GOA, THE COUNTRY'S TOP STATE
Goa is more than just a tourist paradise. It is India's best state in every way, according to a survey of states by top economists commissioned by a newsmagazine. Goa ranks highest in a list of 19 states evaluated on 46 parameters including prosperity, law and order, health, education, infra-structure, agriculture and investment. The survey, commissioned by "India Today" traced the performance of states between 1991 to 2001. Delhi comes second in the list ahead of Punjab, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and Bihar. In prosperity and budget, Delhi ranked first and Goa came second. Goa was found to have the best education as well. In health, Goa ranked topmost. In terms of infrastructure, it was again tiny Goa that stole a march over others. Goa was also attracting the most investment followed by Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat and Punjab.

END OF ISOLATION FOR CORJUEM SOON
WITHIN about 18 months the isolation of Corjuem will disappear as the picturesque island will be linked to mainland Aldona by a beautiful 235-metre long bridge across the Mapusa river. The foundation stone for the proposed bridge was laid on May 30, Goa Statehood Day, by Union Minister of State for Roads, Transport and Highways Shripad Y Naik, in the presence of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, Power Minister Digamber Kamat and a large number of villagers near the dyke along the west bank of the river.For more details see: http://www.goacom.com/goanow/bridge/bridge.html

FIVE ART STUDENTS RAPE JUNIOR
Five final year students allegedly gang-raped their colleague in the toilet of the campus canteen of the Goa College of Art in Altinho, Panjim, on 17 May afternoon, while a farewell party to the final year students was on at the college premises. Police sources added that the alleged rapists drugged the victim with a dope-laced cigarette, led her to the canteen's toilet and gang-raped her. The police have arrested Vishal Dhuri from Taleigao, Vishal Mehta from Canacona and Audhoot Dabholkar from Chapora. Apparently numbed by the trauma she had suffered, the student refused to talk to her family members and broke her silence only four days later.

WHAT CAUSES SUICIDES IN GOA:
Poverty, family problems and old age seems to be contributing greatly to suicide cases in Goa while insanity was another factor. A total of 248 persons during 2001 and 283 during 2002 took the drastic sep. However, in as many as 65 cases (2001) and 71 (2002) the motive was not known. More male persons seemed unable to cope with their problem than females. Frustration in love affairs induced a total of 23 persons and unemployment a total of 17 persons to think of suicide. Harassment by husband or his kin (10), failure in exams (4), business problems (2) and not having children (4) also motivated persons toward suicide.

GLASS EATIN' GUY:
Eighteen years back, he had gobbled up glass to end his life. But after so many years, P Arthanari Swamy, is gulping down the glass pieces hoping to enter "The Guinness Book of World Record". Swamy (45) , originally from Tamil Nadu, found his passion when he was in Goa in 1985. Frustrated and down with life, while working with a fisherman in Goa, Swamy decided to end his journey. He pulverized a bottle and consumed a powder coupled with pesticide. But this, instead of ending his journey, led him to a new way in life. "Nothing happened. I told my friends, who were not ready to believe, so I repeated the act," says Swamy. Performing this dare devil act has becomes of source of livelihood for him now.

GOA'S BISHOP IN ROME:
Archbishop-Patriarch Raul Gonsalves and Auxiliary Bishop Felipe Neri Ferrao have left for the Vatican City on Sunday, as part of their Ad Limina visit with the Holy Father Pope John Paul II.
Representing the metropolitan province of Goa and Daman, they will join 27 other bishops - 16 bishops from the three metropolitan provinces of Ahmedabad, Nagpur and Mumbai of the Western Region, and 11 bishops from the metropolitan province of Verapoli in Kerala - as the 29 bishops will meet the Holy Father individually and as a group.

CABINET APPROVAL FOR SEZ, MOPA AIRPORT:
The Cabinet approved the setting up of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in a 1,500 hectare area in Keri, Arambol and Morjim, with a potential of creating an employment to the tune of 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the SEZ would be set up on the western side of the National Highway and interconnectivity between the new civilian airport at Mopa on the eastern side would be ensured through a corridor. The SEZ with a focus on IT, Tourism and manufacturing industries will become operational in about two years. Parrikar assured that the SEZ will exclude forest and habitable areas. The cabinet also approved the appointment of the Montreal-based International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) which operates under the aegis of the United Nations, to oversee the implementation of the project. ICAO's job would be to first appoint a firm to work out the technical feasibility of the (Mopa international) airport and subsequently co-ordinate the floating of global tenders to implement the project.

FR CORREIA AFONSO FETED:
Well-known Goan Jesuit, Fr John Correia Afonso, figured among top Goans, who were honoured at Gomant Bharati Sammelan held at Ponda on 31 May. Fr Correia Afonso has been a distinguished historian, principal of St Xavier's College-Mumbai for several years and Director of the Heras Institute of Indian Culture. Unfortunately, Fr John will not be able to attend personally due to his ill health as he is at presently lodged at a rest house of the Society of Jesus in Mumbai.

PANJIM BRAND NEW MARKET:
The two-storey well-equipped new corporation market complex at Panjim besides being a new city landmark, seems to have come as a relief for the shopkeepers who were running their businesses with hardly any facilities.The nearly 435 existing vendors/shopkeepers have been shifted to phase I of the new market complex on May 30, Statehood Day, following its inauguration by the Governor, Kidar Nath Sahani on May 30.

THE GOAN COMMUNITY-MOMBASA~NEWSLETTER -MAY 2003
http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/may/msg00098.html