goa, who had been in office since July 2007, illegally enjoying the perks and privileges of a cabinet minister, says social activist Aires Rodrigues Advocate Rodrigues, who successfully filed a PIL in the High Court challenging the appointments… 359 words. Click here.

Weekly Update
19 Feb: Weather: Max = 34.5; Min =21.5. Humidity 65%
Exchange rates £= 71.02; $ = 49.98; Euro = 63.00

IN THE NEWS:

Vote for the Seven Wonders of Portugal
12 Feb: RTP (Portugal). Vote for the seven greatest Portuguese-built wonders of the world. Vote before June 10… The 27 nominated wonders, in 16 countries worldwide, are fairly shared by Asia, Africa and America … amongst them are the Church of Bom Jesus (Goa); the a Sé Cathedral (Goa); the Fort of Damão; the Fort of Diu; Fort Jesus (Mombasa); Fort Kilwa (Tanzania) … For full text, in Portuguese, click here.
To vote, click here.

UK Statistics chief inflames row over foreign workers
12 Feb: The Times. The UK’s official statistician weighed into the debate about foreign workers yesterday by highlighting the growing numbers of immigrants getting jobs while the British workforce declines… Keith Vaz said that he would raise concerns about the release of the figures with the Prime Minister today. “The danger is that such information could be misconstrued or misused by those who do not support the view that Britain should be a diverse and multicultural society,” he said… 1046 words + comments. Click here.

Boris Johnson 'F-word tirade' at Keith Vaz
12 Feb: Evening Standard (London). Boris Johnson, Mayor of London, launched a furious F-word attack against Keith Vaz in a telephone call… The Mayor used the F-word 10 times … However, Mr Johnson's aides said he had used the F-word no more than two or three times…Mr Johnson allegedly stormed at Mr Vaz: "I used to think that you were a straight guy. A man that you could do business with. This is f***ing ridiculous." 888 words. Click here.
12 Feb. Channel 4. Johnson vs Vaz: full transcript. 1014 words. Click here.

UK: Coroner rules Goa deaths "accidental"
13 Feb: Dover Express. A nurse recovering from major heart surgery and her pensioner friend were swept to their deaths in rough seas off Goa, an inquest in Ashford heard yesterday. Lisel Clare Smith, 37 and Stanley Horne, 69, both from Dover, drowned within sight of horrified onlookers who were powerless to help… Coroner Rachel Redman returned a verdict of accidental death for both Miss Smith and Mr Horne… 277 words. Click here.

UK clerk’s bid to swindle millions and flee to Goa fails
14 Feb: Herald. Former payment clerk Lee Seymour Jones, has been jailed after he duped the Birmingham City Council in paying £2.5 million (Rs17.50 crore) into a friend’s account, in a bid to finance his retirement plans, in sunny Goa. Jones had hatched the plan in the hope that he could then use the money to retire to Goa, prosecutors told the Birmingham Crown Court. Jones (43) and Prince (42) both pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud. All the money was recovered. 209 words. Click here.

Lady Hamlyn: A no-Goa
15 Feb: The Observer (UK). Labour donor Paul Hamlyn's philanthropic widow has said she doesn't want to give money to British politics (imagine!) and has instead been trying to help restore a fort in Goa, battling Indian bureaucracy for seven years. Now she's become embroiled in a police investigation, accused of ruining the heritage site of Reis Magos. Following a complaint, the local police have registered a case against Lady Helen Hamlyn and the architect for alleged damage to public property. Perhaps it's not so different from donating to Labour, after all. Click here.

Hindus in Valentines Day attack on lovers
16 Feb: Brisbane Times (Aus). Valentine’s Day in India has been marred by a series of attacks on young couples as Hindu radicals battle what they claim are foreign influences corrupting Indian culture… 357 words. Click here.

Portuguese Nationality Applications Quadruples
17 Feb: Publico. The faces of the Portuguese are becoming increasingly diverse… Last year 34,497 applications for naturalization were granted compared with 8958 the previous year … Applicants should not have been convicted of crime punishable by imprisonment of three years or more … However, India has no national criminal records - the authorities in Goa, for example, only issue certificates relating to Goa. Click here.

Young Indian Catholics turn away from vocations
18 Feb: ABC – Radio Australia. With India modernizing at breakneck speed, more young men and women are choosing financial gain over spiritual vocations. The lure of attractive jobs and the increasing attacks on Christians are just some of the reasons young people in India are moving away from a career in the Church. 735 words. Click here.

Vatican: Two sexes 'sin in different ways'
18 Feb: BBC. A Catholic survey found that the most common sin for women was pride, while for men, the urge for food was only surpassed by the urge for sex… the most difficult sin for men to face was lust, followed by gluttony, sloth, anger, pride, envy and greed. For women, the most dangerous sins were pride, envy, anger, lust, and sloth … The report came amid Vatican concerns about the declining rate of confessions… 456 words. Click here.

UK: Live Auction: FN Souza Sketches
26 Feb: John Nicholson, Haslemere, Surrey. 2pm - . Live Auction: FN Souza lot 1239, A – D. Estimate: £5,000 to £6,000 each. Click here.

GOANET HIGHLIGHTS
BY CORNEL DACOSTA

The issue of young women being attacked in a pub in Karnataka by extremists has continued to rage in discussions and Mario Goveia takes issue with Marlon Menezes who said "I believe that Indian society is mature enough to deal with this transgression. It will not happen right away...We must let justice take its own course rather than feed the fires of communalism." Clearly, Marlon is against those seeking early retribution but Mario questions such a view. Click here.

'Slumdogs and Bollywood Fat Cats' by Averthanus D'Souza is a response to the ongoing success of the film particularly in the West. D'Souza argues that, "Slums are a cancer in any society and their removal should be a priority by the government. No government worth its salt should be allowed to exist..." For the full article please click here.

From Joao Barros-Pereira in Japan, we have a short article titled 'Wanted Farmer's Market'. The claim is made that, "A farmer's market is the need of the hour. In every village there should be a rent-free farmer's market where farmers only, are allowed to sell their produce." Find out why Barros-Pereira feels so strongly about the issue in Goa by clicking here.

Venita Coelho, as a single mother in Goa tells us about her travails in her article 'The Accidental activist--The Absolutely accidental activist'. Credit must be given to Venita for successfully juggling family life with so much activism she is engaged in, protecting many villagers from the in-roads of development. Please click here.

Freddy Fernandes, in an article titled ' All in the Family ' explores how the traditional family business nurtured over generations is increasingly being threatened by politicians who are keen to take over family businesses in a variety of ways. See why Freddy is so concerned about this issue by clicking here.

Tiatr is a distinctive performing art form in Goa. For many decades it has thrived and even been taken beyond the shores of Goa by many talented tiatrists. Now we get a brief history of tiatr by Godfrey Gonsalves and details of the founding of a tiatr academy inaugurated in Goa on 16th February 2009. Click here.

Finally, do some Goan Voice (UK) readers have rare Goan surnames? Find about this from Antonio Menezes. Click here.

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DOCUMENTARY: Crossing Continents. BBC Radio Four (also online)
Friday 20th Feb. 23:30 to 00:00. India - The Real Slumdog Story. Asia's largest slum, Dharavi, has gained greater exposure thanks to the film Slumdog Millionaire. The scheme to raze it to the ground is said by its backers to be the template for slum re-development across the developing world.

ENTERTAINMENT: The Making of Slumdog Millionaire. Channel 4
Saturday 21st Feb. 23:25 to 23:55. The film features Jamal, a kid from the Mumbai slums, who becomes a contestant on the Indian Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? in a desperate attempt to find his lost love.

NEWS: Asian Network Report. BBC Radio Asian Network
Monday 23rd Feb. 18:05 to 18:30. Caste Matters. Sathnam Sanghera investigates whether the lives of second and third generation Asians are affected by caste. A campaign group wants the government to introduce legislation to end caste discrimination, but is this really needed? Does caste still matter?

ARTS: Book at Bedtime. BBC Radio Four
Monday 23rd Feb. 22:45 to 23:00. Sagar Arya reads Aravind Adiga's Man Booker Prize-winning satire on contemporary India. 1: The White Tiger gets his name. [Parts 1-5 of 10 this week].

DOCUMENTARY: Colour Me White. BBC Radio Four
Tuesday 24th Feb. 11:00 to 11:30. Aasmah Mir reports on the skin lightening industry in Britain and asks why some British Asians feel pressurised by both their peers and the media to have paler skin. Her journey takes her to Oldham and Wembley, and shows how what is happening in Asia is influencing taste and fashion in Britain.

CONSUMER: Goa and Maldives Holidays. Sky3
Wednesday 25th Feb. 10:30 to 11:00. Treat yourself to a holiday of a lifetime to the sun drenched shores of Goa and the luxurious Maldives. Relax to the sound of the sea, thanks to exclusive prices from Sky Travel.

DOCUMENTARY: Extraordinary People. FIVER
Thursday 26th Feb. 20:00 to 21:00. The Girl Who Makes Miracles. Raised a Catholic, 20-year-old Audrey Santo has been in a coma for 17 years, but it has been claimed that she can cause statues to weep, and cure the terminally ill. This documentary highlights just why the issues surrounding her story are so central to the Catholic faith.

MUSIC: Performance on 3. BBC Radio Three
Friday 27th Feb. 19:00 to 19:50. The concert title - As I went to Walsingham - comes from a folk tune commemorating England's greatest Catholic shrine, ruthlessly destroyed by Henry VIII. The programme celebrates the music of some of the greatest Catholic composers of the century.

FORTHCOMING

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

UK: Retreats: Divine Retreat Centre, Potta
Renowned Rev. Dr. Augustine Vallooran of The Divine Retreat Centre- Potta, Kerala, India, to hold retreats at the following churches:
19 & 20 Feb: 7pm - 9.30pm. Kenton, Harrow. All Saints Church. HA3 OUG. Contact Maryann: 0208 204 2293 mob 07504552168
21 Feb. 1pm - 4 pm. Swindon: Holy Rood Catholic Church. SN1 2LU. English service with Konkani translation
22 Feb. 2pm-8.00pm. St. Josephs Catholic Church - Wembley Middlesex HA9 6AG. Contact Fr Menonkari: 0208 902 0081
23 & 24 Feb. 7pm - 9.30 pm. St. Boniface R.C. Church - Tooting Broadway SW17 9PG. Contact Bosco: 07745 130 877
7pm to 9.30pm. Dartford. St. Anselms RC Church, Dartford, Kent DA1 2HJ. Contact Clara: 01322 226816
27 Feb. 6.30pm- 9.30pm & 28 Feb. 3pm - 8 pm. Bristol. St. Nicholas of Tolentino RC Church. BS5 0RE. Contact Deacon Joseph Phillip: 0117 3306 886
1 Mar. 2pm to 7pm. Leicester. Sacred Heart Church, Leicester LE5 3HS. Contact: Lucy 0788 5277 200

Sun. 22 Feb. Mungul Union (UK) celebrates the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Woodside High School (ex-White Hart Lane School Hall), White Hart Lane, London N22. Live music by "MAZ & CO" and Disco by "FANTASY". Mass at 12.30 pm. For tickets and details, contact Robert Fernandes (07753831250) or Rosalind Rebello (0208 767 8652) ros.rebello@amserve.net

Sat. 21 Mar. 7.30pm-1.00. Leicester Hawaiian Evening inclusive of Mothers Day Surprises at Our Lady of Good Counsel Hall, Peebles Way, Leicester, LE4 7ZB. Dancing to Say One Do One from London. Dress code: Hawaiian prints & florals. Food, Hawaiian surprises for everyone, fantastic raffle prizes. Bring your own drinks and enjoy with friends and family. Adult £10.00, 11-16yrs £3.00 and children below 11 free. Book early to avoid disappointment .Tel Clara 0116 2767336 or Victor 0116 2555891 or Joyce 0116 2664202. All cheques payable to Mrs Maria C Fernandes, 43 Marston Road, Leicester LE4 9FE.
£23.00 (Coach plus entrance ticket) Coach from London> Leicester> London with all facilities on board.Two stops: St.Boniface Church, Tooting SW17> Wood Green Tube Station. Closing date for Coach is 10th Mar. For availability & tickets please email clarafdes@yahoo.co.uk or contact Clara, 0116 2767336.

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