Goa News Clips
 

Global Economic Meltdown Has Ripple Effect On Goa Inc http://oheraldo.in/printerfriendlypage.asp?nid=12099&cid=2 HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, NOV 3 The global economic meltdown now seems to have touched the Goan shores with the Industry in the State beginning to experience a slowdown. “The meltdown has severely affected almost all areas of industries in Goa – mining, micro, medium and ancillary units”, said President of Goa Small Industries Association (GSIA) Atul P Naik. Light engineering, steel and other metal base units, etc are going through a rough patch, according to Vice President of Goa Chamber of Commerce & Industry (GCCI) Manguirish Pai Raikar. The effect is being felt in two ways, Naik said. One, the bills of entrepreneurs are pending with customers and are not being cleared and this has led to liquidity crunch. This appears to be the main reason for industrial slowdown in the State as it has led to spiral effect on the Industry. Second, in spite of the meltdown, entrepreneurs who wish to set up new ventures, or go for expansion are finding it difficult to get credit. Addressing a press conference here, Naik however, was quick to add, “Goan industry is not thinking of retrenchment”. Asked to elaborate, he said “the RBI, the central Government and now the State Government have taken necessary steps and the Industry hopes that some sort of turnaround would be there”. Pai Raikar said pharma industry will continue to be the mainstay of Goa and is doing very well. Industry leaders also said that many industrial units are facing liquidity crunch and are reeling under the effects of global recession. Production has come down and ancillary units badly hit. The slowdown at an automobile factory is likely to affect 40-odd ancillary units which are dependent on it. Similarly, the steel industry is passing through a bad phase and this seems to have affected housing and cement industry as well. It has been decided to undertake a survey to find out incipient sickness among units in Kundaim, Tivim and Corlim industrial estates which have more than 500 units. Applauding the Goa Government’s initiative to intervene and provide assistance in view of the effects of global recession, Naik said the existing units as well as entrepreneurs will get a opportunity to know what steps they can take to manage the current situation. “I would not call it sickness at the moment, it’s a difficulty”, Naik said allaying fears of alarm. Director of Industries, Sanjit Rodrigues, however admitted the global slowdown is trickling down on production in Goa.

CM Planned Attack On Me, Subject Him To Narco Test: Aires PANJIM: Utt Goenkara spokesperson Advocate Aires Rodrigues has alleged that Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, had given the green signal for the attack on him and Prajal Sakhardande and demanded that he (CM) be subjected to brain mapping and other forensic tests to get to the truth. The advocate along with Sakhardande, in a press conference, on November 4, alleged that Digambar planned the attack in the presence of Congress MLA Agnelo Fernandes, Health Minister Vishwajeet Rane, Education Minister and Taleigao MLA Babush Monserrate including SP (North) Bosco George. "Prior to the attack on me and Prajal on October 13 night, these people held a meeting at CM's official residence in Altinho. They were discussing on how to eliminate me," he alleged. Chief Minister Kamat expressed surprise over the statement by Aires. "I am surprised and amused to know the sort of allegations are made against me. I have no personal or political rivalry against Aries," he reacted. "I refute all allegations," he added further and said police have been inquiring into the assault case in detail. [GT]

Goa Archbishop visits Ras Al Khaimah Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao of Goa and Daman visited the United Arab Emirates from October 10th to 18th, 2008. The long-awaited maiden visit of the Archbishop was a meaningful and a memorable one. He arrived in Dubai and then toured the emirates visiting landmarks and presiding over mass. The Archbishop was received and welcomed in Ras Al Khaimah by Father Mathew Fernandes (a Goan Priest). In the evening, he celebrated a Solemn High Mass in Konkani at 7.30 pm followed by a reception and fellowship by the Goan community of Ras Al Khaimah.

UAE is no more greener pasture An increase of up to 30 per cent in housing rents in the United Arab Emirates may soon result in large number of Goans employed in the UAE returning to Goa for their inability to either purchase a house or pay exorbitant rent. Though there are seven states under the Middle Eastern Federation namely Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras al-Khaimah, Sharjah and Umm al-Quwain, Goans are primarily concentrated in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah for the purpose of employment. [NT]

British govt divided over immigration A disagreement between Britain's new immigration minister and its longest-serving Asian MP has opened up a divide in the ruling party over the number of skilled migrants who will be allowed to come into the country. Keith Vaz, the MP representing Leicester East, a constituency dubbed "Little India" for its large number of Indian-origin people, has described as "totally untrue" suggestions that the government wanted to place a cap on immigration. Immigration Minister Phil Woolas suggested last month he wanted to place a cap on the number of migrants who will be allowed to come to Britain, saying he did not want to see Britain's population increase from the current 61 million to 70 million. [IANS/GT]

10,000 Russian tourists to visit Goa Pegas Touristik, Russia’s biggest tour operator, disclosed that 10,000 Russian tourists will be holidaying in Goa this season. Speaking at a party for Russian travel agents at Utorda, Salcete on Tuesday, Pegas Touristik director Abdullah Cawakaja said “The charters have started coming since October 9. Last year we closed at 7,000. It is a remarkable increase since Pegas tryst with Goa started in 2004 with just around 900 tourists.” “Pegas flies from six Russian cities while other operators fly from Moscow alone,” he claimed. [TOI]

Assagao village sarpanch ousted After a rein of almost seven years, Victor D’Souza was ousted as the sarpanch of Assagao village panchayat, after he lost the no-confidence motion brought against him by four panchayat members, on Friday morning. Four members - Shruti Aroskar, Pradip Naik, Pratap Vernekar and Ajit Sawant - supported the motion, while Victor D’Souza, Lata Parab and Daisy D’Souza voted against it. D’Souza’s seven-year term was tumultuous with various allegations of irregularities and corruption. [TOI]

Iron ore exports down 81 per cent! Iron ore export shipments from India have dropped 81 per cent in October compared with the same period a year ago on fall in demand from China and a glut in the global markets. According to Secretary of the Goa Mineral Ore Exporters' Association, exports have slipped to 1.5 million tonnes in October from around 8 mt during the same period a year ago. [H]

15 steel rolling units closed down The global recession seems to have hit the state as 15 steel rolling units or 80 per cent of the total units in the state that deal in steel for construction sector have closed down during the past 15 days. Mr Sandeep Agarwal of the steel association said the market was not supporting the steel units and the duty on power too was hitting them badly. [NT]

Light engineering industry in the doldrums: GCCI The Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday said local light engineering industry, which is dependent on the mining industry as well as the repair industry, has been most hit by the current Indian financial scenario affected by the global financial crisis. However, the pharmaceutical industry in the state is backing up the Goan industrial sector, the GCCI observed. [NT]

A Tiatr treat for the Vadodara Goans A large Goan population and that too let high and dry without a Konkani tiatr is hard to imagine. This so called void of Konkani theatre in Baroda was filled when Menino Mario's tiatr "Sot'tor Pautti Saat" was staged for the first time in Baroda, by a troupe from Ahmedabad. Earlier, this tiatr was performed in Ahmedabad too. Amy Menezes, who actually hails from Colva but is now settled in Ahmedabad, procured the rights to re-stage the tiatr. The play was reproduced on the basis of the script and video recordings. [Dale Menezes, GT]

Panorama: Goan films flop again Indian Panorama this year at IFFI 2008 will be bereft of any Goan film. Three Goan entries - "Mareparyant Fanshi", "Marmabandh" and "Rin Tem Farikponnachem" - have been rejected by the jury of the Indian Panorama. Incidentally, ever since IFFI was held in Goa, a Goan film is yet to feature in the Indian Panorama section of this premier film festival. Peeved over this development, Film Makers - a body of Goan film producers/directors - have held former Director of Information and Publicity Menino Peres responsible for this embarrassment (for faulty selection procedure). [GT]