G.O.A’S participation in India’s 61st Independepence day celebration was held on Sunday August 10th at the Yonge and Dundas Square, Toronto, Ontario.

Through the invite by Panorama India, (and with the support of the Consulate General of India); members, family and friends of the G.O.A.participated for the second time in this annual event.

The Event commenced with a patriotic and colorful flag hoisting ceremony. Amongst the hundreds of attendees, was the Indian Consulate General, Mr. Satish Mehta, and various dignitaries from across Ontario. Thereafter, regardless of the storm clouds that were menacing, the rain held off long enough for members, family, and friends of the G.O.A, and who with other members that represented the different states of India, participated in a 2 kilometre parade in the Toronto downtown core area.

After the parade and despite the rain, the event continued with non-stop entertainment. Performers on behalf of G.O.A., showcased several dances to hundreds of die-hard fans that watched from under shelters and umbrellas.

My appreciation and thanks to all the parade participants. A special thanks to the hard work and dedication of our young and talented performers, their parents, and the dance choreographers, Mr. and Mrs. Akram.

If you would like to participate in next year's India's Independence day celebration please email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please link to our website: www.goatoronto.com to view pictures of this event.

Rosie Barreto

GOA-Youth Coordinator

Eugene Correia

The Goan Overseas Association (GOA), with president Oscar Furtado, took part in the 61st anniversary celebrations of India's Independence held at Dundas Square in Toronto.

Raindrops kept falling throughout the time of the parade and also during the showcase of dances by different groups, some representing states of India. The dancing group, Malaikas, all young girls, performed three items. The first was a "remix" of Konkani songs, including a rap part, the second the Aum Saiba Poldoti Voita dekhni and the last a "fusion" featuring modern dances to English/Konkani songs. They got a big round of applause from the audience.

The choreography was done by the husband-and-wife team of Akhtar and Naomi Akram. The group was coordinated by Rosie Barretto, a member of the GOA executive, and recently appointed to the Panorama India Board, which organizes the Independence Day and Republic Day events.

It is such events that project the Goan culture to the public. This is not the first time GOA has participated in events held by the Indian community or the mainstream community. The GOA's efforts to promore Goan culture should be encouraged.

A Goan band, Amigos de Goa, led by Selwyn Colaco, also performed. They sang English, Konkani and Hindi songs. They too received wide applause. The audience demanded the band sing at least another song before leaving the stage. The band has performed at many Indian events.

LIFE LEASE HOUSING PROJECT INFORMATION MEETINGS FOR THE GOAN AND INDO CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

The Goan and Canorient Seniors’ Clubs, the GOA and the GCO, invite you to an information meeting, to learn about a Life Lease Housing Project, for the Goan and Indo Christian (Manglorean, East and Anglo Indian,etc.) Community Seniors’ in the GTA.

The concept of Life Lease Housing is a Community based multi unit dwelling developed for Active Seniors, which would be equity financed by the prospective resident, who would be seeking to downsize in the next 5 to 7 years. The resident has the right to sell the Lease on the unit at market value or pass it down through the estate.

The project would also be of interest to children who wish to purchase housing for aging parents and later move into it themselves and to investors who would purchase a unit to rent out to a Senior resident.

The Life Lease Housing Project will be sponsored by the Goan Charitable Organisation, which will have the benefit of obtaining GST and PST rebates on the building construction costs and savings on the Land Transfer Tax, which combined with the lower base cost, will price the units below the new condominium market value.

The building will be designed for Seniors’ seeking an active life style and contain Social, Dining, Exercise, Medical and Religious facilities, similar to a modern Seniors’ Residence.

Location of the Project will be determined by the results of a Survey to be completed after the meeting.

Please sign up at your Seniors’ Club or call or email any of the following to indicate your attendance, for planning purposes.
              West                                                              East

Sheila Fernandez – 416-622-1745                Alu  Carvalho     – 905-470-2250  
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Juliet Rebello      -    905-276-7890                Dr. Sal Rocha    - 905-472-4177
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 Darrel Carvalho – 905-897-0890                   Tony D’Silva        - 416-745-1584
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Audrey Almeida  – 905-842-5403                Danny Gomes     - 416-265-0779
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Maxim D’Mello    - 416-473-6729                Roque Barreto     -  416-247-9674
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A recent spurt in cases of malaria along South Goa's coastal belt has become a matter of grave concern for tourists, locals and authorities alike.

“Malaria cases in Colva and Benaulim are on the rise. Though these areas do not come under our jurisdiction we extend support to the local agencies and private health sector there to combat the disease. Also statistical data cannot be obtained as most cases are reported to private clinics,” said Urban Health Centre (UHC) health officer, Dr Geeta Kakodkar.

Combating the disease in these coastal villages has become the need of the hour for the authorities considering its adverse effect on tourism, the backbone of Goa's economy.

While the health authorities assure that there has been no let up in the drive to combat malaria, an outbreak of cases in coastal villages has prompted the Health Protection Agency (HPA), an independent health monitoring body in UK, to draft new guidelines. Contrary to the report by HPA pointing to increased cases of falciparum among infected tourists, local health authorities maintain that there is only an increase in vivax which is considered to be less serious than the life-threatening falciparum.

Meanwhile, a case of falciparum malaria acquired in Goa had been reported to the European Network on Imported Infectious Disease Surveillance (TropNetEurop) in January this year. The report, which relates to a Swedish woman who had spent two weeks in Goa without taking malaria chemoprophylaxis medication, provides more evidence to the continuing risk of falciparum malaria in Goa.

During the 2006-07 winter season, eight cases of falciparum cases among tourists returning from Goa were reported to TropNetEurop.

In December 2006, 13 Europeans, explicitly identified as coming from Goa, were infected with malaria cases according to the report. The cluster of eight cases reported in the winter of 2006-07 coincided with a period of intense rainfall (50 per cent above average) in the Goan and Konkan regions, which had begun in October 2006. However, reports of malaria cases imported from Goa have continued despite changes in the season and the amount of rainfall. Since last winter, five more cases have been reported over a period of several months, including the most recent incident of malaria, stated the report.

In view of an increased risk of malaria transmission, TropNetEurop has been recommending malaria chemoprophylaxis medication to all travelers to Goa since 2007. Visitors may consider using the World Health Organization's (WHO) type IV prevention method which includes mosquito bite prevention and chemoprophylaxis medicine with atovaquone/proguanil, doxycycline, or mefloquine. They may consider traveling with emergency standby treatment. Anyone who becomes unwell while on holiday or shortly after their return should seek immediate medical attention, the report further stated .

Nonetheless, the recent public upheaval against mega housing projects in coastal areas may act as an important measure in fighting the disease in this region.

From our friends in Chicago, a benefit concert is being held on Sept 13, 2008 in Chicago, USA.

More info can be found in the following Word Documents.

East Meets West

St. Francis Xavier Concert