Media Release
 
Fujairah, Nov 6: Canara Catholics Fujairah (CCF) overwhelmingly elected Benedict Francis Saldanha as its president for the year 2009 – 2010, at the general body meeting of the organization held at the Church hall of ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Help’ in Fujairah, UAE.

Benedict, who hails from Bantakal in Pamboor Parish (Holy Cross Church), presently resides in Udupi Parish (Mother of Sorrows). He is a well-known personality in Pamboor, Udupi and other parishes in the neighborhood, besides Dubai.

He was a core committee member of Pamboor Welfare Association in Dubai. He had worked relentlessly with the other core committee members for the success of Wilson Oliver Musical Night in 2003, which was organized towards providing aid to Manasa Rehabilitation and Training centre in Pamboor. He has raised funds for the victims of the earthquakes that devastated Lathoor and some regions of Gujarat, besides the Kargil War Fund, among others. 

He joined CCF in 2007, and since then, he is being unanimously elected as an advisor of this organization. 

Other office bearers elected on the occasion are:
 
Treasurer - Lancy Ashok Dantis:  He was born and brought up in Paladka and is a resident of Paladka St Ignatius Parish.

He has been working in Fujairah since 2002, and is one of the founder members of CCF Committee. He was elected as the treasurer oof CCF for the year 2007 - 2008. He is a one of the active committee members of the CCF. Considering his hard and sincere work for the CCF, he has been elected as the treasurer for the second term.     

Secretary - Gretta Dias: Gretta Dias was born and brought up in Permude. She presently resides at Byndoor (Holy Cross Church).  She is an active member of CCF.  She has been elected as the secretary for the second consecutive year.  
 
Chief Coordinator - Prakash Mascarenhas:  Prakash Mascarenhas, who was born and brought up in Baroda, has served as an active youth committee member for Konkan Sabha Baroda. He presently resides at Vidya Nagar, Moodbidri (Corpus Christhi Parish).

Prakash is with Fujairah since 1998. He has served for CCF as its secretary and cultural secretary, and has been an active committee member since the inception of CCF. Presently, he has been elected as the chief coordinator of the organization. 

Committee Members: Vincent Barboza, Alfred D’Souza, Melwyn Vas, Roy Veigas, Praveen D’Silva, Ronald Pereira, Domnic Ravi, Anthony D’Silva, Prakash Rodrigues, Stevan D’Souza, Ovina Saldanha, Cyril Monis, Reshma D’Souza, Lawrence, Derrick Castelino, Ludy Rebello, Valerian Mendonsa, Shanti J Fernandes.