Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Elaine out West … two basking lizards

This is Dorrie’s private video diary taken on Madeira, when on hols I guess. Hear about the bad side of her stay as she struggled with our weather problems.

A short private blog of a cruiser : WE’LL BE BACK WHEN IT’S SUNNY

"The pebbled beaches of Madeira such as the Praia Formosa beach at the western end of Funchal with its palm tress and splendid botanical gardens bordering it make for a delightful attraction for tourists. Calheto and Machico are important tourist beaches where the golden sand has been imported.  The golden beach that stretches to about 9 kilometers in neighbouring Porto Santo is of course, magnificent and cannot be missed out". QUITE A NICE REVIEW OF OUR ARCHIPELAGO

I see that the GUINESS BOOK OF RECORDS is still showing 2006 as the world firework display record – "Largest firework display : The record for the largest firework display consisted of 66,326 fireworks and was achieved by Macedo’S Pirotecnia Lda. in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, on 31 December 2006". Has anyone seen any official confirmation that the 2010 display reset the record for Madeira?

This from Elaine out West … many thanks

Only eleven flocked to the “cut price” circus – Bad weather and small audiences forced the cancellation of the session, but there were the complaints … On Tuesday night some people who wanted to see the 21.30 Circus Aquatic Show, which was in Ponta do Sol until yesterday, saw their hopes dashed because of the cancellation of the show.

A situation which caused dissatisfaction and even prompted some complaints from those who felt aggrieved by making the trip to Ponta do Sol to watch a circus show that ultimately did not materialize. Moreover this was not the first time this has happened during the circus’s fateful stay in Madeira, mostly because of bad weather that has been fairly relentless.
Antonela Gouveia was one of those present for what would be the penultimate session of the show in the Region. She told the DIÁRIO that while she was waiting in expectation of the opening of the show a young man appeared who said he was the owner’s brother (Jorge Cardinali), trying to justify the cancellation of the show as "it was not worth opening the circus, with tickets at only five euros”. Antonela criticized the lack of information determining a minimum number of spectators to allow the show to take place.

João Azevedo, who is responsible for the show, confirmed the cancellation of that session "because in total there were only 11 people". Faced with such a small number of spectators, he said there was no justification for holding the show and regretted the resulting inconvenience.

"We are here to work. We did not come here for holidays," he added, pointing to the effects of bad weather, which yesterday also made itself felt at the time of the show. He felt that had been responsible for poor attendances and called for understanding and even tolerance in the circumstances.

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

Jardim cancels test period promised to successor. At the last political meeting at Quinta Vigia, Alberto João Jardim changed the deadline so the new leader will now be announced at the Easter 2011 congress. For a long time, he has guaranteed his successor will be chosen in 2010 and have a year to prepare for the October 2011 regional elections. He will resign during the summer, leaving the new leader two months to prepare, which is considered not enough time.  Another scenario is that Jardim will stay on but this seems unlikely after his recent speeches.

Recording failure requires new statements. A public complaint has been made against the Police Commissioner Roberto Fernandes. In 2004, when he was sub-commissioner at Câmara de Lobos, a traffic accident occurred involving one of his family. There were discrepancies over times, dates and alcohol test results, which were investigated after an anonymous letter. He was investigated for abuse of power, falsification, denial of justice and malfeasance. He was then promoted to Commissioner of the Police of Funchal. For his defence, he submitted audio recordings of the witnesses statements but the judicial authorities now realize these are inaudible, so if the case goes to trial, new statements will be needed.

Vandalism – revenge attacks. On farmland in Campanário, vandals have destroyed banana plants. Some had been deliberately cut, sometimes only the bunches targeted. This act occurred during the first week of this year and was only discovered last weekend by the owner. The land owner has no doubts as to the perpetrator as he has been previously threatened by the owner of neighbouring land. It is not the first time this has happened and this time, he has reported the case to the police. It is bad enough with some of the crop destroyed by the bad weather.

Increases in illegal limpet harvesting, amongst other crimes. Statistics of crimes detected last year by the GNR (National Republic Guard – part of the police force). Increased limpet harvesting was due to bad weather and fewer preventive measures. In 2009, 26 illegal harvesting of limpets were detected by the GNR and Service for Protection of Nature (SEPNA). The maximum catch permissible is 2 kg/day/person. 16 offences occurred in Garajau Reserve and one in Rocha do Navio Reserve (Santana). 10 cases of caça submarina (underwater spear fishing) but no instances of using explosives. 5 cases of illegal sport fishing. 747.45 kilos of fish were seized, worth 4.067,22 euros. Other offences detected were mainly: 458 tax offences, 657 breaches of the Highway Code, 7 cases of illegal gambling and 5 breaches of the street trading laws. Both at Santo da Serra and Funchal, counterfeit goods were confiscated, worth 14,960.30 euros – clothing, CDs, DVDs. The GNR consists of 194 individuals and now have a new commander. There are also 28 officers based at Caniçal (commercial port), 20 at the airport and 15 at Porto Santo. They have maritime powers, up to a range of 12 miles. — A quick calculation, overall crime has decreased.

Flights from Moscow bring more to the region. The five weekly flights from Lisbon to Moscow have had a good occupancy rate, a service that began last June. Several Russian travel agents now have packages to Madeira especially with the ease of flying between Lisbon and Madeira. 50% of the Russians arriving in Lisbon come to Madeira and the rest either stay in the Portuguese capital or go to the Algarve.

SATA confirms flight to Faro. SATA will have two weekly flights between Madeira and Faro in the Algarve in the coming summer season, using the new Q400 NextGen aircraft which have 80 seats. At present, passengers must go to Lisbon and this discourages holidaymakers. In future, these new aircraft will be used on the Madeira – Ponta Delgada link and in summer, for the Canary Islands and the Algarve. The increased number of passengers carried over the last quarter was not enough to counteract the global economic crisis in which SATA Internacional had 1.5% fewer passengers than 2008.

Regional Government allow GESBA to borrow 7 million. The public owned management company of the banana sector, GESBA,  has authorization from the Regional Government to obtain a banking loan of 7 million euros. This is to pay the liabilities of two cooperatives. These cooperatives have severe financial problems despite the strong community support they have received over several years. There is a history of guarantees at high cost to the government as the banana business cannot exist without public subsidies.

Jardim accuses Teixeira dos Santos of using the review of the Finance Law for tax rises. Alberto Jardim today accused the Minister of Finance of using the fair review of the Regional Finance Law as a pretext to threaten the Portuguese with tax rises. The review, according to Jardim, seeks only to restore justice under the law legislated by the Gutterres Government/Sousa Franco. The socialist government has for political purposes destroyed a law that was agreed by the Socialist Party itself.  José Sócrates said, "The Government of the Republic will not give more money to the Government of Madeira and the PS does not accept the Law on Regional Finances defended by PSD-M." The changes introduced by his government were "fair". This was in reply to the national PSD leader, Manuela Ferreira Leite accusing the Government of the Republic of pursuing a discriminatory policy in relation to Madeira for political revenge. Guilherma Silva, a PSD member of the Assembly of the Republic said, "The money is not for the Portuguese Government, it is for the Portuguese."

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

Today’s main news headline : Sócrates says "enough!" – "Enough! With this government my lady deputy cannot count on the alteration of the Regional Finance law and giving more money to Madeira". The warning of [Prime Minister] Sócrates to Manuela Ferreira Leite [leader of the Social Democrat Party] was given yesterday in São Bento. It’s bad news for Jardim and is even surprising to the politicians in his own Socialist Party. Already one is talking about new national elections. I was thinking this the other day, that the Socialists without an overall majority in the Lisbon Parliament, are finding it a real struggle to govern either with or without the support of the opposition parties. It was always going to be a tall order, and of course as always the politics and monkey business take priority over the needs of a floundering economy and it’s people. Even with another election, I don’t see how it will necessarily resolve matters, and if it is still possible then the PS should first look again at the possibility of a coalition.  Uncle Bertie will be hopping mad no doubt, and after Marítimo get thumped by Benfica tomorrow, it will be a weekend he would rather forget.

Horários do Funchal opts for the ecology but changes don’t please  – The issue is in the West zone : the [bus] passengers are obliged to flow onto the Estrada Monumental.

Accidents force the stopping of dumping – Only after 5 accidents in the area muddied due to the movement of mud laden lorries, in São Vicente, the Regional Government suspends the clean up operation. The 5 road accidents occurred in the space of just 3 days, with one person receiving facial injuries, and the Regional Secretary, responsible for the big mud clean up after recent storms, has given the order to suspend the clean up works in the area of Paço da Areia. The accidents have been happening where cars are skidding out of control near to the mud dumping site at the coast (in the sea).

Rock fall in Madalena flattens banana crop.

‘City Council of Culture’ remains for Santa Cruz.

The main sport / football headlines today : 5 thousand places in the ‘Cauldron’ sold out in the last 4 days – Mitchell can’t count on Marcinho for the coming of Benfica. How on earth Marítimo’s stadium ever got the nickname of the ‘Cauldron’ is still one of life’s great mysteries for me. You would be lucky to see two men and a dog there during some games.

Nacional fight for fourth place in Alvalade today.  That’s the home of Sporting in Lisbon of course. G’luck!

A sea of colour. The first mention I have seen this year I think of next months Carnival. The article mentions an organisation that is preparing it’s piece for the parade (Cortejo) on 13th February, that has the theme ‘Fantasias de Ninfa’ [Nymph] which sounds intriguing. Preparation for some of the participants started in last October.

and just a few more snippets to finish up …

This is a nice blog, and account of somebody’s visit here, with lots of photos. A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY

Biggest IT retailer expanding to Africa, Madeira and Azores (from Portugal News Online). Chip7, Portugal’s largest computer retail chain, is expanding its business this year to Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde in Africa and Portugal’s autonomous regions of Madeira and the Azores, the company’s founder said. Miguel Monteiro, also Chip7’s majority shareholder, told Lusa he expected to conclude master franchise contracts in the three African Lusophone states and the two Portuguese Atlantic archipelago by the end of this year. Good news for us computer buffs!

Hundreds of different locations from north to south of mainland Portugal, Madeira and the Azores, have been nominated as candidates to become one of Portugal’s ‘Seven Natural Wonders’. The official list of places that can be voted upon was made public last Thursday in Lisbon. Organisers of the project New 7 Wonders of Portugal, have dodged giving the specific number of valid applications, but confirmed the number was in “the hundreds”. MORE

Have a great weekend!

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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 Becky … 2010 New Year fireworks from Rua do Lazareto in Funchal. That’s definitely the last of the fireworks now.

I quite liked this 10 minute video, with some really good singers from ‘Funchal a Cantar 09′ – Santo António. At first I thought it was from 2008, but at the back of the stage, behind the singer, it looks like someone has stuck a number ’9′ on top of the previous number.

"The enchanting Portuguese archipelago of Madeira is a tiny verdant gem suspended in a sea of brilliant blue. Walking holidays in Madeira can take you from lush walks through sub-tropical vegetation to open ridges approaching 2000m with views seemingly to the ends of the earth". Walking the Levadas of Madeira

‘That’s pretty, but what the hell is it’, I hear you ask. "Vortex streets emerge when the right wind and cloud formation encounters the right kind of obstacle. Theodore von Kármán, a fluid dynamicist, observed and documented this phenomenon. Swirling rings sequence along a street-like corridor trail beyond the obstacle. Each ring stems from an air pockets are released in a series of vortices alternating parallel to wind direction. This condition can happen at any scale if the proportion of energies and obstacles is present". This picture from 2002 shows the area South East of Madeira, and the effect of the landmass on cloud formations. Thanks to InfraNet Lab for the pic / info.

This is very politically incorrect and I prohibit you from clicking on this link How some people can sleep at night I just don’t know!

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

Living under threat.  Dorita Escorcio and her father were driving near the Cruzinhas viewpoint in Faial when a gust of wind dislodged a large eucalyptus branch. It pierced the roof and windscreen of their car and landed in between the seats, near the gear lever. Ironically, it was another branch lying in the road that prevented injury to either of them. They were driving in the middle of the road to circumnavigate this branch when the eucalyptus branch fell on top of their car and it would have hit one of them. She is hoping that the government will partly pay for repairs to her car. There are many instances of storm damage in both the parishes of Faial and Sao Roque do Faial, for example two large landslides in Fajã do Cedro Gordo still mark the landscape. About 30 families live in this area which is known for its instability. Nearby, due to a large landslide, a road has been closed for nine months, to the inconvenience of residents who have to make long detours.

Storm raized a pear plantation. Heartbroken, angry, indignant, revolted and disgusted. These are the five adjectives used to describe the mood of  Albino Teixeira Francisco who lives in São Vicente. He has suffered heavy losses on his land in Burras, the last time at the end of December. A break in the structure of the Levada de Norte led to the water flooding and destroying almost all his plantation of organic Pear trees. This happened three years previously and despite letters to the Electricity Company, no measures were taken. He insists the levada walls are too old to resist the pressure of water formed during periods of heavy rain. His land lies at an altitude of 10,000 metres in the Laurissilva Forest which is littered with branches blown down by the stormy weather and these were dragged down onto his land by the overflowing water. He wants an official assessment of the cost of the damage but will not be compensated for the delay which affects the plantation.

Operation Christmas led to 67 arrests. Results of the increased policing operation from 8 December to January 9. Most offences related to driving, 36 due to driving under the influence of alcohol and 10 for driving without a licence. The police stopped a total of 2,984 vehicles during the operation and most offences occurred during the first period from 8 December to 27 December. During Operation Christmas, the police seized 10,960 doses of illegal drugs, mainly heroin (10,845). They also confiscated two guns and three knives.

Lisbon orders a retrial for murder. The Court of Appeal in Lisbon has ordered a retrial of a Madeiran who was accused in Venezuela of murdering a 33 year old Venezuelan man by dousing him with petrol then setting him alight in 1994. The accused was prosecuted in Venezuela and acquitted. He then returned to his native Funchal but the Venezuelan press still pursued the case. A retrial was ordered in Venezuela but the defendant used his right to be tried in Portugal. His case was heard at the Court of Santa Cruz and he was acquitted in 2009. The Appeal Court in Lisbon has now ordered a retrial. The defendant was the manager of a petrol filling station and the victim was employed to wash windscreens and help motorists. The man was asked to leave by the management after complaints by customers and the two exchanged ‘mangueiradas’ (hosepipes) of petrol. The victim then left the petrol pump area and lit a cigarette when he caught fire and died days later in hospital. The family of the victim also sued for 325,835.28 Euros. The family presented four new witnesses to the Appeal Court and because of their evidence an appeal was ordered. The defendant challenged the admission of new witnesses, that this did not comply with procedural deadlines but it was ruled that their evidence was admissible in court.

Bad weather again undermines the Night Market. After the bad weather ruined the Noite de Mercado in Estreito on Christmas Eve, yesterday a second version was attempted, the Cantar as Janeiras (Night Songs – sung at New Year). Just a few hundred people braved the harsh weather conditions with uninterrupted rain ruining the outside stalls although nearby bars were crowded. The interior of the Municipal Market of Câmara de Lobos was still festive and colourful with traditional musical entertainment. The entertainment was well attended (photo) but the fruit and vegetable stall holders lamented the poor sales.

Construction defects complaints soar. Weaknesses in the construction of buildings has brought in three years (2007 – 2009), 1,200 people to the Defesa do Consumidor. Cracked walls and lifting tiles are the most common examples of problems found in new apartments. Many builders eventually evade liability. The guarantee period is 5 years and people are advised to send a registered letter to the seller, identifying the defects. Usually an agreement is reached and the repair work carried out. If not, then people can go to the Serviço de Defesa do Consumidor desk at the Loja do Cidadão in Funchal. Their Legal Office tries to resolve the issue by mediation before any legal proceedings. They often have to return to court to enforce a judicial ruling. In one case in Caniço, after a three year legal dispute the firm declared insolvency. After declaring bankruptcy, some companies reappear in business under a different name. Cracks are normal in buildings but several apartments in Edificio Panoram in Funchal, built by Manuel de Abreu & Slilva, have serious defects which were reported in the warranty period but are still not repaired. A worse situation is Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Caniço (photo) which was inaugurated by Jardim in 2003. There are serious flaws (e.g. gas and water supplies too close together) and after lengthy arguing (Funchal Council accused Santa Cruz Council of not inspecting the building properly), one million Euros of work should begin this month.   —- I hope the repair work at Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Cancela is completed as the building already looks shabby for a relatively new building. There is an apartment block opposite Caniço Health Centre which looks in a worse condition – I wonder if that is the one where the builder has declared insolvency. The recent weather is certainly finding the ‘quick to build/profit’ faults, roofs and basement garages are the worst areas. (Like many others, I could rant about residents not paying condominium fees).

Contingency plan to save infrastructure from the sea. A CDU councillor urges Funchal Municipal Council to establish a contingency plan to safeguard swimming complexes from sea damage. This would minimize damage and possibly reduce costs to Frente Mar and the Council. The annual cost of repairing damage to the swimming complex at Ponto Gorda is 160,000 Euros. CDU councillors have alerted the Government to the existence of tourist facilities that are exposed to geological hazards, for example at risk form mudslides and landslides. This has been highlighted recently in Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro.

Campanário welcomes Fatima. The Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is now at the Parish Church of Campanário. There was a large number of people participating in the procession before the religious ceremony, as shown in the video.

It rains outside and inside. The Centro Comercial Olimpo in Avenida do Infante has a glass ceiling which is causing concern to traders as it leaks when it rains. The rubber seals in between the glass frames have perished due to lack of maintenance. The shop owners are particularly worried about water seeping into electrical connections and affecting places such as the elevator. They are concerned about implications for their businesses and have alerted the condominium owners to the problems.

Santo Amaro celebrations in Santa Cruz. More details of activities for the Festas de Santo Amaro, the patron saint of Santa Cruz. On Wednesday at 18.30, opening of a painting exhibition and ethnographic fair. Thursday, procession between Capela de Santo Amaro and the Igreja Matriz for the Eucharist. Entertainment by the Grupo de Folclore da Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz (22.30), Grupo Musical Reis Magos (23.15) and karaoke from 23.30. Friday 15 January, Municipal Band of Santa Cruz at 13.00 followed by a solemn Eucharist. Later, entertainment by Sol Nascente and Encontros da Eira. Saturday, Vozes de Santa Cruz competition at 22.00. Sunday at 16.00, folclore and romarias for the Grande Premio de Santa Amaro and Romarias Antigas do Rochao from 20.00.

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

… and what a lot there are!

Battle against the insects is lost – Mosquitoes and ants resist the cold and the insecticides. Even cockroaches have become more resistant to the cold, as over the last few years new species of insects have appeared on Madeira, and are proving very difficult to control. "The battle against the insects is a battle lost" says the boss of the company called ‘Extermínio’, that has 18 years experience in the control and eradication of plagues. The most famous of the invaders is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, but there are others he continues. There are people now complaining about ant infestations, even in places where there is no food source apparent, and even in cold places, like refrigerators. António Sales Caldeira says that infestations are becoming ever more common, doubling year on year the call outs for help to control the problems in hotels and other businesses, and in private households also.  Of particular problem is the little ‘Pharaoh Ant’ that arrived on Madeira in the 1990′s, adapting very well to our conditions, breeding like rabbits, and seemingly needing very little  resources in order to flourish. Another type is the ‘Argentinean Ant’ that likes to nest near food and water, and is quite territorial and will expel other species. Another type is the ‘Crazy Ant’ that is small, dark, and wanders around quickly in circles. Other ant species, the more native sorts, seem to be disappearing as the new more dominant species take over, and Sr. Exterminator says that of all the insects the ants are the hardest to control. Apparently even ‘bed bugs’ have now found their way to Madeira, enjoying our warm dry climate, and they are active at night and feed on blood, mainly from the area around the neck. They are very difficult to eradicate says our expert, adding that in the case of an infestation, the only solution involves throwing out the old mattress and buying a new one, as well as professional help that will last 4 to 5 days per bedroom.

Junta (Council) of Gaula pay the presidents default – Élvio Sousa arranges payment of €5 thousand in his favour.

CDS takes to the Ministry [the issue of] delays in the scholarships of UMa [Madeira University].

Government returns to freezing funding.

Today’s main news headline : Environmental inspections double – The inspection increased in the last 4 years. Only in 2009 there were nearly 400 done, the majority about the waste from construction.

The authorised landfills have withstood the recent rains.

Dumping of inerts [mud, stones, etc.] increase along the roadsides.

The sport / football headline today : Madeiran coach is ‘Winter Champion’ – Beira-Mar of Leonardo Jardim finished the first half of the season with leadership of the second division. The coach is already thinking about how to keep the position until the end [of the season], but he knows it is going to get tougher.

I can’t get into the pages of the Diário (beyond the headline page at least), as I guess they are having some technical problems, so I had to get the news story about the  insects from netmadeira instead, but the only one I could find is the insect one, except the extra one below.

Easyjet tariffs have been slashed by 25% in a sale that ends tomorrow. The discount is applicable for travel between 3rd February and 14th July. 22 million seats are available, and the discount applies for flights between Madeira and Lisbon, and Madeira and UK airports.

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 Elaine (West) … The last of the New Year 2010 fireworks photos I was sent, again of course from Funchal

“Cable TV reached 4.3 million households across the country’s major operators at the end of September 2009, representing an increase of 22,000 on the quarter and 93,000 more year-on-year. The increases could be attributed to expansion of the ZON network in Lisbon and the North. ZON also boasted the largest number of subscription TV subscribers, though at 66.6% this is 1.8pp less than in the previous quarter. The medium is prominent in Madeira, Lisbon, the North and the Algarve. DTH presented some 26%, its heartlands being the Alentejo and the centre of the country”. SUBSCRIPTION TV IN PORTUGAL

“Mr and Mrs Kennett’s cruise left Portsmouth on December 22. They flew home from Madeira on January 1. The ship was due to return to Portsmouth today but instead came back yesterday to be deep cleaned. This is not the first time there has been a norovirus outbreak on the ship. There have in fact been cases on the last three Boudicca cruises”. A pretty unpleasant tale, showing that not everyone who was here for the new year 2010 firework display had such a good time. £3,500 DOWN THE DRAIN

Email spam seems to be on the increase again, but not nearly as bad as it was a couple of years ago, until a spamming organisation was closed down. A quick glance through the spam folder this morning, as I feel compelled to do (just in case …), a mail from Felicity Swell was offering me another 4 inches. I didn’t bother to open the email, as I am not a short person by any means, and anyway I can’t afford to buy all new clothes.

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

Porto Santo left with no links  Porto Santo yesterday had no travel connections with Madeira, between the ferry not sailing due to a rest day and the SATA aircraft malfunctioning. A spare part was to be flown from Ponta Delgada in time for the evening flight but dense fog at the airport in the Azores hampered the flight. Porto Santo was left without the daily newspapers and other publications as they are usually flown in. This aircraft also flies between Madeira and the Canary Islands. This failure affected 47 passengers to Porto Santo and 70 to the Canaries. In the past 20 days, the Lobo Marinho ferry has only made half of the 16 scheduled trips. Normally, there are an average of three to four cancellations per year and the difficulties this winter have been due to strong winds hampering docking at Porto Santo. Sometimes the island lacked essential fresh produce and fewer tourists were transported, so considerable damage has been done to the company and to Porto Santo. Both air and maritime links were re-established today. The Lobo Marinho requires annual maintenance work between 12 – 30 January and passengers will be transported by plane, a maximum of 50 residents per day. The work will be carried out locally at Caniçal. In addition, a cargo ship has been chartered weekly.

Tourism awards ‘ambassadors’ The Regional Secretary of Tourism and Transport said yesterday that tourists visiting the archipelago more than once, regularly returning to holiday in the Autonomous Region are true ambassadors of Madeira. She said the Government should reward this preference of tourists, because no one returns to a place where they do not feel good. They are important free advertising and promotion of Madeira as a tourist destination and this has a multiplying effect on family and friends who might one day visit. The Secretary awarded the Finnish couple Erkki Rask and Aino Naltonen with a certificate for their 25th visit.

New AIDA cruise liner named The AIDAsol and another ship are under construction, the latter with a completion date of 2012. The new AIDAblu will enter service this February and its first call at Madeira is on September 9 2010, replacing the weekly AIDAluna. The newly named AIDAsol should join the fleet in April 2011. This ship will replace the AIDAblu for the Canary Islands / Madeira cruise during the winter season; its inaugural visit to Madeira is on September 11 2011. AIDA Cruises carried 414,000 passengers in 2009 and the revenue totalled 720 million Euros. The firm is a German subsidy of the Carnival group. —According to Wikipedia, the old AIDAblu will be transferred to the Ocean Village cruise company and renamed Ocean Village Two.

New Year’s Eve was good for the hospitality sector The Portuguese tourists contributed to the success of the hotels in Madeira during the celebrations of New Year’s Eve. No official figures yet so Diário reporters asked the major hotel groups for feedback. They were often surprised by the occupation rates and income despite the economic downturn. Only flight delays due to bad weather prevented some hotels from being fully booked because some Portuguese travellers cancelled as they had only booked for four nights. Porto Bay Group’s five hotels were 97.8% full, similar to last year. The Pestana Group owns nine hotels in Madeira and their occupancy rate and revenue improved this year. The eight hotels in Funchal were fully booked between 28 December and 1 January and events and entertainments were sold out. Between 29 – 31 December, the restaurant at the Casino averaged 400 meals a night, the Casino Park served 600 dinners on New Year’s Eve and the Copacabana nightclub was full until dawn. The five-star hotels, Reid’s Hotel and the Royal Savoy had lower occupancy rates during Christmas and New Year compared to last year. Reid’s had 5% lower occupancy rate (95% during the last 3 days of the year) but revenue increased at the restaurants and bars. The Royal Savoy achieved 12% less than last year’s revenue with some cancellations due to flight delays. More than half of Tivoli Madeira customers were Portuguese and the higher than normal occupancy rate was 96.2%. The Vine, the new five star hotel in Funchal was full with rates appropriate to the quality of accommodation and service. The gourmet restaurant – Uva – was fully booked and the bars well attended. The Four Views Group had all four hotels full from 28 December – 1 January, mainly Portuguese clientele and they served 1,300 dinners on New Year’s Eve. The other five star hotels, the Melia Madeira Mare was 100% full only on New Year’s Eve with 43% average occupancy rate during 2009; the Choupana Hills had a slight fall in revenue.

Caminho da Gloria transformed into a stream  Access to the Capela da Gloria in Campanário is in a pitiful state and will not be repaired until 2011. The path has cracks in the asphalt and is often flooded by the stream next to it. The Capela da Nossa Senhora da Gloria is located on the edge of an escarpment overlooking the sea. The access path was built in the 1990s and is also affected by water from a pipe placed underneath an overpass over a main road, which is not wide enough and often becomes blocked and overflows onto higher nearby land and the water flows downwards onto the path. The Mayor of Ribeira Brava said that he is aware that intervention is needed but will wait until a new road has been built nearby connecting Porto da Ribeira and Pedra de Nossa Senhora. When this has been completed next year, the path will be repaired and retaining walls built.

Breakdown in the Teleferico das Achadas Cable car access to farm land near the coast at Achadas da Cruz is suspended again due to mechanical breakdown and spare parts have to be sent from Austria. The former mayor of Porto Moniz, Gabriel Farinha had said that the cable car is a ‘bottomless pit’ and costs around 100,000 Euros a year for maintenance. Analyzing the costs, he asked the Government to build a road from the town of Porto Moniz. Initially, the Executive agreed and it was included in the 2007/2011 Government program but Jardim withdrew the action on his last visit to the area because he did not think it was cost-effective. Farmers have difficultly accessing their land as the upward path takes 45 minutes to ascend. Actually, rumour has it that the road project was withdrawn because the locals didn’t vote in the PSD in the local elections. Der

Contradictory evacuation It is a mystery the way in which a Madeira Natural Park warden was evacuated from the Desertas Islands on 29 December. The Associations of Wardens of Nature of Madeira said a request for help was sent to the Portuguese Air Force but they said they did not receive a formal request. The Association also said the Merlin flew over the Desertas on the 29 December but the Air Force said there was no missions between 19 and 29 December. The warden’s health deteriorated on the 28 December and a doctor was consulted over the phone. The Association informed Funchal Harbour / Navy that day but the Schults Xavier ship was unable to approach the island due to 5 – 6 metres waves. The only way off the island was by air but the case was not classified as a medical emergency by the Air Force. The Office of the National Park of Madeira paid for the civilian helicopter Helibravo to evacuate the ill warden, which it managed despite the poor weather conditions. The Emergency Department at the Hospital of Funchal said the man had needed treatment for drainage of his abscesses. The Association cannot understand why the Merlin was not deployed as it is used for life saving missions and it was scheduled to fly over the Desertas Island at that time.

Funchal should increase the budget due to damage The Deputy Mayor of Funchal, Bruno Pereira, admitted that the budget for the swimming facilities would have to be increased after damage by bad weather, especially at Barreirinha. Work cannot be begun until spring (March / April) when the bad weather has definitely ended, so the complex should reopen in June / July. At present, the budget for the swimming complexes is 250,000 Euros. There is structural damage at Barreirinha to the concrete platform, solarium and pool area and minor damage to doors, access road, staircase and electricity supply. The Lido and Ponta Gorda also need repair work as well as the gardens at Ponta Gorda. In addition, Funchal Council rehoused a family from Lajinhas in Monte after access was blocked and the council wanted to rehouse two families in Romeiras, also due to a wall falling, which threatened their houses but they refused to move out. In Ribeira Canavial a family went to live with relatives after an escarpment threatened their home.

7,000 Euros stolen bike returned Four people aged between 17 and 20 were arrested on suspicion of theft in São Martinho. Three had scaled a wall to steal a racing bike from an annexe and had dismantled it to sell the parts. The other young man arrested in São Martinho was an 18 year old who was in possession of 1,100 Euros of tools used in construction work.

— I checked with Jornal da Madeira to confirm the (high) price of the bike. 

and a later bonus from Elaine from the Jornal da Madeira :

520 kg Bolo Rei “filled” Praça do Município. For the fifth consecutive year, Funchal City Council presented the population with a Bolo Rei Gigante, an initiative that yesterday afternoon attracted many hundreds of people to the Praça do Município. The cake weighed 520 kg and measured 160 metres in length. The weather helped, allowing the eve of Dia de Reis to be a joyful event.

Many hundreds of people gathered yesterday in the Praça do Município to anticipate the celebration of the Dia de Reis (yesterday, January 6), through an initiative of the City Council of Funchal that once again offered a Bolo Rei Gigante with great conviviality. “The ‘Kings’ are with us!” said the Mayor of Funchal, greeting the groups of singers who wore the costume of the season. At the door of the City Hall, one of the formations responsible for the animation, the group of “Kings” from the Casa do Povo de São Martinho (Funchal) sang a few songs alluding to the season and were accompanied by the mayor, councillors and other residents. After the singing, Miguel Albuquerque praised the grandeur of the Bolo Rei and invited all present to taste. “We have here in the Praça do Município, 520 kilos of cake which is of 160 metres in length. I think this has a place in Guinness,” he revealed. In a joyful scene, Miguel Albuquerque thanked the fact that São Pedro had helped the party. The mayor used the occasion to wish “a good year to all Madeirans.” The Bolo Rei was made with 250 kg of flour, 40 kg of butter, 35 kg of sugar, 800 eggs, 60 kg of dried fruit, 130 pieces of crystallized fruit, 90 kg of sultanas, rum, Madeira Wine and egg strands.

Confectionery loaded with symbolism – You cannot talk about the typical sweets of the Christmas season without mentioning the famous Bolo Rei with its distinctive crown, crystallized peel, dried fruit, nuts (almonds, walnuts and pine nuts) and the beans. This cake is loaded with symbolism, one can simply say that this cake represents the offerings by the Magi to the Menino Jesus. The côdea (the outer part) symbolizes the gold, the dried fruit and crystallized peel represent the myrrh, and finally the frankincense is represented by the aroma of the cake. An explanation for the existence of the bean inside the Bolo Rei is linked to a legend; that when the Magi saw the Star of Bethlehem which announced the birth of Christ, they disagreed about who had the right to deliver to the Menino the presents they carried. As they could not reach an agreement, a baker, to end the discussion, proposed to make a cake with a bean inside the dough then each of the three Magi from the Orient would take a slice, the one who had the good fortune to take the piece containing the bean won the right to deliver the presents to Jesus. It is not known who had the winning slice, it could have been any one of the three, Baltasar, Belchior or Gaspar. Of course this is only a legend, the Bolo Rei is actually of French origin. The Bolo Rei recipe is known around the world, much of the fame that the cake has gained is due to the prosperity given to the person who eats the slice that possesses the bean. However, tradition dictates that whoever receives the slice with the bean must provide the Bolo Rei next year.

This article is from Vanessa Swesnik … many thanks.

TAP denies discrimination against pregnant employees. The Portuguese airline, TAP, denied discriminating against pregnant workers in the distribution of performance-based bonuses, stating that in 2007, 37 of these payments were awarded to women on maternity leave that were absent for no longer than 6 months.

TAP’s terms and conditions stipulate that employees “who have had absenteeism or suspension of work for an accumulated duration equal to or more than 5 months” are excluded from receiving the bonuses.

The newspaper, “I”, published today that the Portuguese airline operator failed to pay performance-based bonuses to 10 workers who were on maternity leave in 2007. This decision has been classified as “discrimination” by the Commission on Equality, but was granted approval by the Prime Minster’s Cabinet.

“The business argued that because the 10 employees were absent, they did not meet the minimum criteria for work days to earn the bonuses; justifying the decision as in accordance with the company’s terms and conditions. However, a report from the Commission of Equality in the Workplace (Comissão para a Igualdade no Trabalho e Emprego- CITE) labelled the decision as discrimination,” reports the newspaper, “I”.

In a statement released to the press today, TAP clarified that “the conditions for rewarding the bonuses, which are of exclusive responsibility to TAP, respected all applicable legal and contractual provisions.”

On the other hand the company also writes, “no initiatives were taken against pregnant workers,” highlighting the fact that, “all [pregnant workers] that were of service for the specified duration received the bonus in question.”

When questioned by Lusa, the spokesperson for the airline company specified that 37 women on maternity leave earned the performance-based bonus in 2007, but their absence from work did not surpass the 5 months allowed for in the terms and conditions. This year another 10 pregnant workers did not receive the bonus because they surpassed the limit.

The newspaper, “I”, that also heard from many constitutionalists on the issue, wrote that TAP’s decision also violated the Brussels agreement which stipulates that the exclusion of protected periods of time of a mother from the amount of work time needed to receive a retroactively remunerated payment would constitute work discrimination of the female sex.

The constitutionalists are divided on the legitimacy of the measure. SOURCE : DN ECONOMIA

I have left the exact paragraphing for Vanessa’s article and included the source, because Vanessa translates the complete articles, word for word, but of course in her own style. For those trying to learn Portuguese this may be a useful learning aid. Der

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

Demolition of the Savoy Hotel has already begun – The works are going to take 10 months. The new hotel opens with 420 rooms at the end of 2012. Like we didn’t already know, as we had a photo sent in before Xmas of the sign being taken down. So, is anyone brave enough to book now a holiday for Xmas 2012 / new year 2013, staying at the new Savoy Hotel. No I didn’t think so. I reckon if it’s ready by the end of 2013 it will be a miracle.

Today’s main news headline : 1,183 waiting for the student support grants – Withdrawal from the University is the path followed by some of the approximately 1,400 students who applied for financial support to take their courses.  Because until now, only 200 were awarded. Students who registered in Madeira University last June, to start in September 2009, are not being processed fast enough in terms of state financial support according to a spokesman at the University. He says that “there are hundreds of people making an effort to enable students to continue their further education”, and now students are having to leave as families reach their limits in providing financial support.  He says that there have always been delays in providing ‘grants’, but that this year has been a “failure” because of a new system for approving applications, which was actually introduced to simplify and speed up the process. Only 222 out of 1405 applications have actually been awarded their scholarships so far. That is an absolute disgrace! Students who have chosen to continue their education in this time of high unemployment should be given every encouragement, but instead, those in families of limited means are being penalised. And that will probably punish those wanting to take such an important step, quite possibly for the rest of their lives.

Most of today’s front page is taken up with a close up of João Carlos Gouveia, almost ex-leader of the PS Socialists of Madeira : Gouveia on his way out turns into a loose cannon – The day before the PS-M starts to choose a new leader, João Carlos Gouveia has assumed that he lost. And he blames others. Above all, the “two Trojan horses” who resigned and who helped the PND. Other complaints in an interview with the Diário : “It is certain that the MP will make a charge against Dr. Jaime Leandro”; “One obstacle to the strengthening of the PS of Madeira is the PS at national level”; “I have been requested by the Government to give benefits and favours, which I refused”; “90% of the PS representatives want to be in the vice-presidency of the Madeira Legislative Assembly”. Phew, that was a tough one to get through! There is no way today’s party leader Gouveia will get re-elected, and there was not much chance anyway before he gave this interview. What a waste of space he has been for the last two years, and a pretty pathetic opposition leader to a government that tramples on everybody. Lets hope a new leader can pull something together that can at least deserve the tag of ‘opposition’, even if it can’t knock Jardim and the PSD of of their perch.

State owes €1 million for the library of Câmara de Lobos.

The top sport / football headline today : Synthetic [pitch] of União passes from €2.415 to €1.818 million – Bank changes the terms and ‘forces’ the Regional Government to save €579 thousand in interest charges. The new football field in the complex of C.F. União, in Vale Paraíso in Camacha, has to face cutbacks, even though the contract was finalised. The original contract had a period of grace of four years to make payments,  with the last possible payment being made within 15 years, but now the capital repayments and interest will have to start being cleared starting this year, effectively saving the Madeira government €579 in interest payments. Other changes are also imposed. Apparently the complex of União already has two pitches, although no specifics are given, so why our cash-strapped government is putting it’s name to new contracts is beyond me. Beside that, the government has spent years equipping Madeira with new sports complexes and facilities, apparently all vastly underused. But what amazes me is that the government here has any credibility, or even credit, left with the lending institutions. Not a week goes by and we read some news story about the failure to pay suppliers, contracts, and clubs and social institutions etc., and there is no doubt that the money supply here in the public coffers is very tight. If I was a money lender, I would have scrubbed the GR off my list long ago. Not to mention the new hospital that we need so urgently.

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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