Monday, April 18, 2011

Divinity @ Goa

Divinity @ Goa
Frederick Noronha

FROM sermons to software! That's the shift Silvan M. D'Sa wants to nudge churches in Goa into as he polishes his code that seeks to give the parish an IT thrust - and make it easy for priests to manage their funds and the faithful.

From keeping tab of church revenues to listing devotees in a particular neighbourhood, two of D'Sa's packages promise to make life easier for church administrators.

One of them, Fabrica Accounts, keeps tabs of church accounts. It has slots to account for payments made for a range of service - prayers in the cemetery, processions, sermons, bells and chimes - or the celebrant's stipend.

"You don't need to think... just go to the right slot and enter the amount," said D'Sa, who runs a small software outfit, Computech, out of the north Goa town of Mapusa. From the church revenue, a part of the earning goes to the priest as compensation for his work. "This segregation is done by the software," said D'Sa.

Each month, a summary of the accounts is automatically generated. The software complies with the requirements of the Goa church. It confirms to the income and expenditure register that is required by the Goa and Daman Archdiocese's seccao das confrarias (section for confrarias). Another software that D'Sa has written keeps records of parish members. It cross-links devotees residing in the neighbourhood with the ledgers where their records are maintained.

If a priest wants to get across his message by post, the software generates neat mailing labels that list the heads of the households. Posting out a message to all thus becomes an easier task.

But finding the right persons to run the software is no easy task. "People come for a month, and then leave. I've trained at least five persons so far," lamented D'Sa.

Getting takers for the program is also not easy - not surprising, given that software is a rather new field in Goa.

United Press International (UPI) news agency

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journalist training

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In-Person Training
Essential Skills for the Digital Journalist (W434-11)
Seminar05/02-05/06 Apply By: 04/11 Let Poynter help you master the basics of audio, video and other multimedia tools, along with social media tools. We’ll teach you not only how to use journalism’s new tools; we’ll also help you think about storytelling and how to navigate the ethical pressure points presented by today’s emerging platforms.
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The Atavist a boutique publishing house

http://atavist.net/profile/

The Atavist is a boutique publishing house producing original nonfiction stories for digital, mobile reading devices. We like to think of Atavist pieces as a new genre of nonfiction, a digital form that lies in the space between long narrative magazine articles and traditional books and e-books. Publishing them digitally and offering them individually—a bit like music singles in iTunes—allows us to present stories longer and in more depth than typical magazines, less expensive and more dynamic than traditional books.


Most importantly, it gives us new ways to tell some inventive, captivating, cinematic journalism—and new ways for you to experience it.

The stories: All of our stories are researched, reported and crafted by experienced longform reporters and writers who’ve spent months chasing them down. The topics may vary, but every Atavist story will be a narrative—around a crime, a scientific mystery, an adventure, or any other human drama—with characters and events. Pieces are laced with photography, sound, and video, where appropriate (and as the device allows). Each one will be edited and fact-checked. But Atavist stories aren’t static: Some may evolve in response to our readers, or simply expand and change as new facts come to light. Some may even involve the readers in the story itself.

The medium: Atavist stories are entirely digital creations, with no glossy paper and no hard cover. That allows us to do some things we couldn’t otherwise—within our own apps—like including a free audiobook version of every one, and allowing you to flip back and forth between text and audio while the story keeps your place. In addition to each story’s unique collection of video and other media, inside the Atavist apps they have what we call inline content: maps, timelines, character lists, primary documents, and links. You can turn on the inline content to find out what’s behind the story, or leave it off to read completely distraction-free. We think each of our narratives will make a great read, regardless of whether you read it on a Kindle or in our own app.

The model: Fully outfitted stories are available for $2.99 each through the Atavist app for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. (We’re aiming for Android devices next.) Full text and photo versions of the stories are available for $1.99 through Amazon.com’s Kindle Singles collection and on the Nook. All of the proceeds are shared between The Atavist and the author.

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Ahead to 2035-- goa vision

http://goa2035.in/

Ahead to 2035
The Goa Government has set upon an ambitious yet imperative task of setting a vision- a roadmap for the next 25 years for the all around development and growth of the state. As part of the initiative, a 14 member high power council is set up comprising of eminent personalities, who together constitute the “Goa Golden Jubilee Development Council”. As part of the process of setting the roadmap, the committee intends to invite public participation in the process, this would be facilitated through the creation of an interactive platform on the Internet.

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About MidEastPosts

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MideastPosts.com is an attempt to link the very best bloggers in the Middle East together, in a format that will do justice to the compelling copy they write.

While the U.S. has the Huffington Post, the Middle East has no common platform to put the best and most influential bloggers of the region together. This is our attempt to provide that place.

But why put together a site for bloggers at all?

Simple, the copy they write is often far more insightful, honest, passionate and relevant than copy you will find in a newspaper.

This is not simply because of the greater demands to navigate ‘the line’ of censorship in print. Yes, that’s a real issue , but as big we believe is that the majority of newspapers you will pick up today, or the news sites that you scan each morning will be filled with wire copy from AP, AFP and Reuters – stifling any uniquely Middle East voice.

It’s not necessarily a newspaper’s fault – the days of having hundreds of journalist on staff have gone. Accountants rule, and editors have to fill their pages with something.

Neither do these agencies do a bad job, but importantly they write for an international audience, repeat platitudes and generalizations of the region repeatedly for U.S. consumption, and certainly do not have a Middle East audience in mind.

There is one other fascinating thing about bloggers. They write because they want to, not because it is their job. For journalists that means they’re dismissed as amateurs; we believe it means that when they write they do so because they truly care what they are writing about, not just because they have been told or commissioned to.

We’re just at the start of our journey. This site is barely a few weeks old so we’re very much looking for your feedback. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us at editor@mideastposts.com. We look forward to talking to you…

NOTE: We have updated the permissions on the site so that if you register, you will automatically be given the permission to add stories to the site. These will not be made live until they have been passed by an editor, and naturally we reserve the right to not publish. We also reserve the right to edit articles that are posted directly in this way.



Who we are

James Mullan. James is a former Director of a leading global public relations firm in the Middle East, and a Managing Partner of Insight, a successful media training business that works with clients at a senior level throughout the region.
David Westley. David is the former Editorial Director at ITP for Digital (ArabianBusiness.com, Time Out Dubai), Head of Editorial at Yahoo!, and was Deputy Editor at Dow Jones Financial News. He is presently the MD of Turret Digital.

Ismilda-- goa research

Ismilda specialises in research on World Constitutionalism, Goa and special research on Calangute. Here we interact with conscious Members of Human Race who would love to make the world a better place to live in, with researchers interested on our themes, with research guides who would like to help with their assistance and suggestions and also with Educational Institutions, Research organisations, NGOs, the civil society etc.



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New media innovators

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The Daily Dot was founded in September of 2010 by CEO Nicholas White and his cofounders, Nova Spivack & Josh Jones-Dilworth. Founding Editor Owen Thomas rounds out the team.

We are a team that combines dedicated Web and new media innovators with traditional newsroom experience and expertise. We are committed to the best practices of hyperlocal and community journalism, reinforced by new standards of data-assisted storytelling, social distribution, and iterative reporting.

We are also most definitely hiring. If you love and live Web communities, whether you’re a professional journalist or an enthusiast, we want to hear from you: jobs@dailydot.com.

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About CPAmedia
Since its inception in 1993, CPAmedia has striven to offer its clients the best in editorial and photographic services. To begin with CPAmedia's clients were mainly international magazines and newspapers, but over the years our client base has grown to include leading guidebook companies and publishing houses.

The range of services we offer has also expanded, and far from being simply a source of words and pictures we now offer full editorial production, including proofing, layout and design. Through close association with separation companies, printing houses and binderies in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, we can also arrange printing at costs significantly lower than those of most European and American companies without sacrificing quality.


Who & Where is CPAmedia
CPAmedia is based in the attractive and historic northern Thai city of Chiang Mai. CPAmedia's Chiang Mai-based staff include:

Dr. Andrew Forbes (UK), Editor, graduated in Chinese Studies at the University of Leeds before going on to complete an MA in Islamic Studies and a Ph.D in Central Asian History. He is also a Senior Associate Member of St Antony's College, Oxford.

David Henley (UK), Chief Photographer and Managing Director, whose photographic work has appeared in numerous international publications.

Colin Hinshelwood (UK), Executive Editor, who has lived in many parts of Asia, Central and South America over the last 25 years working as a writer and journalist.

Doug 'Gordon' Morton (USA) is our publication designer utilising Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for print media and website content.

Marketing is handled by our US associate Peter Holmshaw, a writer and Asian specialist fluent in Chinese, Thai, Arabic and French.

Thongthawatchai Boonsukprasit (Thai) - better known as "Ott" - is our office manager.

We also work closely with Karin Madison (USA) and Brent Madison (Canada) of Chiang Mai-based Madison Images.

Aside from the core staff in our Chiang Mai office we maintain close contact with a sizeable group of associates, all specialists in their writing, editorial or photographic fields. For details on individual photographers see our commissioned photography page. Upcoming photo shoots are listed on our front page just as soon as we know about them.

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The easiest way to contact us is by filling out the form on out contact page. Otherwise, take your pick from the following methods:

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Communication challenges, human trafficking plague seafaring industry

VATICAN CITY – Seafarers worldwide have always faced a difficult life marked by long periods away from loved ones, but increased globalization has given rise to new challenges, including difficulty with communication and human trafficking.

These were some of the issues that regional directors of the Apostleship of the Sea discussed Feb. 14-16 during their annual gathering at the Pontifical Council for Migrants and Travelers.

Globalization has led to the development of more ports, and existing ports are seeing an increase in traffic.

The growth in the shipping and fishing industries has led to a greater demand for mariners, and the demand for manpower is so great in some parts of the world that personnel can be victims of human trafficking, said Father Romeo Yu Chang, regional coordinator of East-Far East Asia.
For example, in Thailand, many people do not wish to take on the strenuous and risk-filled job on fishing boats, so laborers are being trafficked in from other countries, he said in the region’s annual report.

Undocumented laborers are often victims of abuse and exploitation, and many of the workers “are enticed or lured or kidnapped to work as sea fishermen,” he wrote in the report.

The greatest problem historically faced by seafarers, who might spend 9-10 months at sea, has been the difficulty in communicating with family back home.

The Apostleship of the Sea helps seafarers by offering phone cards and Internet connections at port centers, and port chaplains often go onto the boats with laptops and cell phones for workers to use, said Deacon Albert M. Dacanay, regional coordinator for North America and the Caribbean.

A growing number of seafarers have access to new technologies that make it possible to reach home frequently and cheaply, he told Catholic News Service Feb. 15.

Because many seafarers now have access to Wi-Fi and smart phones, the apostleship is launching a beta test system for a social networking site that would allow seafarers and chaplains to keep in touch with each other.

The website would be a tool for communication between seafarers and their families, seafaring families with other families, and a method of relaying information about apostleship services to seafarers on the go. An iPhone application is also in the works.

The site would also help chaplains easily track ships and their crew to better serve them.

Connecting chaplains directly with seafarers in need is a hallmark of what Deacon Dacanay calls their “networking ministry.”

“The first thing you do when they come (is ask them) how long are you staying and where is your next port?” he said.

That way if the chaplain is unable to help the seafarer immediately, he can alert the chaplain at the next port of call to visit the crew member in need of continued assistance.

“We try to make it a very close family network for chaplains” so they can all look out for crew members in need, he said.

The increased ease of being in touch with family members has brought a greater demand for counseling and crisis intervention, said Redemptorist Father Xavier Pinto, regional coordinator for South India and the Gulf region. One-on-one time with members of the pastoral teams is becoming progressively more critical and important, he said.

Apostleship regional directors see this as an opportunity to expand their network, but because of a lack of resources, they worry that they will not be able to meet the demand, some said.

A globalized workforce also means crew members on one ship might be from many different countries. The multiethnic crews often have no way of communicating with one another, if only for companionship, and that can cause problems, said Deacon Dacanay.

Staff members at apostleship centers speak the language native to that region, and sometimes English, but many mariners that come to them are immigrants who do not speak either language, he said.

Another problem the apostleship works to alleviate is protecting the rights and living conditions of seafarers who are stuck on ships that have been abandoned by the captain due to bankruptcy or legal issues.

In his opening address Feb. 14 to the regional coordinators meeting, Scalabrinian Father Gabriele Bentoglio, undersecretary of the pontifical council, said ships abandoned at port with crews left on board “is one of the most visible effects of the global economic crisis in the maritime industry.”

The apostleship tries to provide for their basic needs, such as food and water, and assists with repatriation and efforts to recover unpaid wages, he said.

The Apostleship of the Sea, which provides spiritual care to seafarers and anyone whose livelihood depends on the sea, has set up centers and chaplaincies across the world to help seafarers wherever they may be.

For many people who are strangers in a strange new place, “the first place you visit is the church” because it’s someplace that makes you feel comfortable and welcome, Deacon Dacanay said.

When there is a chaplain at a port, “sometimes we take a picture with the sailors and we send it to their families and it keeps them assured that their husbands and their family members are kept safe and in good hands,” he said.


Feb 17, 2011

http://www.catholicreview.org/subpages/storyworldnew-new.aspx?action=9521

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Crumbling village house in India and Cuncolim’s centuries old land issue

oan houses have been the handiwork of some remarkable artisans. My neighbor late Indunberg Gama, an engineer by profession had a lot of fond memories associated with old ancestral house in Sanvorcotto Cuncolim. He passed away four years back in Mumbai. With his death spelt the death knell for his ancestral house. His children who were born and brought up in Mumbai had no idea how his forefathers had toiled to build the house. On the death of Gama, the house was not periodically repairer and the house constructed in old traditional style with the aid of lime and sand crumbled under its own weight two years back. And the inevitable happened the debris of the house were cleared and then the children decided to sell the plot to an originally Karwari family settled in Goa for the last twenty years. Like Edinburg house a number of houses surrounding my house lay unoccupied., with some toying with plans to sell their land and settle elsewhere. Call it migration or work call demands. The bottom line is village houses are being deserted in Goa in villages far away from the beach. A few prospective owners like Shanti Gama is waiting for buyers. But many a buyers have been turned their back for the lack of motorable road leading to the house. Shanti’s house is not the only one which lies closed in the vicinity of our house. Former Mumbai corporate Nolasco Gama is one such house along which till date has not faced the ace. Nolasco and his children having migrated to somewhere in Canada or Australia and it has been ages that the family have visited their old ancestral house. If some houses remained locked in my vicinity, there are some owners who have still managed to keep their houses a coat of paint and make them dazzling. One such house is that of late Arnuf Fernandes, which has been properly maintained by its owners now based in Portugal. A few metres away the professor Babu Fernandes house has been gifted by his niece to a charitable home. But no one has since moved into the palatial house and call it lack of repairs or any other thing, a portion of the house has crumbled and one is not sure when the entire house will crumble. If it crumbles then a large part of the history will be lost along with the grandeur and identity the house gave to the small Sanvorcotto ward. The house where many children learnt their first lessons in Portuguese under the professor during the Portuguese rule. Another palatial house which welcomes you to my ward owned by Rui Fernandes begs for attention. The owners who have settled in Chinchinim occasionally come to collect their revenue from their by now almost sold properties in and around Cuncolim. They have maintained and repairer the house. But will Rui’s sons do it. One way for the local residents concerned about heritage will be to approach the Tourism Department in a bid to protect the old grandeur of Sanvorcotto. But if old constructions are crumbling and lie unoccupied, a number of new RCC construction and old ones are being converted into plus one structures. Bang opposite my house local councilor Devendra Dessai has constructed two houses. A few metres away Juliet D”Souza bungalow is getting the finishing touches, while my class mate and childhood friend teacher Ajay Dessai’s family is converting their roof tile house in a plus one structure. In all the schemes of things our house and the adjacent house of goldsmith Raikar looks like a dwarf. To understand Cuncolim’s building spree one has to have a look at the land ownership history of the village. Most of Cuncolim’s land including some parts of Sarzora is shown in the survey books of records as ‘court receiver’. The ‘court receiver’ came into the pictures owing to the century old dispute between the Sociedade Agricola dos Gauncares de Cuncolim e Veroda and Condado of The Marquis of Fronteira. In Cuncolim land ownership did not rest in Communiade hands but in Sociedade Agricola dos Gauncares de Cuncolim e Veroda, an association of the original settlers the village. To look at the land dispute one has to flip through the history books and one comes across interesting facts. This is what I found out. In 1583, the Cuncolim villagers had to face the fury of the Portuguese for having killed the five priests and five laymen who were forcibly converting the Hindus and also destroying their temples. The Portuguese destroyed orchards in the village and unleashed many atrocities on the local population. More trouble was in store for them. The village chieftains were invited for talks at a fort in the neighboring village of Assolna, where the church of Assolna stands today. All except one was executed. The one who survived did so by escaping through a toilet to swim across the "River Sal" and fleeing to the neighboring Karwar district, which now forms part of the southern state of Karnataka. As part of the memory of the murdered village chieftains, Cuncolim as recently as six years ago erected a "chieftains' memorial" thanks to the initiative of Vermissio Coutinho, who took the lead in the building of the memorial. The chieftains' memorial stands close to the martyrs' chapel. The subsequent execution of the chieftains -- cold-blooded murder -- did not diminish the fighting and valorous qualities of the villagers. If though the Khastriyas of Cuncolim failed to match the superior armed forces of the colonial rulers, who destroyed their orchards and unleashed other atrocities, the villagers continued the struggle through a non-cooperation movement of not paying taxes to the Portuguese. Centuries later, Mahatma Gandhi would launch a similar movement of not paying taxes to British rulers. The villages of Cuncolim, Velim, Assolna, Ambleim and Veroda refused to pay taxes on the produce generated from their fields and orchards. As a result, their lands were confiscated and entrusted to the Condado of the Marquis of Fronteira. The villagers waged a strong struggle but it was through the efforts of the visionary Dr. Rogociano Rebello, a general medical practitioner who studied law, that they got their land back. He took their case from the Goa law courts established by the Portuguese to the highest court in Portugal. Finally, it bore fruit. The "martyrdom" and conversion of Cuncolim did not end the exploitation by the vested interests. New ones replaced the older ones and the conversion does not seem to have made a great difference. The later history of Cuncolim-Veroda as Condado of The Marquis of Fronteira since its donation in perpetuity to João da Silva and his descendents in 1585 could be the theme for a long study and it will require access to the records of the House of Fronteira and to many case files in the court (julgado) of Quepem of the comarca of Salcete. There are also records among the Mhamai House Papers at The Xavier Centre of Historical Research pertaining to the administration of the revenues by Narayan Camotim Mhamay as Rendeiro of the Condado frorn 1809 to 1818 or so, writes historian Tetonio De Souza in one of his papers. Apparently, the administration of the Condado was more benevolent than that of the Jesuits in the neighbouring Assolna-Velim-Ambelim. But only a more detailed study could establish the truth of the appearances, because even for the short period of the administration of revenues by Narayan Mhamai Kamat one comes across umpteen cases of confiscation of lands and other personal possessions of several village inhabitants who are sued in the court of law as bad debtors to the revenue far-mer. I have come across instances of popular representations against the administration of the Condado, and there are cases of Rendeiros complaining against the abuse of authority and funds by the procurators of the House of Fronteira in Goa. Such complaints seem to be motivated by the rivalry among the candidates for the revenue-farming of the Condado , he adds The Portuguese chronicler Diogo do Couto describes Cuculi (sic)"The leader of rebellions" and its people as "The worst of all villages of Salcete". The prosperity of this village seems to have been derived from its fertile land that had abundant and fresh waters from rivers descending from the New Conquests and crossing it before they became brackish in the neighbouring villages nearing the coast. Surplus agricultural production had enabled this village to develop crafts of a very skilled order. Cuncolim is still known for its skilled metal works. But already in the letters of Afonso de Albuquerque one reads that guns of good quality were manufactured in Cuncolim, and he finds them comparable to those made in Germany. A century later the viceroy D. Jeronimo d'Azevedo was banning the manufacture of guns in Cuncolim under penalty of four years in the galleys and even gallows! This kind of developed crafts can give us some idea of the economic interests that had developed in Cuncolim when the Jesuits arrived. The village also had other important economic resources. One of these was its permanent bazar at the end of more than one caravan routes connecting it with the mainland through the Ghats of the Ashthagrahar province. One of these cut through the Donkorpem Ghat and another through the Kundal Ghat, leading to Netarli and Naiquini respectively. Besides these two Ghat passages there was another coming from Dighi Ghat to Veroda via Talvarda. It was frequented by caravans bringing cloths and other provisions. Cuncolim bazar needs to be considered as an important factor in its socio-economic development. In keeping with the traditional fairs connected with temple and religious festivities, also the bazar economy of Cuncolirn depended upon its temple and religious celebrations. One should analyse against this background the reaction of the dominant class of Cuncolim to the destruction of its temples and to the attempts of the Jesuits who sought to establish Christianity in Cuncolim and its satellite villages of Assolna, Velim and Ambelim in 1583. In the present day retired government official Madhukar Dessai who donned different hats of a freedom fighter, Excise official and also chairperson of Cuncolim Municipal Council is the president of Sociedade Agricola dos Gauncares de Cuncolim e Veroda. The Sociedade runs an English-medium school, higher secondary school and a college, which is situated opposite the Church run school of Our Lady Of Health. But is Sociedade Agricola dos Gauncares de Cuncolim e Veroda authorized to execute lease agreements and are prospective buyers who dole lakhs and lakhs of rupees to some agents in respect of property prudent enough. That is a legally debatable issue. But then what are the rights and privileges of the apartments and shops owners which have come on the land leased by the Sociadade to the builder. That is another grey area.

Indians learn Portuguese to earn Portuguese citizenship

“Nao sabem nada, nem uma palavra de Portugues? o que e isto? porque precisa passaporte Portugues? faca favor de estudar Portuguese meu senhor.” (Don’t know a single word in Portuguese? What is this? Why you need Portuguese passport? Please Sir Try to learn Portuguese ok? )

Is a familiar question which Indians of Goa, Daman and Diu happen to hear in Portugal, when they make the trip to the European country to surrender their Indian passport and collect the Portuguese nationality doucment. Back in Goa, when Goans visit the Portuguese Consulate of Goa, for their Portuguese citizenship procedures they got lost on account of the language barrier.
Antonio Joao Vaz, a long time- resident of Qatar, who studied in Lycium, a leading Portuguese Institute for higher studies during Portuguese regime i.e ( Liceu Nacional De Afonso De Albuquerque, Centro Regiao No.1, Panjim Goa), suggests that Goans must overcome problems related to the Portuguese language.
He is a much sought after man in Qatar whose services are sought after my Goans looking to have working knowledge of Portuguese.

“Problems for Goans arise specially at the time of interview, filing, and attestation of their Portuguese passport papers, as some of them do not understand the language and end up giving wrong answers, worst is when they go to Portugal to collect the passport there,” he says.
Portuguese language is a beautiful language, and we Goans should know and be familiar with this language, especially and the tool can come handy for people of all ages, but especially advisable to start at a young age, says Vaz who also speaks French.
“During our college days we also learnt Latin, Spanish and German, but I have lost touch with the three languages,” said the Batim-born Goan, who earlier worked with Land Survey Department of Goa, as a surveyor, before being hit by the migration bug.

“The Common Civil Code in force in Goa has incorporated the Portuguese laws, in respect of properties matter, marriages, Wills/Testaments etc. Goa is a unique state where the Common Civil code is applicable to people of all religions. People in rest of India except for Jammu and Kashmir, are covered by their own personal laws, like the Hindu Succession Act and the Mohamaden Law.

“Since all the old documents of ancestors including properties plan and other important documents are in Portuguese preserved in civil land registrar, and Archives. If one wants to search any Portuguese document for example : Inscricao (Inscribed certificate), Discricao (Description certificate), Documento dos herdeiros com titulos, Documentos showing heirs in the property and the title), Documentos de Invetario (Invetory documents), Certidao Narrativa (Narrative certificate), Certidao Teor (Detailed / teor certificate i.e. direct certified copy or photocopy from the register), Copia do Registo e planta do Cadastro portugues, ( Old cadastral survey plan and report/description), Planta de tombacao com usurpacoes (Copy of the Comunidade plan with encroachments legalized, and non legalized), Documento de particao/divisao (Partition deed), and many other documents etc,” says Vaz, who has spend a quarter century working in Qatar.

“For all these to document search, one have to take help of others, spend hell of amount, and possibility of getting misguided too in many cases, adds Vaz.

“It is only a suggestion in the interest of Goan Community parents should encourage their children to learn Portuguese, as an additional language, which will be useful for them not only in Goa, but in Europe too,” he says as a parting shot.

Examples of commonly used phrases/ words, and essential for those who have obtained or are seeking to get Portuguese citizenship:
Data de nascimento (Date of birth )
Donde e o Senhor? (From where are you Sir?)
Sou de Goa ( I am from Goa )
Qual parte de Goa ? (Which part of Goa? )
Eu sou de Salcete ( I am from Salcete and so on )
Conselho ( Taluka )
Como se chama ? O que e seu Nome ? (What is your name?)
Onde mora? (Where do you live?)
Lugar de residencia (Place of residence )
Freguesia/Aldeia (Village)
Nome do Pai (Name of the father)
Nome de Mae (Name of the mother)
Casado (Married)
Solteiro (Bachelor or single)
Nome de Esposa / mulher (Name of wife)
Nome do filho legitimo (Name of the legitimate son)
Nome da filha legitima (Name of the legitimate daughter)
Bom Dia ( Good morning )
Boas Horas ( Good Afternoon )
Boa Tarde (Good Evening)
Boa Noite (Good Night)

“If anyone interested to get familiar in this language, and want to know how to learn it, in the easiest way both colloquial or grammatically guide lines can be provided. It is very easy to learn and beautiful to talk, once you start you will not leave it,” says Vaz. Besides Vaz, another long time Goan based in Qatar, Gill Cardozo, are the two resource persons Goans look forward for timely help concerning Portuguese language in an alien land.

Policeman caught selling drugs on camera in Indian state of Goa

Panaji: For the last one year Goa, the beach-side resort state of India is witness to the latest blockbuster ‘police-drug mafia nexus’ running houseful.


The participants in this morbid ‘police-drug mafia nexus’ soap opera have flung at us the nuggets of intrigue, deception, histrionics and suspense. The casting couch has spread their net wide from Sweden to Israel for the star cast. The entire story is shot and revolves around Goa and only Goa.


It is open and shut case that drugs, money, and murder have overgrown the last refuge of pleasure in India. Goa has lost its innocence. A turf war among various factions engaged in illicit drug ventures has broken out. Greed has turned lethal.


The state administration has been in denial mode all along over the presence of drugs and drugs dealers operating from the coast.


It was left to Swedish model Lucky Farmhouse, http://lucky.nu/?page_id=78 who has done bits and pieces acting role in Bollywood, to do the star act on Goa police and drug dealers in the state. Her sting operation has forced many a heads to roll in Goa and shattered the official version – there are no drug dealers in Goa.


For long, the 35-year-old had been used to facing the camera. But for once, her sting operation on her former Israeli boy friend Atala alias Yaniv Banaim exposed a can of worms once it was uploaded on popular you tube site.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47uTOPRsHnchttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64GFgEVdA2E&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL


http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3674698


Six policeman were suspended included the chief of the anti-narcotic cell of the Goa police and were later arrested.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVQTY2Lk4nU&NR=1.


All the six accused — senior police inspector Ashish Shirodkar, head constable Hussein Shaikh and four police constables Saish Pokle, Sanjay Parab, Sandip Parab and Ramchandra Kankonkar — were booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act after they were found having links with Atala.


All were players in the sordid drama of selling the drugs confiscated in police raids and pushing the same drugs back into the market. They are all on bail now.


That was in March 2010.http://www.thelocal.se/27020/20100604/


The story has many flip flops for the police, more through a well thought out design. They allowed Atala, now a free man to jump bail and to flee the country. He fled to Israel and now is cooling his heels in the police lock up in Chile, awaiting extradition to India, after been arrested based on the lookout notice of the Indian authorities.


If the already battered police force were caught with their pants down through the sting operation, more was in the offing.


David Driham alias Dudu, 34,http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/ANC-arrests-Israeli-drug-dealer-Dudu/articleshow/5605114.cms yet another arrested Israel drug peddler‘s sister Ayala Driham caught on camera a police sub-inspector, heading Anti-Narcotic Cell,selling a packet of drugs to her. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oo2SSpV0hrs


Sunil Guddler has since been suspended.http://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=1313


Dudu and Atala are many Israeli tourists who frequent to India after compulsory military service.


Goa and Kulu Manali in Himachal Pradesh have been the safe havens for Israeli youth, fresh from mandatory military service,many of them take flight to the beaches of Goa, to get over the trauma. http://www.tabletmag.com/news-and-politics/31970/lost-in-goa/


A recent study by Roman Catholic priests based in Goa has portrayed all the negative things associated with Israeli tourists.


http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/church-affiliated-goa-group-publishes-anti-israeli-book_100287528.html


“Claiming the right to say no: a study of Israeli tourist behaviour and patterns in Goa” a 96-page book published by the Council for Social Justice and Peace (CSJP),and authored by 11 seminarians.


The study is based largely on discreet undercover survey and operations carried out by Christian priests.


“Can you imagine young boys killing people. They (Israelis) go mad while in the services. The government sends these people to relaxation hubs. One of them is Goa. Israelis just party with trance music and get intoxicated with drugs and alcohol. They kiss and touch each other openly. They also appear to switch partners They (Israelis) are a nuisance to everybody in and around Palolem. Their dominating nature and other monkey business drives away other tourists. So why do we need them. In Vagator, there is a beach which is called as ‘Israeli beach’ just below the 9 Bar. Non-Israelis are frightened to come over to this place,” are some of the findings of the young priests.



‘Dum Maaro Dum’ (a promo of the film)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMkJkGrBxTg&feature=player_embedded#at=13 aBollywood film has provided added fire to the ongoing controversy. The film explores the dark underbelly of Goa and is set for an April 22, 2011 release date.


One by one character from Paul Mann’s novel Ganja Coast published in 1995 is coming to live.


The so-called Ganja Coast, in Mann’s novel is a decadent beach community where aging American hippies and drug dealers mingle, where unlimited supply of drugs is available for those who live along the vast beaches.http://www.tambdimati.com/the-last-hippie-standing-video-classic/


There are a few amazing parallels between the death of British teenager Scarlett Keeling which happened at Anjuna three years back and the case characterized by the author in the novel.


Scarlett was administered a cocktail of drugs and was allegedly sexual assaulted before been left to die on the beach. Two men, Placido Carvalho and Samson D’Souza have been charge sheeted in the case, which is going on in the Children Court in Goa.


Scarlett body is yet to be buried by mother Fiona MacKeown, who is determined to get to the bottom of the surface and find the truth behind her daughters death.


In Mann’s novel also there was a dead body of a Hippie child found floating off Anjuna coast too.


The death of Scarlett shook Goa. The seamy side of Goa was exposed. But nothing has changed over the last few years since the teenagers’ death. Foreigners continue to die due to drugs overdose and sexual assaults continue on foreign tourists. 126 foreign nationals died in Goa in the last two years and 40 of them were British nationals.


http://www.mid-day.com/news/2011/feb/060211-goa-tourism-down-foreigner-murders.htm


With the federal investigating CBI finally turning down the Goa government request to investigate the “police-drug mafia nexus” the case has come a full circle.http://expressbuzz.com/nation/cbi-cant-probe-goa-drug-nexus-court-told/258754.html


So what next, the suspense continues. ‘



Struggling Portugal holds out hope for former colonies in India

Panaji: Portugal may be one of the poorest in the 17-nation in eurozone, but that has not deterred many an Indian to opt for citizenship of that country. With a financial bailout for the debt-ridden country more likely the Portuguese are apprehensive of what holds in store for them in coming days and months.


54-year-old Portugal citizen Antonio Pereira hailing from Borim village in Goa, a former Portuguese colony, has not concerned of what will happen in the event of a financial bailout for the debt-ridden country and the austerity measures that lay in store for him and his family.
He is one of the hundreds of Indians from the Estado de India who have opted for Portuguese citizenship after renouncing his Indian citizenship and now works in UK.


Prime Minister Jose Socrates' resigned on Wednesday after parliament rejected the government's latest austerity plan. The austerity plan - the government's fourth in a year - was aimed at avoiding the need for a bailout for Portugal to help it meet debt repayment obligations, a package similar to those granted by the International Monetary Fund and the European Union to Greece and Ireland last year. Analysts have estimated that an international financial rescue for Portugal would cost between 50 and 100 billion euros, according to an AFP agency report.


Portugal’s green and red coloured flag is at the centre stage in India. Thebandeira de Portugal is the focal point on a giant billboard in Goa, in western India, for all to see. Agents specializing in Portuguese Nationality and Passport consultancy services have emblazoned the flag to attract people in the western state of India, eager to migrate to Europe.


The advert, says “Portuguese Nationality (for Indians), Attestation and Submission of documents.”


The striking advert is one of the many that have popped up in the state and which have proved so popular with hordes of people eager to give Goa a miss and take a flight to Europe.


The green in the flag represent hope. Likewise, hundreds of Indians from the Estado da India are holding hope and making a bee line to get the Portuguese citizenship. For many, the Portugal window is a perfect opportunity to migrate to Europe as Portugal is part of the European Union (EU).


Residents from the Union territories of Daman and Diu, Nagar and Haveli besides Goa which were Portuguese colonies till 1961 have accorded the special option to become Portuguese citizens by virtue of jus solis, ie, because they or their ancestors were born in Portuguese colonies (Antigo Estado da India Portuguesa). Goa was a Portuguese territory for more than 451 years, up to 1961.


“Portugal is not granting Goans Portuguese citizenship. They are already Portuguese citizens by virtue of having been born in Estado da India Portuguesa or by virtue of being descendents of those born there. Goans born before 1961 do not become naturalised citizens of Portugal because they always were Portuguese citizens and retained their Portuguese citizenship after 1961, according to Portuguese law. To avail of Portuguese/European citizenship rights, you need to register your birth in Portugal,” said Lisbon based Attorney Pedro Rodrigues, a Goan-origin advocate, who traces his roots to Moira village in North Goa and who specializes in the Portuguese Citizenship.


For Indians like Antonio and many of his fellow unemployed Indians the Portuguese citizenship is a ticket to an improved lifestyle. But, for most of them Portugal is not there final destination, where they will seek a job.


With a crippled economy and not many jobs for the locals in Portugal, the Indians prefer to play their trade elsewhere in Europe. Their favourite country is UK and then comes France.


Selma Carvalho, http://selmacarvalho.squarespace.com/author/ author of the book Into The Diaspora Wilderness says : “The Goan who has made his way to the UK through the Portuguese passport-holding route, is predominantly settled in Swindon, Reading and other areas conducive to first-generation immigrant settlement. They come from the lower socio-economic groups of Goa, with minimal education and inadequate proficiency in English. Once here, they take up janitorial and factory jobs. But given their resilience and propensity for hard work, they do remarkably well in the UK, within a span of five to ten years.”


Then language is another barrier. A minuscule population of Goa is familiar with spoken Portuguese and those opting for Portuguese citizenship find themselves lost for words and lose their face in front of passport officials in Portugal.


But that is changing in Goa, thanks to Instituto Camões, a public institution, part of the indirect Government administration, endowed with administrative and financial autonomy and its own assets, pursuing the aims of the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the areas of culture and education with a network of Leitorados, Centros de Língua and Centros Culturais established abroad under a Cultural Exchange Programme with third countries.


“Centro de Língua Portuguesa/Instituto Camões in Goa conducts language courses, Levels A1, A2 and B1 following the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: learning, teaching, assessment, which corresponds to basic, elementary and intermediate courses respectively. Every year we have around 80 and 100 students learning Portuguese language and culture at our premises. Institute Camões is in Goa since 2001 and has signed in January 2007 a M.O.U. with the Goa University. The Department of Portuguese at the university offers a post graduate course (M.A.) in Portuguese Literature and Culture. In 2009-2010 we had 16 enrolled in M.A. in Portuguese Literature and Culture and this year 12 students. Some of our students come from New Delhi and other parts of India,” says Delfim Correia da Silva, Director, CLP/ Instituto Camões –Goa.


“The Dept. also offers language courses, Basic, Intermediate and Proficiency. In 2009-2010, 48 students have concluded their four months intensive course. In 2010-2011 the Department of Portuguese also offers Portuguese Language as optional and credit courses. There are also several local institutions conducting classes in Portuguese language, namely the Indo-Portuguese Friendship Society/Fundação Cidade de Lisboa and the Centro Cultural Communicare. Centro de Língua e Cultura Portuguesa (CLCP) at the Smt.Parvatibai Chowgule College of Arts and Sciences in Margão with whom Instituto Camões has established a M.O.U in July 2008 is also offering Portuguese intensive language courses to the their Higher Secondary and B.A. students and to students from outside as well. Portuguese language is part of the curriculum of the High and the Higher Secondary Schools in Goa. It is an optional language from stds.VIII to XII for more than 700 hundred students,” she adds.


Those migrating are not just uneducated youths but educated youth who don’t find jobs of their choice in India. Many Goans who have opted to get migrate to Europe via the Portugal route were former footballers ploayign for different clubs in India. The players had no productive employment after their football careers came to an end and opting for Portuguese citizenship was the quickest thing that came to their mind.


“Migration of Goans will continue in the near future given that the opportunities available for their children (Goans) in the Developed World are simply not there in Goa. UK is a welfare-state. Their health requirements are taken off by the NHS, their children's education is free of cost and there is a reliable safety-net in terms of unemployment and disability benefits, which quite a few of them claim,” says Carvalho


But, the process of Portuguese citizenship is not a long drawn process involving a lot of paper work and endless trips to various government offices in search of the documents.


The Portuguese authorities tighten the noose after notorious gangster Abu Salem broke through the loose ends of the system to get Portuguese citizenship.


Since then the Portuguese authorities have been insisting on the Police Clearance certificate.


According to information available, nearly 1,200 Goans have acquired Portuguese passports in the last three years.


The chances are by and large that at some point of time, the Portuguese government may crack the whip and say enough is enough vis a vis - Portuguese citizenship for former colonies. Till now, Portugal have been resisting pressures from UK and other European countries in closing the doors of citizenship for residents of former colonies.


In recent times with Bulgaria and Romania joining the European Union, the migrant workers from India are facing competition in the cheap unskilled labour market.


Even as UK deliberates to keep a check on illegal migration to the country more and more people are registering online to get an appointment to submit their documents to the Portuguese Consul-General in Goa. The process of securing appointment itself takes close to one to two years. http://www.consuladoportugalgoa.com


“The chances are they (Portugal) may close it down (granting of citizenship). So it is better to complete the formalities. Never be late and regret at a later date,” says Rodrigues .


So, there is mad rush to cross the finish line and it is not restricted to residents of Goa but for residents of Daman and Diu, Nagar and Haveli who burn the midnight lamp in Panaji, the capital of Goa, to submit their documents to the Consul-General in Goa.


Indians based in different parts of the world who trace their roots to the former colonies have been pushing the panic buttons to get Portuguese citizenship.


“The craze to acquire a Portuguese passport is not restricted to Goans based in Goa. Goans based in Australia, Persian Gulf and Kenya are inquiring about the process and the documents required to acquire a passport. I get calls and emails from different parts of the world. The task is not simple as done. But, certainly more hassle free and little paper work compared to getting a citizenship of other European countries,” says Rodrigues.


According to Portuguese lawyer Miguel Reis three million Indians from the former Portuguese colonies are entitled to Portuguese citizenship, but only a small minority of them has registered their claim.


http://www.deccanherald.com/content/145346/three-million-indians-entitled-portuguese.html


The 50th anniversary of Goa’s decolonisation coincides ironically with 500 years of the Portuguese arrival here in 1910. Several Portuguese institutions will be joining hands to commemorate the 500 years with a major international academic symposium on contemporary Goa and its history to be held at Lisbon’s Catholic University. In November last year, the Portuguese training vessel Sagres on a voyage to commemorate 500 years of the Portuguese arrival at the Orient and the Far East, drew strong protests from freedom fighters and saffron groups after it berthed at Mormugao harbou, says a Decan herald report.http://www.deccanherald.com/content/149095/portugal-still-denial-over-goa.html


Portugal’s ties with former colonies like Goa also extend on the sporting field with Goa Football Association availing of the services of a Portuguese coach for its football youth development programmes.


As India does not support dual citizenship, the moment you become a Portuguese citizen you have to surrender your Indian passport. One becomes an alien in his own land. But that’s a price worth paying feel hundreds of Indians.


A lost generation of Goans in Pakistan

United we stand divided we fall



Margao, Goa: Cricket fans in India erupted with joy when the last Pakistan wicket fell which signaled a 30-run win for Mahendra Dhoni’s boys in the semi-final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in Mohali in Punjab.


This is the fifth time Pakistan are losing to India in the world Cup cricket. The last time the two nations met in the show piece event was in 1996 in Bangalore. Saturday's match in Mumbai against Sri Lanka will be India's third appearance in the World Cup final.


On the other side of the border Paksitan fans were pulling their hair in frustration as their favorite team lose to arch-rivals India, with whom they have fought three wars, the last one in 1999.

Not long ago two Goans played for Pakistan. Mathais Wallis and Antao D'Souza played Test

cricket for Pakistan.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/pakistan/content/player/40041.html - antao
D'Souza and
http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/41278.html -

But for many a Pakistan born US citizens of Goan orgin, there were no nationalists feelings involved.


“I am not a nationalist,” says US based Michale Ali


“I cannot be as my parents hail from India and all my wife's and my relatives are in India, Australia, USA, Canada, Italy and Britain. My wife's only sibling is American and my only sister is Canadian. Furthermore, we also hold Green Cards,” he adds.


The Goans of Karachi have a history of their own. The first Goans came to Karachi by sea in sailboats, called Dhows. Karachi at the time was a small non-descript town and a one-way stop to the important ports of Bombay and Calcutta. It is difficult to imagine the difficulties these early settlers had to face in an alien land, where conditions were hard. But by sheer grit and determination and by their adventurous spirit, these early Goan settlers lost little time in improving their prospects for a better life.


Most of the early Goan settlers in Karachi were single males - they started "chummeries" and moved out, building their own houses and forming their own townships. http://karachigoans.com/index.html


http://www.goansofpakistan.org/index.htm


But the nationalist feelings by and large prevails among the Goan community in Pakistan who have been born and brought up in Pakistan and who have lost contact with their Indian roots, thanks largely to the difficulty in getting visas to travel to India.


“The Goans in Karachi...over 95 percent support Pakistan as they are Goan in name only and have lost all contact with Goa...due to lack of knowledge about the place, being cut off from their relatives and also by political/visa problems,” says Ali, who trace his roots to Margao.


Ali supported India in the India-Australia match and his reason was to see Australia off.


“Many, many people supported India including myself. Some did it as they don't like Australia others as they wish to see India clash with Pakistan in the semi-finals which generated more excitement than any other team.”


But for another Goan, Sebestian Telles who traces his roots to Bardez, the game between the two Asian giants was like a final.


“Well everyone I spoke to about the match said it’s a do or die game with pride at stake. You are well aware of the India-Pakistan rivalry because of the political tension between the two neighbours. Many are literally called the match a war between the two teams. For me this match was more or less a Final. I don't think you are going to watch a more closely contested than this one. Its a game so we should look at it from a cricketing perspective rather than two nations venting out their anger with pride at stake,” said Telles, who is based in Australia.


Back in Goa, the properties owned by Pakistani nationals of Goan origins are declared as enemy property and its custody lies with the government.


Goa, a former Portuguese Colony till 1961 was liberated by the Indian army and thereafter joined the Indian Union.