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Goa’s Heartbeat: DeWyze wins American Idol Pg 16 Naval mechanic held for spying A mechanic with the Navy has been arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan and police claimed to have recovered from him some “secret and sensitive” documents like photographs of Hindan Air Base and map of Meerut Cantonment. - (PTI)
The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, friDaY, maY 28, 2010
Goa: Fomento begins capping Sonsodo site Pg 2
SSCE pass percentage jumps; boys outdo girls HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 27
Goa took a big leap in the Secondary School Certificate examination results by scoring a pass percentage of 83.50 compared to last year’s 77.11 and as usual boys (79.41%) led the girls (78.24%) in the better pass percentage table by a slight margin. The exam was conducted from March 29 to April 10, 2010 across 23 centres in the State for which 15,824 students registered and 15,808 appeared. Of these, 13,200 passed the exam registering a pass percentage of 83.50. The Chairman of Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Mervyn D’Souza, who declared the results on Thursday, gave full credit to the students for the performance. The students and teachers are really putting in efforts, he stated. (Restults on Pg 12,13,14) He said the Bharatiya Jain Sanghtana had done a thorough assessment of schools and their performances over the last few years. This had made schools realise their weaknesses and work accordingly to better their performance, he stated. Secretary of Goa Board D R Bhagat said after the initial hiccups the students and teachers too had adapted well to the National Council of Educational (Continued on page 11)
AI Unions give another strike call PTI MUMBAI/NEW DELHI, MAY 27
Air India de-recognised its two major trade unions, sealed their offices and sacked another 41 employees today in an unprecedented crackdown triggering a call by defiant Union leaders for a fresh strike from June 12. The Unions and management appeared headed for fresh confrontation following strike call.
Nandan Kakode from Mahila Nutan High School, Margao, who secured 95.5% at the SSC Exams with his parents. Photo by Santosh Mirajkar
Grading system for Stds X, XII HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 27
Chairman of the Goa Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Mervyn D’Souza on Thursday disclosed the Government had given its approval for implementation of the grading system at the Board exams from the academic year 201011.
Speaking during the declaration of SSC results, D’Souza mentioned the grading system aimed at reducing stress in students is the same as applicable for Stds VIII, IX and XI, but for the Board exam it has been decided to have a component for 20% internal assessment marks. He said most of the students focus on studying only for the
X and XII Board exam and as a result they show little or no interest in the exams during the whole academic year. The internal assessment component in the grading system will change all that, he mentioned. “ The students will have to buck up and show interest at the first term and (Continued on page 11)
MICE tourism boosts plans for mega convention centre HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 27
Plans to set up a mega international convention centre, not very far from the capital city, have been revived. It may be recalled that a Rs 400-crore convention centre was earlier proposed in Dona Paula for which DLF, a real estate giant, had bagged the contract in 2007. The firm was to pay the Goa Government Rs 161 crore. The project was to come up on 25 acres of land close to the Goa University campus on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. However, in view of the legal tangle with teachers of Goa University who had approached the High Court, the project could not take shape. The Government has now revived a similar proposal for an international convention centre as there is a strong demand from the tourism industry.
It is not clear where the project is likely to come up. Land around Panjim is being identified. It could be in or around Bambolim. The modalities are being discussed, according to sources. What is called MICE tourism — meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions -- has shown huge potential in the State. Sources said a convention centre of international status, would attract tourists in larger numbers. Goa is already known as a MICE destination but has no proper infrastructure to take it big. In this backdrop, the Govern-
ment seems to be pursuing the project and today, a presentation was made, among other projects, to Gajendra Haldea, principal advisor (infrastructure) in the Planning Commission, at the Secretariat, Porvorim. It is not clear where the project is likely to come up. But sources said that land around Panjim is being identified. It could be in or around Bambolim, a source said. The modalities for setting up the centre are being discussed. OTHER PROJECTS: Presentations were made about other projects the Government is pursuing on PPP basis. These include UguemCapxem Bypass road in the mining belt of Goa, Sports City in Dhargalim, some tourism projects, etc. As per a feasibility report prepared by Goa State Infrastruc(Continued on page 11)
Germany names 50 Indians with black money PTI NEW DELHI, MAY 27
In a breakthrough in the Government’s efforts to track down black money held by Indians in foreign banks, Germany has given Indian authorities a list of some 50 individuals who have now been sent notices for tax evasion. Highly placed sources in the Finance Ministry said that the Government in Germany had sent a list some two months ago and notices were sent after scrutinising the same. “Based on whatever information we received from the German authorities, we have issued notices to the tax evaders related to Indian context in February and March,” a senior official of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) said. However, the exact number of persons contained in the list and the illegal money in the accounts of German banks could not be ascertained immediately. The sources also indicated that information about these persons is being collected and other suitable action could follow. The German authorities, the official said, had sent the list of individuals who had stashed money in the LGT Bank in Liechtenstein and in other tax havens. “We have already taxed the
amount. Retrieving the tax money will take time,” he added. The government had also initiated talks with the Swiss authorities for seeking information about the illegal funds parked in their banks. Last year, Swiss authorities had shared details of over 4,000 account holders with the US, raising similar calls in India. “We have been able to complete the negotiations (on tax treaties) with Switzerland... we have accepted the OECD clause 26 (article 26) earlier in our double taxation avoidance agreements”, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had said in Parliament.
Air India staff always fly with their personal parachutes as their Union may ask them to go on strike at any moment.
priCE rs. 3.00 (air Surcharge rs. 1.50) pages 20
Sports: India to test bench strength Pg 20
India gives Canada one week to solve visa row PTI BANGALORE/NEW DELHI, MAY 27
Taking a tough line, India today termed as “unacceptable” the denunciation of its security forces and intelligence establishment by Canada and gave it a one-week deadline to “address the situation appropriately”. While Canada remained silent amid an outrage here, External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said the Canadian High Commissioner had been “called” twice by his ministr y to register protest over the issue. “We have conveyed to the Canadian government that the letter issued by the Canadian High Commission to serving or retired officials of our security forces and agencies who had applied for Canadian visa are entirely unacceptable,” he told reporters in Bangalore. “We expect the Canadian authorities to address the situation appropriately,” the minister said. Asked what next step India contemplated, he said, “Let us wait for the Canadian authorities to address it”. Noting that India had made
IMD predicts drop in mercury HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MAY 27
Though the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rains in next 24 hours, the mercury continued to soar in the State. The State witnessed 0.6mm of rainfall early this morning, but it failed to give respite from the heat. According to IMD, the maximum temperature for the day was recorded 35.7 degree Celsius. As per the IMD website, the State will have a partly cloudy weather with moderate rainfall and thunderstorms in the next 24 hours. “The maximum temperature will continue to remain above 35 degree Celsius in coming two days, while the minimum temperature will be almost 28 (Continued on page 11)
its “position crystal clear to Canadian authorities”, Krishna appealed to the media “not try to blow it (the issue) out of proportion.” Underlining that institutions in India function under the Constitution, he said, “we are proud of our security forces and agencies and the services they render to the nation”. The Canadian High Commission, over the last few years, has denied visas to a number of senior serving and retired officials of the armed forces and intelligence establishment, claiming that their organisations or they themselves have served in sensitive areas like Jammu and Kashmir and engaged in violence and human rights violations. The Home Ministry is pushing the External Affairs Ministry to
act tough with Canada over the issue even as political parties reacted with outrage. Home Secretary G K Pillai has written a strongly-worded letter to Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, insisting that the MEA should act tough and seek apology from the High Commission and withdrawal of the officials who made the adverse comments against the security forces, sources said. The Home Ministry wants the apology and the other action from the High Commission within a week, warning that there will otherwise be retaliation and the Canadian officials going to Afghanistan via India would be denied permission. “We have written to the MEA, informing them about the whole development,” Pillai told PTI.