By Sandesh Prabhudesai sandeshprabhude...@gmail.com Lester Fernandes, a journalist and activist, expired on Tuesday, after brief illness. He was 55.
Fernandes was a member of a pioneering team which started the *Weekender*, the Sunday tabloid edition of the *Gomantak Times* under the editorship of Ashwin Tombat. He was known for his news features and feature stories on varied subjects. Later the *Weekender* team members formed a firm called Wordsworth Communications and published city-wise publications *Panjim Plus*, *Margao Plus*, *Mapusa Plus* and *Investor Plus*. Fernandes was also one of the leading activists of Progressive Students’ Union in 1980s and also later worked in youth and workers’ movements. His roles in several street plays staged by Sangharsh Natya Manch in those days are still remembered. Being an activist, he had then moved into holding workshops for students, youth and professionals.