PARRIKAR ACCUSES GOA POLICE OF HELPING ATALA GET BAIL

PANJIM: Opposition benches in Goa Assembly today alleged that police helped Israeli drug lord Yaniv Benaim alias Atala procure bail and said they have evidence to prove it.  Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, while pointing out to the written reply on the floor of the House, said that Prakash Maitri, who stood as witness for Atala, was actually a stock police witness.

CASINO ACTIVITIES RESULTING IN RISE OF ABORTIONS:PARRIKAR

PANJIM: Leader of Opposition in Goa Assembly Manohar Parrikar (BJP) on Thursday claimed that "activities" at off-shore casinos were resulting in the rising number of abortions in the city.  "The kind of activities that happen at midnight on the road running adjacent to the off-shore casinos are disgusting," Parrikar said in the House today.

RAVI NAIK SAYS 74 FOREIGNERS ARRESTED FOR DRUGS CASES FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS

PANJIM: According to the Goa home department, 74 foreign nationals were booked in drugs-related cases in the coastal state in the last four years. In reply to a question in the state Legislative Assembly, Goa home minister Ravi Naik said this included Israelis, Norwegians, Dutch, Italians, Costa Rican, Japanese, Swedish and others.

GOA CHURCH SUPPORTS ENGLISH AS MOI

PANJIM: The Goa Church, which runs more than 100 educational institutions in the state, has backed English as a medium of instruction while supporters of regional languages plan to stage a mammoth rally against it.  The Archdiocesan Board of Education (ABE), in an official statement issued here Wednesday, said English should also be permitted as the medium of instruction besides Konkani, Marathi or a regional language in aided primary schools.

STATE INFORMATION COMMISSION RULES THAT GOA GOVERNOR IS A PUBLIC AUTHORITY

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny today ruled that the Goa Governor was a “Public Authority” and does come within the ambit of the Right to Information Act.  Pronouncing his verdict on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act, the Goa State Chief Information Commissioner today directed the Public Information Officer at Goa Raj Bhavan to furnish within 30 days to Adv. Aires Rodrigues the information sought by him under the Right to Information Act.

BOGEYMEN AND BOGUSES OF GOA by N. Fernandes, London

Goans in general are a clever and intelligent race.They is also most noted for being industrious in the face of adversity. If they have no jobs as the Govt. cannot provide it, due to corruption, they will open a small shop, a small business or conduct a cottage trade or even make huge sacrifices to go abroad to earn a living.

CAN ANYONE THROW LIGHT ON THE AGITATION AGAINST, HAVING ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION, BESIDE KONKANI? by Ashley J. Fernandes, Margao

Goans may well be wondering, as to the reasons behind certain well known as lesser known individuals frowning at the plea by thosuands of parents to have English as the " Medium of instruction. Its straight and simple:

1) These individuals spread over various political parties and across the state, have got used to exploiting and cheating people, as all legal documentation is in English.

IS INDIA A GOAT??? by A. Veronica Fernandes, Kuwait

In the recently passed UN resolution mandating UN to implement No Fly Zone over Libya, India along with Brazil, China, Russia abstained from voting in the resolution thereby converting India’s status as that of a dumb Goat. Abstaining from voicing its opinion either for or against is a job of a Dumb. Is India such a mighty power so impotent to voice its opinion on such an important and crucial issue?

PONDA POLICE ARREST ONE FOR STEALING BIKES

PONDA: The Ponda police on Monday evening arrested Mapusa-based Krishna Nayak, 21, for stealing a bike. The Hubli native, was caught at the Dhavali-Ponda bypass asking for petrol from motorcyclists passing by.

BJP MLA D’SOUZA TELLS ASSEMBLY ABOUT THE MISMATCH FIGURES OF STATE POPULATION

PANJIM: The Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Mapusa, Mr Francisco D’Souza on Wednesday told the state assembly that there was a mismatch of figures as regards to the state population as per the information provided to him by the government in response to his query and the Census figures of 2001.

COMMUNIDADE LAND GRABBING BY GOVT FIGURES IN THE ASSEMBLY

PANJIM: The issue of ‘haphazard’ land acquisition by government for various purposes and the failure of the authorities to check mass land grabbing allegedly by people in connivance with the managements of the communidades figured prominently during discussion on demands for revenue, settlement and land records, civil supplies etc in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday.

CM ASSURES REGULAR PROMOTIONS OF GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Wednesday informed the House that within next six months, he would streamline the process of regular promotions of the government officials, and sort out the confusion prevailing in the ad hoc promotions of such officials without injustice to anyone.

RTI COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA GOVERNOR: VERDICT ON MARCH 31st

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on 31st March deliver his verdict on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act.

PARENTS SHOULD SUPPORT ALL GOAN CAUSES NOT JUST MOI by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Except on two occasions and may be a third one, we Goans have failed to fight on a united front. Except for the Opinion poll, Konkanni movement and may be for the SEZ and RP 2011, Goans have not come out to fight for the Goan causes until and unless they have found stones hurled on their valuable houses. The large gathering at the rally for MOI has proved it beyond any doubt that we are a shellfish lot.

CONSTABLE SAVES THE DAY UNDERTRIAL ATTEMPTED TO GIVE POLICE A SLIP

PANJIM: In what would have been an embarrassing situation for Goa Police was averted and saved by a Police Constable Nilesh Gaonkar. An undertrial lodged at Sada sub-jail, who was taken by the police to the Institute of Psychiatry and Human Behaviour (IPHB) on Saturday morning, tried to give them the slip by throwing chilli powder into their eyes in a hindi filmy style.

TTTTHE KKKKING’S SSSSSSPEECH by Adv. Jose Peter D’souza

This one may not receive any award, academy or otherwise, and on the contrary, the response by way of brick-bats will by no means be a surprise; but, by jove! it’s a free for all; and so I’ve decided to get off my throne, come down from Olympic heights, mix with the mundane, and mingle among commoners, argue myself hoarse, or, better still, stutter some more words to the ongoing ‘konklish’ debate on the medium of instruction which to date has been nothing more than words, words, words. 

MOTHER TONGUE AND PRIMARY EDUCATION by Tomazinho Cardozo

The massive rally of parents the Azad Maidan, Panjim recently demanded in one voice that option may be given to parents to choose the medium of instruction in government aided primary schools. Some news persons with ulterior motive distorted the content of the demand and published that the parents want English language only at the primary level.

BBSM SAYS NO TO GRANTS TO ENGLISH MEDIUM SCHOOLS

POINGUINNIM: Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch, Canacona on Monday resolved that the government should not entertain any request to give grants to any English medium schools to be run at primary level. It was also decided that the education minister, who was a part of the agitation held in Panjim recently, should not continue as education minister and that he should morally resign from his post.

VISHWAJIT RANE TO IMPROVE THE INFRASTRUCTURES OF HEALTH CARE IN THE STATE

PANJIM: The Health Minister, Mr Vishwajit Rane, on Tuesday, told the state legislative assembly that his thrust would now be to improve the infrastructural and other facilities in the health care institutions in the state, particularly the TB and chest diseases hospital at Tambdi Mati and Goa Dental College.

MAUVIN GODINHO PREPARES ELECTION STRATEGY: SETS TARGET TO ENROLLING 5000 YOUTH IN DABOLIM, CORTALIM

VASCO: The Goa state campaigning chief for the Congress party, Mr Mauvin Godinho has set a target of enrolling about 5,000 youth each from Dabolim and Cortalim constituencies in order to strengthen the party base there.  Mr Godinho also said that he would focus to enlarge the party base in Vasco and Mormugao and likewise in the remaining 36 constituencies in the state.

DUO BOOKED FOR WRONGFULLY RESTRAINING A PRIVATE BUS HAVE GONE MISSING

PANJIM: Goa private bus owners association president, Sudeep Tamankar and his associate Sudesh Kalangutkar, who have been booked for wrongfully restraining a private bus and intimidating, insulting the bus conductor, have gone missing, said the police.

LAWMAKERS CLOSER TO CONSENSUS TO CAP IRON ORE MINING ACTIVITY

PANJIM: Lawmakers in Goa are inching closer to a consensus to cap the iron ore mining activity in the coastal state, which is having far reaching impact on its fragile ecology.  Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar was the first one to appeal to all the lawmakers on the floor of the House last week to combine efforts to tackle the rampant mining in the state, which has snowballed into several social issues.

HC ORDERS Dy COLLECTOR TO PROVIDE SQUAD TO DEMOLISH ILLEGAL STRUCTURES AT KHARIAWADDO

PANJIM: The high court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed South Goa deputy collector to provide a squad to demolish 87 structures that have been identified as illegal by Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) at Khariawaddo, Vasco.

GAUNDALIM VILLAGERS BLOCK ROAD AGAINST SAND LADEN TRUCKS PLYING THROUGH THE VILLAGE

OLD GOA: Angry with the "indifferent attitude" of state government authorities over the plying of sand-laden trucks in the village, residents of Gaundalim village resorted to a rasta roko to highlight the issue on Monday. In the protest which began at 7am, around 55 sand-laden trucks were stopped, as a way of protesting the movement of the trucks along the Gaundalim-Old Goa road. The silent dharna lasted till 1pm.

RAJ THAKERAY’S PSO BOOKED FOR ASSAULTING AND THREATENING WITH HIS REVOLVER A TRUCK DRIVER

PANJIM: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray's personal security officer (PSO) was on Monday booked for allegedly assaulting and threatening a truck driver with his revolver at Ponda in Goa, police said.

ONE TIME NUDIST BEACH IN GOA CHOSEN FOR 2014 NATIONAL GAMES

PANJIM: A one-time nudist beach in Goa is where the athletes and officials participating in the 2014 National Games will stay, a minister said Monday.  Until a couple of decades ago, Arambol beach was a pristine stretch of sand located 45 km from here, complete with its own fresh water lagoon and a nudist colony of hippies.

BJP SEEKS REASON FOR ALLOTING CHURCHILL BROTHERS A GROUND WITHOUT FOLLOWING PROPER RULES

PANJIM: The BJP on Monday sought to know from the Goa government why a playground was allotted to Churchill Brothers football team, without following proper rules.  Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said the Sports Ministry did not form a proper policy while allotting the ground, which is located at Cana Benaulim in South Goa. 

FARMERS’ COMMITTEE SAY 15,000 PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFECTED BY AIRPORT PROJECT

PANJIM: A farmers' committee fighting against the proposed greenfield airport at village Mopa in north Goa on Sunday said that about 15,000 people would be affected by the project.  Mopa Airport-Affected Farmers' Committee (MAAFC) members told reporters today that almost 15,000 people were getting affected with the airport project. 

HIGH COURT PULLS UP CANSAULIM PANCHAYAT, TOWN AND PLANNING DEPT OVER NOCs TO MEGA PROJECTS

PANJIM: In a recent order the high court of Bombay at Goa has pulled up the village panchayat of Cansaulim and the town and country planning department (TCP) for granting NOCs to a private builder for construction of a mega housing project in the village. The division bench of Justice S C Dharmadhikari and Justice F M Reis were hearing a petition filed by Ashley Fernandes and nine others challenging the NOCs granted to a mega housing project in survey no 17/3 of the village.

ORISSA NATIVE ARRESTED FOR KILLING A BIJAPUR NATIVE

PONDA: The Ponda police on Sunday evening arrested 32-year-old Mohan Biswal, a native of Cuttack Orissa, for allegedly killing a native of Bijapur, Karnataka, Wahid Ahmad Mohammad Munshi, 39, in Ponda on Saturday night.  Police said the accused has confessed to the crime and will be produced before the Ponda JMFC on Monday.

CHIMULKAR SAYS WAS FORCED TO DRIVE TO ANC IN HIS OWN CAR

PANJIM: Alleged drug dealer Sadanand alias Bhui Chimulkar has said in his written submissions in the NDPS court at Mapusa, on arguments before charge filed, that he was forced to drive his private car from his residence to the anti narcotics cell office in Panjim and he was not arrested in the manner indicated in the chargesheet.

ASSAMESE WATCHMAN WAS KILLED BY GIRLFRINED AND A CLOSE FRIEND

PANJIM: The Calangute police have now discovered that the 30-year-old Assamese watchman, Tupeshwar Das, who was found dead in his room in Calangute on Friday afternoon, was murdered by his girlfriend—Pwishli and a close friend—Birkwdo Narzary, 26— both also Assam natives.

AN 8TH STD DROPOUT TO DECIDE OUR MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION & EDUCATION POLICY by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

We all know the fate of this current controversory over the medium of instruction. Chief Minister Digambar Kamat will do what he does best- shelve the issue by appointing a committee of so called 'experts' to study the issue.

WHO DESTROYED GOA MORE: BABUSH OR DIGAMBAR? By Rajendra Kakodkar

After the Mines Minister was exposed by Cavrem gaonkars, people said Digamber’s destruction of Goa is many times more than what Babush did as TCP Minister.  His media advisors are trying hard to salvage his image. Minin Piris, who a distrubutes govt advertisement to media acts like Sensor Board to filter Digamber’s excesses from being published in the media.

BJP TO MEET THE CM TO OPPOSE GRANTS TO ENGLISH PRIMARY SCHOOLS

PANJIM: Coming out with a demand that the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat should strip the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate of his portfolio for failure to properly handle the issue as regards grants to primary schools with English as their medium of instruction, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday said that its delegation would soon meet the Chief Minister so as to oppose grants or any financial assistance to English primary schools.

THREE YEARS PASSED STILL FARMERS DO NOT GET COMPENSATION

PANJIM: Three years after the devastating rains of March 2008, over 1500 farmers from the state are still awaiting compensation to be disbursed by the government, which had approved Rs130 lakh as compensation to them.

MVPXS QUESTIONS THE GOVT DECISION TO APPOINT UNDISCLOSED CONSULTANT FOR MOPA AIRPORT

PANJIM: The Mopa Vimantall Piditt Xetkari Samiti (MVPXS), on Sunday questioned the government decision to appoint an undisclosed consultant for the proposed Mopa airport, without first doing the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA).

KAMAT LET GOVTY SPENT 2.63 CRORE ON 30 VEHICLES FOR ITS MINISTERS AND SECRETARIES SINCE JUNE 2007

PORVORIM: The Digambar Kamat-led government has spent Rs 2.63 crore on 33 vehicles for its ministers and secretaries since June 2007.  This was revealed in a reply to a question tabled in the ongoing assembly.  Of these vehicles, Kamat himself has three-two for personal use and one for his staff. While the Honda City cost the exchequers Rs 8.77 lakh and the Toyota Corolla was priced at Rs 12.52 lakh, the CM's staff are using a Hyundai i10 priced at Rs 3.61 lakh.

SC TO HEAR PETITION AGAINST HEALTH MINISTER VISHWAJIT RANE ON MARCH 28TH

PANJIM: A Division bench of the Supreme Court of India comprising of Justice Altamas Kabir and Justice Cyriac Joseph will on March 28th hear the Special Leave Petition filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa’s Health Minister Mr. Vishwajit Rane in the threat to kill case.

SURESH AMONKAR LAUNCHES PROFESSOR AVE CLETO AFONSO’S KONKANI-ITALIAN DICTIONARY

PANJIM: A Konkani-Italian dictionary by professor Ave Cleto Afonso-the first ever attempt to link the two languages-was launched by Padma Shri Suresh Amonkar on Friday.  Noted litterateur Amonkar, speaking at its launch at a city hotel said, "In today's increasingly shrinking world, bilingual dictionaries will have a significant role to play to bring about meaningful dialogue between people of the world."

DEAD MAN IN TROUBLE: FORGERY CASE REGISTERED AGAINST HIM

MARGAO: Margao town police on Friday registered an offence of forgery against a dead man. Moreover, the case stands registered 36 years after the crime was allegedly committed.

FOURTH THIEF A NATIVE OF KARWAR ARRESTED IN PONDA IN ANOTHER BREAKTHROUGH

PONDA: A team of Ponda police made another breakthrough in the Ponda theft cases by arresting one more person from Karwar, Karnataka. The accused was nabbed from his hideout on Thursday and brought to Ponda on Friday, the police said.

LET BETTER SENSE PREVAIL! by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

We all are different people with different thoughts. Our thoughts never matched and will never match in totality. As far as the progress our Mai Goa is concerned, we all need to be extra vigilant. Presently, we witness the state of affairs in Goa and remain dumb and if we continue with our same behavior our next generation will curse us.

MGP WILL NOT SUPPORT ENGLISH AS MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

PANJIM: Congress-led Goa government on Saturday stood divided over the issue of medium of instruction (MOI), with one of the coalition partners opposing English.  Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP), which is represented by two legislators in the ruling coalition, today said it would not allow English to be recognized as MOI, or even a grant or other financial aid being given to English-medium schools.

BHARATIYA MAZDOOR SANGH ARE MAKING EFFORTS TO INCREASE STRENGTH

PANJIM: The Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh, which has around 2,000 members in Goa, will be making all efforts to increase its strength in the state. The newly elected all India general secretary of the BMS, Mr B N Rai, who is currently in Goa to address the meeting of the workers of the Sangh at Ponda, on March 27, interacting with media, on Saturday, said that the BMS is presently handling 5 to 6 acute problems such as corruption, price rise, black money stashed in foreign banks and unemployment, among others.

TWO YOUTH ARRESTED IN VASCO FOR EXTORTION

VASCO: The Vasco police have nabbed two youth, for being allegedly involved in the cases of extortion and threatening in Vasco. The police arrested the two, following complaints from renowned businessmen and shop owners, based in Vasco.

VICTORY FOR CANSAULIM VILLAGERS by Yeshwant Parab

The villagers of Cansaulim had been fighting consistently during the last year and a half to stop a mega project of Gonsalves Dias and builder Aboo Bhakar which was having a very adverse effect on the ecology and environment of a very rural ward Kottarwaddo in the village of Cansaulim. The licence to this project had been issued by the village Panchayat by flouting all procedural norms.

PANJIM DEFACED by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

The new CCP Mayor Yatin Parekh and his team had promised a clean and honest administration. Yet in less than a week in power they have been caught in the first illegality by allowing Baba Ramdev to blatantly deface the Panjim streets with unauthorized banners and flags.

10 THINGS TO LEARN FROM JAPAN by Domnic Fernandes

This is epitome of HUMANITY this is why is Japan, a powerful nation in any crises we should be proud of the JAPANESE People having given new meaning to people of Japan  Japan does not have Bill Gates or Warren Buffet Ambani Dempo, Salgoankar or Oil fields; not even resources, they are still the best. It is EVERY JAPANESE (who is not talked about every now and then in magazines and newspapers) that makes Japan so special.

FOR PROGRESS AND ALL ROUND DEVELOPMENT by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

Vote for
1.Cutting of beautiful Natural Hills
2.Agriculture land conversions
3.Pollution of our holy water
4.Progress of drug dealing

BPSM LASHES OUT AT THE EDUCATION MINISTER FOR SUPPORTING ENGLISH

PANJIM: Speakers after speakers at the Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch meeting lashed out at the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate, for supporting English as the medium of instruction at the elementary level.

HIGH COURT DECLINES TO INTERFERE WITH DAVORLIM LAND ACQUISITION

PANJIM: The high court of Bombay at Goa has declined to interfere with the acquisition of 1.20 lakh sq m of land by the government at Davorlim in South Goa for a multipurpose utility project on a petition filed by Davorlim comunidade challenging the land acquisition.

TURKISH NATIONAL DIES AT ANJUNA BEACH

PANJIM: Turkish national Sezgin Gondis, 31, who arrived in Goa with five friends on Wednesday was found in an unconscious state at Anjuna beach on Thursday morning. He was later declared brought dead in a private hospital where his friends took him for treatment.

FOREIGN TOURISTS DEATH RATIO IN GOA: ONE TOURIST PER WEEK

PORVORIM: On an average, one foreign tourist died per week over the last three years in Goa. Of the 161 deaths, the cause of death in 53 cases is not known as the histopathology examination and chemical analysis report of the victim's viscera has not yet been received.

PLANS FOR NEW BUS TERMINUS IN MARGAO WILL BE KEPT OPEN FOR PUBLIC TO VIEW:CM

PORVORIM: Chief minister Digambar Kamat on Thursday informed the Goa legislative assembly that the rough plans for the new bus terminus in Margao, once ready, would be kept open for public viewing and feedback.

HIGH COURT ORDERS THAT GOAN TRADITIONAL HOUSE CANNOT BE BLOCKED

PANJIM: The villagers of Cansaulim, who had filed a petition at the High Court of Bombay at Goa, were granted relief with regards to the Gonsalves-Dias Gates mega-housing project coming up in the land under Survey 17/3 known as Candialissa or Cundu.

GOVT HOSPITALS WILL NOT BE PRIVATISED AFTER CONSTRUCTION: CM

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Friday made a categorical statement in the House that no government hospital would be privatised in the future, once it is constructed.  The Health Minister, Mr Vishwajeet Rane also informed the House during the Question Hour that the consultant has submitted the final draft of Request for Proposal (RFP) to select the public private operator for the Mapusa district hospital. "After vetting by the law department, the same would be published in the last week of March 2011," he added.

KONKANI SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY SCHOOL MEDIUM by Fr. Mousinho de Ataide

Primary education ought to be in the mother tongue. This is a proven principle of pedagogical science; about it there is no dispute. Konkani is the mother tongue of Goa. This is also admitted by all. It is based on this that Konkani was made the official language of Goa and included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, and Goa was raised to the level of a state.

IT'S TIME THE ADVOCATE GENERAL GOES by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

Mr. Subodh Kantak has lost all moral authority to continue as Advocate General of Goa more so now after having lost his battle against Right to Information Act. It is an irony that Mr. Subodh Kantak did not even understand the basics of law in claiming that the Advocate General’s office was not a “Public authority”.

THOSE OPPOSING ENGLISH MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN RESPONSIBILITY OF DEVELOPING KONKANI By Nisser Dias

The week began with tens of thousands parents from all over the state converging at the historical Azad Maidan to vouch their support for the movement demanding inclusion of English as medium of instruction. The sheer number of parents responding to the call given by respective PTAs of government and aided schools to attend the meeting sent a shiver down the spine of the government.

RTI COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA GOVERNOR: VERDICT ON MARCH 31ST

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on 31ST March deliver his verdict on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act.

WHY IS MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS LINKED TO GOVT. GRANT? by Ashley J. Fernandes, Margao

A recent report in one of the publications in our state of GOA read “IT WILL BE MOTHER TONGUE IN CLASS V TOO” . To begin with , this kind of a decision is illogical and unacceptable. Why ? Children at present struggle with the change in the medium of instruction from Std IV to V.

MOTHER TONGUE MEDIUM IS A MUST IN THE EDUCATION OF GOA: NAGUESH CARMALI

PANJIM: Konkani writer and protagonist, Mr Naguesh Carmali, expressing his views on the controversy over medium of instruction said, "I am dead against making English as the medium of instruction at elementary level, especially, in the state of Goa, where we already have an education policy in place.’’

GOVERNMENT’S STAND ON MINING by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

CM Kamat is at it again, he assures that his government’s stand on mining is clear, is that news? The public have known the governments stand on mining for a long long time and that is the reason they been protesting over the years even after facing brutalities from their goons and the police with the full backing of all our corrupt politicians.

5 STAR HOTELS FOR NATIONAL GAMES - 2014 by Willie M. Severes, Majorda (Dubai)

The Goa Government has now proposed of setting up of three 5-star hotels in coastal villages of Colva, Britonna and Baga via public private partnership model (PPP). This also includes several other projects like theme parks, shopping complexes and gaming areas as well as riverside marinas. As per Sports Ministry, the Rs.550 crore allocated by the state government and the central government is a part of ‘infrastructure development’ for the National Games scheduled to be held Goa in 2014.

TOURISM DEPT SPENT Rs 1.35 CRORE ON DRINKS, POLE DANCES AND DISNEY LAND – brought to you by Vicente E. Do Rego

In a shocking expose on how the Goa tourism department in January and February this year spent a total of Rs 1.35 crore under the guise of promoting Goa tourism through roadshows in US and Europe. The truth is far more disturbing…read on…

PWD MINISTER PROMISES TO PROVIDE PWD CONTRACT WORKERS ALL THE FACILITIES

PANJIM: The Minister for Public Works Department, Mr Churchill Alemao, on Thursday, assured the House that he will immediately provide the PWD workers engaged by contractors with facilities of Provident Fund, ESI, leave, and safety equipment.

AIR INDIA PILOTS BOUGHT FAKE LICENCES:57 OTHERS SHOWED UP FOR WORK DRUNK by Rick Westhead – Courtesy thestar.Com

What Niz Goenkar N.Fernandes-London, has been telling us Goans about the Alemao Family Pilots

For more than a decade on at least 6,500 flights, Air India captain J. K. Verma welcomed passengers aboard and invited them to sit back and relax as he flew them to destinations across this expansive and fast-growing nation.

MINISTERS AND MLAs DECIDING THE FATE OF CHILDREN OF GOA? UNJUSTIFIED. WHY? By Ashley J. Fernandes Margao

While a majority of the Goan population are of the same opinion that “ENGLISH” be made the medium of instruction in all schools in the state, with the mother tongue as a compulsory language, a section of the irresponsible ministers and MLAs appear to be still trying to gather support against it, in various evil minded ways.

HOME MINISTER OF GOA NAIVE ON THE IDENTITIY OF 44 FOREIGNERS WHO DIED IN THE STATE

PANJIM: Goa government on Thursday said the cause of death of as many as 44 foreigners in the last three years in the state remains "unidentified". Home Minister Ravi Naik today told the Assembly that the reason of death of around 44 foreigners--out of 161 foreigners who died during the last three years--"could not be identified yet as chemical analysis of their viscera was yet to be received."

MIGRANT SETTLER FROM CORTALIM ARRESTED FOR ATTEMPTING TO MURDER A GIRL

VASCO: Verna police on Wednesday arrested Ratnakar Laxman Dubdali, 24, from Cortalim on charges of allegedly setting a room on fire on Monday night at Verna and attempting to murder a girl who refused to marry him and two of her relatives.

GOA’S NEW TALUKA, THE 12TH, WILL BEGIN TO EXIST FROM 4TH APRIL

PONDA: South Goa collector Gokuldas P Naik has said that the government has already notified the formation of the new Dharbandora taluka and preparation for the inauguration has already begun. Goa's 12th taluka will officially come into existence on April 4.

KAMAT SAYS THE THRUST OF HIS GOVT WOULD BE TO REDUCE DAMAGE TO ENVIRONMENT FROM MINING DUST

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Thursday told the members of the Goa legislative assembly that the thrust of his government would be to reduce damage to the environment caused due to mining activities in Goa, even as he called for a consensus on the issue of mining in the interest of the state.

TIATRISTS AND POLITICIANS AND GOANS by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes

Well said Willie Severes on Herald dated 23rd March’11, It’s indeed a pity that the very people who preach, practice the opposite, I admire our Tiatrist fraternity, I do enjoy their songs and the messages that are conveyed through their Tiatrs.

SEAN ACCUSES COLVA POLICE OF THEFT:HIGHER RANKED OFFICERS DENY AS USUAL

MARGAO: The Colva police have come in the eye of a storm after one Sean Demont complained to the police higher ups that policemen attached to the station were allegedly involved in theft of cash and other items from his car.

COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA GOVERNOR: FINAL ARGUMENTS ON 25TH MARCH

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on Friday 25th March at 10.30 am hear the final arguments in the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act.

GIVING SPECIAL STATUS TO PERSONS OF GOAN ANCESTRY by Rozario Menezes

Chief Minister, Digamber Kamat on 22nd of march 2011 has declared in the august Legislative Assembly that he will seriously pursue the issue of grant of special status for the state for Goa. This is significant milestone in the history of this state.  However, while pursuing the grant of special status to the state of Goa, it is more important and easily implementable and achievable that the Chief Minister take speedy steps to protect and grant special status to the people of GOAN ANCESTRY as differentiated from people who currently reside in Goa.

50 YEAR OLD WOMAN ACCUSES THE BROTHER OF CONGRESS CHIEF OF ASSAULTING HER AND HER SON

PANJIM: A 50-year-old woman and her son Wednesday accused the brother of Congress' Goa unit president Subhash Shirodkar of assaulting them after they resisted colours being smeared on their faces during Holi celebrations Sunday. Shirodkar said the complaint was politically motivated.

CHURCHILL ALEMAO SAYS HE IS WORKING HARD TO RAISE CAPACITY TO SUPPLY POTABLE WATER

PANJIM: The Public Works Department Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao, has said that his department has been making efforts and striving hard to raise capacity for supplying adequate potable water to the people in the state and that a number of schemes for augmenting water supply are underway in the state.

COMMITTEE UNDER CM TO DECIDE TOURISM RELATED PROJECTS

PANJIM: A House committee headed by the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat was announced on Wednesday for deciding on all major projects related to state tourism, in the future.  Coming out with this information during the Question Hour, the Tourism Minister, Mr Nilkanth Halarnkar said that all the political parties in the House would get representation on this panel, and there will be special budgetary provision for such projects as decided by the high-powered committee.

LONG LIVE AMERICAN DREAM by Shikha Dalmia brought to you by Ivo D’Souza

Goans should read this article thoroughly and see if it implicates Goa in comparison

Americans, hit first by outsourcing and then a recession, are becoming deeply pessimistic about their country’s ability to maintain its economic leadership in a globalized world. America’s Aristophanes, Jon Stewart, commented during a recent interview with Anand Giridhardas, author of India Calling: “The American dream is still alive—it’s just alive in India.

THE BATTLE BETWEEN ENGLISH AND REGIONAL LANGUAGES FOR MOI

PANJIM: The battle between English and regional languages as the medium of instruction in Goa is heating up.  After thousands of supporters of the English language as the medium of instruction for school students marked their turf Monday, a new front Bharatiya Bhasha Suraksha Manch (BBSM) has vowed to back regional languages Konkani and Marathi (Marathi is not the State Language).

THREE FIVE STAR HOTELS IN THE COASTAL BEACH RESORTS TOPS PPP AGENDA

PANJIM: Setting up of three five-star hotels in coastal beach resorts via public private partnership model (PPP) tops the agenda of the Goa government, according to official documents tabled during the budget session of the state assembly Wednesday.

BISONS FORCED INTO VILLAGES DUE TO DEFORESTATION: PARRIKAR

PANJIM: Over 58,000 trees were felled in Goa in the past four years to make way for mining, forcing the state animal gaur - or the Great Indian bison - to flee its natural habitat and enter villages, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar said Wednesday.

DRIVE AGAINST OVERLOADING TRUCKS RE-STARTS

PANJIM: Mining companies operating in South Goa could face charges of contempt of court for overloading of mining trucks with the Transport Department booking 51 cases related to overloading in Quepem and Rivona, on Wednesday.

INFORMATION COMMISSION DECLINES TO STAY RTI COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA

PANJIM: HThe Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny today declined to stay the proceedings of the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against the Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act. When the Advocates appearing for the Goa Raj Bhavan today moved an application seeking that the proceedings be stayed, Mr. Motilal Kenny told them that they could move the High Court for any stay if the wished.

SPRUCE UP THE JUDICIARY by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

That PD Dinakaran continues as Chief Justice of the Sikkim High Court despite 16 charges of corruption and irregularities against him only goes to prove how fractured the current system is.

LET GRA DEVELOP AND EVOLVE by N. Fernandes, London

GRA should be given a fair chance to evolve. It is made up of well intentioned NGO`s and is also a newly formed organisation, that wishes to act as a WATCHDOG for Goa.It covers various subjects that affects Goa, its Citizens and its development and above all its future.  Such organisations are required to keep the Government "in Check”. It is not the MLA`s that own Goa. It is "we", the people that own it and have a part to play in it.

MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

In truth I never imagined the gathering to fight for the right to the Medium Of Instruction would be so large, large yes, so large no ! It is indeed good to see that so many people especially parents can come together to fight for a bright future for their children. It is heartening and it evolves in me a hope that we Goans could unite in one voice if push comes to shove.

STATE GOVT WILL NOT ALLOW THE NAVY TO ACQUIRE LAND IN GOA: CM KAMAT

PANJIM: Stating that "as far as possible the state government would not allow the central agencies including Indian Navy to acquire land in Goa" as required by them, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, on Tuesday, said that whenever the state government has requested the central agencies to part with small area of their land for its projects, these agencies have rarely agreed for the same.

PARENTS CONCERN AFTER TWENTY YEARS OF SILENCE by Vicente E. do Rego

It is a good sign that people finally realized concern about their wards after twenty years of silence. I must say Church being a powerful Institution in Goa should have had played a crucial role in 1991 itself when illiterate Goa Govt. imposed Konkani as MOI on our inocent children, rather Church submitted to the wishes of these 40 plus dumb creatures on this earth.

VERY STRANGE: CBI TELLS COURT THEY CANNOT INVESTIGATE POLICE DRUG NEXUS CASE

PANJIM: The police-politician-drug mafia nexus case cannot be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as it "lacks manpower" and has "constraints of local language", its officials Tuesday told the Panjim bench of the Bombay High Court.

VOW AFTER VOW! KAMAT NOW VOWS TO FIGHT FOR SPECIAL STATUS OF GOA

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat On Tuesday said that the government would fight for obtaining special status for the state from the central government so as to protect the state’s unique identity.  Replying to various issues raised by the members of the House during discussion on demands for various departments held by him including Town and Country Planning, vigilance, general administration and co-ordination, etc the Chief Minister said that the issue of special status would be taken up with the central authorities.

CHILDREN SPEAK A DIFFERENT DIALECT THAN THE ONE SPOKEN AT HOME

PANJIM: The fight for English as a medium of instruction at Monday's rally at Azad Maidan in Panjim saw significant bitterness among several mothers in the crowd, who said they suffered for years teaching their children Konkani in a dialect which differed from that spoken at home.

YATIN “PAREKH” THE NEW CCP MAYOR: WITH BLESSINGS OF MONSERRATE

PANJIM: The former deputy mayor of Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP), Mr Yatin Parekh, was elected to the post of Mayor while Mr Rudresh Chodankar was elected deputy Mayor for a term of one year Tuesday morning in the presence of the Education Minister, Mr Atanasio Monserrate.

THIEF MEETS A DEAD-END WHILST COMMITTING A THEFT

MARCEL: In an unusual incident, a thief died after falling off a building while trying to escape at Haveli-Curti, Ponda, on Tuesday.  According to Ponda Police, the incident occurred at about 2 pm, when the unidentified man entered the second floor flat of the building at Kazi Residency, Haveli-Curti.

19 MINES FOUND WITHIN HALF A KM OF THE SELAULIM RESERVOIR

PANJIM: As many as 19 mines are located within half a kilometre of the Selaulim major reservoir, which accounts for water supply to nearly half of Goa, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat told the state assembly Tuesday.  Seventeen of the mines are located within 200 metres of the reservoir, Kamat said in response to a query from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Vasudev Gaonkar.

CHILD DIES WHILST PARENTS SHOP AT CACULO MALL

PANJIM: A four-year-old girl died in hospital in the wee hours of Monday, hours after she was found unconscious in mysterious circumstances at Goa's first and only shopping mall here, an official said Tuesday.  A spokesman for the Caculo Mall said that the death was not accidental.

GOVT TO TAKE STERN STEPS AGAINST THE STRIKING GOVT EMPLOYEES

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, has warned the state government employees, now on indefinite pen/tool down strike, to immediately withdraw the strike failing which he added that the government would take stern action.

WHY CRITICIZE GRA? by Willie Menino Severes, Majorda (Dubai)

The courage, dedication and determination of the leaders of the GRA have to be highly appreciated by all. They maybe a group of small NGO's, but their dream and hard work to bring back Goa's golden days need to be really looked upon.

RTI COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA GOVERNOR: ARGUMENTS ON 23RD & VERDICT ON 24TH MARCH

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will 23rd March hear final arguments on complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against the Goa Governor Dr. S.S.Sidhu for not complying with the RTI Act and on 24th March pronounce his order on whether Goa Governor Dr. Shivinder Singh Sidhu’s is a “Public Authority” under the Right to Information Act.

DEAD BODIES FOUND ALONG GOAN COASTS OF SINQUERIM, CAVELOSSIM

MARGAO: The Colva police has recovered a body of an unknown male person from Cavelossim beach on Monday.  Police said the deceased is aged between 21-22 years. The body was later sent to the Hospicio mortuary for post mortem examination.

GPYCC CHIEF SUBHASH SHIRODKAR MUMB ON THE CRIMINAL BACKGROUND OF MINISTERS

PANJIM: Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee on Monday claimed that they will not have any criminal elements joining the party even as Goa Congress chief Subhash Shirodkar refused to answer questions on ministers with criminal background included in the Goa cabinet.

GOVERNMENT FIRM ON ITS STAND OVER MINING ASSURES CM

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat has said that his government’s stand on mining was clear and that it had proposed to levy tax on them at all possible avenues like issue of air and water clearances by the Goa State Pollution Control Board, lease renewal by amending the Act so as to raise the renewal fees, besides ensuring that the mining companies pay for the construction of the proposed bypasses.

CIRCUS IN THE GOA ASSEMBLY: MLAs COME TO BLOWS

PANJIM: The morning session of the state legislative assembly, on Monday, witnessed a bedlam after the Minister for Sports, Mr Manohar Azgaonkar, repeatedly alleged that the leader of the opposition, Mr Manohar Parrikar has swindled money in the city Inox Multiplex project, while Mr Parrikar demanded that either Mr Azgaonkar should apologise to him or the Speaker, Mr Pratapsing Rane direct the Sports Minister to withdraw from the House for his un-Parliamentary conduct.

BJP DAMODAR NAIK AND DIGAMBAR KAMAT 'STAR' ON PORNO SITE

PANJIM: BJP legislator Damodar Naik on Monday expressed his anguish over uploading of his and Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat's pictures on a porn website.  Raising the issue in the state assembly, Naik said a clipping of his speech against the website and Kamat's reply during the last assembly session was uploaded on this website. Naik had raised the issue about the website portraying Goan girls in wrong light during the last assembly session.

GOA ASSEMBLY WAS ADJOURNED FOR AN AHOUD FOLLOWING UPROAR

PANJIM: The Goa Assembly was today adjourned for an hour by speaker Pratapsingh Rane following uproar over unparliamentary words uttered by Sports Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaokar against opposition leader Manohar Parrikar in the house.

GOANS IN THOUSANDS DEMAND ENGLISH AS A MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

PANJIM: Thousands of people, mostly parents of school-going children and nearly all of Goa's Catholic legislators, converged here Monday demanding that grants must be given to primary schools offering English as the medium of instruction.

CRIME STATISTICS OF GOA: THEFTS ON RISE

PANJIM: While thefts showed an increase in the year 2010, other crime declined. Police detection, however, continued to remain poor. A total of 1,034 theft cases were registered in the state last year. Of these, 346 were detected. In 2009, some 859 cases were registered and police detected 239 of these.

CALAMITY FOR SURE IF ILLEGAL MINING IS NOT CURBED IN GOA

PANJIM: Goa might have to face a "Japan-sized" calamity if rampant illegal mining in the state is not curbed, a spokesperson for the NGO Bharat Swabhiman Trust (BST) said on Monday.   The organisation, led by yoga guru Swami Ramdev, had zeroed in on illegal mining as one of the most critical issues concerning Goa, president of the group Bharat Ghullanawar told a press conference here.

GROUP FORMED BY PARENTS TO DEMAND ENGLISH AS THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTIONS IN THE SCHOOLS

PANJIM: Parents of school going children in Goa have formed a group demanding inclusion of English language as the medium of instruction under Right To Education (RTE) in the state.  The parents under the banner of 'Forum for Rights of Children's Education' (FRCE) have called for a massive rally at Panjim tomorrow to unite a cross section of people over the issue.

2004 RIBANDAR CHURCH CASE TRIAL ON 22ND MARCH

PANJIM: The trial in the 2004 Ribandar Church case will resume on March 22nd at 10 am before Panaji Judicial Magistrate First Class Ms Shabnam Shaikh with three witnesses scheduled to be examined.  Along with Adv. Aires Rodrigues, 14 other Ribandar residents have been charge sheeted in the case including the 80 year old widow who is now bedridden.

WHO THE BLEEP CARES ABOUT GOAN POLITICIANS? by Selma Carvalho

I don't usually write political commentary but two incidents which transpired this past week have prompted me to do so.  On 15th March, I woke up early to check the result of Panjim's CCP elections. Imagine my disgust in opening the Herald website to see a Babush Monseratte, chugging alcohol straight from the bottle.

FIXING SOME OF PANJIM'S PROBLEMS by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

The mounting garbage, increasing number of stray dogs and the pathetic state of some of the city gardens are amongst the other issues that would need immediate attention by the newly elected corporators of the Corporation of City of Panjim.

PEOPLE STILL SLEEP ON FOOTPATHS INSPITE OF NIGHT SHELTERS OPENED BY GOVT by Joao Sousa

PANJIM: Two months after the state government opened its first night shelter at Altinho in Panjim; it still has no takers even as hundreds of people continue to sleep on the footpaths in the state.  The Institute of Public Assistance (Provedoria) has housed the night shelter at the old age home at Altinho.

CONDUCIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT WILL ATTRACT CHILDREN TOWARDS EDUCATION

VALPOI: Education is a significant aspect of a child’s life and creating conducive learning environment will attract children towards education, said the president of Giant International (Valpoi block), Mr.. Aziz Shah.  Mr. Shah further said that there is a need of including more play and learning methods in the syllabi of pre-primary and primary education.  He was speaking during a function hosted by the management of Blooming Buds (Little Kinder Garten) based at Nanus.

CAVE TEMPLE OF 9TH CENTURY AT DABOS SATARI By Rohit R Phalgaonkar

VALPOI: Dabos is a small village in the taluka of Satari. This village has the second cave site of Satari which is historically and archaeologically very important. The village has a cave temple dating perhaps to the 9th or the 10th century. It is hewn out of a laterite boulder which is located on a steep slope amidst cashew plantations.

BATTLE OVER VOTING JURISDICITON OF A MIGRANT SETTLEMENT CALLED “FUKAT NAGAR”

PANJIM: The battle over the voting jurisdiction of a migrant settlement called 'Fukat Nagar' on the Assagao plateau is on between the BJP-ruled Mapusa municipal council (MMC) and the Congressdominated Assagao village panchayat (VP). The matter came to light a few days ago when the Shiv Sena addressed a letter to the MMC chief officer that residents of Assagao have been given house numbers by the municipality.

STRIKE BY GOVT EMPLOYEES ILLEGAL SAYS GOVT.

PANJIM: Goa government, in a communique late Saturday evening, declared the proposed strike by the government employees from March 21 as illegal.  The government warned that anyone found not discharging their assigned duties during the strike period, would be treated as absent and the principle of 'no work no pay' will be invoked in all such unauthorized absence.

SOCIAL SCHEMES ONLY FOR THE BENEFIT OF PERSONS OF GOAN ANCESTRY by Rozario Menezes

Over the years, Government of Goa has been launching schemes for the benefits of segments of society such as the Dayanand Social security Scheme, handouts to motorcycle pilots, vendors, the dole for the unemployed on the employment exchange rolls, etc.

A WONDERFUL PRAYER by Joaquim Correia-Afonso

Lord, i just want to say THANK YOU,
Because this morning i woke up and knew where my children were.
Because this morning my house was still standing.
Because this morning i am not crying

CHALO AZAD MAIDAN by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

The elected government is working day and night to get Goa ruined and the last five years was really worst for Goa and Goemkars.Now the Education bosses in Goa have plans to ruin the future of our innocent children by forcibly throwing ugly education policies on our children.Let us gather in large numbers at Azad Miadan today and show the elected government that their ugly Education policies will never be entertained at any cost.

PARENTS AND LAWMAKERS DEBATE ON MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN THE SCHOOL: ENGLISH OR KONKANI?

PANJIM: Lawmakers and parents in Goa are debating whether English or mother tongue Konkani should be the medium of instruction (MOI) in schools up to Class 8. Education minister Atanasio Monserrate told the Goa legislative assembly on Friday that a policy decision on the MOI issue would taken by April 8, when the budget session concludes.

GREAT MEN OF INDIA (CONTINUATION) by Paulo Colaco Dias

This list intends to be a continuation from the excellent list of Great Men of Goa by Marcos Gomes Catao.

Estado da India had a Tribunal da Relacao (High Court) with jurisdiction over Timor and Macau. It was immediately extinguished by India after the invasion of 1961, with Goa High Court becoming forcibly subordinated to the District Court of Ratnaguiri and placed under jurisdiction of Bombay High Court.

MICKKY PACHECO A TAINTED AND NON MATRIC MLA PLEDGES FORMING THE NEXT GOVT IN GOA

MARGAO: An illiterate, a tainted and a leader of adulterous life, Mickky Pacheco pledges that he would form the next government of Goa. He evaded a direct reply to a query whether he is moving fast to float a new political party, but asserted that he would form the next government in the state after the coming Assembly polls.

YOUR TONGUE IS THE TRANSLATOR OF YOUR INTELLECT by Vinod Naik, BA Geography

As a King and Queen were sitting in their palace one day, a fisherman who was selling fresh fish was brought in front of them. The King decided to buy a fish and gave the fisherman 4000 dirham for it.

The fisherman was overjoyed. He thanked King and left.

PARRIKAR SUPPORTS PRIMARY EDUCATION IN MOTHER TONGUE, IS IT KONKANI OR NO MR PARRIKAR?

PANJIM: Making his stand clear on the medium of instruction, Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar has supported the primary education in the mother tongue.   Quoting the guidelines of UNESCO, Parrikar said that Konkani and Marathi schools would be finished, if grant-in-aid is given to English schools. It looks like that Manohar Parrikar has forgotten that only KONKANI is the mother tongue of Goa and not Marathi. As Parrikar appears to be favouring marathi by involving it too in Goa as the mother tongue.

MAUVIN GODINHO INVOLVED IN DENOTIFICATION OF DABOLIM LAND

CORTALIM: Breaking his silence on the controversial denotification of Dabolim land and his involvement in the issue, Cortalim MLA and Deputy Speaker Mauvin Godinho defended the government’s decision, saying it was purely in the interest of Goa.

WHEN THE QUAKE STRUCK I THOUGH I WAS DYING by Clara A. Rodrigues

(Received by e-mail)

PANJIM: When Japan was rocked by the major quake which seismologists record as 9.0-magnitude on the Richter scale, Monica Rodrigues from Guirim was strolling with a five-month old baby in a park.  Working for the past 12 years in Japan as a household helper, Monica says, "I was far away from my home. Major transportation network had halted and there was a rush to catch cabs.

FOREIGNERS ARRESTED FOR OVERSTAYING, SOME FOREIGNERS HAVE JUST DISAPPEARED

PANJIM: Forty-three foreigners, including 13 Nigerians and 10 Russians, have been arrested for overstaying in Goa, while seven Nigerians have disappeared since the last one year, a minister told the state assembly.  "Forty-three foreign nationals were arrested as they were found staying in Goa beyond the expiry of their visa during the period from January 2010 to February 2011," Goa home minister Ravi Naik said on Friday in a written reply to a question from Congress legislator Pratap Gawas.

REMOVAL OF RIVER PRINCESS HAS AT LAST BEGUN

PANJIM: The work on cutting and removal of the River Princess was being carried out on a war footing ever since it began on Monday and the staff of Arihant Ship Breakers, the firm that bagged the contract, has so far cut around 10 per cent of the ship and around 60 per cent of the vessel was expected to be cut before monsoon.

ADVOCATE GENERAL SUBODH KANTAK’S RESIGNATION DEMANDED

PANJIM: Adv. Aires Rodrigues has today demanded the immediate resignation of Goa’s controversial Advocate General Mr. Subodh Kantak. Adv. Rodrigues has stated that Mr. Subodh Kantak had lost all moral authority to continue as Advocate General of Goa more so now after having lost his battle against Right to Information Act.

GREAT MEN OF GOA By MARCOS GOMES-CATAO

The genesis of this article lies in an observation in a not too distant post in GOANET to the effect that DIASPORA GOANS now comprise 30% of all GOANS, many of them second and third generation ones, some of whom barely know GOA, others who have never visited their ancestral home, and a few - fortunately very few - even a bit abashed at their origin, ignorant of their rich heritage.

THE RAVI NAIK CONSPIRACY by Roque Manuel Coutinho, Quepem

Mr Ravi Naik has give a FALSE written reply in the State Assembly. In his desperation to shield his son who took pride in portraying himself as a Drug Don in Anjuna and the North Goa Drug Cartel, he is announcing that the Goa Police do not have a list of the Drug Traffickers in Goa.

PANJIM POLICE ARREST TWO GOANS FOR KIDNAPPING A MIGRANT BUSINESSMAN

PANJIM: Two persons were arrested by Panjim police on Thursday afternoon for allegedly abducting a businessman from Panjim. Prabhakar Nerulkar alias Sagar, 40, from Nerul and Avinash Naik, 43, from Sangolda, were arrested for abducting Anup Sinha, 39, a businessman residing at Caranzalem. Police said that one person is missing and they are trying to trace him. They have been booked for criminal trespass, wrongful restraint, assault besides abduction.

GOAN PUBLIC IS HELPLESS AND YET NO ALTERNATIVE TO CHOOSE by Goenkar Poilo

We are all aware and victims ourselves of the mess in Goa, especially since this last decade. Last 4 years has been even worse, the assembly proceedings are a farce played by both the CM and the Opposition. Opposition makes noise, CM assures....matters forgotten, its a shame!!!!

MORE ON THE JAITAPUR NUCLEAR PLANT by Joaquim Correia-Afonso

As the events at the Fukushima nuclear reactor plants, in Japan, unfold, one comes across stories of mismanagement and faulty communication. It is a long list of scandals. Inspite of all the efforts to control the damage, none of the solutions have worked. It has been well argued thus: “If that is how things are in highly disciplined, organised Japan, what hope for chaotic, institutionally corrupt India, without enough transparency?”

PUNJAB POLICE COME TO GOA AND RESCUE A PUNJABI GIRL, WHERE IS THE INTELLIGENCE OF GOA POLICE?

PONDA: The police personnel of Mogha-One (city) police station in Punjab, with assistance of Ponda police, on Friday arrested Raj Kumar, 21, and his brother, Vasant Jha, 28, both natives of Gopalgand, Kareghar, Bihar, from their rented room at Shantinagar, Ponda, for their involvement in the abduction and rape of a 15-year-old school girl.

PREGNANT WOMEN IN GOA WERE ADMINISTERED SUB STANDARD IRON FOLIC CAPSULES

PANJIM: Thousands of pregnant women in Goa were administered sub standard iron folic capsules from 2008 to 2010, the Comptroller Auditor General (CAG) has said.  The CAG report, tabled on Thursday during the budget session of the state Assembly, criticised the inefficient quality control mechanisms of the health department that had resulted in the procurement of 5.29 lakh substandard iron folic acid capsules of which nearly four lakh tablets were administered to pregnant women.

GOA TO EXPLORE POSSIBILITY OF SETTING UP A GAS BASED POWER STATION

PANJIM: Goa will explore the possibility of setting up at least one gas-based power station generating 250 MW electricity to match up with the increasing electricity requirement of the state, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said.

SECURITY FENCING FOR VITAL INSTALLATIONS OF GOA

PANJIM: In the wake of terror threat, electric perimeter security fencing will soon be installed to guard vital installations including the Legislative Assembly and the Secretariat in Goa, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat said.

PARRIKAR WILL FILE CASE AGAINST THE FOOTNOTE WRITER

PANJIM: A mole in the government surreptitiously wrote a footnote in the HSRP financial bid after the bid was opened and if the government does not file a criminal case against this mole by March 30, the leader of opposition Manohar Parrikar will do so.

ADVOCATE GENERAL OF GOA COMES WITHING THE PURVIEW OF RTI

PANJIM: The advocate general (AG) of Goa is a "public authority" and does come within the purview of the Right To Information (RTI) Act, the Goa State Information Commission (GSIC) ruled on Thursday.  The Commission has now directed the Goa chief secretary to appoint a public information officer (PIO) under the RTI Act in the office of the advocate general.

BRAVE RIVONA RESIDENTS LAY SIEGE TO THE LOADING POINT OF A MINING COMPANY

MARGAO: Irate residents of Rivona laid siege to the loading point of a mining company in Sirsurem, Rivona, on Thursday morning, and stopped all operations protesting against the commencement of loading and transportation activities even before day-break.

WATER PIPLE LINE AT VALPOI REMAINS UNREPAIRED

VALPOI: The water supply department in the state keeps advising the citizens to save water as it is precious; however, the irony is that the same department is found wasting this precious water near the Valpoi bridge, as it has failed to repair main pipeline which is faulty.

JOHN FERNANDES MOVES SESSIONS COURT FOR BAIL

MARGAO: The accused in the Russian women rape case, John Fernandes has moved the South Goa Sessions court for bail.  His lawyer Adv Amit Palyekar moved the bail application before the court of Additional Sessions Judge, Vijaya Pol on Friday on grounds that the examination of the victim girl and her Russian female friend stands completed.

MAINA CURTORIM POLICE BUST BETTING SYNDICATE

MARGAO: Maina Curtorim police swooped down on a flat at Rumdamol-Davorlim housing board on Friday evening and busted a betting syndicate accepting bets vis-à-vis the ongoing World Cup cricket matches.

THE CHANGE GOANS DID NOT WELCOME by Nisser Dias

At the recently concluded Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP), the constituents of the capital city let a golden opportunity to bring about a change go by. A change not in terms of developments, a change not in terms of one man or a party having the last word on what Panjimites need, but a change that would allow them to voice their opinion or suggestion for the betterment of Panjim and its people.

RTI COMPLAINT AGAINST GOA GOVERNOR: VERDICT ON 24TH MARCH

PANJIM: The Goa Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on Thursday 24th March pronounce his order on whether Goa Governor Dr. Shivinder Singh Sidhu’s is a “Public Authority” under the Right to Information Act.

HM RAVI NAIK TELLS ASSEMBLY THAT GOA POLICE DOES NOT HAVE LIST OF THE DRUG TRAFFICKERS

PANJIM: The police in Goa -- primarily dependent on tourism -- have no list of drug traffickers operating in the coastal state, Home Minister Ravi Naik told the state Assembly on Thursday.  Naik said this in a written reply during question hour, even though two Israeli drug dealers and seven police officials were arrested during last year for alleged links to the drug mafia.

CAN YOU DO IT, MP SHANTARAM NAIK? by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Ever since the catastrophic annihilation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the “N” word, has been giving humanity the night mares. The word nuclear sends shivers down the spines of the educated; the illiterate are ignorant of its existence and won’t be able to fathom the repercussion of a nuclear holocaust.

THE JAITAPUR NUCLEAR PLANT by Joaquim Correia-Afonso

The supposedly “people-friendly” Congress government at the Centre is moving ahead with plans to build the world’s largest nuclear power project on an earthquake hotspot, putting millions of Indians at risk. Jaitapur, near Ratnagiri in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, where the project will come up, is said to be located bang into a seismic zone susceptible to “very strong” seismic activity.

THE GOA, DAMAO AND DIU FREEDOM MOVEMENT CONFERENCE PALAIS D'ORSAY, PARIS by Paulo Colaco Dias

The Goa, Damão and Diu Freedom Movement Conference  Palais d'Orsay, Paris, 3 to 4 December 1963

How many Goans aspired for independence? Who were their leaders, what did they do and how did they struggle to get independence?  We do not know how many aspired for independence.  The idea of holding a plebiscite after 1961 was exactly to find out the answer to that question.  What we know is that there were 3 different groups:

MINE OWNED BY A NON GOAN NCP LEADER FINDS ITS PLACE IN ILLEGAL MINES LIST

PANJIM: Strange but true a mine owned by a senior NON GOAN Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader is amongst 17 mines which have been termed illegal by State Forest Department.  As per the reply given by the Forest Minister Filip Nery Rodrigues to the state Legislative Assembly, the department has already filed complaint against the manager of the mine, which is owned by Prafulla Hede, NCP’s state coordinator.

THE SECOND CONQUEST AND SUBJUGATION OF GOA by Paulo Colaco Dias

19/12/1961 - The second conquest and subjugation of Goa

Portuguese citizens (including Goans) throughout the world suffered under the dictatorship regime of Salazar. Nobody can deny that. The Portuguese people in Portugal suffered a lot more than many in the overseas provinces. How many Portuguese lost their sons and husbands in colonial war in ex-Portuguese Africa?

CHURCHILL GRILLED OVER WATER TANKS BY OPPOSITION

PANJIM: Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Churchill Alemao was at the receiving end once again over the alleged tank distribution scam, which was raised on the floor of the House.  BJP legislators including Manohar Parrikar and Damodar Naik put Alemao on the mat during the Question Hour. The legislators demanded formation of a committee headed by chief secretary, in participation with finance secretary, to probe the entire scam.

THE BAHRAIN CONSPIRACY by Roque Manuel Coutinho, Quepem

The video footage shown on Al Alanm, Al Jazeera and BBC T.V. channels on the situation in Bahrain are not independently confirmed and are all false as they have been edited to suit the wile intentions of the protesters and scare the loyal citizens. If it was a Peaceful demonstration as broadcasted by these channels, how come the protesters were attacking the police cars with stones and kicking a rundown policeman on his head.

GOVT. CORNERED FOR FAILURE TO PROVIDE ALTERNATE PLACE FOR PERNEM MARKET

PANJIM: The Zero Hour of the state legislative assembly, on Thursday, witnessed the government being cornered as regards its failure to provide alternate place for the Pernem market.  The Pernem MLA, Mr Dayanand Sopte mentioned that weekly market is held in Pernem every Thursday, from 6.30 a.m to 8.30 p.m along the main road, and hence the traffic has to be diverted on particular day of the week.

ONE VEHICLE FOR EVERY TWO PERSONS IN GOA

PANJIM: Goa has surpassed some Asian and American nations in terms of its vehicle population. There is one vehicle for every two persons in the state. While Goa's population has registered a modest decennial growth of 15.21%, its vehicle figures have grown exponentially. The economic survey 2010-11 says that the number of vehicles on the live register as on November 30, 2010 shot up to 7,65,588.

CCP SHOULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE MLA’S by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

That Panjim’s new Mayor and Deputy Mayor were selected at a meeting in Taleigao outside the jurisdiction of Corporation of City of Panjim is a very bad start by the new team. It is very important that the CCP get its independence and stops being remote controlled by MLA’s.

GOA AG SUBODH KANTAK LOOSES BATTLE AGAINST RTI ACT

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny has today directed the Chief Secretary of Goa to appoint a Public Information Officer under the Right to Information Act in the office of the Advocate General of Goa.

THE NIZ GOENKAR STORY-1ST ANNIVERSARY by N. Fernandes for Niz Goenkar Team

The 15th of March 2010, will go down in the evolving history of Goa as the birth date, of the Niz Goenkar blogsite / forum.

The Niz Goenkar story began when a true and highly dedicated and motivated person and A resident of Valpoi, Goa, called Mr. Menino Fernandes decided he wanted to make a major contribution, for the advancement of his motherland called Goa. His heart cried and still cries seeing the ills and destruction of his Motherland, Goa.

GRA MEET OF 15TH MARCH by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

The gathering of thousands of Niz goemkars at the Azad maidan,Panaji under the banner of Goemchea Rakhondaramcho Awaz to protest against the Elected governments anti-goan attitude proved that goemkars are ready to shed their blood to save Goa for the generations to come.

CM ONLY GIVES FALSE ASSURANCES TO THE PEOPLE OF GOA THIS TIME TO VERIFY LEGALITY OF IRON ORE MINED IN MAHARASHTRA

PANJIM: The CM of Goa is a blatant liar and only has assureances to the people of Goa but never practice the assurances given by him. Battered by his own party colleague, Chief Minister Digambar Kamat today assured the state legislative assembly that he will verify the ‘legality’ of the iron ore mined in Maharashtra and exported through Goan ports.

PARENTS MEET AN ILLITERATE CHURCHILL AND DAMU IN RE ENGLISH MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION

MARGAO: Anxious parents from Salcete kept up the momentum in support of their demand to make English the medium of instruction at the elementary education when they called on PWD Minister, Churchill Alemao and Fatorda MLA Damu Naik separately on Wednesday morning.

11 YEAR OLD GIRL RAPED AT COLVA BEACH ON 15TH MARCH

MARGAO: A minor girl of 11 years from Usgao-Tisk was allegedly raped at the Colva beach on Tuesday night. In this connection, the police have booked a youth from Margao Mohammed Rafiq Nadaf (22) for rape and under Section 8 of the Goa Children’s Act.

BJP TO MOVE BILL TO BAN GOANS ENTERING CASINOS

PANJIM: The BJP said it will move a bill in the forthcoming budget session of the assembly for a ban on all advertising by casinos in the state, and a separate bill to ban the entry of Goans onto casinos.  Addressing a press conference, opposition leader and Panjim MLA Manohar Parrikar said that he had sent a letter to the secretariat asking that these bills be moved.

GOVT DECIDES TO MOVE SEVEN CASINOS OUTSIDE THE CITY LIMITS

PANJIM: The government on the opening day of the budget session of the state legislative assembly announced its decision to move the seven offshore casinos outside the city limits of the river Mandovi, next month, if their owners fail to do so by March 31, 2011.

CCP POLLS -- A VICTORY IN DEFEAT by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

Politics and elections today are no longer a noble mission. It’s a business profession where candidates invest to reap high dividends. My decision to contest the just concluded elections to the Corporation of City of Panaji was however with a commitment to dedicate my time and energy for the all round development of Ribandar and welfare of its residents.

RTI CASE AGAINST AG SUBODH KANTAK: VERDICT ON 17th MARCH

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on 17th March at 10.30 am pronounce his verdict on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against the Advocate General of Goa Mr. Subodh Kantak for not complying with the provisions of the Right to Information Act.

RTI CASE AGAINST AG SUBODH KANTAK: VERDICT ON 17th MARCH

PANJIM: The Goa State Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on 17th March at 10.30 am pronounce his verdict on the complaint filed by Adv. Aires Rodrigues against the Advocate General of Goa Mr. Subodh Kantak for not complying with the provisions of the Right to Information Act.

GRA MEET AT AZAD MOIDAN WAS RESPONDED BY ABOUT 6000 CROWD OF GOANS

PANJIM: Today’s meet at the Azad Moidan was attended by a crowd of about 6000 people from all over Goa. Goans showed their solidarity by attending the meeting at the call of GRA. The people showed their anger at the current set of corrupt politicians that they mean business

EDUCATION GOING TO DOGS? by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

In the year 1989,I passed my SSC through Our Lady of Health high school,Cuncolim and it was the best English medium Education system Goa had in which Konkani was not even a mandatory subject. At the time of PDF government headed by Dr Luis Proto Barbosa, the Education system at primarily level was changed to Konkani medium, the parents did raise their voice against the same but the voice was so low that it was not heard by the concerned authorities.

IS YATIN PAREKH A GOAN? SELECTED BY MONSERRATE AS MAYOR, ARE GOANS DEAD?

PANJIM: The Atanasio Monserrate panel has selected Mr Yatin Parekh as its candidate for the post of mayor of the Corporation of the City of Panjim, while the name of Mr Rudresh Chodankar has been selected for the post of deputy mayor.

AVINASH BHONSLE GETS ON LY SEVEN VOTES: GOANS AMUSED AT IT

PANJIM: The CCP elections saw one of the most surprising results. Avinash Bhosale, leader of the panel backed by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), polled only seven votes.  Bhosale was furious with the results. "The results show that money talks and sanity walks. The sanity of the people has gone for a walk," he said. Regaining his composure a few minutes later, Bhosale said, "I respect the mandate of the people. I accept defeat."

RELIEF AT LAST! REMOVING PRINCESS AT LAST!

SINQUERIM: After a delay of almost three months, the River Princess removal finally commenced on Monday evening. While the Mumbai-based Arihant Ship Breakers commenced their work on the ship, it was done without executing an agreement with the government and without a work-order.

PARRIKAR DEJECTED: PACHECO DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM BHONSLE

PANJIM: A defeated and dejected opposition leader and Panjim MLA Manohar Parrikar-pipped in the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) elections by his Taleigao rival-said that he accepted and honoured the verdict of the people of Panjim. He, however, declined to comment on the situation further.

JOSE PHILIP, NILKANTH TENDERS RESIGNATIONS TO PAWAR AND NOT TO THE CM

PANJIM: The fate of two NCP ministers from Goa, who tendered their resignations to party chief Sharad Pawar, hangs in balance as the party is yet to take a call on the matter.  NCP's Goa unit chief Surendra Sirsat said that Pawar is yet to respond to the resignations of Revenue Minister Jose Philip D'Souza and Tourism Minister Nilkant Halarnkar, who quit from the Cabinet on Monday alleging lack of development in the state. They put down their papers before Pawar but not the Chief Minister.

SAD TRUTH THAT OUR GOANS DO NOT KNOW OUR OWN HISTORY by Usko Goenkar

It's Sad alot of our Goan's don't know some of our Own History, am sure alot of them heard the Name of Dr.Jack de Sequeira, but who he really was? what did he do for Goa? to sum up,

Dr. Jack de Sequeira

Joao Hugo Eduardo de Sequeira (20 April 1915 – 17 October 1989), popularly known as Dr. Jack de Sequeira; also known as Jak Siker according to local naming conventions, was a prominent Goan politician and is popularly known in Goa as the Father of the Opinion Poll.

EXPORT DUTY HIKE WILL RUIN GOAN ECONOMY by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Looks like the MP Naik is suffering from an acute bout of constipation, one day he come out with a good article with overwhelming thoughts of Goa and Goans and the next thing we hear absurdity and profanity oozing out of him.

DYNAMIC CM OF GOA SAYS GOVERNOR by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

As elections come closer by the day, I am subjected to unceasing amusement while I read the Goan news papers on a daily basis. For some time now I have been reading about the immaculate mass births of some dynamic youth leaders and dynamic social workers out of nowhere, unknown and probably still seeking emancipation from puberty, I begin to wonder, the dynamics of dynamism have changed in Goa and I am still unaware of it ? Or have the Goan dynamics of dynamism ebbed in to oblivion ? Looking at the so called dynamic youth leaders and dynamic social workers, it certainly looks like dynamism is dying an agonizing death if not dead altogether.

THE DECEPTIVE VISION BANDODKAR HAD FOR GOA by N. Fernandes, London

Many of Bandodkars own MInisters in the MGP Party, have now admitted that his vision for Goa and his methods of achieving it were shameful. Bandodkar was not a seasoned or experienced Politician. He came into power by sheer fluke. No doubt the money he had, played a major part in his political ambitions.

LARGE TURN OUT FOR VOTING IN PANJIM AND RESULT LINK

PANJIM: Residents of the state capital came out in large numbers all through Sunday to elect the 30 members to the Corporation of the City of Panjim.  When voting ended in the evening 74.69% of the eligible voters had pressed the blue button on the electronic voting machine (EVM), leading the two men hoping to take control of the civic body to claim victory. In the 2006 CCP poll, 62% had cast their vote.

INDEPENDENT CANDIDATES TO PLAY CRUCIAL ROLE FOR NEXT FIVE YEARS

PANJIM: Independent candidates contesting elections to the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP) are looking to play the crucial role of kingmakers to decide who will rule the civic body for the next five years.  Considering a situation where the electorate could deliver a hung verdict, a few independents have even exuded confidence of getting voted to power, thereby establishing a pressure group to help them call the shots.

GOVERNOR DECLARES DIGAMBER KAMAT AS DYNAMIC CHIEF MINISTER

MARGAO: Governor S S Sidhu on Sunday described Chief Minister Digambar Kamat as a dynamic Chief Minister and PWD Minister Churchill Alemao as a popular leader and a friend of the common man.  He was speaking after felicitating Kamat and Alemao at a function organized by the Dalit Seva Sanghatana, Goa at the Ravindra Bhavan here on Sunday morning.

NAVELIM GRAM SABHA ASKS PANCHAYAT TO STOP ISSUING RATION CARDS TO MIGRANTS

MARGAO: The gram sabha of Navelim Village Panchayat on Sunday has asked the Panchayat to write to the authorities not to accept the NOCs of house owners to issue ration card or election card to migrants.

At the meeting on Sunday, the gram sabha members expressed concern over the growing number of migrants and the issuance of ration cards and election cards based on NOCs from the house owners and demanded a stop to the nuisance.

POLICE ARREST MAN IN PANCHWADI FOR WRONGFULLY RESTRAINING A 26 YEAR OLD WOMAN

PONDA: The Ponda police on Sunday registered a case of wrongful restrain and threatening against Joaquim Carvalho of Panchwadi, after 26-year-old, Ms Rakshama Gaunkar lodged a complaint against him.

According to the complainant, Ms Gaunkar, she and her two other friends were threatened while returning home from work on the road at Panchawadi by Jaoquim. She further stated that they were wrongfully and forcefully blocked from proceeding home on Saturday evening.

GOA POLICE SAY ELECTION WAS WELL ORGANISED AND WELL MANAGED

PANJIM: The superintendent of police, Special Cell, Mr Atmaram Deshpande said that the election to the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP), was peaceful and incident free. He said that the civic election was well organised and well managed by the authorities.

VOTING FOR CCP POLLS GOES PEACEFULLY

PANJIM: The voting for the Corporation of the City of Panjim went off peacefully in the 30 wards of the corporation. There was not untoward incident reported from any quarter and the law and order situation was well under control during the entire polling exercise. However, ample police presence was seen at all the polling stations to take care of any eventuality.

HEM AMCHEM GOEM by Joel Morais, Cuncolim

I am very much proud to be goemkar but when it comes to law and order in Goa, I really feel very much ashamed. Our Constitution do says that Equally we stand as far as law is concerned but in practical,Laws differ from person to person.With regard to the CRZ regulations our Digamber Kamat government bypassed the same by successfully passing a bill to save Cidade de Goa.

COUNTING OF VOTES SET FOR MONDAY

PANJIM: The much-anticipated day-night civic election, the first ever in the country, will not happen. The state election commission (SEC) has bowed down to pressure from the Goa police and has postponed counting to Monday morning. Election officials are however unhappy that the police chose to wake up two days before election-day, when the intent for a day-night election was announced on February 4.

GOA UNEASY OF KAIGA NUCLEAR PLANT IN KARNATAKA AFTERMATH OF JAPAN’S DISASTER

PANJIM: A crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant in distant Japan has made some citizens closer home uneasy about Goa's sandwiched position between the Kaiga nuclear plant in Karnataka and the proposed plant at Jaitapur in Maharashtra.

DEU BANAULIKAR SENT OFF TO PONDA TILL ELECTIONS ARE OVER, REPLACED BY SERAFIN DIAS

PANJIM: Hours before the start of municipal election on Sunday, State Election Commission late on Saturday evening ordered transfer of Panjim Sub Division Police Officer (SDPO) Deu Benaulikar to Ponda till Monday, March 14 midnight.

GSCE CHAIRPERSON EZILDA SAPECO TO GO FOR DETAILED REPORT ON CUSTODIAL DEATH AT BICHOLIM POLICE STATION

PANJIM: Describing the alleged custodial death of a 50-year-old woman as unfortunate, Goa State Commission for Women (GSCW) Chairperson Ezilda Sapeco on Friday said that she would be seeking a detailed report on the incident from the Bicholim police station.

GOA GOVERNOR ‘S PLEA FOR CONSTITUTIONAL IMMUNITY: ORDER ON 14th MARCH :

PANJIM: The Goa Chief Information Commissioner Mr. Motilal Kenny will on Monday 14th March pronounce his order on Goa Governor Dr. Shivinder Singh Sidhu’s plea for constitutionally immunity in the RTI case filed against him by Adv. Aires Rodrigues.

RAVI NAIK: BANDODKAR HAD A VISION FOR GOA – GOAN PUBLIC: BANDODKAR HAD A VISION TO DESTROY GOA AND MERGE IT WITH MAHARASHTRA

PONDA: The Home Minister, Mr Ravi Naik, on Saturday, said that the former chief minister, late Dayanand Bandodkar was an architect of the Goa state and had a vision to develop it, by providing all assistance to the poor and downtrodden.

ALL THAT GLITTERS…….by Freddy Agnelo Fernandes, Dubai

Ervell Menezes has indeed depicted Goa, the sleaze and destruction encumbered Goa, along with the apathy of Goans for quality governance, in a nut shell in the Opinion column of Herald dated 10th March 2011. A lot of people will say we have heard it all before and seen it all too but can we change it ? Or Who will change it ?

12 CRUCIAL HOURS LEFT FOR PANJIMITES TO KEEP BABUSH PANEL OUT AND SAVE PANJIM by Tony Luis (email)

The clock is ticking ........if it has a chime then hope it is for whom the bells toll. Even though cash for votes is awash even more than the bank of England or Wall Street and changing hands faster than Babush can change a baby’s diaper it is never too late..........

CM LEADS GOANS TO PAY HOMAGE TO BANDODKAR WHO WANTED TO MERGE GOA WITH MAHARASHTRA

PANJIM: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat, on Saturday, led the Goans in paying homage to the memory of the first chief minister of Goa, late Dayanand Bandodkar, on his birth anniversary at his memorial at Miramar, Panjim.

COUNTING OF VOTES POSTPONED BY SEC

PANJIM: Goa State Election Commission on Saturday decided to postpone counting of votes to be polled on Sunday in elections to corporation of city of Panjim (CCP), to Monday fearing law and order issues in the state capital.

THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE LEFT WITH PARENTS by Nisser Dias

The light seems to have started to glow at the end of the tunnel with some parents summing up the courage to demand change of medium of instructions in government or government aided schools in the state of Goa. Last week saw some Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) across the state resolving to demand from the government that it should not link financial aid to schools depending upon the medium of instruction adopted by the schools.

PARRIKAR DEMANDS BANAULIKAR TO BE DISCHARGED FROM POLL DUTIES

PANJIM: Panjim MLA Manohar Parrikar has demanded that Panjim DySP Deu Banaulikar be discharged from poll duties on Sunday, alleging that the police official was "a virtual stooge" of Taleigao MLA Atanasio 'Babush' Monserrate.

50 BOOKED FOR RIOTING AT PANCHWADI BY PONDA POLICE

PONDA: Ponda police on Friday booked around 50 persons for rioting at Panchwadi over the proposed construction of the Codli-Panchwadi bypass road.  Based on counter complaints lodged by two groups from Panchwadi on Friday afternoon, police have named 19 persons while 31 are unknown.

VOTERS URGED TO COME OUT IN LARGE NUMBERS

PANJIM: Adv. Aires Rodrigues has appealed to the voters of Panjim and Ribandar to come out in large numbers and vote at the Corporation of City of Panjim polls.  Adv. Rodrigues has urged the people to stand above party politics and vote for the best candidates who they feel are capable to ensure progress and development in their respective wards.

TUG OR WAR BETWEEN MONSERRATE AND PARRIKAR CAMPS IN CCP POLLS

PANJIM: The campaigning for the March 13 polls to the Corporation of the City ofPanjim may have officially ended, but the election fervour refuses to die out. On the contrary, it may gather more speed and probably result in some incidents of violence that is, if there is some laxity on the part of the law and order authorities in shouldering their responsibilities.

MAPUCA POLICE ARREST NACHINOLA SARPANCH

PORVORIM: Mapusa Police on Friday arrested Nachinola Sarpanch Martina Fernandes in connection with a forgery case.  According to Mapusa PSI T Dhavasker, contractor Dashrath Shirodkar in a complaint filed with Mapusa Police on February 5 stated that Nachinola Sarpanch Fernandes and the panchayat secretary had forged his signature and withdrew Rs 66,581 from the bank on November 18, 2005 by preparing bogus vouchers in his name in respect of construction work of Balwadi.

HISTORY SHEETERS SUMMONED TO THE POLICE STATION

PANJIM: Goa Police today issued notices to 17 anti-social elements in Panjim warning them against indulging in any criminal activities.  Considering their past criminal records, the warning notices have been issued to 17 delinquents including notorious Babani Sheikh, his brother Imtiyaz Sheikh, Paulo D’Cruz, Adam Sheikh Usman, Azim Khan and Viraj Gaunekar.

SEC TURNS DOWN THE REQUEST OF GOA POLICE ON VOTES COUNTING

PANJIM: State election commissioner (SEC) M M Modassir on Thursday turned down the request of the Goa police to postpone counting of votes of the elections to the Corporation of City of Panjim (CCP) to the day after polling. The police had made the request citing possible law and order problems in the city as counting would end after sunset.

FALSE PROMISES BY THE CONTESTING CANDIDATES NEVER TO BE FULFILLED

PANJIM: Ward 26 which comprises areas around the Church Square will see a triangular fight. Lot of false promises are on the agenda of the contesting candidates in Panjim in a battle for victory. Frustrated by the non-performance and scams of the current ruling panel in the Corporation of the City of Panjim (CCP), Rui Ferreira, son of Joao Filipe Ferreira, a former president of the Panjim Municipal Council, has thrown his hat into the ring.

TALEIGAO VILLAGERS TO BLOCK MOVES TO WIPE OUT FIELDS INTO SETTLEMENTS

PANJIM: Alleging a conspiracy by politicians, bureaucrats and others to convert traditional paddy fields into settlement, the villagers of Taleigao said they will strongly oppose any move to wipe away its natural assets.  The villagers are agitated over the commencement of a commercial project in a paddy field on the northern side of Taleigao.

VALPOI COURT GRANTS HALF OF FATHER’S SALARY TO A MINOR BOY FOR MAINTENANCE

VALPOI: A local court at Valpoi recently granted maintenance amount of 1,900 per month to a nine-year-old boy, even as his father pleaded that he receives a net monthly salary of 3,800 after deductions.  The primary student had approached the court through his mother and had alleged that his father had ignored him since 2003 when his mother left her matrimonial house due to harassment.

NIGERIAN CAUGHT WITH DRUGS IN ANJUNA

PANJIM: A 27-year-old Nigerian, Henry Akabike, was caught by the anti-narcotics cops with 5.3 grams of charas in Anjuna on Thursday.

PANJIM: The Goa government is creating a database of rogue travel and recruitment agents who cheat job seekers by sending them abroad on fake documents and charging them huge amounts, an official said on Friday.  State commissioner for Non-Resident Indian (NRI) affairs Eduardo Faleiro said his commission was forced to take the step in view of the inefficient police action against such agents.

BATTLE IN CCP WARD NO 30 SET FOR AN EXCITING FIGHT

PANJIM: The Corporation of City of Panjim polls from Ward No 30 at Ribandar will be keenly observed by many. Ward No 30 is witnessing a 4 cornered contest with Adv. Aires Rodrigues having thrown his hat in the ring. Two sitting Corporators Mrs. Vivina Nasnodkar and Mr. Rupesh Harlankar along with a BJP rebel candidate Mr. Shyamsunder Kamat are also in the fray.

FALSE TESTIMONIES IN THE COURT BY HEAD CONSTABLE SHIRVAIKAR: CIPRIANO MURDER CASE

PANJIM: False and fake stories have been blurted by the suspended police officials involved in the murder of Cipriano Fernandes. It is evident and clear that Head Constable Shirvaikar is lying to protect himself, the PSI and the PI who are all suspended following the killing of NRI Cipriano in Panjim police custody.

HIGH COURT ADJOURNS THE HEARING OF POLICE-DRUG-MAFIA NEXUS

PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday adjourned the hearing of police-drug mafia nexus till March 17 after the counsel appearing for the Government of India sought time to study the case.  The Division Bench comprising of Justices A P Lawande and F M Reis was hearing a petition filed by the National Students Union of India (NSUI) Goa unit seeking a CBI probe into the police-politician-drug mafia nexus case in the State.

NEHRU’S GOA LIBERATIONIS POLICY by Vincent E. Do Rego, Dubai

On 15 August 1954 (the seventh anniversary of India's independence), a satyagraha was organized by Goese activists in India to march on Goa itself. Announcing the expectations of thousands and inviting the international press, the turnout was poor - a mere forty-nine volunteers. Nonetheless, entering from three points, one small group of about a dozen volunteers managed to occupy Fort Tiracol and raise the national flag of India on the ramparts, before the fort was retaken by the Portuguese police.

WILL NOT GO AHEAD WITH FOUR LANING IF CENTRE SAYS NO: CHURCHILL

PANJIM: The PWD Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao, on Thursday, said that the state will not go ahead with the four-laning of the national highway 17, if the Centre doesn’t accept the demands placed before it by the state.  Mr Alemao said, “We are waiting for the Centre to reply to our demands. If the Centre doesn’t accept our demands, we will not go ahead with the project.”

RETREAT FROM THE BRINK by Lucio Mascarenhas

During British India's movement for Independence, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi assured the National Conference Party, formerly the Muslim Conference, founded and led by Sheikh Abdullah, that 'the Kingdom of Jammu & Kashmir is a nation, and we will respect its rights,' or words to those effects. Yet, at the same time, the same Mr. Gandhi stated that the people of Portuguese India do not have the right to remain separate, and that Portuguese India must be absorbed. This is the uttermost hypocrisy. (See Experiments In Hypocrisy).

HIGH SUICIDE RATIO IN PONDA

PONDA: Ponda might not be one of Goa's biggest towns but it certainly has some alarming suicide figures in recent years. In 2010, Ponda saw a 5% rise in suicide cases as compared to 2009, according to Ponda police records.

PUBLIC SHOULD HAVE A VOICE AT CCP by Adv. Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar

At the Panchayat level the gram sabhas enable the public to question and monitor the actions and misdeeds of their elected representatives. But at the Corporation of City of Panaji and other municipal councils there is no mechanism in place giving the public a forum to seek accountability of those elected.

INVASION OF GOA - THE INDIAN UNION ULTIMATUM by Franco Fernandes

The need to guarantee of the Internal unit, channelling the energies of the country against an external enemy, led the Indian Union drove to Portugal an Ultimatum on the territories of Portuguese Estado da India.  The Indian Union demand was presented in the form of a letter from the Prime Minister of India Jawaharlal Nehru addressed to the Portuguese Government on February 27, 1950.

GOA PUBLIC SERVICE GUARANTEE BILL TO STOP CORRUPTION IN THE STATE

PANJIM: The proposed Goa Public Services Guarantee Bill is likely to be similar to the Right to Information Act on many counts and the government officials would have to provide the service within a specified number of days, which will be notified later, failing which they could attract penalty.

INDIA-PORTUGAL TREATY OF 1975 by Lucio Mascarenhas

In 1974, there was a coup in Portugal. As is usually the case, one oversmart and insubordinate military officer [Spinola] thought that he knew better than anyone one else. And he had had a good reputation for fighting in Portuguese Guineau. Therefore, the communists and other sewer rats latched onto him, and used him to stage a Coup.

MP SHANTARAM NAIK DEMANDS REFORMS IN EDUCATION TO MINIMISE SUICIDES

PANJIM: Mr Shantaram Naik, MP, has demanded reforms in education and examination system, as a measure to minimise increasing incidents of student suicide in the country.  Raising the issue during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha, on Thursday, Mr Naik demanded that the 1986 Education Policy should be replaced by a new one and it should address issues pertaining to students suicides.

MINING CORRIDOR IN A PHASED MANNER APPROVED

PANJIM: The construction of a 40-km mining corridor in a phased manner, exclusively for transportation of iron ore in Sanguem was approved by the Goa cabinet on Wednesday. Chief minister Digambar Kamat said the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC) will undertake the project in three phases and work of the first phase will be awarded soon.

FOREIGNER FROM BELARUS FOUND DEAD HAD CONSUMED DRUGS

PANJIM: The 28-year-old woman from Belarus, Olga Babich, whose body was found floating in a creek at Fernandes Vaddo at Siolim on Tuesday afternoon, was seen consuming drugs with her Russian 'boyfriend' and a male Russian friend in her apartment on Monday night.

NEW MEASURES AGAINST HAPHAZARD IRON ORE TRANSPORTATION

PANJIM: The transport department and South Goa district magistrate have come up with a few measures against haphazard iron ore transportation but people affected by mining say overloading aids need to be stripped from the vehicles.

SPEAKER FOR RAISING AGRICULTURE PRODUCTIONS IN THE STATE

PANJIM: Expressing concern over the fast changing climatic conditions and frequent droughts, heavy rains etc leading to drastic fall in food production globally, Mr Pratapsing Rane, the Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, has said that serious attempts should be made to raise agriculture production in the state to meet any eventuality.

NOW NEXT TURN OF THE CONSTABLE TO DENY CIPRIANO’S MURDER IN CUSTODY

PANJIM: Suspended police constable Sandip Shirvaikar has denied that any police officer, except the guard on duty, ever went to the room where Cipriano Fernandes was held after his arrest on January 7.  In his deposition before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC), Shirvaikar said that there was only one police guard in the ‘officers room’ adjacent to the police inspector’s cabin at Panjim town police station. 

RETREAT FROM THE BRINK by Lucio Mascarenhas

During British India's movement for Independence, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi assured the National Conference Party, formerly the Muslim Conference, founded and led by Sheikh Abdullah, that 'the Kingdom of Jammu & Kashmir is a nation, and we will respect its rights,' or words to those effects. Yet, at the same time, the same Mr. Gandhi stated that the people of Portuguese India do not have the right to remain separate, and that Portuguese India must be absorbed. This is the uttermost hypocrisy. (See Experiments In Hypocrisy).