Today’s photo – Many thanks to Pete … Porto Santo ferry back on duty Thursday 25 February (better late than never, but a bit of a photo backlog. Der)

From Pete … many thanks : "Wreck of the Soudan. (From the Illustrated London News, February 27, 1875.) The African Royal Mail Company’s steam-ship Soudan was wrecked on the night of the 2^nd inst. in Funchal Bay, Madeira. She was from Liverpool, bound for Madeira and the West Coast of Africa. She had a crew of forty-five, all told, and one passenger, in addition to the mails and a full cargo. On the 2^nd inst. she arrived at Madeira, about six in the evening, and came to an anchor off Low Rock …" MORE

Also from Pete : "photo of  Dolce Vita open yesterday, please take note Pingo Doce is closed still, with some other shops down stairs".

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

For our ship-ahoy shipaholics.  Madeira is the name of a vessel that went down in a huge storm of 1905. There’s a harrowing story about her last hour that you can read about HERE. She broke in two against Gold Rock, less than a mile "up-lake" from the present day Split Rock Lighthouse.  Of course the lighthouse wasn’t there then–it was built a few years later after the owners of a bunch of ships that went down that night banded together and persuaded Congress to build one (I have a separate story about the lighthouse that I’m saving, but I should say that the lighthouse is the most iconic image of the North Shore, having been painted and photographed to death ) … ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Two helpful websites (in Portuguese only). The first gives useful worldwide and Portuguese links: HERE. The second is for local information and news: HERE

Promoting expensive apartments. Do you believe these estate agents? Madeira To Bounce Back Hard. The Madeira property market is unlikely to be severely affected by the recent flash-floods that killed 42 people at the end of last month. …Madeira property had seen a massive boost from its being seen as one of the safest places to buy; for being insulated from the international financial turmoil and this is expected to continue after the cleanup is completed. JUST BS?

Many thanks to Becky for this videos : Dance, Bertie, Dance!

Many thanks to Paul for these three articles :

Portugal v Brazil: Liedson: I’m going to give everything I’ve got to help Portugal win!

Portugal Striker Liedson born in Brazil is looking forward to the Brazil Clash. “The prolific hitman is relishing the prospect of playing against Brazil at the World Cup 2010…”. Portugal lock horns with Brazil, Ivory Coast and North Korea in the group phase of the World Cup and prolific hitman Liedson is particularly looking forward to the match against Brazil, his native country.

"I can barely wait for the World Cup to start. Any kid who likes football dreams of playing at a World Cup and I was no different. But to be honest I needed to work really hard and wait a long time to get that opportunity," said Liedson to fifa.com.

"I’ve got a lot of love and respect for Portugal. I’ve always been treated with a great amount of affection by the fans and what better way to thank them than with loads of goals. And that’s what I try to do every time I take the field. Link to full Goal.com article

How the banana industry can diversify!

World first in underwear – made from the weave of the bark from the banana tree, and soft organic cotton, ensuring ultimate comfort, with an eco friendly flavour that will keep you coming back for seconds!

27% Banana Fibre, 64% Cotton, 9% Lycra. Gentle machine wash in cold water. Do not tumble dry. Do not bleach or wring. Line dry in shade. Cool Iron. Do not iron waistband!

Link to site with videos!

"superb piece of journalism from the UK Telegraph" –

"Madeira lives on. It’s time to go back" 3 weeks after the floods … that’s the verdict of ‘The Telegraph’ newspaper who visited Funchal, Monte, Ribeira Brava, Serra de Água, Ribeiro Frio and Pico das Pedras.

"What I had seen convinced me that Madeira is very nearly back to normal. The majority of roads are open, as are hotels, bars, walks and most restaurants. The mess is visible in parts, but not ruinously so. Madeira lives on. It’s time to go back." Link to full article

This weekends football : Big big match tomorrow as Benfica arrive on Madeira to take on Nacional. The game is on at 6 pm if you fancy a trip to the Choupana, as it’s not on TV (…. just kidding! SportTV1). The other team, called Marítimo I think, travels to Portugal to take on Paços de Ferreira, on Monday evening. SportTV1 8.15 pm.

Tourist delivers 20 kilos of aid – A British tourist is going to deliver 20 kilos of toys and clothing to the homeless in Madeira. While staying in accommodation at Cabo Girão, this British citizen called the hotel when he heard of the tragedy, and instead of cancelling the vacation, wondered what he could do for people affected by floods. He paid for the transportation of 20 kilos of extra baggage to be able to bring help to people who had lost everything. This extra baggage includes toys, crayons, underwear, all in accordance with the list of priorities published by Caritas. This morning the tourist has handed over the aid, which will be delivered Garrison Regiment No. 3. Many thanks to Elaine (West) for that from yesterday’s Diário.

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

DIÁRIO 12/03/2010

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Regional Government will no longer support the subsidy for insularity. Civil service workers normally have a 2% pay increase to subsidise the extra cost of insularity – living in Madeira rather than on the Continent. This year is the last time they will get this allowance; from next year the subsidy will be index linked to the difference in national and regional inflation. Over the past five years, the average difference was 0.5% but inflation has often been identical in both countries. 30% of Madeirans work as public employees or equivalent, 35,000 at a cost of 688.6 million Euros or 14% GDP. The amount saved next year will be 13.7 million Euros and will be diverted to reconstruction funds. It is unclear what the situation on Porto Santo will be with a subsidy of 30% or 2 million Euros. — Dodgy statistics again? 35,000 public service employees – probably 50% of the working population, not 30% of Madeirans. Surprisingly, I cannot find this article in JM to check the figures.

MADEIRA

Inerts dumped on the beach at São Roque. The debris dredged from the stream at Machico has been dumped on the pebble beach at São Roque. This controversial decision was taken by Machico Council and the mayor believes this is the best option. He said that the pebbles already on the beach were formed from inerts originally in the stream, so this is just an increase of what is normally there. He does not think the beach is large enough for all the debris so some of it will have to be transported elsewhere. The mayor hopes the beach will be ready for bathers in the summer season. It is expected to be a busy season in the East because of the damage to some beaches in the West and Funchal. The socialists in the council doubt this hasty decision and would like a technical study of the impact on the coastline of Machico.

Animals not included in the process of resettlement. Many of the families made homeless by the storm are also without their pets. This is because many of the condominiums used for resettlement do not allow dogs. The association PATA has received applications from families who could not take their dogs to their new home, and after accommodating three of these, has run out of space for the other ten dogs. This has increased the anxiety of the families at a time when they are coping with having lost their home. Unfortunately, some families have to abandon their pets. According to PATA, the authorities should think about pets when they rehouse families.

Free dental check-ups. Until the end of March, 17 dentists in Madeira are carrying out free check-ups, without treatments or x-rays. This is the 11th edition of Oral Health Month organized by Colgate and SPEMD. If you want to participate, phone the Blue Line between 12 – 23 hours, daily: 808 305 306.

Gulbenkian Foundation supports Madeira. The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation will support the resettlement of the elderly in Ribeira Brava by a donation of 300,000 Euros to the Centro Social e Paroquial de S. Bento da Ribeira Brava. Accommodation will be in the building next to the Centre after it has been adapted for the elderly who cannot return home or join their family.

Three Madeirans arrested for crimes abroad. Two women, 45 and 54 years old, and a 21 year old man were arrested on Wednesday by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Judicial Police (PJ). They are wanted on European Arrest Warrants for crimes in Austria, France and Poland; murder, a crime of a sexual nature and drug trafficking, respectively. Their cases will be heard in the Court of Appeal in Lisbon for a decision to either release them, extradite them or serve a prison term in Madeira.

Cousin of Cristiano Ronaldo dies after traffic accident. The 32 year old man died Tuesday night at the Hospital Dr. SMF Mendonça as a result of injuries sustained in an accident in Caniço. The death of Miguel dos Santos Fernandes is another tragedy for the family who were made homeless on the 20th February. The victim’s mother is the sister of the footballer who is reportedly coming to the funeral today at the cemetery at São Martinho. In order to attend he has cancelled a publicity event at the Estádio Santiago Bernabeu. The accident occurred last Friday at 12.35 hours at Livramento, Caniço. The victim was travelling on the motorway between Funchal and Santa Cruz when the car flipped over several times and eventually halted on vacant land. The cause of the accident is unknown. The car belonged to his employer, Portugal Telecom, and the Fire Department had to use equipment to extract him from the interior. He was married and lived in Edifício VIP VIII in Caniço.

POLITICS

Socialist Party want to reduce airport charges. The Socialist Party thinks it is about time to lessen the difference between rates at airports in Madeira and the Continent. They will present to the Legislative Assembly of Madeira a regional draft decree to reduce this discrepancy, which ultimately has negative consequences throughout the economy of Madeira. They want to change the current rates, requiring the charges not to exceed the average value of similar charges applied in other domestic airports. The airport can then become more competitive. This is now even more essential after the storm of February 20th, since it is necessary to create additional incentives for the entry of tourists to the region. Over the years, Madeira Airport charges have soared to the detriment of Madeirans and people wanting to come to the region, including national and international tourists. For example, in 2002 the airport tax paid by passengers in Madeira was 10.94 Euros and currently stands at 48.30 Euros, more than quadrupled.

PCP promotes petition for new hospital. The PCP want the Legislative Assemblies of Madeira and the Republic to discuss the construction of the new Central Hospital of Funchal. They need at least 4,000 signatures for the petition to go to the Legislative Assembly of Madeira. The Assembly of the Republic rejected a proposal that funds come from the PIDDAC of 2010. PCP argue that the hospital is in the national interest, therefore should be paid for by the State. The Madeiran deputy Hugo Velosa is on the side of the PCP, and voted against the PSD who did not want to amend the PIDDAC. This did not go down well with the parliamentary group but his position represents the position of all PSD-M deputies, preferring to put the interests of Madeira before the interests of the party.

UPDATES

Dolce Vita reopened today. Only the third floor shops are open. The restaurant area should be operational within two weeks. The car park should reopen within a month. A date for the Pingo Doce supermarket has not been announced.

EU will help Madeira but cannot commit to dates. The European Commission President,  Durão Barroso, reaffirmed that the EU will contribute to the rebuilding of the parts of Madeira affected by the storm of February 20th, but could not commit to dates. He visited the island to express solidarity and personally become acquainted with the damage. He said funds can be applied retroactively and the contribution will not solve everything. The date for decisions will be in October or winter. In addition to the Solidarity Fund, there are 550 million Euros in other funds that can be made available to Madeira. Immediate funding cannot be granted as the EU requires proof of damage. He has great confidence in the future of Madeira, highlighting the dynamism of Madeirans and the history of proper use of structural funds. About the reconstruction effort he witnessed, "I have never seen in Europe so many machines and people at work."

JORNAL DA MADEIRA

FRONT PAGE NEWS

"I’ll give a hug of solidarity." Durão Barroso flew in last night and stayed at Reid’s Hotel. His schedule was: Tabua (9.25 am),  Meia Légua – Serra de Água in Ribeira Brava (10 am) and then the downtown area of Funchal at 12.00. After a working lunch at the Albatroz restaurant near the airport, he gave a press conference at 12.50 then flew out at 13.20.

IHM makes an intensive inventory. 60 families relocated, 110 still waiting. 54 of the 60 families (235 individuals) have been rehoused in Funchal. Most of the larger families have been found new homes. There are still 250 people in temporary shelters (110 families). Technicians of the IHM are working in the counties affected; Funchal, Ribeira Brava, Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos. They survey houses for the possibility of restoration and look at homes for the government to lease or purchase, in collaboration with Cáritas, councils and Social Security. It will not be possible to rehouse all those displaced in Serra de Água back to this parish. Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos councils have many offers for renting which are being considered. They aim to have everyone out of the shelters by the end of this month.

REGIONAL

Funchal Council award 14 contracts. These are for urgent renovation work of storm damage. The value is 2.9 million Euros. The streets most affected by the storm are to be recovered and retaining walls constructed to prevent further landslides and allow access to homes. The safety of road users and pedestrians will be met. The traders and homes affected by the storm of 20th February will be exempt from paying IMI (council tax) for 2010 and 2011. 300,000 Euros have been donated to 120 entrepreneurs (2,500 Euros grants) from two financial establishments.

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

Storm ruins strategy of Serrão – One of the more serious consequences of the recent happenings  for the Socialist Party of Madeira is the Jardim – Sócrates friendship, confesses the new socialist leader in an interview.

Today’s main news headline : Hospital makes the police pay for medical treatment for the ruffians – SESARAM is to telling alleged perpetrators to pay for medical treatment for their victims. The measure affects police officers in the performance of their duties. The ASPP says the procedure is unprecedented in the country, and will take the case to the national director of the Public Service Police.

Parents, students and head teachers isolate teachers.

[Durrão] Barroso discards [the responsibility] to Lisbon for the bulk of the support – The President of the European Commission repeated yesterday the visits of other dignitaries : He was moved by the destruction from the tragedy and pointed to [José] Sócrates.

EU will help Madeira, but cannot commit to dates – The procedures do not depend solely on the European Union. The European Commission President, Durão Barroso reaffirmed that the European Union will contribute to the rebuilding of the Madeira affected by the storms of 20 February, although "one can not commit to dates." In the first place he said, it is necessary for the Portuguese authorities to make their evaluation and claim, and then  there are other EU institutions involved. The Commission President pointed out that there are nearly €550 million in other funds "that can be made available to Madeira", a region with "great experience in the management of these financial supports, and can use it to increase its competitiveness and sources of growth for the prosperity of all the locals". "The European Union will help through its Solidarity Fund and matters are well underway," he said, stressing: "I myself personally found out about the verified damage".

Government returns to giving insularity subsidy – Jardim does a U-turn on the decision made on Thursday. It’s in order to not to lose an argument used in Lisbon and Brussels. Another related headline says … End of awarding the insularity subsidy is the wrong step – Jacinto Serrão pushes for a gradual increase of the payment to 5%.

"The PSD is in 47th place on my priority list" – President Jardim is going to be in the convention despite saying that the Social Democrat Party is not one of his worries.

The main sports / football headline today : None!

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 other material.

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The headline news & other snippets reviewed here on the blog are mainly from the Diário de Notícias of Madeira, although news from any source is used and welcome.

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Some people publish their family holiday snapshots online, never expecting anyone to ever see them, so naked sunbathing photos are not recommended. I expect this lady will have a bit of a surprise when she sees her visitor stats tomorrow. TÂMARA’S MADEIRA HOLIDAY

"These two astronaut photographs illustrate the northern (top) and southern (bottom) Savage Islands. The two views were taken 13 seconds apart from the International Space Station; the geographic centre points of the images are separated by about 15 kilometres. Selvagem Grande, with an approximate area of 4 square kilometres, is the largest of the islands. The smaller and more irregularly-shaped Ilhéus do Norte, Ilhéu de Fora, and Selvagem Pequena are visible at the center of the lower image. Spain and Portugal both claim sovereignty over the Savage Islands". ILHAS SELVAGENS

"In an attempt to liven things up a bit, we started trying to determine which of the interesting looking fruits might be edible.  These rather attractively purple bananas (you will need to click on the link to see the photo) turned out to be not only ripe, but deliciously sweet, and rather oddly crunchy, with seeds the size of peppercorns. I SUSPECT THOSE ‘WILD’ BANANAS WERE FAR FROM RIPE OR WERE NOT BANANAS worth a read and some nice photos

British lawyer laundered bribes to Nigeria – "The entire Nigerian bribery scheme was organised through London, according to the US authorities, taking advantage of Britain’s weak laws against overseas corruption. Labour ministers waved through a British loan guarantee for part of the deal in 2003, describing it as an example of "sound financial judgment". Cash flowed down an elaborate route, involving a subsidiary registered in Madeira, a Tesler company registered in Gibraltar and bank accounts in the Netherlands". LINK I doubt if the Madeira free zone needs this type of publicity as it is under so much scrutiny at the moment with accusations that it is effectively an ‘offshore’, but as this article was published in the UK Guardian newspaper, I doubt that reproducing this here will cause any further damage.

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

Government outlines new goals for organic production. Bio Madeira Week. At the time when the region has 5% of agricultural land classified as organic, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources yesterday set a challenge of increasing this area from 240 hectares to 500 over the next few years. In 2000, there were only 21 hectares devoted to organic farming. For these producers there are added incentives, e.g. payments higher than for traditional farmers – 30% more for organic grapes and bananas. The expansion of this type of agriculture is an opportunity and a factor of competitiveness. As Madeira is only a small island, farmers cannot compete on price so the produce must be of high quality and organic certification is a critical distinction.

Verandim yields and ‘betrays’ two elderly people. Two women, aged 69 and 79, were yesterday admitted to the Central Hospital of Funchal from injuries suffered in a fall from a balcony, about two feet up. They were leaning against a varandim (balcony) of iron when, for reasons not known, it gave way causing both to fall. They were assisted on site by the bombeiros and taken to the hospital. One had a cut on the scalp and both complained of back pain. The older woman was kept under observation in the Emergency Room and the younger one admitted to Orthopaedics. The accident occurred at a private house in Sao Roque.

Man denies domestic violence case. Following on from yesterday’s article about domestic violence in Porto da Cruz. "For 20 years I do not drink." The outburst from the man accused of scaring the daughter and ex-wife who live in a secluded area of Porto da Cruz. He denies the allegations that he appeared drunk on the doorstep and is sure that he has not seen his daughter since the divorce. Outraged and hurt about the complaints to the police and the Commission for the Protection of Children, he says he will proceed with a criminal complaint against his ex-wife and son. The marriage lasted for 25 years. In his version, the ex-wife will have given false information about the alleged appearances at the old family home. As for drink, every time he has been breathalysed in police stops over the past 20 years, the reading was zero. He has not seen his 11 year old daughter since the divorce at the beginning of this year, although access is guaranteed by the divorce ruling. It is the ex-wife who prevents him from seeing the daughter and he abides by her decision. He stills pays the maintenance every month. He insists he never injured the daughter and has only been to the house to collect his belongings.

Regional Development Forum. The current economic situation determines the theme of the World Forum of Regional Economic Development, which is taking place in Funchal until tomorrow. A key objective is to find concrete measures that are feasible and apply them to the various regions, whatever they are. About 70 people of various nationalities are participating in the Forum which began yesterday. They are from places as diverse as China, Russia, Ukraine, Australia, United States and Europe. Energy is expected to be a fundamental aspect of the future. Hence the presence of the Russians and Ukrainians in the meeting, " They open and close the tap." One aspect that is certainly discussed at the meeting is the importance of social aspects. Today the world and regions face a social crisis. "In some countries, more than half of young people are unable to find work."

PS does not celebrate November 25. As the Legislative Assembly of Madeira did not celebrate April 25 1974 by a special sitting, members of the PS (Socialists) will not participate in any ceremony dedicated to 25 November 1975. In the commemorative session they will recall the military action that led to the stabilization of democracy. On 25 November 1975, according to the PSD, a party which for years promoted the realization of this plenary, models of Communist rule were rejected. ALM celebrates this ‘consolidation’ of democracy but does not devote any space to the celebration of the Carnation Revolution that ended more than four decades of dictatorship in Portugal. The leader of the PS, João Carlos Gouveia, explained that it is a celebration by a right wing party that does not accept democracy, and is closer to the fascist regime that oppressed Portugal. A year ago, the session on November 25 did not have any members of the Socialists, Left Bloc or New Democracy Party.

Junta de Gaula against Jardim’s cuts. The JPP party (Together for the People) on Sunday in public denounced the cutting of public works by the Government and Council of Santa Cruz. The leader of the local Freguesia, also JPP, was also against the cuts. Élvio Sousa said it revealed a profound disregard for the interests of the Gaula population, a situation which needs to be explained by the mayor of Santa Cruz and the former executive responsible for the Freguesia of Gaula – that the analysis deceived the people of Gaula. He cannot understand how the work has been postponed when a framework contract has already been signed in March 2009. Élvio Sousa asks the following question: "To what extent are local councillors, who must defend the interests of the people of Gaula, ‘slaves’ of the masters in Funchal?"

ALM budget approved in eight minutes. Less than 10 minutes were enough to discuss and approve the budget for the ALM. Only the PCP communists referred to the famous ‘jackpot’ for the parties and the questions raised by the Court of Auditors in relation to the use of funds transferred by the Assembly. In discussing the accounts of the ALM in 2008, Baltasar Aguiar of the PND New Democrats commented on the high cost of parking, paid by Parliament (165,000 Euros per year). He also asked Miguel Mendonca why a trip to America that was to last 3 days ended up lasting 11 days.

Christmas Outreach Project. The Regional Secretariat for Tourism and Transport put forward an action of solidarity, aimed at the young. There will be a large Santa Claus in the Avenida Arriaga where you can deposit toys which will be distributed to children in institutions in the region. The toys will be distributed at the show ‘Singing of the Kings’ at the Municipal Park on January 5, 2010 at 20.00.

There will be less money in 2010. Presenting the budget for next year, Ventura Garces announced several cuts. The budget has been reduced to €1,531 million, €50 million less than 2009. The region should experience an increase in net debt of around €178 million resulting in a loan of 230 million Euros (still lacks the authorization from the State) and €52 million is needed to repay the loan. Another loan worth 50 million Euros might be applied for from the European Investment Bank. Sport will receive 11% less and agriculture will receive 14% less. The opposite applies to business development that increases 111%, employment over 37%, and tourism 6% more than 2009.

Meeting of the Union of Embroiderers in Turkey. The Madeira Union of Bordados (traditional embroidery) at a meeting in Turkey, want the creation of an International Federation of Home Workers. They want an Internet site to unite home workers from every country, and a Federation to fight for their rights. The Union has delivered its proposal to IBTAM to double the payments made to embroiderers, as an incentive. There are fewer and fewer workers due to the low income.

Car caught fire on motorway. A car caught fire yesterday on the Funchal – Ribeira Brava motorway. The incident occurred around 15.30 and the front of the Peugeot 206 was completely destroyed. Manuel Rodrigues, the owner, said that while going from Funchal to São Vicente, at the exit from the tunnel after Quinta Grande the car started to emit smoke and then fire broke out. This continued until the exit to Campanário. He used a fire extinguisher but it was the bombeiros who eventually extinguished the fire. The car was purchased in London and was brought to the region yesterday via the Naviera Armas. The fire might have been caused by a short circuit.

Cruises yield €40 million per year. The Ports Authority want to increase the number of calls by cruise ships, which is close to 300 per year. The objective is outlined at a time when the administration is preparing to make a new study on the satisfaction of cruise tourists who visit the island. Cruise ships tourism generates revenues of €40 million per year, but APRAM want to end the seasonality when May to August are quiet months. One way is the association with Medicuise which should give access to new routes. The last survey was in 2005 and this one will occur in the first half of 2010. It aims to update the data on spending patterns of the passengers and crews while on the island. It is recalled that in 2005, the study concluded that each passenger spent around 70 Euros a day. An EU survey concluded that crew members spend an average of 25 Euros per day. The inauguration of the new Maritime Station has been scheduled for next year, but no date fixed. The building will be completed by the end of this year then in the first half of next year, the equipment to operate it put into place. The cost will not be passed onto cruise ship passengers. The Traditional Trade Association want an extension of Saturday and Sunday opening to catch the weekend trade of hundreds of tourists when cruise ships call. Only last weekend there were 6,300 tourists who found a city deserted and empty. The authorities should promote tours to the city center and the Farmers’ Market. Sights of interest should also open at the weekend.

Government will encourage ‘Park and Ride’. The Horários Bus company, the Council of Funchal and the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Transport are studying this concept. This initiative is intended to relocate parking from the city center to the periphery and make public transport sufficiently attractive so that people do not want to drive into the centre. A previous attempt at Viveiros did not work due to low compliance. The idea is to have two parking areas, one at the Western side and one at the Eastern side.

Police detain nine suspected of stealing from several homes in Funchal. Nine men between the ages of 20 and 59 are suspected of burglary and are thought to belong to a gang "presumably involved in concerted behaviour." Several items were seized including several pieces of gold, worth more than 6,000 Euros. The suspects are residents of Funchal, Santa Cruz and Lisbon.

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

Top story today : Demolition of Savoy starts in January – The hotel comes down in a process without implosion that will take 10 months. The developer Horácio Roque says that he intends to spend the New Year eve 2012-13 in a new building, budgeted at €120 million. Perhaps Mr. Roque is thinking of staying in another new hotel then, or perhaps in a hotel outbuilding? If it needs 10 months to knock down the old one (using traditional methods) and clear the site, that leaves just over two years to build a new one. This is Madeira … I have seen houses that have taken longer than two years to build. The bets are on! The idea is demolition with as little disturbance as possible, but that is of course impossible to avoid. I have pity for people in that zone that will have to put up with all this for years to come, particularly as this project was never necessary, and better options were available to revitalise the fortunes of the Savoy hotel, and for the loyal staff that were all sacked.

Debate concludes that the crisis is going to endure – The ’100 Biggest and Best’ (companies) united bosses of success in times of difficulties. I agree. An economy based so heavily on leisure will always be amongst the last out of recession, and I didn’t need to attend a conference of company bosses to work that one out.

In the Madeira budget for 2010, 29% of the revenue needed is not guaranteed. Someone else fancy a look at this one?

Health is in contention in the screening for Gripe A – Each exam costs more than 100 Euros and should be reduced. In January support for private analyses finishes. There seems to be two intertwined stories here, but the one in front of me says that tests and analyses samples taken by hospitals and health centres on Madeira, that went to private companies for processing, will no longer have the costs reimbursed from January. All such work will in future be undertaken by the Pathology Laboratory in Funchal Central Hospital. That’s old news, but maybe the effective date is new?

SATA wants to continue the operation Funchal – Porto Santo. President of the company showed himself to be interested in the contest anticipated for 2010. That can be no great surprise, as it has been well known for a long time that the Azores airline SATA brought two new (not brand new) planes to service the route. Quite why they will be flying from Funchal I am not sure, perhaps the usual airport at Santa Cruz is expected to fall into the sea next year. Cruise ships go to Funchal, not air traffic. You know what I have actually met people who think this island is called Funchal.

Madeira ground-breaker in the inventory of organs. Church organs that is. The inventory of church organs started on Madeira recently is the first of it’s kind in Portugal. It seems a book is to be published ‘Organs of the churches of Madeira’. It must be a job creation scheme? Surely no one is going to buy the book in sufficient numbers to make it a financially viable project.

Today’s sport headline, well two in one actually : Cristiano returns and Barcelona defeat Mourinho – The Madeiran is back tonight in the Champions league. Barcelona shone yesterday. Ronaldo is back for Real Madrid v FC Zurich after injury. Portuguese José Mourinho watched his team Inter Milan lose last night.

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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.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

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

If you post a comment and are not registered on this site (free), your comment will be moderated, so please do not waste time with spam postings.  If you register, your comment will be posted automatically. If you register, your email address will not be passed to any other party … promise!

Please send any topical or Madeira related photos or videos to blog@madeira4u.com to appear on this blog. Photos may take a while to appear, depending on the number waiting. Please don’t send copyrighted material.

The headline news & other snippets reviewed here on the blog are mainly from the Diário de Notícias of Madeira, although news from any source is used and welcome.

The blogs in the ‘uncategorised’ category come from the old madeira4u blog.

IF YOU NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE, TRY THE MENU ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ‘USEFUL LINKS’ & ‘TIPS & HELP’

Madeira News Blog © 2007 – 2009 All Rights Reserved

Many thanks also to Tobi for this piece on the Ilhas Desertas : (Source : Essential Magazine).

One of the newest opportunities in nature tourism on Madeira is the chance to spend 1 or 2 nights on the Desertas Islands. The islands which dot the horizon from the south, south east of Madeira trigger much curiosity, and visiting the islands has been allowed for some time now, but staying over night has only just become possible. Madeira Natural Park, that manage the nature reserves on the islands, want to attract a growing number of people, but in controlled numbers to help promote the work they do, and raise awareness of good environmental habits.

Anyone can take advantage of this opportunity, all you have to do is ask the Madeira Natural Park for permission. From there you will need a tent or sleeping bag and anything else you may need to spend your time on land.

The islands are very popular for bird watchers and are a great place to see the  Monk Seals , and don’t forget the Desertas Wolf Spider. Photo : Wardens house on the Desertas

Madeira Natural Park can be contacted on 291 214 360, or diliamenezes.sra@gov-madeira.pt  or WEBSITE

I know we have a few Mandolin Orchestra fans amongst us, so this might be of interest. ‘Fabio Machado was born in Funchal, Portugal and started studying mandolin at the age of 9 years. He joined the Madeira Mandolin Orchestra (Recreio Musical União da Mocidade) and became its Concertmaster for several years, performing in several venues as a soloist’. NEW BOOK IN ENGLISH Anyone know what the differences are between a Bandolim a Ukulele and a Mandolin? I certainly don’t!

"Madeira is a tropical island. The Laurissílva Forest, in the Madeira Natural Park, is the largest evergreen forest in the world – a fact that has earned it classification as a world heritage site". I thought we were sub-tropical, but anyway I didn’t know about the "largest evergreen forest in the world" bit, but that’s what it says HERE. Is it true?

This is an article composed of an interview with a travel journalist, and although it does cover Madeira briefly, it might also be useful or of interest to anyone thinking of travelling to PORTUGAL

Some of today’s main news stories :

Public Libraries celebrate 30 years – Various activities will mark the occasion. An exhibition, a video of the history, a children’s guide and other projects will be announced today. Details on the LIBRARY WEBSITE 

17 thousand people living on benefits – The number of Madeirans who depend on social benefits to survive grows. It is the crisis intensifying the situation in the world of poverty and unemployment. Today’s main news headline. In September there were 8,685 on unemployment benefit, and 8,372 on social integration income (RSI). Over a year the people totally dependent on the state that receive theses two benefits has increased by 4,735. The picture, which is reflected nationally, shows no signs yet of improvement. Loads of unemployed over my way, as what little tourism there was plunged a long time ago, and other Summer seasonal work starts to decline. I think I know as many unemployed as employed people, but generally I don’t need to worry about them too much … all resourceful people, normally with a foot in both camps, if you know what I mean.

Firemen abandon Nogueira – Brutal aggression to a fireman leads to the closure of the fire station. The 43 year old fireman was violently assaulted on Saturday night, with a bottle, leaving him with serious injuries to his face and arm. He was released from hospital after treatment (stitches) early the following morning. Yesterday the fire station was empty, with no flags flying, leaving Camacha now to depend on Santa Cruz central fire station for service. Three men, an ambulance, and a light fire fighting vehicle have now been moved to Santa Cruz. A spokesman for the fire brigade said that "many situations in that location have already occurred, but never as serious as this". On this morning’s TV news it said that the fireman was breaking up a fight between two people outside the fire station when he was attacked.

Cultural centre in London in difficulties – The 27th birthday party just served to expose the financial problems. The president J.M. Sousa is going to put up a fight. 

Health professional may refuse the Gripe A vaccine – The Orders of Doctors and Nurses are recommending that the professionals accept the vaccine. The acceptance of the swine flu vaccine is not obligatory.

Ambulance company insufficient – 24 ambulances and 36 teams of ESB are not enough for nearly 500 transport requests per day. The patients complain of long waits. The company promises to boost resources. The Empresa de Serviço de Bombeiros is equipped to respond to 300 transport requests per day, but the reality is around 430 daily requests to take people to hospital. The current poor level of service is generating many complaints, as patients are left waiting at their front door, miss meals, and miss doctors appointments. Last month generated more complaints than ever before. ESB has bases in Funchal, Machico, Santana, São Vicente, Ribeira Brava and Porto Santo. With it’s 24 ambulances and 36 teams (2 in each), it provides free transport for the users of SESARAM.

Djalma pair in latest victory of Marítimo also gets a big chunk of today’s front page. Marítimo managed a fine 3 – 1 victory over Paços de Ferreira yesterday afternoon, that lifts them to 7th in the premier league. Nacional face Benfica away tonight. Watching the goals on this morning’s news, with three sides of the football pitch closed off due to the €45 million redevelopment project, one might have expected the remaining side to have been full of supporters, but it was far from that.

Yesterday’s top news stories courtesy of Elaine :

Domestic violence complaints continue to increase. Leave the region to escape the aggressor. More bad statistics. The number of complaints about domestic violence have risen, 702 by the end of August against 896 last year. Monthly average of 86 compared to 37 in 2006, 56 in 2007 and 75 last year. The Regional Plan Against Domestic Violence is being finalized, ready for public presentation on November 25th, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. These figures are no worse than the rest of Europe. Madeira has three shelters for women where they can live for a period of months until they can be reintegrated back into society. Some get new homes and jobs, others return to the abuser. Some are forced to leave the region, often to shelters on the mainland. Women complain after around 35 attacks as they often stay with the abuser for years, and abuse can be learnt by children. Abuse can be physical, psychological, sexual, coercion or threat. There is also elderly abuse, often reported by aides to the home. To get help with abuse, a criminal complaint should be filed but there are also three other ways: a social emergency line (phone helpline by Social Services), private institutions, police have specially trained staff and the shelters providing 41 beds. A break-down of regional statistics since 2006. ——No analysis given, e.g. demographic changes

Alexandre Camacho wins the Faial Rally but bids farewell. Due to lack of sponsorship / money. He had an easier win than predicted due to early withdrawal of Miguel Nunes because of engine breakdown.

—–Thought you would enjoy the photo of the cat having a lucky escape.

Commemoration of 99 years of Marítimo. 600 supporters (including Jardim) at a dinner held in the well-decorated club pavilion. Included a large cake as ‘a birthday party without a cake is not a party’. Carlos Pereira, the President of Marítimo criticized the rival club (no mention of name) for using expensive flights when travelling abroad and the hostile media. He thanked Jardim for the construction of the future stadium and Government support. —– Cake for 600!

Region ‘rejects’ promotion in ‘El Corte Ingles’. Madeira under-represented at the fair in the commercial centre in Lisbon for local produce from Portuguese and Spanish islands. There is not enough space for Madeiran products, only showing bolo de mel, cane sugar, poncha and Madeira wine (not many varieties), products which are almost impossible to buy in Portugal.

Port has a ‘full-house’. Saturday had a full-house with four cruisers and three on Sunday. Saturday, the Arcadia arrived at 12.00 but could not berth until 18.00 when another ship left, and stayed overnight. The Diário highlighted that the local commercial areas remain closed on a Sunday and the daily information given on reception advises a visit to the farmer’s market, described in the brochures as ‘unique, beautiful and pleasant’.

Military ready for new security threats. Speech by the Commander of the Military Zone on Army Day on Saturday. The three branches of the armed forces, security forces and civil protection have undergone new training to protect against terrorism, transnational crime and accidents or natural disasters. The ceremonies were also to welcome back the soldiers who have spent a year in Kosovo. In the past 20 years, Portuguese soldiers have been in Africa, East Timor, Bosnia and Kosovo. —– No mention of Iraq or Afghanistan.

1420 staff at 284 polling stations for September 27 elections cost 108,000 Euros. Each person will receive 76.32 Euros but it will take four months to pay them all. Each station required five members – a president, vice-president, secretary and two tellers.

Food Bank Against Hunger in Madeira in 2010. Part of the European venture to avoid food wastage whilst others go hungry. In Portugal, including the Azores, the 17 units cater for 250,000 people. The charity volunteers in Madeira are already being trained. Food is donated from hotels, retailers, individuals, often from excess agricultural production, and supermarket collection campaigns.

17 years in prison for three drug traffickers. All from Câmara de Lobos, including the ‘drug baron’. Two brothers aged 22 and 36 received sentences of five and a half years, and the third of six years. They sold cocaine and heroin to users in their homes for  ‘lucrative’ incomes in 2008. Two denied the accusations and one refused to speak in court. The ‘drug baron’ had individual drug doses hidden inside ‘Kinder’ eggs and these were both in his home and buried in surrounding land belonging to other people, as well as plastic bags containing money. —– Kinder surprise! You know who to take on your next Easter egg hunt.

—– Article in the Daily Telegraph on the 4 June 2009 entitled ‘Postmistress foils Kinder egg cannabis delivery’. A village sub-postmistress in Cambridgeshire foiled a dealer’s attempts to mail drugs hidden in Kinder eggs after she detected suspicious smells from the parcels. He received a 12-month suspended sentence and ordered to complete 220 hours of community work.

Portugal news.

First of 16 lynx arrives on Monday to prevent extinction of the species that only exists in the Iberian Peninsular. They do not know the  population numbers but that they are not stable and they have been threatened for several decades. The female lynx to arrive at the centre in Silves in the Algarve is called Azahar, the Arabic name for orange blossom.

The first luxury hotel to be built on the west coast of the Algarve has the natural park as a selling feature. Leacocks are to build a five-star hotel in Aljezur in part of the Natural Park of Southwest Alentejo and Costa Vicentina. Some hotel areas will be below ground so as not to interfere with the surrounding area.

Portuguese Phonographic Association President asks the new Minister of Culture to control "unruly access to music via the internet, which is killing the music industry". Recently in the British Daily Mail, a Columbian singer, Shakira, argued the opposite, supporting illegal downloading as "It is a way to democratize the music and the music is a gift."

In the inauguration of the sixth Portuguese government in 15 years, there was the usual repeated lists of promises and the difficulties facing the country. Antonio Guterres, 15 years ago, highlighted modernization of the economy and increased productivity needed. In that speech, the President, Cavaco Silva fainted and afterwards apologised for the disruption, caused by the death of his father. Then four years later, Guterres highlighted Social Security reform. Barroso in 2002 highlighted public accounts. When Barroso resigned to go to Brussels, Pedro Santana Lopes pledged to maintain strict financial discipline. He gave a confused speech by not sticking to the script. Eight months later, Sócrates said pharmacies would not be exclusively allowed to sell non-prescription drugs. On Wednesday, Sócrates started his second term, with a reduced majority, so might have to seek agreement with the opposition to get his policies passed. Has been talk of a coalition but ridiculed by Jardim, who still calls the Portuguese ‘masochists’ for re-electing socialist governments. Jardim Ramos of the Madeiran Government still hopes for good relationships with Lisbon, especially for funding for the new hospital as a community project.

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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. 

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions or comments and photos / videos, or if you can contribute regularly, I can give you a special account that allows you to create your own blog postings.
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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.

If you post a comment and are not registered on this site (free), your comment will be moderated, so please do not waste time with spam postings.  If you register, your comment will be posted automatically. If you register, your email address will not be passed to any other party … promise!

Please send any topical or Madeira related photos or videos to blog@madeira4u.com to appear on this blog. Photos may take a while to appear, depending on the number waiting. Please don’t send copyrighted material.

The headline news & other snippets reviewed here on the blog are mainly from the Diário de Notícias of Madeira, although news from any source is used and welcome.

The blogs in the ‘uncategorised’ category come from the old madeira4u blog.

IF YOU NEED HELP WITH ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE, TRY THE MENU ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE ‘USEFUL LINKS’ & ‘TIPS & HELP’

Madeira News Blog © 2007 – 2009 All Rights Reserved

‘Manor House Donated To The Region Falls Into Abandonment – The ‘Solar do Aposento’, in Ponta Delgada, is shown in the guide books, but the tourists knock on the door with their noses’. The north coast historic building was given to Madeira 6 years ago, that is also known as the Museum of D. Hilária Freitas, is part of Madeira’s heritage, but it is abandoned and the maintenance neglected, and outside the weeds are taking control. The building is also not secure with old doors and windows, and there are fears for the security of the contents. The Solar was bequeathed to Madeira by the owner, who died in 2003. It is a building of 18th century civil architecture, and contains works of arts, antique furniture, chandeliers, and religious artefacts. It was officially adopted as a "property of public interest and local value" by the government in 2002. Ponta Delgada council are talking about it’s use as an old peoples home, and this could happen by 2011. ‘Knock on the door with their noses’ .. what a wonderful expression. I must remember that one next time the postman says he called (leaving a card) but no one was home, when for sure I was.

In today’s football headline : ‘Marítimo Not Rushed For Manager – SAD maritimista presents €1.4 million of losses’. At the general assembly of the club, attended by 92% of its capital holders, Marítimo declared losses of €1.4 million for the last season. The temporary coach appointed this week for Marítimo’s first team is also staying in charge of the ‘B’ team, and will remain in charge until a new coach with a proven track record can be appointed. Just as well Marítimo didn’t have to pay for it’s stadium then, or the €45 million needed to revamp it, thanks to Madeira’s government and taxpayers, otherwise the end of season accounts would have looked much much different.

‘Culture is the new ‘trump card’ for the promotion of Madeira – Department of Tourism increases its investment in the domestic market. Exhibition, theatre [?] and a new mini-series of TVI were some of the initiatives of the campaign launched on Tuesday in Lisbon’. In order to raise the awareness of the richness and cultural vitality of Madeira, the secretary of tourism, in partnership with the Department of Education and Culture will promote an exhibition of pieces from various museums on Madeira, in the Ajuda Palace, in Lisbon. Madeira has also been confirmed as a venue for a new mini-series on TVI (channel 4). These initiatives are part of the package that the government is banking on to attract tourists from Portugal to our region. In the latter case, the belief that the national TV series made here, Flor do Mar, has already increased tourism and warrants further exploring. As well as a new advertising campaign presented in Lisbon yesterday, the half yearly tourism figures were presented, showing a 15% rise in tourists coming from Portugal, with over 30,000 more coming here. Over the last two years, around 220 to 230 thousand Portuguese have come each year, increasing Madeira’s share of the domestic market. Another article talks about the initiatives outlined costing €680,000.

The new mini-series set on Madeira will run when the existing soap ‘Flor do Mar’ has finished, and filming will start in November. The new series doesn’t yet have a name, but will be the project of TVI, as was Flor do Mar, that received some funding from the Madeira government.

"One Doesn’t Even Make A Cêntimo For A Coffee" – Taxi drivers of Porto Moniz pass through days without having a fare’. The Diário’s featured location this week, covers the taxi drivers plight, where they go days without a customer and have weeks where they earn little more than €5. The crisis has not helped. The two drivers interviewed say they are tired of spending the day sitting on the rank at the Praça do Lyra, and also complain about the transport service provided for the sick, saying that the ambulance charges twice the price per kilometre that they do. The traders of Praça do Lyra are also suffering, with one seller of regional handicrafts saying his sales have dropped by 25%. Limited car parking also affects business.

‘PSP seized 300 doses of cocaine and €1500 resulting from drug trafficking – Officers from the Funchal Police detained a foreign individual and identified two drug drug addicts. The alleged activity was operating in the area of Avenida Arriaga’. Police intercepted on Sunday morning a male of foreign nationality in possession of several packages of cocaine and €1,500 in cash, allegedly resulting from illegal activity. Police had spotted a number of individuals seemingly buying / selling drugs and moved in. Subsequently they identified a house used for transactions, and in the house was found a precision scale, a prohibited weapon, several mobile phones and money. The individual detained is now subject to weekly reporting at a police station until investigations are complete.

12 suspected Gripe A cases were tested on Madeira in the last week, but only one man of 46 years from Venezuela was found to test positive for swine flu. He was taken into intensive care, but his condition is stable. That takes the total from the beginning to just 40 confirmed cases, with just one case in two weeks. Early days I know, but isn’t it reassuring that we are in the lucky position of knowing the age, sex, and nationality of all our Gripe A victims, whilst other countries have lists amounting to hundreds or thousands on a weekly basis. Just doing my bit in case any potential ‘non infected’ tourists come across this posting and fancy paying us a visit.

‘Oral Health Month Also On Madeira – 17 dentists on Madeira and Porto Santo join the initiative running during October’. In order to prevent oral diseases and improve education for proper oral hygiene among the Portuguese population, Colgate and the Portuguese Society of Estomatologia?? and Dental Medicine (SPEMD) are carrying out in October the 10th edition of "Oral Health Month". 15 of the dentists are in Funchal. They will be available next month to do free dental check ups (without treatment or radiographic examination). The annual initiative has allowed so far 95,000 free check ups since it’s first year, and more dentists are joining up. The main conclusion from 2008 was that less than 1% of adults have completely healthy gums and teeth.

Next Tuesday the cruise ship ‘Black Prince’ arrives in Funchal on its 594th and final visit. The ship has been in service nearly 43 years. Several initiatives are being planned to mark the final visit, including a short lecture on the ‘Black Prince’, which will take place tomorrow, 1st October at 18:30 pm, in the auditorium of FNAC in Madeira Shopping. The ship has been sold to a Venezuelan company, and it expected to remain in tourism activities.

‘Robberies In Garajau And On The Levada Dos Tornos – Youths steal the cash register and have the police waiting when they arrive home. Couple robbed at knifepoint in Camacha’. The first story is about a Café / Bar called ‘Brites’ in Garajau, that was robbed at around 4 am yesterday morning, when 2 young men smashed the shop front glass window, and took the cash register, containing just some change. The two robbers, who were regular customers in the bar, took the till to a car park to open it, where they were caught on video camera in the act, along with the registration plate of their car. Police were able to identify the owner of the car, the mother of one of the men, and when they arrived home the police were there waiting. They were taken back to the crime scene, where they apologised to the owner, returned the stolen money, and offered to pay for the damage caused, which included the €400 cash till, the broken window, an aquarium, and a fridge. It is possible that that the same two men had also tried to break into a bar in Cristo Rei, hurling a rock at the front window, which didn’t shatter as it was double glazed, but caused around €200 worth of damage all the same. The sophistication of the crimes and the intelligence of the criminals of Madeira never ceases to amaze me, and once again the police do a great job in cleaning up the mess. I have no idea whether the men involved here were charged, but often an apology to the owner and the payment of the losses and damages suffices, showing the forgiving and kind hearted nature of people here. Personally I would have wanted them strung up if they had done that to me, but there again there are men who have committed far greater crimes but still legally walk our streets. PS Dare not mention who for fear of reprisals.

The other story sounds much more serious, as two German tourists were robbed at knifepoint on the Levada dos Tornos, in the zone of Vale Paraíso, Camacha. He surprised the couple, and demanded the valuables that they were carrying. He stole the rucksack and about €100, but apart from being shocked, the couple were unharmed. The rucksack was later recovered by police, less the money. The police have a description of the suspect and are conducting investigations. I hate doing these stories more than anything, as levadas are supposed to be such safe and peaceful places … and of course still are. The police normally catch these thugs, but it’s best to be aware that there are occasionally problems in just one or two places. How people will obtain such information after next week I don’t know, but I hope they can ask at hotels or go on accompanied tours, or at least find out about any risky areas from somewhere.

’36 From The Savoy Refute Dismissal – The case started yesterday in court’. The collective dismissal of staff from the now closed Savoy Hotel in Funchal is in court, with 36 workers challenging the SIET Savoy Group decision to dismiss them. Their aim is to reverse the decision, and guarantee themselves future employment. The trade union representing the workers said it was the only option open to them once negotiations with the employer had failed. Win and they have their jobs back, lose and they will be entitled to compensation based on length of service. Many of the 99 workers have already accepted the termination and compensation package offered, when the hotel closed to be demolished, to make way for a new Savoy Hotel.

After yesterday’s story about the school of in São Martinho (Funchal) that failed to be ready on time because of building problems, it seems that São Martinho kids are stricken with bad luck, or good luck depending on the point of view. ‘Lombada School in São Martinho Fails To Open At The Start Of The School Year – A lack of staff has left parents and students at the school gate’. They turned up, but that’s as far as they got, as the school remained closed when staff didn’t turn up. The situation caught some parents off guard, along with 250 kids, even though there had been some communications about potential problems. Teachers weren’t lacking, except for the maths teacher, but one cleaning lady was on holiday, one was transferred, and the other one remaining refused to work alone. The knock on from that is that the catering staff and auxiliaries didn’t then turn up for work for fear of being put on cleaning duties. According to the government Education Department the situation has been resolved and the school is now fully operational. It wouldn’t happen in the private sector for sure, and if I had been in charge I would have had those parents in scrubbing the floors and doing the cooking, and sent the non-teaching staff off to meet those ex-Savoy Hotel workers.

‘Erasmus’ Sent Away 117 Madeiran Students In 6 Years’. The programme, according to funding available, allows students at Madeira University to study abroad. The scheme is growing in popularity, but as there is no specific funding for the purpose, applications depend on the general funding of UMa being able to support the applications received. The programme has proved particularly popular for students in physical education and in languages, with the countries most selected being Slovenia (23), Spain (32) and the Czech Republic (32).

Bit of a school theme going today, so here’s another : ‘Gripe A : Teachers “are not a priority risk group”. Contingency plans against the H1N1 swine flu virus in schools caught the attention of the Teachers Union of Madeira, this week. Coordinator Marilia Azevedo regretted the fact that the infection prevention plans have been made only with students in mind. A spokesman for the matter (I have no idea where from), said that the health services and Regional Secretary for Education and Culture had been working together for some time, “[teachers] are not a priority risk group in particular, as the groups that are in contact with the sick are health professionals. I do not see that there needs to be a special scenario for teachers”. What gobsmacking incompetence, as infected teachers are as much of a problem as infected children to start with, but absent teachers cause a different problem altogether, and without them to control the children, the risk of cross infection is highly elevated. Just imagine if one infected teacher in the weekly staff meeting infects the whole teaching staff group … chaos!

’224 Citizens Of Funchal Try Out The Services Of Horários do Funchal For Free – Bruno Pereira, vice-president of Funchal Council will be one of the participants’. The famous yellow bus company of Funchal wants to attract new customers to its regular services of public transport. With this objective in mind the company yesterday started the week with a promotional project ‘Ad personam’. Under the initiative, which is part of a wider European action called ‘Intelligent Energy of Europe’, over 224 people aged between 18 and 60 years can travel free for a week on the bus network of Horários. The lucky 224 were selected from 805 respondents to a survey undertaken in May, and addition to this weeks freebie, will be able to obtain discounted bus travel for the rest of the year through a monthly pass.

The headline I thought I would never see : ‘Marina At Lugar de Baixo Reopens – It will open, but not for boats to moor there’. No firm date has been set, but it is virtually certain that the marina infrastructure will reopen to the public sometime this year, with boats allowed back in shortly after the Winter. Clean up work is still ongoing, including partial clearing of a cliff face. The badly damaged car park has been demolished, and will not be rebuilt, but other parking is available. I can hardly wait for Uncle Bertie’s reinauguration (right!), and to go and enjoy the swimming pool and tennis court, or even just taking a coffee there. I have never tried hard-hat swimming before, but I presume I will need a strap-on-version, as well chastity-belt type swimming trunks. As for the coffee, will the café staff be trained to ask “will it be one lump or two?”

The sport / football headline : ‘Cup Takes Marítimo To The Azores’. Our team travels to Santa Clara to play on the 18th October, in the 3rd round of the Portugal Cup. Nacional will go to the north of Portugal to take on Varzim. Both opponents play in the Liga Honra (the 2nd highest level), and so should not in theory present too much of a challenge. There are still other teams from Madeira left in the cup, but as there are no big name opponents involved, I will leave it there.

Work on the new cemetery in Caniçal has been halted for three weeks. A digger started work, but after a couple of days was taken away. The main problem is with expropriations, or compulsory land purchases. The €1m project wasn’t in the council work programme for the current mandate, but the decision was made to proceed urgently because the existing cemetery is absolutely full. Aside from the purchase of land, how can a cemetery cost anything like €1 million to build? Aside from some ground levelling and boundary walls, what else is there. Will it be fully equipped with ready-to-wear tombs and blank gravestones, or am I just out of touch with today’s cemetery construction prices?

(16th September). Today’s main news headline : ‘Ambitious Nacional – The alvinegro sporting city will have a central photovoltaic system, road connection direct to the Caminho dos Pretos, a rugby pitch and athletics track’. Alvinegro is the club nickname for CD Nacional da Madeira. Alves says he is optimistic about tomorrows game. The club is approaching an average of 3 thousand supporters for its games, and has a growing membership list. The club is looking at some changes in the stadium complex, including solar power, access changes, and also acquiring nearby land to host an rugby pitch and athletics track.

That headline then has 3 more sub headlines:
- ‘In An Interview With The Diário, Rui Alves Believes That A Victory Over Werder Bremen Is Going To Confuse European Opponents’.
- ‘Race For The Presidency Of The League Of Clubs Continues In The Plans Of Rui Alves’.
- ‘Players Of Nacional Make The Set In The ‘Powerade’ Awards’. The players won plenty of awards for their achievements last season.
But as I suspect this is of little interest to most, I will move on.

‘Ronaldo, Happy For His Father, Sent Message And Scored Two Goals In Zurich’. His father was posthumously awarded for his contribution to sport, at the ‘Powerade’ Awards’ yesterday. CR737 then went on to score two of the five goals for his new team, Real Madrid, in the champions league victory last night.

‘Car Parks In The Centre ‘Summon’ Drivers – In the opinion of the environmental agency, Quercus, and drivers, the existence of accessible and diverse parking in Funchal feeds and fattens the traffic indulgence’. A vice president of Funchal Council says that they are developing a project, with the bus company Horários do Funchal, for a ‘park and ride’ scheme, where one drives to the outskirts of the city, parks ones car, and then catches a very frequent bus service from the car park to the city centre. The Funchal central traffic problem is getting steadily worse, just because parking facilities exist, and it also it still being possible to park without paying. "Paying to park is very cheap, and it shouldn’t be", says the president of the Madeira branch of Quercus. He believes that the comfort and speed of a car journey should be challenged by better public transport, and that there should be bus lanes on the main routes to improve public transport travel times. Around 47 thousand vehicles are believed to enter Funchal daily.

‘Armed Masked Robbers Raid Cash Desk’. They struck twice yesterday, firstly at the Hotel Funchal Design (Rua da Alegria), where they surprised the receptionist at 4.30 am. The two robbers had a knife, and forced the receptionist to hand over €57 from the cash till. Then sometime after 11 am, masked men appeared at Elos cash and carry in Viveiros, and forced checkout staff to hand over "a significant sum". They then fled on foot, chased by shop staff, but managed to lose their pursuers in the street labyrinths of Viveiros.

‘Elderly With Keys Around The neck – The robberies in the top of Ribeira Brava give rise to appeal : "The police must have compassion for the people". The call comes from ‘up top’, from the people in São João. "We asked the police to have compassion for the people". Celina Gonçalves, 75, lives alone in Lombo da Levada, and this Summer has been robbed three times. She is not the only one. The ‘nightmare’ started late in July when her house was freshly painted and wide open, and two individuals tried separately to steal the €400 she had set aside to pay the decorator, the second attempt was successful. She had been duped, so she she didn’t report the matter to the police or tell her family. Not long after, €300 she had set aside for another job that needed doing in her house, and after that another €200, were all stolen. She now has lock on every door, and wears the keys on a cord around her neck. Another story along the same lines follows, and the victim aged 67, reported to the Ribeira Brava police an attempt to rob her home, and was concerned that the response was not compassionate towards her. Even the church of São João has been a victim, with the donations from a mass and a box of candles stolen. They say "they only don’t take [steal] more because the people don’t have".

‘Eleven In The Final Of ‘Funchal A Cantar – Vânia Fernandes will be the patron on Saturday in the final, that will include fireworks’. The final of the singing competition will be held in the Praça do Município (town hall square) at 8 pm, and promises to be an unforgettable event, with a total of 65 artists involved. The 11 individual finalists were whittled down from the 30 in the preliminary round, held on Monday night.

‘Four New Cases Of H1N1 On Madeira – 21 suspected cases were investigated by the laboratory in the last week’. The Institute for Health Administration IASAÚDE confirmed 4 new case of Gripe A swine flu, taking the total to 39 since 12th July. One case came from Canada, the other three were secondary infections. On a related theme, vaccines for seasonal flu were starting to be delivered to pharmacies yesterday afternoon. Medical prescriptions for these vaccines are valid until 31st December.

‘Man Aged 29 Caught Selling Drugs In Night Spot (club or bar?) – 120 doses of cocaine and 600 Euros seized’. He was caught in the act by police with the drugs, and money presumed to be the takings from the drugs sold. In Funchal a police operation resulted in the seizure of hashish sufficient for 2,400 fixes.

‘Linha Saúde 24 Strengthened – 400 nurses with the capacity to answer 15 thousand calls a day’. Currently the health service hotline is taking 4,500 calls a day, 1,000 of those being specific to Gripe A concerns, but if necessary can deal with up to 15,000 enquiries daily. The centre is run by a private company, and should they fail to deal with 15% or more of the enquiries, they will be penalised, as they have already been 3 times for failing to meet half-yearly performance targets, since it was set up in 2007. The short term objective is to recruit 200 more nurses, to raise the call answering capacity to 20,000 per day, and then longer term, to cope with new cases of Gripe A swine flu, 800 to 900 nurses will be required.

I mentioned a few weeks ago about a big party organised by a famous international magazine called ‘Faces’, that is due to take place next weekend, with lots of celebrities expected to come to Madeira. ‘More Beauties – Liliana Campos Is Another Of The Famous That Comes To The ‘Faces’ Party’. All in all around 50 VIP passes are being issued to national celebrities for the event, where the main focus is a party in The Vine Hotel. As usual, I have no idea who she is, as my celebrity knowledge is very thin on the ground in these modern times.

Today’s sport headline : ‘Unprecedented Feat – The tennis player Martim Trueva, still a junior, conquered the national championship completely in the pairs’. He could go still further today in the singles. he is the first Madeiran ever to win an absolute(?) victory in a national championship. I would like to offer my congratulations to Martim, not for the comparatively mundane achievement of winning a national doubles title, but for the much harder achievement of keeping football off the front page of the Diário on a Saturday during the football season. Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was an editorial oversight.

‘SATA Plane Departs For Porto Santo Four Hours Late – One of the crew was showing Gripe A swine flu symptoms and had to be substituted’. The 8 am SATA ATP flight from Madeira to Porto Santo didn’t leave until midday. Four hours to find a crew member (or three hours according to another article) … I doubt if the delayed passengers would have found that very acceptable for an airline with a base on Madeira, and it wasn’t even the pilot with the with symptoms.

The crowds gathered in Machico yesterday in sítio do Paraíso, where president Jardim inaugurated a new road, which leads to the mouth of the tunnel that goes to Caniçal. The new road is 1,300 metres long, and cost €1.85 million to build. I am not sure whether these inauguration articles belong in the political section, or in Madeira news, these days. I think it all depends on whether Uncle Bertie is wearing his PSD lapel badge.

‘Minor assaults elderly man to steal €10 – After the theft, the thief assaulted the victim, hitting him with a shoe on his head’. The 15 year old minor was identified by police after assaulting a 63 year old man in Nazaré, in Funchal. After knocking the man to the ground, the thief took the money from the man’s pocket, and then took his victims shoe so he could whack him around the head before fleeing the scene. It all took place in front of witnesses. The police managed to identify the boy, and quickly arrested him, only to find that he had already spent the €10, and so they took him back to his grandmothers house. The matter will be reported to the Court for families and minors. It all sounds a little surreal, and with crime this sophisticated, I think the police have little problem in catching the criminals. No doubt granny will give him a good spanking, send him to bed without any supper, and withhold his pocket money to repay the €10. 

‘Colombo Disembarks On Porto Santo’. As is traditional in the Colombo festival, Christopher Columbus sails to shore along with Mrs. Columbus (or soon to be) to recreate the arrival and passing of our famous hero (which hopefully is not a tale as fictional or improvable as the claim that Columbus is Portuguese). The event finishes today. In a later article, the secretary for tourism for Madeira said that the 10th festival had been such a success that she wants to promote it nationally and in Spain next year. "It caused a true filling of the streets of Vila Baleira" she said. €108,000 was the cost of the event, and a 53% hotel occupancy rate was achieved.

‘Two Suspects Detained For Drug Trafficking – 2,100 doses of cannabis seized’. Funchal police arrested a man and woman with the drugs, destined to be sold on the streets of Madeira. In another article, police from Câmara de Lobos seized 590 doses of heroin and arrested two individuals on Thursday.

The hit and run driver who seriously injured a man in Lugar de Baixo, before fleeing the scene in a silver grey VW last Sunday, has now been identified. The driver committed the crime of "Omissão de auxílio" (Failure to help), as set out in article 200 of the Penal Code, and now faces up to 2 years in prison, or a hefty fine and / or loss of his driving licence. The victim is still in hospital awaiting surgery. 

Petrol and diesel prices drop another cêntimo on Monday.

In this weekends football, Nacional travel to play Rio Ave, currently 5th in the league. The match is at 6 pm, but is not televised. Marítimo play at home against top of the table Sporting Braga on Sunday morning, on SportTV 1 at 11.15 am.

From yesterday’s Jornal da Madeira : ‘Digital Terrestrial Television now covers  65% of the Autonomous Region – Funchal, Porto Santo and the areas west and east already have the signal’. Free DTT, the technology that allows one to receive television of better image and sound quality, is now available to 65 percent of the population of Madeira, according to a government spokesman. DTT will replace the current analogue terrestrial broadcasting, which provides the four general national channels (RTP, RTP 2, SIC and TVI), and also RTP-Açores and RTP-Madeira. Anyone delved into this yet? I am thinking of packing in with Zon, so I am interested to know if anyone has the ‘free’ option and what they think of it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UPDATES :

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

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

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

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

‘Summer Has 13 Gatherings Per Weekend – There are 268 festivals annually in the churches and parishes of Madeira. August is the champion month, with 70 great festas’. Or put another way, there are an average of 5 festivals a weekend, throughout the year. The Sunday following Santo António this year had the most with 19 (14th June). As far as the church goes, Santíssimo Sacramento (Holy Sacrament) is the most popular event with the church, with 12 celebrations. Most of the festivals on Madeira (201) are held between June and September, an average of 12 or 13 per weekend. This does not include other festivals, such as gastronomic events and ‘Dia do Conselho’ (annual day of the town / area). April has no festivals due to Easter. After that, February and March have the least festivals (both 3), as these months are associated with Lent.

The main photo today shows a JCB digger taking a first ‘bite’ from a piece of wasteland – ‘Future Cemetery Divides Caniçal – The machines move in to Feiteirinhas against a petition. Also there are those who defend the location of the project’. Work started yesterday on the Machico Council project, despite a 1,100 protest petition, from locals who believe that the new site will hamper future urban expansion in Caniçal, as it is the only expansion direction possible. The signatures collected represent nearly half the affected population and was led by a PS socialist counsellor. He believes the correct location would be on the lands of Zona Franca, which is already public property. He also says that the work yesterday commenced without completion of the expropriation of the lands being completed. The president of Machico Câmara, who is on the opposite side of the debate for the new Caniçal cemetery, said that this is proof that the majority of the population was misled when signing the petition. "I think people believed that the cemetery would be built right on top of the houses, right next to the neighbourhood of Feiteirinhas. That’s not true … that would be a bad option".

‘Woman Caught With 800 Grams Of Heroin At The Airport’. A careful search by customs led to the detection of the drugs hidden in the clothing of the passenger. Another drugs courier caught says the chief of customs. The woman, of African origin, aged over 40, was caught during checks on Tuesday, and she had her return trip booked almost immediately. The very pure heroin haul was enough for up to 14,000 fixes, and would not have been detected without a thorough body search. That’s the second arrest at the airport in a week for hard drugs smuggling.

Police units from Funchal and Câmara de Lobos have arrested 6 people in the last few days for drugs offences, including growing cannabis, when enough for nearly 6,000 fixes was seized. All 6 were foreigners. The police are said to be on a bit of a high after all their successes this week.

The search for the 76 year old man who went missing on Porto Santo on Sunday continues today, but the scale of the search operation is being reduced.

‘Kidnapping Of Another Madeiran In Venezuela Troubles Jardim da Serra’. The 64 year old emigrant was taken a week ago. In December last year the brother of the man from Jardim da Serra was also kidnapped in the same city, but was released 6 days after when a ransom was paid. It is estimated that more than one hundred Portuguese people and their descendants have been the target of kidnapping since the beginning of this year.

‘House Of Deceased Was Robbed Four Hours After The Death Was Known – Opportunist thief didn’t manage to take the stove because neighbours stopped him’. It is a case so ridiculous and immoral. A house in the neighbourhood of Nogueira was robbed four hours after it was known locally of the sudden death of the resident. The 61 man died, most likely from illness, not through crime. A police source reports that the thief was seen leaving the house of the deceased, carrying a small stove on his back. But the opportunist was caught by a group of neighbours of the deceased, who condemned the act and alerted the police.

(26th August). From the Jornal da Madeira : ‘PSP To Have New Police Station On Porto Santo – It will go in the area currently occupied by the firemen’. The area currently occupied near to the centre of Vila Baleira is due to be demolished in the next year.

UPDATE :

(27th August). The Gripe A count in Portugal has now reached 2,244, but as the minister for health said they were not doing the tests anymore, then I can’t see how this can be accurate. That’s the latest count up until 23rd August. Madeira has / had 30 cases, but this article takes it down to 27?

And in politics today :

(27th August). ‘Secretary Of State Reacts To Rui Alves And Refuses Invitation Of Nacional For Today’s Game’. (Sport or politics?) Bernardo Trindade (secretary of state for tourism) turned down the invitation of Nacional, having been angered by statements from Rui Alves, president of the football club. Trindade announced yesterday that he would continue his program of official contacts with tour operators in Russia, but will not attend the big match this afternoon against Zenit St. Petersburg in the Europa League, as was originally planned. Trindade told the Diário that he is surprised by the statements of the football club on Madeira, since it was a few weeks ago that the issue was triggered, of taking the opportunity to use the football match as an excellent means of promoting tourism to Madeira. Alves spoke yesterday in Funchal, making a severe accusation against the Government of the Republic, about taking advantage of the visit to Russia for national propaganda purposes. Trindade in response criticized Alves saying he was the one who initially raised the issue of using the opportunity. President Jardim is known to have been annoyed at the interference of Trindade, having ignored the opportunity to promote Madeira at the event through the regional government. "Now it looks like someone let the dogs out, and Rui Alves became frightened and reversed the position he had taken previously" said Trindade. Russians will be reading their newspapers today and seeing the new campaign, a beautiful picture of Madeira with the slogan "The land of Ronaldo and Danny’.

The daily interview with the head-of-the-list for the elections to the Assembly of the Republic : ‘Guilherme Silva Doesn’t Exclude Support To The PS Majority – The candidate of the PSD admits to giving support to a PS government, in the event that it benefits Madeira’. This guy is either giving us some serious BS or is not an ordinary PSD politician of Madeira. Asked if he wanted to see a crushing victory in the legislative elections next month, he said he didn’t like the work ‘crushing’, but hoped that most of the votes and 6 places go to the PSD. In fact if he hadn’t stated that constitution revision was an absolute social democrat priority in the new mandate, I wouldn’t have believed that he was in fact a social democrat. In the last 5 years, in the various elections, the PSD vote on Madeira has varied between 45.2% (2005 national) and 64.2% (2007 regional). It was in 2005, with the 45.2% share, that the PSD had to evenly share the 6 seats in the Assembly of the Republic with the PS socialists.

The last of today’s headlines : ‘Serrão Takes Place Of Leandro In The ALM’. Just a swopping of candidates in the socialist party. zzzzzz

(26th August). ‘Vindimas (grape harvest) – Festival of Wine of Madeira, 3rd to 6th September, guarantees entertainment in Funchal and Estreito’. The dates given are for Funchal, whilst in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos the date is 5th September. Musical entertainment with folk bands and orchestras, art, cuisine, and wine tasting of course, are the themes that attract so many festival goers. In Funchal the main focus is in Avenida Arriaga. Extensive details of the programme for both locations is given, but as I don’t think many readers attend these events I won’t take it any further.

This story saved the day for me : ‘Scam In Caniço – Man passes himself off as a tool salesman in order to flee with the money of his victims. There are at least 3 cases’. He is posing at a salesman working for a shop of ‘Mata’, looking to fleece victims of their hard earned cash. The swindler, thought to be a drug addict, had contacted several people in Santa Cruz offering special promotions on the purchase of tools. He then took his victims to the branch of Mata in Caniço (Tendeira), asking the victim to wait at the back of the shop in order to obtain a "bigger discount", and taking the money for payment and fleeing the scene to a waiting getaway car, driven by an accomplice. The amounts varied between just a few Euros and €100. Video surveillance tapes in Mata have identified the likely culprit of the scams as a man from Machico. The increasing sophistication of crime here is worrying (yeah right!), the susceptibility of people to be scammed is equally worrying, but luckily and thankfully the stupidity of the majority of fraudsters outweighs all the fore mentioned concerns. Not wishing to labour the point, but who would climb in the car of someone who offered discounts at a shop, and then wait at the back of the shop with the promise of a bigger discount, having handed over cash for the purchase. As for the swindler, having gone to the trouble of employing a getaway driver, he then picks a shop with security cameras, and returns there three times and does the same thing. Didn’t anyone in Mata notice the first time someone was swindled?

Today’s main sports story, and also the main front page photo with a pair of canoeists doing their thing : ‘Canoes Full Steam Ahead (the exact Portuguese translation just didn’t work) - XVIII ‘around’ Madeira by canoe starts today with the medal winner Beatriz Gomes, partner of Helena Rodrigues in the world championship, taking the lead’. More than 80 canoeists are taking part this year. The course today is 19 km between Machico and Funchal. Gomes is a teammate of Madeiran Rodrigues, together winning the bronze medal a few weeks ago in Canada.

For anyone so inclined, the Fiorentina v Sporting 2nd leg match in the Champions League knock-out, is on RTP live tonight at 7.45 pm.

The irony is almost almost amusing in this one : ‘Robbery At Ponta Gorda Yields Around €1,500 To The Thieves’. The ticket office at the swimming and leisure complex was robbed, and according to Ricardo Nunes, manager of FrenteMar that operates the facility, the theft took place between midnight Sunday and 6 am yesterday. Aside from the theft of between €1,300 and €1,500, property damage was caused as a result of the break in. The irony is that this is the guy who was interviewed 2 days ago saying that business was really good … "Lido entrants have increased by 17%, and in Ponta Gorda by 12%". And then they leave a large amount of cash in the ticket office, (and have no idea when it was stolen with in a 30 hour time window).

‘Problems with Health Line 24 are national and not just Madeira’. The Secretary for Social Affairs on Madeira hopes that the service is improved and more appropriate, stressing that the inability to call the Health Line 24 is a "national problem" and not just for this island. "It is a general case and not only from Madeira, expanded Francisco Jardim Ramos to the Lusa news agency, reacting to a statement made on-air by a citizen of Madeira, who reported the bad service when she phoned the ‘Health Line 24′ to talk about Gripe A. She was told that the service was not available to the autonomous regions. Madeira has now had 30 cases of Gripe A with only 2 people hospitalised so far.

In a separate rather astounding article headlined : ‘Illness Affects More Men – Of the thirty registered cases on Madeira, 63 percent are of the male sex’. The communication from the regional secretary for social affairs then continues with the mind blowing fact that the "remaining 37% are women".

‘Illegal Arms Seized In Ponta do Sol – Two suspects were arrested’. The PSP police detained two individuals suspected of illegal activity connected with possession of illegal weapons. In a swoop in Ponta do Sol, the police found "a small arsenal" and seized two guns, 8 knives including two rather large ones, and 146 rounds of ammunition.

UPDATE :

‘Just One Third Of Registered Hunters Take Out Licenses – Hunting calendar already published. The season starts 4th October’. The records of the forestry authorities indicate that Madeira has around 3,000 hunters, but for years just 900 to a 1,000 obtain a license. The new season lasts from 4th October to 31st December, but rabbit hunting is extended beyond this. Many of those licensed to hunt do so in order to own and carry hunting weapons, as without this they cannot do so. There are two days of rest for the hunted, October 11th as an election day, and Christmas day. Hunting is limited to Woodcocks, Rock Pigeons, Quail, Partridges with red legs, and Rabbits (if I have my translations right!), but unfortunately it seems politicians are a protected species.

‘Pools Without Water’. The natural rock pools of Porto Moniz, located next to the Aquarium of Madeira, are empty again, which has again led to complaints from some bathers. The pools were already emptied on 18th August to clean out slime and algae, but this time the council have taken the action due to wear on the rubber seals that retain the water. The problem should be resolved today, but it is annoyance to users who don’t want to pay to use the other facilities.

Moving on to political news :

The front page political article today is the interview with a candidate who will make it to the Assembly of the Republic next month : ‘Beyond The Abuse It Is The Verdict Of The Voter – Bernardo Trindade, top-of-the-list of PS-M to the Assembly of the Republic, says that who takes up opposition on Madeira is a hero. And he waits the elections with self-control’. Just picking out one question, in what was a very restrained interview as regards the opposition PSD-M : Q : The election of three deputies (MPs), as in 2005, is unlikely to be repeated. It is a defeat? : A : If the result were to be repeated it would also mean that the PS had a comfortable majority in 2005. We had four and a half years of difficult governance, and there are professional classes discontented with the current government. My question is what is the alternative. I look forward seriously to the verdict of Madeira. In 2004 the socialists enjoyed a 27.4% share of the vote, at a regional level. That rose to 34.9% in 2005 when the current government started its term, but that has declined since then to just 14.7% in the European elections this year.

‘PSD President Helps Sócrates To Shine – The distinction for the prime minister comes after the transfer of a convent to the council’. In a national story, Prime Minister José Sócrates, yesterday praised the "courage" demonstrated by the city of Santarém for awarding him the gold medal of the city, at a time when the country is on the verge of elections. I bet Ferreira Leite, leader of the social democrats is hopping mad, that a prestigious award is given to an opposition politician so close to national elections.

‘PND Calls For "Forcible Removal" Of The Commander Of The Maritime Zone – José Manuel Coelho accuses Coelho Cândido of being in the service of ‘Jardim’s Sharks’. The national candidate for the New Democratic Party (aka Rabbit) campaigned in Funchal Harbour, accusing the commander of being in the "service of the great sharks of the Jardim regime and his cronies", and not fulfilling his obligation to look after the interests of the State and Portuguese sovereignty. He accuses him of double standards, in effect allowing dignitaries to do things that the normal public would be stopped from doing, naming the development at Quinta do Lorde as an example. I enjoy the ‘Rabbit news’, and this time there are two in conflict (Coelho as a last name and first name), and I had a good headline but it involved a rude word … perhaps I might get away with ‘shaft’ instead?

(25th August). The last item from yesterday’s front page, and the Diário’s daily feature. ‘Rodrigues Against Expenditure On Newspapers And Stadiums – The head-of-list of the PP-Madeira to São Bento expects to see the maturity of the Madeirans when it is time to vote’. This guy is the top of the CDS (Christian Democrats) list for the national elections. With the ‘share of the vote’ the CDS party, over the last 5 years, has achieved between 5.3% and 8.3% at the various elections … another no hoper except in the case of a mass protest vote. I agree with him of course that the government shouldn’t be spending €45 million in redeveloping the Marítimo stadium and injecting public funds into a newspaper.

Today’s main picture is of a normal looking street in Porto Santo : ‘Case Of The Kidnapped Businessman Changed Habits On Porto Santo – The population has recovered from the shock of the murder, one month after, but there are a series of precautions. The foreigners give rise to mistrust’. "Now anything is possible", "but everything changed" two of the leads quotes in the article. "People think now that everything is possible," says Roberto Silva, president of the council of Porto Santo, noting with some irony, that "nobody believes in Santa Claus". "Initially, it was putting some pressure on people," recalls the president, as the tragic and violent circumstances surrounding the death of 78 year old businessman José Guilhermino Alves turned out to be "abnormal, both at regional and even national level". The man was lured to a fake business meeting, and murdered, and the Diário went to hear the after effects of the event on the people of Porto Santo, and how they view safety on an island that in the last 10 years has changed as much "as the night into day". The article also looks at crime on the island, which was low anyway, but is even lower now, so the fear of crime generally should make people feel more comfortable, but as one man said "people no longer leave home or leave the car parked without ensuring that the doors are firmly locked". Alexandra Castro Brito says that since the murder (that occurred on Madeira) she is "very scared" when she has to go to Madeira to consult the doctor who is monitoring her pregnancy. Another man said "I know one person that was coming here every year and no longer comes because their house is far away and isolated". Also he said, he views with some suspicion, at least at first, the many people that now come to the island.

‘Merlin And Lobo Test Evacuation Of Crew – The crew of the helicopter EH101 ‘Merlin, of the Air Detachment of Madeira, tested yesterday the operational ability of the aircraft in an evacuation exercise of an injured person from the ferry boat Lobo Marinho’. The exercise was to prove the rescue a seriously injured victim of an onboard accident from the top deck of the ship, and take him to Madeira Airport on route to hospital. The exercise took place off the Praia da Fontinha beach, roughly half a mile from the coastline, and captivated the curiosity of many tourists who were on the beach despite the lack of sunshine. I bet it did, probably thought it was for real. Wall to wall sunshine here again in Rib. Bra.

‘Drugs Were Arriving Inside Heels – Customs seize 750 grams of coke and heroin’. A foreign national was caught and arrested by customs at Madeira Airport smuggling in cocaine and heroin drugs inside the heels of a pair of designer ladies shoes, inside his luggage. Supposedly a gift for someone living here. The baggage control system detected the presence of illegal substances within a package wrapped in a bag. The passenger was searched and the customs officers eventually found the drugs: 580 grams of heroin and 180 of ‘coke’. The heels of the designer shoes, were very well sewn so that to the naked eye, the package had a perfectly normal appearance and was far from suspicious.

‘Police Grab 21 Feet Of Cannabis In Ribeira Brava’. The Public Security Police (PSP) carried out a seizure of 21 feet of cannabis, which were planted on land located in Eira do Mourão, in São Paulo in Ribeira Brava, some 50 metres from the roadside. A couple were identified as having planted the plants. At the beginning of last week another seizure of plants was made in Ribeira Brava, enough for 270 individual doses. I am not sure that ‘feet of cannabis’ is the correct interpretation even though the translation is technically accurate.

Most of the twenty or so cases of Gripe A have passed without not even the need for hospitalisation, but a 39 year old man from Santana has already spent several days in hospital connected to breathing equipment, and is likely to be there for 10 days. His condition has now stabilised after he was affected by bilateral(?) pneumonia.

Another article looks at the high number of days on Madeira with high UV radiation warnings, and basically concludes that people don’t "always" take the issue and warnings seriously.

Today’s sports headline : ‘Opening Game With The House In Works – Marítimo receive Leixões at The Barreiros, Nacional Play tonight in the Dragon’. Referring mainly to the fact that Marítimo play their first home game at a building site, as reconstruction work is already well underway for the new look stadium.

(22nd August). This was in yesterday’s economy section, to mark the success and profits of the company concerned, but I though it was better as an article on the attitude to smoking and the continuing strength of the disgusting habit : ‘Dismade Turned Over €125 Million In Six Years – The company is the leader in the distribution of tobacco products on Madeira’. Friday was the 6th anniversary of the company in the company premises in Água de Pena, Machico, where it has a warehouse. Many clients and local politicians attended the event, besides its employees and business partners. Of the €125 million in 6 years, €21 million was turned over last year, and the business has grown every year, with a 5% growth expected for 2009 to €22 million. The company is responsible for around 85% of the Madeira tobacco market, with 2,400 outlets here. It has made it through the crisis with new and diversified products to meet demand. The company offered guided tours through its preparation and production facilities. Funny how attitudes differ, as I expect this would be a low key event in Portugal where smoking is less acceptable, and probably most tobacco companies go to great lengths not to talk about profits, and success if they can help it (except direct to shareholders of course). Here of course we have a smoking president and the habit is far from discouraged, and we even have weaker smoking laws for public places. Hence we can safely celebrate the growth in the profits of a supplier for the world’s deadliest habit … no namby pamby stuff like that here, and maybe I shall have a puff tonight to mark the event.

and in politics, mostly along the normal theme of course :

(23rd August). ‘PS-M Expects 15 Thousand For Today’s Visit Of Sócrates At Fonte do Bispo’. Prime minister José Sócrates participates for the first time in the annual rally of the socialists of Madeira. This time he is not here as prime minister, but as general secretary of the socialist party. He is always invited but this time is the first acceptance, an event that a local PS-M leader feels will "alleviate the feeling of orphanhood" amongst the party activists, as well as give encouragement to other activists and socialist sympathizers, especially on the eve of two elections. The “Festa da Liberdade”, according to the Jornal da Madeira, is for the first time this year not selling alcohol on the ‘barracas’, with the excuse that the space normally allocated is needed for other ‘cultural’ things.  That hardly fits in with the "festival of freedom" sentiment, and I wonder if the activists already knew this? Uncle Bertie says that the arrival of Sócrates here always sinks the socialist vote. I think he has only been here once since becoming prime minister, and that was earlier this year. So he is technically correct, as the European election results did go the wrong way, but I would hardly put that down as a ‘track record’ though.

The last of the front page stories : ‘Block Insist On A Pact To The Left – Roberto Almada, head-of-list of BE (Left Block) in the legislative national elections, holds PS and PCP responsible for the non-existence of a anti-PSD coalition. But he still has hopes’. This is the Diário daily interview with the top of the list candidates. It’s not worth covering as another no-hoper party, but as regards the headline where he refers to attempts to form a coalition with the PCP and PS, he said this has been an aim of BE since 2004, but he talks about the elections for Funchal council rather than national elections. To win this he said would put an end to the reign of the PSD, and start "the beginning of the end" for Jardim.

‘PS Of Sócrates Doesn’t Have Ideology – Jardim says that the actual socialist party is not that of Soares, Almeida, Guterres or Alegre’ (being previous party leaders I presume). President Alberto João Jardim, who reiterated that he is close to leaving politics, accused prime minister Sócrates of having finished with the party ideology. He accused him of being responsible for the worst economic situation in the country since April 25 (1974?) and to be the mentor of the "greatest propaganda campaign" of ever in Portugal, in order to hide the true state of the nation. He appealed to the disenchanted socialists to vote for his party the PSD social democrats, and also challenged Sócrates to explain how he managed to help the communist political forces to achieve together 20 percent of the votes in the recent European elections. For the Social Democratic leader, the only concrete proposal of the present Government of the Republic was to propose homosexual marriage.

In the Jornal da Madeira . "I Always Translated The Sentiments Of The People", was the headline quote from president Jardim, returning to his holidays on Porto Santo after the Funchal 501 celebrations. Explaining why he goes to Porto Santo for his holidays, he said it is because of official commitments, but more so to relax and be with friends. Asked about the initiative of the PND (New Democratic Party) who were on Porto Santo asking people to donate money to help Jardim pay for his holidays (see also yesterday in Funchal), he said "As you know the PND is a party of the extreme right that lives on clowning around. This form of begging is not unusual, because one of the PND leaders is heir to the fortune of Padre Lopes, in a way that I don’t admire such a method of obtaining money through donations" he snapped.

Back to the Diário : The police unit on Porto Santo was asked to despatch two officers and other elements of the maritime police authorities, in response to a rumour that the PND had arranged to walk two pigs on leashes along Porto Santo beach at the same time that president Jardim was taking the same stroll, on the way to the famous ‘Bar do Henrique’. The stunt was cancelled for hygiene reasons, because the leaders of the PND couldn’t find away to "stop the animals satisfying their physiological needs on the beach". Sounds like a bit of a wheeze to me, but why two pigs? Was this to be a remake of the famous story ‘The Three Little Pigs’ with houses of straw, sticks and bricks, and a big bad wolf? Which role would Uncle Bertie have played, with such a clear conflict of interest on both sides. And if asked to play along do you think he might have said "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin"?

I am having big problems with the Diário website today, and it’s taking sometime 5 minutes to get from one article to the next. I will have to carry some stuff across to tomorrow.

‘Neighbourhood Obliges Officers To Seek Medical Support – Affronts, threats and insults to the Public Security Police in Nogueira puts the officers under heavy pressure, insists the trade union ASPP’. Following on from yesterday’s story about an unpleasant incident in the neighbourhood of Nogueira on Saturday, some of the officers with duties in that area are receiving medical support. In particular those who have the duty of working in the police post in the area, and have to work there alone. The union ASPP (Association of Police Professionals) says that the regional command of the police has the resources and means to calm the area is it wishes. According to Jorge Silva, everything depends on the decision of the commander. For now, the truth is that the "police presence that are in service in Nogueira are under great pressure, and some are receiving medical assistance." Despite the preparation and training, "the police are people of flesh and blood, they also feel", he says. He does not talk of a neighbourhood out of control, but stressed that the climate in Nogueira is complicated, and the worsening of the situation. Jorge Silva does not make any predictions for the future, but reminds that the "little corner of heaven no longer exists in Portugal." Madeira is no exception, nobody can predict anything in a time where there is increasingly less respect for authority. Nogueira has social problems that can not be resolved with one police officer at the police post, and two other in a patrol car. That view coincides with that of Paulo Atouguia, chairman of Housing Investment Madeira (IHM), who said "The Neighbourhood of Nogueira has serious problems of drug addiction, unemployment and crime, that is true. Besides this, a significant part of the population is in adolescence, at an age of risk". He also emphasises that in Nogueira, there are many normal families who live normally, are working, and ensure that the house supplied by the government is looked after. He also points out that Nogueira has its own problems coming from the fact that the population has been relocated (from Câmara de Lobos I believe). "These people are uprooted, coming from far away, they have no connection with the place and that does not facilitate integration". The District of Nogueira was inaugurated in 1994 and now, 1,398 people live in all the 387 ‘side by side’ houses. The houses, with gardens, are nice and well constructed, but for years that area has been associated with trafficking and drug use. There are 312 unemployed people there, mostly men, and 79 people receiving social benefit payments. I have included a typical photo from Nogueira today, as it might surprise some people who expect something quite different. In appearance it is nothing like the trouble hotspots of Funchal.

‘Imaculado Complains Of Lack Of Festival – There are few other problems mentioned by the population’. This is another featured location in the Diário series ‘Through Madeira’, this time in Imaculado Coração de Maria, in Funchal, and the conclusion is that Imaculado "is not one of the worse parishes". Problems with lack of safety are passing with time, but the population still regret the abolition of the parish festival 15 years ago, that used to take place on the last Sunday in August. Nobody knows why it was stopped, but one resident suggests that the padre at the time found the event disrespectful for the church, as there people causing disturbances. Two attempts to resurrect the occasion have failed, and now the event ‘Immaculate Heart of Mary’ is just celebrated within the church. Social / crime problems have improved over the last 5 years, and one can now feel quite secure there, although there are still a few problems, some connected with drugs. The local church causes some criticisms, with locals saying it is a bit of a mess, and needs work doing. The location has a health centre and a football pitch, and public transport is pretty good. Things are even better in one part of the parish. "A corner of heaven" is how the residents feel about the district of Penha de França, describing it as the place to live, without confusion, contempt, problems with neighbours or in connection with violence or drugs. "I love living here, it is quiet, clean, and no one interferes with anyone" says Fernanda Andrade, resident in the neighbourhood for over 30 years. But that area is made up of pre-fabricated houses, which others feel should not exist, and feel that Funchal Council failed to deliver on a promise made 30 years ago to deal with the situation. The council has also neglected the green open spaces, which now pose a fire hazard as well as a home for mice.

The front page football story : ‘Danny Already Informed Zenit About Nacional’. Adopted as an Madeiran, Danny, who plays for Zenit St. Petersburgh, and arrives here this afternoon, has spilt the beans. Asked if he has told his Russian club about Nacional, their opponents on Thursday, he says "Of course. I told them everything. It’s my team". The game on Thursday is the first leg of the tie in the UEFA Europa League qualifying stage. Danny will not play in the game.

‘Capacity Exhausted In The Forum Madeira – Animation and fantasy sum up the second week of open air cinema’. The first day of the initiative last week saw 1,500 people turn up in the central square of the forum to see the film Slum Dog Millionaire. Today one can see Madagascar 2, on Thursday, the Strange Case of Benjamin Button, and on Sunday, Angels and Demons.

‘Illegal Firearms Seized In Calheta – Police arrest an individual’. One arrest and three illegal firearms seized as police from Câmara de Lobos went to Calheta for an ‘intervention’. One of the weapons was actually a compressed air gun. Câmara de Lobos police going to Calheta … we don’t hear about boundary crossovers like this very often.

‘SJ again criticizes dismissals – The Union of Journalists (SJ) returned yesterday to protest against the process of collective redundancies ongoing in the Diário de Notícias’. The union believes that the action is not justifed in sacking 10 journalists and 3 other workers, and has called for the public opinion of Madeira and the support of others in the public eye to protest to the newspaper. The union argues that not only is the action injust, but it will also affect the income of a number of people and their families, who have very few opportunities for equivalent jobs on Madeira, as well as affecting the future quality of the newspaper.

’25 Cases Of Gripe A On Madeira – The ages range between 20 and 54. They are all clinically well’. Whilst nationally the numbers of confirmed cases have soared above 1,400, Madeira had just 4 new cases in the last week, none required to stay in hospital, bringing the running total to 25. 

‘Funchal Marks 501 Years Friday’. I have already covered it and given the link to the programme of events, but it’s worth noting that on Thursday night there is a concert in the Municipal Gardens at 9 pm, when the Bandolins da Madeira and tenor Carlos Guilherme perform.

‘Ilha Pays Tribute To The Emigrant – Folklore, conviviality and animation lead hundreds to the village of Santana’. Tribute to the emigrants is the goal of the festival that happens every year in the Summer in the parish of Ilha. Organised by the Casa do Povo (House of the People) every year, they look to vary the programme every time. The event attracts hundreds of emigrants from all over Madeira and from Madeiran communities abroad, and includes traditional games. If they are emigrants from all over Madeira, in theory they wouldn’t be Madeiran?

‘Not Even With Pepper Gas Can The PSP Calm Nogueira – A family brawl spreads and not even police officers can control’. The neighbourhood is each time more out of control. Police officers are starting to fear going there. This time the trouble started when a man assaulted his ex-girlfriend. Not even the use of tear gas was sufficient to help police to make arrests during the family brawl in Nogueira. The police were threatened and insulted, and the ruffian managed to escape the three officers called in on Saturday afternoon. He is known to use knuckle-dusters in fights and is well known for his aggressive behaviour, and his frequent involvement in fights. The cops need to start waving their guns around a bit perhaps.

‘Two Boats Adrift Receive Tow’. In separate incidents at the weekend, two boats had to be rescued. The yacht had an engine failure off Ponta de São Lourenço, and the other boat ran out of fuel 7 miles south of Funchal. When rescuing the yacht the 8 occupants of the boat were found to be sick (sea sick I think), and hadn’t realised that their boat actually had a back up engine. Both boats were towed to dry land.

‘Accident In Calheta Injures Four’. Why this makes the front page I don’t know, but a car went off the via-expresso of Calheta between Prazeres and Maloeira early yesterday morning, and the 4 occupants were taken to Funchal hospital.

Yup, footie is back. With about half the front page taken up with the picture of Alonso of Marítimo running in to take a penalty. ‘Steady Marítimo Surprise Benfica In The Stadium of Light – Firstly there was the surprise of the blue and yellow (kit), then the steady performance. Overall the goalkeeper Peçanha was fundamental in the 1 – 1 draw achieved. The ex-Nacional player Alonso scored the goal of Marítimo, from a penalty, with plenty of class’. I missed the first half, but the second was one-way-traffic in my opinion and hardly steady, but a fine result nether-the-less. That result made 6 out of the first 7 initial games of the season drawn over the weekend, with the big three teams all blessed with late goals to avoid defeat.

‘Mother Of God Wants A Bus- The council agrees with the population and asks for more understanding from the bus company’. Nothing special about the story about the transport needs of the population of ‘Mãe de Deus’ in Caniço, I just liked the headline. Of course Caniço rather oddly has it’s very own bus company (EACL), and perhaps not many people know that?

‘Helena Rodrigues Makes History In Canada’. A 4 woman team took the bronze medal in the k4 200 metre canoeing event in the world championships in Canada. Maybe Helena is from Madeira, it doesn’t say.

‘São Martinho Homes A Quarter of Funchal – The parish has experienced a large increase in population’. When the trend is for the decline in population, the parish of São Martinho takes the opposite path, homing approximately a quarter of the population of Funchal. According to statistics from 2006, the population of Funchal was 99,759 inhabitants, while that of São Martinho amounted to 26,540, almost six thousand more than in 2001. The area of 8.06 square kilometres is about 30% of the total area of Funchal, and is now one of the most sought after for housing. Hmmm, I doubt if Nazaré or even Santo Amaro are included in that statement, but as the mass expansion of concrete in Ajuda is also within São Martinho, that probably accounts for quite a lot of the growth.

(16th August). From yesterday’s Jornal da Madeira : ’274 Burglaries In Homes In The First 6 Months Of 2009 – Last year the police registered 647 situations’. 274 burglaries in 6 months on Madeira say the Public Security Police, who take some credit through action that they themselves took to ensure the numbers stayed low. That includes ‘Operation Safe Summer’ that warned residents to be extra vigilant during the holiday period, and even allowed people going on holiday to let the police know that their house was empty and to keep a lookout, although only 93 people have used this so far (until the end of July). Though I doubt whether everything has been reported, it seem pretty good, and it seems that potentially this year will even be lower than last years total.

You were warned … top flight football is back today : ’1st League Starts Today – Leixões – Belenenses starts (20h15) a new season. Tomorrow Nacional receive Sporting’. Indeed a tough start for our local teams, with Nacional hosting Sporting tomorrow (at 7.15pm, live on RTP1). Even tougher is Marítimo’s visit to Benfica on Sunday (live on SportTV1 at 8.15pm).

In a late update to yesterday’s story : ‘Guns And Drugs In The Mega-operation In Santo Amaro – PSP identified 137 individuals, 5 were detained’. The regional command of the police divulged late yesterday the result of the Special Operation of Crime Prevention (OEPC) that took place Wednesday evening in Santa Amaro. The five detentions were for drug trafficking, possession of a prohibited firearm, judicial disobedience, and driving without a license. Searches of a number of residences and businesses allowed the seizure of 7 arms and small quantities of drugs. The operation, which controlled all access points to the area, allowed police to undertake checks on 435 vehicles, of which 15 were detained for various offences. In addition one person was ‘captured’ for deserting from military service.

‘Car Driving License Now Allows Some To Drive A Motorbike – The new law that comes into force today allows driving of motorbikes up to 125cc’. Car drivers (category B) aged 25 and over, or with alternative license conditions, can now drive a motorbike up to 125 cc in capacity (11 kw / 15 horsepower). The alteration has been made resulting in law nº. 78/2009, effective 13th August. Persons aged under 25 will have to take and pass an exam. The change is hoped to have a beneficial effect on traffic and also in an environmental aspect, as many more car drivers leave their cars at home and jump on a motorbike instead. You should check you own circumstances if acting on this news, as different conditions may apply to those mentioned.

‘Social Security Take Care Of The Old Lady From Pico dos Barcelos’. She will continue to live at home, but Aldora aged 74, who was abandoned by her family at the weekend, is already in the hands of social services, who have taken her to the doctor. As there are no available places in old peoples homes, she will stay in her apartment, but will be accompanied at night by an assistant, and during the day will be visited by a girl who will walk with her, deal with her meals, and control her medications. Well done the Diário … another fine result.

This from the Jornal da Madeira yesterday :  ‘Government is constructing nine educational establishments – This school year will see the initiation of two new schools and three further improved schools’. New schools / divisions to be ready next year are the basic, secondary and third cycle schools in São Jorge, secondary and technology in São Martinho, and basic and pre-school in Câmara de Lobos. Also there will be works of expansion and modernisation at the pre-school and basic school in Ponta do Pargo, in São Paulo (Ribeira Brava), Tanque in Monte, and São Filipe in Santa Maria Maior. Other works to be started in the coming months will be pre-school and basic schools in Porto da Cruz, Romeiras in Santo António, and in Imaculado Coração de Maria, and a new infant school in Santa Cruz. The list goes on … 7,261 teachers will start the new year on 21st September, including 1,402 on non-permanent contracts. Add to that 3,226 other staff in schools. 51,161 students are expected to attend classes in the coming academic year. 

Thought yesterday was bad on the Gripe A count? In the last 24 hours (announced around 8pm yesterday) there were another 149 cases of swine flu, taking the total to 884, the Ministry of health has announced. 136 of the cases were by cross infection within Portugal.

The final front page story today : ‘Commission Of Honour – Ex-Leaders of PS-M and independents of the region on the commission of support for the national lists’. The list of supporters of Prime Minister José Sócrates includes 10 Madeirans, including ex-leaders of the socialist party of Madeira. I think this is about the committee that will support and launch the prime minister as the number one candidate (for re-election) at the national legislative elections on 27th September. From Madeira there will be 2 ex-leaders of PSD-M, local party activists, and also independent figures close to the socialist party. All in all, a group of people spanning business, culture, economy, and politics. The selection of the names indicates a will to reinforce a party seen to be suffering with an identity crisis, and present a different face from that shown in 2005.

It expected that prime minister Sócrates will visit Madeira before the September elections. He could come to the party rally here at Fonte do Bishpo, but with little more than a week to go and with no announcement yet, that is looking unlikely.

‘Neighbourhood of Santo Amaro Surrounded By Police – Operation aimed to control the movement of weapons’. The mega-operation started yesterday evening with the public security police and around 70 officers, with search warrants, and also a magistrate present. At the time of the report 8 arrests had been made for the illegal or irregular possession of firearms and other offences. The operation was also looking for evidence of drug use and trafficking. The whole neighbourhood was surrounded by police, who were also searching cars that were circulating. A second later report said that the operation lasted around 4 hours, with guns and drugs seized. Santo Amaro is regarded by police as a ‘sensitive urban area’. There was no trouble reported, and several residents in the housing complexes expressed their satisfaction at the action of the police, for taking this opportunity to launch the challenge, in the sense that similar operations might be carried out with greater regularity. One Diário reader commented on the article, saying that someone (in the police?) had been watching too many films.

‘Elderly Woman Left Abandoned In Pico dos Barcelos Lives At The Expense Of Neighbours’. The 74 year old woman, Aldora, is disorientated and has bad eyesight and tension, and lives on the charity of neighbours. She was left abandoned when her daughter and son-in-law moved out of the family home. Social Security say there are no homes with vacancies to take her in, just the local day centre. She does not have any of the medication that she needs, and doesn’t like to be alone as she feels insecure, but the neighbours are not in a position to take on such a responsibility, even though they are doing what they can to help her. The tears ran down her face behind her thick-lensed glasses as she recalled last weekend when her daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter left the family home.

The main front page photo today shows a pretty unimpressive view of some corrugated sheet roofing and someone’s washing out to dry : ‘Parish Of Santo António With The Best And The Worst – Quality housing estates and prefabricated units. Wide roads and steep alleys. Parties accuse the council and Madeira government of forgotten promises’. This is another one of those featured locations that have been popping up in the last few days, probably as part of the Diário’s contribution to guiding voters in the forthcoming elections. Santo António is the biggest parish in Funchal and has a right mix of urban and social residencies, and includes high and rural zones. The article looks at the contrasts between the different zones. For example a new neighbourhood called Madalena has everything to hand except a gymnasium, whilst in another part of the parish, Quinta das Freiras, people live in prefabricated units, and can only dream about living in a house that is not ‘rotten’. Many families have lived in these units for 30 years.

‘Restoration Of Levadas To Prevent Losses – Altogether around 100 levadas are to be restored’. The highlighted levadas in the article are those between Machico and Caniçal (16km), and Calheta and Ponta do Sol (17km) that are to be repaired to reduce substantial water losses, and increase the capacity for water flow, particularly to help during the critical Summer period. The two levada stretches mentioned will cost €3.72 million to restore / improve, money which will be reimbursed by the European Union under the Rural Development Program for the Autonomous Region of Madeira. There is much more detail in the article, but too much to reproduce here.

‘High Voltage in Ribeira Brava worries CDU candidate – Isabel Cardoso asks for the intervention of ERSE to safeguard the health of the population’. The CDU (communist) candidate for the Assembly of the Republic today asked for the intervention of the Energy Services Regulatory Authority to investigate the installation of new High Voltage ‘corridors’ at various sites in Ribeira Brava. Isabel Cardoso recalls that the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes the negative impacts of high voltage to human health. The candidate demands that public health is safeguarded. "We are concerned about this and call on the intervention of the ERSE, where the region is represented by a representative of the Madeira government, the consumer protection organisation, and the Electricity Company of Madeira," she said. No wonder it’s been so hot here the last few days, I think I am being zapped with stray high voltage energy waves.

‘Prison Guards Announce 8 Strike Days For September – The professionals want the same age as the police for pre-retirement and retirement benefits’. The National Union of the Body of Prison Guards (SNCGP) yesterday decided to carry out a further eight days of strike action in September, that was announced during the protest vigil that is held in front of the Ministry of Justice (Lisbon, Portugal).

This from the Jornal da Madeira : ‘Câmara of Funchal Calls For Trade To Be Open On 21st – The city authority wants to turn the Day of the City into a great party of fraternization for the people of Funchal and beyond’. The program for the Day of the City of Funchal, which is celebrated on 21st August, will be similar to last year, with lots of initiatives from the morning through to 23.30 pm, with a firework performance in the bay to finish. In 2008, thousands of people attended the various activities throughout the day, from the air show ‘Wings of Portugal’, to the historical parade that travelled through the streets of the city. The programme this year will be similar to 2008, and businesses are being asked to open up on what normally would be a public holiday in Funchal. "It is a day that may be good economically, and those with restaurants and bars downtown can capitalize" said a CMF spokesman. The parade will have 700 participants and costumes covering 400 years. The cost for the event is €100,000. The full programme is here : FUNCHAL 501 : but there is no English version.

Santa Cruz has joined the open air cinema brigade again this year, with the latest films showing every day between 21st and 27th of August. Anyone welcome. Two of the films are Mama Mia (21st) and Slum Dog Billionaire (27th). The other titles I can translate, but they might not tie back to the original English titles.

Portugal beat Liechtenstein 0 – 3 last night in a friendly game. The goal drought all seemed to be over and forgotten, with 3 goals in the first 25 minutes, but that was it and no more came. ‘Three Goals And Reinforced Confidence For ‘The Final’ – Portugal beat Liechtenstein with a safe performance. The opponents were not the same level as Denmark, but provided a boost in confidence for the decisive game in Copenhagen’. The new ‘premier’ league football season starts tomorrow.

The main front page photo today shows a group of third generation men sat around a table in a public place, playing cards : ‘Estate And Rats Harmful For Residents And Tourism – Santa Maria Maior presents many complaints’. This is the Diário featured location this week. The people in Santa Maria Maior have little interest in local politics or the elections. The list of complaints from one trader is headed by rats, "as large as rabbits, which horrify the tourists" yet the council do nothing. The problem, states Manuel João Vieira, is aggravated with the smell and dirt in the drains, "The rats along there are almost like tourists" he said sarcastically. The ex-president of the parish council admits to the problem, but says it is the owners of the buildings that need to deal with the problem. The Diário spoke to five residents about what they thought about the performance of the council (below are the full responses given):
Luís Sousa – Painter – "This council leaves much to be desired … the rats and the smell are a shame for tourism and the president does not speak to anybody".
José Freitas – Retired – "There are many bad things, starting with the rats and the smell in the historic area. Then there is the garden where there are lots of drugs".
José Nóbrega – Retired – "They have done some things. It more or less performs. I think it is better to have the PSD than those who do not understand these things".
Ernesto Silva – Retired – "I see everything much the same. I think this council has not done much, but for me any party will do".
João Manuel Vieira . Trader – "The work has not been bad. What is most lacking is dealing with the rats in the historic centre, where there are rats like rabbits, and restoration of the houses".
That was pretty much it rats and more rats, although there was a second separate article that headlined more on drugs and prostitution in that area. That’s Santa Maria Maior crossed off my list of places to visit this Summer.

‘A Sailboat Crashed Against the Shore Yesterday Morning – The one crew member was found with fatigue and dehydrated’. The leisure boat that was shipwrecked near Ribeiro Salgado had an English flag. According to the port authority, the boat coming from Tangiers (left on 27th July) suffered damage to the mast whilst at sea, with further damage to the hull when hitting the coast at Porto Santo. The boat was taken to the beach, where it will be repaired, and will then be towed to the marina. The 53 year old Swiss citizen in command had fallen asleep with exhaustion prior to the crash, and had run out of drinking water.

‘Lethal Accident On Porto Santo’. A motorcyclist died yesterday afternoon after a collision with a jeep’. The ex-footballer aged 40 used to play in goal for local side Portossantense, and was well known locally as ‘Chico’. The accident occurred in sítio do Cabeço, and Chico was airlifted to Funchal Hospital but died later from his injuries. Police are investigating the cause of the accident.  That makes the 10th road death this year, and the second already this month.

‘Balloon Registers Record Of 3.88′. A 41 year old driver arrested in Santa Cruz on Sunday, registered a 3.88 blood-alcohol count when stopped by police, beating the previous record this year.

‘Robbery In Camacha’. A family were awoken at their home in Sítio dos Casais d’Além, in Camacha, by an intruder who was turning out the bedroom drawers. The father who worked nights was just parking his car outside, at around 5am on Sunday morning, when he heard his wife screaming, but he managed to apprehend the burglar and call the police. The individual was identified by the police, but he will only be charged with ‘invasion of property’, as had not had the opportunity to steal anything. The four year old daughter who witnessed the event was very shocked, and spent the rest of the day unable to speak, very scared and tearful. This case, for those living in Camacha, is just another example of the need for more policing and security in the area, that has long ceased to be a peaceful place.

Today’s football headline is the draw for the Portugal Cup football fixtures . ‘Taça de Portugal Opens With Two Local Derby Games’. The first round, to be played on 30th August, has drawn Canicense with Porto Moniz, and Santana with Porto Cruz. That should save some travelling expenses. There were 7 more Madeira teams in this stage of the draw, with the ‘big guns’ coming in later.

‘Five New Cases Of Gripe A – The laboratory in Funchal Central Hospital reported cases detected between 3rd and 9th August’. The pathology lab confirmed 5 new cases of swine flue H1N1. Four males and one female aged between 15 and 30 were infected, but none were hospitalised. The victims were from Spain and the UK, and that takes the total for Madeira to 21 cases since the start, all so far imported.

In case anyone failed to notice, July was a hotter month than usual, and was the hottest and driest place in Portugal. The Institute of Meteorology used the reference period 1971 to 2000(???) for its conclusion that on Madeira and Porto Santo the mean average air temperature was higher than normal. Besides the higher temperatures, the rates of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on Madeira have been unusually very high, and even at ‘extreme’ levels in recent weeks.

‘Agricultural products rot in fields and stores – Farmers of the West can not sell products’. Potatoes are badly hit, with the trade price down as low as 5 to 7 cêntimos per kilo. One farmer talks about losing 400 tons of crops, as he cannot cover his production costs, and may have to finish in agriculture. Leaving everything to rot in the fields is a cheaper option. Other vegetables and apples are also facing a similar ‘serious crisis’. "The supermarkets import products at the time of our crops and strangle the market for production" says a spokesman for farmers of the West. Anyway, that explains why potatoes have plummeted in price in the last few weeks. I have just read the whole article again, and there is no indication of whether this is a local or national story, but I now realise from the TV news that this is in Portugal.

‘Outdoor Cinema At Madeira Forum – Showings take place Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday in the central square’.  Starting today the open air cinema will be at  the forum, through until 6th September. Today’s offering is ‘Who wants to be billionaire’, a work by Danny Boyle that tells the story of an orphan of 18 years from the suburbs of Mumbai, India. Thursday will be ‘Milk’, a film that won Sean Penn an Oscar for best actor. The first week of outdoor movie ends with the movie ‘Marley & Me’.

‘TV Inspires More Crime Than The Immigrants’. The isolated cases – the death of the businessman of Porto Santo (kidnapped and murdered) may give a different idea, but the police guarantee that Madeira is still safe. The husband that murdered his wife during divorce proceedings (Calheta), or the man who stabbed his neighbour to death over a land dispute. This is still the pattern of homicides on Madeira, but the Judiciary Police still regard this region as the safest in Portugal, both in numbers and the behaviour of the population. The regional coordinator of the PJ says that the environment here is relaxed, and one can move around day and night, on foot or by car with total free will, unlike parts of Porto or Lisbon where one needs to take precautions when travelling, or going to a cashpoint machine. He says that crimes such as the Porto Santo kidnapping, are what the PJ term ‘imported crime’, the roots in this case being Brazilian. The other crimes (mentioned) are the same as always, but now have lost weight and importance, but have not disappeared. The nature of other petty crimes has changed here, with drugs and the internet often at the root. The criminal types that operate here have changed targets, moving from city centre shops, out to residential areas. Crime victims now are often people living alone. Ricardo Silva, the regional coordinator of the PJ, does point out that imported crime comes more often and more harmful via television, than by the immigrants who came to Madeira in the last 10 years. He says that these TV images may encourage those who have criminal tendencies, but never had the courage to carry out what they were thinking, through their frustrations and hates.

‘Raul Solnado Died (1929 – 2009) – The creative comedian that entertained generations, but was also a very fine actor’. He is not Madeiran, but he is obviously very popular judging by the amount of media coverage yesterday and today. He is to be cremated today in Olivais.

Marítimo played Nacional in Machico last night, and the main front page photo today shows the ‘full house’ crowd wearing their ‘Chapeau de Esperança’ hats (Hat of Hope – fundraising for social causes) leading to the headline : ‘Solidarity Wins The Derby Match In Machico – Marítimo beat Nacional 3 – 0′.

This from the Jornal da Madeira : ‘Hot Spring: Cause Of The Jellyfish? In the season for beach outings, life has not been so good for those who like the sea. The jellyfish have tormented, almost daily, those who go to the sunny beaches. Already many people have been stung’. The uneasiness arrived before the beach season began. Almost daily came the creatures with three names (alforrecas, águas-vivas, and medusas), clinging along the coast, particularly along the south of Madeira. Many people have been stung, and some say the beach season has been ruined by the creatures that have stopped holidaymakers enjoying a dip, without any fear, in the Atlantic. The beach and pool complex lifeguards have had a lot of extra work as a result too. At the Lido in Funchal for example, they have to do several underwater exploratory dives a day, to see if there is a jellyfish problem, but even so swimmers are still getting stung. The Jornal spoke with a biologist, who said the species encountered this year is different to the usual less troublesome creatures. It is called ‘Pelagia noctiluca’, and is a species that likes to hang around at the waters surface, and stings more than most species. It is not very dangerous, but is able to sting with contact with any part of its lower body. The biologist who has been here since 1992, says this has been the worst year he has seen here for jellyfish. He said this species also occurs in the Mediterranean, in numbers for maybe several years, and then they just disappear, the cycle there being between 10 to 14 years. It could be different here, and the increased numbers are more likely to be to do with a hot Spring than with sea pollution. A medical doctor says that there are people extremely sensitive to the stings that can burn ‘incredibly’, and children are known to cry a lot and spend the rest of the holiday fed up. One sting to a child can completely ruin a holiday, he said. Some people feel a burning for a few hours, and then it just passes, and the victim stays on the beach. With some the sting mark will remain for months. Home treatment recommendations include applying vinegar or alcohol (externally), and any moisturising cream will help relieve the pain. There are also creams containing corticosteroids that "are excellent" but they should only be used on the recommendation of a doctor or pharmacist. If you don’t have any alcohol or vinegar to hand after being stung, there is another ‘home made’ liquid that most people have available at a moments notice, carried around in ones bathing costume, though quite how you get it from the dispenser to the jellyfish sting will depend on personal preferences. The article definitely says use "your own", just to make sure there is no confusion. Was I hibernating I wonder, as I am sure I missed that ‘hot Spring’.

(8th August). ‘Nobody Takes Responsibility For The ban On Selling Wine On Porto Santo – After the council, now it is the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities saying that it is the law that prohibits. The product has its days numbered’. The reactions to the news of the ban on the sale of Vinho Seco wine on Porto Santo, by glass or bottle, on the fruit stalls, continues to cause reactions, this time from IRAE. In a statement on the subject the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities rules out responsibility for the ban, behind the cover of "law enforcement". According to a statement from the IRAE on Friday, "in the Summer of 2007, complaints were received that bottled wines and aguardente were being sold, allegedly adulterated, in market stands located on Porto Santo". The IRAE then moved in and seized bottles, under their legal obligation, but the complaints were not verified.  They did not make any ban on the sales, but point out that the law requires tax to be paid and proper labelling of bottles with the seal of assurance, and that there should be hygienic conditions within a licensed authorisation. The council on Porto Santo has already distanced itself from any decision to ban Vinho Seco. That’s every festa on Madeira cancelled forever then, or dry at least. I hate to think what would happen if someone looked into the sale of food at these festas (in terms of hygiene), but for sure it will happen one day.

Petrol (gasolina 95) rises two cêntimos a litre in price tomorrow, to €1.211. Diesel rises by 1c per litre.

From the Jornal da Madeira : ’1,715 Accidents In The First 6 Months Of 2009 – The number has dropped, police commissioner Pimenta says that many people have taken the advice of the police, but there has been an increase of breaking limits, some with fatal consequences and serious injuries as a result’. The overall accident count has been reducing since 2003, when there were 5,950, with last year reporting 3,035 for the whole year. So far this year there have been 10 road accident fatalities, the latest being on 1st August, 70 serious injuries, and 518 light injuries. More than half of all accidents are caused by excess speed.

The number of drivers caught without driving licences by police is escalating. 170 people have already been detained, in just the first 7 months of 2009. The whole of 2008 led to 198 detentions for this crime, with the numbers growing for the last 5 years. It doesn’t say so, but I suspect that more police checks are behind the reasons.

The bridge ‘ponte do Bettencourt’, by the ‘Bazar do Povo’ in Funchal was reopened to traffic on Saturday evening … early! The reinforcing / repairs works were shorter than expected because the north platform was found to have been in better condition than was expected, and with the use of prefabricated girders. The job was supposed to have taken until next month (then add two more months for Madeira). There are still some jobs left to do, but they will be finished this week.

‘Suspicion Of Gripe A Isolates Scouts’. Two teenagers from Las Palmas, Canary Islands, are under observation for suspected Gripe A. They are both being kept isolated in the School of Louros to avoid the risk of spreading H1N1 swine flu, whilst analysis is being undertaken to confirm the virus. The rest of the Spanish scout group continue to enjoy their Summer holidays here.

‘Only One Doctor Per Centre In The North’. Not just in Porto Moniz, Santana, and São Vicente, but also on Porto Santo, there is just one family doctor, and other services are having to be provided using retired doctors. The health centres are open up to 24 hours a day, but the clinical director of Madeira’s health service says that the number of daily visits are low enough that the situation is justified. There are 10 vacancies for family doctors on Madeira, so as a temporary arrangement retired doctors are used to help. I am not entirely clear, but it seems there are still emergency doctors in the health centres that are not part of this story.

Half of today’s front page is taken up with a photo of the Brazilian striker named Wanderley Santos Júnior : ‘Nacional ‘Steal’ Wanderley From The Rivals – After being offered as a Marítimo reinforcement, the forward of Cruzeiro is now a Nacional player for 4 seasons. Rui Alves paid €750,000 and responds to the contract given to Alonso by its rival team’. An attempt by the Diário to invent a tit-for-tat story, but it doesn’t really stack up, and the player hasn’t yet agreed terms anyway.

Apart from a political story to follow later, that’s the front page today, so it looks like it’s been a struggle to fill the newspaper again.

Just announced in football, in the new Europa League, Nacional will be playing Zenit St Petersburg. The first leg is away on 20th August, with the home leg the following Thursday (27th), both fixtures are scheduled for 8 pm kick-offs. Zenit were the holders of the 2008 UEFA Cup, and of the 2008 UEFA Super Cup, after beating Manchester United 2-1 in Monaco. Tough one!

‘Church Robbers Are Repeat Offenders – Detained in Tabua they are answering for robberies committed in March and April’. At least two of the three men arrested by police early Wednesday morning in Tabua are identified by police and judicial authorities as responsible for a string of church robberies, including in Santa Cruz, Funchal, Câmara de Lobos, Ribeira Brava and São Vicente. Police enquiries have revealed a ‘modus operandi’ which denotes "a considerable degree of organization and hierarchy", equipped with various construction tools to break in through bars, doors, and windows, also using stolen cars with false number plates to travel between regions and transport their loot, most of which was the proceeds of collection boxes. Two of the robbers didn’t even have driving licences. The Regional Command of the PSP (public security police) will soon issue a press release revealing more details about this wave of church robberies.

‘Firework Positions Already Defined – A government resolution is aimed at overcoming objections about the posts’. Although the year end is still nearly 5 months away, the plan for the firework posts has already been prepared. The plan of the positions was approved by the Council of Government and published in the Official Journal of Madeira on the 28th of July. Resolution No. 860/2009 states that "in recent years there have been some objections raised on the part of private entities, and in particular the use of land, structures and spaces for the placement of posts for the launch of fireworks that were traditionally used for this purpose". 39 positions have been approved to launch fireworks above Funchal and the bay. One new post has been accepted in the anfiteatro in São Martinho, and another has been slightly moved. Meanwhile the Regional Secretary of Tourism and Transport has already published the tender contest for the supply, installation and setting-off of the fireworks for the end-of-year celebrations 2009/2010. The successful tender will be known at the end of September or early October. The last few times it has been Macedo’s Pirotecnia providing the show. Some of the locations shown on the map will have several firework launching posts. Wasn’t it at one time one the purpose of the Atlantic Festival firework competition to find the best entrant and then give that company the year end contract?

The dates for the new school year have been fixed, and the new term will start on 21st September, with the school year finishing in June 2010, either on the 8th, 18th, or 25th, giving a school year of between 160 and 172 days. The first term will run from 21st September to 18th December, with some schools being closed at election times. The second term starts on 4th January and continues until 26th March, less the normal 3 days off at carnival time (15th – 17th February). The final term starts on 12th April.

‘Festival of cocktails in Machico – Twenty-five bartenders demonstrate the ‘art’ of creating cocktails’. The Association of Bartenders of Madeira are promoting a festival of cocktails within Machico Gastronomy Week. The ‘first works’ will emerge around 2.30 pm on Sunday, with the prize giving at 6 pm.

This from the Jornal da Madeira : For only the second time in service on the Porto Santo route, the ferry Lobo Marinho transported over 50,000 passengers in a month. The achievement last month show a recovery in the market, but is also thanks to price reductions forced on the Porto Santo Line, due to poor passenger occupation during the earlier part of this year. the maximum capacity per trip is 1,150, and during the first 7 months of this year the ferry has transported 196,000 passengers.

’25 Works Of Various Types To Finish In The Summer – The project was to take advantage of the school holidays. In the end, the traffic didn’t diminish’. Traffic returned with a shock in Funchal. Paving work starts today in São António and has started on the road 5 de Outubro in Funchal, making necessary an access change at the end at Avenida do Mar, causing some confusion. Drivers complain about the lack of signs about the changes. But the local authority says that the works are important, and August is the best time to do them. Anyway the article gives comments on several of the works, and it seems like disruption is the key word. Couldn’t agree more that school holidays are the best time for essential road repairs and upgrades, but 25 in Funchal, all in one month! I am sure more sceptical readers will have already thought … road improvements x 25 … inaugurations x 25 … elections in September / October … but I believe deeply in the integrity of this government, and would say to these people that Uncle Bertie is just looking after us all, thinking of our safety, and creating employment. Long live Bertie!!!

‘Police Make The "Biggest Seizure Ever" Of Ecstasy On Madeira – The authorities seized 17,450 units of the drug’. Through the criminal investigation squad of Câmara de Lobos, an important drug distribution network has been broken in the north of the island, particularly São Vicente. The police did a stake out in order to catch and arrest 5 individuals and seize 300 ecstasy doses, and then on searching the residence of one of the 5 they found the rest of the evil haul, as well as €1,470 in cash. The police say that the drug seized has been popping up at venues recently, particularly large music events. The 5 arrested are aged between 23 and 36, three male and two female.

"Easiest And Cheapest Solution" – Quercus regrets the authorization given for the slaughter of Pombo Torcaz’. "We regret that option for the easier and cheaper solution was taken instead of actually taking the steps necessary and appropriate in order to protect the Torcaz Pigeon" said the representative of the environmental organisation Quercus, especially as the authorisation is for an indefinite period. The order was made by Regional Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources (SRARN), but Quercus argue that crops should be protected with nets and scarecrows, with compensation for farmers with crop losses. There seems to be some difference of opinion on whether the bird is called Trocaz or Torcaz, but the bird was extensively hunted here for 4 or more years until 1989, when it was given a protected status. The pigeon is particularly fond of cabbage.

In football : ‘The ‘Exchanges’ Of Players That Stir Up Rivalry’. With a local derby match due to be played in Machico on Saturday, rivalry between Nacional and Marítimo has been stirred up between the two clubs, after the signing of ex-Nacional defender Alonso by Marítimo. Hardly front page news I know, but with the new football season just a week away, I think the daily front page football story is already back in force.

Following last week’s serious fires in parts of Santa Cruz, the local firemen are out and about cutting down the bigger Eucalyptus and Pine trees that are considered to pose a future fire risk to the population. Householders are being advised to ensure that their properties have a surrounding "clear area" of at least 10 metres, and not to light fires (prohibited anyway during Summer months), and outside of this period to contact the fire department to supervise fires (average cost around €10).

‘Detained And Identified A Trio Of Robbers Who Carried Out A ‘Rally’ Of Churches’. Only a little place in the newspaper, but a big story on the news last night and today. Three men were arrested yesterday by Ribeira Brava police suspected of a spate of church robberies over the last few days. They were about to do the same with the church in Tabua very early morning when a police patrol spotted them, catching them after an attempted escape. The problem has been mainly in the north of Madeira, but the police believe they have the men responsible. The ‘getaway’ car was stolen, and had false plates, and was believed to have just been used in another church robbery in Conceição in Ponta do Sol where the donation box and other property was stolen.

‘Xenophobia in Jersey – The Constable of St. Helier says he was "shocked" by the controversy over the Rue de Funchal’. The change of name of a street in St. Helier, Jersey, from James Street to Rue de Funchal, is at the heart of a controversy with "xenophobic" overtones, that has been stirring for a few days in the population centre of the capital of this British island. "The case is serious". Rue de Funchal was named in recognition of the island’s British connection with Portugal, including the important community of Madeiran immigrants. READ MORE
I am quite surprised really. I have never been to Jersey, but I though it was quite upmarket, and even if that is a false impression, perhaps some people forget that the Madeirans go there and take all the c**p minimum wage jobs that the locals won’t do, and that alone should be a reason for gratitude rather than racism.

It was destined for sure, as I made the observation yesterday that Madeira probably didn’t have any ‘live’ Gripe A cases, that within an hour of the posting that 4 new swine flu cases were reported. The 4 new cases are ‘imported’, as were the previous 12. The truth is that I forgot that we have now moved to a weekly reporting system for Gripe A cases, and we will only get  a ‘balance’ in future every Wednesday. Nationally, a big jump yesterday took Portugal over the 400 confirmed cases.

(5th August). According to the Jornal da Madeira, Funchal Central Hospital treated 770 cases of intoxication in 2008. 360 of these were alcohol consumption, 123 were accidental, and 287 were premeditated ingestion of poisons, pills and other toxic substances.

‘Parole For Father Of The Girl That Didn’t Reappear – The man served 5/6ths of his sentence and already has work’. Sofia Catarina Andrade de Oliveira went missing on 22nd February 2004, from the residence of her mother in Câmara de Lobos, taken by her father Luís Encarnação that evening. She is now 7 years old. The couple were separated after living in the Azores, and the mother moved to Madeira with her daughter. Only the father knows where she is, and he was sentenced to prison for nearly six and a half years in prison for his kidnapping act after being arrested back in the Azores, but he never revealed her whereabouts, only saying that she was well. He is now out on early parole for good behaviour, and has already found work.

‘Domestic Violence Gives Suspended Sentence To Doctor’. The court in Funchal sentenced yesterday a dentist for abusing his wife. The one year prison sentence was suspended for one year, with the aggressor achieving the minimum sentence, in what could have been up to 5 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay €13,500 to his victim in damages, including personal injuries, when the victim was seeking €50,000. The reports of insults, threats, and physical violence went back as far as 1996, with the victim spending several periods of up to 3 months in illness as a result. The man didn’t even attend court for the sentencing, and now has the option of appealing.

‘Prizewinning Fagundes Vasconcelos In Cerveira’. A work of the Madeiran artist was acquired by the museum in Via Nova de Cerveira for €3,600. It is called ‘Parade of Vanity’.

If you are interested in the Madeira Wine Rally starting tomorrow, it is worth buying today’s Diário to get the free supplement with maps and timetables.

‘Market Of Ribeira Brava Goes from Bad To Worse – Half of the commercial units are already closed. The others agonise’. Of the ten units available, just 5 have survived the crisis. The low movement of customers, the redesign of the sea front that reduced passing traffic, the high level of competition between the traders, and the switch from the escudo to the €uro, are some of the reasons given for the situation. The latest to close its doors this year, was the restaurant / pizzeria located on the 1st floor, where they also occupied the terrace area. The fruit traders on the same level complain that since that happened business has got even worse, as even less people go upstairs. Shame, but normally people complain about the high rent charged by the council, but no mention in this article. One of the fruit sellers is OK, but the other one, Senhor 3in1 repof, keep well away from if you value your money.

‘Police Vehicle Targeted During An Arrest On Porto Santo – No police were injured as shots were fired by a 23 year old man’. But the car was pretty messed up by fire from the shotgun. The man was arrested shortly after the gunfire. Need I mention that it was over charges of drug trafficking, and 390 doses of heroin were seized. I ask you … what idiot would open fire on police on Porto Santo … even if you did get away where would you run to, where would you hide? Lets hope the king of Spain doesn’t pick up a copy of today’s newspaper, as he is off to Porto Santo at the weekend.

‘Prohibited access to the sea at Lido – Presence of jellyfish results in cordoned access to the sea for swimmers’. Access to the sea in the Lido Bathing Complex was ‘closed’ to the public due to the presence of jellyfish in the water. I think that was on Monday, but a later article says that yesterday a yellow flag was raised, and there was restricted access to the sea. There were also jellyfish reported at Praia Formosa.

The programme for the visit of the King and Queen of Spain tomorrow has been released, and it is pretty much as already stated. Anyone into royal visits will have the best opportunities for a royal wave at the airport at 6.30pm tomorrow, or an a Funchal walkabout on Saturday. It is confirmed that the trip will finish with a visit to Porto Santo.

(28th July). This story came from the ‘dark side’ yesterday : ‘Autonomy frees us of ‘silly laws’ – Alberto João Jardim said the new law will not apply to the roundabouts of Madeira’. Jardim said yesterday that a new law that prohibits the placement of statues and trees on roundabouts will not be applied. He points out that our independence allows us "to get rid of silly laws", ensuring that we keep our values and principles. The new law was (I think?)made by the president of Funchal council, and Jardim dealt with him in the most diplomatic way he knew, by saying "whoever made this law on the roundabouts is mentally retarded, and the danger is that these retards try to treat other people as retarded". Uncle Bertie! … that is your most likely successor you are talking about … show restraint please.