Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Tom … "Magnolias are blooming on Monte means Spring is in the air".

Many thanks to Elaine (East) for these web snippets / videos :

Cruising the Mediterranean (1933). 38 minutes in total, the first 8 minutes are relevant to Madeira. Keywords: S.S. Columbus, boys diving for coins, oxen drawn sleds, digging paving stones for street, laying stones, pounding, Madeira wine barrel on sled, man herding pigs in street, carrying wicker chairs, fish market, eels (Espada), removing skin on rough stone, live turtle (sold for food), flower seller, embroidery, carrying sled up stairs, sleds career down stone mountain road. HERE

Madeira. Description of the island in the 1920s. 4 minutes long silent clip. Keywords: Ox drawn sleds used for tourists, man passes a greased rag under runners, tourists ride in wicker basket sleds down stone path from Terreira da Luta. Two women sit on ground spinning yarn. Sled goes down stone path while two women wash clothes in gutter, old woman with crutch sits in chair next to young woman doing embroidery, two old men (twins?) with beards wearing pointed knitted hats sit on bench, young man making wicker chair. HERE

Many thanks to Becky for this video :

Lomelino Silva, (1892-1967) born in Funchal in Rua das Maravilhas, in the Parish of São Pedro on the 26th December 1892 on the Portuguese island of Madeira. He is known as the Portuguese Caruso. His singing talent was discovered when he was a youth whilst performing in the Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias in Funchal.

And to Elaine out West, for this news article from yesterday’s Diário de Notícias :

Another scare in Jardim do Mar.  New rockfall on the road connecting to Estreito da Calheta. More stones have fallen on the link road between Estreito da Calheta and Jardim do Mar. After a week with traffic stopped due to the storm that devastated this area, yesterday a further rockfall fell on this part of the road and only by chance were a family spared who were travelling on it. Given the pile of stones on the road, some of considerable size, the driver of the car was forced to brake in order to avoid the large covering of rocks. His tyre marks were visible on the asphalt.

In recent days the sun has returned. Now, the population of Jardim do Mar and Paul do Mar fear that the heat will open new cracks in some parts of the escarpment. The DIÁRIO knows that the link road to Jardim do Mar is on file as part of the survey that the Department of Infrastructure is conducting regarding the damage caused by the storm on 20 February.

 

The perils of leaving Calheta by boat before ‘rampas’ slipways or marinas were constructed

Know Calheta, Madeira History. Calheta, now with a population of 12,000 was one of the first areas in Madeira to be farmed. Its capital Calheta Town is about 31 kilometres from Funchal about 40-45 minutes drive time. As the Tourism website puts it “The municipality was once linked to the primary sector, and “industry” used to be important in the region.” There were once as many as eight sugar cane processing factories, though only one of them ‘Engenhos da Calheta’ is still operating today. With its museum with guided tours, shop and café its well worth a visit. Its about half-way up the hill from the Marina: WEBSITE

Photo : Engenhos da Calheta.

Calheta’s ocean front has been refurbished with the construction of a marina with white sand beaches next to it surrounded by spacious gardens.

The Parishes of Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar. Two of its parishes, Paul do Mar and Jardim do Mar, challenge surfers to ride their spectacular waves. These surfing spots are nicknamed ‘Europe’s Hawaii’ and are considered among some of the best surfspots in Europe. Both villages, surfing beaches were venues for the World Surfing Championships in 2001. There are several restaurants in both these fishing villages, which of course specialise in fish dishes.

Prazeres.

Photo :  the award-winning eco-hotel Hotel Jardim Atlântico

Prazeres is a historic agriculture market village with a 17^th century church perched on Calheta’s mountains Atlantic Ocean views. It’s a mountain and levada (water canal) walking paradise with its proximity to some of the most popular walks on the island such as Levada Nova and the Prazeres to Paul do Mar walk which starts from the award-winning eco-hotel Hotel Jardim Atlântico.

“The atmosphere in Prazeres is of one incomparable peace and charm, where time stands still and no-one is ever in a hurry.”

Paul da Serra & the famous Rabaçal levada walk. From Calheta you can go up to Paul da Serra a 1,500-metre-high plateau, where there is a view of both Madeira’s coasts. You can get to from Rabaçal from there. Here the untouched UNESCO Laurissilva forest covers the mountains with a green mantle.

You can start out from Rabaçal to walk along some of the most beautiful, impressive paths into the depths of the island, until you find yourself surrounded by the Laurissilva Forest.

The Miradouros of Fonte do Bispo and the Farol (lighthouse) da Ponta do Pargo. “This belvedere is on the Paul da Serra plateau and nature lovers will feel the sensation of being enveloped by the exuberant vegetation of the Laurissilva Forest.”

“This belvedere is at the island’s westernmost point and from here we can see the rugged landscape from the lighthouse to Sítio das Achadas da Cruz.”

World class art in Calheta: Casa das Mudas Art Centre & Prazeres Art Gallery. The award-winning ‘Casa das Mudas’ art centre in Calheta is divided into two parts, a mansion built in the 16th century that belonged to a granddaughter of João Gonçalves Zarco, the discoverer of Madeira, and a new, modern wing that blends in perfectly with the surrounding scenery.

This cultural centre built into the cliff with spectacular views of the countryside and the Ocean houses presents exhibitions, musical performances, plays, conferences and many other events. The Centre has run exhibitions displaying the works of artists such as Francis Bacon, David Salle, Eric Fischl, Picasso and Dali.

Photo :  view of Calheta beaches & marina from Casa das Mudas Art Centre.

The new Prazeres Art Gallery part of ‘the Quinta Pedagogica’ complex which includes a small zoo and tea and cider houses run by the local priest is behind Prazeres Church. In early 2010 it displayed works of the world famous Portuguese artist ‘Paula Rego’.

A Tourist Guide to Calheta in English including recommended swimming areas such as Calheta’s white sandy beaches and the slipway (‘the rampa’ at Paul do Mar) is available on Calheta’s Town Hall website: HERE

The source and inspiration for Paul’s article was this page on Calheta on the official Tourism website: HERE Thanks a lot Paul, that should bring the money rolling in!

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :

DIÁRIO 08/03/2010

MADEIRA

Courts give 14 cars to the region in 2009. Since 2007, goods seized by the courts have been given to RAM. They have confiscated 23 vehicles (17 cars, 6 motorcycles), 1,340.40 Euros, seven items of gold and many obsolete mobile phones. 5 of the cars were destroyed, 2 were assigned to the government, 4 sold at auction and the other 12 are awaiting disposal. The gold items will be sold at auction. Any clothing is given to institutions and other items are given to government departments. The ship Blaus VII was caught in Madeiran seas carrying 1,500 kilos of cocaine in February 2007. The Portuguese Navy is temporarily using this ship for training cadets although it belongs to the Region.

Old bridge being demolished. Update on a previous report that the century-old bridge at Ribeira Brava has to be replaced. Last Friday, the demolition of this two-support bridge began and should be finished by the end of the week. It will be replaced by a pedestrian bridge which will connect both banks without any contact with the stream. This is because in the recent flooding, the surrounding ‘downtown’ areas of Ribeira Brava were flooded as the debris was obstructed by the supporting pillars.

ECONOMY

Port loses tourists from cruise ships and ferries.  The Port of Funchal maintained its leadership as the port most visited by cruise ships. Until the end of the first two months of this year, 40 ships called bringing 79,336 passengers, a decrease of 3.1% over 2009. In February, when 6 ships cancelled with a loss of 13,000 tourists, the port still received 32,476 tourists. In January, there were 25 ships with 46,860 tourists. The Spanish ferry connecting Funchal to the Canary Islands and Portimão transported 18.9% more passengers than in 2009. The increase was due to ferrying 2,276 passengers to Portimão and 1,130 passengers to the Canary Islands. The Porto Santo Line carried 6,773 passengers or 21.8% fewer passengers to Porto Santo. In summary, during the first two months of this year, there were 4.2% fewer passengers, justified by the decrease of 2,497 tourists from cruise ships, 1,879 fewer on the Lobo Marinho, offset by an increase of 542 carried on the ‘Volcan de Tijarafe’.

IRS declaration. Deadline for paper-based declarations for Class A (dependent) and Class H (pensions) is 15 March. For declaration by the Internet, the period is March 10 – April 15.

POLITICS

Solidarity Fund will only come after summer.  The European Commissioner for regional policy, Johannes Hahn, warned yesterday that Madeira should rely on funding from the EU Solidarity Fund for reconstruction work not arriving until after summer, due to formal procedures that must be met. The Regional Government and the Government of the Republic must work together. They must make an estimate of the cost of the damage and submit it to the EU which will work as quickly as possible. This in fact, in Brussels terms, means months. The decision of the Commission for support from the Fund requires consultation and approval of the European Parliament and the European Council. Hahn admits that support might not even come this year. It depends on when the application is formalized. It is possible for Portugal to redirect some structural and cohesion funds. There are other funds for rebuilding infrastructure which will be discussed.

EXTRA

Caritas speaks of "tsunami of solidarity". After 20th February flood, there have been more than a thousand new volunteers. The charity does not want any more donations of food as the warehouse is full. Furniture and household equipment are urgently needed. To support the victims of the storm involves huge logistics. The social work part of the operation involves Social Security, Caritas and the Army working together flawlessly. The accountancy firm Madeira Management has donated 10,000 Euros to Caritas. According to a teacher I spoke to yesterday, this is a load of cobblers, because the charity doesn’t look outside of Funchal … but there again yet again perhaps I am using a tragedy for political point scoring? Der. 

ONLINE POLL

Do you believe the dispute between the Republic and the Region is resolved?

Yes     19% All short-termism politicians voted here I reckon, but I hope they are right. Der

No       50%

Maybe 31%

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

Weather forecasting platform was suggested 7 years ago – Madeira didn’t take on the project that would allow with some detail, and with 48 hours advance warning, would inform on the conditions of the state of the weather.

Inerts go to Carreiras – Funchal Council stands away from the politics of the temporary landfill sites of the Regional Government. Funchal Câmara is going to take out all the inert materials (sand, stone, mud etc.) from the site at Praia Formosa, and move it to licensed site at Carreiras, with the responsible councillor Costa Neves saying that it is "time to learn lessons for the future". "We make a point of not dumping debris and sludge into the sea and we maintain this practice", said the Environmental Spokesman for CMF. Is that responsible environmental policy by CMF, or passing the buck I wonder, as the GR has no problems with dumping muck in the sea?

Today’s main news headline : Disney comes to liven up the Flower Festival – The cruise ship of ‘Disney Cruises’ will dock in Funchal and offload characters that will mark their presence on the event. The presence of Mickey and company guarantees publicity for Madeira on a world scale at a decisive time. ‘Disney Magic’ is due to make it’s debut docking in Funchal on 18th April, the day of the cortejo (parade) of the Flower Festival, bringing the Disney’s most charismatic character Mickey Mouse and friends. Tourism haven’t confirmed the information obtained by the Diário, but they believe that the cruise visit was arranged so the passengers would be able to enjoy the Flower Festival, with a longish stop-off of almost 9 hours.

The big picture on the left : Majority of the prize-winners have not yet premiered on Madeira. Looks like there was an Oscar awards ceremony or something like that.

The main sports headline today : Tourism doesn’t take advantage of Bernardo Sousa. Bernardo Sousa is available to promote Madeira in international and national rally  competitions. It just needs those responsible to contact him. BS won the rally in Portugal last weekend, and I think someone is dropping a hint that there is an opportunity being missed here. 

Nacional defeated (0 – 2) in Guimarães gets further away from a European placing.

World Cup Football : Get to find out the biggest thrashings of all time.

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

Did anyone see that special programme on the Madeira disaster last night on TVI? They kept a reporting team out in the field, visiting the worst affected areas, and families that had suffered badly. It’s easy to get the impression that things are returning to normal, and in downtown Funchal and Ribeira Brava town the clean up does give that impression. But out in many of the parts that don’t make the headlines, the situation is still horrible to see, with people trying to clean up and rebuild things that are just not cleanable or rebuildable in the normal sense of those words, not in weeks or even months, and certainly not without money. It’s extremely important to revive tourism here of course, and those areas are being given priority attention, but as many local people are saying it is at the expense of help for people who needed help over two weeks ago, and still do today. I suppose I will be accused again of political point scoring on the back of a tragedy, but I don’t really care, as long as people don’t get the impression that things are hunky dory for all, and a broom and hosepipe is all that’s needed to return to normal. I didn’t think I could be shocked any more after what I have seen since the 20th February … I was wrong as I found out last night.

I have been asked if it is possible to send a cheque to help orphan Feliz Abreu. It is now. With some help, he now has his own bank account. You can send a Euro cheque to Feliz at his school, made payable to ‘José Feliz Silva Abreu’. If you can please send them to one of the teachers who is helping, as I think it might be safer :

Professora Magda Borges. Escola Secundária Padre Manuel Álvares. Rua São Francisco , 9350-211 RIBEIRA BRAVA. Madeira

Transfers direct to Feliz’s account by NIB are also now possible : NIB 0038 0000 3867 5021 771 17.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and other material.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s photo – Many thanks to Pete … “Madeira soil erosion”.

 

I saw this photo on Flickr titled ‘Natures Fireworks’, which I thought was very clever and appropriate. It was taken in the Farmers Market in Funchal.

 

 

 

Many thanks to Tom for sending in this link : “The Greek debt crisis has spread to Spain and Portugal in a dangerous escalation as global markets test whether Europe is willing to shore up monetary union with muscle rather than mere words … Credit default swaps (CDS) measuring bankruptcy risk on Portuguese debt surged 28 basis points on Thursday to a record 222 on reports that Jose Socrates was about to resign as prime minister after failing to secure enough votes in parliament to carry out austerity measures … Parliament minister Jorge Lacao said the political dispute has raised fears that the country is no longer governable. “What is at stake is the credibility of the Portuguese state,” he said”. UK DAILY TELEGRAPH It had 112 comments by 9 pm yesterday! 

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :

DIÁRIO 07/02/2010

MADEIRA

Laurissilva among the favourites. The list of 77 candidates for the next stage of the competition, ‘7 Natural Wonders of Portugal’, will be released today for public voting between 7 March and 7 September. These have been chosen from the original 323 entries and there will be 11 chosen for each of the seven categories.

The nine wonders of the region
Ilhas Selvagens – Located about 163 miles from Madeira, they represent the extreme south of the country. The Nature Reserve of Selvagens was established in 1971 and is one of the oldest reserves in Portugal.

Ilhas Desertas – Biogenetic Reserve since 1992 and Nature Reserve since 1995, the Ilhas Desertas are one of the last strongholds of Lobo-marinho. They are also an important centre for nesting seabirds.

Floresta Laurissilva – Considered World Natural Heritage by UNESCO and classified as a Biogenetic Reserve by the Council of Europe, the Laurissilva is endemic to Macaronesia.

Cabo Girão – Located in the municipality of Câmara de Lobos, it is the highest promontory in Europe with a height of 580 metres. The viewpoint of the site is one of the most sought after.

Fajã dos Padres – Narrow strip of land along the coast, under a cliff about 250 metres high, this fajã is located on the south coast of Madeira and is endowed with an agricultural area of excellence.

Pico Ana Ferreira – About 283 metres above sea level, it is the highest point of the western part of the island. At its peak there have developed a spectacular set of prismatic columns known as ‘piano’.

Praia do Porto Santo – Stretching over six kilometres between Vila Baleira and Ponta da Calheta, the golden sandy beach is one of the attractions of Porto Santo and the sand has therapeutic capabilities.

Cabeço dos Laranjas – On the islet of Cima (Porto Santo), you can see a spectacular outcrop of fossils of red algae, known locally as ‘oranges’ for their striking resemblance to that fruit.

Galerias do Ilhéu da Cal – In the largest island of Porto Santo, where the limestone mining industry began in the XVIII Century, today there are wonderful galleries where you can see subaquatic lava flows and volcanic ash.

1,000 participants in the Carnival of Câmara de Lobos. 18 groups will participate in this traditional parade held on the evening of February 15th. This year it will include the Associação de Animação Geringonça and  Malta do Furor (Achada de Gaula) and two other newcomers: Banda Filarmónica do Caniço e Eiras and the Escuteiros de São Martinho. Participants from various institutions, of all ages. The parade begins at 21.30, starting at Avenida Nova Cidade and ending at the car park of Baía de Câmara de Lobos.

Plans for Vila Giorgi and Castanheiro in discussion. From 18 February to March 17, plans for the redevelopment of this area of Funchal will be available online. The mayor noted that this is a very balanced plan when it comes to shopping, houses and services as it sets a percentage for each. In between Rua das Pretas and São Pedro, there will be a plaza of 1,700 square metres under which there will be a car park with 450 spaces, and 150 of these will be reserved for local traders. Vila Giorgi is a private development consisting of a five star hotel with 44 rooms and a block of 33 apartments. The detailed plan of the area Ornelas will be available between 18 February and 10 March.

Court establishes that the driver responsible for a fatal accident had no licence.  The accident occurred on the 25 October 2008 near the viewpoint of Cabo Girão. At around 3 am, the car hit a stone wall causing the death of one of the occupants, an 18 year old man and the other was seriously injured. At the time, it was a popular location to practice dangerous manoeuvres. The driver had no licence and the car was uninsured. The driver was still learning at a driving school and had only been in possession of a car for a short period of time.

 

 

PT and PSP used in ‘phishing’. If there is an e-mail in the mailbox with the logo of the police and PT (shown), it should be deleted immediately. Clicking on one of these logos takes the user to a copy of the website and an executable file is immediately downloaded.

ECONOMY

430,000 Euros for the Open de Golfe and Rali Vinho Madeira. Turismo de Portugal will provide 330,000 Euros for the Golf Open and 100,000 Euros for the Madeira Wine Rally. This is 30% of the total needed for the golf tournament at Porto Santo, and the Regional Budget will provide an additional half a million Euros. The Wine Rally also needs 1 million Euros in funds and will receive 650,000 Euros from the government.

 

JORNAL DA MADEIRA – FRONT PAGE NEWS

‘Healer’ takes money and gold at Caniçal. A case of doorstep fraud. A woman and her son knocked at the door of a house where a 40 year old woman lived with her son. The visitors tried to sell clothing but the resident was not interested. The street vendor then changed the course of conversation, claiming that she was a registered healer, reading palms, tarot cards etc. She wanted money for powerful remedies which would be fully effective. Over a period of several days, the victim handed over 3,500 Euros in cash and gold items, totalling 5,000 Euros. The police have found the two suspects, assumed mother and son, and some of the items but not the money. The local people commented on the ridiculous way in which this has happened.

EVENTS

Five robberies in Calheta. Five burglaries in recent days but the assailants have not been caught. Most of the damage has been by the forced entries rather than items stolen. Two houses at Ledo, two at Palheiros and the Junta de Freguesia have been robbed.

ECONOMY

Loja do Cidadão and Dolce Vita have a new innovation. A new information system will be installed in these two areas in Funchal. The user of the Loja do Cidadão can find out their place in the queue for their chosen service and estimated waiting time. The service is also accessible on the second floor of the Dolce Vita commercial mall, so the user can shop or consume food while waiting. This service will be inaugurated at 18.00 on Monday February 8th.

CULTURE

Cortejo folião animated “Festa dos Compadres”. This was the first time this parade has taken place in Santana during the Festa dos Compadres. On a sunny Saturday afternoon, 16 groups from the primary and secondary schools took part. The parade was followed by musical entertainment. Prizes were awarded to the best participating groups and the best participant. The Ball of Compadres followed at 22.00. Many, including families, watched this procession especially as it was the initial one. It is to be kept as a separate additional event from the main parade, which is on the following Sunday afternoon (this afternoon).

 

 

 

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

500 waiting for tobacco consultations. The search for help in quitting smoking grows, but Madeira cannot provide an adequate service, lacking facilities and doctors to cope. [Why is a doctor needed I wonder?]. Outside of Funchal, only Câmara de Lobos can actually offer consultations to help smokers. It has been two years since the publication of the directive of the Directorate General of Health, which called for the creation of specialized clinics in all health centres and hospitals, but decentralization has still not happened.

In politics : Social Democratic Party and Socialist Party without proposals since the Summer – The two biggest parties only came up with two projects of decree in the current legislative session. It’s a good point actually. With the distractions of the regional and national elections, Christmas, the PS leadership election, the Regional Finance Law, and the bad weather, it seems that the politicians here have taken the opportunity for a verrrrry extended Summer holiday.

Many [suffer] damages without the right to compensation. The majority of the storm damage caused over the past weeks, will not be covered for repair or replacement. Natural disaster damage can be covered, such as that experienced recently by thousands of people, and can be remedied, but only for those who have appropriate insurance. The other option for some, is to find someone else to blame, but Saint Peter (São Pedro) himself is exempt from such claims. This is pretty much the situation facing those who are victims of natural phenomena, that may or may not be worsened by human intervention. And the problem is that, except for compulsory insurance associated with bank loans for house purchase, the majority of homes in the region (especially rural) are not insured. The article also has a helpful ‘Question and answer’ session fielded by the Insurance Institute of Portugal, as well as citing various laws that cover this area with insurance policies.  Just for Martin’s benefit, after raising the subject at the weekend.

 

Today’s main news headline : Bad debt threatens health – The Regional Health Service owes 147 million Euros to suppliers, that admit withholding supplies from the hospitals and health centres. With wisdom the people say : health doesn’t have a price. But the truth is that on Madeira it costs plenty, more than the money that the Region makes available. The shortfall is paid through the long waiting lists, as well as from the medical suppliers whose ‘financial health’ for a long time has been connected to the [life support?] ‘machine’. At the end of 2008 the Regional Health Service (SESARAM) had to pay €147 million to the suppliers, a scary figure if one considers the impacts on the suppliers of essential products to health centres and hospitals. Several other large figures are presented, all related to various categories of debt, or lack of equity, and the Diário once again labels another major organisation as ‘technically bankrupt’. 60% of the health budget on Madeira is used to pay doctors, nurses, and other staff. Skipping through the meat of the article, the Diário changes tact somewhat, and then reports that the average costs of public expenditure per head of population here (in general terms) is 36% higher than in the Azores. In medical terms the two archipelagos compare differently, with Madeira with 2.5 doctors and 7.7 nurses per thousand of population, and the Azores with 2 doctors and 6.7 nurses for the same numbers of people. Both sets of numbers are however well lower than the European average. Madeira spends on health an average per head of population of €1,312 [per year?] compared to €960 on the Azores. So where does that leave us you ask, with a health service in technical bankruptcy? What can we do to protect ourselves in our times of greatest need. Whilst we can all do things to lessen our risk of needing health care, like Uncle Bertie packing in those toppling Cuban cigars for instance, the answer of course lies in Poncha. More research and investment is needed in Poncha, and I am prepared to do my bit to help. Where health facilities are being starved by suppliers of essential medical supplies, low cost Poncha substitutes are the key. We could allocate different flavours for different illnesses for example, with the traditional lemon being used to treat problems with stress and depression, whilst the rather more sickly maracujá flavour could be used for ladies with problems.The main sport / football headline today : What lacked in the paint remained in the points – The game in Barreiros was delayed because one could not see the lines on the pitch. But neither that, nor a barely tolerable performance stopped Marítimo beating União de Leiria [1-0], and overtaking Nacional, defeated  [1-0] in Olhão. The unimpressive photo with this story has the lions share of the front page of the Diário, with the rather bizarre scene out on the football pitch, of a solitary man and a pot of paint and a brush, repainting the seemingly non existent white lines on the pitch. It could only happen here … a premier league match, a cut field with goalposts, two football teams, a refereeing team, a couple of thousand fans, … but someone had forgotten to mark out the pitch, and nobody noticed until it was too late!!! Luckily the game wasn’t televised, as this embarrassment can hopefully be maintained on Madeira. It must have been quick drying paint too. The plot of distraction obviously worked as Marítimo overcame the opposition to win. Well done lads, good tactics (said through gritted teeth).

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s photo – Many thanks to Pete … "Pleasant day in the Madeira sun".

Pete says (by email) :   "May I add a comment for the blog. Has anyone suggested a column where people who been looking for items in shops, and can’t find them, a suggestion from readers giving advice on how to find them?" Suggestions always welcome, but in this case a question about the item in the comments would probably do the trick Pete. The truth is that I have implemented a number of reader suggestions over the years, but the reality is that the ones that rely on reader involvement or contributions just die a death because there are insufficient people willing to get involved. Der.

This is a blog of a lady called Kim who lives on Madeira, and although the blog article link provided isn’t itself very relevant to Madeira (about a ferry trip from Funchal to the Canary islands on holiday in 2008), who knows if some interesting articles may appear later. She has already written some ‘interesting’ and varied pieces, that you can see on the right hand menu under RECENT ARTICLES

If you like poetry this is cute, with a nice picture of some men indulging in the famous ‘Vinho Seco’. “Madeira Under The Vine” by Mitch Hicks

… and one for the birdwatchers too, with a video of the Great Northern Loon in Madeira I am not quite sure where the ‘great’ bit originated though.

Becky kindly sent in this video link … I am sure I saw Uncle Bertie in there somewhere eating an empanada

Also from Becky, a blog from a ‘mysterious person’ who was here in the early 1970’s : "There was a small, exclusive restaurant located in a basement below a small supermarket (an oddity in itself in those days !). This was up one of these little winding roads on a hill. And in this little restaurant, we would have tornado rossini steaks that were probably 2" thick and served on a 2" thick matching piece of delicious fresh bread, with the juices soaking into it. And all around this steak would be small, delicate servings of various vegetables. And there was a different waiter for every item — one for the water, one for the wine, one for the bread, one for the meal … the service was incredible. The entire meal ran about $2". JOJO ZAWAWI’S BLOG

See if you can figure out what these words have in common :
1 Banana, 2 Dresser, 3 Grammar, 4 Potato, 5 Revive, 6 Uneven, 7 Assess.

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :

FRONT PAGE NEWS – Diário 26/01/2010

PS regroup. The president of the Socialist Party, Jacinto Serrão, wants to recover lost votes and activists (party members). Among them, of course, the so-called independents of Gaula and when specifically asked about them, he said he has an "open mind". At the last election, the socialists lost in all counties, particularly Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos where they lost to the smaller political parties. Jacinto Serrão views "hopeful signs" with "tens" of new activists and the party needs restructuring and new bodies should be operational in three weeks time. He insists the internal dispute ended on January 9th (election of new leader) and there is room for supporters of the other main candidate for leadership, Victor Freitas.

Machico increases money for sport but not culture. The Municipality of Machico has frozen money transferred to cultural associations regardless of an increase or decrease in the number of planned activities. This decision was taken on January 15 at the last council meeting. As in previous years, the socialist councillors abstained from approval of this vote. The socialists maintain that over the past five years, funding for sport has increased by 28% (60,000 Euros) but not a penny more for cultural associations. The amount transferred to the football clubs themselves is more than the total for cultural associations. The socialists recommend a 20% increase in funding for culture. The mayor, Emanuel Gomes said the crisis justifies the assignments. The council is having liquidity problems with no prospect of an increase in revenue from the State and a large loss in revenue from construction works and licensing of works. 43,250 Euros has been allocated to 13 cultural associations. Only three receive more council funding, 7,500 Euros each: Banda Municipal de Machico, Prestige Dance and the Cultural Group ‘Flores de Maio’.

MADEIRA

Dolce Vita teaches energy conservation and road safety. A roadshow aiming to increase awareness and publicize the best solutions for tackling climate change and the rational use of energy, runs from 29 January to 1 February. It is accompanied by an exhibition, ‘The Future of Our Climate: Man and the Atmosphere’, highlighting greenhouse gases and climate change and what people can do to combat them. Between now and February 5, the police are raising awareness of road safety and accidents. In the session, there will be a simulation of a traffic accident between a motorbike and a car, accompanied by a photographic exhibition showing accidents that have occurred in Madeira.

Copyright ends up in court. Six Madeiran owners of restaurants and nightclubs have refused to pay the licence fee for playing music in their establishments. This has forced the Society of Portuguese Authors (SPA) to proceed with litigation. The fee is 300 Euros per year per establishment. For the last eighteen months, members of SPA have visited shops, bars and restaurants with background music and asked them for their licence. Most have no licence and some have chosen to turn off the music, many rebelled with verbal abuse. The ones that do apply for a licence before opening a bar are the few older immigrants form the UK, who are used to having to apply for a licence. The members are used to answering questions about copyright of intellectual property as there is confusion over the rules and this Saturday at 9.30 pm, they are holding a free-entry information session at the Municipal Theatre. There will be an interval with a live music session.

Bothersome bad smell in Santo da Serra. The transport and disposal of debris from the Lagoa do Santo da Serra caused an outcry at the end of last week. The owner of the site is cleaning up the lagoa (pond) and the smell comes from the foliage, branches and tree trunks removed. The president of the Parish Council would not visit the area, saying it is the responsibility of Santa Cruz Council and the council’s environment office have ordered that the intensity of the smell is reduced.

Dispute over land leaves three injured. An alleged dispute over land was the source of shots fired on Sunday night in the parish of Boaventura. A 55 year old father and 48 year old mother are in the Department of Surgery at Funchal Hospital and the 22 year old daughter received emergency treatment for a minor hand injury. The mother has a serious abdominal wound. The alleged perpetrator is a person in their sixties and has been arrested and an application for coercive measures will be made today at the District Court at São Vicente. The crime occurred at 19.00 at Fajã do Penedo where the alleged perpetrator owns land close to the injured family.

Death of a construction worker on trial. The death occurred on the 28 February 2008, when the construction worker was installing water pipes at the Estrada Nova da Marinheira, Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. A traditional stone wall collapsed and buried the 40 year old man who was working in a ditch. At yesterday’s court hearing, evidence was heard from witnesses including relatives, co-workers and security experts. No-one can explain why the wall collapsed and the accident could not have been predicted. A photographic survey before the work was undertaken did not reveal any signs of instability. The plaintiffs want the case to be considered an accident at work so the widow can receive a pension and compensation from the insurer and company responsible for the work.

Lived for a century. Bernadette Maria Correia de Menezes Telo was born on January 26, 1910. Reaching 100 years is a gift, but to reach this age with lucidity and reasonable mobility is a luxury that few reach. Bernadette was born in Santana and lived there for most of her life and also resided in Funchal. Two siblings have died and her husband, who was 10 years older, died 30 years ago. She has had four children but the youngest died. There are six living grandchildren after one died in an accident in South Africa, and three great-grandchildren. She was born in the year of the war and news in the early twentieth century was transmitted through the radio. When Bernadette was young, Santana came alive during holidays with families from Funchal spending their summer holidays there. At such times, they danced the foxtrot and waltzes. With her siblings, she entertained by playing the guitar, viola and bandolin. She does not know what has been planned for today’s celebrations but they include the whole family as it is such an important date. — Looks well in the photo – no information about how many reach this age. Does she receive a telegram and if so, from which president?

CULTURE

Work of Max Römer helps UNICEF – Haiti. The exhibition running at the Mouraria Gallery until 20 February is to celebrate 20 years of the company Dima. Dima have launched a collection of seven postcards, inspired by this artist’s work and reproduced by an English artist, Alex Jawdakímov (watercolours). Each set costs five Euros which goes to the UNICEF – Haiti appeal. According to one of the private collectors who have loaned pieces for the exhibition, Römer was a versatile artist and the most important aspect of his work was in the design. He introduced the first machine to produce postcards to Madeira.

Fadista honours Madeira. Concert by Salvador Taborda at the Municipal Theatre in Funchal on Friday 29 January at 21.30. He will present themes from his most recent album ‘A Cor do Fado’ and from previous recordings. He will sing a previously unheard piece which is a tribute to Madeira. Salvador is accompanied by three musicians who are also of the new generation of fado. It is the first time that he has sung in the region and this Portuguese artist was invited by Miguel Albuquerque [Funchal Council President]. Tickets cost 10 Euros with discounts for young people and senior citizens.

ECONOMY

FNC Excursões have a new branch. Located in the Quinta Bela de São Tiago. Their tourist activities are sought after by young people and they take advantage of low-cost airlines in the region. New programs called ‘Stress Out’ and ‘Life is Beautiful’ and they have official walking guides and use Springcar coaches. Also have a website for booking.

Le Grand Bleu mega-yacht in port. This private yacht is in port today for refuelling and to give the crew a rest period. The yacht arrives from Philipsburg at 19.00 and leaves on Friday at 7 am. This is the third visit and the yacht occupies the 16th position in the list of the largest motor yachts in the world. The mega-yacht was commissioned in 2000 by the billionaire John McCaw and was acquired in 2002 by Roman Abramovich and since 2008, has been owned by Eugene Shvidler. The Lobo Marinho ferry returns to port today after a 15 day break for the annual maintenance work and should resume the maritime link to Porto Santo tomorrow at 8 am.

10 new Funchal buses capable of carrying wheelchairs and pushchairs. 10 new buses for the company Horários do Funchal after an investment of 2 million Euros. The central door has a hydraulic ramp for wheelchairs and pushchairs / prams. These new buses mean that ten old buses, more than 23 years old, can be withdrawn from service. There will also be environmental gains. Two banks finance 50% of the cost of the buses which is 945,000 Euros plus IVA for each bus. There is a problem of obtaining buses with a centrally placed engine as Volvo are the only firm presently manufacturing them. The buses entering service in 2008 have a rear engine and can only be used on 42% of the routes whereas the new buses can be used on 80% of the routes. Example of a difficult route is the intersection between Caminho de Ferro and Rua da Levada de Santa Luzia.

POLITICS

PCP against ‘backdoor’ privatization. The Regional Government wants to transfer the Professional School of Hospitality and Tourism to the private sector, to free the Regional Budget of €4.5 million annually. The deadline for tenders is Thursday and the application period was only 37 days. The communists say the transfer for a period of 15 years is a matter of public interest and should be subject to clarification. If quality of training worsens, then the regional economy will be harmed.

Levada in Calheta costs a fortune. Members of the PSD were in the area of Maloeira in Calheta to inspect part of the upgrading work between Funchal and Ponta do Pargo, a total investment of 4.2 million Euros. The first phase, between Salão and Prazeres was completed last summer (13 km/1.3 million Euros) and this second phase extends to Ponta do Pargo (26 km/2.9 million Euros). 85% is co-funded by the EU and the remaining cost is from the Regional Budget. This irrigation channel will be upgraded by 2011 and serves 4,900 farmers and four water treatment stations. The cost is justified as the levada is 60 years old and looses 30 litres per second.

Gaula discuss postponement of works. The Parish of Gaula want a discussion with the local population in the next few days, about the postponement of the work on the Caminho do Porto Novo – Achada Rocha. The postponement was decided last November after a meeting of the Regional Government (Jardim?) and the Municipal Council of Santa Cruz. Élvio Sousa (JPP), the President of Gaula Parish Council, says the precise timing of the meeting will depend on the supply of documents by Santa Cruz Council, needed to analyze the contract. The parish council want to know what the local population want them to do next.

Finance Minister appeals to parties. Teixeira dos Santos said that the Regional Finance Law is "spending at a time when there must be rigour, discipline and budget constraints". He said it will have an impact on the State Budget. Manuela Ferreira Leite, the national PSD leader, said the law is not a budget issue and should be debated separately. The PS are pressurizing the PSD, insisting that they cannot say the fundamental problem is Portugal’s debt and put forward a proposal that increases the debt by financial transfers to an autonomous region. The CDS-PP are trying to reach a consensus as they are important intermediaries but their position is not clear.

Jardim is not intimidated by Teixeira dos Santos. The Finance Minister has threatened to resign if the Regional Finance Law is passed and Jardim has reacted swiftly, "The exit of Teixeira dos Santos from Government is the biggest favour he could do for the country." Jardim states "the Portuguese are being cheated" as Madeira does not want anymore money but "a replacement of the conditions created by a socialist law". The Regional Government has calculated that the revision of the law would account for 0.05% of the 2010 State Budget. Jardim said that for the Finance Minister to threaten to resign over this small percentage was either irresponsible or blackmail. This amount is less than the amount transferred to TAP and the international community would think that the Portuguese are crazy. The Portuguese would realize that to threaten to resign over a law representing 0.04% of GDP is a plot. In reference to the leader of the Azores, Jardim said that his declarations were serious but the Azores would not be jeopardized by the revision of the law.

LATE NEWS

Benefit concert for Haiti. The students of the Conservatório-Escola das Artes will hold a concert to raise funds for the victims. 21.00 on Thursday at the Municipal Theatre in Funchal.

JORNAL DA MADEIRA

Porto Santo Line will review subsidized airline tickets. The company will review next year, the policy that Porto Santo residents can buy subsidized flight tickets during the time when the Lobo Marinho is in dry dock for annual maintenance. Many abuses were recorded, with cases of people buying five tickets at prices much cheaper than normal (28.60 Euros) and will use them in April and May. Such people have never travelled on the ferry during 2009 and disadvantage residents who need to travel for essential reasons. The normal cost of the trip for residents is 80 Euros and there were 50 subsidized places per day. This is the first year that they have detected this exploitation.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

Today’s main news headline : Finances of Madeira confuse until the end – Sócrates today wants to postpone the Regional Finance Law again. The Social Democrat Party already dropped the retroactive payment [arrears], and the Christian Democrats carry on doing the sums. Madeira could receive only half of what it wanted. There are several lead stories in the Diário today on this subject, with a big day ahead for Madeira, and an even bigger day ahead for the Socialist Government, who risk losing the vote with their minority holding, something that could have bigger repercussions for Portugal as a whole. If the matter of arrears has been dropped, and the financial benefit for Madeira is now as low as quoted above, then aside from some constitutional type issues included, the RFL has become nothing more really than a political football and we will see how many players each team has later today.

Tunnel with emergency exit in the backyard earns a slating – Residents threaten to resort to the European Court because the emergency exit of the new road branch to Madalena comes out at the access of the garage of the building. The government says it is cutting costs. The owners of the apartments in the building in Madalena do Mar are upset that the government is making a compulsory purchase of land that will serve as an exit from an emergency escape tunnel from the new main road tunnel being constructed. The access road will then become part of the public highway. The 309 square meter area being targeted not only takes the access road to the building garage, but also some ‘out front’ parking spaces for the apartments and shops. I didn’t know that Madalena had any shops?

Islands and Centenary of the Republic are being debated this year – The Study Centre of Atlântico has a cultural and scientific programme.

Rupture in the water mains leaves Santo António without water. These were commonplace when I first moved to Madeira, with a lot of digging and building work going on, and a loss of water supply every few months, but I have to say I don’t think we have lost our water supply for several years now. With my monthly bill still at around €4 a month, even though it has probably doubled in 3 years, I think that with service like that it is pretty good value for money.

The main sport / football headline today : Rúben Micael ignites war Porto – Benfica. The Madeiran player, now in FC Porto, exposes the intimidation of Jorge Jesus and Rui Costa in the game Benfica v Nacional. With just a week after joining Porto from Nacional, the lad from Câmara de Lobos has gone in with two feet, not that that fire needed reigniting. This all goes back to the match in Lisbon last October when there were a number of unpleasant incidents, and Micael accuses the Benfica coach of trying to provoke trouble and making a two fingered gesture at him. He said in the radio interview that it was the first time he had been asked for his version of events.

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated. 

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s Photo Thanks to Martin L … Porto Moniz

Many thanks to Paul (Paul do Mar) for this contribution :

Ocean survey discovers 17 million year old impact crater off Azores      Source: BBC News

“Portuguese scientists have found a depression on the Atlantic Ocean floor south of the Azores Islands they think may be an impact crater. The roughly circular, 6km-wide hollow has a broad central dome and has been dubbed the "Fried Egg" because of its distinctive shape. If the Fried Egg was made by a space impactor, the collision probably took place within the past 17 million years. This is the likely maximum age of the basaltic sea-floor rock which harbours the feature. "To be sure, we need to take samples and make a profile of the sediment layers to determine if there really is a central uplift from an impact," explained Dr Frederico Dias from EMEPC (Task Group for the Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf). "We need also to see all the signatures that are consistent with a high velocity impact, like glasses from melting and, of course, debris; and what are called shatter cones (shocked rocks)," he told BBC News.

Central peaks : Dr Dias described the putative impact feature here at the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Fall Meeting, the world’s largest annual gathering of Earth scientists. The Fried Egg was first identified in data gathered by a 2008 multibeam echosounder hydrographic survey. A further cruise from September to November this year confirmed its presence. It lies under 2km of water about 150km from the Azores archipelago. The depressed ring sits roughly 110m below the surrounding ocean bottom, with the circular dome-shaped central uplift 3km in diameter and with a base-to-top height of some 300m. Central peaks are often associated with meteorite impacts and form when the compressed crater floor rebounds. A peak is not definitive proof of an impact, however. A volcanic origin for the Fried Egg seems unlikely because the Portuguese team has not been able to find any lava flows within the structure or on its surroundings.

Second crater : Interestingly, there is another – but much smaller – feature just 3-4km to the west of the egg. "It’s just by the side. If the Fried Egg is a crater, this could be a crater also," speculated Dr Dias. Dr Dias and colleagues are examining gravity and magnetic data gathered during September’s cruise. A third expedition to the area early next year will use a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to try to retrieve samples from the ocean floor for analysis. The Portuguese team detailed the currently available Fried Egg data on a poster at the AGU meeting. Other researchers who came to view the information were split on the impact theory, Dr Dias said. "Even if it’s not an impact crater it’s still a very interesting feature," he told the BBC.

Task Group for the Extension of the Portuguese Continental Shelf: objectives : A team of Portuguese scientists is surveying the continental shelf to establish the true extent of Portuguese territorial waters and extend it beyond 200 nautical miles. The EMEPC is working under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The survey team has or is surveying around Madeira region too.

More information: Fascinating film Official  website

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This from Jon : "Further info re renewal of residency cards……a copy of e-mail reply, for blog info: As previously mentioned, it would seem that appointments are now the order of the day. We tried to renew on line —- no luck. I’m glad that this eliminates long and fastidious queues and time waste!"  "Cartao de Residencia" renewal for us aliens….?:

Dear Sir / Madam,

In order to deal with any issues related to your documents in Portugal , you should visit one of SEF’s Bureaus, located in the Regional Directorate or Regional Department of your area of residence. Please be advised that for the areas of Lisbon, Setúbal, Odivelas, Cascais, Figueira da Foz, Porto, Faro, Portimão, Albufeira, Coimbra, Braga, Aveiro and Funchal, SEF made a pre-booking system available, whereby you are booked by our central system and then will have a personal meeting in your area of residence.

This telephone pre-booking system carried out by our Call Centre, specifies a date and time for a personal meeting with our services, and eliminates long and fastidious queues and time waste. If you live in one of the areas itemised above, before contacting SEF, please consult the following information:

Bookings by telephone (SEF’s Call Centre) : Telephone bookings are made every working day from 08:30 a.m. to 05:30 p.m., through the telephone lines 808 202 653, and 808 962 690 (this last one is a mobile phone line). NOTE: Please check the LIST OF MUNICIPAL COUNCILS for which a telephone pre-booking is required.

Our Call Centre will inform you of the place, day and time of your appointment, and will supply a list of documents you should carry with you for that meeting. 

You can print the form at SEF

Best Regards, GDCRP (Public Relations Department), The Aliens and Borders Service. Telephone: +351 808 202 653 (Fix Line); + 351 808 962 690 (Mobile Phone)

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This weekends football : Both of our teams play on Sunday. Marítimo visit bottom-of-the-table Setúbal, and Nacional host Académica. Both games are at 4 pm, and neither match is televised. The big game this weekend is in the ‘luz’, where Benfica host Porto tomorrow. 8.15 pm on SportTV1.

Have a great weekend, if the weather allows that is.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

Gripe A vaccine has almost run-out – Only after Christmas will the replenishment of ‘Pandemrix’ be done, that is already lacking in some Health Centres. The H1N1 swine flu vaccine supply has already been exhausted in some areas, including the health centre at Santo António.  There have until now been 8,000 Pandemrix vaccines delivered to Madeira, with around 94% already used.  The Directorate General of Health in Portugal had  ‘promised’ to send another two thousand doses of the Gripe A vaccine, but until yesterday they had not yet arrived on Madeira. The supplies to date have been used to vaccinate ‘at risk’ groups, mainly health workers, pregnant women, and the chronically ill, and that was extended to include children up to 3 years of age. The plan was to extend this further to children of up to 5 years, and even up to 12 years, but that will have to wait now

Waves, rain and wind cause damage. Bad weather leaves a trail of destruction across Madeira. Madeiran fireman didn’t stop  during the day, constantly called out to deal with floods, and tree and rock falls. The damage caused was considerable, much the fault of the huge waves that flooded the hotel ‘Porto Mare’ in the old zone of Funchal, and also the bathing complexes managed by ‘Frente mar Funchal’. An estimate of the damage caused has not yet been calculated, but according to the local authority it is not abnormal for this time of the year. Amongst other incidents reported were landslides in Caminho dos Saltos and in Vasco Gil, floods in São Gonçalo, Cota 40 and São Pedro, and fallen trees in Santo António, Monte, Curral das Freiras, Boa Nova and Eira do Serrado. A landslide closed a road in Corujeira. An elderly person had to be evacuated from her home after storm damage in Rua da Carne Azeda. In Ribeira Brava district several cars were badly damaged by rockfalls, but no one was injured.

The Porto Santo ferry is back in action I believe after staying two days in port due to the rough seas, although the Diário today says it was not expected to run today.

As far as cruise ship visits are concerned, altogether 3 have been cancelled until now. The British ‘Oriana’, the ‘Delphin’ (was due tomorrow am) and the ‘Delphin Voyage’.

Today’s main news headline : Arabic scam gets Madeira into a scuffle - FIG, a North American based group that recently bought the Golden Residence hotel in Funchal, sued in court a Saudi sultan, a business partner in the region, as a matter of fact, never materialized. Everything went to buy a tourist ‘resort’ worth 56 million Euros.

"WHY DO YOU BEAT ME?" Monteiro Diniz, fed-up with the disrespect from the Madeira Government, took advantage of the Christmas greetings to question the insults. The former representative of Madeira in Lisbon made a ’scathing outburst’ yesterday, fed-up with criticism and offences from Jardim and the regional government. Jardim declared yesterday that he is now completely detached  form the national PSD social democrats, and excluded the possibility of putting himself forward as candidate for leadership. "I’m at the end of the party, I shall not involve myself in a new party", he said.

Calheta counsellors forced to miss the meeting. The local authorities at both levels throughout Calheta have all scheduled meetings for today at the same time, so some counsellors, not being able to be in two places at one time, will have to miss one. The Municipal Assembly has never before convened on a Saturday, and rather oddly scheduled its meeting for 10.30 am, the same time as the parish meetings in Calheta, Arco da Calheta, Estreito da Calheta, Prazeres, Jardim do Mar, Paul do Mar, Fajã da Ovelha and Ponta do Pargo.

European Commission approves pioneering system of incentives in the Region

Today’s sport / football top story … it’s the same subject as yesterday : Bremen also want Rúben. The Nacional star just seems to be hogging all the news these days, as top German side Werder Bremen enter the race for Rúben’s signature. Also Nacional defender Clebão has had his contract rescinded. He was brought in when Maicon went to Porto, but has never achieved the expectations, and was rarely selected to play.

Many thanks to Elaine (West) for this piece :

Youth dies in the sea at Madalena – Body found on rocks east of where the boy was diving.
It was a morning of searching to find a youth missing at sea in Madalena do Mar. The authorities were alerted by 6:30 on Saturday. A 17 year-old had entered the water and disappeared off the beach in Madalena do Mar. Apparently the youth, who was accompanied by a group of friends, went into the sea which for several days has been stormy. The body of the young man, who was from Calheta, was eventually found to the east of the beach at around 11 a.m. today. The "Schultz Xavier", a vessel of SANAS and the Air Force helicopter Merlin EH-101 were called out. On land were elements of the Marine Police and the PSP.

If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link Thank you in anticipation.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

(more…)

Today’s Photo Thanks to Jon … the last of the hand-coloured postcards … very enjoyable

Where has concrete city (Chocabloc) gone ???

Ever seen a Zino Petrel, or fancied a trip to the Ilhas Desertas? BIRD WATCHING EXCURSIONS If you go don’t forget to share some photos with us.

"The soil and climate of Madeira were found to be ideal for the production of wine. But many arduous years had to pass by, since the first plantings – circa 1470, before the land was cleared and enough vines planted to make an industry". A worthwhile article on growing the grapes and producing Madeira’s most famous export. A Glass of Madeira, My Dear

Fir Park to Funchal "Maritimo’s quaint Estadio dos Barreiros ground is built into the hillside in Madeira’s capital Funchal and is the place where Rangers lost 1-0 in the 2004 UEFA Cup. The call the stadium The Cauldron – and not because the weather’s always hot". I can’t imagine any other reason why it would be called the ‘Cauldron’, as the ground is practically empty during match days. Anyway, even if you don’t like football, it was a good article (despite ‘The Sun’ spelling mistakes), finished off with a quote by the Marítimo manager Mitchell van der Gaag "That’s the only down side to Madeira – life’s TOO good here" 

This weekends football sees Nacional (4th) host Naval today (11th) at 5 pm and Belenenses (14th) host Marítimo (5th) on Sunday at 6 pm (SportTV1).  The highlight of the weekend is at 9.15 tonight, when Sporting take on Benfica. The Porto v Rio Ave game is on RTP tomorrow at 8.15 pm.

OK, you put the pressure on Debs, so here it is. This is called the Platamo banana, and these specimens came from Madalena do Mar, the home of the best bananas. The lady who gave me a small bag of them told me that if you ever see them in the shops (and I never have) they would cost at least €3 a kilo,  more then double the normal price. I have never seen bananas with such girth, and when I got home I weighed them, and 3 weighed slightly over one kilo = €1 per banana. That’s a 10 cêntimo coin by the side. I had one for breakfast yesterday, and I didn’t need anything else to eat until tea time.

As regards the €20 a kilo vegetable, I am not going to say anything on that yet. All I will say that it is a very very very close relative of one of the most common vegetables grown on Madeira, joined at the hip you might say, which is currently priced at about €1 a kilo (Pingo Doce this week). It is also very very very closely linked with the ATLANTA BEAM PIPI. Any ideas anyone? No chance, unless you are a local!!!!

Sue very kindly sent in this article :

Prisoner of 35 steps. One by one, there are 35 steps that Maria Ilda has to overcome, dragging and using only the strength of her arms, whenever she has to leave home. Also there many more for the return, because access to the residence on the site of the Wheel Massapez, the Belfry, is made only by steep steps and is certainly not adapted to the physical problem that affects this 59 year old lady. The call for the solidarity in Madeira for the purchase of an electric wheelchair and the construction of a ramp, made on 23 November in the ‘letters to the editor’ DIARY were made, as a kind of last resort, because all applications for help did not work. "The best gift Maria could have this Christmas would be a wheelchair ramp and a motor in order to reach the road," which would be the only solution to her problem. Mainly because now she is beginning to lose the strength in her arms, a consequence of osteoporosis that is also affecting her. "I have a lot of pain in the arms and shoulders and, in most cases, I can no longer climb the stairs," and the situation is aggravated when it rains. Maria suffered from a case of meningitis when she was one and a half years old which led to paralysis and the thinning of the lower limbs.  Maria to date has always depended on the other, but with an electric wheelchair and a ramp she could have again some independence, but as she expressed, she cannot afford the high costs. Maria gets a pension of 200 Euros and adds that the family does not have sufficient income to help her even they all work for a living. For three years, Maria Ilda requested support Social Security, with the great help of Helda Andrade," the nurse specialist in rehabilitation of the municipality of Ribeira Brava, who was interested particularly in this sensitive case, but the support for the electric wheelchair has not been achieved due to the substantial cost (more than five thousand Euros) and there is no money available. The same applies to the elevator/stair lift, the cost of which is estimated at around 25 billion Euros. The decision on the ramp on the regional road is still under study in the City of Ribeira Brava, due to height of the slope.

Solidarity march
A ‘card reader’ to account for the delicate situation of Maria had instigated a series of reactions from readers of the Diary, who agreed at once to help the dream of this lady to be independent and not an invalid. In this sense, a fundraising campaign fundraising has been started to try and minimise the effects of physical limitations in daily life of Maria Ilda. All those who want to collaborate with this charitable initiative can do so by NIB: 003506870000567430024 (on behalf of Ascension Ilda Maria Andrade) or by direct contact with the residence (291,953,807 or mobile phone 919013446).

I read her letter in the Diário earlier this week, and how she must have felt sending in a begging letter to a newspaper I don’t know, but added to her mobility and health problems it’s a very sad story indeed. Der

… and many thanks to Elaine for yesterday’s top news stories :

Togolese suspect vessel may be towed. The mystery of the ship ‘Newhope’ that since November 9 has been hovering 12 miles from Funchal thickens. The vessel continues in Portuguese waters, with lack of food and fuel, a situation which the authorities consider strange for a ship travelling between Brazil and India. During the past three weeks the ship has asked permission to anchor, claiming to need supplies, a claim the Maritime Authority does not authorize as there is information that the ship’s certificates are expired and that the ‘Newhope’ is included in a list of ‘black flag’ ships, which constitute a threat to safety and the environment. Now a representative of the shipowner is in Madeira, who in recent days has been trying to encourage the regional authorities to find a solution through supplying while offshore, without the ship entering port and subject to an inspection. The presence in Madeira of the seagoing tug ‘Fairmount Summi’ thickens the mystery. Because there is suspicion that the presence in our seas for five days and without a port of destination, it is linked to the situation of the ‘Newhope’. With lack of water, fuel and oil for the generators and other equipment, the captain of the Togolese boat may request aid and thereby triggering a maritime rescue operation, that would justify the presence of this tug of Dutch flag. Recently the tugboat has towed a ship for 20 days from Brazil to Europe, at high cost, which may link the presence of the ‘Fairmount Summi’ with the situation of ‘Newhope’.

TAP has lost passengers but thanks to liberalization. The liberalization of air transport between the mainland and Madeira has helped everyone. The conviction was shared by the President of TAP, defending free competition, admitted the airline lost passengers but has become more competitive. "Madeira has won. It has more service and we have a better service." The losses of TAP reached 60 million Euros last September but he ensures the company will survive the crisis. "TAP has its second best year ever in numbers of passengers but not in terms of income." The reason is simple, the prices are much lower. In addition to lower prices, he noted that in a time of crisis it was necessary to reduce supply by 10%. The result is expressed in the occupation on board the aircraft of TAP rising to 74%. Liberalization and the contribution of domestic tourism have mitigated the numbers of tourists. But the Portuguese are not available to holiday in Madeira for 12 months and we will have to find alternatives and domestic tourism can be short-lived. To increase domestic tourism, a 2 million Euros advertising campaign ‘Find a Greater Portugal in 2010′ for the Spanish market and to migrant communities in France, Venezuela and South Africa. This is to attract migrants and descendants of second and third generations. These countries have good air links and South Africa will be in the spotlight in 2010 with the World Cup.

Two boulders threaten road. Two large stones are likely to fall on the road linking Pestana Junior to the access to the motorway. The rocks are about 40 metres away from the road that is used daily by thousands of cars. The warning was made to the Diário by householders residing in the area, who became aware of the situation while searching for mosses and ‘cabrinhas’ for presepios which they are making for Christmas. The two rocks should weigh close to half a  ton each, appear to be based on an area of land capable of being easily altered by the elements of erosion, particularly in the event of high intensity rainfall over an extended period. Note that the slopes of the area, limiting the Ribeira de Joao Gomes, have been subject to several visits to remove earth and stones, some of which were conducted in the wake of some landslides or to prevent such an occurrence.

Prisoner of 35 steps. Maria Ilda, 59 years old, has to overcome 35 steps by using her arms whenever leaving and returning home. There was a call for the purchase of an electric wheelchair and the construction of a ramp on 23 November in the letters section of the Diário, as a last resort, but it did not work. She now has osteoporosis causing pain in her shoulders and arms and has difficulty climbing the stairs, especially when it rains. Her wasted and paralysed lower limbs are due to contracting meningitis when she was one and a half years old. A wheelchair would give her some independence but she only has a pension of 200 Euros and the family all work and have no spare income. She has requested support from the Social Security for three years with the help of the specialist rehabilitation nurse but the cost of more than 5,000 Euros could not be met. The ramp would cost about 25,000 Euros. There is a fundraising campaign by the readers of the Diário. The NIB no:00350687000056743002 in the name of Maria Ilda Ascensao Andrade.

Volunteers Fair in Jardim Municipal. In years of crisis, the numbers of requests which have come to various charities have shot up, but fortunately the contributions followed this trend. The Fair of Volunteers opened yesterday afternoon and runs until Sunday. President of the Casa do Voluntário said, "Expectations are very high because we have more associations (56) and we extend the time of this fair to four days". "In times of crisis, associations that deal with issues relating to economic difficulties have had more users, more users means that the technicians have more work and need more volunteers, in that respect I think that civil society has responded." The Support Centre for the Homeless is just over a year old but already has 30 volunteers. "We distribute food every night (except Saturdays) in Funchal and although we have more people in need, we have been able to respond." The purpose of the fair is to make a Christmas dinner for users. Unemployment is the main factor for the increase in requests for help. The purpose of the fair is to promote the work of the association. "We also use the fair to recruit volunteers."

Jardim punish those who voted against him. Following the recent visits of Jardim to the 11 Municipalities, the aftermath is that seven public works that had been promised and were part of the Government Program will not be undertaken, at least in the current term. The exorbitant cost of some of the planned investment was the main ‘excuse’ used to make them leave the ‘map’ of priorities, although there are also other cases of less expensive works, which were also part of the Government’s commitments, ’smelling’ of political revenge. Coincidence or not, the most penalized was Santa Cruz Municipality where the PSD had the worst result. Here, the mayor of the Council has recognized the need to rethink the program for the parish of Gaula, following the defeat of the PSD, who lost the Parish that they had regained from the Interim of 2008. Jardim did not apply ‘half measures’ and withdrew three investments that appeared in the Government Program for this county, and the ‘dissenting’ Parish  was the most impaired, with two works cancelled. Probably also to pay the ‘bill’ for not being Social Democrat, a ‘distant’ neighbour the Socialist parish Achadas da Cruz, Porto Moniz, also saw the disappearance of building a road that would allow access to Fajã das Achadas da Cruz, currently only accessible by cable-car. It was a work that had been ordered by the ex-mayor Gabriel Farinha and the newly elected Valter Correia failed to hold onto it. The cancelling of works was not limited only to locations not favourable to the PSD. In the case of Porto Santo, which has seen ‘erased’ a bus station. However on the ‘orange’ island, Jardim has been careful to announce counterparts, saying that ‘compensation’ would be the improvement of another public investment. In the wake of the cuts announced, is only missing Funchal. They are not going to get sand at Praia Formosa and the restoration of Toco area will just be a ‘mirage’. Two large investments that Jardim emphasize were not annulled, but only postponed. Jardim has double standards: hostile terrain has works cut without any alternatives, yet when forced to announce restrictions on ‘orange’ ground, he is careful to divert some money for other works or just postpones them.

Caritas collecting food at Pingo Doce. Caritas again calls on the generosity of Madeira under another campaign to collect food, which will be held Saturday and Sunday in all Pingo Doce stores in the region. Last June, the campaign collected about 33 tons of food and articles for personal hygiene. This second initiative is to replenish the stocks that are to support people in need until May 2010. The charity currently supports about 300 families and has increased the number of persons and households that use the institution for the ’support-SOS’.

Chocolate Island. 12 and 13 December at the Congress Centre. Visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate and buy chocolate in its various forms and flavours. Also combination products for example jams, sweets and teas and many others. An area for children to make sweets and desserts. Entry 2.50 Euros and accompanied children under 12 are free. Revenues for the Foundation of Gil.

Jardim remains on the Committee of Regions. One of the twelve representatives of Portugal on the Committee of Regions, a position that he has occupied in 2000 and 2001. Since Portugal joined the EU and the creation of this body, Jardim has been Portugal’s representative on the Committee. Besides Jardim are Carlos Cesar (Azores) and ten mayors, five elected by the PSD, four by the PS and one by the CDU. The mandate is until 2014. —- I’ve never heard of this Committee. Does that mean it does little but give the members nice ‘jollies’?

Illuminations in Calheta on 11 December. 19.30 hours, switch-on ceremony. On the same day and at the same time, the inauguration of the Nativity scene at the Praceta 24 de Junho. Christmas party 10 December for more than 1,000 children of the county. 13 December a Christmas lunch for just over 1,000 elderly people.

Mobility allowance approved in the Assembly of the Republic. Parliament today approved the creation of a travel allowance for travel of residents and students form Madeira. The opposition united against the PS to approve two bills originating in the Legislative Assembly of Madeira to create a grant to support air travel for residents and students from Madeira. They voted to change the law governing the allocation of a social mobility allowance when travelling between the islands and the mainland, following the liberalization of air transport, which offers variable pricing in tariffs. One proposal that, instead of the 60 Euros currently allocated as subsidy per journey, there is a refund of 50% of the total value of travel for residents, and 65% for students on four trips back, per academic year. The other proposal seeks to counter the double insularity to the residents of Porto Santo, which increases costs of routes, offering a subsidy of 65% of the tariff on four trips, providing that they are connecting Funchal-Continent, made in 24 hours. This approval is a ‘warning to the Government of the Republic’ as it was not adopted by the previous Government and it is only possible due to the balance of forces in parliament."It is a political signal, it is the first vote that the opposition is claiming a majority against the minority Government."

Madeira Wine and Barbeito distinguished in London. The Madeira Wine Company was last night awarded ‘the best producer of fortified wine’. Francisco Albuquerque was elected the winemaker of the year three times. The International Wine and Spirit Competition elected Barbeito Malvasia 30 years as the best fortified wine. The company also earned a gold medal for the Malvasia Old Reserve 10 years and another five silver medals, best in class for the wines: Veramar 5 years Boal, Malvasia 20 years, Barbeito Single Harvest 1977 Meio Seco, Verdelho Old Reserve 10 years and Sercial Old Reserve 10 years. Two silver medals for Malvasia 1994 Colheita Single Cask and Boal Old Reserve 10 years. All the wines were produced by Ricardo Diogo. In 2008 the competition received more than 7,000 competitors from 80 countries. The medals and trophies are the most prestigious awards in the market representing the best wines in the world. Competitors are entered in categories divided by country, region, variety, style and vintage. This is the third international recognition gained by Barbeito during the year 2009 for different wines. The fist was achieved in the International Wine Challenge when Old Verdelho Reserve 10 Years Old won the Madeira Trophy gold medal and Champion Trophy in the class fortified wine. In the Japan Wine Challenge, the Old Reserve Malvasia won the Best Portuguese Wine and Best Fortified Wine and the Malvasia 30 years won the Trophy for Worldwide and Fortified Wine 2009 gold medal (Best in Class) at the International Wine and Spirit Competition.

My turn (Der) :

Today’s main news headline from the Diário de Notícias : Socialist Party in the minority stay at war with Madeira – Against the absolute majority of the opposition, the socialists confirmed yesterday that they were not going to change their stance regarding Madeira. And so, the residents air travel subsidy was passed but not through the Socialists. Taking advantage of the fragile Socialists, the Legislative Assembly of Madeira already has 6 proposals in São Bento. Top story belongs to someone else today, although already partly covered above re the transport subsidy … any takers?

Controversy : Convention of APAVT: Conceição Estudante (Regional Secretary of Transport & Tourism) criticises Tourism of Portugal through it’s failure in the promotion of Madeira, Luís Patrão denies. The campaign ‘Discover a Bigger Portugal’ was criticised by Estudante for not really identifying the destinations. She says there is a lovely picture of Madeira, but unless you already knew you wouldn’t be able to identify it. Patrão, boss of Tourism (civil servant level), denies the allegation, saying "We were very strict about including the right images in the campaign partly, because we have the Secretary of State who is from Madeira". Bernardo Trindade of the Socialist Party is of course his boss, so maybe this is more about politics than anything else, but as Estudante is not an elected Regional Secretary then it’s probably just mischief making to keep Uncle Bertie happy. One thing that is certain is that Trindade looks after Madeira very well, probably better than anywhere else in Portugal in his national portfolio in tourism. If I was Estudante I would keep my gob shut and let Bernie get on with it, otherwise she might shoot herself in the foot.

Lightning bolts in the unveiling of the illuminations. The lights in downtown Funchal were switched-on on a stormy night with a widespread power-cut, but symbolised the initiation of the Christmas spirit : academics deliver presents and the charity Cáritas collects donations. The actual front page photo shows Xmas decorations like lightning bolts hitting the ground, but unfortunately I can’t reproduce that photo for technical reasons. Anyway the gist of the headline is that the switching-on of the Christmas lights coincided with a very noisy storm last night that put nearly the whole island (more so in the West) into darkness. Here in Ribeira Brava we were in blackness for about half an hour. It was indeed a spectacular storm with numerous dazzling lighting bolts, window-rattling thunder, and very heavy rain. It was almost without wind here which was great as I was able to stand out and watch the sky for a while. An hour or so after it started you wouldn’t have known there had been a storm, and even the moon was visible. Smarty Alec me must have had a premonition as I brought a pack of candles this week! The bit about the charity collections is already covered above in Elaine’s article.

Fleeing under pressure – Sporting – Benfica : Managers reject the duty to win. Nothing to do with Madeira of course.

The derby game Barcelona v Real is tomorrow with Ronaldo in the centre. As I can’t raise much interest in Portuguese football, I can’t see much point in moving to the Spanish game! … moving on …

H1N1 claims its first fatality. It didn’t make the front page today, but it was all over yesterday’s news bulletins that Madeira yesterday has it’s first death attributed to Gripe A swine flu. A 52 year old woman from Câmara de Lobos died in hospital, but there were also other illnesses involved. A man was also hospitalised with Gripe A, the fifth case since this all began. The article says that the peak of the pandemic will hit Madeira worst between January and February, although the lead up to the Christmas period will see an intensification of cases.

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(more…)

(11th September). Today’s main news headline : ‘Schools Unprepared – They lack products of hygiene for the prevention of Gripe A in the pre-school and 1st cycle. They will only be delivered in October, after the start of the school year, owing to a lack of stock’. Five thousand youngsters in Funchal will start school in the next few days without the protection planned against swine flu. Paper towels, disinfectants, and masks were ordered at a cost of €60,000, but the national supplier has a ‘rupture’ in stocks, and won’t be able to deliver until mid-October. Funchal council say they are not at fault, but the demand for such supplies has caused shortages with suppliers in Portugal and abroad. Parents are being asked to bring alcohol based disinfectants to their children’s schools as a contingency measure. Supplies of the required products are being ordered through the secretary for education for most schools, but it was left to local authorities to provide for pre-school and 1st cycle schools. Alcohol based disinfectants eh! … "here José, son, take this bottle of diluted alcohol to school for me will you" … "sure Dad". Might as well just give the kid a good dose of Poncha, renowned for flu prevention and cure, not that I condone underage drinking (doing my politically correct bit of course, before one of the snipers get to me).

The main sport headline, in football : ‘Hugo Almeida Warns Nacional : "We Are Strong" – The Portuguese International that plays for Werder Bremen praises the first opponent in the Europa League’. The player praises our local team, but has no doubts about Werder Bremen, saying "we are favourites".

‘Bandolins Seek Big Venues – The orchestra wants to perform in the Centro Cultural de Belém and in the Casa da Música (Porto)’. The new season 2009 – 2010, that starts today, brings new ambitions including the conquest of new audiences, and the chance to play in renowned venues in Portugal and abroad. The first concert is tonight at 9 pm in the English Church in Rua do Quebra Costas, in Funchal, which I believe will be a regular event on Friday’s. Another tour is planned in the UK next year, and the artistic director of the orchestra says that they must focus their work on venues abroad to promote Madeira and win new audiences. Special performances are also scheduled at the Teatro Municipal Baltazar Dias. I didn’t know that mandolins or music have seasons, but anyway, this is one of the few sources of local entertainment that anyone who reads this blog has ever shown any enthusiasm for*. Not had the privilege of seeing a performance myself yet, but maybe a trip out to Ribeira Brava is a bit beneath them now they are established internationally. (*aside from me and Vânia of course, who happened to be performing in Gaula this weekend).

Another 61 allotment plots for vegetable gardens will be provided in Bairro de João Gomes by the river. The plots which will be ready in November will take the total for Funchal to 170.

‘CMF Gives 3 Months To Update Meter Records’. Funchal council is owed €320,000 in unpaid water bills. They estimate that 11 thousand out of 50 thousand water meters are not registered to the correct user. During the period, water users can update their water meter details free, apart from a small stamp duty charge. If the deadline is missed, there will be a charge of €14.60 to change the details, and the council will move to collect outstanding water charges, regardless of the name on the account.

‘Madeira Government To Reinforce Cliff Face In Calheta Village – The work continues on what was already completed in 2003, and will cost around €7 million’. The plan is now to reinforce the complete escarpment, around 370 meters long, to prevent falling rocks and debris. Up until now just the central part has been dealt with, using barriers and wire mesh. The project, which is in the programme of works for 2007 – 2011, was agreed by the Governing Council yesterday and will now go out to tender. A spokesman for the government said that the "natural evolution" and "erosion" of the escarpment overlooking the sea front of Calheta, has over the years, resulted in "several detachments of blocks and fragments of rock and earth".  

At the same meeting yesterday, amongst a number of projects and grants approved, €700,000 was allocated for the construction of a central (town) square in Caniçal, and €3 million for a new connecting street for Sta. Quitéria-Três Paus and Viana, in Funchal.

‘Conceição Estudante Criticises The Secretary of State for Tourism For "lack of ethics and opportunism" – Madeira’s Tourism Secretary accuses Bernardo Trindade of "assuming leadership" in announcing a new air route to Madeira’. She is upset because he  anticipated the announcement of a new air route for this region, and took the credit. "I dislike having to make this comment at a time when the Secretary of State, Bernardo Trindade, is campaigning (head-of-list for the PS-M to the Assembly of the Republic), but the Secretary of State is taking a leadership role that he doesn’t have in this case", she said. She was speaking about the new route of the British company Jet2, that will carry passengers between Manchester and Madeira, from February(?) 2010, which was announced Wednesday by the Secretary of State for Tourism. She says he was not ‘in the chair’ during the negotiations, and that Trindade’s announcement "was an unpleasant exploitation, opportunism, and it was not ethical by the secretary of state to pre-empt the announcement". She then got a little more upbeat by saying "But what’s really important is that Madeira will have one more link in a market that is very important to this region, the United Kingdom".

Today’s main photo shows a picture of the president of Funchal Council in a bookshop : ‘Court Fines CMF For Bad Faith And President’s Threat – The "shocking" illegalities in the ‘VIP residences’ and the disrespect for judicial decisions lead to criticism from TACF. Miguel Albuquerque incurs a ‘crime of disobedience’ if he doesn’t repeal the licence and cut off the water’. The Administrative Court of the Circle of Funchal (TACF) fined the council and an ‘advisor’ €2,500, in connection with the VIP residences ‘Villas Jardins D’Água’. The judge ruled on 25th August that there was bad-faith from the council and developer of the properties, disrespecting judicial decisions, as if they had not been declared illegal. Work continued illegally after the judicial decision was ignored, and then the council illegally issued the authorisations for habitation, and now the properties are illegally occupied, said the judge, "It’s truly shocking in a state of European Union law". The council also has to take remedial measure in respect of the properties, including cutting-off the illegal water supplies. Councils and developers defying court judgements, what could have been the motivation? Must nip out later, as I am almost out of brown envelopes and other essential stationary items.

(1st September). Today’s main news headline  : ‘Espada Runs Short – Fall of 28% in the catch of the sword-fish (Black Scabbard) in the first 6 months of this year affects earnings and threatens the typical dish of Madeiran gastronomy’. The lack of catch of espada is leaving hotels and restaurants feeling difficulties in serving one of the most typical meals of Madeira, and fishermen have lost a million Euros in six months. The year will not be easy for some Madeiran fishermen, with such a fall in revenue compared to 2008, amounting to a 10.9% reduction in the sales in fish markets. However, the amount of catch by weight has dropped just 1.3% (that is for all types of fish). It seems that there are fishermen who fish just for espada fish, and their revenue losses were €896,000 in six months, the only group of fishermen who saw a decline in revenue. The price of espada, at the fish markets, has risen from €2.30 per kilo to €2.50 a kilo over the period in comparison. An increase of 8%. The revenue earned by fishermen in 2008 amounted to €16.3 million. There is a chart HERE that summarises the catch for the different types of fish for the first six months of 2009. Tuna fish and mackerel are up, but everything else is down. I recall (I think) a couple of years ago that the EU wanted to impose fishing quotas on the espada catch, but was persuaded not to. Maybe over-fishing is the cause, who knows?

‘More Expensive Justice Concerns Judges – The judicial year reopens today. Beyond the crisis, the increase in insolvencies and bad debt cases will leave a mark’. The Summer recess is over, and the return to work will be dominated by warrants of execution and unpaid loans. This year so far has already seen more cases than in the whole of 2008, and there is some doubt whether there are sufficient legal resources to deal with the workload, and there is particular concern in the case of insolvencies, that need to be processed quickly. Legal charges, which were increased in April, have caused a reduction in the number of cases dealing with unpaid loans since then. Highlights of the new legal session should see the trials of the ‘Fugitive’, the second trial of the former President of Ponta do Sol, the trial of the former vice president of Funchal Rui Marote, the massive seizure of cocaine (55 kilos) at Madeira Airport, and the seizure of ecstasy tablets (17,000) in São Vicente.

‘Madeirans Provide Music To The Italians – An exchange project of students of the Conservatório’. The 5 students from the Professional School of Arts of Madeira will be off to Italy to perform between 3rd and 10th September.

The main front page photo today shows a footballer on the ground at the Choupana pitch : ‘Breathless Nacional Allow Draw (1 – 1) – The Alvinegros blame tiredness from their trip to Russia, made worse with a lack of options in the squad’. Meanwhile last night, Benfica thrashed Vitória de Setúbal 8 – 1.

‘The Canoeists Of ‘Around Madeira’ Break Bathing Rules’. During the final day of the competition for canoeists, competitors illegally entered a zone reserved for swimmers in Ribeira Brava. Maritime authorities were involved, but played down the incident.

 

 

 

 

 

‘River Cleaning Goes Forward This Month – Firemen, the army, Funchal council, and neighbourhoods join forces in the clean up’. In readiness for potential Winter problems, the weekend of 18-19th September has been scheduled for the cleaning work, in and around Funchal. Even scouts will be involved in the the work that will involve more than 100 people. A prime objective is to prevent flooding and mudslides during heavy Winter rainfall, but a more general clean up in some neighbourhoods will also be done.

‘Three Theft Suspects Detained In Funchal – The young men are suspected of robberies in establishments in Porto da Cruz, and the theft of vehicles’. The three men aged between 24 and 31 have been detained as suspects for crimes against property and vehicle theft. Police say a vehicle stolen in Machico was intercepted in São Martinho (Funchal), with the 24 year old man driving, without having a driving license, and the two accomplices as passengers. On searching the car the police found indications that led to the suspicions of crimes committed in Porto da Cruz, and also drugs purchased with the crime proceeds. The 24 year old man was also caught driving a stolen car on Saturday night, and had only just been released after that.

The sale of conventional light bulbs is affected by new EU rules from today. They are to be phased out in favour of eco-bulbs (low consumption – long life), and existing stocks of some conventional types will be run down from today.

UPDATES :

(J da M) The new fire station in Calheta should be ready for use in January or February 2010, said the regional secretary responsible for the project, during a visit to the site yesterday. The project in sítio de São João, Lombo do Doutor, is costing nearly €3 million and is the last of the new fire stations to be built on Madeira, with one more then to be built on Porto Santo.

‘The Programme Was Exceptional’. From today’s Jornal da Madeira, the account of the live TV shown on SIC (channel 6) yesterday from Funchal docks, was that it was an excellent event. I just mentioned it because I liked the photo with the article.

 

‘Teachers Dominate Lists – Almost half of the Madeiran candidates for the national elections are civil servants’. Of the 7 parties represented in the race for the Assembly of the Republic, there are 42 candidates standing from Madeira, of which 19 are government employees, 10 being from teaching. Another 6 are lawyers / solicitors, and 3 have medical backgrounds. The average age is 43, and 60% of the candidates are male. Alberto João Jardim, head of the list for PSD-M, is the second oldest on the list at 66. The youngest candidate is a lady aged just 21, but as 3rd on the list of the New Democracy Party she won’t be leaving Madeira for São Bento, and that’s a certainty.

‘Jardim Will Inaugurate €125 Million Worth Of Works Up Until 9th October – In the next 40 days the president of the government will move throughout the archipelago doing sometimes more than one inauguration per day’. In total there are 65 new investments. Most the works are public, with just 6 in the private sector, and include new roads, schools, and sports facilities. The first today is a new 1,300 metre agricultural road in Fajã, costing €2.1 million, replacing a narrow path that until now had served the population.