Happy New Year To All Our Readers

Newsline Canada

Community action urged at Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce Open House
http://www.southasianfocus.ca/business/article/82901
Wednesday December 16 2009

Steve Gupta, President and CEO of Easton's Group of Companies, exhorted Canadians of Indian origin to become active in community work and enhance their participation in community activities. "It's by working together that we can make our community rise and shine," Gupta said.

Stop forcing children to grow up too quickly, says Archbishop of Canterbury
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6967782.ece
December 26, 2009 | Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent | Dr Rowan Williams

Children are being forced to grow up too quickly in a culture that refuses to recognise that human beings are naturally dependent on one another, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned yesterday.

China on course to overtake Japan
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5379542.cms?prtpage=1
26 Dec 2009,

BEIJING: China raised its 2008 growth estimate to 9.6% from 9% and said this year’s quarterly figures will increase, narrowing the gap with Japan, the world’s second-biggest economy.

Copenhagen Accord excludes Inuit but contains promise of hope
http://www.itk.ca/media-centre/media-releases/copenhagen-accord-excludes
Submitted by itkadmin on Monday, December 21, 2009

National Inuit Leader Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, responded to the Copenhagen Accord, recognized by 193 nations on Friday, including Canada, with a mixture of disappointment and hope.

Sikhs in Canada deliberate on Climate change
http://www.southasianobserver.com/south_asian_canadian_news.php?mid=1&cid=1910
Dec 20 2009

Toronto area Sikh community for the first time had series of events on Climate change and environmental issues throughout the weekend in various gurdwaras.

Commentary

The statements, opinions, or views in the articles may not necessarily reflect that of the Goan Voice Canada.

A Liberation Rosary for Goa
Article in Herald, Opinion Column | By Joseph L. R. Vaz | Mon Dec 21

Today, as we celebrate yet another Goa Liberation day, it makes me wonder whether I should be happy or sad. Whether Goa and Goans have benefited from this liberation or only India and Indians. Certainly Goa lost a lot, from being a part of an advanced European Country to that of a developing one.

The Decade We Didn't See Coming
By Joel Achenbach | Washington Post Staff Writer | Sunday, December 27, 2009
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/26/AR2009122601822.html

The decade began so swimmingly. No Y2K bug, no terrorism, nothing but lots of fireworks as the planet turned and, time zone by time zone, all the zeroes replaced the nines.

People Places and Things

CHRISTMAS IN THE EASTERN ARCTIC NORTH OF 60
Bu Maria Fraser

Maria Fraser (nee Fernandes) is a Health Nurse Repulse Bay, in the North West Territories of Canada. She has been there since 1990. To locate Repulse Bay on the map of Canada, follow the Arctic Circle ( lat. 67.5 deg) westward, to intersect the west side of the Hudson Bay. The residents of this eastern Arctic area are called Inuit. 

See “Letter from Maria” at http://www.goacom.com/culture/biographies/mariaw.html
See also: http://www.goanvoice.ca/2003/issue20/

TEGSA’S FIRST EVER - NEW YEAR’S EVE BASH
December 31st -2009

“WITH MEMORIES” OF
“AULD LANG SYNE”

“Another Year Over, A New Year Just Begun”
By Muriel Lucas.

As we reach the threshold of a New Decade , TEGSA set the stage to ring out the old, and “Chime” in the New, by going out, full circle with a” BANG”, Style and Pizzaz., as they celebrated their first ever New Year’s Eve dance, supported by a full house with members and guests, who filed in at the Qssis Banquet Hall, Scarborough, Ontario, to help celebrate the past year, and welcome 2010.

The popular Qssis Banquet hall was decorated in festive style with white and black balloons at each table, and complimented with a bottle of Red and White wine. An added feature was a host of colourful balloons were hoisted up above the ceiling for the midnight special!

Goan Overseas Association’s 39th New Years Eve Celebration
Photos & write-up courtesy Albert Fernandes

For more photos and full text go to www.goatoronto.com

GOA's 39th New Year's Dance held at Capitol Banquet Hall, Mississauga.It was attended by 560 persons in the Main Hall and 270 in the Young Adults Hall. Event Organizer, Sara Ferrao, welcomed the guests, and introduced the two MC's Chris Dias and Conrad Collaco.

Christmas in Mombasa
http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/news/?

Local tourists at the Jomo Kenyatta Public beach in Mombasa, on Thursday. Hundreds of visitors flocked the Coastal town for the Christmas and New Year festivities, with hotels reporting full bookings. Photo: Maarufu Mohamed/Standard

Governor General Appoints 57 to The Order of Canada

Names Include:

Shrawan Kumar, O.C.
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A. and Edmonton, Alberta
Officer of the Order of Canada

For his contributions to the field of rehabilitation ergonomics, in Canada and abroad, notably in his research and teachings on the causation, prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries.
See website http://www.getcited.org/mbrz/11069626

The Honourable Jean Augustine, P.C., C.M.
Toronto, Ontario
Member of the Order of Canada

For her distinguished career as an educator, politician and advocate for social justice in Canada.

CanadianDriver.com announces Top Picks for 2010

OTTAWA, Dec. 28 /CNW Telbec/ - CanadianDriver.com, a leading Canadian online automotive magazine since 1999, announces its first annual Top Picks awards. The top 20 new vehicles in the Canadian marketplace were chosen by the publication's panel of senior writers and editors who have a combined 60 years of test-driving experience.

News Clips from Goa

"Goan of the Year 2009"

Panaji: Eduardo Faleiro Chosen 'Goan of the Year – 2009' by Kalavistar
Daijiworld.com 

... has declared the chairman of Universal Peace Federation of India and Goa NRI Commissioner, Eduardo Faleiro, as the 'Goan of the Year-2009'. ...

Corruption must be weeded out of public life, says speaker
Stating that corruption has spread its tentacles in government offices and social life and advocating the need to weed it out from public life Mr. Pratapsing Rane, the Speaker of the State legislative assembly, called for urgent need in the implementation of Lokayukta bill that was passed by the assembly. Addressing Congress leaders and workers at a function to mark entry of Congress party into the 125th year of its existence, Mr. Rane, who has been a chief minister for several terms in the past, said that though the bill was passed while he was the chief minister in the last assembly, it remained unimplemented till date. [NT]

Crafts Bazaar concludes on December 30
Gandhi Shilp Crafts Bazaar organized by GHRSSIDC and sponsored by Office of Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India will continue till December 30 at SAG Ground, Panjim. The Bazaar has 150 stalls with artisans participating from all over India as well as local artisans. It has handicrafts stalls for display and sale of diverse range of items like artificial jewellery, jute craft, leather craft, patch work, metal craft, Kolhapuri chappals, wooden toys, Corrandum craft, bead work chanderi saree, leather toys, terracotta, dhokra art etc from the various state of India. [GT]

TAG to Remember Lucasinho Ribeiro
Tiatr Academy of Goa (TAG) will for the first time celebrate the birth anniversary of Lucasinho Ribeiro, pioneer of Goan Tiatr, who scripted, directed and staged the first Tiatr "Italian Bhurgo" on 17th April, 1892 in Bombay. Lucasinho Ribeiro was born on 2nd January 1863 at sokol Vaddo, Assagao, Bardez, Goa.

Residents say no to tourism activities on St Jacinto Island
Residents of St Jacinto Island, Chicalim, on Sunday resolved to oppose any future plans of the State government or the local body to utilise the pristine St Jacinto Island for tourism-related activities. The residents took the decision at a meeting in St Jacinto Island Church hall on Sunday. The island, which is known for its pristine beauty, has about 150 families, but most of the people have migrated to other places due to business and professional activities. However, none of the villagers have sold any land to outsiders for the last many years so as to maintain its identity. [H]

Coconut prices continue to fall
After dealing the problem of mites that has affected productivity of coconut plantations, farmers are now confronted with another problem. The coconut farmers are in crises as price for coconut has drastically dropped in the last two years. The whole sale price of coconut has come down to Rs 2 to Rs 2.5 per nut from Rs 5-6 per coconut some three-four years ago. Amid other problems, they have to cope-up with drop in the price of coconut as well. “Nobody wants to buy coconuts today, “says Cezer Gomes, a coconut farmer from Chandor. [H]

Year 2009: 20 murder, 15 rape cases reported in S Goa
During the year 2009, twenty murders were reported in various parts of South Goa out of which 17 were detected. Compared to this, in the year 2008, twenty-two murders were reported out of which 15 were detected while in the year 2007 in all 18 murders were reported and 12 were detected. The South Goa superintendent of police, Mr Allan D sa when contacted said that some sensational murders that hit the headlines in the current year have been detected. He said that in Quepem five murders were reported and all were detected while at Colva, Margao and Maina-Curtorim, two murders each were reported and they all were detected. He said that no murder cases were reported under Sanguem and Harbour police stations this year. [NT]

New technique developed to treat breast cancer
The amputation of breasts infected with cancer would be a thing of past with Goa born UK-based surgeon developing a technique which can treat the tumour without letting it spread further. The technique, labelled as ‘Targit’, is a brainchild of Dr Jayant Vaidya, who had labouratory trials of it for over a decade and which is now ready to be implemented in various hospitals across the world. [H]

Goa Hotels Bear A Forlorn Look This Festive Season
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/5380196.cms?prtpage=1
26 Dec 2009, 0639 hrs IST, | Smitha Venkateswaran, ET Bureau

PANAJI: Smiling Santa hasn’t brought much cheer to Goa’s tourism industry for the second year in a row. Tourism in Goa appears to be heading for its worst season ever, with resorts and holiday homes clambering with discount offers for better room occupancy . Most hotels have averaged 60% occupancy during this long Christmas season at a time when Goa is said to be in the peak of its busy tourist season.

Goa's growing urban chaos: any solutions?
By Frederick Noronha | First published in Herald, Dec 27, 2009 | fn@goa-india.org
From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org  on behalf of Goanet Reader

Goa's urban spaces are bursting at the seams, getting crowded, lack entertainment, and face unplanned growth and urban sprawl. As if that all was not enough, this small scenic state is also getting clogged with traffic while we lack decent public transportation. Goa's little towns are fast losing the charm they were once known for. Recently, a team from a national institution has turned the spotlight onto four locations in Goa itself.

Global Climate Change and Goa: Questions from a Village called Moira
Posted on http://www.mail-archive.com/goanet-news@goanet.org/msg00887.html
By Nazar da Silva

BINGO! The world’s biggest polluters are laughing all the way to the bank. (B.I.N.G.O. is now the accepted acronym for Big International Non Governmental Organizations). As natural calamities continue to make distressingly frequent headlines the world over, there is one class of individuals who gloat.

Impacts of Climate Change

A one metre rise in sea level will adversely affect 7 per cent of the population in Goa, and cause damages to the tune of Rs 8,100 crore.

Climate-related disasters have brought widespread misery and huge economic losses to India, adversely affecting public health, food security, agriculture, water resources and biodiversity. The situation is likely to worsen if human beings continue to pump ‘greenhouse gases’ (GHGs) like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

First Of Its Kind 3-Day Sand Art Festival
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-5360587,prtpage-1.cms
TNN 21 December 2009, 07:28am IST

PANAJI: Concerns over climate change have wafted from the summit of Copenhagen, to the sands of Candolim. The first-ever 3-day Goa Sand Art festival 2009 got underway at Candolim beach on Friday with about a dozen fine arts students crafting sculptures in the sand to depict the theme of “Stop Global Warming.”

News Clips from India

'Rules tightened to stop tourist visa misuse'
http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-20083.html

New Delhi, Dec 28: The Home Ministry has reportedly said visa rules have been made more stringent in order to check the misuse of the tourist visa.

An aide of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) agent David Coleman Headley, who was allegedly involved in 26/11, reportedly stayed in Goa for nine years misusing his tourist visa. US and UK missions have no complaints about the new visa rules, said Times Now, quoting sources.

BJP leader sponsors Christmas concert attended by Christians, Muslims and Hindus
http://www.cbcisite.com/cbcinews4168.htm

MUMBAI, Dec. 23, 2009, 09.30 Hrs (Nirmala Carvalho / AsiaNews): Some 4,000 people attend the Festival of Christmas held in Bandra, Mumbai. Titled ‘Let us celebrate the birth of Jesus together”, it was sponsored by Ashish Shelar, the new face of the local BJP.

Official calls for help to deal with climate change
http://www.indiancatholic.in/news/storydetails.php/14141-1-10-Official-calls-for-help

KARACHI, Pakistan: A Pakistani participant in the Copenhagen climate change summit has urged the international community to help his country through the proposed climate change fund.

'Goan Influence In Karachi Declining'
By Krish Fernandes
bureaus@gomantaktimes.com | From: goanet-news-bounces@lists.goanet.org
on behalf of Frederick Noronha (fn@goa-india.org) | Sent: December 29, 2009 7:50:02 PM

PANJIM: A Pakistani citizen of Goan origin, on a visit to Goa after 26 years, Menin Rodrigues soon discovered that the world is indeed a small place.

 Obituary

+ Noel Fernandes

Noel Fernandes, Orillia (formerly of Nairobi/Kenya), passed away peacefully this day 30th December 2009 after a long battle with cancer.

Excerpt from:
http://www.mundellfuneralhome.com/notice.asp?msg=Y&id=1671

Visitation
will be held on Sunday from 2-4 & 7-9 PM.Rosary and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy will be said in the Parlour on Sunday evening at 6:30 PM

Announcements

Viva Carnival, a charitable fundraiser to assist Ann D'Souza and Ezekiel Rego.

Ann D’Souza is 5 years of age, born premature at 7 months and underweight. Sadly, she has a condition referred to as Microcephlia. What this means is that she has an underdeveloped brain. Jessie D’Souza, Anne’s mother is a special needs mother, as she is required to provide constant care for Ann. Ann’s food consists of formula, administered via a feeding tube, which is in use for 9 hours per day. The port site for this tube is located in the abdomen causing pain and discomfort depending on the clothing worn. Currently, Jessie’s sister looks after Ann while Jessie goes to work, this however is a short term arrangement as the sister will be going back to school shortly. Ann attends a local school and has a special education teacher for ½ the day. The family will be in need of a caretaker for Ann. While there is government funding for this, it is specific to 8 hours per week and Anne requires 24-hour assistance. A caretaker cost approximately $15 per hour and Jessie’s income supports her family (Ann, 3-year-old brother and Jessie).

Goan Archives Project Update
Message from Cecil D’Cruz – Chair Steering Committee
http://sites.google.com/site/goanarchivescanada/goan-archives-canada

The Goan Archives mission is to assemble, preserve, organize, and store, publications and documents generated by Goan Community Groups in Canada over the last 40 years. The intent is to facilitate study and understanding of the Community by scholars and researchers in the future.

Events

How to access quick medical care this holiday season
http://www.southasianfocus.ca/printArticle/83300
Tuesday December 22 2009

At a time of year when family doctors reduce their hours or close their offices, it's important for you to know how and where to access health services, should you get sick or have an accident. If you require emergency medical care, call 911 or go to the emergency department.

Visiting with Elders
http://www.baycrest.org/Publications/8777.asp

Click here to read this free online guidebook!

Strategies to help you have a meaningful and rich visit with an elderly loved one

Baycrest has produced a free online resource to help families learn new ways of communicating and interacting with an elderly loved one who has Alzheimer's or other dementia.

Psychology: Everyone Looks So Happy
From: http://www.zoomermag.com

Grief is part of the human condition. But it is also largely a female state. Consider the facts:

• Nearly one million Canadians are newly widowed each year

• By the age of 65, 50% of women will be widows

• Bereavement leads to serious depression in 15% of spouses

• This grief can trigger depression and mania

• Likewise, depression can greatly worsen grief

Social Connections: Could Heartwarming Be Heart-Saving?

"In general, it seems to be good for health to have close friends and family, to be connected to community groups or religious organizations, and to have a close partner."

ScienceDaily
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/05/050502144309.htm   

WASHINGTON, D.C -- Men who are socially isolated have elevated levels of a blood marker for inflammation that's linked to cardiovascular disease, according to data from the Framingham Heart Study presented today at the American Heart Association's 45th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.