Carnival to reflect culture
Panjim goes into a celebratory mode from today (February 5) with King Momo ushering in a three-day period of fun and frolic, with a colourful float parade in Panjim. This year, the Panjim Festivals and Carnival Committee will open the “Fusion Carnival 2005” with the “Shigmo Dhol” fused in with other music. The Carnival in Panjim will start off with the Alvorada at 5.00 am. The Panjim parade draws a massive crowd every year and last year it feature 79 different floats. The parade will begin from the Dayanand Bandodkar Memorial, near the old Secretariat at 3.30 pm and wind up at the Kala Academy.

BJP out, Congress combine in
Pratapsingh Rane returned to the Chief Minister’s chair as Goa’s 15th Chief Minister on February 2 after Governor SC Jamir dismissed the Parrikar government, which had earlier won the confidence vote after getting Independent MLA Filipe Neri Rodrigues ‘withdrawn’ from the House with police force. Filipe Neri was also sworn in and will be the deputy Chief Minister. Six ministers sworn-in subsequently include NCP president Dr Wilfred de Souza, MGP member Sudin Dhavlikar, former minister Pandurang Madkaikar, former MLA Isidore Fernandes, GPCC president Luizinho Faleiro and Aldona MLA Dayanand Narvekar. Madkaikar and Isidore would have to win the bye-election within six months in order to continue in the cabinet. AICC general secretary says that further expansion of the ministry will be effected after the ‘trust vote’ which the Rane government will take within a month. Atanasio (Babush) Monserrate has not opted for any ministerial post as he is awaiting re-election in the bye-polls.

Alexyz to inaugurate paintings expo
‘Rural Obsession”, an exhibition of paintings and restoration work by young artist Gopal Pardeshi from Pune, was inaugurated by renowned cartoonist Alexyz at the Kala Academy Art Gallery on February 4 morning. Alexyz lauded the artist for the beautiful paintings depicting the rural landscape and its charming features, besides antique doors which the artist has restored. The exhibition will be open for the public and art lovers from 10 am to 7 pm till February 6, says Anthony Fernandes, curator of the show.

Need to unite Konkanis
The need to unite Konkani-speaking people from all over the world was felt at the Canara Konkani Catholic World Convention organised by the Catholic Sabha, an official lay organisation of Mangalore Diocese at late Bishop Basil D'Souza Nagar, Yenopoya Convention Grounds, Mangalore recently. More than 20,000 people who attended it passed a resolution urging that Roman script be adopted for Konkani to unite all Konkanis of the world in the computer age. In Canara, all the religious functions and matters related to the catholic religion will be only in Konkani and Catholic schools will teach Konkani to their students from textbooks specially prepared.

Padmashree for M Boyer
	Goa's legendary tiatrist Manuel Santana Aguiar, popularly known as M Boyer, has been chosen for the prestigious Padmashree award, which will be presented to him by the President of India along with other eminent personalities from diverse fields. Goans and particularly the tiatr fraternity is all excited about comedian-singer-playwright Boyer, hailing from Raia, being honoured for his nearly 60-year-old contribution to Goan tiatr.
M Boyer
Besides writing, producing and directing over 30 plays and over 5,000 performances in his lifetime, M Boyer is the only Goan tiatrist to have been honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award. “Ekuch Rosto”, “Sonvsar Sudhorlo”, “Ghor Dukhi, Gaum Sukhi” and “Chintnam Zalim Sopnnam” are some of Boyer's classic tiatrs.