Mangalore: Paul Moras is New President of Konkani Writers Forum
Media Release by H M Pernal
Pics by Joachim Pinto
Mangalore. Aug 8: The 14th annual general body meeting of Konkani Writers Forum , Karnataka ®, and the election for the new managing committee, was held at Don Bosco Mini Hall on Sunday August 8.
General secretary Dolphy Fredrick Lobo began the meeting with prayers. It was followed by a silent tribute led by president Marcel M D’Souza, in remembrance of the members who died in the past year.
The meeting gave the official nod to the minutes of 13th annual general body meeting read out by Fredrick Lobo and approved the income and expenditure account for the year ended on 31st March 2010, presented by treasurer J F D’Souza. The meeting also appointed auditors for the next year and fixed their remuneration.
Before the election Richard Moras of Konkani Kutam, Bahrain, felicitated forum members Dr Edward L Nazareth and Cyril G Sequeira for bagging the Sandesha Award and Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy Book Award, respectively.
Vallya Vogga, M P Rodrigues, and Lancy Pinto Nayak were absent for the felicitation.
After a gap of several years, nominations to various posts of office-bearers were filed in the history of Konkani Writers Forum, Karnataka ®. Marcel M D ‘Souza (president), Dr Pius Fidelies Pinto (vice-president), and executive committee member Paul Moras had filed the nominations for the post of president and Dr Nazareth had filed the nomination for the post of secretary.
In spite of some members’ objection to the point that Dr Pinto is not present at the meeting and he constantly lives outside India and will not be available for the Forum’s work, secretary Fredrick Lobo, who was the election officer till then, called for an election and Judith Mascarenhas was appointed election officer.
For sometime, chaos prevailed and in the process Marcel D’Souza withdrew his nomination. In the secret ballot, Moras won the election with a sound margin over Dr Pinto.
Later, the following members were elected:
Victor Mathias (Vithori Karkal ) – Vice-president
Alice Fernandes (Shalini Valencia ) – Vice-president
Henry Mendonca (H M Pernal ) – General secretary
Tony Ferros (Raknno ) – Joint secretary
Joachim Pinto (Pinto Vamanjur – Daijiworld Weekly) – Treasurer
Marcel M D’Souza – Executive committee member
Gladys Rego - Executive committee member
John A Monis ( Editor, ‘Dirvem’ ) - Executive committee member
Santosh Alwyn Lobo (Santhu Omzoor – Editor, ‘Daivik Amruth’) - Executive committee member
Praveen Tauro (Daijiworld.com) - Executive committee member
The outgoing president and secretary handed over charge to new president Paul Moras and new general secretary H M Pernal.