Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Pete … "Taken 21st February".

Many thanks to Becky for sending in this web snippet and video :

"A St Davids artist based in Madeira has described the devastating scenes that forced him to flee his home." – an interesting response to this article has been added by someone from Paul do Mar. From the UK Western Telegraph  HERE

I can’t imagine who would have written that response (joking), but talk about an gross exaggeration  on the whole situation from those interviewed, especially on the rain situation generally. Der

Postais Antigos da Madeira – postcards from MADEIRA ISLAND & FUNCHAL PORTUGAL

Thanks to Pete for these : Clean up Portugal campaign | Programme 1 | Programme 2

Thanks to Paul for this one.

Know the ‘Madeiran Fortalezas’

image caption:São Tiago fortress in Funchal, Madeira

Fortaleza de São Tiago, Funchal, Madeira. The Fortress of St James was built between 1614 and 1637 in response to the frequent raids on Funchal by pirates. The complex is now a Monument of Regional Interest and is used to further cultural awareness. It includes a contemporary art museum and a restaurant. Read more:       

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

DIÁRIO 22/03/2010

FRONT PAGE NEWS

A quarter of the population live on pensions (social security). 25.9% of the population live on pensions, slightly less than the national average of 26.9%. In January 2010, there were 64,257 pensioners although a person can receive more than one pension (old-age, survivor’s, invalidity). From December 2008 to January 2010, there was an increase of 939 pensioners and the cost increased from 252.2 million Euros to 264 million Euros. Most pensions are for retirement, about 15% of the population or 37,673 Madeirans. The total cost is 13.5 million Euros at an average pension of 360.36 Euros. For survivor’s pension, the numbers are: 7.4% of the population, 18,387 receiving an average of 180.36 Euros, totalling 3.3 million Euros. In the case of disability, there are 8,197 disabled people, 3.3% of the population, at a total cost of 2.9 million Euros or 350.52 Euros per pensioner. The vast majority of pension recipients are women, 43,090: 23,592 retirement, 4,455 disability and 15,133 survivor’s. There were only 3,254 men receiving survivor’s pension, a total of 500,000 Euros compared to 2.8 million Euros paid to women.

Fish, poultry and livestock declined in 2009. In 2009, fish landings decreased by 7%, the auction price per kilo decreased by 8% and the revenue decreased by 14% or 2.3 million Euros. The espada-preta (swordfish) catches suffered the most, 22.4% fewer landings. 3.9% more tuna fish were caught. For cavala and chicharro (mackerel and horse mackerel), the catches increased but the revenue was less due to poor quality, reinforcing the fact that fish stocks are deteriorating each year. Over the past 12 years, 2009 was the worst for fishermen. Livestock production had a poor year reflecting the declining interest in farming. There were 23.5% fewer pigs and 13.3% fewer cattle slaughtered. 9.2% more poultry were raised last year and egg production increased by 1.5%.

MADEIRA

Agriculture scarce. Rain and winds have hampered the growing of vegetables in the region with less variety on sale. ‘Sorteio de Cabazes de Primavera’ started yesterday and runs until May 30th. Over the next 11 Sundays, when 5 Euros worth of regional horticultural products are purchased from the Farmers’ Markets in Santana, Prazeres and Canhas, the purchaser receives a ticket for two raffles for baskets of produce, held on the 25th April and 20th May.

House in danger of falling down the slope. For the past three weeks, landslides and rockfalls have been a daily occurrence in the area of Urbanização da Montanha, in São Gonçalo. A neighbour has alerted Funchal Council about the house in question but the owner cannot be contacted. The fire brigade has visited on three separate occasions but taken no action. The land underneath the balcony and yard has subsided and if this continues, the neighbour is worried that the two-storey house will fall onto the road below.

POLITICS

CDS confirms ‘fiction’ of budgets. The CDS-PP predict an economic recession this year after analysing the Court of Auditors report on the 2008 Regional Budget. 2008 Accounts show a debt of 230 million Euros. 44% of tax revenue (327 million Euros) was absorbed by institutes and autonomous funds. The amount of interest paid for delays in paying suppliers increased by 35% to 23.3 million Euros. The Regional Government continued to support public sector enterprise despite losses of 70 million Euros. The Health Service debt was 431 million Euros. In 2008, the total direct and indirect debt was 1.9 billion Euros. With these debts, the government cannot raise funds to meet its commitments.

Councils postpone projects to alleviate emergencies. A month after the devastating storm, councils are having to rethink their programs of activities. In Ribeira Brava, the damage amounts to 80 million Euros and the planned Emigrant Museum has been postponed. Losses in Calheta, 4 million Euros, result from landslides, cleaning streams and damaged water networks. Savings will be focused on the June summer festivities, hiring artists of lower prestige. In Santana, the council has to find 3.5 million Euros to repair the damages. The slopes were extensively damaged and the auditorium at São Roque do Faial will now be delayed until 2011. The councils have sent reports of losses to the Regional Government but do not know if they will receive any financial support, or the amounts they will receive.

CULTURE

Baltazar Dias reopens on April 10th. The storm caused 500,000 Euros of damage to the Municipal Theatre Baltazar Dias in Funchal. It will reopen for the symbolic Film Festival of Funchal. The Mayor of Funchal arrived at the theatre on the afternoon of February 20th to find waist-deep mud in the audience area. Volunteers, including scouts, cleaned the theatre and there have been changes to improve facilities, for example the red carpet removed to make the acoustics better. The building has been rewired and painted, new alarms systems added and the furniture, floors and doors are nearly completely renovated.

JORNAL DA MADEIRA

REGIONAL

Government will acquire 600 hectares in the west. The Regional Government will acquire, if necessary by compulsory purchase, 600 hectares in the counties of Câmara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava and Ponta do Sol. This is to make a forest that will protect diversity, water resources and the security of people living downstream. The government has just bought 25 plots of land totalling 332 hectares at a cost of 674,000 Euros. Later this year, a start will be made on planting 400,000 trees, finishing in 2011. The investment of 4.3 million Euros is from EU support and the Regional Budget. With this latest acquisition, the government possesses a total of 1,760 hectares of the serras of Funchal and Câmara de Lobos in the project launched in 2001 – ‘Tampão Verde’. Including the Ecological Park, the most strategic land in the serras are in public ownership. In 2003, 50,000 head of cattle were banned and removed from the publicly owned areas to end over-grazing. In the last 15 years, the government has afforested 908 hectares and planted one million and 200,000 trees in the serras. 

São Vicente investing in promoting the Laurissilva forest and county. The Mayor of São Vicente said the council intends to strengthen the investment for the promotion of the county. The Laurissilva forest is to be promoted in order to increase notoriety and visibility at the national level, to enable it to be one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Portugal. The mayor is confident that the forest will win the category Forests and Woods on 11th September. The forest is natural, the oldest in Portugal (Tertiary Period – 20 million years old) and contains 500 different endemic species, an important point as this year is the International Year of Biodiversity. The judges visited the region yesterday as a symbolic gesture and to testify that nature has not been spoilt; that Madeira continues to be a wonderful island to visit.

Porto Santo has a barbusano.  Porto Santo Council and the firm Porto Santo Verde planted yesterday, the World Day of the Forest, a tree in the gardens of Alameda Infante D. Henrique. For the national celebrations of the centenary of the Republic, the national committee challenges the Portuguese councils to plant a tree related to the indigenous forest. The barbusano is a tree belonging to the Laurissilva forest which is extinct in Porto Santo. This tree species is endemic to the Golden Island and it is important to reintroduce the Barbusanos as it adapts well to the island.

CULTURE

‘Funchal, Funchal’ single to be released this week. Luís Jardim wrote and recorded this music to raise funds for the victims of the storm. It will be released on CD-single at the end of this week and all sales revenue goes to the funds for Madeira. It was featured on the SIC fund-raising program ‘Uma Flor para a Madeira’. Luís Jardim is a producer who has worked with respected names in international music and hopes the worldwide Portuguese communities will buy the single. An initial release of 5,000 – 10,000 copies with more produced according to demand. The video clip of this official theme can be seen in full on YouTube

UPDATES

Clocks go forward one hour at 01.00 Sunday. This will mark the beginning of Official Summer Time.

EU approves ‘Cultural Festivals of Madeira’. The EU approves this project for support from community funds until 2013. The four major events covered are: Meeting of Philharmonic Bands in May, Music Festival of Madeira in June, the Festival Atlantic Roots (traditional music) in July and the Organ Festival in October. The Festival of Music will be scaled down from a month to 4 – 13 June.

Diário Question. A month after the tragedy what is still causing concern?

People to relocate 22%

False promises 23%

No plans 28%

Lack of money 16%

Excessive bureaucracy 11%

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

Today’s main news headline : PEC limits debts with public companies – The Programme of Stability and Growth [PEC] threatens to interfere in the public accounts of Madeira. The State is going to squeeze indebtedness.

30 thousand pensioners with pensions below the minimum salary originate petition to the parliaments. Pensioners and retired people are claiming an extra €65, and ARPIRAM have delivered a petition to the Legislative Assembly to stake the claim. I suppose that we will have to get used to the idea that as the State squeezes to re-establish an acceptable deficit in Europe, more and more people will feel the effects, and protests like this will pop up with increasing regularity. Can you imagine the public sector workers carrying on peacefully knowing that their pay is restricted until 2013, and medical staff and teachers here are always in dispute over pay and conditions. The Portuguese are not like the Greeks [yet?] but the squeeze here is going to bite just as hard given time, and I just hope we don’t have to witness here the unrest seen in Greece recently. The ones we won’t see a bad reaction from of course will be those on the minimum wage, in tourism, hotels, shops, bars and restaurants. Any trouble from them and they can be easily replaced. Nothing wrong with peaceful petitions from the pensioners of course, but I guess that won’t be on government priority list until the next elections loom.

Aguiar-Branco proposes more autonomy. The removal of the post of Representative of the Republic [for Madeira] is one of the intentions of the candidate for the leadership of the Social Democrat Party, who expects an interesting vote on Madeira, on Friday. Uncle Bertie also wanted to remove this post I recall, and it was supposed to be a measure included in constitutional reform. What happened after that I have no idea, but maybe this guy will win over UB in the voting, as more autonomy is just what he likes. Can’t wait until Friday when this annoying drawn-out election is over.

"[State] subsidies decrease but guarantees rise" – David Caldeira stresses that the ‘cut’ does not define the big picture. Following on from yesterday’s article that government handouts to public and private organisations have reduced by 57.5%, some financial expert is suggesting that for those organisations affected there is a way forward.

Drug trail judgement in Funchal with 19 suspects – The majority of those involved live in Palmeira, Câmara de Lobos. There are also two Italians to answer charges.

Government has it’s eye on the support – Jardim assures that "tough" measures were taken at the end to avoid exploitation. The Executive is going to present in the Madeira Assembly a proposal of a certificate "that assures that all the entitled beneficiaries don’t stray from the legally established priorities". All about the allocation of the money raised following the storm on the 20th February.

‘Caruncho’ with thematic parties starting from the 26th – Academic camp, cutting ribbons, rock nights, and the prom of the finalists [students] to close on the 10th April. Don’t even ask! I turned to Google translator for help with this one, but it made even less sense. I presume from the photo that this is all about the celebrations of the final year students, and it’s called ‘Semana do Caruncho’ [Woodworm Week].

The main sport / football headline today : The World Cup 2010 is going to decide who is the best – Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo : One of them will be the Best in the World and the decision will take place in South Africa. Rooney? How did he get on that list?

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. 

Sheila sent me this email she received this morning, hoping someone would be able to help : "I received this e-mail and, as time is so short if this poor dog is to be saved, I wondered whether any Blog readers might be able to help. I have notified SPAD and just about everyone else I know, who might be able to help. This is a lot to ask, I know, but as there is no RSPCA in Madeira, I would welcome any and all suggestions from your contributors". Sheila

Original email :  Golden Retriever in extensive distress in Garajau :

"There is a dog in Bloco G or H, in Edificio Quintas I, Estrada do Garajau,  Garajau, Caniço, The dog is in the garden at the end of the block, immediately behind the villa that is at the front of the apartment complex Edificio Quintas 1. It is the second last apartment block in Garajau before going round the valley to Caniço.

No one lives in the apartment where the dog is and it has not been fed for 3 days at least. Our friends have been trying to feed the dog, by throwing in food over the wall, but the dog is not eating it, because it is dehydrated because it does not have any water. They can’t put water over the wall.

We know the owner has been taken to court in the past over the dog and so the case is known, but that was primarily because the dog was barking. Now the dog is suffering from lack of care.   The dog can be seen, by walking up the steps at the side and behind the villa and one can look over the wall down onto the dog. It is a beautiful looking dog, but wont be for long without food or water".

I am not on the island, so I cannot do anything about it. Can you suggest some ways to end this poor dogs suffering?

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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.

(more…)

(6th September). Today’s main news headline : ‘Cattle In Extinction – Of the number of cows that existed on Madeira 20 years ago, only 20% remain’. The article refers to cattle of regional origin, and in 2007 the livestock count was just 2,500. The regional livestock sector is in danger of disappearing due to declining interest in raising livestock, and the new rules imposed by the government and the European Union. Today we can even say that the regional cattle stock moves towards extinction. Proof of this is the drastic reduction of livestock that occurred in the last two decades, which has further worsened in recent years. In 1986 Madeira had over 11,500 cattle, and that has reduced by around 80% since then. According to a managing partner of the largest importer of live cattle in the region, the reduction is mainly linked to the "lack of interest among farmers" and "lack of information" and "bureaucracy surrounding the raising of animals." A situation he stresses that "is getting worse, and the way this is going, in 10 years there will be no cows left. Less significant, but no less disturbing was the reduction in the import of animals for fattening and slaughter. In this particular case, says Manuel Gaston, "there was a drop between 30 to 35% compared to two years ago". The reasons are mostly related to the national and international crisis. "This is more about the economic situation. The civil construction has slowed, there is less work, wages are low and, obviously people opt for other meats like chicken and pork, which have been very cheap", he said. The situation does not just affect cattle, with livestock declining also for pigs, down from 26,500 in 1986 to 13,300 now. The number of sheep has also reduced in that period from 12,996, to 2,699 at the end of 2007, but that statistic is closely linked to the decision by the regional government to remove sheep from the mountains and countryside, which led to many farmers abandoning this activity.

‘More Support – The crisis obliges the Social Security to expand its budgets for the institutes of solidarity’. The Social Security Centre Madeira (CSSM) gave €6.1 million to Private Institutions of Social Solidarity (IPSS) and other non-profit institutions of social support during the first half of 2009. Compared to the same period last year that was €300,000 more, with the number of support organisations increasing from 57 to 58. The biggest beneficiary was the Centro Social e Paroquial de São Bento, which received over €947,000, followed by the Centro Social Paroquial de Santo António with nearly €700,000, the Santa Casa da Misericórdia da Calheta with €512,000, and the Centro Social e Paroquial da Santíssima Trindade da Tabua with €437,000. The president of the Board of CSSM, Bernadette Vieira, said that this increase is a reflection "of investments that have been made in the areas that benefit senior citizens and children", and  stresses, that needs tends to increase, not only due to the emergence of new institutions of support and social solidarity, but also due to some serious social problems arising from the economic crisis.

Most of today’s front page is taken up with a photo of Cristiano Ronaldo with that agonising look he specialises in when he misses a scoring chance : ‘The Cursed Lack Of Aim – Liedson makes his debut with a goal but Portugal didn’t go beyond the draw (1 – 1) in Denmark. Faced with the triumph of Sweden in Hungary, our team fell to 4th place in the group and now has to rely on the others to enable it’s arrival at the World Cup’. It was just one of those games, when Denmark had just one shot on goal and scored, and Portugal had 15 at the last count and scored once. The referee was taking a bit of stick on the TV news this morning too, for not giving a pretty obvious penalty. With 3 games left against Hungary (x 2) and Malta, Portugal now need Sweden to slip up to have any hope of a play-off position.

‘Paul Loses Fishermen – The land of ‘sea captains’ awaits the construction of a fish market and for a civic centre’. Another headline : "Some Work The Land, Others Work The Sea" – Paul do Mar marked by emigration’. With 20 years Carlos Ferreira swapped Paul do Mar for Panama four years ago. Since then he has travelled around several Latin American countries on board tuna fishing vessels. The story of Carlos is no different from most of the inhabitants of Paul do Mar, a neighbourhood marked by emigration where "some work the land, others work the sea", explains Maria Fernandes, who at 64 years has also been an emigrant in South Africa. Australia, Panama, Samoa, Venezuela and England are other destinations for ‘pauleiros’. It is in the sea that the majority seek a living and better conditions in life. "It is very worthwhile," says Carlos Ferreira, who has no regrets having spent so much of his life at sea. "You earn a lot of money," he stresses. But in this "corner of heaven" not everything runs to form. There is still much to be done. The population welcomes the progress in the work on the Civic Centre, but complains about the lack of employment, and the health centre, for failing to offer a permanent service. It looks like the Diário series ‘Through Madeira’ is back. Marked by emigration it may be, but also marked by strewn concrete blocks like much of our coastline I see from the photo.

UPDATES :

‘Five Thousand In Grape Harvest Festival’. An estimated 5,000 people, including many tourists, went to Estreito de Câmara de Lobos yesterday morning to see the 32nd Festa das Vindimas. The Diário observed that the festival goers snubbed the risks of Gripe A swine flu, passing around drinking classes from person to person, a high-risk behaviour. One visitor was dazzled by the party and with the island, saying "It’s very beautiful. I’m really enjoying it. Madeira is beautiful". Herminia Lopez, a Luso-Venezuelan visiting Madeira for the first time praised the festival, "I loved it. It is very interesting". The regional secretary for tourism said that the wine festivals are well consolidated as tourism events, a fact proved by the 75% hotel occupancy, but she still aiming to improve on that. Grape production this year is expected to fall short of that achieved last year, and the harvest is also delayed as a result of weather conditions.
The photo is from Estreito de Câmara de Lobos yesterday.

‘Families should make contingency plans – The Director-General of Health states that each one must have their own procedures’. "We are informing all the Portuguese that the principal contingency plans are those of families", he said, referring of course to Gripe A swine flu. He also said that the obese, asthmatics, diabetics and those who have chronic problems, should consult their doctors beforehand to prepare protocols and procedures, to work to in the event of contracting Gripe A. "We are not at great risk, but it may be in the Autumn or Winter that this will happen" he added, stressing that at that time, "everyone should know what to do". The President of the Board of Health and Social Affairs, Maurício Melim, also present at the awareness initiative, said that the regional authorities will continue to invest in a plan of prevention, with particular attention for children, pregnant women, and the chronically ill.

‘Dog Show With More Breeds – The Lido Gardens filled yesterday afternoon and the appeal of the organisation was heard’. 65 dogs were entered and judged in several categories. The organiser took the opportunity to appeal to people not to abandon dogs, and to ensure that they were sterilised. There is a slideshow HERE with more photographs.

The International Wine Challenge (IWC) in London came to distinguish one wine made in Madeira as being the best in its category. The award for the best dessert(?) wine in the world was given to Verdelho 10 Old Reserve produced by Vinhos Barbeito. The election of a Madeira wine as the best liqueur(?) in the world is of great importance, since Madeira will increase its exports when the quality of its wine is recognized in such a way. Two other Madeira wines were also awarded at the event last week. Henriques & Henriques won a medal with a Malmsey of 2001, and also a Bual Colheita 1993 was among the winners. (It’s a bit tricky translating wine terminology, so a bit of guesswork was involved … just in case anyone was thinking of going out to buy a bottle of one of those mentioned).

The last of the front page stories today : ‘Parties Repetitive – There are places and entities, almost always the same, that are tempting for the parties in campaign times’. Bit of a pointless article really, but here goes. The political parties always target the same institutions when on the election campaign trail. Some institutions refuse to get involved. Favourites are Funchal Central Hospital and the regions health centres, to highlight a lack of conditions, Madeira Education Centre, the Farmers Market in Funchal, to get nice colourful pictures, and Madeira Free Zone. Visits to the regional command centre of the police, to highlight security issues, and the employment office of course, are also popular. The PSD social democrats particularly like to associate themselves with the church, and charities are also popular. In terms of a good backdrop for TV interviews, Pico dos Barcelos is popular, being a good spot with a panoramic view over Funchal.

"Absolute Majorites Always Abuse" – To inaugurate in election times is a sign of a lack of democratic maturity’. Those were some of the messages from Paulo Portas, national leader of the CDS Christian Democrats, on Madeira yesterday for the party political rally in Prazeres. The party has a slight chance of a seat in the Assembly of the Republic, if all goes really well. Portas referred to two politicians in his criticism, José Sócrates and Alberto João Jardim, saying that in absolute majorities "they transform the power into abuse". We all know that inaugurations at election time are a speciality of president Jardim, to win votes, but this year prime minister Sócrates is being accused of copying Jardim by doing much the same thing. Not quite on the same scale, as Jardim does two a day, and Sócrates just one.