Banana Fraudsters sentenced, Porto Santo property glut, Sam Fox in Calheta, UZO, etc
TODAYS PHOTO : Sam comes to Madeira … see below
Source : Diário de Notícias 26/3/2008
m4u blog followers will be aware that their has been a big trial ongoing as a result of some serious crimes in the Banana Cooperative on Madeira (they coordinate collection and distribution of the crops). The mastermind behind the scams was yesterday sentenced to 9 years imprisonment as well as fined and ordered to pay compensation and costs. The prosecution had asked for 6 years imprisonment, for a range of charges including corruption, misappropriated funds, and subsidy fraud. The other 8 defendants were punished with suspended prison sentences through to fines. The American singer Barry Manilow is said to be delighted with the verdict, as the fraud had tainted his classic hit ‘Coopbanana’ (OK, I admit, I have plotted for months to deliver that one!).
A couple of stories about the state of some roads and accident blackspots. If you have a complaint about a road safety issue on Madeira, you can present it the the consumer association here ‘DECO’ who will take it up on your behalf.
Around 10% of the houses and apartments on Porto Santo are ‘up for sale’, a total of between 300 and 400 properties, and the number is growing with 150 ‘lots’ as yet not developed. Property agents on the island say that the island has not reached ‘saturation point’. Oh spare me please! 10% of properties up for sale and growing, and not yet reached saturation point. I know many estate agents are renowned bullshitters, but surely no one is going to believe that.
In Tuesday’s printed edition of the Diário I read that Samantha Fox (spelt with an ‘F’) is coming to perform at a festival in Calheta this June. Best known (!?!) for a massive hit called ‘Touch Me’ released in the 80′s, she also released an album of ‘Greatest Hits’. A quick search on amazon.com reveals that to be a LP, not a photo album.
The Diário has a whinge about the fact the Marítimo v Nacional local derby football match on Sunday 6th April is not going be televised, even on SportTV. Disgraceful!
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Anyone else have UZO as their mobile phone provider? I switched around 6 months ago and got a very memorable phone number and a very attractive payg rate of 16 centythingys a minute to any land line or mobile network. However, that rate drops to 12 ctytgys for 30 days after a top up of €15 or more. Anyone beat that? Last week I put a €20 top-up on the phone, and got an unexpected €5 bonus credit … not sure why, but I’m not complaining.
Aside from your valued blog responses, please send any unreported Madeira news, photos, events information, or snippets to blog@madeira4u.com – thank you!
We are with Vodophone and this month they have been doing 20 euros for a 15 euro topup, together with 'win a mercedes a day for 30 days' promotion. Don't use the mobiles much as we use Voip via the PC and it is free to landlines and about 18 cents per min to mobiles.
1–Josie
oh cummon, 'Coopbanana', I had that planned for weeks and I expected at least a few howls of disgust and some threats never to read my blog again!
2–Der
Lol Der , maybe you should write a joke book….Any news from the levada mugger , the weathers getting better now, im sure he'll be back out soon….
3–Tobi
spoke to him this week, but don't forget he is reformed now (apart from the red wine habit that is)
4–Der
I still use Skype, but it's not as cheap as it used to be and the quality can be pretty poor. Sometimes I end up making the same call 3 or 4 times, each time paying a connection charge
5The Above person should use http://www.voipstunt.com, calls to landlines are free over much of the world , i never have any problems with connection, and if you dont use yr 10 euro credit which you put on, it rolls over to the next 4 month period.
6I uses this service at least 3 times aday and no problems….
–Tobi