Newsline Canada

Immigration to Canada
Judge orders Immigration Dept. to stop rejecting applications from more than 100,000 skilled workers. See http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00078.html

Ottawa gets tough on unscrupulous immigration consultants.
Immigration minister Denis Coderre, determined to crack down on unscrupulous immigration consultants in Canada and overseas. "We have to make sure that the people when they're coming here it is to fulfill their dreams, not empty their pockets to those vultures." he says

Travel Woes for Seniors going to the U.S.
Senior Vivian Macdonald says
"Now, if you're a smart cookie, you can relax.... and prepare to face U.S. Immigration. And don't be a smartass. They don't like that — and they don't give a damn if "wandering wrinklies” have to toss their bags up onto a table for inspection. They don't open the bags, you understand; they wave a little magic wand over them. They couldn't do this with the bag on the floor?". http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00079.html

Konkani lessons in the GTA
By Tim de Mello
On behalf of the fourteen students, I would like to extend a very warm word of thanks to our tutor, Mr. Joao Manuel Pereira who inconvenienced his own family and went out of his way to teach us Konkani (and Konknni) the way it is spoken today. Dev borem korum tuka ani tuji famil.
And congratulations to all the fourteen students who completed the course. You all did extremely well. For more text click here.

Americans Sing in Konkani
Judy Luis-Watson writes on Goanet ...
Excerpts
" For the first time, on June 8, 2003 in Maryland, USA, BluesWorks and friends presented "Songs of Change and Promise," a new cross-cultural concert that I produced in part with a small artist's grant from Prince George's Arts Council............. This was the first time I'd performed a song in Konkani and it felt good to claim this piece of my heritage. Paul and I did a call and response with ghe ghe ghe saiba..maka naka go. The Goans in the room were tickled and it was nice to see them look so happy. "
See article full at: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00077.html

News Clips from Goa
by Joel D'Souza & Fred Noronha

Konkan Rail's Worst Tragedy

Goa woke up on June 23, to be stunned by the tragic news of the worst tragedy to befall the Konkan Railway Corporation at Vaibhavwadi near Ratnagiri at around 10 pm on June 22, killing 50 persons, the figure including women and children. Eight of those killed included Sunil Chari from Panjim, Andrew Jackson D'Cruz from Margao, Sarita Sunil Gawas, Shreya Gawas from Pernem, Sandra and Shawn D'Costa from Chinchinim, Chandrashekhar Rajashekhar Dali from Bangalore and Ramakant Rane, from Mumbai. Though the exact number of Goan victims in the train mishap is not known, the KRC officials put it around ten.

It was a heart-rending situation for several families. Sandra D'Costa (40) and her 16-year-old son Shawn were among those killed. Her daughters Jude (18) and Parvene (9) escaped with minor injuries. Sandra had arrived in Goa on June 22 along with her children, to attend her father's funeral at Fatorda. The bereaved family was returning to Bombay to hear about Shawn's exam results.

The Gawas family were on a visit to their native place in Ibrampur in Pernem. The deceased were Sunil Ramdas Gawas (40), his wife Sarita (32), son Prathamesh (8) and daughter Shreya (8 months). Sunil, a motor winder, was in Goa for the first time with his entire family, to attend the marriage ceremony of his sister Sunita on June 18. Due to Prathamesh admission to a school, Sarita prevailed upon the family on returning to Mumbai, but fate had written a different destination for them.

The engine of the holiday special being driven by KRCL's best driver, CK Johnson, dashed against a huge boulder lying on the track, and four bogies telescoped over the engine and got derailed. Within moments a hail of huge boulders and mud came crashing down and spread over the derailed bogies.

The Konkan Railway suffered a loss estimated to be between Rs 60 lakh and Rs one crore. Rs 1 lakh ex-gratia was disbursed to the next of the kin of the deceased. Besides people with serious injuries were paid Rs 15,000 each and those with minor injuries Rs 10,000 each.

A Sao Joao reveller at Siolim's boat parade

Goans celebrated the festival of Sao Joao on June 24 with the traditional jumping in the wells. Of course, the age-old practice is gradually waning in Goa. New traditions have been taking over, and one is the famed, colourful Sao Joao Boat Parade on the evening of St John's feast in Siolim village. This year, half-a-dozen gaily decorated boats participated in the popular event, which drew one of the largest crowds to witness it near the Bazaar Bridge in front of St Anthony's Church. Besides the boats and men wearing flower crowns, Konkani songs, music, folk dance, prizes, san'nam, vodde, et al formed a part of the parade. Check for details at http://www.goacom.com/goanow/24june/sj.htm

Grand-mai’s Ruchichi Fish Curry
By Melba Mergulhao-Carvalho Antao
From O Heraldo
Excerpt:
Just spent the weekend in the ancestral home and came back to the city, rejuvenated. It’s not only the village ambience that gets under your skin, it's the typical country food that invigorates your metabolism. In the village you go back to your roots. Rich or poor, they cook in earthen pots and food tastes different. You feel so close to the earth. Mind you, that wasn’t the case when I first came to this piece of paradise almost two decades ago. “How can mud pots be hygienic? Surely some mud gets into your system leading to some infection or the other,” I’d reason with Mom. She just smiled benevolently. The young can’t be convinced easily, her smile seem to suggest, like I do today, when my youngsters look askance at the clay vessels.

People Places and Things

Postulator slowly unravels the enigma of Mother Teresa
From Calgary Herald
Fr. Raymond J. de Souza interviews Missionary of Charity priest Fr. Brian Kolodiejchuk, the postulator (proponent) of Mother Teresa's cause for canonization.
Like much of the world, he thought the story of Mother Teresa was summed up by her simple faith. But the work he did -- work that will see fruition Oct. 19, when the Pope plans to beatify her -- revealed much more.
see: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00087.html

Friend of the Toronto Goan Community Honoured
Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion, who has outlasted six premiers and six prime ministers, was feted with at a gala dinner celebrating her 25 years in office.
See article at: http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00070.html

At the 1988 Goan Convention -Toronto Mass Celebrant, the late Cardinal Cordeiro, Archbishop of Karachi, with Fr. Terence D'Souza & Mayor of Mississauga, Mrs. Hazel McCallion

Indian Navy Sailing Ship to Visit Toronto June 28 - July 2, 2003

Ins Tarangini Article at:http://www.goacom.com/news/news2003/jun/msg00054.html

Announcements

From Marlon Menezes: Go-an' Connect http://www.goanconnect.org log-on to Goa’s premier online matchmaking and socializing forum. You can invite your own friends to join you and form your own online community … and they can invite their friends - perhaps one of them might be that special someone. What better way to meet such a person through someone you trust, while still maintaining your anonymity? From: http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/

GWS-Kuwait Annual GWS Educational Awards 2002-03
PRESS RELEASE:
From: Gaspar Almeida
General Secretary Goan Welfare Society- Kuwait

Goan Welfare Society is pleased to announce the annual GWS Educational Awards for academic year 2002-03 to bonafied Goan meritorious top ranking students among the Indian Schools in Kuwait, who secured the highest number of marks in the aggregate at the Std. X (CBSE Examination Board, New Delhi), and Std. XII (CBSE Examination, New Delhi -Commerce & Science streams). The GWS Educational Awards are sponsored by Mr.& Mrs. Sam Alphonso (patron member of Goan Welfare Society).

The criteria for judging the awardees will be based on the authenticated marks sheets, birth certificate, detailed address in Goa, Telephone contact in Kuwait, should be sent or hand delivered to: The President, Goan Welfare Society, P.O. Box 1335 Safat, 13014 Safat, Kuwait, latest by July 15th, 2003.

No fax/email responses will be entertained. The names of the winners will be announced and the awards distributed on the "GOA DAY" programme, to be held on October 10, 2003.

Events