On September 18 this year it will be five years that one of Goa's most promising and talented musicians, Selwyn Pereira, was snatched away from our midst to be consigned to his heavenly abode.
The authorities and our elected representatives have not had the vision to do anything concrete in memory of Selwyn. Selwyn was brought up and lived in Ribandar. He loved the village and made it a point to get involved in all that went on there. His death has left a vacuum in Goa but more particularly in Ribandar. Ribandar, though a stone's throw from Panjim, has sadly lacked proper infrastructure development. A football ground, a community hall and a proper market have been longstanding demands of Ribandarites. The authorities could have been gracious enough to at least keep us content with a Music School dedicated to Selwyn's memory. Remembering the dead, can,at times, be a very painful experience. And all the more so when remembering the life and the times of Selwyn Pereira of Ribandar. The young and vibrant Selwyn was snatched from our midst under most tragic circumstances. His death has been an irreparable loss not only to his family as also to Ribandar which lost one of its promising sons. By his death Goa was deprived of one of its top musicians. Coping with the news of Selwyn's death was bad enough and what was more heart breaking was that his family, friends and fans while laying Selwyn's coffin to rest were denied a last glimpse of the Selwyn in the coffin. Due to the impact of the accident he met at Kanpur his remains arrived in a sealed coffin Selwyn's musical debut started early on. He is remembered strumming his guitar at a tender age of 7 and singing in the local choir. While still in school Selwyn sang in the musical play "Tom Sawyer" at Don Bosco School. Selwyn's musical skills were nurtured under the late Fr Martino Fernandes at St Cecilia Music School in Panjim and later as a student at the Kala Academy. Selwyn started his musical career at the age of 13, playing for the Ribandar based band, "Purple Rain" and later formed his own band, "Civilians". He went on to play for the "Big City Band" before joining Remo's troupe. Those who knew Selwyn would agree that he would always go out of his way for his friends. Despite his busy schedule, Selwyn always had time for his family and friends, both in and out of his music circle. A down to earth lad, Selwyn was a very impressive personality and always had that charming smile. Selwyn was a professional to the core and very dedicated in all that he did. An ace keyboard player, guitarist and superb vocalist, Selwyn lived for his music and brought music into the lives of those around him. A year before his death Selwyn had travelled to USA where he was planning to settle. His attachment to his family and his love for Goa and Ribandar was so intense that he returned there within a month. Selwyn was not only one of Goa's top musicians but was also a very gentle and caring person. His touching smile was something all those who met him will miss forever. A fitting tribute to Selwyn would be for us to give unto others what Selwyn did at this young age by his kind acts and deeds. Although he achieved so much fame he continued to be a down to earth gentleman. A music school at Ribandar in memory of late Selwyn is the least the authorities should have done in memory of Selwyn, the great guy and musician. Remembering Selwyn Pereira five years on, hope this is done. Aires Rodrigues ___________________________________________________________ How much free photo storage do you get? Store your holiday snaps for FREE with Yahoo! Photos http://uk.photos.yahoo.com