COMMUNITY NEWS

UK: Manuel Mascarenhas upset at leaving Kuoni
23 Jan: Travel Trade Gazette UK. Manuel Mascarenhas has admitted he is disappointed to be leaving Kuoni. It was announced late last week that he will no longer be sales director due to the "focus of the sales division broadening beyond traditional sales channels"…. He says, “The response from the trade has been amazing and a few calls have come in with interesting opportunities to consider." 111 words. Click here.
For a recent video interview with Manuel Mascarenhas (ex-Uganda), click here.
For a GVUK profile on Manuel Mascarenhas (ex-Uganda) click here.

Tony Fernandes: Flying high
23 Jan: Business Today (India). Tony Fernandes is CEO of Air Asia, one of the dominant airlines in Asia today, with 75 planes and over 110 routes … Fernandes whose father is Goan and mother, Malay-Indian has trained his sights on India, launching a dirt-cheap ($54 one-way) fare from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Tiruchirappalli, that is currently thriving thanks to a 92 per cent load factor. Other routes, from Delhi and Mumbai to Bangkok and KL, are in the works. Our fares will be 50 per cent lower than our competitors, says Fernandes… 1047 words + photos. Click here.

Nairobi: Ian Fernandes: East African, sister titles now e-papers
23 Jan: The East African. Readers of the Nation Media Group titles can now access digital versions of the publications… According to the Group’s Digital Division managing director, Ian Fernandes, Easy FM and NTV will also be digitised in a few weeks’ time… The e-papers will be available free of charge till mid-February… 545 words. Click here.

Regaining Your Ancestral Home: Legislative Developments
23 Jan: Goanet Alert. From Gomantak Times, 11 Jan: Give us back what's ours ... A large number of Goans settled abroad, who've rented out their ancestral homes, have been left stranded, unable to get the tenants evicted. Vithaldas Hegde tracks the progress on the legislation aimed at making it easier to get homes back for these non-resident Goans and finds out that it could be enacted very soon. [Alert by GoaNet News]. 872 words. Click here.

Text + Video: New Zealand: Jennifer Fernandes on the death of her son, Floyd
23 Jan: The Dominion Post. Jennifer Fernandes sits each night holding a photo of her son Floyd, one of seven people killed in a canyoning tragedy. News that the Outdoor Pursuits Centre had admitted guilt did not make things easier. "I am back to square one," she said yesterday. "We spend sleepless nights hugging his photograph and just sitting in his bed."… 507 words. Click here. For the background to the death, click here.

Canada: M. DeSouza-Cook: Congratulate President Obama
23 Jan: Courier Post. New Jersey (USA). I am a Kenyan born woman of South Asian decent living in Canada. My father had the honor of attending your father's funeral when we were still residing in Africa. My father believes until today that your father was an honorable man. Having lived with the impact of racism and discrimination as a child and on an on-going basis, I am overwhelmed by the very reality that an African American man will become the President of the United states of America tomorrow… 251 words. [Melanie DeSouza-Cook is a Social Planner with special interests in children, youth, and diversity issues. She is based in Calgary] Click here.

Video: UK’s Joanne D’Mello performs at the Monte Music Festival, Goa
25 Jan. tambdi mati. Soprano Joanne D'Mello with the Goa String Orchestra performed at the chapel of Our Lady of the Mount, Old Goa. 4 min. 55s. [Joanne performed at the UK Goan Festival in July 2008. She is currently studying at the Royal College of Music, London, under the tutelage of Ms. Patricia Rosario, OBE]. Click here.

Goans in distress abroad or outside State to get help
25 Jan: Herald. There’s good news for Goans working abroad or in other parts of India. Come next financial year and Goans who land in trouble or fall seriously ill, but have no money to return back home, the Overseas Employment Agency of Goa would come to their rescue… 336 words. Click here.

Bombay: Plan to register kudds as charitable trusts mooted
26 Jan: Times of India. Registering Bombay’s Goan clubs or kudds as they are popularly known, is a first step towards safeguarding the existence of the more than 150-year-old institutions … Around 341 clubs had been set up in Bombay but only 210 have been verified and about 100 clubs have responded to the offer of assistance … clubs are facing the threat of extinction … 412 words. Click here.

Cayman Islands: Frederic Dias: Person of the Day
28 Jan: Cayman Net. A native of Goa, India, Frederic Dias has been living in the Cayman Islands for the past two years … When away from his job at The Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, he likes to ride his motorbike, and play and watch football… 95 words + photo. Click here.

Australia: Dwayne Fernandes: Climbing to new heights
28 Jan: Blacktown Advocate (NSW. Aus.) At 11 years old, Dwayne Fernandes had become a double leg amputee. Now 23, he runs up buildings with more than 1500 stairs. Indian-born Fernandes, who resides in Blacktown, was born with a birth defect that left him with weak lower limbs… Fernandes has adopted a simple, yet effective philosophy … ``It's either hide in your own shadow or get out and inspire others…'' he said … And with that, Fernandes will take on a new world-first this February when he flies to New York in an attempt to become the first double amputee to scale the 1576 stairs of the Empire State building Tower-Run Up…. 389 words. Click here.

R.I.P Danny Fernandes, 19, of Harrow Weald, UK
28 Jan: Harrow Times. Danny Fernandes, 19, of Harrow Weald, was hit by a train while walking down the tracks, taking his own life on the day of his sister's birthday. His mother Patricia, 54, said Danny never completely recovered after the death of his Nan seven years ago … his sister Lucy, 21, described him as “charismatic”… A Facebook group set up in his honour has attracted more than 550 members and an online memorial has had more than 1,500 visitors… 443 words. Click here.
28 Jan: Harrow Times. Harrow Weald is really missing Danny Fernandes. 498 words. Click here.
For the Danny Fernandes Memorial website click here. Danny was the son of John Fernandes (ex-Nairobi).

JONATHAN MARQUES:

Search moves into West Berkshire
22 Jan: Newbury Today. Police searching for a missing Reading schoolboy have extended their search along the Kennet and Avon canal… 218 words. Click here.

Jonathan Marques 'still in local area'
23 Jan: BBC News. Police searching for a 15-year-old boy missing from his Berkshire home for more than two weeks are now focusing on the route he took to get to his school… Photo shows family and friends who attended a prayer service last Saturday … 334 words. Click here.

Reading police launch largest ever search
23 Jan: PTI… Amidst a public campaign and prayers by the Goan community in London, Reading and elsewhere for his safety, police officers are “pulling out all stops” to find Marques, who moved to Britain three years ago from Goa with his parents. 274 words. Click here.

Missing Jonathan latest
23 Jan: Reading Evening Post. …Computer records are being examined … there has not been a major breakthrough in this case … The support from the local community has been fantastic… “We are still very much working to the theory that Jonathan is likely to be closer to home”… 256 words. Click here.

Hunt in area by retail park
23 Jan: Reading Chronicle. The search for missing teenager Jonathan Marques today is focusing on a small section of his route to school. 365 words. Click here.

Video + Text: London Church Service for Jonathan Marques
24 Jan: CNN-IBN. The Goan community in Reading and London has come together to help. President UK Goa Association, Flavio Gracias says, "We will give support. We are in touch with the police and the family through our website and even if they want financial support in some weeks we will provide it." For text, 300 words, click here.
For a video clip, 300 words, click here.

Friends carry on search
25 Jan. 12.51 GMT. Friends and neighbours of a teenager missing from Berkshire for nearly three weeks have handed out leaflets with his image to shoppers in a bid to find him… On Saturday volunteers were in the Broad Street Mall in Reading in an attempt to jog people's memories. Nearly 3,000 people have now joined a Facebook group to find Jonathan while police continue to search for him… 3-4 words. Click here.

Search Goes On
26 Jan: Reading Evening Post… A special service was held for Jonathan at St Peter and St Paul RC Church in Mitcham, South London, on Friday night, organised by members of the Goan Overseas Association. Sixteen of Jonathan’s family and friends attended. George Afonso, Jonathan’s uncle, said: “The Goan community are very sad by this and said if they could help in any way they would…” 591 words. Click here.

Body found in search for Jonathan Marques
26 Jan: 16:03 GMT. On Monday, Thames Valley Police Specialist Search and Recovery Team (SS&RT) found a body at Fobney Lock in the Small Mead area of Reading. The identity of the body has not yet been established. Det Ch Insp Stan Gilmour, of Thames Valley Police, said: "We are considering this as part of the missing person inquiry, but it is too early to confirm the identity of the body at this time."… Some 3,000 people have joined a Facebook group to find Jonathan… 194 words. Click here.

Family in shock …
26 Jan: 17:30 GMT. Reading Chronicle. … Jonathan’s mother Arcanja collapsed when the news was broken to her … Friends and family members began arriving at the house to pay their respects… Jonathan failed to turn up at school on the morning of January 6 and his family, and friends from the Goan community in Reading, have been at the forefront of the search for him … Jonathan’s sister Jonella was seven on Friday but, along with 18-year-old Joyce and their brother Joel, 10, there were no celebrations while the search continued. Police officers are waiting to make a formal identification of the body and a post mortem is due to be carried out tomorrow morning … 538 words. Click here.

Video + text: Jonathan Marques's family in shock
27 Jan: Reading Evening Post. The Marques family were inconsolable yesterday after a body believed to be their missing son Jonathan was found in Fobney Lock…. The photo and video show the area where the body was recovered from. Click here.

Family and friends mourn Jonathan
27 Jan: Reading Chronicle… A post-mortem is due to be carried out this afternoon and formal identification tomorrow… 227 words. Click here.

Video + Text. Marques family pay respects to Jonathan
27 Jan: Reading Evening Post. Family and close friends of tragic schoolboy Jonathan Marques gathered at Fobney Lock this morning to pay their respects to the teenager. A small group laid flowers and pictures by the riverbank at the spot where the body, believed to be the 15-year-old, was pulled from the water by police divers yesterday morning… A post-mortem examination of the body is due to be carried out later today and a formal identification will take place when it is completed. [Video shows family and friends at Fobney Lock]. Click here.

Jonathan Marques: Tests on boy's body inconclusive
27 Jan: BBC News. Post-mortem tests carried out on a body found by police searching for a missing Berkshire teenager have failed to establish the cause of death…They said the death was not thought to be suspicious. Further toxicology test will be carried out on Wednesday… 253 words. Click here.

Tragedy for Goan community
28 Jan: Reading Evening Post. … Father Francisco John Rosario, national chaplain for the Goan community in London, joined relatives and friends at the water’s edge to say their goodbyes. For the past 18 months he has come down to Reading once a month to hold a mass for the town’s Goan community. The last time he saw Jonathan was during his last visit in December last year. 118 words + photo. Click here.

Broken hearts for Marques family
28 Jan: Reading Evening Post. The heartbroken father of Jonathan Marques wept yesterday at the site where his body was found… His cousin Ancet Marques, 26, said: “We can’t understand. The water here is not very deep. If he fell in he should have been able to stand and get out.” Ancet grew up in the same Goan village as Jonathan but said Jonathan’s personality had changed since he moved to the UK three years ago… Hundreds of heartfelt messages have been posted on the Facebook group which has attracted more than 3,000 members… 676 words + photo. Click here.

Jonathan Marques: Body Identified
28 Jan. 14:36 GMT. Thames Valley Police. The body found in Fobney Lock, Reading, on Monday 26 January has been formally identified as missing teenager Jonathan Marques, from Whitley. The cause of death has yet to be determined, pending further tests. Click here.

'We will take Jonathan back home to Goa'
29 Jan: Reading Chronicle. The heartbroken family of teenager Jonathan Marques are planning to fulfil his greatest wish – by taking him home to Goa… He was always saying he wants to go down to Goa on holiday, so his family want to take him down there for the last time… 791 words. Click here.
Leave your tributes to Jonathan in the Book of Condolences. Click here.

Video + Text: School pals pay tribute to Jonathan Marques
29 Jan: Reading Evening Post. Devastated classmates of Jonathan Marques wept yesterday as they lit candles at the spot where his body was found… Around 350 people lined the riverbank and many sobbed quietly as they huddled together to remember the Year 11 pupil… The Marques family plans to fly Jonathan’s body back to the Goan village where he grew up for a private funeral next week. A memorial mass will be held in Reading when they return from India… 584 words. Click here.

DEATHS

28 Jan: Mumbai. PALOMA FERNANDES (ex-Chandor, Goa). Daughter of Lincoln/Francisca. Sister of Sonia, Bianca and X-Ander. Died under tragic circustances.

27 Jan: Brampton, Canada. JOSE COELHO (Born 1918; ex-Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam). Beloved husband of late Mrs. Purie Coelho. He is survived by his children: Satira/Joe Vaz; children: Valerie and Trevor, (Scarborough). Margaret/Joseph Colaco; child, Emily. (Brampton). Anthony/Thereza Coelho; children: Mark and Melissa (Dar es Salaam). Agnelo (Lulu)/Leila Coelho; children: Shabina, Kamal and Bagus. Brother of Severina Mendes (Goa), Sabina Rodrigues (Canada), Peter Coelho (late-Goa), Mariquinha D’Souza (late-Goa), Abelina Gonsalves (late – USA), Satiro Coelho (late –Zanzibar) and Josephine Coelho (UK). Condolences to: jmecolaco@yahoo.ca [Info from Herbert Fortes].

25 Jan: Edmonton, Canada. SATIRA DESOUZA (age 93; ex Dar es Salaam, Tanzania). Wife of Acacio. Mother of Angelo (Coplo), Noyel, Ludy, Percy and Hernes. Grandmother of Vijay, Jenine, Anisha, Nisha, Priya, Amita, Lalita, Jeremy, David, Keith and Joshua. Great Grandmother of Keith Jr. and Abigail. Sister of Joe Braganza and Olga Barco. Funeral Mass on Thurs. Jan 29 at St Charles Church, Edmonton. Private cremation will follow. Condolences to www.serenity.ca Click here.

24 Jan. London, UK. JOS PEDRO MACHADO (Ex Nairobi and Nakuru, Kenya). Husband of late Edwina Machado. Loving father of Peter and Leo. Loving grandfather of Christopher and Alexander. The Funeral mass will be held on Fri. 6 Feb at 10am, at the Church of St. Michael and St. Martin, 94 Bath Road, Hounslow, Middlesex TW3 3EH. Burial will be at New Brentford Cemetery, Sutton Lane, Hounslow, followed by refreshments at the Church Hall. In lieu of flowers, offering of Masses would be greatly appreciated.

23 Jan: Melbourne, Aus. HENRY PRICE (ex East African Railways & Harbours, Nairobi). Passed away peacefully in a Melbourne hospital after a short illness bravely borne. Beloved husband of Alma (nee Moniz). Loving Dad of Leslie and Lincoln. Funeral takes place in Melbourne on 29th Jan. Condolences to: les@enspirited.com.au

23 Jan: Raia, Goa. MARIA RITINHA PEREIRA E NORONHA. Relict of Francisco Xavier. mother of Alcina/Joseph de Quadros (Canada), Aleixo, Pedro/Elsa; grandmother of Jason/Leane, Nancy and Ritaliza.

23 Feb: Toronto. LOUIS ALEXANDER DE SOUZA. (age 87) Husband of Teresa. Brother of Jessica Lobo of Mumbai. He was predeceased by all his elder brothers Arthur, Charles, Eric, Dennis, Frank and Joe.
Family and friends may call at the Paul O'Connor Funeral Home on Jan 25. Funeral Mass will be held on Mon. Jan. 26 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Church at 3216 Lawrence Avenue East. Cremation to follow. Click here.

22 Jan: Goa Velha. QUITERIA LIABNIA FERNANDES. Relict of Alberto (BP Aden). Mother of Greta/late JBA Ferrao, Glenda/Adv William D’Costa, Agnelo/Vitoria.

21 Jan: Verna, Goa. QUITERIA VAZ (Ex-Dar-es-Salaam). Wife of late Francisco (Vaz Electric). Mother of Rose, Associana, Joe, Socorro. Funeral on 23 Jan. at 3.30 pm to Holy Cross Church, Verna.

21 Jan: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. EVELYN ANN D’MELLO. Beloved wife of Adolph D’Mello. Loving mother of Tina, Late Rodney and Janice. Caring mother-in- law of Late Lucho, Brenda and Andrew. Dearest grandmother of Stefan, Nathan, Amber, Tristan, Lauren & Noah, The funeral will be held on Mon. Jan. 26 at 4pm at St Peter’s Church, Oysterbay followed by the burial at Kinondoni Cemetery. [Info from Doreen Gomes, Arusha].

21 Jan: London. BARBARA LOBO. Wife of late Justo. Sister of late Rolly/Patsy, Anita and Olympia. Beloved wife of the late Justo Lobo. Sister of the late Rolly/Patsy Sequeira, Anita and Olympia Sequeira. Sister-in-law of the late Bonnie/Louise Lobo, Ulric/Ursula Lobo, Maura/Johnny Lobo and Florence/Denise Lobo.

20 Jan: Walthamstow, London, UK. JUSTINA D’SOUZA (aged 75, ex-Nairobi, Kenya). Wife of Emerico. Mother of Colin, Carol and Cecil. Grandmother of Simone, Francesca, Elizabeth, Nicole, Emerico, Daniel Sebastian, Philip, Austin and James. Sister of Cecilia, Virginia, Yvonne, Ezella, Lea, Alex, the late Filu, Linder, the late Bertie, Jossee and Caesar. Funeral 10.00 a.m. on Friday 30 Jan at St John Fisher, Roman Catholic Church, Rochester, Kent. Condolences to Colin.Dsouza@ntlworld.com

17 Jan: London. CELINO XAVIER RODRIGUES (aged 76; Ex-Arusha, Tanzania). Beloved husband of Nancy (ex-Tanga). Father of Fiona, Nigel/Sabrina Rodrigues. Funeral on Wed. 4 Feb. at 12.30 p.m. at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 380 Lordship Lane, Dulwich, London SE22 8ND. Crematorium: Honor Oak Crematorium, Brenchley Gardens, London SE23 3 RD. Condolences to ncrodrigues@hotmail.com

6 Jan: Reading, UK. JONATHAN MARQUES (ex-Siridao). Beloved son of Menino Marques and Arcanja Afonso. Brother of Joyce, Joel and Jonella. Grandson of late Joao Antonio and Lurdina Marques. To send condolence messages click here.

London. JUSTINA DE SOUZA (nee Dias; ex-Margao, Goa). Beloved wife of Emerico De Souza. Mother of Collin/Gorretti, Carol/Christopher (Chris), Cecil/Sandra. Grandmother of Simone, Emerico, Francesca, Elizabeth, Sebastiana, Phillip, James, Nicole, Austin and Daniel. Funeral will be held in London on 30 Jan.

WHO THE BLEEP CARES?
Weekly column by Selma Carvalho.

Who the Bleep cares about Tarvottis?

To the humble Tarvotti belongs the Goan Diaspora. Whether it was the dhows he got off from, in the 1800s, wandering into the Port of Zanzibar, perhaps staying on and setting-up the liquor shops that Goans ultimately became famously known for in Zanzibar, or the British India ships he sailed on, to the Ports of Aden, Iran and London, he paved the way for the rest of us Goans to follow. The Tarvotti even set sail for America, as early as 1900, surviving the treacherous trans-Atlantic voyage to land at San Francisco Bay and New York. At the time, even bhatcars in Goa could not afford to travel to these far-off foreign lands. The Tarvotti brought back more that just presents of cured, salt-meat and foreign textiles on his return, he brought back stories that fired our imagination with tales of strange ceremonies in lush virgin Africa, of men who wore white abayas and women who had to cover their faces in Arabia, of bustling ports and thriving cities in London and New York. Two tarvottis sailed with Richard Burton as he set out to explore the Dark Continent and trekked with him into the interiors of Africa, as his cooks. In a very real sense these intrepid tarvottis became our explorers, mapping the world for our Goan collective consciousness.

Yet, back in Goa, the Tarvotti remained just that. Not much dignity was accorded to this man, who made his living from the sea and spent nine months of his life away from his family. He was by and large, uneducated, either a much treasured Cook or Steward onboard British ships. Crew lists of the 1800 and 1900s show that British captains sailed with not less than five to seven Goan crew on each voyage, and almost always the position of First Cook and Second Cook was filled by a Goan. His salary was meagre, between Rs15 to Rs20 (according to a UK 1901 census) per journey. Just enough to support a wife and family, but never quite enough to invest in buying land and thus overcoming his lot in life.

Not until the free-fall of the Indian rupee, did the Tarvotti actually experience an exponential increase in his earnings. Now in the 21st century, when he sails on American cruise lines, he earns in dollars which are a pittance to the ships that employ him but a handsome salary to a Goan, given the dollar versus rupee exchange-rate differential. Despite the tangible improvement in his earnings and lifestyle, children of Tarvottis or Shippies as they are now known, rarely break the socio-economic mould they are cast in. Life at sea is ten to fifteen years at the most, after that there is no security-net to fall back on. Sea-faring becomes a family occupation, and children of shippies are most likely to drop out after primary school and join the ships.

It is a sad commentary that the life of the Tarvotti has never been recorded or paid tribute. This sea-faring, exploring, enterprising, daring, resilient individual lies at the heart of our Goan prosperity and is the repository of our maritime history. It is time we honoured him with a museum.

On another note, if you wish to participate in protesting against strip-mining in Goa, please do sign this petition. Click here.

Do leave your feedback at carvalho_sel@yahoo.com

LOOKING FOR:

UK: Looking For: Channel 4 TV Documentary
29 Jan: Channel 4. Are there three generations of Asian women in your family? Do you have great home video footage and photos? Would like to celebrate your life on TV? If the answer is yes, Please call Annabell Rebello, 0207 226 2577 or email: researcher@transparenttelevision.com before 28 February 2009 to find out more information and be part of this exciting project!

TRAVEL & TOURISM NEWS:

Scarlett's mother suspects wider criminal conspiracy in murder
22 Jan: IANS. Fiona McKeown, the feisty mother of a 15-year-old British girl who was raped and murdered on a Goa beach last year, says she suspects her daughter may have been involved in a drugs racket. She suspects 'something bigger', including the possibility that local criminals were grooming Scarlett Keeling to carry drugs… 275 words. Click here.

The Capella constellation
22 Jan: Business Today. J&A’s at Baga, has quietly served up its wood-fire oven basil and aubergine pizzas, along with various other luscious concoctions, to the illustrious palates of Kate Moss, Sadie Frost, Jade Jagger and Shilpa Shetty, amongst others … The food is simple but delicious…. Capella must be experienced. Named after a constellation in the heavens, it is also, poignantly, the original name of the small chapel at the entrance to the property… 974 words. Click here.

Russian operator grounds jumbo flights
23 Jan: Herald. Trans Aero operating from Russia has announced suspension, with immediate effect, of both its weekly flights. The flights generally bring 300 passengers each to Goa and are apparently running low on passenger count, said a Goa based travel agency… 254 words. Click here.

Toronto IGO Seminar on sustainable tourism development'
24 Jan: Times of India. Commissioner for NRI affairs Eduardo Faleiro has said that the principle of sustainable development requires a long term and cautious approach to development so that future generations are not deprived of a quality life… He said that all steps should be taken to ensure the safety of tourists and they should also be educated on proper and desirable behaviour… 250 words. Click here.

Now book Goa bus tickets online
24 Jan: Herald. makemytrip.com, an online travel agency, now offers online booking of bus tickets for over 500 bus operators aggregating 5,000 bus routes across 14 States in the country, including Goa…[The site also offers on-line facilities to book flights, rail, hotels etc.]. 142 words. Click here.

Cover Story: Goa For A Song
25 Jan: Sunday Express (UK). Two decades after first visiting the vibrant west coast of India, ex-backpacker Paul Gogarty returns to find five-star luxury at surprisingly affordable prices… When we first visited Goa it was the soft landing to the old world where Western backpackers got their orientation to Eastern ways. Now it attracts those seeking pampering and an exotic fix without breaking the bank … For page 1 click here.
For page 2 click here.

Russian’s arrest opens up a Pandora’s Box regarding immigration
25 Jan: Herald. The arrest of a Russian on charges of overstaying in the country seems to have opened up a Pandora’s Box, with immigration officials at Dabolim airport being accused of issuing Temporary Landing Permits (TLPs) without valid reasons… Passengers have to pay upto 40 dollars in foreign currency to get the TLP, which cannot be renewed under any circumstances… 546 words. Click here.

It’s Moscow! No, it’s Morjim!
25 Jan: The Telegraph (Calcutta). Thousands of Russians have made Morjim, in northern Goa, their home as they find the place more hospitable than their native land… The number of Russians in Morjim has risen “from less than a thousand six years ago to 45,000 last year,” says Vikram Varma, the Goa-based counsel for the Russian consulate. About 200 Russians and their spouses are on business visas, while the rest are tourists… 898 words. Click here.

Health Tourism in Goa
26 Jan: Navhind Times. The growth has been phenomenal both in diagnostics and treatment aspects…The prominent European country, which feeds the health tourism, is England… Unfortunately this year has been a poorer year for the tourism and in small extent to health tourism… On the medical front, we need to improve our infrastructure, standardisation, accreditation and get ourselves more organised… 631 words. Click here.
For the GVUK health tourism supplement, click here.

Goa police 'destroyed' internal organs of Scarlett Keeling
26 Jan: Daily Telegraph. Lawyers for Ms Keeling's mother, Fiona MacKeown, last night accused the Indian authorities of deliberately destroying her daughter's kidneys and liver to prevent British coroners contradicting their claims that she had drowned after taking a drugs overdose… Indian detectives have mislaid some of her organs and destroyed others … Ms MacKeown accused Indian detectives and government officials of covering up the truth to protect powerful criminals in the state… 395 words. Click here.

Editorial: Russian roulette
26 Jan: Herald. The arrest of a Russian by Pernem police on Saturday for overstaying, and the controversy it has unearthed, seems to be as much the result of a turf war within the police force, as it is an irregularity on the part of the immigration officials and police at the Dabolim Airport… The Temporary Landing Permit (TLP) is the Indian version of the Visa-on-Arrival issued by several other countries… 516 words. Click here.

Goa Airport Online Information
29 Jan: Goan Airport. Flight Schedule: Online Arrivals and Departures; Customs etc. Go to www.goanairport.com/

Another airport in Goa is the need of the hour: Indian Navy
29 Jan: IANS. The Indian Navy on Thursday supported the need for an additional international airport in Goa, calling it 'the need of the hour'. The Navy head in Goa said, "Indiscriminate dumping of garbage and drying of fish in the populated areas along the air strip has led to increased bird menace near the runway." … 344 words. Click here.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

Goa parliamentary secretaries appointment set aside
22 Jan: PTI. The High Court today set aside the appointment of two parliamentary secretaries in the Congress-led state government stating that it was "unconstitutional"… Social activist Aires Rodrigues had challenged the appointment of the two MLA's as parliamentary secretaries terming it "unconstitutional"… 192 words. Click here.

'Goa fishing jetty used to illegally land Pak nationals'
22 Jan: Sify. In a sensational disclosure, the Chairman of the Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) has alleged fishermen working out of a jetty located within the port premises often illegally ferried Pakistani nationals from international merchant ships to the Goan shores and vice versa. 565 words. Click here.

Supreme Court stays High Court verdict on killing stray dogs
23 Jan: Zee News. The Supreme Court stayed a Bombay High Court verdict allowing municipal authorities in Maharashtra to kill stray dogs causing "nuisance"… [The ruling will also apply to Goa]. 256 words. Click here.

Victor Hugo Gomes: Goa Smiles through His Ancient Collection
23 Jan: Navhind Times. In this modern age where Goa and Goan heritage is being destroyed, Goa can still afford to smile, thanks to an inspirational effort by Mr Victor Hugo Gomes, whose vision has led to creating Goa’s first ethnography museum at Benaulim, which will be the home to around 40,000 odd items ranging from ancient agricultural tools to ancient jewellery to ancient pottery… he was inspired by his mother, who used to take care of the old things in the house… 537 words. Click here.

Goa: Catholic Women more prone to being abused
24 Jan: Goan Observer. The National Family Health Survey 2005-06 reveals that Catholic women are more physically, emotionally and sexually abused than women of other communities…. However, 40% of Hindu women believe that the husband is justified in hitting or beating his wife, while only 32.6% of the Christian women felt there was justification and 45.5% of Muslim women believed that their husbands had a right to beat them up… 1277 words. Click here.

Slum Dog Millionaire: Shiv Sena activists damages Panaji cinema
24 Jan: Times of India. Shiv Sena activists tried to stall the screening of Slumdog Millionaire in a multiplex in the city on Friday, alleging that the film hurts Hindu sentiments. In the process, they damaged the property. 288 words. Click here.

Goa port official receives death threats
25 Jan: Times of India. Mormugao Port Trust (MPT) chairman Praveen Agarwal has received death threats a few days after he accused a band of fisherman, who are led by a Goa cabinet minister, of being involved in ferrying Pakistani nationals on Indian soil. Kumar received an anonymous letter on Saturday, threatening him that he would be killed soon in a road accident… 301 words. Click here.

Goa MLA held for protest over grounded ship
26 Jan: Times of India. Goa's Congress legislator Agnelo Fernandes and 200 others were arrested on Monday after they defied orders and took out a march towards the Republic Day parade ground in the city, demanding removal of the River Princess, a ship that ran aground eight years ago… 226 words. Click here.

'Princess ship cannot be removed as case is subjudice'
27 Jan: Zee News. Goa tourism department on Tuesday said the controversial MV River Princess ship, which has run aground off Candolim shore, cannot be removed as the case is subjudice. "The contractor, who was awarded tender to salvage the ship has approached the court. The case is heard and we cannot move for another salvaging tender till the case is disposed off," state tourism director Swapnil Naik told reporters. 217 words. Click here.

Goa’s Anjediva island link to Mangalore pub attack
27 Jan: India Today. Pramod Muthalik, whose men led the pub attack in Mangalore last weekend, was arrested on Tuesday… He was also linked to an agitation to retrieve the Anjediva island in Goa, now under Indian Navy control, for Hindu deity Aryadurga Devi. The annual feast at the Church of Our Lady of Springs is due this weekend on February 2 -and the Navy command -like earlier -is likely to ban the ritual procession of Catholics from Karwar, Karnataka, and Goa for security reasons … The island also houses a small church dedicated to the famous St. Francis of Assisi, and a destination for Catholic pilgrims… Click here.

Russian nuclear-powered warship visits Indian port
29 Jan: RIA Novosti. Russia's Pyotr Veliky missile cruiser from the Northern Fleet has arrived in the port of Marmugao in the Indian state of Goa on an unofficial visit … Marmugao is the only port on India's western coast that allows visits by nuclear-powered ships. 280 words. Click here.

Complaints filed against 'Slumdog Millionaire' in Goa
29 Jan: PTI. HJS, a right wing Hindu outfit has filed complaints against the producer, writers and directors of' Slumdog Millionaire', alleging the Oscar-nominated film shows Indian culture in bad light and has hurt religious sentiments of a particular community… Earlier on January 26, the HJS had demonstrated against the movie at INOX theatre here. 231 words. Click here.

Football: Goa For Gold!
29 Jan: Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Wolves Assistant Academy Manager Gareth Prosser has spent a week leading a Premier League "flagship initiative" in Goa designed to help local coaches improve their skills… He says, "The enjoyment on the children's faces and also the coaches was clear to see." 825 words + Photos. Click here.

IN THE NEWS:

Goan Fish Curry
FISHERY TECHNOLOGY VOL 45; NUMB 2 (2008) pp. 171-180 Ready to Serve Mackerel Curry (Goan Style) in Retortable Pouches Ravi Shankar, C.N.; Bindu, J.; Srinivasa Gopal, T.K.
Fishery Technology is published by the Society of Fisheries Technoloigists (India) Kochi

Thief stuffs takings in bra
23 Jan: The Sun (UK). A crooked shop assistant paid for a first-class family holiday to Goa — by stuffing thousands of pounds of takings into her bra…. 183 words + photo. Click here.

Recipe: Roat, farmer's ideal food
24 Jan Times of India. Melinda Pereira Kamat speaks about a bread of pre-Christian origin which is a healthier option for diet-conscious people today. Roatt is a thick bhakri' which is generally consumed for breakfast… 775 words. Click here.

The real Slumdog Millionaires
24 Jan: The Mail (UK). Behind the cinema fantasy, mafia gangs are deliberately crippling children for profit … ‘I don’t give them a penny,’ says Father Barnabe D’Souza, a Catholic priest … ‘If they approach me on the street, I offer them food, which they don’t want,’ he says. ‘… These children are taught how to look as pitiful as possible to get money … 224 + comments + photos. Click here.

Canada: The complexities of foreign-worker layoffs
24 Jan. Calgary Herald. The number of dismissals of temporary foreign workers is expected to spike in 2009, while the number of new foreign workers being recruited to Canada is forecast to drop significantly as companies face the prospect of layoffs in a recession, say immigration lawyers and recruiters… 727 words. Click here.

Macau: Lecture: 'Portuguese Civilisation in Goa and Macau'
24 Jan: Macau Daily Times. At 18:30 pm on Thursday, February 5 Professor Gu Weimin, will talk on “The Historical Influence of Portuguese Civilisation in Goa and Macao during the 15th-17th Centuries”… Although the lecture will be given in Mandarin, simultaneous translation in Cantonese, Portuguese and English is being provided… 388 words. Click here.

Video + text: 8 hurt as Hindu group attacks women in Mangalore pub
25 Jan: CNN-IBN. Members of a self appointed moral police Sri Ram Sena barged into a Mangalore pub and beat up eight women on Sunday, two of them seriously. "There are some activities going on here that spoil Hindu tradition… We don't like such indecent behavior and tried to stop it," said the Sri Rama Sena spokesperson … The Police have arrested ten people … Mangalore has seen an increase in moral policing over the past one year which is blotting the cosmopolitan image of the coastal city…. 1m.15s. Click here.
We were called prostitutes, says a pub victim
Girls at pub chased, beaten up, molested
For the latest developments, click here.

Law not keeping pace with Indian baby industry
26 Jan: Canberra Times. Lawyers and doctors involved in India's giant fertility industry have warned couples hoping to pursue surrogacy there that the process is risky because there is no comprehensive law… a Canadian couple paid an Indian surrogate who refused to give up the child. The case is now before a Delhi court… there are about 3000 clinics offering surrogacy services across India… 400 words. Click here.

Christians of India under attack
26 Jan: GlobalPost (USA) … Throughout the fall, scores of Christians were killed in India, thousands made homeless, their churches destroyed. Hindu extremists are suspected in many of the attacks… spread to Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and even Goa, a state better known for its rave parties, hippie ghettos and coastal seafood fare…churches and congregations in Mangalore were systematically attacked for the first time… 943 words. Click here.

India: Police Forcibly Remove Priest's Cassock…
26 Jan: UCAN. Catholics in western India have demanded action against policemen who forcibly removed the cassock of a Catholic priest. The police also reportedly beat Father Wilfred Fernandes, parish priest of St. Joseph Church in Lonavala, after locking him up for punishing some students. The 41-year-old priest manages St. Joseph's Primary School in Lonavala … A Hindu mob took the priest to the police station, where he was "assaulted with a belt" … 654 words. Click here.

Lisbon: Goa-inspired visit to the Museu do Oriente
27 Jan: Jornal de Notícias. If one is in love with history, particularly in Goa, the Museu do Oriente has a tour this Saturday, with Vítor Serrão, director of the Institute of History of Art. "Image and devotion in Goa, in XVI and XVII". Tickets cost 5 euros and have to be booked in advance. 93 words. www.jnoticias.pt

Oliver Smart on the mend after Thailand club blaze
28 Jan: Sheffield Star. Oliver Smart who was seriously injured in a nightclub blaze in Thailand on New Year's Eve is still recovering from his ordeal in hospital… he will be in the intensive care unit for a further four weeks or so…Mr Smart had spent Christmas in Goa with his mum Pauline Gent and his stepfather Mike, before flying to Thailand. But Mike Gent then suffered a heart attack in Thailand and later died. 282 words. Click here.

India: Priest Stresses Changes In Parenting Techniques
28 Jan: UCAN. By Bosco de Souza Eremita. Indian parents should give teenagers more freedom and responsibility for the good of their children's overall development, says a Catholic priest who has researched parenting techniques. Father Simon Diniz, who did his doctoral study on psychological differences between children raised by parents and those raised by guardians, says parents have to adopt new approaches to keep up with modern times… If parents become too strict, he warned, their children might run away and get involved in wrong relationships. 498 words. Click here.

Mumbai: Aquinas Martis stabs Paloma Fernandes to death
29 Jan: Express India. Paloma Fernandes, a 25-year-old call centre employee was stabbed to death by her boyfriend early on Wednesday morning outside her residence when she had come home after her night shift. The boyfriend, identified as Aquinas Martis, 22, also stabbed himself in the abdomen with the same knife… A neighbour said, “Paloma’s family is in Goa and the flat is apparently owned by her aunt… 554 words. Click here.

Australia: Lloyd Rayney seeking 'millions'
29 Jan: PerthNow, Australia. Barrister Lloyd Rayney wants "millions" from the State Government for police allegedly defaming him as the "prime and only" suspect in his wife's murder… The case will return to court on February 23… 446 words. Click here.

GOANET HIGHLIGHTS
BY CORNEL DACOSTA

By now, many Goan Voice (UK) readers will have seen the film Slumdog Millionaire. It has received 10 Oscar nominations and is likely to do well in that elite event. However, some in India have been critical of the film and attempts have been made to ban it. Indeed, a mob of Shiv Sena activists, attacked a cinema in Panjim, Goa and ransacked the place. Further, the parents of the young children who starred in the film have also complained that the children were exploited by the film producers. To read this controversy click here.

An unusual post sent by Ruby Goes is a story of how with the current slump in retail sales, some workers in America have developed the art of looking really busy when they clearly are not. Do read this hilarious article by Jan Hoffman, titled ' Working Hard to Look Busy'. Click here.

I am instinctively pro women in a world that has largely been dominated by men from earliest times. Selma Carvalho has sent Goanet a short piece titled 'Return of the Male Supremacist?' and an account of the recent attack on women in Mangalore by Hindu extremists. Please click here.

In a recent Seminar on Neuroscience and [the] Soul. Fr Ivo presented a substantial paper on the above theme. Likewise, Fr Job Kozhamthadan projected complementary views at the Seminar in Lovala, India on 22/Jan/2009. The material presented is 'weighty' and is best read by clicking here.
Both these clergymen are in turn challenged by scientist Dr Santosh Helekar who can be read by clicking here.

Finally, I recall that, as a youngster on my visits to Goa, my parents and other village elders would often refer to local people who were fortunate to obtain jobs in the mines in Goa. Today however, the mines are increasingly seen as highly problematic despite their substantial export earnings. Venita Coelho, who has recently become my favourite activist in Goa, submitted an article titled ' 'The Accidental Activist---Strip Mining is not 'Farming' Mr Timblo. To read what she had to say. Please click here.

Please visit the Goanet archives at http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/
To subscribe to Goanet send an email to subscribe@goanet.org

DOCUMENTARY: Trolley Dollies. LIVING 2
Saturday 31st Jan. 18:30 to 19:00. Documentary series following the exploits of the cabin crew on board Excel airlines. The Dollies are in for an African adventure in Mombasa, while single Sally goes speed-dating. Repeat.

FILM: Madame Sousatzka. five
Sunday 1st Feb. 15:45 to 18:00. Absorbing character study of an eccentric and reclusive London piano teacher and her gifted 15-year-old student of East Indian ancestry. 1988.

SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTARY: Mumbai Mega Flood. Nat Geo Wild
Monday 2nd Feb. 00:00 to 01:00. Nearly half Mumbai's average rainfall, 37 inches, fell in one day. How did it happen?

COOKERY: Come Dine with Me. Channel 4
Thursday 5th Feb. 17:30 to 18:00. Fussy wine-lover Moni Bharij is cooking up an Indian banquet. She's convinced her starter of gargantuan prawns and lavish five main courses will win her the £1,000 prize.

ARTS: 3 Minute Wonder. Channel 4
Thursday 5th Feb. 19:55 to 20:00. Foreign Correspondents: Never Left Home. Chandra Shekar came to England from India and is shocked by the number of Asians he finds, particularly as his guide book says there are only 1.6 million. He embarks on a journey to find the real Britain.

TRAVEL: Explore. BBC 2
Thursday 5th Feb. 23:20 to 23:50. Kenya's Violent Rift. Emeka Onono investigates the aftermath of the horrifying violence that took place in Kenya's Rift Valley in 2008.

DOCUMENTARY: Around the World in 80 Faiths. BBC 2.
Friday 6th Feb. 21:00 to 22:00. The Indian Subcontinent. Episode 6. Pete Owen Jones examines the mystery of Indian religions, including the transmigration of the soul, karma, the pantheon of gods and the high regard for gurus.

FORTHCOMING

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

Sat. 14 Feb. SE Goans Valentine Ball from 6.30pm - 11pm at St Marks Hall, Old Mill Rd, Plumstead SE18 1QE. Ticket £11 per person includes meal + 1 free drink on entrance. Children under 10. accompanied by an adult, free admission and soft drink. Dance the night away to the wonderful sounds of Mustang Band and a disco, in addition see the famous Saga Dancers live as seen on BBC2 in Step up to the plate. Tickets & more information call- Chris Pinto 01322400732, Ronald Fernandes 0208 298 9263, Tatanya D’souza – 0208 316 1473 or email segoans@ntlworld.com

Sat. 14 Feb: Music Mania’s Valentine Ball. 7.00 pm to 12.00 midnight. St Patrick’s Hall Griffin Road Plumstead, London SE18 7QG. Free entry for New Year 2009 patrons who respond by 30 January 2009 on a ‘first come first served’ basis. Others - £5 per head. Guaranteed seating & table.. Romantic ambience. Prizes, raffles and quizzes galore. Dress code : Red, Black or White. Crowning of best dressed valentine couple. Music by Music Mania Disco. Food and drinks on sale. Details from Tony : M 07500778799/ H 82659644 Paul H 83111195 M 07958156652 Vincent M 07900501460 or musicmaniadisco@yahoo.co.uk

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-8.30pm. 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
26 Feb. Dartford time and church to be confirmed shortly. 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. Leicester. Our Lady's Church - LE4 7ZB. 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.

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