From Hilary Tellis
for Daijiworld Media Network - Bahrain

Bahrain, Apr 1: The NRI affairs directorate of government of Goa has bestowed Community Service Leadership Awards on three long-time residents of Bahrain. The awards, in recognition of the community services among the Goan community of Bahrain, were presented to the president of Young Goans Club Francis Correia, vice-chairman and founding member of the Migrant Workers Protection Society Alfredo D'Souza and chairman of Bahrain Goans Football League G R Crasto.

The awards were presented during the conference on 'Indian Expatriates in  the Gulf  Countries' on Saturday  March  29 at  Hotel Mandovi, Panaji, Goa. Union minister for overseas Indian  affairs Vayalar Ravi inaugurated the conference. Chief minister of  Goa, Digambar Kamat was the chief guest and commissioner of NRI affairs Eduardo Faleiro presided over the programme.

Francis Correia            Alfredo D'Souza          G R Crasto

About the Awardees:
 
Correia, a resident of Bahrain since 1974, is employed with Ahmed Mansoor Al A'Ali as manager of their real estate division. He has been involved in community services from the time he arrived to Bahrain and has served the community in different fields. Francis has provided legal, medical and financial assistance to a large number of not only Goans but members of other expatriate communities too. Through the Indian embassy and ministry of labour, he has resolved many disputes of labourers and domestic helpers and has assisted many with sponsorship problems to find alternate employment. He has actively participated in events to help the local charities.

Correia was honoured by the ministry of social affairs in 1987 for having participated in organizing festivities of expatriates societies and clubs to celelebrate Bahrain National Day. He was elected general secretary of Young Goans Club, way back in 1979 and thereafter has served in the managing committee several times. During his tenure with the club, he was able to interact with Goans from other Gulf states and European countries, in organising inter-Gulf sports and social events. He is the main person behind organising Konkani theatrical events with local and stage artistes flown from Goa thus displaying Goan culture and heritage in the Gulf and to keep Konkani alive and popular. Correia's charity works include helping the Mother and Child Welfare Scoiety and Bahrain Mobility International. His position among the Goan community has also helped him to organize visits by political, religious, social leaders from Goa. He is also a coordinator of the Konkani community of the Sacred Heart Church.
 
D'Souza has been a campaigner of human rights for over ten years and is well-known in the government and diplomatic circles. He is also a founding member of the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights Migrant Workers' Group. Alfredo has been on the Legal Aid Cell of the Indian Community Services, which comes under the auspices of the Indian embassy. He is also a life member of the Royal Society of St George Charity organization.

Alfredo has been instrumental in starting the first ever 'Shelter for Abused Domestic Helpers' and for well over 10 years has been defending the human rights of the poor labourers and domestic helpers who have been abused by their employers and are helpless, even before the formation of the first migrant workers' group in Bahrain. Since his arrival into Bahrain over 20 years ago, he has volunteered his services through the Sacred Heart Church for the poor of the community. D'Souza is the only expatriate to receive the National Award from the Bahrain government for excellent and dedicated service to the community and to the development of the country.

Crasto made headlines with Goan community last year when he scooped the 'Man of the Year Award' from Goan Review Art Foundation, Mumbai for his social services linked to the Goan community in Bahrain. Crasto, a popular compere among the Goan community has been at the forefront in organizing social, cultural and sporting events  to showcase the Goan language, culture, heritage and indentity of Goans in Bahrain. In association with community groups, he has organized functions to felicitate and honour outstanding sports persons and stage artists of the Goan community.

A resident of Bahrain for the last 25 years, he is with Mohammed Jalal & Sons as manager of their travel divisions. Being in the travel field, he was instrumental in obtaining special fares from Air India for Goans during the exposition of St Francis Xavier. A freelance journalist, he covers the activities of Goans in the Gulf  through his writings in  Konkani magazines published from Goa. In Decmeber 2007, he was honoured by the Young Goans Club for his contribution to the activities of the club and for community services. He has served several terms on the managing committee of the Club on different posts in the past. He is also a member of the Konkani community committee of the Sacred heart Church.