Madeira News Blog

(27th July). ‘Natural Park Of Corvo – Madeira is to collaborate on a habitat recuperation project on the island of the Azores’. The project between the two archipelagos developed over recent weeks will be signed tomorrow to mark the World Day of Nature Conservation. The work will aim to recuperate and control invading species of animals and plants on the island of Corvo. One of the challenges will be to reduce the rat population in a way that will not endanger the cattle that graze on the meadows. Another problem is the domestic cat population, where the work will have to differentiate which cats have owners and which are wild.

‘Ill Treatment Of Animals Result In Six Fines – The cases cover cases of death, suffering, and inflicted injuries going back to January 2008′. During a year and a half just 6 people have been punished for ill treatment of animals, in offences considered to be serious. The Office for the Protection of Nature and the Environment of the Territorial Command of the National Republican Guard (GNR) has the power to act on receipt of a complaint, and will investigate and take proceedings against owners in cases of ill treatment. In recent weeks there have been cases reported seriously breaching the rights of animals, in particular neglected dogs, but also through violence and oppression by man. There are no shortage of cases of chained up dogs, underfed and living conditions of unacceptable filth. Of the cases investigated by the GNR few end up in punishment, with just six cases being prosecuted "in response to complaints from citizens and various associations for the protection of animals, such as the SPAD and PATA", says a spokesman. Under the law, the minimum fines range between 25 and 500 Euros, and the maximum range between 3,740 and 44,890 Euros. The law is very precise in terms of animal welfare, as the full article relays, but it only applies to domestic animals (animals of company). In a nutshell, it covers the breeding, raising, keeping and safeguarding of animals. Specific acts within the law prohibit any violence, ensure sufficent space and conditions for housing, including light, hygiene, ventilation and temperature conditions, covers the quality of feeding and access to water, with special conditions for pregnant animals and their young. It also specifies that they should not be exposed to hazards, such as waste water, and that their ‘dens’ should be cleaned with the necessary frequency. The matter has raised it’s head again after reports of a St. Bernard dog left without food and water for days, but when the GNR went to look at the dog it had disappeared. Shame the case went to the newspaper before the GNR had time to act, or perhaps that wasn’t the case?

Funchal has been twinned with Herzliya (Israel) since 1991. Few Madeirans know why. Most twinning agreements never get put on paper, and this was no exception, as it was stated at the ceremony that the relationship would not be a "mere formality on paper, but an authentic instrument of development and cultural exchanges". Likewise for Valle d’Aosta. It is a region in northern Italy, chosen by Pope Benedict XVI for a holiday, with which Madeira has been twinned since 1987. The intentions were touristic and gastronomic, but little happens these days. The map above shows 35 locations twined with either Madeira (5) or its main towns, mostly with Funchal (14). The latest twining arrangement happened in May this year between Funchal and Gibraltar. They are usually just jollies and publically funded holidays for politicians in my opinion, and even if there is anything more active it normally dies out in a few months. Most Madeirans can’t even afford to go on holiday abroad, so tourism as a twining objective is just a waste of time.

I thought I was in for a Gripe A free day today, but right at the last moment I saw the 12th confirmed case reported, a 20 month old baby from the UK. The health authority ISSAÚDE said it it is a good sign that there have been no cases of cross infection to Madeirans yet. Portugal now has 232 confirmed cases.

A man who swam from the beach to the little island (rock) of São Jorge had to be rescued by Merlin helicopter on Sunday, after he didn’t have the strength left to swim back to the beach.

The ‘Braemar’ cruise ship returned to Funchal today, it’s last visit here was in May last year. The old regular visitor is owned by the group Fred Olsen. Can anyone tell me what is drastically different from the last visit? Get your photo album out for a clue. Answer tomorrow maybe, if nobody knows.

‘Pretenders’ Consider Succession A Premature Question – Alburquerque sees in the result of the survey a "recognition" of the work undertaken in Funchal’. A reaction to the survey published at the weekend on the possible successors to Albert João Jardim as leader of the PSD-M social democrats. The Diário decided to go to the PSD-M party rally at Chão da Lagoa ins/stirring mode again, by asking for reactions to the survey. Anyway not very interesting with just one front runner and the retirement of Jardim so far away, but the article did almost confirm one matter I have been wondering about for some time. Jardim has been in post as president of the PSD-M for well over 30 years, and I am not sure in that time if he has ever had to stand for re-election under party rules, or just sailed through that period either with an un-expiring mandate or unchallenged. Anyway the impression is that his successor will not be elected, he will be chosen by Jardim, and is probably unknowingly being groomed in the ways of Uncle Bertie’s unique style of democracy as we discuss the matter.

As for yesterday’s PSD-M political rally, the Diário, probably through gritted journalistic teeth, did manage a front page photo of the event, a sea of orange flags : ‘LARANJADA Without Political Gas – One more gathering is complete. From the speeches of the PSD in Chão da Lagoa not much remained’. Referring mainly to the fact that the national leader of the PSD took a sickie and didn’t attend, it is quite a clever headline (Laranja = orange = PSD colours, but LARANJADA = orangeaid / fizzy orange drink). It’s the biggest annual Summer gathering on Madeira, with around 40,000 supporters, entertained with musicians and politicians, and with food and drink almost on-tap. "It seemed clear that most of those waiting patiently were waiting for the guest artist, although they are forced to listen to some speeches" was the Diário take on the situation. President Jardim arrived at around 10.20am before many had gathered, and welcome the crowd saying "Eat, drink with caution, take care with the sun, and live the PSD". He later returned and during his speech(es) he blamed prime minister Sócrates for all the ills of the country, having a go at the opposition parties, and also Madeira’s media to complete the trilogy, mentioning the Diário and RTP by name. He also curiously asked the crowd "Do not use votes on smaller parties that are not strong enough to have candidates elected". The message from the absent party leader Ferreira Leite praised Jardim and the PSD-M, and called for unity in the coming elections, adding that she would come to Madeira during the national election campaign in September instead.

I don’t know if anyone watched the news yesterday / today showing Uncle Bertie at the Chão da Lagoa PSD annual party rally? I watched it on TVI news, and the TVI reporting team had obviously decided to depict him as a heavyweight boozer, by filming short bursts of him at the many barracas (54 stands in all selling booze representing each freguesia), each time downing a alcoholic beverage, except the last one where he was rehydrating with water. It was hard to tell some of the drinks, but certainly poncha, wine, beer and spirits seemed to be disappearing in copious quantities down Bertie’s throat, and he wasn’t sipping either. He certainly looks to have sunk a few in the photo above.

‘Regional Government Is Responsible For The Gangrene In Camacha’. The leader of the CDU-Madeira visited Nogueira in Camacha on Sunday, and said the executive had responsibility for the "social gangrene" in the neighbourhood with so many social problems. "It was the Government who brought this problem to Camacha", accused Edgar Silva, and warned that problems areas like this tend to spread out. The solution is to wake up to the reality here and introduce a programme of social emergency, and not to concentrate on the revision of the constitution, he said.

(25th July). ‘Gripe Impedes Ferreira Leite Attending A Meeting For The Electoral Programme – Leader of the PSD is expected Sunday at the Festa do Chão da Lagoa’. Hmmm, the Diário has it as a headline, so I suppose I had better cover it … reluctantly. The president of the national PSD Social Democrats (and maybe our future prime minister) missed a meeting yesterday in Porto, as she has gripe, being ordinary flu, not the piggy type. The relevance is that she is due to be here tomorrow for the Festa do Chão da Lagoa, which isn’t really a festival, its the PSD-M annual rally. The vice president for the PSD says we have no reason to be especially worried about Manuela … errrr snr. VP, you have no cause to be worried about me worrying about Manuela worrying about whether she will be able to attend the comedy act tomorrow.

In a separate (front page) but related article : ‘Thump In The Kidneys – Ferreira Leite "Elitist and loser" is the star expected tomorrow at the plateau’. The words of President Jardim, specially selected by the Diário to welcome the sick leader of the PSD on her planned visit to the political rally this weekend on Madeira, now back to the story. Tomorrow at the Chão da Lagoa, one should be able to witness a ‘tumble’ in the political positioning of Alberto João Jardim, when he receives the national leader of his party. Some months ago, prime minister José Sócrates managed to outsmart Ferreira Leite quoting negative references as uttered by President Jardim and his party PSD-M. Even when the current national party leadership was up for grabs last time, Jardim was spreading the word that Leite was not up to the job of winning elections, a fact he was wrong about if the recent European election results were anything to go by. It’s a long and entertaining article, too long to explain properly here, but I am sure you now have the picture, and suddenly tomorrows event (if Leite comes), has a much more interesting aspect. 8 out of 10 to the Diário for political s***stirring by digging out quotes going back to 1978, and I will leave this article with a few quotes from Uncle Bertie about poor Manuela Ferreira Leite and Lisbon.
*"MFL cannot win elections because she is a candidate of factions".
**"Lisbon is dominated by a triangle of evil : Social communication, the gay lobby, and the drugs".
***"It is necessary to denounce these collaborators … people with their pants down and their asses in the air, turned towards Lisbon with their lies, acting against their own land".
****"On Madeira it is those the true Portuguese that fight against dictatorship, and not those poofs in Lisbon that call themselves antifascists".

‘The Word Of Ferreira Leite Is Sufficient For The PSD-M – Programme of the PSD should not include direct reference to the law of regional finances’. This is about the law which creates the regional budget and facilitates funding between Portugal and Madeira, which has been in the headlines for as long a President Jardim has been smoking cigars where he shouldn’t be. "In the PSD, the keyword arrived" announced a PSD bloke, referring to a promise made by the PSD national leader that if she and her party win the elections on 27th September, that the regional finance law will be revoked. I assume this means that the matter will not be turned into an election issue here.

‘Romeira Gives Consultations Without Giving A Bill’. Jorge Romeira admits that he does not give bills to everybody, and that 40 to 50% of his consultations are free. He is a practising medical doctor and also leading candidate to the presidents seat in the forthcoming council elections in October. Accusations have been coming since his candidature for the PSD was announced, with the sources of the finger-pointing as yet remaining anonymous. They also say that his surgery or practice does not have acceptable conditions for a medical practice (from the photo it seems to be in the middle of a jungle) and is not properly licensed. I think it’s nice that a doctor would give his services free to those who cannot afford to pay, but in the political world that would equate to check-ups for favours, or even votes perhaps.

‘Sócrates Takes Away €8.3 Million Of IVA / VAT’. The 11 regions of Madeira will lose the money, more than half of it in Funchal, due to what the PSD-M considers to be an illegal act by the prime minister of Portugal and the state. In a press conference the parliamentary group of the social democrats again accused the government of not transferring tax revenues to the câmaras, as they believe is written in the Statute of Madeira and the regional finance law. The state government argues that the funding for the câmaras is included in the regional budget.

In the economy news:

Today’s main front page photo shows a crowded conference room : ‘Full Up In The Conference Of The Top 100 – Conference about marketing draws over 300 interested parties. Speakers leave suggestions for a new relationship between the companies and the customers’. The article is referring to a conference forming part of the event ’100 Biggest & Best Companies’ held in Funchal. The highlights are about using new techniques in marketing that reduce costs and boost sales … through the internet. One speaker warned those in sales and marketing that "the consumer is changing, the market is more competitive, there are new management tools and techniques, and business models are changing", he later went on to say by way of illustration that that Google undertake 700,000 searches a minute, or 31 million per month (with maths like that I don’t think I will be taking any advice from this expert). To avoid the danger of nodding off, I will cut to the chase as reported on RTP news, that the overall suggestion that Madeira overcomes it’s island remoteness by focusing efforts on globalisation through the internet. Might be a little bit of catching up to do me thinks.

‘Over 90 Workers Become Unemployed – ‘Elimar’ requests insolvency’. The construction and real estate company Elimar, made up of 12 group divisions, found its workers outside its HQ yesterday morning, demanding back wages, allowances, and compensation.