Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Vic … Christmas lights, with one of those new year greetings that should change date automatically tonight, but one second late. In fact it is there as a reminder about tonight, just in case anyone had forgotten!

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 30/12/2008

‘The Azores want to steal the cruise ships from the Port of Funchal’. Not surprising that is the main story of the day, as it is found out that in an aggressive move the cruise companies are being ‘seduced’ into sailing into Ponta Delgada instead of Funchal. After an investment of €50 million in the port there, new facilities are being used to woo lucrative stop-offs, and in one case already the ‘Queen Victoria’ has succumbed. That was only the 48th cruise ship visit there this year, the 14 of those since August brought 18,000 passengers. A spokesman said that although 2009 would be much the same as 2008, 2010 would be a year of growth for visiting cruise ships, and 2011 would be a ‘boom’ year. Because of the good conditions of the port in the Azores, it was awarded 3rd place by the ‘Cruisers Tourism Convention of Europe’, for the best ports in Europe.

The star of the show tonight may not be the famous firework display, but Cristiano Ronaldo, on his way back to Madeira after his team won on Monday. He will stay here over new year and return to England for his next game on Sunday.

Intensive traffic and jams in lower Funchal on Monday, due to the flock to the Winter sales, tourists, and people on holiday. More of the same was predicted for yesterday. Ahh! so there is some money around after all!

After new hospital management cleaned out all the old unwanted doctors a couple of months ago, the new brooms are now working their ways through the nursing level. Nurses and the trade union are all cheesed off, the staff are demotivated, and they feel as if they are treated as inferiors in the medical profession.

Other News :

From 15th January, the street vendors now found in Almirante Reis, will be moved into the fruit market in Funchal (Mercado dos Lavradores).

Those planning to see tonight’s fireworks out at sea might be disappointed with the weather, especially if booked on a smaller boat. 3.5 metre waves are forecast, and the port authorities have issued a warning. The Porto Santo Ferry does not intend to change it’s plans, and 5 cruise ships are expected to be present to see in the new year, which is expected to see “less wind and rain”. The €1.2 million firework display was expected to proceed as planned. Hotel occupation for tonight is at 90%, 5% down on last year.

The weather, so far, seems a lot better today, but it’s very unpredictable at present. I was told last night that if it does get bad the show (fireworks?) might be put back until tomorrow night. That apparently has happened before, but not in recent years. If I hear anything more I will post a message here later on, and if anyone else hears anything could they please do the same?

Generous visitors to Madeira Forum donated 2,450 presents (new and used toys etc), which were delivered to three institutions responsible for underprivileged and sick children.

Madeira airport on average registers around 60 aircraft movements a day, but that ‘soared’ to 109 on Monday, with an estimated 14,000 passenger movements … but that is nowhere near being a record. The period between 23rd December and next Monday will see 935 flight movements in total.

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Talk about ‘how the other half live’. After my afternoon stroll nearly everyday I go to the public library for an hour to read whatever comes to hand. It’s all part of my Portuguese learning regime, because I get too easily distracted at home, but the truth is I nearly always nod off after about half an hour. Anyway, last week I went on Monday, and went to go again on Tuesday intending to ask what days the library was closed, as there was no notice saying so. It was already closed on that Tuesday when I arrived, with a notice in the window saying ‘Closed’, nothing more. I asked someone and he thought they might all be off at Xmas lunch, but as this was around 3pm I thought they won’t be coming back now and left it to the Wednesday … you guessed it closed again. So what with the two public holidays, I don’t know why they bothered to open up at all that week. This week I went in Monday, had my half hour kip, and went and asked about the opening days this week. Just tomorrow she said. So add the days together and that is 7 days of closure out of 10 weekdays, an average of 3.5 days off a week. If you apply that logic to the 17 public holidays in 2009, then in theory the excessive numbers of librarians get 60 days off a year, and that is just in public holidays. I now understand why they don’t put up a notice advising closure dates … they must be totally embarrassed! I say excessive numbers of librarian, because there are between 3 and 4 librarians most days, and about the same number of visitors it seems, and the number of books and visitors they have there would fit easily in my pantry. I got told off once for putting the books away when I had finished reading, and when I said I was just trying to help, I was told by an almost tearful lady “but it’s our job”. These are my observations about this library, and not a whinge … so I will not be leaving Madeira, just in case someone suggests that I do.

I rarely see shore fishermen around where I live, but on Monday there were twenty or more on the contained beach of Rib. Bra., a prohibited fishing area! I wandered over to peer at the catch, and I think they were Dourados, but I am no expert. They were all a decent and consistent size as well, probably 15 – 20cm long. I wonder if the offshore farm at Campanário has got damaged again, like it did in April when they lost tens of thousand of Euros of stocks in the storms. Anyone else spotted an unusual number of fishermen near them?

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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 Tobi … especially for those doubting Thomas’s outside Madeira that don’t believe we were suffering severe weather conditions over Xmas … this was taken after Saturday night.

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 29/12/2008

Another road death, this time a 19 year old man riding a motorbike on Sunday afternoon in Ponta do Sol. He was overtaking another vehicle on the Estrada Regional dos Canhas when he lost control of the motorbike. He had only had his driving licence one year. That’s 27 road deaths this year.

The president of SPAD (Society for the Protection of Domestic Animals) says that animal adoptions during 2008 were down 7%, while the total number of abandoned animals they handled amounted to 5,500 over a two year period, with 2008 being 25% up on 2007. After all it’s hard work “SPAD is in despair” and to make matters worse it has financial problems, though these should ease in 2009 when the councils (câmaras) of Madeira start making their agreed contributions. After the law for dog registration came in, coupled with an extensive sterilisation campaign during 2008, I can understand the disappointment they must be feeling to see all their efforts thwarted by those who have no respect or responsibility for animals, probably fueled by the poor economic situation. However, as painful as it might be to think about it, if you add the situation for the rest of Madeira, where SPAD don’t have much involvement, then the true abandonment figures must be far worse than those given.

The 6km ‘São Silvestre’ race(s) in Funchal on Sunday evening was won by a man from Keyna and a woman from Portugal. In total 1,129 athletes took part, almost a new record. Madeira’s best runner achieved 11th place.

It’s been on the national news as well as here, but flu is hitting the population according to the clinical director at Funchal Central Hospital, and is hitting the ‘at risk’ groups. Old people and those with deficiencies in their immune systems were flocking to the ‘urgencies’ department at FCH over Xmas, as there were no other medical facilities open. Many of the ‘at risk’ groups are offered free vaccinations, but those who took advantage are still getting affected but with much lighter symptoms than those not vaccinated.

In another article, the same clinical director warns that the Xmas festivities is not just about drinking, after over 20 people were admitted to FCH in alcoholic comas over the period. “People should start to think that the festa is not about alcohol, more alcohol, and yet more alcohol”, adding that alcoholic consumption on Madeira is normally very elevated, but gets even worse at Christmas.

The other front page story was about the situation in Gaza.

Other News :

Madeira invests 70% more (per bed) in the promotion of tourism than the average for Portugal, and receives more assistance from Portugal in this respect than any other part of the country … fortunately with positive results.

In Calheta, the road between Lombo do Salão and  Rabaçal is in such a bad state that many tourists think they have got lost and are on the wrong road, and some even turn around and go back rather than risk the many large potholes. That is the claim of one dweller along that road, who says for many years now promises have been made to resolve the situation, but the politicians who make them never keep their word. A politician telling lies, whatever next! Still if that is the route to reach the new cable car at Rabaçal then no doubt something is in the pipeline, and enquiries by the Diário to the authorities reveal that in 2009 something is planned (again).

A thin paper again today, and I managed to whiz through every story, but not much of general interest.

Sounds like the rough weather is back, with rain and very strong winds forecast today.

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One thing I have noticed regularly is people going into bars and snack bars, ordering something, and afterwards saying they don’t have any money to pay for what they had. You would be surprised how much it happens over my way, and is probably an increasing phenomenon in the current financial climate, and I often hear a barman asking a customer first if they have the money to pay. As an owner of such an establishment, what can you do … probably not worth calling the police for a few Euros, so you have no option that to accept the ‘customers’ promise that he will come and pay in a few days. Imagine going into Pingo Doce and eating a few cakes, and then going to the checkout and confessing your act but saying you can’t pay (anyone tried that?). Anyway I just thought I would mention it because I saw a barmaid deal very competently with such a situation on Sunday. The customer came in and ordered a beer, and she said that he hadn’t paid his account from his last visit (about €7), and wouldn’t serve him unless he was going to pay that, which he agreed to do. She gave him his beer, and waited for payment of the total amount, only to be told by the customer that ‘he had no money’. She then made him hand over his wallet, emptied the contents on the bar, and took €3, as that was all that he had. She then refused to return his wallet unless he promised to come back the following night and pay the rest. He promised, but whether he went back or not I don’t know. Pretty impressive for a barmaid I thought, but there again she had told me a long time ago that her boss deducted any unpaid accounts from her wages.

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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 Jonathan … an Easyjet flight

Front Page News : source Diário de Notícias 28/12/2008

The main headline today is “Women more penalised by the low pensions”. Referring to old age retirement pensions where women have stayed at home to raise families, or have had little opportunity to go to work outside of the home in a ‘macho’ world, as it was then. Maria is 71 years old, and receives a pension of just €93 (I assume that is a month) whilst her husband receives €300. She worked at home doing embroidery work to help support the family, as well as working their land to put food on the table. There are many other women in the same situation, and 40,000 people receive pensions below the minimum wage. I guess that things are changing now with younger generations of women able to go out work, but you have to feel sorry for people on such low pensions, but they were victims of an old culture rather than a gender biased benefits system. Nether-the-less the state should do more to help, but I am not clear whether the social security system here can help poor people in retirement.

2009 is set to be a good year for those in permanent employment, with the possibility of having 150 days off of work due to the way the public holidays fall. Five of the 17 public holidays fall on weekends. Another five fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays, giving the possibilities for ‘bridge days’ which join the public holiday to the weekend, but normally depend on the generosity of the boss. Anyway it is a long and detailed analysis, but add together 104 weekend days, 25 days annual leave, 12 public holidays, and another 9 they come up with (4 of which I an not clear on) then with a lot of luck and a kind boss, then you have the magic 150. It was a really pointless article really as the headline reads “Half of 2009 is going to be to relax”, but according to my maths that would need  183 days off! Add to that the fact that this year the ‘days off’ would have come to 154, so a reduction is not much cause for joy really. If you want the dates of the 17 public holidays you can find them here, or if you can’t access the chart here email me and I will send them to you.

http://www.dnoticias.pt/Default.aspx?file_id=dn04010702281208

Another article about the ‘São Silvestre’ race last night that  was due to have over 1,000 participants. Naming some of the athletes that took part. Two athletes that conquered medals in the Olympic Games in Beijing – the Kenyan Richard Mattelong, ‘bronze’ in the 3,000 meters obstacles and Eunice Jepkorir, ‘silver’ in the same distance, and other European and world champions ‘of quality’.

Finally, another article about the weather and the damage caused by the winds and heavy rain. Various rockfalls have blocked roads and disrupted traffic around Funchal, where council workers and firemen have had a busy few days, and damage has been caused to several buildings. In São António the force of the water was so strong in the drains that a steel drain cover was lifted off the road which then resulted in an accident.

Other News :

According to a dentist specialising in dental implants Portugal has one of the worse dental care records, where the numbers of toothless people ‘is frightening’. Three out of 4 people over the age of 65 have missing teeth, and there are many with no teeth at all. No great surprise really, as there are many poor people who never see a dentist in their lives, due to the high relative cost of treatment compared to earnings, and the fact that dentistry is outside of the state health system. Talking to a man in town a couple of weeks ago, he wiggled one of his front teeth to show me one just about hanging on. I asked if he was going to the dentist and he said no, because it was too expensive. How can one eat with that thing flicking up and down with every chew … beats me!

Lots of political stories still, despite the Christmas break in the regional assembly, but all chewing over old stories.

I got it wrong about the official sales dates, they started yesterday and run to the end of February. Anything called ‘Saldos’ (sales) is governed by law and can only take place within the permitted dates in Winter and Summer, but a shop owner can call it ‘promoções’, ‘discontos’ etc. at any time of year.

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!