Madeira News Blog

(10th August). Today’s main news headline : ’10 Complaints Per Day – The availability of the Complaints Book, more to hand, encourages the consumer to defend their rights, making more cases for Economic Activities’. 10 to 12 complaints a day are being made in the ‘Livro do Reclamações’, the complaints book that businesses are obliged to keep. In 2008 there were 1,940 complaints made and sent to the Regional Inspectorate for Economic Activities (IRAE) for processing, and they do not receive them all. The increase has come since the book was made mandatory for all suppliers of goods and services that have contact with the general public. A spokesman for IRAE admits the number of complaints is rising, but says "The increase does not mean that we are at a higher level of consumer dissatisfaction." Valentine Caldeira explains that, over the years, people are more aware of the fact that they can "really complain for any reason". Many complaints have no redress as they are mere declarations of dissatisfaction, such as poor service. It is in delivery of service that most complaints are made, followed by clothes shops and car repair workshops. In restaurants and such, the biggest complaint is about service or the small sizes of meals. As well as the IRAE, complaint management is undertaken separately for communications (ANACOM), transport, and banking. I think there are also different routes for public services, such as health care and local authorities. They were talking recently about making the complaints process ‘on line’ as well as on the actual business premises. You can imagine the chaos that would cause, the ability to complain in the safety of your own home without having to confront an employee.

‘Edifício Várzea Park Without Control – Hundreds of residents are discontent because there are  condominium owners who don’t pay their fees, preventing the normal services in a residential building, and creating a ‘deplorable situation’ in ordinary everyday life’. It’s just too big to manage. The building in São Martinho has about 300 apartments and no (effective?) condominium management. It’s the crisis on one hand, but also the lack of social cooperation, that is causing problems and dividing the community. Hundreds are unhappy with the management of the building, and with those who do not comply with their obligations, particularly those who do not pay. Last December for example, (due to lack of maintenance?) dozens of metal plates blew off of the roof and were hurled to the ground during a windy storm. That situation remains unresolved, with the prospect of the same happening again next time there are strong winds. The communal garage door is stuck open, and has been since January, with several incidents of theft and vandalism as a result, including two stolen cars, and the garage is now providing a haven for junkies. The door of the garbage store disappeared over a year ago. Several access doors have been pulled off by residents and used to make barbecues. One of the residents said "There are people who have stopped paying, and now others are thinking about doing the same as a form of protest". What a nightmare … 300 units, must be totally unmanageable, especially with a ineffective management company (Servibrava). I don’t think I would want to buy in a condominium again, nothing but problems, but if I did it would have to be a very small one. Just look at the size of this one in the centre of the front page photo!

‘Élvio Camacho Of ‘Flor do Mar’ For ‘Morangos’ – The Madeiran actor does well out there but doesn’t quit the TEF, despite the crisis’. The Teatro Experimental do Funchal (TEF) is presenting a new play in Porto Santo this week, and despite the cuts in the budgets and funding in culture, the organisation plods on cheerfully albeit now with less staff. Élvio, who plays ‘Father Miguel’ from São Vicente in the Madeira based TV serial ‘Flor do Mar’, will stay with TEF, and he believes that having a TV personality in the plays does draw bigger audiences. He will now play a mathematics teacher in the next series of ‘Morangos Com Açucar’, a national prime time teenager’s series, and much better and more sophisticated than programmes like Eastenders.

The day’s sport story : ‘Porto Lift The First Trophy Of The Season – FC Porto beat Paços de Ferreira (2 – 0) and achieve one more SuperCup’. This is the game between last seasons league winners Porto, and the Portugal Cup winners, also Porto, who couldn’t make it twice, so they played their victims in the cup final again. Not very imaginative really.

‘Parish Of Nossa Senhora do Monte Is Already In Festa’. The festivities of ‘Our Lady of Monte’ are already underway, with various religious events already been and gone, and more to come until Thursday. The big night is on Friday, the eve of the official festival date, probably the biggest festival gathering on Madeira. The Pilgrimage of Our Lady of Monte dates from the early days of colonization of the island. Friday night will see the traditional ‘barracas’ selling espetada and various traditional beverages, as well as modern and traditional singing and dancing all night long. On Saturday the 15th, after mass, the faithful will accompany the procession through the parish "to pay their promises". Lets hope its runs better this year than last when there were 6 stabbings in race related assaults as part of a large street brawl.

‘Festivals Of Summer Shouldn’t End In Tragedy – Emergencies hasn’t registered any increase in the increase in the number of alcoholic intoxications’. An appeal from the director of emergency services in Funchal Central Hospital (no doubt timed for the night of 7 festivals), to drink in moderation at a time when a high of extreme alcoholic intoxications and comas traditionally hit the hospital.

‘Porto Santo Will Have Kennels In October – The new structure is almost ready and will be inaugurated a little before the elections (5th October)‘. The new structure is costing around €840,000, and will home stray and abandoned cats as well as dogs. The building will contain an administration area, a veterinary area, and the space for the animals. Dogs will have 37 cages, including 4 for isolation, and 3 for pregnant bitches. Cats will have 16 spaces including two for isolation and two for expectant mothers. The old facility of Porto Santo is no longer, and by all accounts had terrible conditions, with reports of starving animals eating each other. "A black page that seems to be now at an end" says the Diário. Porto Santo actually has very few abandoned dogs compared with parts of Madeira.

In Portugal, Gripe A took an unwanted leap, when 49 new cases were registered between Saturday and Sunday afternoon, taking the national infection statistic up to 554. Of the new cases only 3 were ‘imported’, the rest were transmitted within Portugal. I know I do rabbit on about it a bit, but why don’t they report the current cases, otherwise we have no idea how bad the situation is day by day. Wouldn’t it be great for Madeira and for tourism to report when there are no current cases, instead of just notching up everything going back months?

(1st June). A picture paints a thousand words, so this nice photo in the Diário probably says it all about what many people had in mind at the weekend. In fact it looks so nice and all in place, that I think it looks almost staged.

The main news headline today : ‘Tourist Utility Leads To A Power Struggle – The government of Madeira is not going to stop the financial benefits. Funchal Câmara asks for changes’. The hotel ‘Four Views Baía’ is the most recent hotel to receive the status of ‘tourism approved’, and win the entitlement to tax benefits for the developers, including exemption of tax payable to Funchal council (CMF). The president of CMF is concerned about the loss of revenue, and says that the terms of the favourable tax situation for tourism approved developments need to be revised. Miguel Albuquerque of CMF "We must find another solution to give tax breaks to business without undermining the revenue of the council". However, on commenting on the actual hotel at the centre of the current debate, now newly refurbished and extended hotel, he admits "specifically in relation to this investment, I think it is justified because the hotel is wonderful and even exceeds my expectations".  The secretary for tourism on Madeira recognises a difference of opinion, but says the the regional government is legally obliged to comply with the rules in force, and there is no foreseen initiative to review the laws in question.

‘Motorcyclists In 30% Of Road Deaths – Caution is essential to reduce danger on the road’. The police commissioner of Madeira is appealing for drivers on two wheels to show great caution on our difficult island roads, a situation that is termed as an ‘explosive cocktail’ of dangerous and badly maintained roads and conditions with motorcyclists. There is also a call to put speed controls (bumps) in accident blackspots. It’s a very detailed article with all the accidents over the last 8 years located, with specific and general reasons for the accidents given that account for between 30 and 40% of all road deaths on Madeira. If you are a motorcyclist you would be well advised to take a look at this article. MOTORBIKE DEATHS

‘Trinidade Shines With The Money Of The Tables – The chief of tourism for Portugal probably stashed away €1.25 million of winnings made in Madeira Casino’. The Madeiran and Secretary of State for Tourism, Bernardo Trindade, is accused of taking money out of Madeira, in part €1.2 million in casino taxes in 2008. According to information collected, half of the money (or maybe up to 75%?) is transferred to Portugal Tourism, as a result of gambling tax receipts in Madeira Casino, whilst the regional government gets just 20%. This is a formula set out in law, and also provides that 25% of the the tax revenues is reinvested in improving Funchal city itself. Politicians believe it may be possible to get this situation changed, and that is being looked at. (A bit confusing this article!).

The big picture on the newspaper front page shows a JCB digger working on the beach : ‘Beach of Angels Fenced Off From The Public – The sea access is blocked by a sand storage facility. Quercus despairs of another case of a disorderly usage of the coastline’. The beach ‘Praia dos Anjos’ in Ponta do Sol has been blocked off by a government licensed facility, positioned and fenced to prevent public access. Quercus, the environmental agency, believes that it is just a case of sloppy planning, but the government department that licensed the facility sees no problem, saying there are better beach facilities nearby. The situation has in fact existed since 1997, with the company involved co-existing with beach users, and Ponta do Sol council even installed beach showers. The closing off of the beach to the public is related to safety concerns.

The other headline news today are sports stories, and as it’s not worth doing a separate page, I will just mention that Porto beat Paços de Ferreira 1 – 0 in the Portugal Cup Final yesterday.

(31st May). ‘Corporations Of Firefighters Hide Shortfalls – The regional coordinator of ANBP reveals cases of emergency calls, lacking adequate resources’. In particular, Porto Santo, Santana, and Calheta are seriously short staffed. The Regional Coordinator of the National Association of Professional Firefighters (ANBP) says that the problem is generally unknown to the public because "the situation is camouflaged". São Vicente and Porto Moniz are also named by Fernando Abel as not having sufficient firemen to effectively intervene in the case of fire or accidents. He added that "people’s lives must be safeguarded, and then comes the financial consideration".

Baby Rodrigo, who underwent a bone marrow transfer on Saturday afternoon, is doing well and his father said the procedure went well. He has "energy and smiles" said dad Pedro. Rodrigo will now spend six to eight weeks in isolation, until he recovers fully from the procedure.

‘PSP Alert To The Transport Of Children – In the last few days, the Public Security Police have been developing operations to monitor all vehicles, whether private or public entities, to ensure the correct use of the child safety and retention equipment’. Since the beginning of this month it is now compulsory to use the equipment, and the police will be keeping a look out for these vehicles that don’t comply. I thought it always was a legal requirement, but better late than never!

‘Complainers Will Progress Complaints On The Internet – Complaints books are becoming part of an online network’. A spokesperson for the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities (IRAE) supports a networked complaints process, because the IRAE is able to monitor easily the entire handling process with formal complaints (currently made inside numerous establishments that have the ‘Livro de Reclamações’ complaint books). However in practical terms it depends whether all the bodies that deal with complaints would be responsive to such a move, as currently many of them, unlike the IRAE itself, "have no oversight of services". He believes that the way around this is to "centralize complaints in a single body", giving responsibility to the national Directorate General for Consumer Protection, which would then forward the complaints to the regulators and supervisory bodies. A new policy covering the matter comes into force in August, and this will in theory provide a computing platform for a system that will allow citizens to make their complaints online, and thereafter monitor progress of their issues. "This means therefore, the abolition of sending paper complaints" says the Diário. 

Qualifying For Free Health Care Under The Portuguese Health Service.

If you are resident on Madeira, you are entitled to make use of the health service and enjoy the same benefits & standards of health care as a portuguese citizen with doctors & health centres. However, in order to obtain residency it has been necessary in the past to demonstrate that you already have medical protection in this respect, but you will be told this when you apply for residency at the Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras in the Loja da Cidadão, in Funchal. If you use the website link above you can click a button to see the english language version.

Once you have residency, any need for health and medical insurance becomes optional, as you can then apply for your medical registration and ‘health card’. Depending on your working circumstances, you may also need to show that you are registered with your local social security office (Segurança Social) and pay national insurance contributions.

There are cases where applicants have gone to their local health centre and been issued a ‘health card’ showing no more than their passport, and have seen a doctor that same day.

Anyway, however you manage it you will end up with a card called the ‘Cartão De Utente’, which will hold medical information about you on its magnetic strip, or you may be issued with a substitute document. Once you have registered you are covered (even if you have been issued with a temporary document), and you can then seek help or treatment from registered doctors at any of the health centres or hospitals on Madeira. The card will also entitle the owner to discounts on prescription medicines.

If you are unable to obtain the registration, particularly if you are waiting for your residency permit, then you will need to have a medical insurance policy to cover you. As a traveller, you can use the European Health Insurance card (formerly the E111) obtained in your own county, or use your travel insurance policy to deal with any emergencies, and in addition, some countries like the UK have reciprocal agreements with Portugal for assistance and treatment of each others citizens. This will cover any emergency treatments in health centres and hospitals.

Health Care Standards

Unless there is something to compare with, it’s hard to make comparisons, but feedback from people who have used the Portuguese health service has been pretty positive in all respects. Of course each hospital or health centre has good days and bad days, but the bad days are apparently few and far between, and it is fair to say that Madeira provides a very satisfactory medical service, that would compare well with the top european countries.

However, Madeira is a small island, and health problems of very specialised natures may not be familiar to the doctors here, or they may not have the equipment, hospitals or facilities to deal with particular specialist problems. In this case, if you are properly registered in the health care system of Portugal, you may be sent to the mainland to receive consultations or treatment, with nearly everything organised and paid for, including a meal allowance (€18 per day). Flights will be prepaid, but taxis to the airport will not be fully reimbursed for example (75%). If going to the mainland, you have an option to take a companion to help you as necessary. Normally an administrative and help contact is provided in your city of destination, so you can phone at any time for advice and support.

Doctors on Madeira may be reluctant to send foreigners to Portugal, so if necessary you should insist, and as a last resort complain.

Of course some things are done differently than elsewhere, and there have been adverse comments about food quality, hygiene issues, and lack of privacy..

How The Health System Functions

The hospitals on the island are located in Funchal, but major towns have their own Health Care facilities, and even some smaller towns have some facilities, known as the ‘Centro de Saude’. The health centre, depending on the size, will have a number of medical staff (médico/a = doctor, and enfermeiro/a = nurse). If you are making a routine visit, or are well enough to travel yourself, then you should go to your nearest ‘Centro de Saúde’ and report to the reception (if there is one), needing only to take your ‘Cartão de Utente’. If you don’t have one, take your European Health Insurance Card, or your health insurance policy, and also your passport (and Residency Permit if you have one). If you don’t have any protection, it is likely you will have to pay for any treatment.

You will need to wait until a doctor is available to see you, and if he cannot treat you, then it may be that you will be referred or transferred immediately to a hospital. Most doctors speak english very well, so a good dialogue should be possible. The doctor may give you a prescription to obtain medicine, which you will need to take to a chemist. If you need a repeat prescription, ask the receptionist at the ‘Centro de Saúde’, if possible show a copy of the previous certificate.

In the larger ‘Centro de Saude’, you will find facilities to deal with accidents and emergencies as well as the more routine problems and illnesses, and doctors will be available for longer hours.

Private Medical Insurance

If you don’t have the entitlement to use the Portuguese Health Service free then you need to ensure you have one of the other forms of protection previously mentioned. If private medical insurance is the only option open to you, for example as a non EU citizen, then you should keep it valid and present any documents at the request of medical staff.

Private Doctors

Private Doctors and Specialists are plentiful on Madeira with over two whole pages in the yellow pages in the telephone directory under ‘Médicos’. You should enquire about the cost before you agree to have treatment done.

Ambulances

You should dial 112 if you need an ambulance in an emergency, or find a listed number here bearing in mind you may be talking to the fire brigade, who provide ambulance services. Ambulance journeys can be chargeable, so if you can find your own way it may be quicker and cheaper. Road accident attendance are normally charged to the policyholder to reclaim on their vehicle insurance.

Dentists

Dental care falls outside of the Portuguese health system, so you will always need to consult a private dentist, and their services are not cheap, a fact supported by the fact that a great many Madeirans never go to the dentist, or only in the event of an emergency. You should ask the dentist about the cost before you agree to have treatment done. You will find over 30 dentists in the yellow pages of the telephone directory listed under ‘Médicos – Dentistas’.

Opticians & Eye Care

Opticians are plentiful on the island, with a shop or more in most large towns. You need to pay for everything, as they operate outside the Portuguese health system. You will probably find them very helpful if you need a screw replacing in your glasses, but if you need to buy new glasses then you might find them comparatively expensive against prices in other countries. It is possible to have an eye test and then use the prescription to order glasses on the internet or use the same prescription in another country. Likewise, it is possible to see an optician in another country to obtain a prescription and use it on Madeira. You will also find over 20 opticians in the yellow pages of the telephone directory listed under ‘Oculistas’ and several opticians advertise in the daily paper ‘The Diário’.

Chemists /  Pharmacies

Chemists / Pharmacies are well represented across the island, with around 100 listed in the yellow pages and a presence in most towns, the shops with the green cross outside. If you have a minor ailment or just need some advice, your local ‘farmácia’ may well be a good port of call, as the staff are well trained and helpful, and are able to recognise most medicinal products you may be familiar with. Chemists / pharmacies also carry large stocks of non prescription items.

Many chemists / pharmacies open in the evening, some until late at night, and there are even 24 hour chemists / pharmacies. The YELLOW PAGES directory on-line may help.

Prescriptions are issued by doctors in the health centres and hospitals, and this is taken to the pharmacy. If you have a ‘Cartão de Utente’, present that also, as it may earn you a discount on the marked price. Often the medicine prescribed may have a much cheaper generic alternative, but the pharmacist is not permitted to make a substitution. It is often worth asking for an generic alternative, as it may be available without a prescription.

Tax Concessions

Medicines and many medical expenses are tax deductable for tax payers in Portugal. Ask for and keep any receipts safe. Also medical insurance is a allowable tax deduction.

Complaints

‘ORDEM DOS MÉDICOS’ – This is the governing body covering doctors and medical facilities and specialists. You can contact them if you have a complaint about medical personnel, services and facilities on Madeira.

Complaints about public health institutions, including hospitals and health centres should be directed to the regional health administration office if they are unresolved at the point of origin.

However, you can now access an online complaints book, instead of asking for the ‘Livro de Reclamacões’, go to: Health Care Complaints Book Online

At this stage, this is only for complaints on matters of health care, but the principle is good, and hopefully it will extend to other areas. It’s certainly a lot easier than doing this in the environment where the complaint was incurred. The form is in Portuguese, but is not too hard to understand with the help of a dictionary.

DISCLAIMER – THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE, AND IS PROVIDED FOR BRIEF GUIDANCE ONLY, ON A BEST ENDEAVORS BASIS.

NO RESPONSIBILITY CAN BE ACCEPTED FOR THE ACCURACY OF INFORMATION SHOWN HERE, AND YOU SHOULD SEEK INDEPENDENT VERIFICATION OR PROFESSIONAL GUIDANCE. THIS PAGE WAS LAST UPDATED IN 2008.

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