DEATH OF FR. MORENO DE SOUZA.

DEATH OF FR. MORENO DE SOUZA.

On behalf of myself, my colleagues in Konkani circle especially from Kuwait Konknni Kendr, Konkani Heritage Kuwait and all the like minded lovers of Konkani, I deeply mourn the sad demise of Fr. Moreno D'Souza on Sunday 14th of this month in Goa. As I know him, Fr. Moreno D'Souza during his entire life not only served God but he also served Konkani in Roman script. He was a good friend of mine and I was a good reader of his D. Mhoineachi Rotti, even in Kuwait I was a suscriber of D. M. Rotti. In D. M. Rotti in the column of "Vichar ani Zabab" on religious topics, we both had lot of debates, not on ordinary subjects but on very high subjects. Many times he involved and made Fr. Ivo Do Conceicao to quench my thirst when he himself was found wanting. Thru D.M. Rotti and thru Fr. Moreno's writings I have improved my power of knowledge, not only on religious topics but also on secular topics. I was reading him not only in D.M. Rotti but also in other Konkani dailies, weeklies and monthlies. His writings had deep meaning and he used to make lot of research on any topic that he used to touch.

Fr. Moreno was also a very good preacher and I heard his sermons at innumerable places and at innumerable times in Goa. While preaching one could feel some grace in him and a fountain of wisdomatic words. He had very good convincing power. His sermons were also very bold and even his advices to people were very bold. Once, one middle aged woman in my village came to him soliciting his assistance. While doing so she asked Fr. Moreno to pray for her pain in her right hand. Fr. Moreno replied to her thus "You must be prepared to bear at least little pain as a Christian because Christianity revolves around suffering. If we Christians are not ready to bear a little physical pain then what sort of Christians are we?".

During the invasion of Kuwait, to respect my word, he came to Panjim at T. B. Cunha Hall when we marked the National Day of Kuwait on the eve of the liberation of Kuwait. He was very symphatetic to our cause of Kuwait. He prayed for the liberation of Kuwait and during the meeting in his address to the hall packed gathering of Kuwait evacuees, he spoke so well in support of the liberation of Kuwait and in appreciation of our movement.

In his death I will miss a very good friend, a very good guide and an excellent colleague in Konkani movement. He brought honour not only for Konkani in general but more so for Roman script Konkani. Once Rane as a Chief Minister of Goa about 3o years back said Romi Konkani writers and followers are backward. Immediately on the next day Fr. Moreno issued a bold statement saying "I am a Romi Konkani writer and supporter. I am not backward. I challenge you to prove me as backward". Rane had no guts to prove and like a coward remained silent.

May the soul of Fr. Moreno D'Souza Rest In Peace and may God give more of Fr. Morenos to Goa and to our Goan Church. It is a sad that day by day death is snatching Konkani lover and Konkani writer priests from our midst. Their contribution for the promotion, development and spread of Konkani was immense.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.

Right to Information

Dear friends,

We may not be able to do much about World Peace, but yes all of us can certainly do something for Goa, our land, our people, our culture and our beautiful atmosphere.

I think the guys in Goa, should take active participation in all issues concerning Goa. And rest of the guys abroad should support and encourage and may advise their families in Goa to take active participation (unless of course you are planning to settle outside).

All of us are living a busy life, there is no doubt about it, but in the busy lifestyle we got to keep some percentage of time aside for social cause. We are living in a society, and we need to see that the whole society progresses in a positive direction. We have become what we are coz' of the society around us and we got to give back something to the society.

We are in a very crucial stage in Goa at present, either we fight and survive or we simply give up and perish. Somehow we are unlucky as far as the rulers are concerned, and hence we have to fight for every issue (and there is no option). If we are planning to settle down and retire in Goa, then we got to preserve it as it is, now, before it is too late.

You can fight only if you are aware, hence the Right to Information Act is an important tool. GOA CAN is a NGO who are educating people in consumer rights. I reproduce an email from Goa Can, please go through it and spread the info.

Remember, either we fight and survive, or we give up and perish. Choose to fight and we will win. We have to wake up now, keep a little time aside in your busy schedule, if you want to see "Goa" remaining as Goa.

Thanks & regards,
Joseph Vaz, josephlrv@gmail.com
Aquem-Baixo, Navelim - Goa

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Goacan goacan@sancharnet.in
Date: Oct 12, 2007 10:08 AM
Subject: [goacan] GOACAN to observe Right To Information Fortnight from 12th to 25th October
To: Egoacan goacan@yahoogroups.com
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Do GOACAN a favour, circulate this email to your family members,
relatives, neighbours and friends. Help others be BETTER INFORMED
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GOACAN to observe Right To Information Fortnight from 12th to 25th October
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The Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GOACAN) will observe a
Right To Information Fortnight from 12th to 25th October. The program
being organised on the occasion of the second anniversary of the enactment
of the Right To Information Act 2005 seeks to address the need for awareness
on RTI as well as to petition the Goa Govt. to fulfill its duties with respect to the Act.

GOACAN will highlight the demand that the Goa Govt.print and sell
copies of the Act in English and the vernacular languages for an affordable price.

The Govt. increases training sessions for its officials in the administration
of the RTI Act especially the Village Panchayat Secretaries and Head Clerks
of various Departments.

The Govt. publicizes the salient features of the Act through Adverts.on
Hoardings & Cable TV and wall painting at Bus Stands, Primary Health
Centres, Police Stations, offices of Mamlatdars & District Collectors and
all village Panchayats & Municipal Councils.

The Govt. must enforce the compulsory display of boards stating the PIO's
of all the Depts.,Corporations and Agencies & Institutions receiving
substantial funds from the Govt.

During the fortnight GOACAN will network with the village based Consumer
Forums to promote awareness on the Right To Information Act in the local area.

Consumer Forum activists will organise "phone in's" with the various Heads
of Departments and Central Govt. offices operating in Goa to verify whether
the RTI procedures are being followed. The Forum volunteers will also
publicise the user friendly method of affixing a Rs.10/- Court Fee stamp
on the RTI application at the time of submission.

In order to draw public and media attention to the use of RTI Act during
the fortnight, surprise visits & checks, submitting of RTI applications
and inspection of files will be undertaken.

During the fortnight consumer activists will also publicize the
address, telephone & fax numbers and email id of the
Goa State Information Commission, the list of the PIO's,
APIO's and the Appellate Authorities.

Consumers are requested to send copies of their RTI applications/suggestions
by post to GOACAN, Post Box 187, Margao Goa 403 601 or
by email to during this fortnight.

------------------------------------------------------------
GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK
-----------------------------------------------------------
promoting civic and consumer rights in Goa
-----------------------------------------------------------
GOACAN Post Box 187 Margao, Goa 403 601
GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507
mailto: goacan@bsnl.in
----------------------------------------------------------

DEATH OF TIATRIST PREM KUMAR

DEATH OF TIATRIST PREM KUMAR

It is with deep regret and sorrow I received the news of the sudden and untimely death of the renowned Konkani Tiatrist, Prem Kumar, in Mumbai, on Friday 12th of this month. Joel D’Souza from Assagao Bardez was quick enough to flash this news thru cyber. While reading the news of his death I was refusing to admit it but facts are facts and one has to admit them and finally I admitted. Immediately today 13th I passed this news to many of my colleagues and friends especially those from Kuwait Konknni Kendr, Konkani Heritage Kuwait, Kuwait Tiatrists circle and Konkani Stage lovers who along with me joined together immediately to condole the death of Prem Kumar. Everyone was very sad to know of this death. May his soul rest in peace.

Konkani Stage since its inception produced great stalwarts and gigantic figures and because of their majestic roles on Konkani stage we are fortunate to have the Konkani stage survived till now. One of the very gigantic figures of Konkani stage who helped the promotion of Tiatro to raise its standard was none other than Prem Kumar. In fact what Prem Kumar has done for Konkani Stage no other Tiatrist has done. He was not only an ordinary script writer but a great playwright and director. I can rightly call him the Goan Shakespeare of Konkani Stage. I am very fortunate to watch most of his Tiatros in Goa and in Bombay. The story of his Tiatros touched great ideological topics like ‘MORTIKAR’ where a revolutionary man to bring economic equality in society robs the rich and helps the poor. “PELEACHE VOSTUCHI AXEA KORINAYE” was another Tiatro of his which touches deeply the conscience of the people truly in a Christian principle. Jessie Dias plays a very good role in this Tiatro. “MARIA MAGDALENA’ his another hit was well accepted by the Tiatro goers. “ABDUL NARAIN DESOUZA” is yet another masterpiece in which “Cantos” are very beautiful, so too the story where Prem Kumar dazzles like a shining star in hero's role. Along with Prem, Conception also played a magnificent role of a strict disciplinarian father. In fact all his Tiatros became total hit only because Prem Kumar himself played the main and important roles.

Not only was Prem Kumar fluent in his actions but very fluent in his expressions which he knew very well without relying on the prompting. The power and command of Konkani language in his Tiatros was also very good. ‘KONNANK MUNNONK MAIM” his another masterpiece would easily melt the hearts of the audience. Yet another excellent Tiatro of his “VAVRADDI” gives total different outlook of his mighty pen where he tells the educated persons not to feel shy in working in the fields. The scenes of the paddy field and that of the “Paddeanchem Zoth” ploughing the field look very genuine. Light effects and other cinema type of methods used magnify the scenic beauty of this Tiatro. In Mortikar he shows genuine running Motorcyle where Prem himself shown riding it. Here again light effects created the whole magic. He converted Konkani Stage into a Cinema by applying his knowledge which he learnt in the Hindi Film industry.
He was not a good singer and never excelled in singing but surely excelled beautifully in composing beautiful “Cantos”. The beauty of his Tiatros concentrated in a Shakespearean style purely on beautiful Dialogues, Proverbs and ideologically high statements. For example in Mortikar Tiatro which I consider the best among all his Tiatros there is a beautiful dialogue which goes thus: “Antonette when she comes to know that her brother Prem was arrested because he robbed somebody to fulfill the monetary demands of his girlfriend, Antonette informs this to his brother’s girlfriend. When the girlfriend ignores, Antonette calls her as “SUNNEM”. Listening to this, Rico Rod, Antonette’s uncle standing next to her sobbingly tells Antonette thus - Bai taka Sunnem munnonakai. Taka Sunnem munnon tum Sunneank okman kortai. Sunnem sodanch Visvaxi ani nhoi ghatki tujea bavachea girlfriendaporim” All his Tiatros were full of such beautiful dialogues. Prem Kumar was named as “Pai Dialogancho – Pain Scenicho” as C. Alvares named as “Pai Duettancho”. Along with J. P. Souzalin, Prem Kumar beautified Konkani Tiatros with beautiful scenes. However, between the two, Prem stands taller.
He was good in performing any type of role but the best role I liked him doing was that of an elderly man. In talking like an old man was his excellence. My contact with him started when he first time came to Goa to stage his two Tiatros in mid sixties. These Tiatros were staged all over Goa by the Candolim based contractor Pe. Alvito Vaz in aid of the construction of St. Theresa’s High School Candolim, my village. As a young school going boy I was helping Pe. Alvito in supporting his ventures for the cause of Village School. Both these Tiatros were big budgeted because the Stage was the biggest ever in length and breadth. Light effects were very expensive and cast was also huge. Prem relied too much on his script and scenes to attract the audience and less on artistes popularity. For this reason he many times suffered losses. He had strong sense of defiance and he liked challenges. He also had a tinge of feudality in him expecting reverence from other Tiatrists which finally led him to create enemies amongst Tiatrists. Then later on when I went to Bombay as a member of Sesa Soccer Team in the Rovers Cup, he everyday used to come to meet me in our hotel rooms where we further fortified our friendship very well. He was a great supporter of our Team in particular because of me and all the Goan teams in general.

He came to Kuwait twice, once before the invasion with his troupe staging his own Tiatro and second time after the liberation of Kuwait to participate in M. Boyer’s Tiatro. During his second trip to Kuwait he spent one whole night in my house where we spent the whole night only in talking and discussing many topics. He was a very good listener and listened a lot from my mouth and even promised me to pen down some of my ideas which I put in front of him, in his future Tiatro. Four years back he sent me a letter saying he is going to stage his new Tiatro based on Drugs menace and solicited from me some advertisements for the Souvenir to be released during this new Tiatro. I collected worth Rs. 30 thousands advertisement from my colleagues in KKK, KHK and other sources and called him from Bombay when I went on leave. When he asked me how much money I have collected, I told him 30 thousand rupees. For this he bluntly told me “it is too little”. For this I promptly answered him thus, “Prem, this is only my capacity, you either accept or else I will return it”. He said he has postponed his new Tiatro indefinitely. Then I said, I will give you that money only when you announce the new date of your Tiatro. Then I brought back the money and returned to those who gave me. Financially he was not well settled. Once speaking to me over phone from Bombay he cried bitterly saying “Veronica mojea bhava, hi Konkani mae passun kiteak re moje churchure korina anvem Konkani mae passot itlem kelam astana?” Thru Tiatros only few Tiatrists made money especially amongst the seniors. Prem Kumar was one who did not make money out of Tiatros and that was his regret during his last days.
Prem Kumar was very instrumental in encouraging new artistes to bloom on Konkani stage. He gave in this direction lot of helping hand for the new comers. He cared less for money but more for the art and to display it adroitly he spent money lavishly. He spent lot of money on his dresses especially when he was doing the role of a hero. It was not that he did not earn from staging his tiatros but he spent also more after tiatros and tiatrists. Money making out of tiatros was not his good art but showing good tiatros with good scenes was his very good art. Such an excellent artiste I don’t think Konkani stage has produced before and in future I have my doubt if we can get another Prem Kumar as Tiatrist. Such a Tiatrist come to this world once in centuries. Will we get another Prem Kumar in this century? Time alone will tell.

A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.