58% polling in Goa
	In the second phase of India’s 14th Lok Sabha elections, Goa went to the polls on April 26 to elect their representatives for the Panjim and Mormugao seats. The elections, which passed off peacefully, witnessed a voter turn-out of 59.29 per cent in North Goa and 56.97 per cent in the south bringing the overall total to 58.13 per cent.
The highest voter turn out was witnessed in Tivim with 65.24 per cent followed by Saligao with 64.34 per cent while the lowest was Poriem with 54.95 per cent and 56 percent in Mayem. The improved turnout gave a clear indication that, cutting across religious lines, people came out in large numbers to cast their franchise. The relatively high turn out of voters in the minority-dominated areas of Salcete has left the political players in both the camps guessing, but both the Congress and the BJP sounded optimistic that the high percentage will go in their respective favour. While the Congress candidate, Churchill Alemao, said he will win by a margin of 30,000 votes, his rival and BJP candidate, Ramakant Angle, expressed confidence of winning by 25,000-plus votes. Several citizens were compelled return home without casting their votes. Among these figured former Indian army chief, General Sunith Rodrigues, who carried his elector’s photo-identity card, but was told that he couldn’t vote by the staff at the polling station because his name was not found in the voters’ list. The winner will be known only on May 13 but it is difficult to predict the winner.

“Down To Earth” Jazz fest
	The three-day “Down to Earth Jazz Fest” took off at the Campal garden in Panjim on April 22, in the presence of Norma Alvares, Devika Sequeira, Patricia Pinto, Pamela Cabral, Suvarna Fonseca, Wendell Rodricks and Pallavi Dempo. A jazz bands that played on the inaugural day were UK’s “Louise Jones Quartet” and “Right Line”, while Rahul Alvares gave the audience a closer view of the animal kingdom.
The fab happening attracted large crowds which heard class Jazz by some of the best exponents. Moreover, there was food of all sorts, a makeshift gallery of beautiful paintings by eight Goan artists, Apurva Kulkarni’s art installation “Requiem for a Kingfisher”, classic photographs by Prasad Pankar, fascinating wild life pictures by Carl D’Silva and Nirmal Kulkarni, ceramics by Charmin Suarez and Gauri Diwan, cartoonist Alexyz attracting people interested in getting caricatured on the spot, the Maharani of Sawantwadi with her rare lacquer work of art, clothes, wines, lamps, and so much more. “Obligato” and “India Chapter” comprising of Merlyn D’Souza, Vivian Pocha and flautist Rajiv Raja thrilled the crowds on the second day, which also featured the release of India’s first graphic novel “Corridor”, written by Sannath Banerjee, at 8.15 pm. Save the trees, save nature, preserve the environment was the message that came in ever so subtly. Kudos to dynamic journalist Ethel da Costa, who has organised the fabulous fest quite immaculately, and that too even without a single banner screaming “Down to Earth Jazz Festival”.

Thus spake Keith

During his recent visit to Goa, British MP of Goan origin, Keith Vaz, opined that Goa can be a model for the entire world in these times of class, creed and racial conflicts that afflict human society. “Goa can be a classic example for the world, where the people can perfectly live with each other,” he said during his talk on the improving relations between India and UK. Vaz said the decision to host the International Film Festival venue in Goa is a good thing to happen in the state since it will boost to tourism in the state.

Goa: A daughter’s story
	Story”, a novel written by Maria Aurora Couto at Hotel Marriott recently. On this occasion Karnad said that the novel shows how societies are able to adjust and also warns in what way the concept of development could be destroyed by elements by making people believe in the “manufactured image of Hindutva”. Ms Couto said that her book is about the generation trapped between two generations, one which was dying and the other which is not yet born” and that “the book, in fact, came out through deep personal psyche which went through generations”.
Noted Konkani poet Dr Manoharrai Sardessai, architect Lucio Miranda, well-known cartoonist Mario de Miranda and reputed indologist Dr Jose Pereira also spoke on the occasion.

“Milagres feast” in Mapusa
	The feast of “Milagr Saibinn” (Our Lady of Miracles) was celebrated at the church of St Jerome in Mapusa on March 26. For the entire taluka of Mapusa, “Milgarichem Fest” is a major event. Not only the Catholics, but a large section of the Hindu community also visits the Mapusa church to pay homage to Our Lady. On the day following the feast, one sees long queues of Hindu devotees, particularly women with small children or with wax offerings, in thanksgiving for favours received or to make vows.
This year, however, the “fest” lost a bit of the usual pomp, because most of the adults had to rush to the polling booth to exercise their franchise in the Parliamentary Poll held on the same day. Being a dry day with bars and alcoholic sale outlets closed due to the elections, the “kopachem” (drinks) that accompany Goan festivity lacked much of its usual punch. Even the large fair of furniture, toys and “kaddio-boddio-khajem” (traditional Goan sweets) that spreads along the sides of the two busy roads flanking the church, appeared a bit subdued this year. By the way, with the “khozne-gornal” (fireworks) being a thing of the past and the large, ceremonial processions toned down due to the burgeoning traffic on Goa’s roads, the feasts have lost much of its erstwhile glamour.

All Goa mango show
The Directorate of Agriculture will organise an “All Goa Mango Show” from 15 to 17 May, 2004, at Menezes Braganza hall, Panaji, Goa. The main objective of the exhibition is to bring the awareness among the unemployed youth, students, the farming community and the public in general, and to expose them to the latest development in the field of mango cultivation and also to bring competitiveness among farmers to increase production and productivity of the mango crop.