Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Tobi … the cruise ship Aida in port a few days ago, very recognisable by the ‘hot lips’.

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 24/10/2008

Porto Santo Island has been hit by an unidentified viral infection, with dozens of cases reported so far. Symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting. In one school, 20% of the pupils have been hit by the bug, something like gastroenteritis. The outbreak in the school has been confirmed as not being passed on through food or water supplies, and the source is still unidentified.

The big story in Santana this week is about a row going on between the town council there and the fire & ambulance brigade. The council gave the brigade an ambulance in 2001, and is outraged by the brigade’s decision to sell it, and without telling them, a matter stirred up by our ‘Dear Diário´. What scandal! And apart from football (Benfica) that’s it for the front page … Oh dear, so far it’s looking like one of those days when I could have stayed in bed longer.

Other News :

The story from yesterday about the dangers of the chemicals used to deinsfest mosquito populations has been totally refuted by the company ‘Extermination’ that was responsible for the control of the mosquitoes until recently. The boss there describes the chemicals used as “healthy, dependable, and a friend of the environment”.  Then he goes on, “The products, insecticidal and ‘larvicidal’, do not leave residues, and cannot therefore be comparable with  DDT”. Confused? I am!

In a second article on the same topic of the ‘aedes aegypti’, The Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (IHMT) is trying to produce a laboratory created insecticide to be used on the lands of Madeira. The work on the treatment started two years ago, and the problem is stated that the larvae of ‘aedes aegypti’ is much stronger than the larvae of other mosquitoes, and also because the insect breeds very easily. One of the ingredients being used comes from the ‘tree of life’ in India. A spokesman for the institute says that the mosquito, or a cousin, is spreading around Europe, with Italy and Spain substantially affected. But there is some good news, as the specialist says “when persons are bitten in second or third consecutive years, there will not be such bad reactions, as people build up an immunity resistance” Of course he is talking about reaction to being bitten only, nothing to do with the disease dengue. 

It’s pretty well known that Portugal and Brazil have not only a language bond, but also a cultural one, and that makes holidaying and travelling quite attractive to both races in swapping countries at holiday time. Hence package holidays in Portugal are a big seller in Brazil. But those holidays up until now have always been on the continent. That is going to change, with the largest tour operator in Brazil, CVC (300 of it’s own agencies, and 5,000 other sellers, with 1.7 million holidays sold in 2007), about to incorporate Madeira in its Portugal packages, with probably a 3 day visit included in the package deal.

The Regional Secretary for Tourism and Transport of  Madeira confirmed on Thursday that discussions are underway with a ‘low cost’ airline for a new scheduled flight between Funchal and Porto. In the same article, there was a vote of protest in the regional assembly this week about the fuel surcharges of TAP and SATA not coming down with the falling trend of oil internationally.

Football this weekend : Marítimo playing at home against Rio Ave, Sunday at 4pm, and Nacional also at home against Setúbal, same day, same time, which shows unsensible fixture planning once again. All the other Portuguese premier league games are televised, except for those two.

Clocks change tonight I believe, dark nights again, horrible!

Tomorrow we show the photograph you didn’t want to see … if you are easily shocked, get behind the sofa as it loads on your screen.

Prompted by a story on Monday, I received this email from a lady in Calheta …

“Perhaps when the Secretary of State for Tourism arrives on Easyjet on 27 October, someone might attract his attention to the problem of noise at Calheta, in my view the noisiest place in the world!

Rockets (banned in most countries) are fired off at random throughout the year and sometimes during the night!   They terrify young children and upset the sick and the elderly and serve absolutely no purpose whatsoever.   They also startle all 50 plus dogs in the valley which bark continuously for about 45 minutes.   Frequently the dogs have just settled down again, when another rocket is fired and the whole barking business starts all over again.

The Church on the hill has 4 loudspeakers set into its bell tower.   Most weekends Mass is broadcast throughout the valley, followed by dreadful amateur pop music.   This can start at 9.00 a.m. and go on until midnight with no consideration for the neighbourhood, the sick or elderly or any visitors to the village.   So much for the Commandment, “Though shall treat thy neighbour as Thyself”!

Radio Funchal also join in with loud pop music programmes broadcast over loudspeakers and just in case visitors get bored enjoying the tranquillity of the beautiful valley and beach, regular beach parties are provided all summer long, with the dire music amplified at maximum decibel limit until 6.00 a.m.

Is it little wonder few tourists return to Calheta and the excellent Calheta Beach Hotel is half-empty most of the time?   Do not be fooled by a daytime visit – by night Calheta is a living nightmare!     Calheta is competing with Torremolinos and Calheta is winning!”

She has provided her full name, but I thought it best not to reveal it … so for the purpose of any responses, perhaps she won’t mind if we call her ‘Disturbed in Calheta’?

www.madeira4u.com

Aside from your valued blog responses (you can reply direct using the form at the bottom of each blog comments page), please send any unreported Madeira news, topical photos, events information, or snippets for the madeira4u blog to blog@madeira4u.com – anyone can join in! Thank you!

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Jon & Debs … A lovely early morning shot of an aircraft coming into land.

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 23/10/2008

The Mosquito ‘aedes aegypti’ is the top story yet again in today’s headlines, or rather the treatment of the problem. Disinfestation chemicals in use can contaminate soil and water, and create problems far greater than the bites of the mosquitoes themselves. The Regional Director of the Environment says that the chemicals being used do not resolve the problem by killing the mosquito, but create a risk for the environment, despite the use of biodegradable products. Use of such chemicals in wells, gutters, and storage vessels that contain stagnant water where the eggs are laid “would have grave consequences for the environment and for people” he warns. Strangely enough he adds “with the humid and hot autumn, the mosquito has left the zone of Santa Luzia, and migrated to the lower parts of the Funchal and also Câmara de Lobos and Machico. He later refers to the use of the chemical DDT. The whole saga gets worse and worse it seems, but how did the mosquito get to Machico without populating in-between in Santo Cruz, Caniço etc? I can only imagine they took a bite out of Vic and thought that doesn’t taste so good, lets move on a few more kilometres? Sorry Vic, just trying to cheer everyone up on a rather alarming topic!

With petrol products shooting downwards on the international markets ($64 a barrel for Brent in London), the Diário reflects on the higher price on the forecourts here compared to the continent. With prices here under regional government control, and scheduled to drop today between 2.2 and 3 cêntimos a litre, the prices will be slightly more expensive than in Portugal, though the differences are that small (less than 1 c/l) that I really don’t think it was worth writing about. Perhaps government intervention has run it’s course, and should now be rescinded. As it turns out it was a bad move to start with, as almost as soon as the government here took control, barrel prices started dropping anyway.

The plans to set up a ‘Series Madeira’ football league, involving all the teams here except the big boys has been put on hold. Nacional plans for the lower leagues would have meant that Madeira would be left out of the fixtures, but nothing is going to change next season, and discussions involving a new league will not even take place until the end of January 2009.

The ‘Moda Madeira’ or ‘Fashion Madeira’ show or gala will take place in the Madeira Tecnopólo on the 28th & 29th November. 6 well known regional and 2 Portuguese fashion designers will be showing their designs for Spring 2009. It’s in my diary already, as I am hoping for a new fashionable yet traditional woolly farmers hat to protect my head and ears from those nasty mosquitoes!

Other News :

Taxi drivers are whinging again, this time about the competition they face from ‘ex-colleagues’ (who sell their taxis and continue to work in private cars) and travel agents. The Association of Taxi drivers of Madeira (AITRAM) has called for intervention “active and militant” from the inspection authorities, arguing that AITRAM is about “quality of service”.  There are around 900 taxi drivers on Madeira, 780 of them are members. I only bothered to mention it as the article refers to a new AITRAM website that refers to the credentials, journeys, and a table of prices, but the link wasn’t published and I couldn’t find it. If anyone else can, please let me know and I will publish it – thanks.

In a new move termed ‘orange strategy’ (colours of the ruling Social Democrat party), opposition groups are fuming, because the government invoked an emergency rule or law to prevent them from speaking for too long on four items. The move does not prevent the discussion, it just reduces substantially the time allowed for the opposition. This is how democracy works on Madeira then? The PSD should be forced to drop the word ‘democracy’ from their name in shame, and just become the PS … that could solve a few problems perhaps?

In explanation of the difference between the state investment budget allocations for 2009 between Madeira (€5.4 m) and the Azores (€36.8 m), the Finance Minister in Portugal justifies himself that it is because two new prisons are to be built in the Azores. That’s OK with me, less money for less convicts!

Porto Santo has been told it cannot now have its new camping park, or at least it will be delayed, due to budget squeezes.

Once again a bad weather warning came and went unnoticed here, aside from a strong breeze, and no sign of 4 metre+ waves. Was anyone (apart from Vic) affected, or did it end up pretty much missing us altogether?

www.madeira4u.com

Aside from your valued blog responses (you can reply direct using the form at the bottom of each blog comments page), please send any unreported Madeira news, topical photos, events information, or snippets for the madeira4u blog to blog@madeira4u.com – anyone can join in! Thank you!

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Vic … a rather striking sunrise captured earlier this month (I actually thought it was a sunset Vic, and I was just about to publish it when I noticed the time at the bottom of the photo).

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 22/10/2008

The main story is of the people of Boaventura being poisoned by inhalation of toxic particles from weedkillers used to control unwanted vegetation growing along the roadsides by maintenance companies. The complaints include breathing difficulties, inflamed tongues and throats, red burning eyes, allergies and other ailments, affecting hundreds of residents in the area. The problem is blamed on the use of two chemicals, ‘Gramaxone’ or Paraquat, and ‘Roundup’, the first one already being banned from use in several European countries. As well as being recognised as a serious health issue, there are concerns that the chemicals may work themselves into the food chain and water supplies. The problem has been there for 5 years, but the signs are that the symptoms have been getting worse. The Diário interviewed a number of people, and everyone was affected, including an expectant mother worried about here baby, with the health experts unable to reassure here whether it will be affected. Even the local pharmacist is suffering. This is pretty unbelievable I know, but it’s true. The paraquat  is no longer on sale here and from the end of this year it will be illegal to use it, but until then the contractors will continue to use it. 5 years and the problem continues … how does this government excuse itself from not dealing with the matter a long long time ago I wonder.

Sorry, but the mosquito ‘aedes aegypti’ continues in the headlines. In a report from a meeting held on Monday in Lisbon, attended by both Portuguese and local health officials, Madeira is calling for national support in dealing with the problem. Fortunately the only reported cases of denge so far have been in Portugal, where the mosquito has not yet arrived, with infected people coming from Brazil. There will a working group compiled to deal with the situation, including stopping dengue victims travelling to Madeira, which will involve airlines and shipping companies (and presumably cruise ships?). Madeira will also become a member of REVIVE, which is a programme of vigilance, and education campaigns will also be created. It’s a long article that would take up the whole blog and more, but it does make another point of interest about the the vitamin B1 (Thiamin), and that taking the recommended daily dose acts as a mosquito repellent, although it does occur naturally in yeast and wheatgerm, rice and animal liver. Other deterrents are also recommended. So perhaps Marmite is the key?

(for David in France and anyone else interested the full article is here, in Portuguese of course : http://www.dnoticias.pt/Default.aspx?file_id=dn04010203221008 )

The European Union has announced it’s intention to continue with it’s financial support for renewal and modernization of the fishing fleets of Madeira and in the Azores for another 3 years. The voting was 531 in favour, and 68 against. In particular the measure is to improve the conditions for conserving ‘the catch’ and the improving the working conditions and safety of fishermen. The programme will now run until the end of 2011.

Marítimo football club, in it’s fourth attempt to create a new and modern stadium is going to find it’s plans blocked by Funchal Câmara (council) once they have considered technical advice, on either 3 or 4 grounds. The Diário says that President Jardim has ordered that to happen. I managed to look at a printed copy of the newspaper last night (more, articles, more info, more pictures) and was surprised to read that the latest planned version of the Marítimo stadium is as high as a 7 story building. So who’s side am I on? Pres AJJ for blocking another high-rise monstrosity, or with Marítimo due to the continuous interference of Jardim in the club affairs. Unusually, I can’t answer that this time.

Other News :

The Regional Director of Environment talks about the results of a study known as ‘Climaat II’, that analyses the impacts of global warming on the Atlantic archipelagos. Starting in a rather positive tone, he talks about the benefits for tourism, agriculture and forestry. On tourism he refers to “longer hours of sun and better conditions for leisure”. On the negative side he refers to “more rain in less time”, and the possible invasion of new perhaps unwanted species of plants and insects coming here, singling out the mosquito ‘aedes aegypti’ as an example. So that lump on my head is down to global warming … and I was expecting a better sun tan!

Believe it or not, Portugal is the European leader in the automated processing of electronic payments and services offered. Portugal offers 1,500 multibancos (ATMs) per million people, and that is double the European average, 15% more than Spain (2nd) and 50% more than the UK (3rd). It is also the leader in automatic road tolls, with 2.5 times as many as Italy (2nd) and 11 times more than France (3rd). I am not sure either of those two claims to fame are to be proud of, after all you only need as many ATMs as you need. I have access to around 7 or 8 in short walking distance … totally unnecessary. As for toll roads … I will leave that one for someone else to comment on!

We are on a ‘yellow alert’ weather warning today, with strong winds between 70 and 90 kilometres per hour, and up to 100km in the high zones. Also, big waves between 4 and 5 metres. 

There were lots of interesting stories yesterday, but with just me and my daily commitments I couldn’t do any more. If anyone could offer assistance in research and translations the blog could be used to deliver much more … for example I don’t even look at the entertainment pages … if you feel like volunteering you know how to contact me. Der

www.madeira4u.com

Aside from your valued blog responses (you can reply direct using the form at the bottom of each blog comments page), please send any unreported Madeira news, photos, events information, or snippets for the madeira4u blog to blog@madeira4u.com – anyone can join in! Thank you!