Hybrid Carnival
	Colour, music and entertainment was ushered in by the annual Carnival which was organised in Goa from February 5 to 8. The takeoff event was the colourful parade in Panjim in which nearly 63 floats of various kinds participated. Though excitement was on low key this year, the attempt to project Goa’s culture was obvious with three Shigmo floats participating in the otherwise westernized extravaganza.
	Mariano de Araujo from Santa Cruz donned King Momo’s robes as his waved out enthusiastically and showered children with sweets from atop a float decorated with a large hibiscus flower and other Goan fruits, with Miss Goa finalist Christabel Rocha enacting Queen Momo. The floats include Sponsored, Club and Institutions, Traditional, Family, Fun Junk Cars and Clown categories. Cash prizes totally worth Rs.2,65,700 were awarded to the top five participants in all the categories. The theme song “Carnaval! Carnaval! Goemcho Carnaval!” rent the air, mixing with the traditional Goan ‘dhol’. New cabinet ministers Dr Wilfred de Souza, Mr Dayanand Narvekar and Mr Pandurang Madkaikar.

‘Jamir Hatao’ campaign
The BJP’s ‘Jamir Hatao, Save Democracy’ campaign took off on February 8 both in Delhi and Panjim simultaneously. In Delhi, party stalwarts former prime Minister AB Vajpayee, LK Advani, etc, and the ousted Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar participated in the agitation, while some of the top BJP leaders flew into Goa to address mammoth rallies, demanding the ouster of Governor SC Jamir and reinstatement of the Parrikar government.

Goa could host Leicester city
Nigel Empson, the CEO of FMM International, a London-based Anglo-Asian company that provides a full range of business services to the global football industry, and has the experience and expertise in assisting the football markets of Asia, particularly those of China, Japan and India, is currently on a Goa visit to study the functioning of the football clubs playing in the National Football League. His purpose is “to learn and understand Indian football and may be possibly interact with the top NFL football clubs in Goa and across India to know what are their requirements in terms of soccer development.” Mr Empson disclosed that Goa could be a possible venue in the near future to host Leicester City FC, who are planning to visit India to play two football matches.

Scrap dealer to salvage “River Princess”?
Investigations carried out by Gomantak Times have revealed that British company CrossChem International, awarded the contract the removing the “River Princess”, has no direct involvement in the actual salvaging operations of the ship. CrossChem is operating through a little known scrap dealer Joseph A Gonsalves aka Raju Bhai, who in turn has subcontracted the salvaging, dredging and towing work to another Mumbai-based company, which in turn is working with another company that specializes in under-water dredging and salvaging operations.

"Blue Ridge" Ahoy
The command ship of the United States Navy's Seventh Fleet will come along side at Mormugao port last week at the start of a three-day goodwill visit. The USS Blue Ridge is the fifth and the most high profile vessel of the Seventh Fleet to call on Goa in the past one year. During the three-day visit the officers and crew of the vessel will interact with their counterparts in the Indian Navy.

Cashew nut market
Goan cashew nuts have excellent market but there has been no serious attempt to exploit the market adequately, as per the conclusion reached at the day-long seminar titled 'Cashew 04-05'. The seminar was organised by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Directorate of Cashew Nut and Cocoa Development Board, on February 15. In 1965-66, the area under cashew plantation was 33,000 hectares. It increased to 55,000 hectares during 2001-01. Among the prime causes for the dismal production of cashew nuts, those that shout for attention include the lack of attention to provide nutrient management and plant protection that most of the plantations are old and that less or no attention was paid as far as nutrient management and plant protection are concerned, the scientists said.

Old Goa
It was an unusual sight when the crew of US naval personnel changed their line of work from weapons to that of paint brushes, when they painted the multipurpose hall of St Xavier's Academy School at Old Goa on February 16. The US Consul General, Mumbai, Angus Simmons, along with the crew of the US Navy's Seventh Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge visited the Academy for Special Children at Old Goa.