Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Eiryl … Porta da Cruz

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 26/10/2008

Looks like another dry news day, as two of the front page stories are about the football games of yesterday, before they were even played.

That only leaves two other headline articles.

‘Teachers Anticipate Retirement’. Extreme tiredness and increasing bureaucracy are the main motives. The number of teachers that try, together with the Union of the Teachers of Madeira (SPM), contemplating the possibility of early retirement is “alarming” according to the coordinator of the SPM, Marília Azevedo. In some sectors eight out of ten teachers have made requests for early or normal retirement figures, a similar level to nationally. Retirement is available after 33 years service. In many cases teachers are considering leaving the profession, and wanting to know how much they would lose through their pensions.

The other story, that comes up quite often, is probably a quite well known phenomenon for those with interests outside Madeira but here it is all still quite new … Internet Fraud. Scams targeting Madeirans are definitely on the up, and the Diário reports that 4 complaints have been made to police in two days, one involving a sum of €10,000, others for €1,900 and €400. They all started with an email that arrived in the complainants inbox, usually from abroad. The article suggests some naivety here, and mentions the chain emails as a particular problem. I get such emails daily, mainly from people trying to give me millions of dollars hidden from the government in Nigeria. If you have some spare time one day, check out this site: http://www.419eater.com/ Some of the stories are amazing about what this group does to scam the scammers.

Other News :

Fireman have spend 3 days trying to extinguish a fire in woods in sítio da Furna, in Ribeira Brava. The fire started on Thursday fuelled by strong winds, and is in an area of difficult access, and so is causing some real problems, although there is no danger to property.

The Câmaras (councils) of Porto Moniz, São Vicente and Santana are joining forces with institutions and companies based in the north of Madeira in a project called ‘Mais Norte’ (More North). A common strategy is to be developed to bring jobs and financial benefits to the northern areas, mainly through increased business opportunities and tourism. I wish them luck, but suspect that behind the scenes, tourism in Funchal will be pulling in the opposite direction as they always do.

Just a couple of days after the last petrol and diesel price cuts, today prices will reduce even further, by 10 cents and 8 cents respectively, with the reviews in future taking place weekly instead of fortnightly. The area has had a lot of discussion over the last few days, particularly as continental prices were lower than Madeira, a situation that should not have happened when the IVA (VAT) rate for Madeira is somewhat lower.

The Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA) on Madeira managed to collect €500,000 from businesses who owed performing rights payments to artists of video and sound, but it is well known that many businesses do not contribute for using copyright material. The article mentions ‘Karaoke Bars’ as one of the offending businesses, and I think this is totally wrong, and these places should be boycotted by us all, or closed down, to protect the income of those poor starving musicians and songwriters. President Jardim when talking of Madeira’s hotels says he only wants quality establishments here, and surely that standard must be applied to entertainment too, and Karaoke singers should be screened out and removed from Madeira alongside any suspected carriers of dengue!

The air shuttle service between Madeira and Porto Santo Island operated by SATA is to be replaced at the end of the winter. The new smaller plane will carry less passengers but more cargo, and the company says it will be more comfortable than the current aircraft.

The Porto Santo ferry ‘Lobo Marinho’ is to go into dock on the 12th January 2009 for 5 or 6 weeks, for a general service and upgrade. The ferry ship has clocked up over 5 years of service (since June 2003) and 8 thousand hours of sailing time, and is obliged to do this. The ferry owners will provide a cargo service during the period of absence, so locals on Porto Santo won’t starve, but passengers between Madeira – Porto Santo will use the plane, with the difference in ticket price paid by the ferry company. During it’s service to date (October 2008), the ‘Lobo Marinho’ has transported 1.8 million passengers on 3,552 journeys amounting to 142,000 nautical miles, equivalent to 7 times around the world. It can transport 1,150 passengers and 145 vehicles, but only has an average occupation rate of 44%. It travels at a maximum velocity of 21 knots and is 112 meters in length.

Marítimo drew their game yesterday, 1 – 1, but Nacional managed to win again and are top of the Portuguese Superliga once again! It’s the big local derby next weekend … and it’s on TV.

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