Major fraud investigation, Children & road accidents, Bats disappearing, Clean electricity, etc.
TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Wil … another great underwater shot from his diving exploits off the coast of Madeira (is that you in the picture Wil?)
Source : Diário de Notícias 29/5/2008
A big story that broke yesterday morning made national headlines on the TV, is about a couple of Madeiran businessmen with stakes in several Madeiran companies, including the Savoy Hotel, and the Tobacco Company of Madeira. The two are accused of fiscal fraud, false invoicing, and other monetary crimes, and the authorities carried out searches for evidence and documentation.
Already this year 39 children have been victims of road accidents (4 seriously injured). That is not good, but compared to last year it seems slightly better (1 killed, 12 serious, and 103 non-serious injuries). As a measure to try and improve matters, the Police and a Children’s Protection society are promoting the use of reflective jackets. Young cyclists seem to be particularly vulnerable, and if reflective jackets are to help (presumably mainly after dark?), then you have to ask why kids don’t have lights on their bicycles?
Madeira is home for three different species of bats, but they get very little attention compared to the other endangered and ‘cuddly’ species that this archipelago is home to. Recent studies have shown the populations to be declining due to the destruction of suitable shelter, pesticides, and a prolific increase in new buildings. Also people kill them out of superstition or fear.
85% of Madeira’s electricity output comes from oil and oil based products, with just 15% from renewable and clean sources. It was announced during the ‘World Day of Energy’ that production of the latter source would rise to 27% by 2017, with new hydroelectric initiatives in Calheta and Paul da Serra, amongst others in the mountains. This will save 205,000 tons of CO2 and take it inside the EU target of 20% clean energy by 2020.
12 new Land Rover’s (jeep style) are to be given to the Police (of Public Security) next week. They will be used to patrol the high zones and rural areas. They have been paid for by fines paid by local people, that Madeira is permitted to keep for it’s own budgets. That should put back a few tons of CO2 into the atmosphere that we save through ‘clean’ electricity.
Also on national TV there is much about the fishermen’s strike, which is really a protest over fuel prices, that also involves other countries. The resulting fish shortages are predicted to hit the shops on Saturday, but as it was a national story I am not sure how that applies to Madeira. And still on the subject of fuel prices, yesterday in Madeira petrol ‘gasoline 95′ cost €1.39 per litre, ’98′ cost €1.53, and diesel €1.27, after 3 price increases in the space of a week. Whilst the prices in Portugal were: ’95′ €1.39, ’98′ €1.46, and diesel €1.31. Some of the difference is accounted for by the difference in IVA (VAT) rates. The Azores have much lower fuel prices, as the government there set their own prices.
The old sail ship in Funchal yesterday and today is the ‘Belém’. It is French, and was built in 1896. Having served France with shipments between Brazil and the West Indies, to name a few countries, it was retired from service in 1914. At that point it was brought by the Duke of Westminster who used it as a ‘tall ship of luxury’. In 1984 it was totally restored, and classified as a historical monument. On leaving Funchal this afternoon, it will depart for Boston, and then on to Halifax and Quebec. Anyone got a picture please?
SATA, the Azores airline that also serves Madeira has launched a new website at www.sata.pt. I checked it out yesterday and got ‘system errors’, but even so it seems to be better than the old one which I found unfriendly and hard to find what you were looking for.
Aside from your valued blog responses (you can reply direct using the form at the bottom of each blog page), please send any unreported Madeira news, photos, events information, or snippets for the madeira4u blog to blog@madeira4u.com – thank you!
