Madeira News Blog

(16th August). ‘Jardim Threatens To Create A Movement’. President Alberto João Jardim, who interrupted his holiday on Porto Santo to go to the festival at Monte, is insisting that the news of 0.3% growth (PIB / GDP) in the Portuguese economy is the data of ‘electioneers’. "This is not true, nothing increased, they are the numbers of electioneers, 0.3% is stagnation, it is a way of saving face" he said. "We live in a country where the official data doesn’t have any credibility, I don’t believe in the Bank of Portugal, I don’t believe in the National Institute of Statistics (INE), all of this has to be reviewed from the beginning" he added. I must admit I find it hard to believe too Uncle Bertie, but not for the same reasons as you. It won’t be long now before local unemployment numbers are published by the Madeira government, now that should be a tall story indeed, but nothing to do with electioneering of course.

(14th August). From the Jornal da Madeira. ‘Jardim says he does not give in to blackmail- Porto Santo – "I’m not putting up with the rogues of Tourism of Portugal". Alberto João Jardim said yesterday that he refuses to play party politics with the serious things, assuring that he will not give in to blackmail, by anyone. He made the statement in the Bar do Henrique on Porto Santo, when confronted on a matter about Nacional’s football match in Russia in the Europa League, and the governments lack of intention to use the match to promote Madeira in Russia, after the Secretary for State for Tourism has already said he was looking into the matter. In response, Jardim, who is on holiday in Porto Santo, was clear: ‘I do not play party politics with the serious things and I don’t put up with the roguish behaviour of national tourism. And with me, nobody does blackmail" he said. I don’t normally use political material from the Jornal, but that one tickled me, and I am glad to hear that Uncle Bertie is at long last taking his politics seriously.

(16th August). ‘Thomas Cook Distinguishes Raga’. The remodelled Raga Hotel in Lido, Funchal has received, for the second consecutive year, the Thomas Cook Mark of Excellence Award. The award is decided on the votes of customers of the tour operator. It was noted for the growth in its quality of service and the dedication of the workers. It’s actually the only hotel I have stayed in here, and that was nearly 6 years ago, well before the ‘restoration’ two years ago. It now has four stars, but I think back then it would have struggled to deserve one star it was so dingy and aged, but it was clean and cheap and cheerful, and the staff even back then were very good.

‘Funchal’ Back in 2010 – It is the ship that has the record number of appearances here : 766′. The cruise ship returns here in April 2010, after an absence of over 5 years. It was last here in October 2004, and by coincidence was also here in Madeira exactly 40 years ago to the day. Its long absence is due to lengthy duty in international waters, particularly around Australia. First launched in 1961, it was a steam ferry ship doing the routes between Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, but the increase in air traffic put paid to that and it was converted into a cruise ship in 1973. The old steam turbines were also removed, and new diesel engines installed.

(15th August). Yesterday’s main news headline : ‘Tourism Lose Revenue – The hotels of Madeira have the best occupation rate in Portugal, but the results get worse’. The tourists from Portugal soften the blow for the loss of foreign visitors, and Madeira as a result has the best room occupation rate in Portugal of 57.9%, as well as the longest average stay at 5.3 nights. The figures for June were supplied by the National Institute of Statistics. The hotels here had 14% more hotel rooms occupied by Portuguese in the first 6 months of 2009, compared with the same period in 2008, with that jumping up in June, with 34% more than in June 2008. The worst of the problems has come from the British market which has fallen 20%, after being the largest market in 2008.