Appeared in the Oct/Nov/Dec issue of Goan Review, published from Mumbai. by Eugene Correia The Goan Overseas Association (GOA), Toronto, has shown good financial growth and rise in the strength of membership, with the annual revenue rising to $30,591 in 2015 from $17,888 in 2014, showing a surplus of $19,100, and an increase of 70 new members compared to 9 in 2014, in its annual report for 1915.
Elected last year, the executive committee,under Selwyn Colaco, has also done well in reviving the Viva Goa event, after it was practically dead for more than a decade. The Viva Goa was a notable festival of Goan dance, music andcuisine in Downsview Hangar, which was quite accessible for people living at the east and west ends of the Greater Toronto Ares (GTA), for many years. The venue was available at a discounted rate to GOA, but then the federal government, who owns it, increased the rental rate. Thereafter, the succeeding committees looked around the GTA to find alternate venue that could accommodate around 4,000 people and at a rental price within GOA’s budget. But the search yielded no positive result. When the current committee found the Croatian Community Centre, in Mississauga, an open space with a separate football field, it seized the opportunity. Revived in 2015, Viva Goa drew a large number of Goans that prompted the committee to hold it again this year. This year too the reception was very good. It seemed the community had missed it dearly. It’s a mixed social and cultural event where the members of the community come together for food, football and fiesta. It was rekindling of love affair after many years. The committee got Goa’s famed Fado singer, Sonia Shirsat, besides the visiting Mumbai singer Sharmila Dias, who once thrilled the diners at Taj Mahal, rev up the tempo and the pitch of a large crowd. There was also local talent on display. The event made a profit of $13,870, possibly higher than what the previous ones ever made. This year, Palomi Ghosh, the star of the blockbuster film, Nachom-ia Kumpasar, and Goa’s popular singer O’Luv Rodriguez entertained the crowd. Palomi and Donaldo Colaco, one of the actors in the movie, were present at the movie theatre for the repeat screening of the film based on the love story of Lorna Cordeiro and Chris Perry. The first screening was months ago and tickets were sold out within an hour or so. Selwyn informed that the director, Badroy Barreto, couldn’t make it to Toronto because his visa didn’t come on time. Though Lorna wasn’t present at both the Viva Goa events, she was very much present in the songs that both Sonia and Palomi sang at respective shows. Lorna sort of ruled the airwaves. Seems the Lorna magic still prevails in Toronto, as she was here at a show organized by Radio Mango (Mango is a combined word for Mangloreans and Goans) and then later by the GOA, which was termed as an “alliance event.” Before these appearances, Lorna had thrilled her Toronto fans twice before. It was strange that a term such as “alliance event” was used without letting the people know who the alliance partner was. The treasurer, Edgar Faleiro, writes in the annual report for 2015, that “The Konkan Nite event was initiated as an alliance event to promote and celebrate our language “Konkani” as part of the cultural portfolio.” On the GOA Facebook page, some of the captions to the photos and videos said the event was with alliance with Invictus Films, a film production company is based in New Jersey. The annual report claims that the ticket sales were brought in $12,520. After deducting the expenses, the net income was $177. The lack of a packed capacity was blamed on clash of dates with other social events. Lorna and other actors, besides music director Norman Cardozo, came from New Jersey, USA, where they had performed in a show. Marshal used his contact with the New Jersey organizer, Effie Tavares, sister of singer Sammy Tavares, to get them here. Toronto’s resourceful tiartist, Raymond Menezes, popularly known as Jr. Menezes, alleged that Marshal had informed him that he and Selwyn are putting up the Lorna show. Jr. Menezes was taken aback, as it was his turn to put up a tiatr this year and he was already halfway in his preparation to stage the tiatr. “He told me that I could carry on the preparation as the Lorna show is dependent on the group members getting visas to Canada, and that the show may not take place,” Jr. Menezes told this correspondent. According to those present, Selwyn praised Marshal for doing everything to put up the show. At the interval, Marshal asked his brother Evaristo to come up on stage as an “eminent Goan” to release a CD along with others. A couple of people this correspondent spoke to said that Roque Barreto, one of the founders of the GOA and ex-Chairman of GOA’s Trustees, could have been the ideal person to call on stage. One person felt it was “fixed” and also questioned if Evaristo deserved to be called an “eminent Goan.” One of the persons who were in the group that released Sammy Tavares’ CD was Maria Sendra Menezes, ex-wife of Jr. Menezes and current girl-friend of Marshal (both Marshal and Jr. Menezes were once close buddies). Jr. Menezes was aghast at what he felt was a “stabin- the-back” by Marshal, as he had no choice but to cancel his show. “People won’t spend money to come again for a Konkani show. I would lose money if I staged it, and so I cancelled it,” he said ruefully. This year it was Marshal’s turn to put up his tiatr. He did, and the tiatr’s name was Sun. At the 2015 Viva Goa, Selwyn had proclaimed that the GOA would help those in the cultural field of the community. Jr. Menezes, who, along with Hazel, had done an act at the Viva Goa, said in disgust, “Is this the way the GOA is encouraging those who are in the cultural stream of the community? Why bring Lorna now when only recently she was here. I had to suffer.” Those in the know of things say that it was Marshal who roped in Selwyn to make the Konkan Nite appear as if it was organized by the GOA. Konkani Nite with other social events. Lorna and other actors, besides music director Norman Cardozo, came from New Jersey, USA, where they had performed in a show. Marshal used his contact with the New Jersey organizer, Effie Tavares, sister of singer Sammy Tavares, to get them here. Toronto’s resourceful tiartist, Raymond Menezes, popularly known as Jr. Menezes, alleged that Marshal had informed him that he and Selwyn are putting up the Lorna show. Jr. Menezes was taken aback, as it was his turn to put up a tiatr this year and he was already halfway in his preparation to stage the tiatr. “He told me that I could carry on the preparation as the Lorna show is dependent on the group members getting visas to Canada, and that the show may not take place,” Jr. Menezes told this correspondent. According to those present, Selwyn praised Marshal for doing everything to put up the show. At the interval, Marshal asked his brother Evaristo to come up on stage as an “eminent Goan” to release a CD along with others. A couple of people this correspondent spoke to said that Roque Barreto, one of the founders of the GOA and ex-Chairman of GOA’s Trustees, could have been the ideal person to call on stage. One person felt it was “fixed” and also questioned if Evaristo deserved to be called an “eminent Goan.” One of the persons who were in the group that released Sammy Tavares’ CD was Maria Sendra Menezes, ex-wife of Jr. Menezes and current girl-friend of Marshal (both Marshal and Jr. Menezes were once close buddies). Jr. Menezes was aghast at what he felt was a “stabin- the-back” by Marshal, as he had no choice but to cancel his show. “People won’t spend money to come again for a Konkani show. I would lose money if I staged it, and so I cancelled it,” he said ruefully. This year it was Marshal’s turn to put up his tiatr. He did, and the tiatr’s name was Sun. At the 2015 Viva Goa, Selwyn had proclaimed that the GOA would help those in the cultural field of the community. Jr. Menezes, who, along with Hazel, had done an act at the Viva Goa, said in disgust, “Is this the way the GOA is encouraging those who are in the cultural stream of the community? Why bring Lorna now when only recently she was here. I had to suffer.” Those in the know of things say that it was Marshal who roped in Selwyn to make the Konkan Nite appear as if it was organized by the GOA. Konkani Nite
