Madeira News Blog

(30th June). ‘Chaos Around The Bazar do Povo – The first day of the bridge closure was chaotic for the traffic in the vicinity’. The project to demolish and rebuild the bridge, which was given plenty of publicity, caused immense problems and tailbacks for drivers yesterday, and caught the council by surprise. Funchal council tried various initiatives throughout the day to try and resolve the problems, including switching off traffic lights, which seemed to make matters even worse. The work is scheduled to continue through until 12th September.

The council of Santa Cruz used it’s ‘right of reply’ to clarify matters, after it was reported yesterday in the Diário about the plans to build a new building of shared service, ‘Loja do Cidadão’, in the process making an investor very rich (see yesterday’s blog). The response says that the Diário’s facts were wrong, and the lease will not be for 30 years, just 16, after which time the building will be fully paid and will start generating revenue for the council through subletting income. It also says that the monthly rent payable by the council will be offset by savings in the release of premises elsewhere. In addition "The solution proposed will allow the creation of many jobs in the area of construction and related services, bringing more dynamism to the local economy". In fact the statement from the president of the câmara totally reverses the negative report given by the Diário, and makes the project sound like a dream for everyone. One of the hazards of my work I suppose, but I reserve judgement until I see the ‘right to reply’ to the ‘right to reply’.

‘Colombo’s Resort’ with a solution in sight. Continuing with the earlier story, more details have now been released on completion the tourist resort on Porto Santo, where work was stopped because of a lack of funding. The Secretary of State for Tourism has put together a memorandum of understanding, with the support of venture capital companies, which should take a very important role in moving the work forward. The Portugal government is to take a small share (€10 million), compared with the other partners, and Porto Santo council itself is to stump up €5 million (and I think the Madeira government €1m). Another €10 million will come from the banks BCP Millenium and Banif, and €15 million from the construction company. Estimates are that the construction will need €40 million to complete, so that just about does it. The protocol is to be signed by all parties on Thursday in Lisbon. If all goes to plan, the complex will be complete next Summer, creating over 300 jobs, some way short of the 400 originally planned, but governed by seasonality and the standards of service planned for the new resort.

‘PSD-M Say That Autonomy Brings Savings To Portugal – The parliamentary group accuses the government of the republic of transferring just 20% of what Madeira spends on health and education’. The group say that through the regional finance law the government is providing less money, and based on a calculation using the year 2007, it transferred just €139 million, when on a per-capita basis it would have been €495 million. The social democrats say that for 2009 Madeira has a budget of €718 million for health and education, but that the state only transfers €147 million, "which represents only about 20%, therefore not fulfilling their responsibilities", accused Jaime Filipe Ramos. That’s a pretty hefty shortfall! So how is it being paid for ?

‘Regedor Of Tabua Leaves The Council – The senior of the parish claims that 88 years don’t permit more’. The 88 year old leader of the parish council is not going to stand again for election, after six decades of service to the community of Tabua, finally leaving his active political life due to his age. It was in 1947 that António Ramos took over as president, the position he still holds now, passing through the periods of dictatorship in Portugal, and the revolution of 1974. He has won nine elections since democracy, a feat unrivalled in local government. His successor, a candidate  from the social democrats, has not yet been determined.

‘PS Admits To Want Victory In Ribeira Brava’. But the socialist candidate at the top of the candidate list, Alano Gonçalves, admits it could be difficult "but not impossible". It got on the front page, I don’t know why, but he was hardly going to say he wanted to lose was he. Anyway, he is very likely to lose, and the PS in Ribeira Brava will be lucky to keep the one council seat they currently have (the PSD social democrats have 6), if the European election results are of any guidance.