Re: [Goanet] Release of Another Goa (Margao, Monday, Nov 16, 2009)
Dear Frederick Congratulations on the release of your new book 'Another Goa.' Wish you all the best. Kind regards Alda
Re: [Goanet] International Food Fair
Dear Friends I invite you for the International Food Fair to be held on Sunday 21 June 09 between 2pm -6pm at Wealdstone High Street, Harrow. The idea is to have food from around the world to raise awareness of the rich diversity within the borough of Harrow. There will be opportunity to taste food you have not tasted before. Participants from different communities, community organisations, voluntary organisations, restuarants will be taking stalls to provide food and other services to publicise their countries or organisations. I too will have a stall to promote Goa and the signing of my cookery book. Looking forward to seeing you and any support you are able to give by inviting your family and friends will be much appreciated. Regards
Re: [Goanet] The Goanese Fusion Flavours - cookery manual
Dear Readers The Goanese Fusion Flavours - ISBN 0951901931 Recently, I have received several telephone requests for the above cookery book published in 2005. Anyone interested in purchasing it can contact Waterstone bookshop in your vicinity. Most of the Waterstone branches in the UK do stock the book. The attachment will give further info. Alda Figueiredo
Re: [Goanet] Mega project by Mumbai based builder
Dear Readers What prompted me to write this time is the issue raised in recent emails on the above mega project in the village of Carmona has been resurrected against the will of the local people. During one of my visits to Goa I witnessed the scene of fierce fighting by locals to stop a similar project. I was under the impression that the ghost was laid to rest forever. It appears that the same ghost has come to haunt the village once again. I love Goa and even though I do not live permanently in Goa I am very passionate about the welfare of Goa. The Authority concerned should consider the needs of the locals by improving the already depleted facilities like water and electricity supply and garbage disposal. All these factors cause immense hardship for locals living in small villages. Good luck to all those who are fighting for their rights to live peacefully and in comfort. Maintain your cause - do not give up! Otherwise, human disasters will ravage the state. Goa has progressed well economically, socially and culturally after 48 years of liberation of Goa, despite some of the problems Goa is facing right now due to corruption. It will be a pity to go back to the dark days of Portuguese rule. A J Figueiredo
Re: [Goanet] An invite from Goanetter-author Selma Carvalho...
Dear Selma Congratulations on your great achievement of your forthcoming Goan book 'the Diaspora Wilderness' to be launched at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao on 29 August. Wish you the very best of success and look forward to buying a copy soon, as I have identified a few known characters in the book. Best wishes Alda Figueiredo * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Goa-launch of the well-received *Into The Diaspora Wilderness* by Selma Carvalho on Aug 29, 2010 (Sunday) at 11 am at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao. Meet the author, buy a signed copy (only Rs 295 in Goa till stock lasts). http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/
[Goanet] The Changing faces of Goa
Dear Readers I am sending this article to all Goans living abroad to make them aware what is happening in Goa today. If anyone who have had similar experiences as I have had should write to the authorities concened and may be something will be done to improve the present situation in Goa. A discontented daughter of Goa The Changing Face of Goa I am a proud Goan by birth, living abroad for the past 48 years. I love my motherland and visit every year religiously, spending on average three months a year. I have many relatives and friends in this beautiful place. During my youth (all of it spent here in Goa) I came to see Goans as sincere and God-fearing individuals. This was my real experience. This image has now become rather distorted and I feel that each year I return Goa is getting from bad to worse. Once upon a time, Goa was considered to be so safe that people would sleep at night with doors and windows open. But not today, our houses are like oppressive cages, where burglaries still occur, often taking place in broad daylight. Every year people from abroad experience some very upsetting situations in Goa. I address in this letter some of these issues. I believe, the major reasons for these difficulties are the greed, exploitation, incompetence and corruption from the authorities, including politicians, government officials, ministers, lawyers, the corrupt police, bank officials, hoteliers, and taxi-drivers. Even the lowest wage earner like messengers will demand bribes to perform a simple task for which they are already paid. In the past I have written articles to three main newspapers about these grievances, but to my knowledge none were published. This year I have been living in Goa for a longer period of five months and have been following very carefully the interesting newspaper articles written by individuals on various themes about Goa. I feel very much grieved and ask why our beloved country is made to look like a scapegoat. In the past many foreigners were killed in Goa, but none of the deaths were scrutinised and every time their families were made to believe that the cause of death was a suspected drug overdose. The case of British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s rape and murder has highlighted the hidden evil of the drug mafia which has been going on for years unnoticed under the protection of the corrupt police officers and the politicians. Yet the Government of Goa continues to fail to recognise these shortcomings, thus causing an embarrassing situation for the country abroad and nationally. To illustrate my point, I recount just a few tales of my own experiences. In Nov 2002 I booked a guest house for my family of six for two weeks and paid a deposit a year in advance. The following November I visited the owner of the guest house to confirm the reservation. I was reassured that all was well. A week before my family’s arrival I received a telephone call from the owner of the guest house that the booking I made last year was now not available, as he had found a larger family looking for an accommodation for three weeks (who obviously were paying more). To my dismay, the owner refused to refund my deposit. Being the Christmas season, I had to pay an exorbitant amount to find an alternative accommodation at such a short notice. Sadly, the sorry tale does not end there. I made new arrangements with the Manager of a reputable holiday resort and paid a large deposit in the presence of a witness I had taken with me at the time. When my family arrived I was astonished to hear the remarks made by the staff of the hotel. The booking clerk asked me to speak in Konkani because there were white members in the group. He stated that the original offer had to be re-negotiated because of the white members. I was flabbergasted that such a racist attitude could happen here in Goa. To this I replied the so called ‘white’ members were part of my family and I refused to speak in Konkani. The Manager of the hotel later apologised for this act of ignorance. It appears that some of our Goans do not know the meaning of integrity and manners. I have been a resident in the UK for the past 37 years. There are approximately 53,000 ex-pat Goans settled permanently and happily in the UK enjoying a level of security that our legitimate Goans lack in their own motherland. How sad this is for me. In the UK, we UK Goans can buy and sell homes just like any citizen of the country without any restrictions. We can buy properties abroad in Europe without fear of it being confiscated or being made to feel unwelcome. I love Goa and despite the obstacles I have endured I will continue to visit my motherland to live in hope that the wonderful image of Goa that existed before will be restored to its glory. Surprisingly, there has been a lot of publicity that foreigners are banned in purchasing properties in Goa. Some of the foreigne
Re: [Goanet] Goan recipe for beef rolls
--- http://www.GOANET.org --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php --- Beef Rolls (Goan style) Ingredient No. 1 1 lb frying steak, cut into six slices 3 slices of bacon, cut each slice into half 1 small potato peeled and cut into six slices ½ green pepper cut into slices 1 small onion sliced freshly ground pepper 4 ounces of warm water Ingredient No. 2 2 dried red chillies ½ inch ginger 4 cloves of garlic 1 medium onion ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ “ cumin seeds 4 cloves 1 inch stick of cinnamon 2 cardamoms 2 tablespoons of Goa vinegar or wine vinegar 1 cup of water Method 1. Tenderise the meat, so that the slices are spread thinly. Sprinkle with freshly milled pepper. 2. Place the tenderised steaks on the board and place on each a slice of bacon, potato, onion and green pepper. 3. Roll the steak to cover the fillings. Press it hard to form a beef roll. Tie the roll with a piece of thread. (optional) 4. Place the beef rolls in the frying pan and cover the rolls with a flat lid. On the lid place a pan with water for weight, so that the beef rolls are firm and pressed down. There is no need of tying the roll if you follow this method. 5. Simmer on a moderate heat for about 20 minutes, open the lid and cook till all the liquid is absorbed. The beef rolls will remain firm. 6. Then add 4 ounces of water and cook for ten minutes. 7. Grind all the spices into a smooth paste. 8. Fry the onions, add the masala and fry. 9. Add one cup of water and bring it to the boil, then add beef rolls and cook until the gravy is reduced to half for about 20 minutes. Add vinegar and simmer for a minute longer. Garnish with chopped coriander. Serve with vegetable pillau rice and raita with cucumber salad or Goan cabbage salad. All these recepies are in my cookery books: Delights of Goa published this year in Goa and available throughout Goa and globally via email (email:goa1...@gmail.com) The Goanese Fusion Flavours published only in the UK is available at Waterstones Bookshops throughtout the United Kingdom. ISBN 9780951901939 The author: Alda Figueiredo
[Goanet] Goans demand Mining profits - Tragic death of Tourism Minbister - Matanhy Sladanha
Tragic death of Tourism and Environment Minister, Hon. Jose Matanhy Saldanha Two days before my departure from Goa I was so privileged to attend and witness the sad final journey of late Mr Matanhy on 24 March with full honours of 21 guns salute and coffin draped in the national tri-colour of India. It was one of the biggest funeral rites in Goa’s history. Mr. Matanhy died of massive cardiac arrest at the age of 64 years. The tribute was so moving and thousands of inconsolable mourners from all walks of life gathered together whole day long to his residence and St. Thomas Church in Cansaulim to pay their last respects to their beloved leader of humanity, teacher, orator, activist, social worker, and visionary prophet of Goa . He fought for the rights of besieged fishermen, toddy-tappers, poor and marginalised people. I had never heard Mr. Matanhy’s name before this recent election, but when he was sworn in as the Minister of Tourism I read every article about him and thought he was the saviour of Goa. I even prayed for his good health. Alas, God only knows why he was snatched away so prematurely from his beloved family, friends and of course Goa lost a dedicated, honest fighter and a great son of the soil. I have been told that he was born in my village of Carmona ( I do not know how far it is true). I visited the house to say a prayer for his soul and met his elderly aunt. However, I understand that Mr. Matanhy devoted his entire life to save Goa from the clutches of evil dministration, destruction and degradation of forest and environment. He was the hope for these causes and vowed to save Goa’s forest, fragile environment and land for posterity. The funeral Mass was celebrated by the Archbishop of Goa, Filipe Neri Ferrao . The Archbishop spoke so highly about Matanhy and his relentless hard work to save Goa from destruction and he implored the people of Goa to continue walking along the path Matanhy had chosen and to live by his high moral principles and ideals. The first tribute of condolences came from Mr. Arun Jaitley, the Opposition Leader of Raj Sabha. He called him a crusader for people’s rights and said that Goa has lost one of the noblest and greatest sons of the soil. The Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar gave the eulogy and mentioned that he was a simple man and always believed in working for the welfare of Goa and Goans. They shared a common bond for believing in similar principles. He assured the public that his government would ensure that Matanhy’s rich legacy will not be forgotten. Remo Fernandes dedicated a flute solo as a tribute to Matanhy. The moving speech of Mr. Matanhy’s niece, Malisa Simoes on behalf of the family touched the hearts of thousands who cried bitter tears after hearing the heart-rendering story of a man who was more concerned for the welfare of Goa and working for the downtrodden than winning the election. His courageous wife Alina showed great strength and admiration for the man she loved for twenty years of their married life and worked together to fulfil his dreams. She also mentioned that he always told her that everything he did will be remembered after his death. It was sad to hear her words that the light of her life was no more. May God grant her and his family strength, courage fortitude and serenity to bear this cruel blow and to keep alive his vision and dreams of a better Goa in union with his legacy. Fr. Eremito Rebello delivered a strong-worded homily praising Mr. Matanhy for his kindly deeds and said that his wife Alina is a strong, courageous woman and the people of Goa needs her now to take up the challenge by contesting the Cortalim Constituency by polls. There is no doubt, Mr. Matanhy died as a happy man for the love of his beloved Goa and Goans. Let us pray that in future Goans will elect good and honest politicians to keep his memory and legacy alive. May God grant him an eternal rest in heaven. --- Protect Goa's natural beauty Support Goa's first Tiger Reserve Sign the petition at: http://www.goanet.org/petition/petition.php ---
