NYC Trophy: Exciting Draw on the Cards

21st NYC Trophy
Fair Draw on the Cards 

Kuwait: Hosts Navelim Youth Centre will meet Indian Strikers in the first match of the Navelim Youth Centre (NYC) organized 21st Edition of NYC Trophy football tournament commencing from 9th April 2010 at the MOI Grounds, Shuwaikh.

The tournament will be played under the auspices of Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) and officiated by KIFF referees.

The draw, a unique one, was conducted during the finals of Goa Maroons Trophy finals in presence of NYC President Agnello A. S. Fernandes, KIFF President Fidelis Fernandes and representatives of participating teams.

Other matches on day one will be Kuwait Goan Association taking on United Friends Club in the second match while Rising Stars will play United Goans in the last match.

Ten strong teams affiliated to Kuwait Indian Football Federation (KIFF) are vying for the prestigious, perhaps one of the most uniquely sculpt trophies worldwide, instituted in the year 1993. The finals of this edition are slated for April 30, 2010.

The tournament is sponsored by international corporate houses like Gulf Custody Company, Axis Bank and My Money Mart.

NYC President Agnello A. S. Fernandes speaking on the occasion said, "NYC has over the years, whenever it has embarked on a project, always tried to create awareness with a theme. For our 21st edition NYC Rolling Trophy, in coordination with our sponsors, we have decided on the 'Go Green' subject."

 

 Mr. Charles D'Sa picking up a team at the Draw.

Later in a statement Mr. Agnello said, "Our Sponsors have stressed that NYC should try to create an awareness on climate change in their own possible way. NYC have reiterated its commitment to feature in brief, simple  valuable hints that should enable us to cultivate habits this change.  For statistics show that some of the greatest threats to future resources come from things we throw away every day. Batteries and electronics often contain dangerous chemicals that could pollute the earth. These items should be disposed in a proper manner - not by throwing them out the window.  These can contaminate everything from the soil in which our food grows, to the water that we drink."

The President further added, "Many of these chemicals cannot be removed from the drinking water supply, nor from the crops that are harvested from contaminated fields. The risk of these elements to human health is tremendous. Throwing away items that could be recycled diminishes energy, water and natural resources that could be saved by recycling."

"In our own way, within our homes, we can do many things to help the climate change so that our generations can have a cleaner future. Don't leave a planet for your children that will have no climate. If we don't start to change our habits now then the culture, wealth and treasures we will leave behind for our generations will be of no use to them. THINK ABOUT IT!" concluded the President.

First Round Fixtures (09/04/2010):
Navelim Youth Centre v/s Indian Strikers at 6.45am
Kuwait Goan Association v/s United Friends Club at 8.15am
Rising Stars v/s United Goans Centre at 9.15am

 

Other Links

Kuwait Goans overcome Indian Strikers

Kuwait: Navelim Soccer Fest - Don Bosco beat Skynet Raiders for title

When Dempo played in Kuwait

http://gaspersworld.blogspot.com/

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INFRASTRUCTURE IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR.

It is indeed good to know, that the Prime Minister and the Planning Commission are showing, the desire to revamp the infrastructure in the country, as per the R & T Minister Mr. Kamal Nath, starting 2012, it will be the decade of infrastructure. No doubt late, but anytime, better than never, is what comes to mind.

Under the 12th five year plan, the centre proposes, to double the infrastructure spending, to one trillion dollars. It is a very beefy amount indeed, but deemed fit to meet the needs of growing and glowing India. The authorities will have to make sure, that utmost efforts are made to translate this beefy talk into colossal action. Infrastructure development is the need of the hour.
It is most certainly a welcome action in the right direction.

The bug from Delhi must have flown to Goa, as few days ago, our very own CM said, that greater stress would be given to infrastructure development in the state. In case of Goa it is much easier said, than done. The track record of Goa, as far as performance is concerned, is abysmal and the Planning department’s forays leave much to be desired, and should be rightly named as the non planning department.

In Goa we are still surviving on more than two decades old infrastructure, planning departments are suppose to plan for adequacies, a couple of decades ahead, taking into consideration the fast growing needs, of the fast growing people, but unfortunately in Goa our politicians and bureaucrats alike, certainly lack the required foresight, as their sights are locked and hooked only on accumulation of wealth and power for themselves. The cruel paradox is that, insatiability and self indulgence, which many of us find repulsive, seem to be, an inherently 'natural' phenomena in most of our politicians.

As a result of the prevailing high level of corruption and greed in Goan politics, the developmental progress has taken a heavy beating and has suffered sever setbacks, as the policies of our Government are neither seminal nor enlightening, but seem to be scattershot combination of inept and derogatory measures rather than cohesive, constructive and viable strategies for development.

For infrastructural development, land is the most essential or pivotal commodity, in Goa because of the destructive development and the fraudulent large scale sale of communidade land and encroachment on the remaining, land has become a very scarce commodity, and to add to the woes, Government has acquired disproportionate amount of land in the name of SEZ, the coastal areas have been taken up by the CRZ and the forest area and mountains have been hijacked by miners and the common man is left with very little to squat on, this has set extremely dangerous precedent, and if not tackled now could be disasterours for the future.

Tolerance and forbearance of the Goan people, should not be mistaken for lack of interest or timidity or even cowardice by our politicians, just thinking that we are on the right track, will not help us because, even if we are on the right track, if we don’t move along with the flow, there is a distinct possibility that we could get run over.

Goa badly needs to upgrade and outgrow it’s infrastructural inadequacies, so as to help growth, because infrastructure development does help to fuel economic growth in more ways than one. I sincerely hope that our politicians will work for the growth and prosperity of Goa and Goans rather then their own.

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Dubai - UAE

One More Response On "Should Pope & Bishop Resign?

From: Edwin Rodrigues (edwinrod17@gmail.com)
Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 7:40:12 AM
To: averonicaf806@hotmail.com

Good Day My Friend,
Well a lot of things you write makes sense, Please think twice as you write on our religion and Priests, Firstly there are still ignrent people who will read what you wrote and Blame religion instead of the Concerned persons, These issues are very highly delicate.

Being with priest in Goa, I know how things go, Finally we all know that Priests are human and Praise God they are super natural human beings, But we lay people are the Satans in thier life, We are the ones who tempt them and sometimes they fall a prey. So why just Blame them, Advise the Locals as how to behave with a priest specailly our Women.

My friend, I would strongly suggest you to stay in any of the Churches and see how the Lay people behave and let me know.

I would have written a lot of things, some times later...

Edwin Rodrigues
Ajman
UAE.


G O A
--No plans in this revolution are written for retreat--
March 26, 2010
SHOULD POPE & BISHOP RESIGN??
As a Christian Catholic and with my head down in shame, I pen down these lines to express my disgust over the events unfolding now in the West with regards to the Sex abuse systematically conducted by the priests. One Bishop has already resigned in Ireland for mishandling the Child Sex abuses done by his priests there for a long period of time. Switzerland has been rocked by similar incidents where young Swiss boys were continuously molested and sexually abused by the priests there. Worst part of it was that these abused kids were physically handicapped. Now, the news appeared that the current Pope is also involved in not taking appropriate action against an American priest who molested and sexually abused small children some years back when this matter was under the supervision of the current Pope who then was the head of this particular area and department. Because of his leniency then, the current Pope is accused for siding with these Sex abuser priests. There is heavy pressure all around the Pope to submit his resignation because of His inefficiency in handling difficult issues. But as a matter of fact, Pope resigning on this count is very highly unlikely and secondly to whom He will submit his resignation? It is a very complicated proposal........

ON POPE & BISHOP RESIGNATION. By JoeGoaUK.

To The Priests:
Please please, at least for the sake of our religion, do not do what you are not supposed to do. If you think you are doing it, it’s never too late to give up or to choose one of the two i.e. God or other life. This is the age of reasoning or seeking answers. Sometime we have no answers to the questions our children put us. Eeverybody knows everything through electronic medium etc. So many things doing rounds which really look bad. Think about our next generation and our dwindling religion.

To the Church:
Please do not take lightly if any comments or any complaints received. Punish if found guilty as per the laws or the rules which will also act as deterrent to others. Let’s not make our successors to apologies on our behalves. As Pope does now. A stitch in time saves nine.

SHOULD POPE & BISHOP RESIGN??

As a Christian Catholic and with my head down in shame, I pen down these lines to express my disgust over the events unfolding now in the West with regards to the Sex abuse systematically conducted by the priests. One Bishop has already resigned in Ireland for mishandling the Child Sex abuses done by his priests there for a long period of time. Switzerland has been rocked by similar incidents where young Swiss boys were continuously molested and sexually abused by the priests there. Worst part of it was that these abused kids were physically handicapped. Now, the news appeared that the current Pope is also involved in not taking appropriate action against an American priest who molested and sexually abused small children some years back when this matter was under the supervision of the current Pope who then was the head of this particular area and department. Because of his leniency then, the current Pope is accused for siding with these Sex abuser priests. There is heavy pressure all around the Pope to submit his resignation because of His inefficiency in handling difficult issues. But as a matter of fact, Pope resigning on this count is very highly unlikely and secondly to whom He will submit his resignation? It is a very complicated proposal.

Sexually abusing children by the priests is become very common in the West and sexually abusing women in Goa by the Goan priests is become more common. One thing is certain if appropriate actions were taken by the head of the Churches in the West and in Goa at an appropriate time, lot of discipline would come and many of the scandals would not have erupted as it is erupting now. Church leaders in the West and in Goa have very bad habits of keeping silence over the scandals committed by the priests, whether these are Sex scandals or Financial scandals or scandals related to the subjects beyond the priestly duties of the priests. Take for example in the case of Goa: The late Pe. Alvito Vaz was going out of his way in Candolim and when complain was made to the then Bishop Rebello of Goa, Bishop Rebello slept over this and got up only when things went out of the way when Pe. Alvito Vas was suspended from his priestly duties under Goa Church. Meantime damage for the Catholic Church in Goa was already done everywhere including the birth of new Church in Goa known as Independent Church of Cuncollim. Similarly there were many such incidents took place and it all happened only because of the lethargic attitude of the Bishop at Altinho, Panjim, Goa in taking appropriate actions at an appropriate time against the erring priests who disgraced not only Catholicsm but also Christianity.

Many Priests in Goa are become corrupt, they are rampantly after Sex, Money and Wine. There was a time in Goa when Priests were treated on par with Jesus because those priests were really following the true doctrine of Christ but now, no. Faithfuls are afraid of Priests now in Goa because Goan priests are suffering from the sin called “Narvenkarism”. Parents are afraid to leave their young children into the hands of Priests especially young girls. In some places some parents have even stopped their young daughters from joining the Choir groups in their localities because they lost their confidence in the priests. The credibility of the priests now in Goa is damaged and people do not trust them any longer. The recently CD released by Calvert Gonsalves “Dogui Bodmas” is a perfect example to know the dubious character of the priests in Goa, what example of one priest Calvert gave in this CD is enough for the Bishop of Goa and all the priests to put down their heads in shame. If Goa Bishop had to entertain the complaint and appropriately acted immediately when complaint was lodged, neither the CD would come into existence nor such a big row would have erupted. All the unpalatable incidents in Colva took place only because of the silence of Goa Bishop in taking corrective action against the culprit priest. I feel the current Bishop of Goa is not capable to handle the abusive priests in Goa. Should there not be pressure on Goa Bishop also to tender his resignation for failing to take appropriate action when complaint was lodged to him against the misdeeds of Colva priest or any priest for acting in anti-Christian way? Now in Rome there were demonstrations and demand for the Pope to resign for failing to do justice for the sexually abused children by the American priest Fr. Lawrence Murphy.

In Goa lot of money is flowing into the hands of Secular priests. Many of the young boys are aspiring to become secular priest because of the easy access to Sex, Wine and Money. The Church schools into the hands of priests give them access to lot of money which many of the priests spend recklessly after their concubines and other worldly luxuries. In some places in Goa, priests are charging money to offer Communion to the old people at their residences. No more priesthood is vocation now, it is become a commercial activity and the whole image of Goa Church is spoiled by the Secular Priests only who like corrupt politicians want cheap publicity thru newspaper reviews, photos and advertisements. When priests go for such cheap and worldly publicity then they lose their true priestly colours. These Seculars under the current Bishop are become very much money and Sex conscious. The Church properties have been misused for the benefit of the priests and Bishop. The Church funds accumulated thru weekly collections and donations are kept in secret without any transparency. Faithfuls must stop giving their contributions during the weekly collections if there is no proper accountability and transparency. It is not enough just to disclose the amout collected as it is done in some Churches but it is imperative to disclose how and where it is spent. This is called real transparency. Many of our Churches are into the hands of “Chor” priests and “chor” Bishops. They want us faithfuls to close our eyes for their misdeeds but by closing our eyes we are only encouraging misdeeds and making rascals of our priests and bishops. The scandalous and rogue priests and their supporters tell not to judge the priests with an excuse that Heavenly God will judge them. This is just an excuse for the priests to allow them to do all their dirty acts against the teachings of Christ. If we do not stop priests from acting bad then these bad priests will turn our religion into bad. Do we want our religion to be bad and into the hands of bad priests and bad Bishops?

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

DRAW for Special Edition of 21st NYC Trophy

21st NYC Trophy Football Tournament

Draw to be held for a special Edition

by gasper crasto - www.goa-world.com/

Kuwait: Navelim Youth Centre (NYC) will organize the 21st Edition of NYC Rolling Trophy football tournament in Kuwait commencing from 9th April 2010.

 

The match fixtures will be drawn on Friday 26th March during the finals of Goa Maroons tournament.

The mega event organized by Navelim Youth Centre (NYC) will be played under the auspices of KIFF and officiated by KIFF Referees. The games will be played Friday mornings at Sabah Hospital grounds, Shuwaikh.

"This edition of the tournament is going to be something special," stated NYC President Agnello Fernandes adding that the tournament would be sponsored by international corporate houses such as Gulf Custody, Axis Bank, My Money Mart, etc.

The NYC Rolling Trophy, perhaps one of the most uniquely sculpt trophies worldwide was instituted in the year 1993. The finals of this edition are slated for the last week of April 2010. Last edition of the trophy was won by Kuwait Goan Association.

 

Host Navelim YC have won the trophy maximum 6 times while AVC Overseas Association holds a unique record of losing 4 straight finals.

Following teams affiliated to KIFF have accepted participation in the prestigious tournament: 

C.R.C. Chinchinim, Curtorcares United, G.O.A. Maroons, Kuwait Goan Association, Indian Strikers, Rising Stars, United Friends Club, Santos Football Club, United Goans Centre and Navelim Youth Centre.

 

Other Links

Kuwait Goans overcome Indian Strikers

Kuwait: Navelim Soccer Fest - Don Bosco beat Skynet Raiders for title

When Dempo played in Kuwait

http://gaspersworld.blogspot.com/

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THE ETHICS OF POLITICS IN GOA HAS TO CHANGE.

The Ethics Of Politics In Goa Has To Change.

Goa’s coalition government, was infact just a marriage of convenience, it was not a relationship that was built on trust, integrity and fidelity, infact it was full of deceit, hypocrisy, distrust and of course adultery. The premarital bonding it’s self, was a disaster, wherein the odd spouses refused to sign the dotted lines of book of convenience and the mass wedding was in disarray, only after prolonged deliberations and discussions, on the terms of plump positions and status in the family business were assured, only then was the marriage finally solemnised amidst pomp and gaiety, with the blessing of the elite in-laws from Delhi, Bombay and Goa itself.


Although it’s been more than two years for this marriage of convenience, things are far from hanky-dory, as expected the marriage has been rocked by claims of infidelity and domestic violence and was on the verge of collapse, on more occasions than not, but managed to survive, only because, the greed and the enticement for plump positions and status, was all, that the spouses were interested in. The wellbeing of the family and the community – To hell with it !


The forty year “itch” hit this marriage of convenience pretty early, we could even call it the 40 days “itch” and now the wide cracks are really showing and the cantankerous couples are becoming bolder, vociferous and even shameless, washing their dirty laundry in public. Their insecurities are most certainly obvious and getting worse by the day. The frequent visits to the marriage councilors, set up by the in-laws in Delhi and Bombay are become more of a habit than a necessity and that too at the cost of the tax payer, even as Goa is mired in debt upto it’s neck.


In the last couple of days it looked like this marriage had reached the point of no return, the aggrieved spouses had formed an union called the G7, initially it did sound something like the elite group of industrial nations called the G8, G7 may not be as famous or as powerful as the elite G8, but are surely a force to recon with in paradise lost called Goa. From the very first day, this marriage was bound for the rocks but somehow managed to survive even the latest storm, but for how much longer it will hold on ? Only time will tell.


For some decades now we have seen the quality of governance deteriorating at a very rapid rate, so much so that today it’s become a cesspool of corruption and greed, and only getting worse. The G7 movement is a further reminder to the Goan electorate, that our elected representative are only concerned about their welfare and least bothered about the wellbeing of the general public or our state. Our MLA’s and Ministers have been too busy with issues that are extraneous to Goa and Goans, rather than in relative issues that are seriously affecting the day to day lives of Goans and are burgeoning into major impediment in the path of their progress.


While there are infinite number of critical issues, that we Goans are drowning in, our politicians hardly seem to have the time or the inclination, to take up these issues in earnest, whereas they have ample time, to trade in trite banalities against each other to promote, protect and safeguard their own personal selfish interests. This is not something new that’s been happening in Goa, it’s been going on for a couple of decades now, and it’s rather very unfortunate that we Goans have accepted or allowed it continue without a cringe or even a twinge.


We are all aware, that most of the funds that Goa receives for development, somehow vanish into thin air without a whiff, it’s only common knowledge where all the conduits lead to, even as we struggle to survive, with the more than two decades old infrastructure at our disposal, which is outdated and outpaced by the ever growing population and to make matters worse, we have allowed, the rampage of destructive development, to overburdened our already tattered and battered infrastructure which infact has, paradoxically brought an overall degradation to the quality of life in Goa. As far as constructive development in concerned, I am sorry to say that, Goa portrays a very digressing and polarised landscape at the moment.


Disparity is what rules Goa today, every nuke and corner of Goa is up in arms, agitating for it’s very own survival, so much so that, while our politicians behave like petulant kids, agitations have become a part of our intricate lives. Our elected representatives, ensconced in their ivory beds with greenbacks for mattresses and inflated bank balances for a pillow, hatching unsuspecting and intricate plots to destroy Goa and inflate their own fortunes, have consigned our dreams and aspirations of a golden Goa to oblivion and this is what we have brought on ourselves, by electing these unambiguous swindlers.


We seriously need to contemplate and get our priorities right and put our act together. For long we have thought, that good governance was the preserve and prerogative of the central parties. History has been a witness to various events, where greatness was sacrificed at the alter, and mediocrity selected for the crown, but now we should be wiser, shouldn’t we ?


The ethics of politics in Goa, have been deliriously obtuse, if not egregious. What conjures up an air of sadness is not just the quality of governance on offer, but the absence of any pride or even the will, to seek and elect good people, in Goa today. We most certainly, need to immediately change this aspect, if Goa and Goans have to survive, revive and thrive and this attitude should not be transient in anyway, but firmly imbedded in the mind and heart of every Goan at large. A change is what, is required and for that, it’s our perception that has to change, so let us all be the change that we want.


Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Dubai - UAE

CENTENARY OF GOA'S TRAITOR - BANDODKAR.

For Goa and genuine Goans like me, in the history of Goa, two tragic events have taken place which adversely affected the good of Goa and good of genuine Goans. One event was that on 19th December 1961 when Goa was invaded by Bharat thru its mighty Military power and thus forcibly annexing the tiny Goa to the mighty ocean called Bharat and the second event was the formation of Dayananda Bandodkar’s 3 Members Ministry of Maharastrawadi Gomantak Party in Goa in the first ever election of Goa Legislative Assembly.

No doubt Goa had to be liberated from the Portuguese colonialism but definitely not the way it was conquered and annexed to Bharat. I did not want to be a part of Bharat which is full of corruption with corrupt politicians ruling the nation thereby corrupting the nation and sucking the blood of poor masses. Some of the poor countries that got independence after India got from the British have done tremendous improvement while India is still suffering from worst and cursed poverty and corruption. Atom Bombs are not giving us food to eat and life security for the common person. The little development that India made is enjoyed by the upper class of Indians more. Goans like me wanted to oust Portuguese from Goa but surely not to replace by another Portuguese artificially implanted on Goa in the form of Bharat. Since Goa was annexed by Bharat the Babus and Ghanttis of Bharat have started dominating over the destiny of Goa and Goans by ignoring the history, culture, tradition and language of Goa. From 19th December 1961 Goans are made puppets of Bharat. This is not the true liberation and genuine Goans will never agree to such liberation. Because of this event Goa is failing genuine Goans and it is too late now to recover the genuine Goa. It is lost forever. Bharat is lording over Goa now and third class “chor” Bharatis are replacing genuine Goans and dominating over Goans and the destiny of Goans. Bharatis are already influencing Goans with their harsh, communal, cruel and dirty cultural and traditional habits which are against the interest of Goa and genuine Goans. RIP genuine Goa and genuine Goans.

The second event was the election of MGP to form the first Ministry of Goa under the late Dayananda Bandodkar whose birth centenary some lovers of Bandodkar are celebrating with pomp in Goa now. In fact they have planned to celebrate his birth centenary throughout this year. Is Dayananda Bandodkar worthy of this celebration when he betrayed Goa and genuine Goans with a Judas Kiss? Was he not a traitor of Goa who let us GENUINE Goans down? I am not a bastardised Goan, I am a genuine Goan as I know my genuine Goan father very well who was legally married to my mother in the Court and in the Church and as such I remained faithful to my land. I even as a small boy always supported the cause of genuine Goa and genuine Goans. Bandodkar by opting to give Goa on Silver Platter to Maharastra and replace Goan language Konkani with Marathi has done great injustice to Goa and genuine Goans. His wish was to liquidate Konkani from Goa and in its place bring a foreign language Marathi into Goa. This was like Portuguese language implanting on Goa by the colonialist Portuguese and making Goans adore a foreign language.

Dayananda Bandodkar was communal of first grade. For him Bahujan Samaz means only Hindu Bahujan Samaj. He showed his total bias against Christians. He never realized that Christian Bahujan Samaz also suffered from the persecution of Christao Bamonn Bhattkars during the Portuguese era. Because of his anti-Christao feelings Christao Bahujan Samaz had to support UGP even though during the Portuguese regime the aristocratic members of UGP suppressed and harassed Christao Bahujan Samaz also. Instead of making a class war Bandodkar made a communal war in Goa by deviding Goans into Hindus and Christao. In the bargain, Christao were alienated from the MGP fold and all the major benefits were enjoyed by the Hindus only especially the Hindu Bahujan Samaz. It is a fact that Bandodkar identified himself with the down trodden Hindu Samaz and gave them a strong booster by giving them the sense of identity. During his rule in Goa Christao were considered or at least made to feel that they are the second class citizens of Goa. Good that he died at that time only otherwise he would totally alienate Christao from the mainstream of Goa as he already portrayed Christao as anti-national. Unfortunately for Christao in Goa its leader at Panjim Altinho failed to declare in a loud voice that Christao are as national as any other Goan by citing only one example that the first Indian to raise the voice of Indians for the liberation not only of Goa but also for India was Christao Dr. Francis Luis Gomes in a foreign land much before Nehrus and Gandhis. During his later part of rule Bndodkar was like an absolute Monarch, he could make and mar anybody and anything. By using all his powers, political and financial he made almost everyone as his subjects. By this time majority of Goans surrendered to his diktats by giving him total obedience. During his last stages he had almost entire Goa under his thumb and if he was alive to fight the next election, his MGP would win almost all the Seats in Goa Legislative Assembly.

With the birth of MGP, in Goa Bandodkar brought liking for non Goans especially for Maharastrians and for Marathi language just like Portuguez attracted liking for non-Goan Portuguese. Bandodkar said he was against external power in Goa meaning Portuguese but he was once a big “Lembddo” of Portuguese regime in Goa and to flourish his mining business he volunteered to do anything for the Portuguese rulers in Goa. In one way he opposed external power in Goa but on the other hand he embraced external power of Maharastra in Goa, how ridiculous is it!! During his rule in Goa the genuine Goans were on their toes constantly to keep his anti-Goan and anti-Konkani activities on check. Till his death he spoiled the peace of genuine Goans by making them to fight against his anti-Goan and anti-Konkani activities. During his entire rule in Goa he gave lot of troubles to genuine Goa lover Goans. By supporting Maharastra and Marathi he has done great injustice to Goa and genuine Goans who loved separate identity for Goa with Konkani as its official language. He has done great disservice to the feelings and causes of Goa and Goans. It was he who opened the door of Goa wide for non-Goans especially for Maharastrians and deputionists. The way we were made to bow down our heads in front of non-Goan Portuguese in the same way he made us to bow down our heads in front of third class anti-Goan Maharastrians brought from Maharastra and deputionists from Delhi. He was always anti-genuine Goans and anti-Christians. The genuine patriots of Goa must boycott his celebration marking his birth centenary. In Kuwait there is a move to have a meet to highlight not his achievement but his work against Goa and genuine Goans. I will never accept him as a patriot of Goa but as an enemy of Goa and genuine Goans. I will always consider him as the TRAITOR OF GOA. For me Dayananda Bandodkar will be always remembered as Anti-Goan, Anti-Goan Language Konkani, Anti-Goan Culture and Anti-Christian.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

All Izz "Sit" in Goa's State Archives.

ALL IZZ 'SIT' IN GOA'S STATE ARCHIVES
By Bernardo de Sousa


Any visit to Goa needs to start with a wallet refueling stop at a bank. Having connections
speeds up that process. In the Mapusa bank we went to, a lady was seated at a desk,
dozing peacefully; she suddenly woke up, picked up a ball, rolled it on the desk, then
returned to dozing. We later learnt that banks are required to hire personnel belonging to
scheduled castes/tribes. Being a local bank, this occurs through the intercession of an
MLA: the candidate controlling the largest number of votes gets the job. A win-win
situation: our aspiring athlete gets a salary, the MLA gets the votes. Thus, “vote bank”
politics ensure the “upliftment” of the downtrodden.

My contact at the bank being away, I was instructed to head upstairs. The scene was
chaotic: no boards indicating which counter handled which transaction, people rushing to
any counter that was manned. An acquaintance said he would call Mr. X and guided us to
a pair of chairs with a parting instruction: “Sit” -- an instruction I would repeatedly
encounter in Goa with devastating consequences.

After about an hour, I managed to obtain from Mr. X the prized ATM card that, sadly,
failed to function until our departure. For expediency, we cashed traveler’s cheques at
Vivanta hotel in Panaji, where the transaction absorbed all of three minutes flat -- the
most efficient and friendliest service I have ever encountered anywhere on the planet.
Our wallet thus replenished, we headed to the State Archives, Panaji, where I wished to
consult a list of historical documents.

We were greeted at the ground floor by an overpowering smell of naphthalene,
attempting unsuccessfully to mask the odours from the nearby toilet. The strong influence
of carnival in Goa is not to be underestimated – a vote bank mask at the bank, a
naphthalene mask at the State Archives.

The clerk at a counter instructed me to go upstairs to see the manager. I did not quite
comprehend why but arguments would only waste time. We were invited into the
manager’s cramped office. “Sit!” he instructed. Not again! After reading my list, he
confirmed that the documents were public; we were thus in violent agreement but the
documents still eluded me.

I was now instructed to cross the corridor to the public documents section; as we did so,
we saw a lady sitting on a bench, resting one of her feet on it, blissfully cutting her toe-
nails. I did not need an explanation: another vote bank mask with an aspiring beautician
replacing an aspiring athlete.

In the public domain, five persons were seated at five desks, engaged in deep
conversation, otherwise doing nothing. I showed one of them the titles of the documents.
She looked at it and shouted to her colleague a few meters away. Having been
disdainfully ignored twice, she approached the recalcitrant colleague, exchanged a few
furious words, returned, turned to me and ordered: “Sit”.

Decidedly, “sit” was becoming the bane of my short holiday. In my mind, I silently
slipped an “h” in between the “sit” but refrained from vocalising my thought.

Explaining to us children the intricacies of traditional Goan hospitality, our father once
recounted that guests were routinely greeted with the Konkani phrase: “Ailoi, io, bosloi,
bos, kashti sodd, lepti kha” – loosely translated “you have arrived, please come in, sit
down, loosen your loin-cloth, share our food”. I did not expect these five uncooperative
chair-warmers to share their food but there was no escaping the instruction to sit. I
politely but resolutely declined. The lady repeated her instruction except that this time it
was an order: “Sit”.

The situation was turning hopeless. Asked how long this was going to take, she muttered:
“5 minutes”. My heart sank: in Goa, 5 minutes encompass any span between 5 minutes
and eternity. I heard my wife say that she had been handed a form that I was required to
complete hence, sitting down may not be a bad idea. Her pragmatic logic carrying the day,
I sat down, opened the small rucksack containing my pen and other items. “You have to
keep your bag downstairs,” said the recalcitrant librarian, who had just concluded his
yogic meditation and was back in command barking out his orders.

I explained to him that I had carried my rucksack all this time from the counter
downstairs, transiting through his manager’s office into the public documents section,
without anyone’s objection until then. He repeated his order, this time raising his voice.
Another mask, what was his bark really masking? Resentment because I was an NRI, PIO
or OCI? Or because I had not presented him with a motivating incentive in an envelope?

Do they still insist on envelopes, or would plain cash do? Or was he another vote bank
beneficiary who resented having been disturbed from his reverie or conversation? I had
had enough of this rude, uncooperative, unhelpful, obstructionist and bureaucratic
attitude of the Goa State Archives staff. I got up, returned the form to the lady who had
given it, and walked out.

Back in the taxi, our friend suggested visiting the Central Library instead. Indeed, I was
led to the relevant section immediately - and could finally consult and photograph the
documents of interest. I now understood why the Central Library was so well frequented
whereas, excepting staff, not a soul other than my wife, our friend and I were present at
the public documents section of the State Archives.

This time around, when a kindly member of the Central Library staff pulled up a chair
and asked me to sit, I was delighted to comply.
====================================================================
The above article appeared in HERALD (Goa) of March 21, 2010

ON COLVA CD & IN SUPPORT OF PRODUCER CALVERT GONSALVES.

From: Joseph Fernandes.
To: goa-kranti.

Dear Mr.Veronica,

I am from Sernabatim (Colva) and I’d like to thank you for highlighting the “Dogui Bodmas” CD case in a big way. It takes lots of courage to come out with alternative news that is not covered by the so called ‘fourth estate’. It is highly appreciated by us in Sernabatim that you put in that extra effort to meet Calvert regarding his CD and got to be aware of the ground situation first hand. The CD producer has only tried to convey a message to the people of Goa through a medium they best understand. I know Calvert personally and all that he is trying to do is to get the church authorities to wake up and act against some errant priests who are out to rob various parishes of Goa. In no way the CD is trying to defame or malign the Catholic faith. It has only tried to expose the scandalous lives of some priests like Fr.Diogo in the Catholic church of Goa and the reluctance by the church higher ups to correct these priests.


Since the release of the CD, Calvert has had to undergo a lot of distress in his life. People were even hired to attack him and his family. That is the price that one pays in Goa for speaking the truth against ministers and the church. Harassment at the hands of police and authorities is nothing new for Calvert; it has been going on for the last few years since the time he was elected back by the people of our ward in spite of political pressure by Mickky. Calvert is always known for being unconventional and is not the type who will bow down to political or any type of pressure. He has always had the courage to say that white is white and black is black. We have always supported him whenever he has had to make tough decisions and this time too we are with him in order to save our church properties from this ‘builder’ priest.


I read somewhere one so called journalist was wondering what kind of people have elected Calvert to the Panchayat. Let me tell this ignorant gentleman that builders are kept away from Sernabatim by electing Calvert to the Panchayat. When the minister tried to force his uneducated, rougish, fighter bull owner candidate on the people, they resisted and rallied behind an educated, smart and courageous leader who has done a lot of development for not only his own ward but entire Sernabatim. Many people have sort to criticize Calvert for producing the Konkani CD by stating the classic goan phrase ‘padrincher add ulounk zaina”. But should we remain mute when the priests live immoral lives? Should everyone remain silent and let the the priests sell our church properties?


The sensible people of Colva have decided not to allow this priest Fr Diogo to get away with his foul intentions. That is the reason why proper representations were made to the Bishop asking him to intervene and address the issue. The people did not even get a proper audience with the Bishop. I guess that the letters handed over to the Bishops palace must have been dumped in some dust bin because the Bishop and his associates at Altinho feel that we have to blindly obey their orders come what may. It is quite amusing to read the allegations against Calvert in different forums. One allegation was that Calvert is a real estate developer. Let me correct them by saying that it is true that Calvert has done several property deals in and around Colva - Sernabatim. However none of these properties have been sold to people outside the village, forget selling them to non goans. All these properties were bought by Calvert from the landlords of Sernabatim and sold to the youth mostly coming from fishing families. The properties were even sold at a price well below the market rate so that our local boys could afford them. Today the youth of Sernabatim are doing tourism related businesses or have built new homes for themselves in these properties. It is wrong to categorize Calvert as a typical real estate developer of Goa.


Another allegation I read was regarding lamanis. It is not a recent allegation against Calvert. It was first started in 1992 when Calvert was in the forefront to drive away lamanis from Colva beach. I can recollect that a lady Panch member had taken the market fee collection. Hence Calvert’s drive to get rid of lamanis from the beach area only angered her because it deprived her of a huge additional money collection. This Panch member concentrated on her pocket and the village did not matter to her. Hence the allegation was invented against Calvert to discourage him from conducting the drive to get rid of Lamanis from the beach area. Unlike Colva the Sernabatim beach does not have any ‘lamani’ settlements and it is almost completely free from these pesky hawkers because of efforts put in by Calvert. The only lamanis present are in a few shops belonging to a henchman of the minister.


I would like to conclude by stating, ‘Don’t kill the messenger”. We the parishioners of Colva need support from all quarters to save our church properties. We need support to stop the moral bankruptcy and bankruptcy of the minds of our gullible villagers. At the recent inauguration of the new Colva School, Francisco Sardinha openly said “Fr Diogo is the Shahinsha of builders”. Not Shahinsha of Priests. What a shame!! A Priest is suppose to be a spiritual guide etc and an ambassador of God. Sardinha is not wrong in his description. Today it is happening in our parish and in our village it could be your parish tomorrow.


Adeus. Mog Assum Dhi.
Joseph Fernandes.

A Perfect Lesson For Us All

A Perfect Lesson For Us All

 

http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/randomaccess/entry/a-humane-tigress-and-heartless

 

The above article once again reminds us that we should not mess with nature and nature's natural progression. We all agree that nature by all means is beautiful, even though, we sometimes have to bear the ferocity that can devastate humanity, be it the volcanoes, the tsunami's, the thunder and lightening, fire, wind, waves, rain, fog, clouds, snow or hailstones, all these nature's happenings have ever so entranced and enchanted mankind, and man is still fighting a loosing battle to find the causes and the ways and means to control them or curb them.

 

Scientists and geologists have spent their life time, going through hardships and even death to educate us and the generations to come, about the repercussions of messing with nature, but alas, when will it ever sink into our thick skulls that we should leave nature, to it's self to create the required balance, for the survival of this very planet.

 

History has been a witness to the wrath and fury of nature, which mankind is still very much ill equipped to face, leave alone tackle or even dream of curbing. On more occasions than not, man has invited the fury of nature unto himself, and has been swept away each and every time. Even with all the wisdom and the advancement in science and technology, man is helpless against the force and fury of nature. So the only viable option to mankind is to leave nature to it's own terms and progressions.

 

In Goa, our money minded politicians to make a fast buck, have played havoc with nature by allowing rampant mining, destroying forests and hills, destroying the precious vegetation, and driving wild animals away from their natural habitat. We have been witnesses to the dwindling water resources, fertile lands being scorched and to the loss of our flora and fauna as a result of this atrocious attack on mother nature, as a result of which some of us have borne the fury of nature, and what have we learnt from it, or have we ?  

 

Of late we have been hearing of wild animals attacking humans, in and around their homes. If our homes are destroyed don't we seek food and shelter else where ? So too it is with wild animals. Once their natural habitat in destroyed and devastated by mining, where are they suppose to go, find food and shelter ? When we mess with nature, we invite the ills on ourselves. Wild life, left to it's self in their own habitat, will not attack humans as long as their domain is not invaded, but will man's curiosity and greed, ever let him do it ?

 

The above article is a perfect lesson for each one of us and more so for the forest officials. Even though the tigress felt threatened, she just displayed her natural instincts, but in no uncertain terms warned the man responsible for the threat, to leave her and her cubs alone and was lucky, that he lost just one eye rather than his life, in the standoff.  Live and let live should be our precise objective towards nature, if we want to live in harmony with nature.

 

Our corrupt politicians have been pacifying the environmental activists, by setting up different commissions and committees, but have they at any time followed the proposals, that have been made or recommended, to protect our environment ? What exactly happened to the remains of the tiger, that were found at Keri ? Or are the officials still trying to make Mr. Kamat the scapegoat, for their short comings and inefficiency ?  It goes to show just how indifferent, our authorities are towards wild life and our environment.

 

Our present corrupt politicians certainly lack the integrity, basic ethics, honesty, dedication and above all morals, to make Goa the Jewel that it once was, by protecting and preserving what's left of Mother Goa and providing a clean and constructive governance. Will I be wrong in saying, that just because electricity comes from electrons, why should we expect morality and good constructive governance from morons, we keep electing over and over again, thus proving, we ourselves are morons.

 

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes

Dubai - U.A.E

---

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GOA POLICE NOW "XENN KHAIAT".

In the recently passed judgment by the Court in Goa, the serial killer Mahannanda was acquitted second time, it is in the second murder case, for lack of proper evidence, earlier he was also acquitted in the first murder case. Now Goa Police not only drink “Mut” but eat “ Xenn” . It is a shame on Goa Police who must have got false confession from Mahannanda under duress by mercilessly beating him and forcing him to admit the crime which he never committed. These rascal policemen in Goa are so cruel and so stone hearted that they acquire the role of the butchers when they extort false confession from the prisoners by mercilessly beating them inside the prison cell, many times under the influence of liquour which intoxicate them to turn into Monsters to beat the prisoners mercilessly. During Portuguese time this role was played by the Portuguese policemen known as “Agente” who were worst than the wild beasts. Agente Monteiro was one of them. He used to beat the prisoners in such a way that the prisoners had no choice but to accept the fault which they have never committed. Once at Mapusa Police Station when the late freedom fighter Mark Fernandes was arrested for being Freedom Fighter and put under the command of Agente Monteiro, he used to kick Mark Fernandes and toss him from one wall to the other. Still Mark Fernandes was very courageous and even once Mark told Agente Monteiro that “if you had to kick me like this outside this Cell, I would turn you into pieces”. For this Mark Fernandes got more kicking till Mark admitted the fault which he never committed. This is the disgraceful quality of Policemen in Goa, of course exceptions are there but they are very few.

The role of Policemen is always nasty for this reason decent and soft hearted people do not opt for this job and their decent families too prevent their sons and daughters from joining Police Force to avoid them from getting corrupted. Once you are in Police job you have to acquire the heart of Hitler or Saddam Hussein. During the Portuguese rule in Goa, somewhere in 1959 some Freedom Fighters detonated a Bomb in the Launch ferrying from Aldona. It was a big news that time and Goa was shaken by this news. It was late in the afternoon just before dusk. Immediately arrests were made and one of the persons arrested was from Candolim, the son of a big Bamonn Christao Bhattkar, Sr. Frias whose palatial house is located next to Candolim Asilo at Pintos Vaddo. According to one source Sr. Frias was not directly involved in planting the Bomb but along with others he too was arrested. When he was arrested everyone was stunned because Goan Christao Bamon were always known to suppor Portuguese “Serkar”. With the backing of Portuguez “Serkar” , Christao Bamonn Bhattkar in Goa during Portuguese rule harassed, exploited and harmed poor Goans especially their "Munddkars". More than Portuguese, Goan Christao Bamonn Bhattkars harassed poor Mundkar Goans otherwise “Bahujan Samaz” in Goa would fight against Indian Millitary on 18th & 19th December 1961 to stop Goa getting invaded by Bharat. On the contrary overwhelming majority of Hindu Bahujan Samaz supported Portuguese ouster from Goa as a revenge against the “dadagiri” of Christao Bamonn Bhattkars with the support of Portuguese authority in Goa. The ouster of Portuguez Government in Goa in December 1961 was a fitting reply to the arrogance and pride of Christao Bamonn Bhtkars.

Coming back to the arrestees of Bombing of Lauch at Aldona, during the interrogation they were not only physically assaulted but were tortured. Different stories were coming out of their torturing and because of the torturing they were made to admit the crime which they did not commit, Sr. Frias was not guilty and yet he confessed because of unbearable torturing. After severely beating them they were made to sleep on big Ice Blogs when their bruised bodies were oozing blood. Also their bleeding bodies were applied with Salt to inflict more pain on their already painful bodies. Such was the punishment so many Goan Freedom Fighters suffered from the Portuguese to drive them from Goa.

Sr. Frias’ father after exhausting all avenues to get his son released finally hired an Advocate from Bombay to fight the case on behalf of his son, that time the fees of this Lawyer was Rs. 100/- per hour which was really high according that time. While defending his client Sr. Frias, the Bombay Advocate told the presiding Judge that “Senhor Juiz, if my client has accepted his involvement in this bombing it was only out of fear of physical abuse and torturing your Agentes have inflicted on him”. And then the Advocate went on saying thus “Your Police force is so cruel in torturing the prisoners that the prisoners have no choice but to accept the blame even they are not guilty and in this way my client accepted the blame when he is innocent”. And while concluding, the Bombay Advocate said “even the Devil will get afraid of the beatings and torturing your Police Force inflicting on the prisoners”. Then by virtue of being the Judge, he silenced Bombay Advocate from further proceedings.

Recently, a similar incident has happened in Kuwait. One young Pakistani girl suddenly disappeared. Out of suspicion one Egyptian man was arrested for kidnapping, raping and subsequently killing that Pakistani girl. The suspect Egyptian even made to enact the crime in the presence of top Police Officers. After a few days the same Pakistani girl appeared alive from her hiding place at her boyfriend place. The whole Kuwait was shaken by knowing this story after reading it in the local newspaper. Some top Kuwaitis asked thorough explanation from the authorities concerned and added saying “if the girl had not to resurface then the innocent soul would have gone to the gallows”.

Coming back to Mahananda, Goa Police has failed to frame proper charges against Mahananda. It looks he was made scapegoat innocently by the “Xenn Khaire” Goa Police. And that Mahananda was innocent was legally proved when he was acquitted as innocent from the two murders. Goa Police must now eat “Xenn” only. It is now proved beyond any doubt that Goa Police are useless and unfit. Goa Police is fit only to catch “Moddkekar”, “Buskar” and “Motorkar”. I don’t support a genuine criminal but from the above mentioned 2 acquitals I feel Mahananda will come out of the jail as innocent because he is either innocent or his Advocate will outsmart Goa Police who must have filed fabricated criminal cases against Mahananda. Human Rightist in Goa must raise their voices against stupidity of Goa Police by wrongly implicating and detaining Mahananda in the two false cases. Mahananda must be compensated for the physical harm done to his body by the Goa Police in the above two criminal cases and Goa Police must be forced to apologise not only to Mahananda but also to his family. Civilised Goans must force Goa Police to civilize themselves. God knows the real criminals in the above two crimes must be some close relatives of the Policemen only who framed false criminal charges against Mahananda to protect the real criminals, their relatives. And what guarantee is there the Policemen themselves are not involved in those two murders? I don’t trust Police especially Goa Police.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

THE LATE WILFY REBIMBUS.

“ If again I take birth, I will prefer it a thousand times only in Konkani world of which I am so proud”, said the late Wilfy Rebimbus on 29th October 1999 at the packed Indian Embassy Auditorium while delivering his speech during the function organized by Kuwait Canara Welfare Association to felicitate him. Further Wilfy in his very philosophical and intellectual address thanked God, then his mother and then the whole Konkani community for making him what he was. Then he went on saying that during his last so many years in the Konkani musical world he enoyed enormous support, love and affection from Konkani community which is indeed great. Even if he had to spend millions he would never get such a love and affection and if it all happened, it was only because of Konkani, stated Wilfy openly. Then he added thanking his mother for giving him birth in Konkani World and bringing him up in Konkani culture”.

Seen in the picture above Wilfy Rebimbus receiving a Memento from Fr. Gabriel Dias co-founder of Konkani Heritage Kuwait during the felicitation function in honour of Wilfy on 03.11.1999 at Village Inn, Kuwait City.

His death on 9th of this month was a solid blow to the Konkani culture and Konkani musical world. He composed over 2500 songs, rendered them on the Konkani Stage and in Konkani Albums which are great assets for the posterity. Under his direction, he presented over 200 Musical Shows of 3-Hour duration. Composed music and songs for the Konkani Colour Movie “Mog Ani Moipas” in 1977; also for “Bogsonne” released in 1996 and for a Video Film “Kazara Uprant” in 1998. He scripted the story for Konkani Movie “Teesri Chitt”. He released volumes of his Songs under the title “Vinchar Podam” and sold the same in 9 parts. Under the title “Kogul Gaita” he released another volume of his songs. Besides All India Radio Bombay and Mangalore broadcast his Konkani programmes a number of times. His Musical Shows have been organized in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Dubai, Muscat and many other parts of the world

Seen in the picture above Wilfy and his singer wife Meena with a Memento presented to Wilfy by Konkani Heritage Kuwait.

In his Konkani programmes and songs he kept Konkani language not only alive but also attractive especially to the new generation. His majestic physique and attractive personality with his solid base voice easily attracted him innumerable audience and followers. His son Vishwas and wife Meena gave an added booster for his shows and presentations.

Seen in the picture above Wilfy addressing the gathering during his felicitation function. Others seen at the dais from left: President of KHK Fidelis Fernandes, Elvira D'Souza, Rita Rose, Comedian Humbert and Lawry Pinto.

A very humble man from his birth, he always lived a humble life. Enormous success in the Konkani musical field never made him proud and this success never reached to his head. I had occasions to meet him many times, once in Goa a few years back during “Songit Samelan” a Konkani programme organized at Fatorda Margao where seeing me he came running to wish me and also in Kuwait many times during his visits to this country besides during the felicitation function Konkani Heritage Kuwait organized in his honour at Village Inn. I had great opportunity once in Kuwait to interview him and publish the same in print media. I always found him a simple man with simple habits without any arrogance and pride. He always supported me and encouraged me in my work for the cause of Konkani. He looked at my work in Konkani field with great admiration and I was very proud to receive compliments from him. Some of the members of his troupe in Mangalore and now settled in Kuwait always talked very high of him. It was very nice that his Mangalorean community not only in Mangalore and other parts of India honoured him by recognizing his worth but this was done even in the Gulf and other countries. This was the unique attribute of Mangalorean Konkani people.

Seen in the picture above are A. Veronica Fernandes, Meena, Wilfy and Fidelis.

During his lifetime thru his songs and shows Wilfy acted as a hinge between Mangalorean Konkani people and Goans. He never discriminated between Mangaloreans and Goans. Thru Konkani he brought all Konkani people together. In his death Konkani and especially Konkani Musical Art lost a great personality. I don’t think we will get another Wilfy Rebimbus in Konkani Musical World to fill the void created by his death. Such persons come to this world only once in centuries.

Seen in the picture above Rosary Ferns singing a specially composed song in praise of Wilfy

May the Soul of Wilfy Rest in Peace.

Adeus Wilfy - Adeus Konkani Moguia.

A. Veronica Fernandes,

Kuwait.

KKK MOURNS THE DEATH OF WILFY REMIMBUS.

KUWAIT KONKNNI KENDR DEEPLY MOURN THE SAD AND SUDDEN DEMISE OF GREAT KONKANI SINGER AND ARTISTE WILFY REMIMBUS IN MANGALORE ON 9TH OF THIS MONTH.

IN HIS DEATH, KONKANI MUSICAL WORLD LOST A GREAT COMPOSER, SINGER AND ARTISTE.

MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE AND MAY HEAVENLY GOD GIVE COURAGE AND COMFORM TO HIS FAMILY TO BEAR THIS COLOSSAL LOSS.

KUWAIT KONKNNI KENDR,
KUWAIT.

A REPUGNANT SUGGESTION.

A Repugnant Suggestion: By The Chief Justice Of India.

As I was browsing through the news papers on the net, on Women’s day, one of the articles on TOI did attract my attention in particular, the statement made by the Hon. Chief Justice of India, Justice K G Balakrishnan, that “due regard must be given to the wishes of a rape victim, if she wants to marry the rapist or give birth to a child conceived following the crime”.


I am in no way as qualified as the CJI, nor do I understand anything major about the law process, but as a concerned citizen of India, I am much perturbed by this statement. As far as I am concerned a rape is a rape, no matter what terms or adjectives are used, it is the basic violation of one’s human right, be it man or woman and should not go unpunished, no matter what follows in the aftermath and the punishment must be very severe and precise because, rape is not just physical degradation, it’s a mental torture, the scars or the imprint of which, seldom heal or disappear, during the life term of a person. The entire life of a person can be devastated by this savage act of lust, which in no way reduces the intensity of the crime, even if forgiving by the victim.


The decision of the victim, to marry the perpetrator, may be entirely personal or because of the circumstances created by the perpetrator, and should not have any influence on the process of justice. In the case of the victim wanting to marry the perpetrator, the wheels of justice should not deviate, but hold on to the path of righteousness and the perpetrator punished, if found guilty, or else we’ll have women being singled out and randomly raped and then married as per convenience. This will only encourage rape and accordingly the situation will not be ameliorated in any way but rather exacerbated in more ways than one. I do not know in what other context the CJI, could have made that statement but as a layman, I know that even in a marriage, forced sex is a rape, so the perpetrator marrying his victim, is surely no alternative for consideration.


Given the history of rapes to the rate of convictions, which is very much abysmal in India, our authorities should be working towards giving justice to the brave women, who despite the taboo of being raped, on their lives, have made efforts to fight for justice, so that the perpetrators may be punished and other women may live in dignity. It is indeed very much disconcerting to note, that just a minuscule percent of the rapes cases in India are reported, out of which, the conviction rate is even more pathetic, if this is the apathy towards the rape victims, what are the rape victims suppose to do ? Fight the perpetrators against all odds by themselves or follow the repugnant suggestion of the CJI and forgive the perpetrator and marry him and live happily ever after ? Will that be possible ?


In India we are a very conservative society, and most often than not, rapes are not reported, some are even made to marry the perpetrators, to get rid of the social stigma of being raped. Is that the way, the Indian women of the 21st century should be humiliated ? I am shocked that, not a single woman of substance, of the present era, nor the human right groups in India, have raised a voice of concern regarding this statement made by the CJI. We do have every right to ask “what due regard” was the CJI talking about ? As far as the crime is concerned, punishment should be nothing less than castration or a life sentence. If this punishment is horrifying, so is the crime. With the present attitude towards rape victims I wonder, if the victims of rape will ever see justice served or “Justice for all” the very foundation of our constitution, will remain, just a slogan. On women’s day, our Indian women surely deserved, a lot better than what was offered by the CJI.

Freddy Agnelo Fernandes,
Dubai - UAE

ROSARY FERNS MOURNS DEATH OF WILFY REBIMBUS.

Seen in the picture is Rosary Ferns presenting one of his Albums to Wilfy Remimbus on 3rd November 1999 during the honouring function for Wilfy by Konkani Heritage Kuwait.



On behalf of myself and my troupe, I send my deepest condolences to Mrs. Wilfy Rebimbus, his children and grand children.

May His Soul Rest In Peace.



ROSARY FERNS,

KUWAIT.

KHK'S CONDOLENCE ON WILFY REBIMBUS DEATH.

Seen in the picture is Wilfy Rebimbus seated at 2nd from right, during "Konkani Heritage Kuwait" honouring function of Rita Rose and Humbert held at Village Inn, Kuwait City, on 28th November 2003.

KONKANI HERITAGE KUWAIT deeply mourn the sad demise of the well-known Konkani singer, composer and stage artiste Wilfy Rebimbus, today 9th March 2010 in Mangalore. In his death Konkani Musical Art lost a great artsite.

May his soul rest in peace.

KONKANI HERITAGE KUWAIT,

KUWAIT.

DRUG DEALER GOA POLICEMEN.

The recent news coming from Goa that 5 Goa Policemen were involved in selling Drugs which were earlier seized from the Goa based Drug Dealers is not a shocking news for me, they are now all under suspension. Trading in seized drugs is not uncommon for Goa Police who are considered more corrupt than any other Policemen anywhere in the world. Going back to late sixties and early seventies in the Hippies invested world at Calangute and that whole coastal belt, one Police Inspector of Calangute Police Station had with him as Pimps some locals to do all the dirty jobs for him and for his subordinates including supplying of whores. One business that Police Inspector or Sub Inspector from Calangute Police Station doing was to catch the Hippies in the coastal area under his supervision, confiscate and seize Drugs from them, mainly Kashmiri and Nepali Charas and keep those Hippies under lock up for few hours and then release them minus Charas seized from them. Then the said Police Inspector calls his Pimp friend and instruct him to sell the seized Charas and bring the money to him. In this way the Police Inspector would make handsome money out of this illegal and immoral trade. During those days one gram of Charas would fetch good amount in Indian Rupees.


The worst people in Goa are the Policemen mostly coming from corrupt family background. During the Portuguese regime in Goa, normally decent families never used to send their sons to join Police Force because this profession was considered of “Disgracad” Goans. Also it was considered as disgraceful because Portuguese authority and Portuguese Police Officers used to treat Goan Policemen with lowliness. Goans were not elevated to the top posts with the exception of very few otherwise majority of Goan Policemen were “Guardos” like present day Hawaldar. These Hawaldars were used by their top Portuguese Officers to do all the dirty jobs for them including Pimping and many of our Guardos were doing this dirty jobs to the satisfaction of their Portuguese masters. For this reason Policeman’s job was discarded by the decent Goans coming from decent family background, however poor financially they may be.


In Candolim at Pintos Vaddo on the main road, near Bosio Hospital, one Christao Bamonn Family was supplying their daughter to the top Portuguese Police Officer from Panjim, he used to visit her once a week. When he was busy with his job, his third class Goan Guardo coming from “Rostad” family background used to stand outside the house guarding Portuguese Officer’s BMW Bike and checks nobody is around. In this way our Goan Guardo was used to do the dirty job of a Pimp. This is only one example, like this there are innumerable examples where our Guardos were used to do the dirty jobs for their superiors.


The late singer and Konkani Stage artiste from Calangute, Souza Giao used to tell me “Never to rely on the integrity of Policemen” though there are some good among them but they are very rare. It is not the person but the system of police makes you corrupt and without acquiring this system you cannot attain success in Police Force. It is one of the worst corrupt professions in Goa and how deeply it is corrupt and immoral one could realize from the manner the above mentioned suspended 5 policemen acted.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

KONARK MEDICAL WORLD - Change of Address.

KONARK MEDICAL WORLD.

With effect from 01st March 2010, the Office of “KONARK MEDICAL WORLD” (KMW) has been shifted to:

SALMIYA,
SHARA AMAN,
OPPOSITE AL RASHID HOSPITAL,
1ST FLOOR,
FLAT NO. 35,
BUILDING NO. 15,
BLOCK NO. 246.

Contact Telephone Numbers: 55930212 - Abdul Rahman Al Muhaiteeb (General Manager).
55685307 - Michael Pinto (Distributor & Mini Stockist Owner).

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

GOA'S BRAVE SONS DIE FOR THE NATION. By Valmiki Faleiro.

Up, Up and high …
Goa’s Brave Sons in the Sky
By VALMIKI FALEIRO

=======================================
VALMIKI FALEIRO recalls three more instances of the
brave sons of the soil, who laid down their lives for the nation,
at times beyond the call of duty. All they left behind were
edifying stories of gallantry and cherished memories…
=======================================

The recent demise of 39-year-old Oswald Manuel Francis de Abreu would have
touched any Goan heart. Native of Chorao, the Goa born-and-bred “Ossie,” as he
was fondly known, was Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force (IAF.) More
specifically, he was Flight Commander of the 222 (“Tigersharks”) Squadron based
at Hasimara in West Bengal.

As he left home this Feb. 16, little would his wife Janice and kids Nadia and Nathan
realise that they would never see him alive again. Barely had Ossie taken off in the
Russian-made MiG 27 when the aircraft’s engines were on fire. It crashed within
moments, with the pilot, within the precincts of the air station.

Yet another life of those brave – but largely unsung – men, from foot soldier, sailor, to
fighter pilot who defend the nation, was snuffed out within seconds. Heaven would
doubtlessly be kind to Ossie. And, hopefully, to his surviving family here on earth.

Ossie was not the first Goan IAF pilot to die in a crash. But not a single Goa-based
newspaper deigned to cover this angle. Reason I decided to write. Let’s look at just
three instances – one high profile, the others lesser known – of IAF pilots of Goan
origin who laid down their lives for the nation.

But, before that, a brief background on the flying branch of the IAF. It is the most
glamorous in the service. Only a small percentage of the IAF’s personnel are in its
physically, mentally and emotionally demanding environs. Yet, the number of pilots
and other officer ranks Goa – particularly Catholic Goa – gave the nation is far above
its proportionate population.

The hierarchal officer ranks of the IAF, from juniormost to the top: Flying Officer,
Flight Lieutenant, Squadron Leader, Wing Commander, Group Captain, Air
Commodore, Air Vice Marshall, Air Marshall and Air Chief Marshall (the chief of
staff.) Though Goa has given an army chief of staff, Gen. Sunith F. Rodrigues, but
none in the air force, it has its fair share in the top ranks: like Air Marshall CS Naik,
Air Vice Marshall Erlich Pinto (who died in a helicopter crash with about a dozen
high-ranking officers in J&K), Air Vice Marshall Pereira and Air Commodore PK Pinto.

Over to the valiant stories of another Wing Commander, one Squadron Leader and
one Flight Lieutenant. The last first.

The patchy but tempestuous electoral politics of Jinnah’s Pakistan threw up an
incredible verdict in Dec-1970. The Awami League, a political party based in the then
second-fiddle wing of the nation, East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), won a majority in
the national elections. The thought of Awami leader, Sheik Mujibur Rehman, being
leader of the nation was absurd to West Pakistan, where the seat of government
was. Pakistan was then, as often down her history, under a military dictatorship.

Sheik Mujibur was invited for talks in the West. The impasse continued. Thinking
future Bangladeshis, particularly at Dacca University, were restive. Students began
learning to make Molotov cocktails (petrol bombs.) The Pakistan ruler, Gen. Yahya
Khan, visited Dacca, confabulated with his men there, and, sozzled and barely able
to climb the steps to his airplane at dusk, ordered Gen. Tikka Khan (“Butcher of
Bangladesh”) to crackdown on East Pakistan. The date: March 25, 1971.

That night, dozens of Pakistani tanks surrounded the Dacca University and opened
fire. The Molotov cocktails of the students were no match. The repression in East
Pakistan led to thousands – the initial trickle – pour into India (West Bengal.) India’s
resolute Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, set up camps for the refugees.

Over the months, the refugee ranks swelled into the millions. Indira saw opportunity.
She went on a whirlwind tour, influencing world leaders (some of who visited the
refugee camps in W.Bengal) and prepared for action.

Yahya and his men copied Israel’s blueprint of the Yom Kippur war – which began
with a pre-emptive aerial strike at the enemies surrounding Israel. Indian intelligence
learnt of Pakistani plans to bomb several airfields across north India. The IAF quietly
moved its aircraft to safer locations, and even placed dummy ones on the tarmac.

December 3, 1971. Pakistan strafed several Indian airfields (and the dummy planes!)
Indian ground, sea and air forces went into immediate offensive – both at East and
West Pakistan. Within the first hours, Pakistani air force in the East was decimated
and substantially depleted in the West – in a reverse Yom Kippur on Pakistan.

Indira Gandhi would have known that war would attract adverse world opinion.
Military objectives had to be achieved in the quickest possible time, before calls for
ceasefire reverberated across the world. Time was of essence to secure the political
objectives of the war. India’s armed forces would have to work overtime.

Andre Rudolph da Costa, native of Tolecanto-Velim, was Flight Lieutenant in the
No.7 (“Battle Axe”) Squadron, flying Hawker Hunter fighters based at Baghdogra in
northern West Bengal. On Day 1 of operations, he achieved his tasks in the
destruction of the East Pakistan air force. On Day 2, he returned to base after
successfully completing the last of his hectic missions of the day.

Then fate intervened. Either the indisposition of a colleague who requested him to
take over his sorties, or unexpected calls for air cover from the army now deep within
East Pakistan – one will never know which – made Andre take to the cockpit again.
He was clearly not meant to be there. After destroying several enemy targets in the
Rangpur Sector, the intrepid pilot attacked a supply train south of Lal Munir Hat
bridge, when he and his leader came under severe anti-aircraft fire.

Both pilots managed to fly their badly damaged Hunters across the international
border to India. While Sqn Ldr SK Gupta ejected safely over the Baghdogra airfield,
Andre’s aircraft went out of control, killing him just inside Indian Territory. He was
among IAF’s first fatalities in the war. He was awarded a Vir Chakra (posthumous.)

Andre’s parents were settled in Hyderabad, whence he was selected as a fighter pilot
and commissioned in 1963. Andre was married, had a toddler son and an infant girl.
His widow and children are now settled in Canada.

IAF’s Sqn Leader ML Fernandes was native of Sirlim. He was flying back a brand
new transport aircraft from the USSR in 1985 when he and the machine disappeared
without a trace over Gujarat. Unfortunately, precious little is known about this event.
There were, alas, no olive leaf laurels for Fernandes (as in Alfred Lord Tennyson’s
“Home they brought the warrior dead.”)

Let’s go across to November 4, 1977. Prime Minister Morarji Desai, with his son
Kantilal Desai, Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh PK Thungon, another politico,
and John Lobo, the Siolim-origin former Director of Intelligence Bureau and CBI (as
head of the PM’s security now), were headed from New Delhi’s Palam airbase for
Tezpur in Assam, on a six-day visit to the Northeast.

As politicians are wont, they arrived hours late, delaying scheduled takeoff. Thungon
would years later publicly admit, “I advised them against flying to Tezpur after 2 pm.
Light and weather conditions in the Northeast are not conducive to flying at that hour.
But these people (the PMO) insisted and we took off from Delhi.”

They did that in an 11-year old IAF Tupolev-124K “Pushpak Rath” (floral chariot.) A
crew of five was captained by Wing Commander Clarence Joseph D'Lima, native of
D’Lima Vaddo, Socorro-Porvorim. The other crewmembers were Wing Commander
Joginder Singh, Sqn Ldr Mathew Cyriac, Sqn Ldr VVS Sankar and Fl. Lt. OP Arora.
All five were from IAF’s elite Communication Squadron established in 1947 as the
official carrier of presidents, PMs, cabinet ministers and service chiefs.When the flight approached the Jorhat-Rowriah area, local Air Traffic Control radioed
bad weather and instead of proceeding to Tezpur, asked Clarence to land at Jorhat.
It was about 7.30pm. It was dark. The Jorhat airstrip was rudimentary. It had no night
landing facilities. Worse, the weather was already bad. (A Board of Enquiry later
established that both onboard altimeters were not functioning reliably.)

Clarence aborted the first landing attempt. On the second approach, metres from
touchdown, the aircraft plunged in a sudden atmospheric 'down draft.' It grazed a
treetop, severely damaging its nose landing gear.

Clarence decided it was dangerous to risk the life of the country’s Prime Minister by
attempting a landing on the hard surface of a runway with a damaged nose wheel,
which first touches the ground when landing.

Risking his own and his crew’s lives, Clarence decided on a nose crash-landing in a
soft, wet paddy field at Tekelagaon, some 25 kms. from Jorhat airbase. The cockpit
would take maximum impact on touchdown, while the cabin would be relatively safe.
A belly landing would have equaled risks (of a touchdown explosion) for both crew
and passengers. Clarence clearly decided risking himself and the crew, but not the
passengers. And averted possibly the worst VVIP disaster in Indian aviation history.

Clarence and his co-pilot Joginder deftly brought the aircraft down. Even before it
would have halted, all the five valiant IAF men must have perished. (See picture of
the wreckage, courtesy Outlook India.) For them, the “floral chariot” turned death
chariot. All the VVIP passengers survived.

Smoke emitted in the cabin as the fuselage came to a halt. The jet came fitted with
automatic fire dousing, but with the cockpit itself gone, the system was immobilized.
Quickly throwing open emergency doors, John Lobo, the six-feet plus man of strong
build, grabbed the Prime Minister like a father would his child in peril, and, wading
through the slushy soil, deposited him a safe distance away. He returned to the
wreckage, now a potential bomb waiting to explode.

Kantibhai had fractured his leg in the impact, and in any case his seatbelt was
jammed. Lobo yanked him out, seatbelt and all, and deposited him near Morarji.
(Incidentally, the day Wing Cdr Oswald de Abreu was buried at Panjim, John Lobo
attended the funeral of his brother, Bishop Ignatius Lobo, in Belgaum.) Meanwhile,
Flight Lt. PK Ravindran and Corporal KN Upadhyay manning the cabin, helped
evacuate other passengers. They then walked to Jorhat to help rescue a Prime
Minister stranded in a dark, wet and lonely paddy field in one corner of India…

Five had died to save the life of one Prime Minister. Yet, not even an Ashoka Chakra
(the national award for bravery during peacetime.) All that the gallant IAF men got
was a condolence resolution adopted in the Lok Sabha!

(With thanks to Frenny D’Silva, widow of Wing Commander Xavier D’Silva, ex-Velim,
Bismark Martins of Baga-Velim, cousin-brother of Flight Lt. Andre R. da Costa, and
my school chum Raju Fernandes, ex-Tolecanto-Velim.)
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The above article appeared in the HERALD (Goa) edition of February 28, 2010