TIBET AND GOA.
Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibetans living in Tibet and elsewhere in the World, including in Goa where you will find lot of Tibetans. Tibet being a distinct identity has its own history, culture, tradition, folklore, religion and many other attributes that makes it different from Chinese attributes. Yet in 1959 China crushed Tibetan movement for independence whence Dalai Lama fled to India thereby China acquiring full control over Tibet and Tibetans. Fighting for independent country Tibet, China dubbed freedom fighter Tibetans and their spiritual leader Dalai Lama as splittist. Dalai Lama in that failed uprising in 1959 left Tibet and ran for his safety to India where he took shelter in Arunachal Pradesh, a northern Indian State bordering China. Surprisingly China claims that Arunachal Pradesh is Chinese territory and still demands its sovereignty over this beautiful northern Indian State.
China is a big threat to India. In 1962 China fought a bitter and fierce war with India killing hundreds of Indian soldiers and acquiring thousands of square metres of Indian land about which India till today cannot do anything and will never be able to do anything in future too. Instead of settling this matter and getting back this Indian land, India like beggar went with folded hands to China to offer its hand of friendship. China is number one enemy of India and NOT Pakistan. Pakistan’s No. one enemy is its own people who are all out to split Pakistan into pieces and they are engaged in this process as we see in the current chaos in Pakistan. To fight Pakistan and to split it into pieces Pakistan does not need India. It was enough once India splitted Pakistan into two pieces and created Bangladesh. Now Pakistani citizens themselves are in the process of splitting Pakistan further.
In the first week of next month, Dalai Lama is scheduled to visit Arunachal Pradesh to meet Tibetan exiles there. Irked by this news, China is threatening India with dire consequences if India allows Dalai Lama to enter Arunachal Pradesh. China thinks India is its father’s property. China even showed its displeasure when Indian Premier recently visited Arunachal Pradesh. China is trying to control India thru remote control. Like Israel, China is also vying for greater supremacy over territories beyond its present borders. Israel is planning to acquire neighbouring areas from its current borders to make greater Israel. Both China and Israel are hungry for more land from neighbouring countries. And India is not far behind China and Israel in this race of grabbing other people’s land.
About quarter of a century back India swallowed Sikkim and 48 years back by using brute military force India that is Bharat invaded Goa in 1961 December and converted Goa into a rotten Indian State just like any other rotten Indian State with rotten Indians at the helm of political affairs. These rotten Indians since 1962 are coming to Goa rampantly and destroying genuine Goan culture, tradition, history, folklore and language and also religious practices. The Indians who are coming to Goa and settling down in Goa are overwhelmingly third class rubbish Bharatis who are upsetting the demographic structure of Goa to suit their needs, of course with the backing of the rascal local politicians who are rampantly destroying Goa. As a matter of fact, Goa is no more what it was at the time of the exit of Portuguese from Goa. Goa is now totally destroyed by the non-Goans who are rapist, robbers, criminals, crooks and chicaners. All the corruption and dirtiness that is existing in Goa now is resulted from the militarily forced entry into Goa by all the corrupt Bharatis including politicians from Delhi who are rampantly robbing India by living like Maharajas at the cost of poor tax payers money. There is no cunning and corrupt person in this World like that of a corrupt and cunning Bharati. Goa and Goans were not accustomed to such cunning and corrupt persons among them in Goa but due to the influx of unwanted third class Bharatis in Goa from all over Bharat because of the invasion of Goa in 1961 by Bharat, Goa lost all its great pristine qualities thereby even making Goans also bad. Learning from their Bharati masters, current generation of Goans is becoming more and more corrupt. As it is, during the last 48 years of Bharati domination, Goan politicians have already learnt the worst qualities of their worst political gurus elsewhere in Bharat and thus Goan politicians succeeded in outsmarting their already corrupt Bharati gurus.
In this same manner Tibet under the domination of Communist China will suffer and get dissolved under the influence of Chinese. In few years time, China will totally destroy cultural, historical, traditional and other aspects of Tibet and Tibetans same way as Bharat and Bharatis have done for Goa and Goans in Goa. I pity Tibet exactly the way I pity my Goa.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
October 30, 2009
October 29, 2009
Navelim Soccer Fest: Don Bosco down Raiders for Title
-by gasper crasto - www.goa-world.com/ & www.indianfootball.com/Kuwait: “Whatever Navelim does in Kuwait, they are always successful,” said the chief guest Mr. Raymond D’Sa in his speech at the prize distribution function of the Navelim Soccer Fest 7 a-side football finale held on October 22.
It was indeed a festivity for soccer players and spectators under sparkling floodlights of the tournament played over two weekends at Surra Stadium. Don Bosco Oratory emerged champions from among 18 teams beating Skynet Raiders 5-4 in the final.
The Soccer Fest sponsored by Gulf Custody Company - leading Fund Custody and Administration service providers in the Middle-East was attended by a number of distinguished dignitaries of the Indian community.
Don Bosco and Skynet Raiders were locked goalless in the final at the end of normal time. In the ensuing final Don Bosco were spot on target with Steven Rodrigues, Liston Raju (captain), Valenky Rodrigues, Peter Fernandes and Michael Dias. Other members of the champion team consisted of Larry Aguiar, Leo Rodrigues, Philip Duarte, Savio Kambada, Livon D’Souza and Noel D’Souza.
Earlier, Don Bosco overcame strong contenders Kuwait Goan Association (KGA) in the quarters and DHL in the semis thanks to Don Bosco goalkeeper Blesson D’Souza for superlative saves especially in the tie-breaks including the final. Blesson was later adjudged Man of the Match (Finals).
On the other side, Raiders defeated Domnic Savio in their quarterfinal match and CRC Chinchinim in the semis. The team comprised of Hendry (goalkeeper), Christy Menezes (captain), Anthony Cardoso, Alex Goes, Zico, Bobby, Anthony Cardozo, Rudolph, Benjamin, Casino, Ronald and Salam.
P.A. Tony officiated the final assisted by Derrick Gomendes and Manuel Dias.
Kuwait Goan Association (KGA) were awarded the best discipline team of the tournament.
In an exhibition match of boys under-15 played prior to the grand finals, Skynet Raiders led by Damie Christie beat Los Galacticos by 2-0. Faiyaz Rafi, Cliff Gonsalves, Jawad Khan, Antonio D’Silva, Darren Gomes, Aldridge Fernandes, Joshua Barretto, Nigel Gonsalves, Raed Deshiman and Declan Ferrao were outstanding for the winners while Shehzad Hussain, Divyansh, Vaibhav, Sarfaraz, Fahad, Murtaza, Aziz and Cyriac Thomas excelled for the losers.
Chief guest Mr. Raymond D’Sa, President of GOA Maroons, an enthusiastic football lover who has contributed immensely towards Indian football in Kuwait over the years, praised Navelim for the high standard of organization and taking up initiatives to promote friendship among Indians in Kuwait through various activities.
“We are happy to support sports activities such as these as we believe that healthy bodies create healthy minds,” was the message to the participating teams and event organizers from Gulf Custody Company, the event sponsors. Agnello Fernandes, President of Navelim Youth Centre, in his speech thanked the participating teams for the sporting spirit displayed during the tournament, the sponsors of the event, the attending crowd and reiterated that they will continue to hold activities like this in future.
Earlier, Navelim Soccer Fest Tournament Coordinator Gasper Crasto welcomed the guests, compered and proposed a vote of thanks. On behalf of Navelim he thanked the media especially Arab Times, www.indianfootball.com, www.goa-world.com, www.indiansinkuwait.com, http://mangalorean.com, etc, for exclusive coverage of the tournament.
The glittering trophies and prizes were presented at the hands of Raymond D’Sa, Agnello Fernandes, Luis D’Silva, Mohammed Ali Athararoa, Lawry Pinto, Cajetan Pereira, Norman Noronha, Simon Dias, Esparansa Crasto, Neeta Fernandes, and Reena Furtado. The Manager of Surra Stadium Mr. Mohammed Ali Athararoa was presented with a memento for his support towards the Indian community and the Navelim Soccer Fest.
Following prizes were awarded:
Player of the tournament – Bobby (Skynet Raiders),
Man of the Finals – (Blesson D’Souza – Don Bosco Oratory)
Best Striker – Michael D’Souza (Don Bosco Oratory)
Best Discipline Team – Kuwait Goan Association
Exhibition Match Winners – Skynet Raiders under-15
Exhibition Match Runners-up – Los Galacticos
:::All Photos by: Simon Dias, Professional Photographer - thelensmen@yahoo.com Tel. No. 97827670:::
The above news has appeared in Arab Times - Page No. 48 dated 29 October 2009. The news is also featured in http://mangalorean.com, www.indianfootball.com, www.indiansinkuwait.com, etc.
October 28, 2009
INDIAN FOOTBALL ORGANISERS IN KUWAIT.
The late Jerome Pascoal D’Mello popularly known as JP in Kuwait, in India and in Asian soccer world was a renowned football referee and a soccer administrator at All India and at Asia level too. In the beginning of nineteen eighties, he came to Kuwait and got employed at Kremenco, a well known company in Kuwait employing thousands of employees at Ahmadi Oil sector. He had passion for soccer not only to organize but also to see its promotion and development.
In 1979 United Goans Football Centre (UG) were responsible to initiate and start our competitive soccer activities at Sour grounds, in Kuwait city. First it was only one League cum Knock-out tournament organized by UG and from the following year came Flying Arrows and others with their Knockout tourneys. Since these tournaments were organized by individual clubs and teams, JP felt the need to bring all the participating teams under one banner for the smooth functioning and control. He first confided this idea to me which I marketed to all thru my writings and gained momentum for this good proposal.
Mr. Lawrence Rato with my assistance and with the help of others who are no more in Kuwait now, convened a meeting in the big Church Hall to devise ways to proceed further but man like Denzil D’Souza and others vomited negative feelings. We said, and I wrote boldly thru my writings that those who are not willing to support this proposal they should withdraw from our midst but we will go ahead.
Then Lawry Pinto got himself involved directly and gave an extra booster for this move. He moved mountains by contacting every club and every team to support this proposal, in the bargain he received insults too from the arrogant people but he never gave up. We all supported him and I remained firmly behind him by writing in support of the formation of apex body.
Rato brought soccer rules books from FIFA directly, I provided my own materials and I joined the front runners in drafting the constitution but later on I withdrew for personal reasons but supported from behind the scene. Finally, in 1985 the apex body known as KUWAIT INDIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION (KIFF) was formed fulfilling the dream of JP the founder of Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) in Kuwait. He and Lawry Pinto were hailed as heroes of this movement and in fact they are and not me as many wrongly thought.
It is almost a quarter of a century now that KIFF has been running our soccer activities under its full control. Though KIFF is doing a commendable job yet many times arrogance and Hitlerism overruled reasoning and logic due to which many mishaps have occurred in the functioning of KIFF. This happened because persons not knowing the meaning of soccer got themselves engaged in the KIFF committee. Instead of applying soccer rules, members started applying personal rules to inflict heavy punishments for erring teams and players. Disagreements and difference of opinions erupted and suddenly this year in the beginning of the KIFF season 'splittists' in the KIFF joined together and formed another association similar to KIFF. One is called a parent body by the people while the other is called 'rebel' body with the membership of only 6 clubs or teams. At the time of writing these lines, I got an information that the parent body KIFF is having the support of 12 strong and heavyweight senior teams while the other newly formed body is having just 6 teams under its fold.
It is very sad that the situation has reached to this level necessitating split in Kuwait Indian Football. I think this situation could have been avoided if there was give and take attitude from both the warring sides. By splitting KIFF nothing will happen to KIFF but only the game of soccer will suffer which should not be. For so long KIFF did a fairly good job in promoting soccer among us. Now two organising bodies mean two different interests and two different directions with bad blood running.. It is not necessary. Good that this is not a permanent place for us to stay, if any untoward incident takes place we all will have to run from here. In this case, who will run our parallel associations? I am not blaming anybody for this mishap but those who were responsible for the formation of KIFF and also those who were responsible in running KIFF, they only know the hardship of how to maintain KIFF and importance of the KIFF.
The KIFF has got a history of almost 25 years and this history cannot be erased by forming a parallel body. KIFF is known to be for sports and entertainment in Kuwait and having the largest number of members to be registered in the Middle east. We have seen strong footballers fighting on the field with the ball to score goals and win games over the years, never thinking of the tensed life they spend in Kuwait. Few of the men I know have even died for keeping this Sports and Unity alive in Kuwait. It does not mean that they were freedom fighters for the federation but men who kept a large number of people together under one tree. The federation was going with games organized and cups won by the best teams in Kuwait which became an inspiration for the youngsters. There were also players of different states from India playing together in some clubs. Well what made it so weak that a new federation had to be made?
The news of the new federation was given on the web but no names were shown of the committee members representing the new federation. Either the new federation does not want to respect their elders and carry on the tradition of keeping the spirit alive in one place or they want to separate the sports lovers in two half for their personal differences. Why has such a time come to alienate from the rest of the Indian community in Kuwait.
I do understand that some of the decisions of the KIFF were very harsh and contrary to the spirit of soccer but this could have been easily sorted out instead of bringing about divisions among us. People imparting education and discipline to the boys should have been on the forefront to provide sensible and disciplined counsel to those who are fighting the useless war which creates indiscipline in the society. Football is organized to unite people and not to create splits among people.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait
In 1979 United Goans Football Centre (UG) were responsible to initiate and start our competitive soccer activities at Sour grounds, in Kuwait city. First it was only one League cum Knock-out tournament organized by UG and from the following year came Flying Arrows and others with their Knockout tourneys. Since these tournaments were organized by individual clubs and teams, JP felt the need to bring all the participating teams under one banner for the smooth functioning and control. He first confided this idea to me which I marketed to all thru my writings and gained momentum for this good proposal.
Mr. Lawrence Rato with my assistance and with the help of others who are no more in Kuwait now, convened a meeting in the big Church Hall to devise ways to proceed further but man like Denzil D’Souza and others vomited negative feelings. We said, and I wrote boldly thru my writings that those who are not willing to support this proposal they should withdraw from our midst but we will go ahead.
Then Lawry Pinto got himself involved directly and gave an extra booster for this move. He moved mountains by contacting every club and every team to support this proposal, in the bargain he received insults too from the arrogant people but he never gave up. We all supported him and I remained firmly behind him by writing in support of the formation of apex body.
Rato brought soccer rules books from FIFA directly, I provided my own materials and I joined the front runners in drafting the constitution but later on I withdrew for personal reasons but supported from behind the scene. Finally, in 1985 the apex body known as KUWAIT INDIAN FOOTBALL FEDERATION (KIFF) was formed fulfilling the dream of JP the founder of Indian Football Referees Association (IFRA) in Kuwait. He and Lawry Pinto were hailed as heroes of this movement and in fact they are and not me as many wrongly thought.
It is almost a quarter of a century now that KIFF has been running our soccer activities under its full control. Though KIFF is doing a commendable job yet many times arrogance and Hitlerism overruled reasoning and logic due to which many mishaps have occurred in the functioning of KIFF. This happened because persons not knowing the meaning of soccer got themselves engaged in the KIFF committee. Instead of applying soccer rules, members started applying personal rules to inflict heavy punishments for erring teams and players. Disagreements and difference of opinions erupted and suddenly this year in the beginning of the KIFF season 'splittists' in the KIFF joined together and formed another association similar to KIFF. One is called a parent body by the people while the other is called 'rebel' body with the membership of only 6 clubs or teams. At the time of writing these lines, I got an information that the parent body KIFF is having the support of 12 strong and heavyweight senior teams while the other newly formed body is having just 6 teams under its fold.
It is very sad that the situation has reached to this level necessitating split in Kuwait Indian Football. I think this situation could have been avoided if there was give and take attitude from both the warring sides. By splitting KIFF nothing will happen to KIFF but only the game of soccer will suffer which should not be. For so long KIFF did a fairly good job in promoting soccer among us. Now two organising bodies mean two different interests and two different directions with bad blood running.. It is not necessary. Good that this is not a permanent place for us to stay, if any untoward incident takes place we all will have to run from here. In this case, who will run our parallel associations? I am not blaming anybody for this mishap but those who were responsible for the formation of KIFF and also those who were responsible in running KIFF, they only know the hardship of how to maintain KIFF and importance of the KIFF.
The KIFF has got a history of almost 25 years and this history cannot be erased by forming a parallel body. KIFF is known to be for sports and entertainment in Kuwait and having the largest number of members to be registered in the Middle east. We have seen strong footballers fighting on the field with the ball to score goals and win games over the years, never thinking of the tensed life they spend in Kuwait. Few of the men I know have even died for keeping this Sports and Unity alive in Kuwait. It does not mean that they were freedom fighters for the federation but men who kept a large number of people together under one tree. The federation was going with games organized and cups won by the best teams in Kuwait which became an inspiration for the youngsters. There were also players of different states from India playing together in some clubs. Well what made it so weak that a new federation had to be made?
The news of the new federation was given on the web but no names were shown of the committee members representing the new federation. Either the new federation does not want to respect their elders and carry on the tradition of keeping the spirit alive in one place or they want to separate the sports lovers in two half for their personal differences. Why has such a time come to alienate from the rest of the Indian community in Kuwait.
I do understand that some of the decisions of the KIFF were very harsh and contrary to the spirit of soccer but this could have been easily sorted out instead of bringing about divisions among us. People imparting education and discipline to the boys should have been on the forefront to provide sensible and disciplined counsel to those who are fighting the useless war which creates indiscipline in the society. Football is organized to unite people and not to create splits among people.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait
October 26, 2009
Amazing Achievement - a short story
-by gasper crasto
"Since the time you proposed me, I wanted to ask. . ." she hesitated, moving her hair sideways, touching her Egyptian necklace, "I wanted to ask you a question..."
I glanced at her face as she poured tea in the cups.
"What is it?" I asked.
She leaned across looking me in the eye. "Whom do you love the most..?"
I relaxed on the sofa. Through the window, the 4th Ring Road off Salmiya was a street of serenity on a warm Friday afternoon. 'Jesus my heart' hymned through the apartment.
"She is my heart...my dear, dear heart!" I smiled.
The color of her face changed instantly.
"Do you need to know anything more?" I looked at her.
Her cup rattled in its saucer.
"Yes."
I seized a deep breath.
She put her cup on the table, tossed her hair behind her ears, and returned her gaze back to my eyes.
I tilted her chin up and looked deeply into her dark, fat eyes. "She is sweeter than you are..much sweeter.."
Her breath caught a gloat in her throat.
"I think we're in love," I said. "..she likes me a lot.."
"I want you to answer my question..!" She exclaimed.
Click to read more: Breaking News: An amazing achievement!
"Since the time you proposed me, I wanted to ask. . ." she hesitated, moving her hair sideways, touching her Egyptian necklace, "I wanted to ask you a question..."
I glanced at her face as she poured tea in the cups.
"What is it?" I asked.
She leaned across looking me in the eye. "Whom do you love the most..?"
I relaxed on the sofa. Through the window, the 4th Ring Road off Salmiya was a street of serenity on a warm Friday afternoon. 'Jesus my heart' hymned through the apartment.
"She is my heart...my dear, dear heart!" I smiled.
The color of her face changed instantly.
"Do you need to know anything more?" I looked at her.
Her cup rattled in its saucer.
"Yes."
I seized a deep breath.
She put her cup on the table, tossed her hair behind her ears, and returned her gaze back to my eyes.
I tilted her chin up and looked deeply into her dark, fat eyes. "She is sweeter than you are..much sweeter.."
Her breath caught a gloat in her throat.
"I think we're in love," I said. "..she likes me a lot.."
"I want you to answer my question..!" She exclaimed.
Click to read more: Breaking News: An amazing achievement!
New Windows 7: Find the right PC for you. Learn more.
October 25, 2009
G'BYE GOA:GREED & NEMESIS. By Valmiki Faleiro.
G’bye Goa: Greed & Nemesis
By Valmiki Faleiro
Societies evolve, people change. Some for the better, with better standards of living,
their morals and culture intact. We’ve seen how Goa changed from emigration and
consequent in-migration.
“Those with a strong and dynamic culture absorb migrants and get enriched by them;
weak ones get drowned under a changing demography,” runs an epistle from Lisbon-
based Portuguese friend, Antonio Palinha Machado.
Goa’s positive cultural attributes were more or less intact until Dec-1961. After that,
gradually, they got snowed under. Not under migrants, but with a change from within.
The age of materialism dawned upon us. We changed. Goa changed, is still changing.
Unremittingly. Our values and our “Goemkarponn” of barely half a century ago changed.
We have all but lost them.
“Goans,” I wrote earlier, “were a devout and docile people, honest and hardworking.” Is
that description valid today? Greed is now a downplayed hallmark of the “Goan Identity.”
Old values were forsaken for a new one: money. In the race to make as much, as fast,
with the least possible effort, cash replaced character. Laxmi (goddess of wealth) ousted
Saraswati (goddess of learning.)
Greed replaced virtue. We are no more a simple, pious and contended people. Greed
now leads both the leaders and the led. It ushered an array of change, from politics to
demographics, which will soon reduce the pre-1961 Goan to a glorified anthropological
museum specimen. For that metamorphosis, we have only ourselves to blame.
We first cooked our goose, and now bray for the blood of migrants. If not for us, our land
wouldn’t go into the hands of “outsiders.” If not for us, our space would not be swamped
with squatters. If not for us – first, chiefly and last – we wouldn’t have elected politicians
of the calibre that catalyzed most of Goa’s ills of today.
Goan greed is reflected in election results. It is greed that makes us sell our souls at
elections, and repeatedly elect politicos hell-bent on destroying Goa. Don’t blame the
Dilliwallahs and the land sharks. Or even politicians. We elected them. We brought the
ills on ourselves, by the power of our own vote.
In the course of this column close to four years now, I’ve repeatedly implied that blame
primarily rests with the Goan voter … now, alas, substantially diluted by migrants, soon
to be irretrievably lost. Like the rich Goan who generally does not vote. Like the middle-
class that largely votes but gets carried away not by merit of candidates in the fray but
by their religion, caste and party label. Like the less privileged, both Goan and migrant,
that largely sells its vote.
In a newspaper interview a couple of years ago, industrialist Avdhoot Timblo suggested
the term “Goan Identity” was relative. Saying that Goans could only be “relatively pure”
(40, 50, 80 percent …), he held a book whose cover showed a Kunnbi woman and said,
“This was 100 percent Goan.” Evolution of the “Goan Identity” was inevitable. The need,
he said, was to steer which way we want to go.
Perfectly true, but who will do that steering, Avdhootbab? If you read ‘Gomantak Times’
(25 Sept. 2009, Page 2), a political party openly wailed of “financial inadequacy” in the
portfolios allotted to that party’s ministers in the current cabinet. Are such men capable
of steering anything other than public money into their own pockets?
Gabe Menezes, a friend who lives in Wimbledon-London (he’s native of Navelim-
Salcete) recently wrote, “As for Goans in Goa, within 50 years, surnames will survive but
all will be totally integrated into the vastness of India ... now eat your hearts out, mates!”
Our post-1961 road to nemesis was paved with greed. For under 30 pieces of silver, we
sold our souls. What’s the point in now crying hoarse about loss of the “Goan Identity,”
blaming migrants and politicians, when we must blame ourselves first? It is we, Goans,
onshore or offshore, who are responsible for our own doom.
Let’s reflect a bit more on that reality in the last paragraph of the concluding piece of this
rather long series next Sunday.
NARAKASURA BLUES: An accidental blast in Margao and explosives found at
Sancoale, both during Narakasura processions, may yield clues to the mindless spate of
Hindu idol desecrations across Goa in the recent past…
This one’s unbeatable. A 15-feet Narakasura effigy was reported stolen at Sada-Vasco,
in broad daylight. Forget the gods, even demons are not safe in today’s Goa! (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 25, 2009.
By Valmiki Faleiro
Societies evolve, people change. Some for the better, with better standards of living,
their morals and culture intact. We’ve seen how Goa changed from emigration and
consequent in-migration.
“Those with a strong and dynamic culture absorb migrants and get enriched by them;
weak ones get drowned under a changing demography,” runs an epistle from Lisbon-
based Portuguese friend, Antonio Palinha Machado.
Goa’s positive cultural attributes were more or less intact until Dec-1961. After that,
gradually, they got snowed under. Not under migrants, but with a change from within.
The age of materialism dawned upon us. We changed. Goa changed, is still changing.
Unremittingly. Our values and our “Goemkarponn” of barely half a century ago changed.
We have all but lost them.
“Goans,” I wrote earlier, “were a devout and docile people, honest and hardworking.” Is
that description valid today? Greed is now a downplayed hallmark of the “Goan Identity.”
Old values were forsaken for a new one: money. In the race to make as much, as fast,
with the least possible effort, cash replaced character. Laxmi (goddess of wealth) ousted
Saraswati (goddess of learning.)
Greed replaced virtue. We are no more a simple, pious and contended people. Greed
now leads both the leaders and the led. It ushered an array of change, from politics to
demographics, which will soon reduce the pre-1961 Goan to a glorified anthropological
museum specimen. For that metamorphosis, we have only ourselves to blame.
We first cooked our goose, and now bray for the blood of migrants. If not for us, our land
wouldn’t go into the hands of “outsiders.” If not for us, our space would not be swamped
with squatters. If not for us – first, chiefly and last – we wouldn’t have elected politicians
of the calibre that catalyzed most of Goa’s ills of today.
Goan greed is reflected in election results. It is greed that makes us sell our souls at
elections, and repeatedly elect politicos hell-bent on destroying Goa. Don’t blame the
Dilliwallahs and the land sharks. Or even politicians. We elected them. We brought the
ills on ourselves, by the power of our own vote.
In the course of this column close to four years now, I’ve repeatedly implied that blame
primarily rests with the Goan voter … now, alas, substantially diluted by migrants, soon
to be irretrievably lost. Like the rich Goan who generally does not vote. Like the middle-
class that largely votes but gets carried away not by merit of candidates in the fray but
by their religion, caste and party label. Like the less privileged, both Goan and migrant,
that largely sells its vote.
In a newspaper interview a couple of years ago, industrialist Avdhoot Timblo suggested
the term “Goan Identity” was relative. Saying that Goans could only be “relatively pure”
(40, 50, 80 percent …), he held a book whose cover showed a Kunnbi woman and said,
“This was 100 percent Goan.” Evolution of the “Goan Identity” was inevitable. The need,
he said, was to steer which way we want to go.
Perfectly true, but who will do that steering, Avdhootbab? If you read ‘Gomantak Times’
(25 Sept. 2009, Page 2), a political party openly wailed of “financial inadequacy” in the
portfolios allotted to that party’s ministers in the current cabinet. Are such men capable
of steering anything other than public money into their own pockets?
Gabe Menezes, a friend who lives in Wimbledon-London (he’s native of Navelim-
Salcete) recently wrote, “As for Goans in Goa, within 50 years, surnames will survive but
all will be totally integrated into the vastness of India ... now eat your hearts out, mates!”
Our post-1961 road to nemesis was paved with greed. For under 30 pieces of silver, we
sold our souls. What’s the point in now crying hoarse about loss of the “Goan Identity,”
blaming migrants and politicians, when we must blame ourselves first? It is we, Goans,
onshore or offshore, who are responsible for our own doom.
Let’s reflect a bit more on that reality in the last paragraph of the concluding piece of this
rather long series next Sunday.
NARAKASURA BLUES: An accidental blast in Margao and explosives found at
Sancoale, both during Narakasura processions, may yield clues to the mindless spate of
Hindu idol desecrations across Goa in the recent past…
This one’s unbeatable. A 15-feet Narakasura effigy was reported stolen at Sada-Vasco,
in broad daylight. Forget the gods, even demons are not safe in today’s Goa! (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 25, 2009.
October 23, 2009
BAN SANATAN SAUNSTHA (SS). By Godfrey Gonsalves.
BAN SANATAN SAUNSTHA (SS)
From: godfrey gonsalves (gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in)
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:15:23 PM
At public meeting held at Lohia Maidan Margao this evening 22/10/2009 under the aegis of the "Citizens for Secularism and Communal Harmony" the undermentioned resolutions were passed unanimously:
This gathering of concerned citizens for secularism and communal harmony unanimously resolves that:
a) the Govt of Goa should immediately ban the "Sanathan Saunstha" their premises should be sealed and their assets frozen
b) the Govt of Goa should probe the Margao blast case thoroughly and with due diligence
c) this gathering congratulates the role of the Goa Police and demands that they should be given a totally free handin the probe and any sort of political interference should not be allowed
d) the antecedents and past activities of the "Sanathan Saunstha " should also be scanned and their prossible links with other extremist organisations be also investigated. Their possible involvement in other anti-social activities particularly the spate of temple desecrations should also be checked
e) this gathering congratulates the people of Goa in general and Margao in particular for not falling prey to the evil designs of creating communal discord and expresses confidence that Goa will remain united in the face of all provocations.
With this the people have apparently armed the INC led coalition government in Goa to take necessary steps to safeguard the communal tolerance practiced by all leading communities in Goa for centuries.
The resolutions were read out by Mr Uday L Bhembre (Adv) and ex-Independent MLA Margao. Other speakers who spoke on the ocassion were Dr Francisco Colaco, Margao Dr Oscar Rebello, Panaji Mr J Barve Mayem Bicholim Mr S Kakodkar CA Curchorem.
Mr Bhembre reiterated the need to ban the "Sanathan Saunstha" now that there is "clinching evidence" that their premises at Bandora were indeed used to store incriminating material, and that those prima facie implicated were its members. He also called for strict scrutiny of the nefarious activities of the Hindu Jan Jagruti Saunstha, the Bajrang Dal etc as these were satellite organisations of the right wing Hindu fundamentalist parties and they have assumed albeit on their own to act as "Power of attorney holders" of the Hindu community to save it from devastation.
He also chided Mr Manohar Parrikar ex BJP Chief Minister of Goa and present Leader of the Opposition for demanding a CBI enquiry into the matter instead of condeming such dastardly intents of those thus far implicated ---when the Government of Goa had already constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) comprising of Mr Omprakash Kudtarkar SP and Bousset Silva Dy SP to investigate into 16/10 incident and also take the co-operation of the Maharastra Police who had detected the earlier incidents at Thane, Nasik and Malegaon . Incidentally at all these places the accused have died.
It is now left to CM Mr Digamber Kamat and the Home Minister Mr Ravi Sitaram Naik as many of those present at the meet who spoke to this writer felt, that they should act sternly to nip such incidents rather than allow the "terrorists" to gain a foothold and flourish with their nefarious designs. There are several incidents which the police are believed to have detected at Porvorim Cuncolim etc involving daamge to places of worship but the Government is weak kneed to strike fearing that it may either give the Opposition a chance to bolster their political vote bank or polarise the vote bank on communal lines. The people of Bandora and Ramnathi have also demanded a ban on the activities of the SS in their village.
Meanwhile there is a also a public demand that the Government of Goa should hnonour the driver of the vehicle carrying the troupe of Narkasura from Ponda on 16/10 which had stopped at the Shantadurga Temple Sancoale - Cortalim NH 17 B to participate in the competition there. For it was owing to the presence of mind of the driver a Moslem Mr Saab, who noticed a bag in the tempo containing a bomb -- ticking --- which prompted him to fling it out in the field when none of the occupants claimed the same. The blast would have other wise killed and maimed several of those gathered at the precincts of the temple on the Dipawali eve night.
Incidentally the second victim who was on a ventilator at the GMC died on Tuesday morning. Thus both the attackers (terrorist?) have since been dead. It is also learnt from a source which does not wish to be identified that an "attar" scented perfume a plastic bag bearing a "Khan" initials was recovered from the bag. Apparently had the bomb (almost four in all) exploded at the desginated spots there would have been several deaths and grievous injuries to the public assembled to witness the "Narkasura" competition that Diwali eve night at Margao .The retaliation would be burning of all Moslem establishments and households. It could easily replicate the communal events at Curchorem in June 2006.
It is also confirmed that the spouse of the Minister for Transport Mr Sudin Dhavalikar has been closely associated with the activities of the Sanathan Saunstha at Ramnathi and that the scooter owner Mr N Bakhle is his nephew. Though the Directorate of Transport website duly updated as on 6th October 2009 reveals the ownership of the scooter to Mr Bakhle the Directorate of Transport maintains that the website only reveals the original owner of the transport and non transport vehichles hosted on its website and subsequent changes on transfer are not recorded . In any case it is confirmed that the present owner a Mr S Naik of the scooter is also an activist of the Saunstha.
Margao will be celebrating the traditional festival of Dindi on 30th October, 2009 and there is a sense of nervousness among the people that a similar fate as that what was averted on 16/10 would repeat its ugly head.
A large number of Moslems present at today's meet were thankfull to the Almighty for sparing them the onslaught of communal backlash due to the blessings of deity Shantadurga and Our Lady of Grace. In the land of St Francis Xavier the Goencho Saib such events can never succeed was the common refrain of every Goan ever since that fateful event of 16/10.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,BORDA,
MARGAO, 403 602,
GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in
From: godfrey gonsalves (gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in)
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2009 4:15:23 PM
At public meeting held at Lohia Maidan Margao this evening 22/10/2009 under the aegis of the "Citizens for Secularism and Communal Harmony" the undermentioned resolutions were passed unanimously:
This gathering of concerned citizens for secularism and communal harmony unanimously resolves that:
a) the Govt of Goa should immediately ban the "Sanathan Saunstha" their premises should be sealed and their assets frozen
b) the Govt of Goa should probe the Margao blast case thoroughly and with due diligence
c) this gathering congratulates the role of the Goa Police and demands that they should be given a totally free handin the probe and any sort of political interference should not be allowed
d) the antecedents and past activities of the "Sanathan Saunstha " should also be scanned and their prossible links with other extremist organisations be also investigated. Their possible involvement in other anti-social activities particularly the spate of temple desecrations should also be checked
e) this gathering congratulates the people of Goa in general and Margao in particular for not falling prey to the evil designs of creating communal discord and expresses confidence that Goa will remain united in the face of all provocations.
With this the people have apparently armed the INC led coalition government in Goa to take necessary steps to safeguard the communal tolerance practiced by all leading communities in Goa for centuries.
The resolutions were read out by Mr Uday L Bhembre (Adv) and ex-Independent MLA Margao. Other speakers who spoke on the ocassion were Dr Francisco Colaco, Margao Dr Oscar Rebello, Panaji Mr J Barve Mayem Bicholim Mr S Kakodkar CA Curchorem.
Mr Bhembre reiterated the need to ban the "Sanathan Saunstha" now that there is "clinching evidence" that their premises at Bandora were indeed used to store incriminating material, and that those prima facie implicated were its members. He also called for strict scrutiny of the nefarious activities of the Hindu Jan Jagruti Saunstha, the Bajrang Dal etc as these were satellite organisations of the right wing Hindu fundamentalist parties and they have assumed albeit on their own to act as "Power of attorney holders" of the Hindu community to save it from devastation.
He also chided Mr Manohar Parrikar ex BJP Chief Minister of Goa and present Leader of the Opposition for demanding a CBI enquiry into the matter instead of condeming such dastardly intents of those thus far implicated ---when the Government of Goa had already constituted a Special Investigating Team (SIT) comprising of Mr Omprakash Kudtarkar SP and Bousset Silva Dy SP to investigate into 16/10 incident and also take the co-operation of the Maharastra Police who had detected the earlier incidents at Thane, Nasik and Malegaon . Incidentally at all these places the accused have died.
It is now left to CM Mr Digamber Kamat and the Home Minister Mr Ravi Sitaram Naik as many of those present at the meet who spoke to this writer felt, that they should act sternly to nip such incidents rather than allow the "terrorists" to gain a foothold and flourish with their nefarious designs. There are several incidents which the police are believed to have detected at Porvorim Cuncolim etc involving daamge to places of worship but the Government is weak kneed to strike fearing that it may either give the Opposition a chance to bolster their political vote bank or polarise the vote bank on communal lines. The people of Bandora and Ramnathi have also demanded a ban on the activities of the SS in their village.
Meanwhile there is a also a public demand that the Government of Goa should hnonour the driver of the vehicle carrying the troupe of Narkasura from Ponda on 16/10 which had stopped at the Shantadurga Temple Sancoale - Cortalim NH 17 B to participate in the competition there. For it was owing to the presence of mind of the driver a Moslem Mr Saab, who noticed a bag in the tempo containing a bomb -- ticking --- which prompted him to fling it out in the field when none of the occupants claimed the same. The blast would have other wise killed and maimed several of those gathered at the precincts of the temple on the Dipawali eve night.
Incidentally the second victim who was on a ventilator at the GMC died on Tuesday morning. Thus both the attackers (terrorist?) have since been dead. It is also learnt from a source which does not wish to be identified that an "attar" scented perfume a plastic bag bearing a "Khan" initials was recovered from the bag. Apparently had the bomb (almost four in all) exploded at the desginated spots there would have been several deaths and grievous injuries to the public assembled to witness the "Narkasura" competition that Diwali eve night at Margao .The retaliation would be burning of all Moslem establishments and households. It could easily replicate the communal events at Curchorem in June 2006.
It is also confirmed that the spouse of the Minister for Transport Mr Sudin Dhavalikar has been closely associated with the activities of the Sanathan Saunstha at Ramnathi and that the scooter owner Mr N Bakhle is his nephew. Though the Directorate of Transport website duly updated as on 6th October 2009 reveals the ownership of the scooter to Mr Bakhle the Directorate of Transport maintains that the website only reveals the original owner of the transport and non transport vehichles hosted on its website and subsequent changes on transfer are not recorded . In any case it is confirmed that the present owner a Mr S Naik of the scooter is also an activist of the Saunstha.
Margao will be celebrating the traditional festival of Dindi on 30th October, 2009 and there is a sense of nervousness among the people that a similar fate as that what was averted on 16/10 would repeat its ugly head.
A large number of Moslems present at today's meet were thankfull to the Almighty for sparing them the onslaught of communal backlash due to the blessings of deity Shantadurga and Our Lady of Grace. In the land of St Francis Xavier the Goencho Saib such events can never succeed was the common refrain of every Goan ever since that fateful event of 16/10.
GODFREY J. I. GONSALVES,BORDA,
MARGAO, 403 602,
GOA. (INDIA)
+91 98221 58584 (24 HRS)
gonsalvesgodfreyji@yahoo.co.in
October 22, 2009
GOAN CULTURAL CENTRE-KUWAIT. DRAWING COMPETITION.
Santos Carmo
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 11:38 AM
To: goa.kranti@gmail.com
Drawing Competition by Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait.
A Drawing Competition will be organized by Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait on 13th November 2009 (FRIDAY) at CARMEL SCHOOL - KHEITAN, Kuwait to commence at 4:00 p.m. sharp.
Participation Rules for Drawing Competition:* The competition is open to school going Indian children up to the age of 14 in three groups:
Group A - 3-6 years - (Colouring only)
Group B - 7-9 years - Theme: A River Side in Goa.
Group C - 10-14 years - Theme: Any Tradition of Goa.
* A maximum of one hour will be allotted to the participants. * 3 prizes will be given to the winners in each category. * Judges decision will be final and binding. * Only the Drawing Paper will be provided by the Organizers. Children are expected to bring their own stationery including crayons, colours, and brushes.* The winners of the competition will be awarded prizes and certificates at the Christmas Tree (Pai Natal) Programme to be held on 11th December 2009.
For further info, please contact Mob: 99472905 / 66567848 / 66955719 / 66806661 / 97549642 or email: goanculturalcentrekuwait@gmail.com
Kindly note the change in date and school - now to read as 13th November 2009 and at Carmel School - Kheitan.
Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 11:38 AM
To: goa.kranti@gmail.com
Drawing Competition by Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait.
A Drawing Competition will be organized by Goan Cultural Centre-Kuwait on 13th November 2009 (FRIDAY) at CARMEL SCHOOL - KHEITAN, Kuwait to commence at 4:00 p.m. sharp.
Participation Rules for Drawing Competition:* The competition is open to school going Indian children up to the age of 14 in three groups:
Group A - 3-6 years - (Colouring only)
Group B - 7-9 years - Theme: A River Side in Goa.
Group C - 10-14 years - Theme: Any Tradition of Goa.
* A maximum of one hour will be allotted to the participants. * 3 prizes will be given to the winners in each category. * Judges decision will be final and binding. * Only the Drawing Paper will be provided by the Organizers. Children are expected to bring their own stationery including crayons, colours, and brushes.* The winners of the competition will be awarded prizes and certificates at the Christmas Tree (Pai Natal) Programme to be held on 11th December 2009.
For further info, please contact Mob: 99472905 / 66567848 / 66955719 / 66806661 / 97549642 or email: goanculturalcentrekuwait@gmail.com
Kindly note the change in date and school - now to read as 13th November 2009 and at Carmel School - Kheitan.
October 21, 2009
DRAWING & COLLAGE COMPETITION. By GWS-Kuwait.
CAJETAN DE to me show details 10:55 AM (8 hours ago).
On behalf of the organizing committee of the GOA DAY 2009, the Goan Welfare Society-Kuwait, is pleased to announce an Drawing & Collage Competition, to be held on 23rd October, 2009, from 5.00 pm onwards at the Carmel School, Khaitan, Kuwait. The competitions are open to students of Indian Schools, in the age Groups as shown here below:
Drawing Competition: Age Group: 4-6 yrs and 7-9 yearsCollage competition: Age group: 10 - 13 yrs and 14 - 17 years. Participation forms are available with officials of all the Indian Schools and also with Members of the Goan Welfare Society.
A request for forms can also be made through email to: goanwelfaresociety@gmail.com , which may please be noted. Those children desirous of participating in any of the competitions are requested submit the prescribed forms, duly filled in, to any of the places from where the forms are collected. The complete forms can also be sent by email indicated above.
All the Rules and Conditions of the competitions are mentioned in the form, in case, of any clarification or further information, please contact: Wilson Coelho: 22429435 / 67065878, Sharon De Sousa: 25624160 / 66662734, Joe FX D’Souza 22413348 / 66933250, Cajetan Pereira 97165438.
On behalf of the organizing committee of the GOA DAY 2009, the Goan Welfare Society-Kuwait, is pleased to announce an Drawing & Collage Competition, to be held on 23rd October, 2009, from 5.00 pm onwards at the Carmel School, Khaitan, Kuwait. The competitions are open to students of Indian Schools, in the age Groups as shown here below:
Drawing Competition: Age Group: 4-6 yrs and 7-9 yearsCollage competition: Age group: 10 - 13 yrs and 14 - 17 years. Participation forms are available with officials of all the Indian Schools and also with Members of the Goan Welfare Society.
A request for forms can also be made through email to: goanwelfaresociety@gmail.com , which may please be noted. Those children desirous of participating in any of the competitions are requested submit the prescribed forms, duly filled in, to any of the places from where the forms are collected. The complete forms can also be sent by email indicated above.
All the Rules and Conditions of the competitions are mentioned in the form, in case, of any clarification or further information, please contact: Wilson Coelho: 22429435 / 67065878, Sharon De Sousa: 25624160 / 66662734, Joe FX D’Souza 22413348 / 66933250, Cajetan Pereira 97165438.
October 20, 2009
THE LATE TIATRIST "H. BRITTON".
I knew Hr. Britton much before I met him in Kuwait in 1978. Earlier I saw him in Goa singing attractive songs especially solos dressed in ladies sarees. As a lady he resembled his beautiful looking wife Maria whom I met in Kuwait too. He was a crowd puller from late sixties and in early seventies he blossomed into a seasoned singer. His two songs that gave him strong booster on Konkani Stage were “Saverewale Gaddi, Gaddi Chalenge” on Hindi Tune from popular Hindi Film song. And the other song “Pilot” dressed in blue saree. He was at his best in witty and semi comedy solos and his solos having double meaning were liked by many people. His solos became instant hit because of the catchy tunes too and also because of his powerful attractive voice.After coming to Kuwait, H. Britton immediately made a mark for him. Along with Mendes Bros. and F. X. Pereira, H. Briton created sensation in Kuwait among Kuwait audience, at Keefan Hall and at Church Hall too. I personally encountered him when I called a meeting in Kuwait of all the prominent Kuwait based Tiatrists to organize Tiatros for raising funds for Novem Goem Daily Newspaper in 1978. H. Briton during the meeting was very vocal towards negative side by citing appropriate past examples of how Tiatrists failed even from J. P. Souzalin’s time to unite for a cause but in the end he was convinced of my idea and my elaborate explanation and gave his approval by becoming a part of our team. With the help of Kuwait based Tiatrists we organized two Tiatros for the establishment of Novem Goem Daily and collected a good fund for this cause because every Tiatrist acted free of charge. Only the Band under Trumpeter Teo charged us and that too full charges as if what we were doing for Konkani was for Marathi.
H. Brittorn was a very innovative artiste. On his home Video Studio in Kuwait he produced his own Konkani Audio Cassette with his own Lyrics but music from all original English songs from the English Audio Cassettes, he suppressed the original English words and in their places voiced his own Konkani words, it looked very attractive to the ears. This Cassette was an instant hit in Kuwait during those days. Best of his songs in Kuwait he rendered at Keefan Hall and the best song among all was ‘PORDEOS” which he rendered in his own Tiatro in which he released the sentiments and feelings of every Goykar in Kuwait for his Goa, Goan House and family members. Some of the words go like this:
Pordeos, Kuwait ho ghanv amcho, somestancho, bhav – bhoinnacho, Goykarancho.
Ek Chitt amkam kitli gorjechi, maink putachi, bhavak bhoinnichi, bailek ghovachi.
This was the song he sang wearing a nice bluish Suit, it was a decent solo and while singing he was at his majestically best. It was such a sentimental song that some even cried in the Hall while listening to it.
In 1982 while H. Britton was busy in organising his Skit for the Mangalorean Show organized by Luis Rodrigues, suddenly we were shocked that he was arrested. Later on I came to know that he was arrested not on genuine grounds, he was arrested when he was not guilty. One Konknni man from Ratnagiri who was driving Briton to work made the trick by playing a foul game and poor Briton had to pay the price. I was regularly going to see him in prison and I was always telling him to keep his head cool and alert and not to lose hope. I also requested him to go on praying and praying because the power of prayer is most powerful weapon. I did not want him to lose his mental balance as it used to happen to many prisoners then for being unable to bear the prison conditions. Here the life in prison is very difficult especially for a person brought up in decent environment. Based on this episode he rendered an opening solo in his Tiatro “Jivit Kuwaitchem” which he staged in Goa after his release from Kuwaiti prison.
One most pathetic incident I saw from H. Britton when I met him first time in prison was this: Because of my critical writings he was not in good terms with me yet I went to pay a visit to him. When he saw me, he cried and asked me: “Veronica, bhava mojea, tum kon re mozo, makam aplo bhav mhonntalet te Tiatrists khuim gelet re?” Then I pacified him and told him “to take it easy. This is life mojea bhava”. When you laugh, the whole world laughs with you but when you cry, you cry alone. Taking advantage of his misery which happened without his fault, some Goa based Tiatrists sang “Zupattis” against Britton and got shallow pleasure by giving distorted image of Britton. This is the tragedy of the lack of proper information.
After the invasion and liberation of Kuwait he came to Kuwait as a visitor to be with his family and if got a chance he also acted in Tiatros. His last appearance in public platform in Kuwait was approximately 3 years back when we felicitated Ophelia where he spoke beautifully in praise of Ophelia describing her whole life as a Tiatrist and even sang a nice solo to give an added booster to the whole function. While in Kuwait, because he was staying at my neighborhood, he was a regular visitor to my house and we used to discuss many topics regarding Tiatros. Two years back I interviewed him and it was later on published in goa.kranti.
H. Britton was a very jovial person spreading positive energy all around. It is sad to witness one after the other great stalwarts of Konkani Stage are leaving this world. Though they are leaving us but sadly their places are not filled by the living ones because the elders are not replaceable, they are of very high caliber in all respects. H. Briton is one such.
On behalf of all my like minded friends and colleagues especially those involved in the promotion of Konkani and Tiatro, I offer my deepest sympathies for all the family members of H. Briton and pray to God to provide him a suitable place in His Kingdom.
A. Veronica Fernades,
Kuwait.
October 18, 2009
UFC MOURNS THE DEATH OF A TIATRIST IN GOA.
CAJETAN DE
Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 10:26 AM
To: Goa Kranti goa.kranti@gmail.com
CONDOLENCES
The President and Members of United Friends Club (UFC) - Kuwait , deeply mourn the sudden and shocking death of Tiatrist EDDISON FERNANDES (Beloved Son of our member Martino Fernandes) expired on 17th Oct.,2009.
May the Almighty GOD give strength and courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss.
May his soul rest in peace.
Cajetan de Sanvordem
President
United Friends Club
Kuwait
Sun, Oct 18, 2009 at 10:26 AM
To: Goa Kranti goa.kranti@gmail.com
CONDOLENCES
The President and Members of United Friends Club (UFC) - Kuwait , deeply mourn the sudden and shocking death of Tiatrist EDDISON FERNANDES (Beloved Son of our member Martino Fernandes) expired on 17th Oct.,2009.
May the Almighty GOD give strength and courage to the bereaved family to bear this loss.
May his soul rest in peace.
Cajetan de Sanvordem
President
United Friends Club
Kuwait
G'BYE GOA: ARE MIGRANTS TO BLAME? By Valmiki Faleiro.
G'BYE GOA: ARE MIGRANTS TO BLAME?
By Valmiki Faleiro.
We wail about migrants. And bray for their blood. But, are migrants really to blame? Let us briefly examine that question today. Migrants come in roughly two basic categories: the prosperous and the poor. The former are the Dilliwallahs and such from metro India, who have invested in land and built houses or purchased built-up property here. It's this segment that Goa's dubious"mega projects" cater to. However, they form an almost invisible fraction of the mass of migrants. Rich migrants would hardly alter the demographic profile of Goa. Bulk is the poor migrants from across India. They are here in the hope of better work and a better life. The same reason that Goans are spread all over the world. "Migrants" connotes these poor. (The well-heeled are "society people.").
I don't blame migrants. There are among them thieves, dacoits and murderers. Every society has its own. For our Felixes and Mahanands, could all Goans be dubbed thieves and murderers? Before demonizing migrants for the exponential rise in crime in Goa, let us remember that had our politicians shaped the Goa Police competently(they have done the opposite, selling jobs, postings, even hampering investigation and demoralizing the force), criminals from Charles Sobhraj to the petty migrant thief wouldn't regard Goa a safe haven. It's this bulk segment of poor migrants that's mutating the "Goan Identity" into a miniature replica of India's diversity.
But blame them? Migrants don't own land/houses to move into, so where do they shelter upon arrival? The answer will lead us to some of the areas where the blame actually rests. There are four main avenues where migrants accommodate themselves: rented rooms, shanties at construction sites, Housing Board/20-Point Programme tenements, and slums. Across the coastal countryside, there would be few houses that don't shelter one or more migrant families. It's the lure of rental money that makes us welcome migrants first, and curse them next. Who actually run many of the beach shacks allotted to locals? It's the same lure of lucre of some annual lakh Rupees that makes Goans illegally sub-lease the seasonal shacks to ostensible "Managers" from Delhi, Mumbai, or wherever. Do the hundreds of Kashmiris in coastal villages own their business and residential premises? A Goan friend in Portugal, reading an earlier part, told me two Kashmiris purchased houses/land and settled in his native Maina-Curtorim. Who sold the land to them? Older colonies promoted by the Housing Board, such as at Gogol and Porvorim were meant for locals and to this day are largely occupied by Goans. But the post-1980 ones? Looks like Housing Board colonies such as at Davorlim and the puny plots doled under the 20-Point Programme were designed exclusively for migrants.
These State-sponsored shelters suit migrants and seasonal migrants admirably. Seasonal migrants work in Goa most of the year and return home to till land during monsoons. Try driving on the Davorlim colony roads at night in fair weather. Roads become open dormitories. Because migrant-owners lease out their premises to seasonal migrants, and themselves sprawl on the streets. Who creates this ready accommodation for more and more migrants? Engineers and civil servants? Or their political bosses? A substantial segment of migrants live in slum colonies that routinely sprout on public and community land. Who starts these slums? Migrants arriving in an alien land? Who protects slums from demolition? Who provides squatters with free civic amenities much faster than a Goan could hope to get paid versions? Who facilitates Ration Cards, residency certificates, and enrollment of names in electoral rolls within a fraction of the time it would take a Goan to do the same? Who nurtures these slums into vote-banks, either to bolster one's own electoral chances or screw those of the opponent? Do I need to answer?
And most pertinently, pray, who elects these worthies to power time and time again? We will come to that little story in the penultimate part of this series, next Sunday.
P.S: Charges raised by Rachol Sarpanch Joseph Vaz about the official attitude towards Goa's Catholic Gawda/Kunnbi community are in place. One only hopes that the Digambar Kamat regime will take proactive steps for the educational and economic uplift of all sections of Goa's earliest residents. (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 18, 2009
By Valmiki Faleiro.
We wail about migrants. And bray for their blood. But, are migrants really to blame? Let us briefly examine that question today. Migrants come in roughly two basic categories: the prosperous and the poor. The former are the Dilliwallahs and such from metro India, who have invested in land and built houses or purchased built-up property here. It's this segment that Goa's dubious"mega projects" cater to. However, they form an almost invisible fraction of the mass of migrants. Rich migrants would hardly alter the demographic profile of Goa. Bulk is the poor migrants from across India. They are here in the hope of better work and a better life. The same reason that Goans are spread all over the world. "Migrants" connotes these poor. (The well-heeled are "society people.").
I don't blame migrants. There are among them thieves, dacoits and murderers. Every society has its own. For our Felixes and Mahanands, could all Goans be dubbed thieves and murderers? Before demonizing migrants for the exponential rise in crime in Goa, let us remember that had our politicians shaped the Goa Police competently(they have done the opposite, selling jobs, postings, even hampering investigation and demoralizing the force), criminals from Charles Sobhraj to the petty migrant thief wouldn't regard Goa a safe haven. It's this bulk segment of poor migrants that's mutating the "Goan Identity" into a miniature replica of India's diversity.
But blame them? Migrants don't own land/houses to move into, so where do they shelter upon arrival? The answer will lead us to some of the areas where the blame actually rests. There are four main avenues where migrants accommodate themselves: rented rooms, shanties at construction sites, Housing Board/20-Point Programme tenements, and slums. Across the coastal countryside, there would be few houses that don't shelter one or more migrant families. It's the lure of rental money that makes us welcome migrants first, and curse them next. Who actually run many of the beach shacks allotted to locals? It's the same lure of lucre of some annual lakh Rupees that makes Goans illegally sub-lease the seasonal shacks to ostensible "Managers" from Delhi, Mumbai, or wherever. Do the hundreds of Kashmiris in coastal villages own their business and residential premises? A Goan friend in Portugal, reading an earlier part, told me two Kashmiris purchased houses/land and settled in his native Maina-Curtorim. Who sold the land to them? Older colonies promoted by the Housing Board, such as at Gogol and Porvorim were meant for locals and to this day are largely occupied by Goans. But the post-1980 ones? Looks like Housing Board colonies such as at Davorlim and the puny plots doled under the 20-Point Programme were designed exclusively for migrants.
These State-sponsored shelters suit migrants and seasonal migrants admirably. Seasonal migrants work in Goa most of the year and return home to till land during monsoons. Try driving on the Davorlim colony roads at night in fair weather. Roads become open dormitories. Because migrant-owners lease out their premises to seasonal migrants, and themselves sprawl on the streets. Who creates this ready accommodation for more and more migrants? Engineers and civil servants? Or their political bosses? A substantial segment of migrants live in slum colonies that routinely sprout on public and community land. Who starts these slums? Migrants arriving in an alien land? Who protects slums from demolition? Who provides squatters with free civic amenities much faster than a Goan could hope to get paid versions? Who facilitates Ration Cards, residency certificates, and enrollment of names in electoral rolls within a fraction of the time it would take a Goan to do the same? Who nurtures these slums into vote-banks, either to bolster one's own electoral chances or screw those of the opponent? Do I need to answer?
And most pertinently, pray, who elects these worthies to power time and time again? We will come to that little story in the penultimate part of this series, next Sunday.
P.S: Charges raised by Rachol Sarpanch Joseph Vaz about the official attitude towards Goa's Catholic Gawda/Kunnbi community are in place. One only hopes that the Digambar Kamat regime will take proactive steps for the educational and economic uplift of all sections of Goa's earliest residents. (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 18, 2009
October 16, 2009
INDIAN AMBASSADOR'S LETTER TO INDIAN COMMUNITY.
Subject: Ambassador's Letter
Ambassador’s letter to the Indian Community in Kuwait
14 October 2009
Dear Members of the Indian Community in Kuwait,
In continuation of my letter of May 26, 2009, I provide an update on consular, welfare, and other initiatives that have since been undertaken by the Embassy.
Consular and passport issues:
On May 27, 2009, two new Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres were opened in Kuwait. Some of you helped publicise the change in a number of Indian languages, and I thank you for doing so. Issues that inevitably accompany such a fundamental transformation were reasonably quickly put behind us. Since late June 2009 we have maintained a turn-around delivery time of 3-4 working days after a passport/consular service application is made at the Service Centre. Our attestation service at the Embassy envisages return delivery normally within 45 minutes of submission of a document.
In July 2009, the online registration form for Indian citizens on the Embassy website was upgraded to provide a confirmation when a completed registration form has been properly received.
This week a “Consular Open House” procedure has been started at the Embassy from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs on all working days. By it, the Consular Head or a senior Consular official would be available in the Embassy Consular Room and can be met without prior appointment to discuss any consular matter.
In response to queries, kindly note that in case of demise of an Indian national in Kuwait, if the mortal remains have to be sent back to India for burial then the Embassy will, upon request, bear the full air transportation costs and all incidental expenditures associated with doing so in all deserving/needy cases.
Welfare and Labour issues:
While the approximately 580,000 strong Indian community is present in most segments of society in Kuwait, our initial thrust has been directed at addressing the welfare concerns of our workers, especially the 225,000 Indians who work in Kuwait under Visa No. 20. Of them roughly 150,000 are male domestic workers while about 75,000 are female domestic workers.
24 by 7 toll free phone helpline for Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20): This helpline inaugurated on 9 August 2009 has systematized and enhanced our availability to an Indian domestic worker in distress. Earlier, the response outside office hours depended on whether the person receiving the call had appropriate linguistic abilities and knew how to properly log down a concern and respond to it. Now, telephone number 25674163 is accessible toll free from anywhere in Kuwait, functions round the clock through a multiple–line call-center, and provides us with a computerised print-out of incoming call details so that the calls can be tracked back to their source. More importantly, it is staffed by persons who can respond in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Arabic and English. The helpline number is prominently front-paged on all job contracts of Indian domestic workers attested by the Embassy. As a result, new workers arriving here know, prior to their arrival, that if there is a problem someone is constantly available to them.
Grievance redressal and support system: We have considerably strengthened our grievance redressal and support system mechanism in 2009 and can now reasonably promptly and effectively address grievances of Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20) and project workers (Visa No. 18) in Kuwait.
Since early this year Indian domestic workers in distress are being accommodated and looked after by the Embassy under a new arrangement, while their grievances are being addressed. On arrival, they are given a kit containing new clothes, all toiletries, and other essentials. They are also provided with bunk beds with full bedding, regular nutritious meals, and all basic amenities while they are with us. To keep them in reasonably good cheer, the common areas have a TV, with access to Indian cable channels, as well as a small music system with Indian music CDs. In case of repatriation of a domestic worker, an air ticket from Kuwait to the Indian airport nearest to their home plus sufficient cash to travel from that airport to their home town/village and pay for incidentals, is also routinely being provided by the Embassy.
We now also have the wherewithal in place to more effectively address the concerns of our domestic workers and have made solid headway in doing so. The rate of resolution of grievances has improved substantially, compared to a year ago. As a result, the number of domestic workers in distress lodged with us at any given moment has declined quite significantly. Nevertheless, an important residual concern remains. A majority of those currently in distress are coming here without Embassy attested work contracts. We have alerted the authorities in India to spread the word that Indian domestic workers coming to Kuwait should only do so with work contracts attested by this Embassy and I would request you to also kindly do so.
Blacklisting: Where the rights of any Indian worker are violated, the Embassy has been debarring the concerned individual/company from undertaking further hires from India. Additionally, since June 2009, we have also been debarring all violators of the rights of any Indian national from availing of consular/passport/visa services to visit India. Furthermore, where Indian workers are concerned, details of such violators are also being shared with others. In addition, other measures are being taken as relevant to each particular case.
Help Desk: Since 9 August 2009, a “Help Desk” service has been started at the Embassy, which offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, and other issues.
Insurance cover: Since mid-February 2009, sponsors recruiting an Indian national for Kuwait for jobs in the domestic sector [as housemaids, houseboys, cooks and drivers] are also compulsorily required by the Embassy to take a two year insurance policy in the name of the worker from one of two designated insurance companies in Kuwait. Benefits of the latter scheme were attached to my last letter. This is in addition to the automatic 2-3 year coverage under Pravasi Bharati Bima Yojana for all unskilled Indian workers in ECR category coming to Kuwait with proper work contracts.
Legal Advice Clinic: This Clinic has been revamped this week. A new Kuwaiti lawyer has joined, new equipment has been installed, and it is now open four times a week, rather than twice a week. Further steps to improve its functioning are also in the pipeline.
Indian Workers Welfare Center: The welfare measures offered by this Embassy have been consolidated into an “Indian Workers Welfare Center” located in the Embassy. Its timings and welfare service details are annexed.
Attestation of domestic sector work contracts: Since mid-February 2009, domestic sector work contracts are being submitted exclusively to Kuwait Union of Domestic Labour Offices (KUDLO), accompanied by an insurance policy in favour of the worker from the designated insurance companies. The Embassy does the attestation, with documents returned via KUDLO.
Attestation of private sector work contracts: This has been systematized in early September 2009 and our response has been made time-bound. The time required by us for completing the attestation procedure has now been fixed at 3 working days from the date of submission of documents complete in all respects. If documents submitted are incomplete, a communication regarding the shortcomings will be sent by the Labour Wing of the Embassy to the applicant within 3 working days of receipt of the application.
Health support for the Indian community:
Under the patronage of the Kuwait Medical Association, the Indian Doctors Forum [IDF], Kuwait, annually conducts 5-6 free health screening and awareness camps for Indian workers in Kuwait. The Indian doctors, paramedics and nurses, who volunteer their time on a holiday deserve our gratitude for doing so, as do the associations that back-stop such camps. I also thank our doctors for the "School Health Program 2009" that they are conducting in Indian schools in Kuwait. The free medical advice facility offered by IDF doctors too deserves appreciation. If you have an unresolved health query, you can use the "Ask a Doctor" facility and get a free opinion from an Indian medical specialist. The Embassy web-site provides details at http://www.indembkwt.org/press/11aug09.htm. I also compliment IDF for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month, through October, by disseminating the campaign message within our community in Kuwait.
India tourism promotion in Kuwait:
India participated in the “Travel World Expo” held in Kuwait from May 26-30, 2009. The Embassy sent two journalists from local Arabic language newspapers to India from 21-28 June 2009, leading to expanded coverage of India in those newspapers. In early August 2009, we sent two more journalists to Kerala for a week, also resulting in good publicity. Hon’ble Mr. Sultan Ahmed, Union Minister of State for Tourism, led a travel trade delegation to Kuwait and addressed the Road Show organized here on 8 October 2009 for the Kuwaiti travel and tourism industry. It showcased new Indian tourism products, services and initiatives, while 25 members of the Indian Association of Tour Operators participated in the Buyer-Seller Meet that was held. The Road Show gave a special focus to health tourism, and in that context was addressed by Hon’ble Minister of Health of Kerala, Mrs. P.K. Sreemathi Teacher. A tourist bus-wrap with the “Incredible India!” display was also inaugurated.
Indian cultural promotion in Kuwait:
In cooperation with the Kuwaiti authorities and our Ministry of Culture, a mini Indian cultural festival is being organized in Kuwait in the second week of November 2009. Details would be publicized and shared once events/venues/artistes are finalized. Separate Indian food and film festivals in Kuwait would follow.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010:
The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, from 07-09 January 2010. Online registration is underway. Details are available at the Embassy website www.indembkwt.org and at http://pbdindia.org/ .
Embassy email contacts:
Following Embassy email details may be noted. For labour or welfare assistance: fslabour@indembkwt.org; for passport or consular assistance [including detention/death cases]: hoc@indembkwt.org and fscons@indembkwt.org; for commercial or cultural assistance: counsellor@indembkwt.org. If any matter deserves my attention, kindly email amboffice@indembkwt.org or amb@indembkwt.org.
I welcome your sharing this letter with other members of the Indian community in Kuwait and thank you in advance for doing so.
With best wishes,
Signed/=
[Ajai Malhotra]
Ambassador of India
Kuwait
14 October 2009
Annexure
Embassy of India, Kuwait
“Indian Workers Welfare Center”
The Embassy of India provides the following services to Indian workers in Kuwait at its “Indian Workers Welfare Center”:
Help Desk: For guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues, etc. It also assists illiterate workers in filling up labour complaint forms.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM; Sunday to Thursday)
24 X 7 Helpline for Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20): Accessible by toll free telephone No. 25674163 from all over Kuwait, it provides information and advice as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters.
Labour Complaints Desk: Registration of labour complaints and action thereon via contacting of sponsors and recruitment agencies, liaison with local authorities, police stations, deportation centers, etc., for resolution of grievances.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM; Sunday to Thursday)
Accommodation and support system for domestic workers in distress: Separate accommodation for Indian female and male domestic workers in distress has been arranged, where food and other essentials are also provided.
Attestation of Work Contracts: It is mandatory for all work contracts for recruitment of manpower from India, to be attested by the Embassy of India Kuwait, as per the following procedures:
- Private Sector Workers (Visa No. 18): Work contracts, in prescribed format, are to be got attested by the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait. Thereafter the contracts are to be submitted to the Embassy of India for attestation. Prescribed format of work contract and other documentation may be obtained from the Embassy or downloaded from the Embassy website. Time required for attestation: Three working days from date of submission of documents complete in all respects. In case documents submitted are incomplete, a communication regarding the shortcomings will be sent to the company concerned within three working days.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday).
- Domestic Sector Workers (Visa No. 20): Work contracts, in prescribed format, are to be submitted to the Kuwait Union of Domestic Labour Offices (KUDLO). All contracts must be accompanied by an insurance policy purchased by the sponsor in favour of the worker from the designated insurance companies. Prescribed format of the employment contract and other documentation, as also contact details of KUDLO and insurance companies may be obtained from the Embassy or downloaded from the website. KUDLO office is at Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, Al-Abraj Complex, Mezzanine Floor, Office No. 9.
(Open: 9 AM to 9 PM; Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday).
Legal Advice Clinic: Qualified Kuwaiti lawyers provide free legal advice to Indian workers on labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, withholding of dues by employers, etc.
(Open: 3 PM to 5 PM; Mondays to Thursdays).
Ambassador’s letter to the Indian Community in Kuwait
14 October 2009
Dear Members of the Indian Community in Kuwait,
In continuation of my letter of May 26, 2009, I provide an update on consular, welfare, and other initiatives that have since been undertaken by the Embassy.
Consular and passport issues:
On May 27, 2009, two new Indian Passport and Visa Service Centres were opened in Kuwait. Some of you helped publicise the change in a number of Indian languages, and I thank you for doing so. Issues that inevitably accompany such a fundamental transformation were reasonably quickly put behind us. Since late June 2009 we have maintained a turn-around delivery time of 3-4 working days after a passport/consular service application is made at the Service Centre. Our attestation service at the Embassy envisages return delivery normally within 45 minutes of submission of a document.
In July 2009, the online registration form for Indian citizens on the Embassy website was upgraded to provide a confirmation when a completed registration form has been properly received.
This week a “Consular Open House” procedure has been started at the Embassy from 1000 hrs to 1100 hrs and 1430 hrs to 1530 hrs on all working days. By it, the Consular Head or a senior Consular official would be available in the Embassy Consular Room and can be met without prior appointment to discuss any consular matter.
In response to queries, kindly note that in case of demise of an Indian national in Kuwait, if the mortal remains have to be sent back to India for burial then the Embassy will, upon request, bear the full air transportation costs and all incidental expenditures associated with doing so in all deserving/needy cases.
Welfare and Labour issues:
While the approximately 580,000 strong Indian community is present in most segments of society in Kuwait, our initial thrust has been directed at addressing the welfare concerns of our workers, especially the 225,000 Indians who work in Kuwait under Visa No. 20. Of them roughly 150,000 are male domestic workers while about 75,000 are female domestic workers.
24 by 7 toll free phone helpline for Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20): This helpline inaugurated on 9 August 2009 has systematized and enhanced our availability to an Indian domestic worker in distress. Earlier, the response outside office hours depended on whether the person receiving the call had appropriate linguistic abilities and knew how to properly log down a concern and respond to it. Now, telephone number 25674163 is accessible toll free from anywhere in Kuwait, functions round the clock through a multiple–line call-center, and provides us with a computerised print-out of incoming call details so that the calls can be tracked back to their source. More importantly, it is staffed by persons who can respond in Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Arabic and English. The helpline number is prominently front-paged on all job contracts of Indian domestic workers attested by the Embassy. As a result, new workers arriving here know, prior to their arrival, that if there is a problem someone is constantly available to them.
Grievance redressal and support system: We have considerably strengthened our grievance redressal and support system mechanism in 2009 and can now reasonably promptly and effectively address grievances of Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20) and project workers (Visa No. 18) in Kuwait.
Since early this year Indian domestic workers in distress are being accommodated and looked after by the Embassy under a new arrangement, while their grievances are being addressed. On arrival, they are given a kit containing new clothes, all toiletries, and other essentials. They are also provided with bunk beds with full bedding, regular nutritious meals, and all basic amenities while they are with us. To keep them in reasonably good cheer, the common areas have a TV, with access to Indian cable channels, as well as a small music system with Indian music CDs. In case of repatriation of a domestic worker, an air ticket from Kuwait to the Indian airport nearest to their home plus sufficient cash to travel from that airport to their home town/village and pay for incidentals, is also routinely being provided by the Embassy.
We now also have the wherewithal in place to more effectively address the concerns of our domestic workers and have made solid headway in doing so. The rate of resolution of grievances has improved substantially, compared to a year ago. As a result, the number of domestic workers in distress lodged with us at any given moment has declined quite significantly. Nevertheless, an important residual concern remains. A majority of those currently in distress are coming here without Embassy attested work contracts. We have alerted the authorities in India to spread the word that Indian domestic workers coming to Kuwait should only do so with work contracts attested by this Embassy and I would request you to also kindly do so.
Blacklisting: Where the rights of any Indian worker are violated, the Embassy has been debarring the concerned individual/company from undertaking further hires from India. Additionally, since June 2009, we have also been debarring all violators of the rights of any Indian national from availing of consular/passport/visa services to visit India. Furthermore, where Indian workers are concerned, details of such violators are also being shared with others. In addition, other measures are being taken as relevant to each particular case.
Help Desk: Since 9 August 2009, a “Help Desk” service has been started at the Embassy, which offers guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, and other issues.
Insurance cover: Since mid-February 2009, sponsors recruiting an Indian national for Kuwait for jobs in the domestic sector [as housemaids, houseboys, cooks and drivers] are also compulsorily required by the Embassy to take a two year insurance policy in the name of the worker from one of two designated insurance companies in Kuwait. Benefits of the latter scheme were attached to my last letter. This is in addition to the automatic 2-3 year coverage under Pravasi Bharati Bima Yojana for all unskilled Indian workers in ECR category coming to Kuwait with proper work contracts.
Legal Advice Clinic: This Clinic has been revamped this week. A new Kuwaiti lawyer has joined, new equipment has been installed, and it is now open four times a week, rather than twice a week. Further steps to improve its functioning are also in the pipeline.
Indian Workers Welfare Center: The welfare measures offered by this Embassy have been consolidated into an “Indian Workers Welfare Center” located in the Embassy. Its timings and welfare service details are annexed.
Attestation of domestic sector work contracts: Since mid-February 2009, domestic sector work contracts are being submitted exclusively to Kuwait Union of Domestic Labour Offices (KUDLO), accompanied by an insurance policy in favour of the worker from the designated insurance companies. The Embassy does the attestation, with documents returned via KUDLO.
Attestation of private sector work contracts: This has been systematized in early September 2009 and our response has been made time-bound. The time required by us for completing the attestation procedure has now been fixed at 3 working days from the date of submission of documents complete in all respects. If documents submitted are incomplete, a communication regarding the shortcomings will be sent by the Labour Wing of the Embassy to the applicant within 3 working days of receipt of the application.
Health support for the Indian community:
Under the patronage of the Kuwait Medical Association, the Indian Doctors Forum [IDF], Kuwait, annually conducts 5-6 free health screening and awareness camps for Indian workers in Kuwait. The Indian doctors, paramedics and nurses, who volunteer their time on a holiday deserve our gratitude for doing so, as do the associations that back-stop such camps. I also thank our doctors for the "School Health Program 2009" that they are conducting in Indian schools in Kuwait. The free medical advice facility offered by IDF doctors too deserves appreciation. If you have an unresolved health query, you can use the "Ask a Doctor" facility and get a free opinion from an Indian medical specialist. The Embassy web-site provides details at http://www.indembkwt.org/press/11aug09.htm. I also compliment IDF for supporting Breast Cancer Awareness month, through October, by disseminating the campaign message within our community in Kuwait.
India tourism promotion in Kuwait:
India participated in the “Travel World Expo” held in Kuwait from May 26-30, 2009. The Embassy sent two journalists from local Arabic language newspapers to India from 21-28 June 2009, leading to expanded coverage of India in those newspapers. In early August 2009, we sent two more journalists to Kerala for a week, also resulting in good publicity. Hon’ble Mr. Sultan Ahmed, Union Minister of State for Tourism, led a travel trade delegation to Kuwait and addressed the Road Show organized here on 8 October 2009 for the Kuwaiti travel and tourism industry. It showcased new Indian tourism products, services and initiatives, while 25 members of the Indian Association of Tour Operators participated in the Buyer-Seller Meet that was held. The Road Show gave a special focus to health tourism, and in that context was addressed by Hon’ble Minister of Health of Kerala, Mrs. P.K. Sreemathi Teacher. A tourist bus-wrap with the “Incredible India!” display was also inaugurated.
Indian cultural promotion in Kuwait:
In cooperation with the Kuwaiti authorities and our Ministry of Culture, a mini Indian cultural festival is being organized in Kuwait in the second week of November 2009. Details would be publicized and shared once events/venues/artistes are finalized. Separate Indian food and film festivals in Kuwait would follow.
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas 2010:
The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Convention will be held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, from 07-09 January 2010. Online registration is underway. Details are available at the Embassy website www.indembkwt.org and at http://pbdindia.org/ .
Embassy email contacts:
Following Embassy email details may be noted. For labour or welfare assistance: fslabour@indembkwt.org; for passport or consular assistance [including detention/death cases]: hoc@indembkwt.org and fscons@indembkwt.org; for commercial or cultural assistance: counsellor@indembkwt.org. If any matter deserves my attention, kindly email amboffice@indembkwt.org or amb@indembkwt.org.
I welcome your sharing this letter with other members of the Indian community in Kuwait and thank you in advance for doing so.
With best wishes,
Signed/=
[Ajai Malhotra]
Ambassador of India
Kuwait
14 October 2009
Annexure
Embassy of India, Kuwait
“Indian Workers Welfare Center”
The Embassy of India provides the following services to Indian workers in Kuwait at its “Indian Workers Welfare Center”:
Help Desk: For guidance to Indian nationals on routine immigration, employment, legal, and other issues, etc. It also assists illiterate workers in filling up labour complaint forms.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM; Sunday to Thursday)
24 X 7 Helpline for Indian domestic workers (Visa No. 20): Accessible by toll free telephone No. 25674163 from all over Kuwait, it provides information and advice as regards their grievances, immigration and other matters.
Labour Complaints Desk: Registration of labour complaints and action thereon via contacting of sponsors and recruitment agencies, liaison with local authorities, police stations, deportation centers, etc., for resolution of grievances.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4.30 PM; Sunday to Thursday)
Accommodation and support system for domestic workers in distress: Separate accommodation for Indian female and male domestic workers in distress has been arranged, where food and other essentials are also provided.
Attestation of Work Contracts: It is mandatory for all work contracts for recruitment of manpower from India, to be attested by the Embassy of India Kuwait, as per the following procedures:
- Private Sector Workers (Visa No. 18): Work contracts, in prescribed format, are to be got attested by the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Kuwait. Thereafter the contracts are to be submitted to the Embassy of India for attestation. Prescribed format of work contract and other documentation may be obtained from the Embassy or downloaded from the Embassy website. Time required for attestation: Three working days from date of submission of documents complete in all respects. In case documents submitted are incomplete, a communication regarding the shortcomings will be sent to the company concerned within three working days.
(Open: 9 AM to 1 PM; Sunday to Thursday).
- Domestic Sector Workers (Visa No. 20): Work contracts, in prescribed format, are to be submitted to the Kuwait Union of Domestic Labour Offices (KUDLO). All contracts must be accompanied by an insurance policy purchased by the sponsor in favour of the worker from the designated insurance companies. Prescribed format of the employment contract and other documentation, as also contact details of KUDLO and insurance companies may be obtained from the Embassy or downloaded from the website. KUDLO office is at Hawally, Al-Othman Street, Kurd Roundabout, Al-Abraj Complex, Mezzanine Floor, Office No. 9.
(Open: 9 AM to 9 PM; Saturday to Thursday; 5 PM to 9 PM on Friday).
Legal Advice Clinic: Qualified Kuwaiti lawyers provide free legal advice to Indian workers on labour disputes, terms of contracts with employers, withholding of dues by employers, etc.
(Open: 3 PM to 5 PM; Mondays to Thursdays).
October 15, 2009
GOA-WORLD.COM on "THE NAVELIM ORGANISED SOCCER FEST ON 15 & 22 OCT.
Goa-World.COM
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 12:42 PM
To: goa.kranti@gmail.com
Goa-World.COM has left a new comment on your post "THE NAVELIM ORGANISED SOCCER FEST. ON 15 & 22 OF T...":
Xabas Navelim !!!
Posted by Goa-World.COM at October 15, 2009.
Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 12:42 PM
To: goa.kranti@gmail.com
Goa-World.COM has left a new comment on your post "THE NAVELIM ORGANISED SOCCER FEST. ON 15 & 22 OF T...":
Xabas Navelim !!!
Posted by Goa-World.COM at October 15, 2009.
October 14, 2009
THE NAVELIM ORGANISED SOCCER FEST. ON 15 & 22 OF THIS MONTH, IN KUWAIT.
The NAVELIM SOCCER FEST 7-a-side football tournament will get underway at Surra Stadium this weekend. A total of 18 teams are expected to take part in the tournament to be played on 15th and 22nd October 2009. Indian Strikers (Kerala), DHL, Skynet, G.O.A. Maroons, CRC Chinchinim, Kuwait Goans, AVC, Santos United, US Stars, Veterans Club, etc, are some of the prominent Kuwait teams among Indians that have confirmed their participation.
Matches will begin from 6.30 pm onwards and wind up by 10 pm. The tournament is sponsored by Gulf Custody Company, leading Fund Custody and Administration service providers in the Middle-East. The SOCCER FEST promises a festivity of soccer for players and spectators as it is going to be played as indicated by one of the members of the organising committee, on International standard 7-a-side ground i.e half the size of the normal playing field, floodlights and grass grounds.
“We wish to promote friendship among Indian players, clubs and communities, expose football talent through the game, and entertain football lovers,” stated Gasper Crasto, former Salgaocar player and chief coordinator of the Navelim Soccer Fest.
Now Gasper Crasto is on the forefront to organise this tournament along with his other colleagues while earlier it was Custodio Crasto from the same village of Gasper Crasto along with others to be on forefront to initiate our competitive soccer at Sour Grounds in 1979. Gasper Crasto played for Salgaocar and Goa after the exit of Portuguese from Goa while Custodio Crasto also played for Salgaocar and Goa during the Portuguese regime in Goa. Both Gasper Crasto and Custodio Crasto have brought name and fame for Navelim, Goa and Kuwait Goans thru the medium of soccer which can create strong friendship among us in Kuwait. As it is, soccer is become a great unifying factor of human beings. Let this NAVELIM ORGANISED 7-A-SIDE SOCCER FEST UNITE US ALL.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Matches will begin from 6.30 pm onwards and wind up by 10 pm. The tournament is sponsored by Gulf Custody Company, leading Fund Custody and Administration service providers in the Middle-East. The SOCCER FEST promises a festivity of soccer for players and spectators as it is going to be played as indicated by one of the members of the organising committee, on International standard 7-a-side ground i.e half the size of the normal playing field, floodlights and grass grounds.
“We wish to promote friendship among Indian players, clubs and communities, expose football talent through the game, and entertain football lovers,” stated Gasper Crasto, former Salgaocar player and chief coordinator of the Navelim Soccer Fest.
Now Gasper Crasto is on the forefront to organise this tournament along with his other colleagues while earlier it was Custodio Crasto from the same village of Gasper Crasto along with others to be on forefront to initiate our competitive soccer at Sour Grounds in 1979. Gasper Crasto played for Salgaocar and Goa after the exit of Portuguese from Goa while Custodio Crasto also played for Salgaocar and Goa during the Portuguese regime in Goa. Both Gasper Crasto and Custodio Crasto have brought name and fame for Navelim, Goa and Kuwait Goans thru the medium of soccer which can create strong friendship among us in Kuwait. As it is, soccer is become a great unifying factor of human beings. Let this NAVELIM ORGANISED 7-A-SIDE SOCCER FEST UNITE US ALL.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
IN RESPONSE TO "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
From: sebastian Rodrigues (sebydesiolim@hotmail.com)
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:20:40 AM
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
Sub: In Reply To "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
Thanks Anthony Veronica.
You must do something about the banks that are supporting financially Vedanta minng company (Sesa Goa). Amongst those banks include National bank of Kuwait and First Gulf Bank.
Click below for the complete list: http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2009/10/banks-that-finance-vedanta.html. We are thinking on this in Goa.
Warmly,
Seby.
Visit my blog athttp://www.openspaceforum.net/twiki/tiki-view_blog.php?blogId=17
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 4:20:40 AM
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
Sub: In Reply To "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
Thanks Anthony Veronica.
You must do something about the banks that are supporting financially Vedanta minng company (Sesa Goa). Amongst those banks include National bank of Kuwait and First Gulf Bank.
Click below for the complete list: http://mandgoa.blogspot.com/2009/10/banks-that-finance-vedanta.html. We are thinking on this in Goa.
Warmly,
Seby.
Visit my blog athttp://www.openspaceforum.net/twiki/tiki-view_blog.php?blogId=17
REPLY TO "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
From: soter (soter@bsnl.in)
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 3:59:44 AM
To: A. Veronica Fernandes (averonicaf806@hotmail.com).
Sub: In reply to "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
This is why they are called Goans and not malyalees, mangaloreans or Tamilians. "Ap-apnank ani Dev somestank". Goan mentality will never improve. Do what you can and leave the rest. The same mentality has now put Goa in the hands of the 'ghattis'.
-Soter D'Souza
----- Original Message -----
From: A. Veronica Fernandes
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 11:29 PM
Subject: Fighting for Justice.
Sent: Tuesday, October 13, 2009 3:59:44 AM
To: A. Veronica Fernandes (averonicaf806@hotmail.com).
Sub: In reply to "FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE"
This is why they are called Goans and not malyalees, mangaloreans or Tamilians. "Ap-apnank ani Dev somestank". Goan mentality will never improve. Do what you can and leave the rest. The same mentality has now put Goa in the hands of the 'ghattis'.
-Soter D'Souza
----- Original Message -----
From: A. Veronica Fernandes
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 11:29 PM
Subject: Fighting for Justice.
October 12, 2009
FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE.
FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE.
The central idea of Christianity is LOVE, that of Hinduism OBEDIANCE and that of Islam, JUSTICE. When Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was asked “when there will be justice in this world”, replied Prophet within a split of a second saying “when every one of us will gather courage to fight against the injustice committed on to others as if that injustice is committed on to us only, then only there will be justice in this world”. Today we want justice to take place but very few are fighting for justice and many of them are not even thinking of justice. They are become immune to the sense of justice and thus they accept injustice as if it is a way of life. This is the reason why there is rampant injustice amongst us. Worst still are those fighting against those who fight for justice. Those who believe in JUST God but accept and perpetrate injustice are not only committing a sin but more than that they are committing a sacrilege and shamelessly these people are regularly going to the Church by involving in Church affairs. Church authorities must keep their eyes on such traitors otherwise they will spoil the sanctity of the Church.
Tiatratristanchi Sonvstha was formed in Kuwait not to build unity among Kuwait based Tiatrists but to destroy only one innocent and prominent Tiatrist in order to finish him from Konkani Stage but the person who floated this satanic idea himself got finished, at least for the time being from the Konkani Stage. This is done thru the punishment of God. And if he does not ask forgiveness from God for the crime he committed against one innocent Tiatrist, he will receive highest punishment from God for trying to harm an innocent Tiatrist. Innocence is the cradle of God and if this innocence is harmed, God is harmed and those who harm God are the criminals of highest degree who get worst type of punishment not only for them but even for their next generations. God’s punishment is surely coming and it will definitely come with a greater fury.
TO ASLEAR AUM NACHONA is a commandment of Devil. God and Devil will never move together and all those who supported this commandment of “To Aslear Aum Nachona” are equally guilty of the sacrilege they committed in supporting the destructive commandment. The shame of all is this that among those who blindly supported this crime of TO ASLEAR AUM NACHONA are persons who are involved in the Church affairs. These are the people who are bringing a bad name to the Church and Catholicism and because of such Catholics good persons are leaving our Church and taking Baptism in other Christian denominations. I don’t understand why such persons following anti-Catholic principles are allowed in the Church activities. They are a disgrace not only on our Church but also on our religion because they are the followers of Judas the TRAITOR. Organising a Sonvstha with the association of persons having questionable character itself is a barometer to analyze the quality of Sonvstha.
Fighting for justice is like my religious duty and wherever it is possible I fight and if I cannot I support those who fight for justice and if not then at least I think in this direction. In Kuwait there are very many persons amongst us refusing to raise their voices against injustice and yet they adore the JUST GOD, giver of JUSTICE. When I raise my voice against injustice, they try to silence my voice but they don’t succeed because they are cursed by God for being on the side of UNJUST AND INUSTICE. God is JUST while Devil is UNJUST. The very people in Tiatro fraternity who supported injustice against Rosary Ferns are shamelessly associating with Rosary Ferns in his Tiatros and even receiving help from Rosary for producing their Audio Cassettes. These are the persons who know their mothers only but not fathers otherwise they would not contradict their principles – one principle in Sonvstha and another principle to act in Rosary’s Tiatros? Good that Sonvstha is not having any official authority in Kuwait otherwise it will usurp the power of Bath Party under Saddam Hussein and deport from Kuwait all the Tiatrists having no membership in their association. According to one source, some of the people involved in this brutality were singing Hosannas in Goa in praise of Saddam Hussein when Kuwait was invaded. For this reason they refrained from supporting our movement in Goa under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Center in defense of Kuwait.
It is not only the question of Rosary Ferns who was opposed by his ace opponent and his gang but it is a question of one’s principle in fighting for justice even for your own enemy. I have in the past openly and loudly raised my voice against M. Boyer when he applied similar commandment against Sucurrine and for this I earned ire from the inner circle of M. Boyer. But I never gave heed to their opposition. I was again on fore to condemn Chris Perry when he suppressed Lorna from performing on the Stage for so many years. Those who do such crimes against their fellow Tiatrists they are killing an art which is a gift of God. I oppose such crimes. For this reason I fight for justice.
Leave aside Tiatrists, when I initiated Konkani movement in Kuwait in 1976, most of the then semi educated seniors opposed me but I kicked their opposition very successfully with the support of the masses. These opponents of Tiatro and Tiatrists even tried to kill my reviews appearing in the media in support of Tiatros, both Konkani and English but nothing worked against me. Again the same type of opposition erupted from the then so called elite Kuwait Goans when I was on forefront for the promotion of our soccer at Sour Grounds, Direct Flight Movement, Novem Goem Movement, promotion of Tiatro and Mando Movement, because we don’t have more people fighting and supporting justice. The worst injustice I encountered when I formed Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre to fight for the cause of Kuwait but ultimately Goans themselves earned benefits of this movement.
Fighting for justice is very rare amongst us in Kuwait because overwhelming majority of our people is of slavish mentality. They are enjoying little credibility only because of their residence and employment in Kuwait. They are brought up in Goa like slaves for this reason they accept everything blindly with the statement “Makam Kiteak Poddlam”. “Makaim poddonkna ani Tukaim poddonk na, konnank poddlam tor? Maimchea ghovak? Makam vincharpak tumkam poddlam?” when I fight for justice? Here in Kuwait, Goan Welfare Society’s fund around 35 thousand Dinars are held by three persons against society’s principles and no member fights to bring back this huge amount to the account of Society. The very person who claims to be the leader of community demands Sex from young girls in return for jobs and yet he is re-elected instead of condemning. Where are the conscience keeper in the community? Why they cannot raise their voices in unison against the barbarity of rascals in our community? Why they cannot fight for simple justice? When they get kick on their back then only they will realize.
A few years back the daughter of the so called leader of Tiatrists in Kuwait, was harassed by her superior where she was working in Kuwait. She was a nice and pretty looking young girl, attracting lot of attention from males, she was also a well educated girl. The person who was harassing her was restless and unstoppable. Her father tried all the available means at his disposal to set things right for his daughter but all in vain. Finally he came to me begging for my help in rescuing his attractive daughter, from the clutches of a monster. I felt very bad and immediately decided to fight for justice for the poor young girl, and also for her concerned Tiatrist father. Then immediately I called one of my top Kuwaiti friends Mr. Mubarak Al Hindal and requested him to rescue this young girl from the clutches of a sadistic minded man. On my plea, Mr. Hindal immediately spoke to the top Kuwaiti owner of the company where this girl was employed and immediately the situation brought under control by allowing her to leave Kuwait peacefully. Otherwise, the girl’s superior would make “Bara Berestar ani Tera Sunkrar” of the poor Goan girl. Fortunately I am a kind hearted man fighting for justice and not a “Beiman, khata tea folear thukta toslo”. When I meet Mr. Hindal, he enquires about the well being of this girl whom he saved from the claws of a Tiger but I don’t know whether her father still remembers this incident but she does as she told me a few days back when I met her. Mr. Hindal is one of the top Kuwaitis who came in contact with me after our movement in support of Kuwait under GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER. When this news went out of my involvement in helping the daughter of the so called leader of the Tiatrist in Kuwait some opponents of him accused me but I fought for justice till justice was delivered, thanks to Mr. Mubarak Al Hindal a kind hearted top Kuwaiti.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
The central idea of Christianity is LOVE, that of Hinduism OBEDIANCE and that of Islam, JUSTICE. When Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) was asked “when there will be justice in this world”, replied Prophet within a split of a second saying “when every one of us will gather courage to fight against the injustice committed on to others as if that injustice is committed on to us only, then only there will be justice in this world”. Today we want justice to take place but very few are fighting for justice and many of them are not even thinking of justice. They are become immune to the sense of justice and thus they accept injustice as if it is a way of life. This is the reason why there is rampant injustice amongst us. Worst still are those fighting against those who fight for justice. Those who believe in JUST God but accept and perpetrate injustice are not only committing a sin but more than that they are committing a sacrilege and shamelessly these people are regularly going to the Church by involving in Church affairs. Church authorities must keep their eyes on such traitors otherwise they will spoil the sanctity of the Church.
Tiatratristanchi Sonvstha was formed in Kuwait not to build unity among Kuwait based Tiatrists but to destroy only one innocent and prominent Tiatrist in order to finish him from Konkani Stage but the person who floated this satanic idea himself got finished, at least for the time being from the Konkani Stage. This is done thru the punishment of God. And if he does not ask forgiveness from God for the crime he committed against one innocent Tiatrist, he will receive highest punishment from God for trying to harm an innocent Tiatrist. Innocence is the cradle of God and if this innocence is harmed, God is harmed and those who harm God are the criminals of highest degree who get worst type of punishment not only for them but even for their next generations. God’s punishment is surely coming and it will definitely come with a greater fury.
TO ASLEAR AUM NACHONA is a commandment of Devil. God and Devil will never move together and all those who supported this commandment of “To Aslear Aum Nachona” are equally guilty of the sacrilege they committed in supporting the destructive commandment. The shame of all is this that among those who blindly supported this crime of TO ASLEAR AUM NACHONA are persons who are involved in the Church affairs. These are the people who are bringing a bad name to the Church and Catholicism and because of such Catholics good persons are leaving our Church and taking Baptism in other Christian denominations. I don’t understand why such persons following anti-Catholic principles are allowed in the Church activities. They are a disgrace not only on our Church but also on our religion because they are the followers of Judas the TRAITOR. Organising a Sonvstha with the association of persons having questionable character itself is a barometer to analyze the quality of Sonvstha.
Fighting for justice is like my religious duty and wherever it is possible I fight and if I cannot I support those who fight for justice and if not then at least I think in this direction. In Kuwait there are very many persons amongst us refusing to raise their voices against injustice and yet they adore the JUST GOD, giver of JUSTICE. When I raise my voice against injustice, they try to silence my voice but they don’t succeed because they are cursed by God for being on the side of UNJUST AND INUSTICE. God is JUST while Devil is UNJUST. The very people in Tiatro fraternity who supported injustice against Rosary Ferns are shamelessly associating with Rosary Ferns in his Tiatros and even receiving help from Rosary for producing their Audio Cassettes. These are the persons who know their mothers only but not fathers otherwise they would not contradict their principles – one principle in Sonvstha and another principle to act in Rosary’s Tiatros? Good that Sonvstha is not having any official authority in Kuwait otherwise it will usurp the power of Bath Party under Saddam Hussein and deport from Kuwait all the Tiatrists having no membership in their association. According to one source, some of the people involved in this brutality were singing Hosannas in Goa in praise of Saddam Hussein when Kuwait was invaded. For this reason they refrained from supporting our movement in Goa under Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Center in defense of Kuwait.
It is not only the question of Rosary Ferns who was opposed by his ace opponent and his gang but it is a question of one’s principle in fighting for justice even for your own enemy. I have in the past openly and loudly raised my voice against M. Boyer when he applied similar commandment against Sucurrine and for this I earned ire from the inner circle of M. Boyer. But I never gave heed to their opposition. I was again on fore to condemn Chris Perry when he suppressed Lorna from performing on the Stage for so many years. Those who do such crimes against their fellow Tiatrists they are killing an art which is a gift of God. I oppose such crimes. For this reason I fight for justice.
Leave aside Tiatrists, when I initiated Konkani movement in Kuwait in 1976, most of the then semi educated seniors opposed me but I kicked their opposition very successfully with the support of the masses. These opponents of Tiatro and Tiatrists even tried to kill my reviews appearing in the media in support of Tiatros, both Konkani and English but nothing worked against me. Again the same type of opposition erupted from the then so called elite Kuwait Goans when I was on forefront for the promotion of our soccer at Sour Grounds, Direct Flight Movement, Novem Goem Movement, promotion of Tiatro and Mando Movement, because we don’t have more people fighting and supporting justice. The worst injustice I encountered when I formed Goa-Kuwait Solidarity Centre to fight for the cause of Kuwait but ultimately Goans themselves earned benefits of this movement.
Fighting for justice is very rare amongst us in Kuwait because overwhelming majority of our people is of slavish mentality. They are enjoying little credibility only because of their residence and employment in Kuwait. They are brought up in Goa like slaves for this reason they accept everything blindly with the statement “Makam Kiteak Poddlam”. “Makaim poddonkna ani Tukaim poddonk na, konnank poddlam tor? Maimchea ghovak? Makam vincharpak tumkam poddlam?” when I fight for justice? Here in Kuwait, Goan Welfare Society’s fund around 35 thousand Dinars are held by three persons against society’s principles and no member fights to bring back this huge amount to the account of Society. The very person who claims to be the leader of community demands Sex from young girls in return for jobs and yet he is re-elected instead of condemning. Where are the conscience keeper in the community? Why they cannot raise their voices in unison against the barbarity of rascals in our community? Why they cannot fight for simple justice? When they get kick on their back then only they will realize.
A few years back the daughter of the so called leader of Tiatrists in Kuwait, was harassed by her superior where she was working in Kuwait. She was a nice and pretty looking young girl, attracting lot of attention from males, she was also a well educated girl. The person who was harassing her was restless and unstoppable. Her father tried all the available means at his disposal to set things right for his daughter but all in vain. Finally he came to me begging for my help in rescuing his attractive daughter, from the clutches of a monster. I felt very bad and immediately decided to fight for justice for the poor young girl, and also for her concerned Tiatrist father. Then immediately I called one of my top Kuwaiti friends Mr. Mubarak Al Hindal and requested him to rescue this young girl from the clutches of a sadistic minded man. On my plea, Mr. Hindal immediately spoke to the top Kuwaiti owner of the company where this girl was employed and immediately the situation brought under control by allowing her to leave Kuwait peacefully. Otherwise, the girl’s superior would make “Bara Berestar ani Tera Sunkrar” of the poor Goan girl. Fortunately I am a kind hearted man fighting for justice and not a “Beiman, khata tea folear thukta toslo”. When I meet Mr. Hindal, he enquires about the well being of this girl whom he saved from the claws of a Tiger but I don’t know whether her father still remembers this incident but she does as she told me a few days back when I met her. Mr. Hindal is one of the top Kuwaitis who came in contact with me after our movement in support of Kuwait under GOA-KUWAIT SOLIDARITY CENTER. When this news went out of my involvement in helping the daughter of the so called leader of the Tiatrist in Kuwait some opponents of him accused me but I fought for justice till justice was delivered, thanks to Mr. Mubarak Al Hindal a kind hearted top Kuwaiti.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
October 11, 2009
G'BYE GOA: MIGRANTS, NECESSARY EVIL. By Valmiki Faleiro.
G'BYE GOA: MIGRANTS, NECESSARY "EVIL
"By Valmiki Faleiro.
Migrants abound Goa. Most who in-migrated between the 1960s and 1980s are well assimilated, speak the local language, and consider themselves as Goan as any other. They now own accommodation, ranging from a comfy house/flat to a shanty in a slum. Even if they had a choice, most would never return home. For them, Goa is home. We curse them, but what would Goa be without them? Let's briefly look at who powers Goa's workforce today.
In manufacturing, mining, civil construction, tourism, transport, fishing, services including retail vending, and the tertiary sector, it is migrants, migrants and migrants all the way. Perhaps, 80 per cent of the way. We Goans chase only white-collar jobs. And clamour that migrants be chased away. In manufacturing, save good paymasters like Zuari, Syngenta, MRF and Nestle, bulk of manpower particularly in the Industrial Estates is migrant. Goans have developed as quinted view towards blue-collar jobs. In mining, both legal and illegal, over 50% of the workforce is migrant. Ditto with truck-tipper drivers/cleaners who shift the ore to river-loading points. Barges that take the ore to port, however, are largely manned by Goans, perhaps because diesel pilferage pays them more than their wages. (Only a cynic like me would say that chasing away migrants from mines would be a good idea. That way, Goa's current environmental destruction would be reduced by half.)
Construction: Where would Goa be without migrants? From unskilled labour to all kinds of skilled/specialized workmen, Goa depends almost entirely on migrants. The only job a few Goans, mainly from the OBC community, still do is lay concrete, where wages are twice the daily average. They are now being edged out by ready-mix concrete factories,which employ migrants. Migrants today do the traditional OBC road asphalting work. We sure abhor malaria-spreading, night-thieving workers at construction sites, but try building a house exclusively with Goan labour!
Tourism: Go around Goa's coastal villages, from Pernem to Palolem, from small shacks to big hotels. Who constitutes the bulk of waiters and kitchen staff? A tiny place like Palolem seasonally employs around 2,500 Nepalis alone, not to count experienced hands from touristy places like Himachal and Kerala, and of course the rest of India.Today, cooks from Orissa to Bengal dish out their version of "authentic Goan Xacuti" to the world. Imagine the fate of Assado and Sarapatel if they handled beef and pork. Transport: The role of Goans in ferrying the public in private buses is that of mereowners. Most I know contract their vehicles to migrant drivers/conductors for a fixed daily return. That's one of the reasons why recklessness has increased on Goa's roads.
Read names of drivers charged by police as responsible for road fatalities and you will get a better idea. Fisheries: Ask any trawler-owner what his fate would be if the boat crew didn't come from elsewhere in India. Even a few days' delay in their arrival at the start of the fishing season around "Nariyal Poornima" would mean a huge difference to his entire year'sfortunes. Because the first three or four weeks of August yield bumper crops of the prized "Solar shrimp." Trawler-owners are so dependant on migrant labour that they pay substantial advances to crew at the end of season, and lose a lot when crew members do not show up. And consumers pay for it at Goa's fish markets.
The story is not much different in the service and tertiary sectors. Almost every technician (or "Service Engineer" as euphemistically called in this age) that we rely on is invariably a migrant. Now revert to the scenario of what would happen to Goa if some bright day all migrants could be chased out Goa. Goa would grind to an agonizing halt the next morning! We cannot blame migrants. If Goa is changing, the cause is not them. It lies elsewhere.Let's come to that next Sunday.
P.S: Laxmikant Shetgaonkar has earned his niche in history. His film, whose title translates to "Man Across the Bridge," won an international award, the first-ever film in Goa's native tongue to earn such honours. A filmmaker of the stature of Shekhar Kapurhad, it seems, prophesized last year that Shetgaonkar had it in him. (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 11, 2009
"By Valmiki Faleiro.
Migrants abound Goa. Most who in-migrated between the 1960s and 1980s are well assimilated, speak the local language, and consider themselves as Goan as any other. They now own accommodation, ranging from a comfy house/flat to a shanty in a slum. Even if they had a choice, most would never return home. For them, Goa is home. We curse them, but what would Goa be without them? Let's briefly look at who powers Goa's workforce today.
In manufacturing, mining, civil construction, tourism, transport, fishing, services including retail vending, and the tertiary sector, it is migrants, migrants and migrants all the way. Perhaps, 80 per cent of the way. We Goans chase only white-collar jobs. And clamour that migrants be chased away. In manufacturing, save good paymasters like Zuari, Syngenta, MRF and Nestle, bulk of manpower particularly in the Industrial Estates is migrant. Goans have developed as quinted view towards blue-collar jobs. In mining, both legal and illegal, over 50% of the workforce is migrant. Ditto with truck-tipper drivers/cleaners who shift the ore to river-loading points. Barges that take the ore to port, however, are largely manned by Goans, perhaps because diesel pilferage pays them more than their wages. (Only a cynic like me would say that chasing away migrants from mines would be a good idea. That way, Goa's current environmental destruction would be reduced by half.)
Construction: Where would Goa be without migrants? From unskilled labour to all kinds of skilled/specialized workmen, Goa depends almost entirely on migrants. The only job a few Goans, mainly from the OBC community, still do is lay concrete, where wages are twice the daily average. They are now being edged out by ready-mix concrete factories,which employ migrants. Migrants today do the traditional OBC road asphalting work. We sure abhor malaria-spreading, night-thieving workers at construction sites, but try building a house exclusively with Goan labour!
Tourism: Go around Goa's coastal villages, from Pernem to Palolem, from small shacks to big hotels. Who constitutes the bulk of waiters and kitchen staff? A tiny place like Palolem seasonally employs around 2,500 Nepalis alone, not to count experienced hands from touristy places like Himachal and Kerala, and of course the rest of India.Today, cooks from Orissa to Bengal dish out their version of "authentic Goan Xacuti" to the world. Imagine the fate of Assado and Sarapatel if they handled beef and pork. Transport: The role of Goans in ferrying the public in private buses is that of mereowners. Most I know contract their vehicles to migrant drivers/conductors for a fixed daily return. That's one of the reasons why recklessness has increased on Goa's roads.
Read names of drivers charged by police as responsible for road fatalities and you will get a better idea. Fisheries: Ask any trawler-owner what his fate would be if the boat crew didn't come from elsewhere in India. Even a few days' delay in their arrival at the start of the fishing season around "Nariyal Poornima" would mean a huge difference to his entire year'sfortunes. Because the first three or four weeks of August yield bumper crops of the prized "Solar shrimp." Trawler-owners are so dependant on migrant labour that they pay substantial advances to crew at the end of season, and lose a lot when crew members do not show up. And consumers pay for it at Goa's fish markets.
The story is not much different in the service and tertiary sectors. Almost every technician (or "Service Engineer" as euphemistically called in this age) that we rely on is invariably a migrant. Now revert to the scenario of what would happen to Goa if some bright day all migrants could be chased out Goa. Goa would grind to an agonizing halt the next morning! We cannot blame migrants. If Goa is changing, the cause is not them. It lies elsewhere.Let's come to that next Sunday.
P.S: Laxmikant Shetgaonkar has earned his niche in history. His film, whose title translates to "Man Across the Bridge," won an international award, the first-ever film in Goa's native tongue to earn such honours. A filmmaker of the stature of Shekhar Kapurhad, it seems, prophesized last year that Shetgaonkar had it in him. (ENDS)
The above article appeared in the Herald, Goa, edition of October 11, 2009
October 10, 2009
EXCELLENT ARTISTE CYNTHIA PINTO.
Cynthia Pinto seen in the middle playing the role of a Mother and Maid. Her excellent role in the recently staged Tiatro "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA" brought an extra colour to this excellent Tiatro written by Rosary Ferns and organised by Mangaloreans in Kuwait.
This is in response to many queries I received from many of our readers who missed this Show and who wanted to see her picture at least.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
CONGRATS TO ROSARY FERNS FOR HIS TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA"
Hi Veronica,
It gives me immense pleasure to congratulate the multi talented Rosary Ferns. Being one of his artistes in his shows in Kuwait for the last few years the joy is more.
Rosary keep going. Sky is the limit
Cheers!!!!!!!
Xavier Furtado
From: A. Veronica Fernandes [mailto:averonicaf806@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 6:00 PMTo: averonicaf806@hotmail.comSubject: Goan Tiatro Kuwait Soddun Vetana.
G O A
--No plans in this revolution are written for retreat--
October 9, 2009
GOAN TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA" organised by Mangaloreans.
It gives me immense pleasure to congratulate the multi talented Rosary Ferns. Being one of his artistes in his shows in Kuwait for the last few years the joy is more.
Rosary keep going. Sky is the limit
Cheers!!!!!!!
Xavier Furtado
From: A. Veronica Fernandes [mailto:averonicaf806@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 6:00 PMTo: averonicaf806@hotmail.comSubject: Goan Tiatro Kuwait Soddun Vetana.
G O A
--No plans in this revolution are written for retreat--
October 9, 2009
GOAN TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA" organised by Mangaloreans.
October 9, 2009
GOAN TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA" organised by Mangaloreans.
TIATRO "KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA" organised by Mangaloreans in Kuwait.
Photo shows script writer of the Tiatro "Kuwait Soddun Vetana" Rosary Ferns receiving a Memento from the Chief Guest.
Seen in the photo is Rosary Ferns singing his solo "DINARACHO VALOR".
A dance performance under the leadership of everybody's dream girl JYOTI, seen in front row, right.
And finally history has been created on Konkani Stage on 25th September 2009 when first time in the history a Konkani Tiatro, Rosary Ferns' Tiatro ‘KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA” was staged by the Mangaloreans at American International School Auditorium, Maidan Hawally, Kuwait with a capacity crowd of over a thousand. At least 25% of the audience were Goans who along with Mangaloreans enjoyed the Tiatro consisting of main play associated with hilarious comedy performed by Stephan Machado and his partners.
The major roles in the play were played by Cynthia Pinto as a mother who proved to be much better than any Goan lady performing such roles in Goan Tiatros in Kuwait, Joyline and Renny Menezes as daughters – in – law, Jayson Lasrado and Anil Menezes as sons and Jovita as a dejected Kuwaitkar wife. The only Goan to act in this play was Bernardo Fernandes who played the role of a Kuwaiti, of course to the satisfaction of the houseful audience.
Among the singers, Rosary Ferns was the only singer who rendered his song “Dinaracho Valor” to the thunderous applauding of the entire hall. The other singers who sang their songs were visiting artistes stylish Norbert Pereira from Qatar and Max Simon from Mangalore. Among the local Mangaloreans who rendered their songs were Jovita sisters - Joyline & Jovita, melodious singer Gladis Lorena and Valerian D’Souza.
As a special booster to this show, special dance items were performed under the guidance of Sunil and Jyoti Noronha.
During the interval, as a script writer, Rosary Ferns was presented with a Memento by the organizers.
Lancy Rodrigues who directed this show deserves highest compliments along with his colleagues namely Anand D’Dousa, Jaison Lasrado, Kiran Gonsalves and Steevan Mesquith for successfully staging this Tiatro first time in the history of Goans and Mangaloreans.
Musical score was provided by Salvador Rebello, Brian Rebello, Andrew Fernandes, Sunith Noronha, Vincent Braganza and Austin Salins.
As announced from the stage Malyalis also requested Rosary Ferns for the script to stage it in their Malyalam language.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
Photo shows script writer of the Tiatro "Kuwait Soddun Vetana" Rosary Ferns receiving a Memento from the Chief Guest.
Seen in the photo is Rosary Ferns singing his solo "DINARACHO VALOR".
A dance performance under the leadership of everybody's dream girl JYOTI, seen in front row, right.And finally history has been created on Konkani Stage on 25th September 2009 when first time in the history a Konkani Tiatro, Rosary Ferns' Tiatro ‘KUWAIT SODDUN VETANA” was staged by the Mangaloreans at American International School Auditorium, Maidan Hawally, Kuwait with a capacity crowd of over a thousand. At least 25% of the audience were Goans who along with Mangaloreans enjoyed the Tiatro consisting of main play associated with hilarious comedy performed by Stephan Machado and his partners.
The major roles in the play were played by Cynthia Pinto as a mother who proved to be much better than any Goan lady performing such roles in Goan Tiatros in Kuwait, Joyline and Renny Menezes as daughters – in – law, Jayson Lasrado and Anil Menezes as sons and Jovita as a dejected Kuwaitkar wife. The only Goan to act in this play was Bernardo Fernandes who played the role of a Kuwaiti, of course to the satisfaction of the houseful audience.
Among the singers, Rosary Ferns was the only singer who rendered his song “Dinaracho Valor” to the thunderous applauding of the entire hall. The other singers who sang their songs were visiting artistes stylish Norbert Pereira from Qatar and Max Simon from Mangalore. Among the local Mangaloreans who rendered their songs were Jovita sisters - Joyline & Jovita, melodious singer Gladis Lorena and Valerian D’Souza.
As a special booster to this show, special dance items were performed under the guidance of Sunil and Jyoti Noronha.
During the interval, as a script writer, Rosary Ferns was presented with a Memento by the organizers.
Lancy Rodrigues who directed this show deserves highest compliments along with his colleagues namely Anand D’Dousa, Jaison Lasrado, Kiran Gonsalves and Steevan Mesquith for successfully staging this Tiatro first time in the history of Goans and Mangaloreans.
Musical score was provided by Salvador Rebello, Brian Rebello, Andrew Fernandes, Sunith Noronha, Vincent Braganza and Austin Salins.
As announced from the stage Malyalis also requested Rosary Ferns for the script to stage it in their Malyalam language.
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
October 8, 2009
TIATRO ATTRACTION. By Daniel F. D'Souza.
Rains fail to dampen tiatr spirit!
Daniel F de Souza.
Despite the unprecedented rains that lashed the Port city since Tuesday evening an appreciative audience had an enjoyable evening watching Konkani Musical show ‘Hello Vasco’ on 30th Sept at St. Andrew’s Institute Hall Vasco. The musical show is part of a series of concerts planned at several places in Goa by Irinue Gonsalves proprietor of Modern Chemical Works and directed by William da Cruz. Some of the top notch artistes of the Konkani stage gave a scintillating performance. Vasco’s singing sisters Felcy and Aplon were at their usual best not only with their sensational singing and anchoring but also with their impressive and colourful wardrobe. And the fact that they were performing on home turf in the presence of locale fans made the occasion even more special to them and all those present.
Among the singers, Marcus Vaz, Anthony San-Clarissa, Felcy, Aplon, Lawry Travasso, child artist Ashmith, Comedian Luis Bachchan, comedian Selvy, and others entertained the crowd with a plethora of solos, duets, decent as well as comedy. Rib tickling comedy was provided by Comedian Dominic and Luis Bachchan. The singers were well selected and the songs had good entertainment value set to some good music by State Award winning musician Maestro Josinho D’Souza and his troupe with Lenoy on the Keyboards, Xavier de Moira (Paklo) on the drums. Stage lighting and special light effects by A.P. Rojals was another feature that enhanced the overall quality of the presentation supported by a good sound system.
This Konkani Musical show which is a free presentation, besides Vasco has also been staged so far in Margao, Ponda and slated to be staged in Sanvordem at the Ravindra Bhavan on 7th Oct 2009 at 7 p.m. It is a brain child of Irineu Gonsalves a former State footballer, Scrabble champion, Sports journalist & Columnist. He is a lover of tiatrs and well-wisher of the tiatrist fraternity and proprietor of Modern Chemical Works which has launched a range of new consumer home-care products on 26th August 2009. Shri Gonsalves has always supported tiatrists and their activities in many different ways and is a lover of this art which has a huge following in Goa. Besides being an excellent sportsman and an able sports administrator Irineu is a good singer himself with special love for singing Mandos. Sponsoring a Konkani Musical show free of tickets and that too with a line-up of top artistes and much sought after musicians is a proof in itself that he is a man of action and just not lip service towards the language and its rich culture.
A short documentary promoting the homecare products was screened at interval time for the audience who were later seen picking up the products at the counter selling the same. Among the distinguished guests present at the show were Rev Fr. Jose Antonio da Costa Parish Priest of St. Andrew’s church Vasco, Shri Saifulla Khan Chairperson of MMC Vasco, Ms. Lavina D’Souza MMC Councilor.
Mahanand Monis vo Soitan?: In the meantime Playwright Tony Dias’ latest tiatr Mahanand Monis vo Soitan ? based on the adventures of serial killer Mahanand Naik is running to packed houses in all the towns of Goa. People are flocking to see the show which I am told has a well scripted story based on facts and figures of the sensational case that rocked Goa and a beautiful narration with well complimented stage sets including the Borim Bridge set complete with an auto rickshaw. Tiatr lovers are advised to book their seats in advance so as not to get disappointed with a last minute rush to the theatres, despite my efforts through my known acquaintance at the booking counter I failed to get myself a seat on two occasions at the Gomant Vidya Niketan, Margao, and had to be content with a houseful board.
If Irineu Gonsalves the entrepreneur is having an adventurous run with his free Konkani Musical shows, there is yet another Gonsalves who is having a dream run and is presently the toast of tiatr lovers in Goa for some other reason. My fellow Vascokar Franky Gonsalves who is playing the dreaded lead role of Mahanand, I am told has won the hearts of tiatr goers with his near to real depiction of the heartless criminal. The rumour mill doing the rounds in tiatr circles has it that this young man has grabbed the role of a lifetime that has given him an opportunity to bring out the sleeping giant in him and display his hidden talents to the maximum, of’ course to the envy of many others though. In the bargain Franky has catapulted himself to the top slot on the Konkani stage from where he can now call the shots and playwrights will be obliged to present tailor made roles to him in future.
On a cautionary note though, Franky who is just a few years into stage acting and has a long way to go, should take things easy and be his normal self without getting carried away or letting success go to his head, but strive to do even more better in future and prove that ‘Mahanand’ was just not a flash in the pan.
n.b.: this article ws published in Goan Observer dtd 3rd Oct 2009.
Daniel F de Souza.
Despite the unprecedented rains that lashed the Port city since Tuesday evening an appreciative audience had an enjoyable evening watching Konkani Musical show ‘Hello Vasco’ on 30th Sept at St. Andrew’s Institute Hall Vasco. The musical show is part of a series of concerts planned at several places in Goa by Irinue Gonsalves proprietor of Modern Chemical Works and directed by William da Cruz. Some of the top notch artistes of the Konkani stage gave a scintillating performance. Vasco’s singing sisters Felcy and Aplon were at their usual best not only with their sensational singing and anchoring but also with their impressive and colourful wardrobe. And the fact that they were performing on home turf in the presence of locale fans made the occasion even more special to them and all those present.
Among the singers, Marcus Vaz, Anthony San-Clarissa, Felcy, Aplon, Lawry Travasso, child artist Ashmith, Comedian Luis Bachchan, comedian Selvy, and others entertained the crowd with a plethora of solos, duets, decent as well as comedy. Rib tickling comedy was provided by Comedian Dominic and Luis Bachchan. The singers were well selected and the songs had good entertainment value set to some good music by State Award winning musician Maestro Josinho D’Souza and his troupe with Lenoy on the Keyboards, Xavier de Moira (Paklo) on the drums. Stage lighting and special light effects by A.P. Rojals was another feature that enhanced the overall quality of the presentation supported by a good sound system.
This Konkani Musical show which is a free presentation, besides Vasco has also been staged so far in Margao, Ponda and slated to be staged in Sanvordem at the Ravindra Bhavan on 7th Oct 2009 at 7 p.m. It is a brain child of Irineu Gonsalves a former State footballer, Scrabble champion, Sports journalist & Columnist. He is a lover of tiatrs and well-wisher of the tiatrist fraternity and proprietor of Modern Chemical Works which has launched a range of new consumer home-care products on 26th August 2009. Shri Gonsalves has always supported tiatrists and their activities in many different ways and is a lover of this art which has a huge following in Goa. Besides being an excellent sportsman and an able sports administrator Irineu is a good singer himself with special love for singing Mandos. Sponsoring a Konkani Musical show free of tickets and that too with a line-up of top artistes and much sought after musicians is a proof in itself that he is a man of action and just not lip service towards the language and its rich culture.
A short documentary promoting the homecare products was screened at interval time for the audience who were later seen picking up the products at the counter selling the same. Among the distinguished guests present at the show were Rev Fr. Jose Antonio da Costa Parish Priest of St. Andrew’s church Vasco, Shri Saifulla Khan Chairperson of MMC Vasco, Ms. Lavina D’Souza MMC Councilor.
Mahanand Monis vo Soitan?: In the meantime Playwright Tony Dias’ latest tiatr Mahanand Monis vo Soitan ? based on the adventures of serial killer Mahanand Naik is running to packed houses in all the towns of Goa. People are flocking to see the show which I am told has a well scripted story based on facts and figures of the sensational case that rocked Goa and a beautiful narration with well complimented stage sets including the Borim Bridge set complete with an auto rickshaw. Tiatr lovers are advised to book their seats in advance so as not to get disappointed with a last minute rush to the theatres, despite my efforts through my known acquaintance at the booking counter I failed to get myself a seat on two occasions at the Gomant Vidya Niketan, Margao, and had to be content with a houseful board.
If Irineu Gonsalves the entrepreneur is having an adventurous run with his free Konkani Musical shows, there is yet another Gonsalves who is having a dream run and is presently the toast of tiatr lovers in Goa for some other reason. My fellow Vascokar Franky Gonsalves who is playing the dreaded lead role of Mahanand, I am told has won the hearts of tiatr goers with his near to real depiction of the heartless criminal. The rumour mill doing the rounds in tiatr circles has it that this young man has grabbed the role of a lifetime that has given him an opportunity to bring out the sleeping giant in him and display his hidden talents to the maximum, of’ course to the envy of many others though. In the bargain Franky has catapulted himself to the top slot on the Konkani stage from where he can now call the shots and playwrights will be obliged to present tailor made roles to him in future.
On a cautionary note though, Franky who is just a few years into stage acting and has a long way to go, should take things easy and be his normal self without getting carried away or letting success go to his head, but strive to do even more better in future and prove that ‘Mahanand’ was just not a flash in the pan.
n.b.: this article ws published in Goan Observer dtd 3rd Oct 2009.
Football, Tiatr, Dances & Newtons Third Law returns again!
Football, Tiatr, Dances & Newtons Third Law
Navelim will organize a Soccer Fest Floodlit 7-aside Football Tourney for Indian expatriates in Kuwait on 15th and 22nd 
Kuwait: Navelim will organize a SOCCER FEST Floodlit 7-aside Football Tournament for Indian expatriates in Kuwait on 15th and 22nd October 2009.
The tournament is sponsored by Gulf Custody Company, leading Fund Custody and Administration service providers in the Middle-East.
The matches will be played at Surra Stadium (Block 2, Street 5 - off the 4th Ring Road).
The SOCCER FEST promises a festivity of soccer for players and spectators as it is going to be played on International standard 7-aside ground i.e half the size of the normal playing field, floodlights and grass grounds.
In case of matches ending in a draw, there will be 5 penalty shoot-outs for each team.
The first and second round of the tournament will be held on 15th October 2009 while the games from the quarter-final stage will be played on 22nd October 2009.
Matches will begin from 6.30pm onwards and wind up by 10pm.
Entries for the tournament will be accepted on a first come first basis. Please contact the Tournament Coordinators at 99671107 / 99502686 / 99469782 / 97841644.
Also check:
http://www.indianfootball.com/en/news/articleId/1816
Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. Get it now.
-by gasper crasto, http://gaspersworld.blogspot.com/
Goan Football, Tiatr, Tiatrists, Dances and Internet Goans are perhaps more popular in Kuwait than anywhere else in the world.
The fame and infamy of the Goan diaspora here is mainly due to Kuwait's laissez-faire access of the internet made easy by relaxed charges even on ADSL connection.
When I first landed in '99, there were few who could distinguish between an explorer and a browser, hotmail and email, homepage and a webpage, Search Engines and E-Greetings. Very few were seen using computers in their homes other than offices. Now, even kids play around with sophisticated softwares and gadgets on the PCs & laptops. And ofcourse, using the Internet has become an 'essential' necessity to stay 'connected' -- with some people having more friends on the Internet than in real life.
People in Kuwait are 'shockingly' so advanced and bright, that, anyone who has access to internet thinks they can write as good as Salman Rushdie and with the same fire as Rajan Narayan. End result – every article/posting on the net is debated and deliberated by all and sundry.
There are 'views' and 'opinions' from different individuals about anything that happens in Kuwait. People who otherwise wouldn't reply to an email of their own dear ones find ample time to write what they think are 'intelligent' and 'ideological' thoughts. It is only when their 'alien and idiotic' ideas are being pointed out by some of the world's firebrand Goan brains that they wish they had never been on the net.
But then, the agitated souls sit quiet only for a while. Then they are back on their heads with their 'aristocratic' views which may not be linked to any 'current' news, subject or activity.
Some friends and newcomers in Kuwait who are regular readers of Goan scramblings on the net posed me some of the following questions. Perhaps the answers are quite juvenile considering the seriousness of some subjects, but then, the effort is just another 'aimless shooting' to force my way into a 'pliable' controversy. Everyone is free to correct, impugn, dispute, debate or add a few more answers.
Newton's Law for social functions and dance Nites in Kuwait:
Q. I've heard that the sound system for dance Nites is more expensive in Kuwait than even the main bands?
A. Everyone knows that a band without a good sound is nothing but a reng-te-teng. Even for dramas, it is the sound that creates the 'invigorating' effect and sometimes 'irritating-to-some-brains' magic. This is a fact elsewhere in the world too. The real, non-electric music culture of Goa can be found only at 'funeral' bands now. That too might go 'extinct' once the old timers are 'run-out'.
Q. Why are there dance contests at every dance nite?
A. Quite obvious -- everyone wants to compete and prove what great dancers they are; winning prizes is secondary, participation can be a headline back home in India.
Q. What should be done about people who don't dance, compete or even move their feet – the ones who sit-and-watch?
A. They should be denied entry. Or whenever you come across such folks give them a push to shake off their 'inferior gravitational pull' of Newton's First Law on them.
Newton's First Law: Every object in a state of uniform motion tends to remain in that state of motion unless an external force is applied to it.
Newton's Law for dramas and tiatrs in Kuwait.
Q. Why are the best singers not so popular in Kuwait?
A. This is because they are never criticized 'brusquely' on the net?
Q. Why don't you see local tiatrists (when they don't act) patronizing tiatrs?
A. They are scared the other tiatrist will shock them by singing about their life – that's what every tiatrist does – sing about their mates – atleast one song of this type in every 'other' tiatr.
Q. Why are 'Super-hit Flop' shows hailed as super hits or never criticized as flops on the net?
A. Criticism is taken as 'kurnatkai' this part of the world. Kuwait tiatrist never believe in criticism, many think they are professionals. The 'days' are not in Kuwait when an actor/director used to improve upon their flaws based purely on criticism. Moreover, in recent times, there is an increased amount of anonymous and 'fake' critiques who are ashamed of their own selves to write in their true identity.
Q. Why don't the best stories win first prizes at one act play competitions?
A. Stories don't matter much here. It's the 'other-side-of-the-story' that 'counts' for judges who sit around calculating on complicated spreadsheets. Judges are too occupied 'counting' to pay attention to the storyline. Even a play with an Oscar winning script may end up last if it doesn't have a good stage setting, costumes & lighting to impress the judges; while a 'meaningless' play with super stage decor can walk away 'Best Play'.
Q. They say the best Tiatrists are in Kuwait. Why is it then, that there are more crowds for shows of visiting troupes?
A. Haven't you heard, 'a saint is never hailed in his own land?'.., visiting troupes, however, is a whole other 'issue'. Lets talk about them some other time. Talk Kuwait.
Q. What is this 'To aslear hanv Nam' phrase among Kuwait Tiatrist?
A. It's a game played 'between' just one person at a time. Two individuals cannot play this game together like in boxing, they play independently – one at a time. The game is more popular with the spectators (audience & readers) rather than the actual players concerned. It is made increasingly popular by some espousing 'Vectors' either side of the players.
Q. What's the duration of this game? Who won it last?
A. Nobody has won it so far. The players think they can win if they accelerate more during 'plays', unfortunately they don't - they always end up losers. People who applause this game are the biggest losers. Watch out ! The game is catching up fast in other parts of the Konkani world as well.
Q. Who are the winners then?
A. No one. It is EQUAL so far, it will remain equal till the players realize how foolish they are to play a game that makes them lose their 'noble worth' or never can get a victory. The winners, however, are always the ones who read about this game, elsewhere other than in Kuwait. Funny, isn't it? Anyway, the game will continue for a while till the 'organizers' of such games leave for another planet.
Q. Is there any law (rules) for this game?
A. This game follows just one law -- Newton's Second Law that states: The relationship between an object's mass 'm', its acceleration 'a', and the applied force 'F' is F = ma. Acceleration and force are vectors. In this law the direction of the force vector is the same as the direction of the acceleration vector.
Newton's Law for football and Internet.
Q. Why are blunders committed by referees in every other match?
A. Referees commit mistakes everywhere in the world but it is only in Kuwait these are seen as blunders – that too only by the losing teams. Check with any of the winners and get back to me.
Q. Why is Mr. X made the Chief Guest? Does he know football as much as me?
A. I bet they should make you the chief guest in future. But then, aren't you broke every weekend? Our clubs run because of some of these guests. They are our main supporters, sponsors and well wishers. What are you? The organizers will have to send a car to fetch you from home first thing...and then... Forget it.. .. Next question.
Q. Why just one prize – a man of the match award given and rest all prizes kept for the organizers?
A. This is not very often though. But it is to make the players realize that the organizers are more important than the game. There won't be no competition without the organizing clubs.
Q. Why are photos of the winning teams NOT published in the media?
A. Usually they are published. But it is not part of the tournament agreement with the clubs to publish their photos. Teams have no right to question this.
Q. Why only trophies are given, why not cash prizes in football?
A. Cash prizes, ofcourse, are forbidden by the Islamic law (nothing related to Newton's law though). Players, however, earn enough from their clubs with some clubs paying handsomely or providing return air-tickets even at the cost of more deserving club members; trophies remain the necessary souvenirs. You must see the chaos created at some games for want of these trophies though; having cash prizes will require the games to be moved to Baghdad's tight security 'Green Zone'.
Q. Why are there no comments on the net by players and captains?
A. Isn't that an awful question? Even Churchill can answer that. 'There will be comments on the net only if the ball passes through the net.' That happened for a record one time in Kuwait – ball passing between the goalpost and through the net was given a goal kick.
Q. Can anyone write anything on anyone on the net from Kuwait? If it was in Goa, these kind of 'reprobates' would be caught and tied to a coconut tree and beaten blue.
A. Well, there are no coconut trees here and nobody has guts to misuse the palm trees available, they are owned by the Sheikh.
Q. Why are petty happenings in Kuwait floundered on all other world forums? And then shamelessly debated and circulated? Can't this be finished off with verbal confrontations within Kuwait?
A. Well, it is eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, kick for a kick, word for a word, dialogue for a dialogue, song for a song, and email for an email – the most followed policy in Kuwait is Newton's THIRD Law: For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. Cheers..!
More articles at:
http://gaspersworld.blogspot.com/
Thought for the week:
"On the Internet, Nobody Knows You're a Dog." -gaspersWorld
Navelim will organize a Soccer Fest Floodlit 7-aside Football Tourney for Indian expatriates in Kuwait on 15th and 22nd
more..
Kuwait: Navelim will organize a SOCCER FEST Floodlit 7-aside Football Tournament for Indian expatriates in Kuwait on 15th and 22nd October 2009.
The tournament is sponsored by Gulf Custody Company, leading Fund Custody and Administration service providers in the Middle-East. The matches will be played at Surra Stadium (Block 2, Street 5 - off the 4th Ring Road).
The SOCCER FEST promises a festivity of soccer for players and spectators as it is going to be played on International standard 7-aside ground i.e half the size of the normal playing field, floodlights and grass grounds.
In case of matches ending in a draw, there will be 5 penalty shoot-outs for each team.
The first and second round of the tournament will be held on 15th October 2009 while the games from the quarter-final stage will be played on 22nd October 2009.
Matches will begin from 6.30pm onwards and wind up by 10pm.
Entries for the tournament will be accepted on a first come first basis. Please contact the Tournament Coordinators at 99671107 / 99502686 / 99469782 / 97841644.
Also check:
http://www.indianfootball.com/en/news/articleId/1816
Hotmail: Free, trusted and rich email service. Get it now.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)