Headline: 'Bling-bling' birthday for Goan politician. By Soutik Biswas, BBC News Online correspondent in Delhi Source BBC News Online, Wed. 10 Dec. 2003, 09:17 GMT
Full text, 661 words and photographs at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3304983.stm Excerpts: An extravagant birthday bash for a colourful Indian minister promises to become the mother of all parties in the sun-soaked beach state of Goa. Tourism minister Francesco 'Micky' Pacheco loves his hip-hop. More than 15,000 guests are expected to turn up when Francisco 'Micky' Pacheco celebrates his 38th birthday at a football stadium on Friday. Mr Pacheco, who loves listening to Tupac Shakur and Snoop Doggy Dogg and was once bass guitarist for a local band, unabashedly adopts the bling-bling lifestyle of his hip-hop icons. He is usually kitted out in funky body hugging shirts, a bandana, gold rings and clunky chains. Mr Pacheco comes from what he calls a "very poor family" - his father was a "small businessman". Mr Pacheco says he graduated in fashion design from New York and now runs six companies with diverse interests. He owns a showroom in Paris, homes in Florida and travel and recruitment agencies in Goa and Miami. He has also bought a local football club and says he has hired 120 players, including three Brazilians and two Nigerians for the local league. Goa-based analyst Frederick Noronha says Mr Pacheco's is a "rags to riches story". His birthday bash, he says, is in keeping with Goa's "strange culture" of celebrating its politicians' birthdays. "Big birthday parties by politicians have become a trend in Goa." "Politicians put out ads in newspapers on their birthdays, usually paid for by their supporters, and hold parties in their villages. Its part of the culture of celebration here," says Mr Noronha. "But Micky Pacheco has obviously taken this culture to an all-time high." Check out the full text at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/3304983.stm On that page you will find links to some earlier BBC articles: Hippie legacy lingers in Goa 05 Sep 03 Goa's Catholics under threat? 02 Sep 03 India's BJP takes over in Goa 03 Jun 02 Reviving Goa's Portuguese past 25 Jul 03 ================================== The Asian Age of 9 Dec had a feature article on the same topic with a banner headline on the top of the front page (UK edition). However, the page will not load from the Internet site. All I could get from there is a teaser which copied below. Shame that this problem has existed with Pamela D'Mello's articles for months now. .................................................... Goa mantri plans party for 15,000 -By Pamela D'Mello Panaji, Dec. 8: It's expected to be one hell of a birthday bash. It has taken its organisers a month in preparation 8,000 invitation cards, a football stadium full of some 15,000 expected guests, two bands, four buffet tables and four bars ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
