UK: Government announces Minister for Loneliness Jan 2018

Tracey Couch MP is the first ever minister appointed to combat Social Isolation
in the United Kingdom.  According to a 2017 research, more than 9 million people
always – or often – feel lonely in Britain and around 200,000 older people have
not had a conversation with a friend or relative in more than a month.

In England it is not unusual to observe young people talking to themselves as
they are screen attached, their mobile phone is their only friend with
electronic voices here and there as they text and email rather than just visit
and talk or even enjoy the countryside from a train, bus or car.

Goan People being lonely is very low and would not be considered lonely enough
to qualify for research,  Most of us are party people and have a low rate of
depression, dancing away our troubles with music in addition to catering and
liquid refreshment, garnished with gossip and sometimes the latest in designer
clothing.   Card and Board Games and the occasional sports day keeps us mentally
alert.   Furthermore we have plenty of opportunities to meet at church, dances,
funerals, school runs and family events like birthdays, weddings and
christenings.

Some Social Events in February 2018 are listed below, you are invited to come
out of the cold and join in the warm Goan Atmosphere:

Southampton Saturday 10 February Golden Goa Association Carnival Holy Family
Church Hall Redbridge Hill SO16 4PL from 19.00 till 23.00 Admission Free for
details Whats App or Text Roque 07816195002

London Ealing Sat 10 Feb: Viva Goa Entertainment UK presents 10th RED & BLACK
CARNI-VAL-ENTINE 2018 at The Old Actonion Sports Club, Gunnersbury Drive,
Acton/Ealing, W5 4LL. From 5:00pm to 11pm. Music by BIG DREAM (Ex India and
Rainbows End) & Chico.Tickets-Adults £15, Child £6 (6-12yrs) includes snacks &
meal, free entry for below 6 years. Contact Francisco 07957206169
chicoke...@hotmail.com mailto:chicoke...@hotmail.com Charles 07809552654
charlesd...@hotmail.com mailto:charlesd...@hotmail.com Norman
0778035normancor...@hotmail.com mailto:0778035normancor...@hotmail.com

London Mitcham Sat 10 February Friend and Family Valentine social St Thomas of
Canterbury School, Commonside East,Mitcham Surrey CR4 1YG

Contact Jennifer Da Silva 07712273024 Inacio Joao 07908409495

London Mitcham Sun 11 February 3.00pm  Goan Chaplaincy Konkani Mass SS Peter and
Paul Catholic Church Cranmer Road Mitcham Surrey CR4 4LD

London Heston Sun. 11 Feb. A&G is organising The Carnival Dance from 1:00 pm
onwards. Pope John Centre, The Green, Heston.TW5 0RL
With UK’s Newest Goan Band.
THE BIG DREAM. Led by the one and only Abel Nunes (ex-India and ex-Rainbow’s
End). Your Mood Setters: Antonio Fernandes and The Youth Voice. Brian Fernandes.
Tickets: Adults £15:00 and Children £10:00 below 12 years. Ticket price includes
Snacks and a Goan Buffet. Just 200 places so book in advance to avoid
disappointment. Fully Licensed Bar. For tickets contact Gabriel: 0208 2307139,
Antonio: 07780797967, Brian: 07833494173, Florence: 07905053597. Rights of
Admission Reserved. 

London Wood Green Sun 11 Feb. 40th Anniversary. Mungul Union (UK) celebrates the
Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at Woodside High School Hall (ex-white Hart
Lane School Hall), White Hart Lane, London N22 5QJ. Mass at 12.30pm. followed by
a social gathering. Music by “OUTBREAK” For tickets and details, contact Rosy
D'Silva (020 7041 6072); John Mendes 07446066162; Robert Fernandes (07753831250)
and Rosalind Rebello (020 8767 8652).

As 2017 came to a close, the High Commission of India London provided shelter
for the people who keep our community intentionally homeless for a Goan
Christmas Party.  After all only Goans could dance to the tune of Jingle Bells –
Oh what fun.

Living in breadline Britain is not easy for Social organisers to have a bespoke
social with a feel good factor especially surrounded by predators scavenging for
money. I have been short changed at the bar for example at a recent event, a
small plastic cup of water. orange or Coke was a £1.00 each.   Having measured
it myself it takes nine cups to make a litre or retail water at nine pounds a
bottle. Good job these people are not involved with the sale of fuels like
petrol, oil and diesel also essential to our civilization. Caterers often offer
a snack plate with small portions, you need to purchase two or three before you
feel you had a snack.

Like the Bar, an additional income stream is the Raffle, a Goldmine as Patrons
donate attractive prizes, the organisers sell raffles with enthusiastic minors
whose efforts raise revenue, for what purpose this is very rarely announced. It
can be observed that the people handling the money are the same people at the
Raffle table.

Also from my observation and personal opinion, taking centre stage of all the
Predators is the GWS (Goan Welfare Society).   I do not feel there is anything
Goan Welfare or Society about this outfit masquerading as a Charity whose
lucrative begging appeals to fellow Goans is on an industrial scale normally
targeting the elderly who have no family support and the venerable with sob
story letters, basket collections at socials and funerals with no public
accounts.  

At a recent village function attended, the last GWS Annual General Meeting notes
were on the table and I picked up a copy.   This was dated October 2017.   To my
recollection, it did not indicate who was present but said that there was a
balance in 2016 of  GBP 212, 500 (Two hundred and twelve thousand five hundred
pounds) .   It is astonishing with such a large balance, perhaps someone will
help me understand why we have had appeals in the whole of 2017 to airfreight
dead Goans with Portuguese Passports and no Money to Goa.  Sums asked were in
multiples of two thousand and four thousand pounds is this for one bedroom or
two bedroom coffins!   As it is in Goa, I understand there is a shortage of
grave diggers. The current amount in the accounts will be able to fund at least
100 coffins to Goa!

The must go to “Sold Out” 31 December 2017 social at Wandsworth Town Hall will
have increased this opening balance of 2018.    Word on the ground was that this
event was overcrowded, was there a reason for overcrowding?   What about the
safety and comfort of their customers?

On a success note, I have observed that since my communications on GWS, bereaved
families are asking for funeral donations to go to much more accountable and
worthy charities.

I look forward to our events, Village and Others, being free of basket
collections and sobbing letters of appeals in 2018.  Targeting the bereaved
should also stop immediately with a list of donors published and actual Balance
update on revenue, only then GWS may earn its credibility.    May I ask Special
Advisor to Rt Hon Tracey Couch MP to give the Goan Community a look in for
inspiration on Loneliness.

The views expressed in this article are personal and should not be used as any
authority.

Melvyn Fernandes

Thornton Heath Surrey

23 January 2018

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