Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Vic … Daybreak over Caniço

From Tobi : "Der this is quite funny, if you click on newer post (bottom left) he has a couple more posts". Cheers Tobi, this blogger is nuttier than other bloggers  I know. GNOME ON MADEIRA

Quite a useful short guide to some of the museums and specialist centres on Madeira, for those with the time and interest. Unfortunately in most cases the locations are not mentioned. STATIC ATTRACTIONS

"Madeira has got to be the world’s wackiest wine. Most folks know madeira as "cooking wine" … bobbing in the Atlantic some 350 miles north of Africa". So I woke up in Spain this morning did I? Got to be the whacky newspaper article of the day DAILY HERALD

Madeira Photo Excursion – Nature Meetings in cooperation with Associação Promoção da Madeira, ACIF with their Chapters of Hoteliers, Photographer’s & Travel Agencies, are organizing on Saturday 21st of November 2009 a Full Day Madeira Photography Excursion.The Autonomous Region of Madeira is one of the best photogenic locations in Europe. For both amateur and professional photographers we offer to combine their visit to Madeira Islands with a Full Day excursion. A professional local photographer will provide photo coaching and guide you to locations helping you take full advantage of the opportunities presents during the excursion. The excursion will set you back €39.50, but includes transport from Funchal and a 3 course lunch. PHOTO EXCURSION

Sócrates Government to focus on development of Autonomous Regions. Directly related to the Azores, the program of Prime Minister José Socrates will also seek to limit the terms in office for regional presidents. Already delivered to Parliament, the program of the 13th constitutional Government states that "the Autonomous Regions of the Azores and Madeira represent devolution strategies of great importance to the country". The Government is committed to consolidating autonomy at institutional, economical, social and cultural level. In addition, José Socrates will enforce the law of incompatibility between public office and pluralism of representation at the Legislative Assembly, as stated in the Political-Administrative Statute of Madeira. The Government’s program also plans to introduce limits of office for Regional presidents, and financial effort aimed at convergence in order to contribute to national development and cohesion. I found this on the RTP Azores TV website, and having never seen anything on RTP news written in English, I thought I should mark the occasion. I would argue that the mandate limit is more related (or even targeted) at Madeira rather than the Azores, not that will ever be admitted of course. Unlike Jardim of Madeira, President César of the Azores is a socialist, the same as Sócrates, just so there is absolutely no doubt on the issue.

Many thanks to Elaine for yesterday’s top stories :

CMF give ultimatum to residents of the ‘Edificio Infante’. The Marina Shopping mall owes 1/4 of the building and some shops are thought to have strategically closed before upgrading work has to be paid for in the first quarter of 2010, rather than close due to bankruptcy. The two facades of the building (Avenida Arriaga and Avenida do Mar), terraces and garage fitments need redecorating. The idea is to start the work when the weather improves in the Spring. The condominium administration company are looking for tenders and the next meeting with the residents is at the end of the month. At previous meetings, the residents have rejected the costs despite ‘tireless’ work by some and when works are approved, fund-raising will begin. If the residents still cannot agree then Funchal Council will find a tender and it could be more costly to the residents, so the condominium administrator wants this to be a last resort. The longer the delay, the more expensive it will become, so it is an investment.

Ribeira Brava will have the Emigrant Museum. The proposal was in the electoral program of the Social Democrats and highlighted at the inauguration of the mayor who is starting his final term, and is a former immigrant. It is intended as a tribute to those who go abroad for a brighter future but always remember their ‘roots’ where they were born. Plans are for the museum to be installed in the old health centre, which was the first one in the area.

Signs that Madeira is in economic crisis. In the past nine months, there have been an overall 27% fewer automatic transactions through electronic terminals or ATM machines, a loss of 437 million Euros (1,637 to 1,200) or 1.6 million Euros per day. 30% less through automatic terminals, 23% less using cards, 25% less through ATMs and 42% less international transactions. This penalises local companies and taxes, for example IVA (VAT) and consumption taxes on fuel, alcohol, tobacco, etc.

Quinta do Lorde will raise 7 million in taxes. Machico Council have calculated they will receive 7 million Euros in direct taxes (IMI and IMT) accruing 625,000 Euros in licences/permits and 68,000 Euros in IMI each year. This was one of the arguments they used in a court case filed on July 17 opposing the construction of the resort. They also expect employment for 400 construction workers and 200 jobs created in the future. —- I thought it had been ruled legal and the arguments finally ended.

German resident in Água de Pena accusing neighbour of assault. A 66 year old German, resident since 1977, has filed a court case against a 35 year old Madeiran neighbour. Both residents were in dispute in 2006 over the construction of a house on the Vereda (lane) da Quinta da Lagartixa, which gave access to the German’s residence. There were a dozen subscribers to a petition against the construction but the Council authorized an alternative access to the vereda, which was constructed. The German citizen alleges he was insulted then pushed against a wall resulting in minor injuries and an upset wife. The court hearing has begun today in Santa Cruz.

Community policing in Nazaré works. Recovered a stolen ‘Toshiba’ portable computer worth 1,000 Euros which had been sold for 40 Euros. Case of theft and receiving stolen goods, to pay for drug addiction. The police were on patrol in São Martinho and spotted a man carrying a ‘Toshiba’ laptop identical to one which had been reported as stolen from a house in Nazaré. He could not explain the origin and was the suspected receiver of the laptop. The suspect of the crime is the brother of the victim, referred to as toxicodependent, who admitted selling it for 40 Euros. The laptop has been returned to the rightful owner and legal proceedings will follow.

Sweet potato weighing about eight kilos. From farmland in Água de Pena, Machico.

—– Quite a fertile region for unusual and large vegetables.

Government will spend 10% of the budget on pensions to former MPs. €1.6 million to 52 former MPs. The politicians on the Continent and the Azores lost this ‘privilege’ in 2005 following an amendment which Madeira did not follow. Holding office for not less than 12 years and under 55 years of age, the pension is 4% for each year in office, up to a maximum of 80% of salary.

50% fewer fatal accidents at work. In 2000, there were 10 and only 4 in 2008. A Regional Strategy 2008/11 has been implemented. The ultimate goal is to minimize occupational accidents and illnesses by changing attitudes, behaviours and through training and awareness. The highest number of fatal accidents are in construction, responsible for more than a third, but 7% less in 2006 than 2000.

Police catch a well-known thief after a pursuit. The 40 year old man from Caniçal is known for burglary of rural properties. A neighbour alerted the police that the man was inside a property in Poco do Gil. Realizing that the police had arrived, he fled to land near the football field. The police surrounded him from several sides as he ran through private land and had to be handcuffed for detention at Machico Police Station for identification.

Savoy Group can start building the new hotel. The present Savoy Hotel can be demolished ready for the construction of a new hotel on the Avenida do Infante. The permit should be issued shortly and work begun within six months. The details of the plan for the redevelopment of the Ribeira de São Joao still need approval.

‘Aida Vita’ passenger air-lifted off yesterday. A 77 year old German on the cruise ship was evacuated to Funchal Central Hospital after a suspected cerebrovascular accident (CVA). The ship was about 240 miles west of Madeira and although the area comes under the Ponta Delgada rescue services, a naval ‘Merlin’ helicopter was deployed due to the proximity of the navy in the area.

Madeiran drivers aggressive. A Driving School Instructor said the psychological testing for some applicants for driving licences, if the new law is applied in Madeira next year, should be extended to all drivers. He said most driving is of a good standard but too many drivers are aggressive and lack the maturity and civility needed. Testing would help reduce this number. He outlined in particular the problems with lane discipline on roundabouts. ——- Are there many unemployed psychologists here to carry out testing?

A quick look at today’s front page headlines :

Reoccurring burglaries shake Campanário – Elderly question the law. The Diário got together a group of victims and neighbours to discuss the problem. One lady aged 60 said "But what law is it that we have on Madeira", after being a victim 3 times so far this year. Residents say they are fed up of the burglaries and point the finger of blame on a 23 year old man, a drug addict called Hugo, but the justice system appears to do nothing.

Today’s main news headline : Police Expel Commissioner – Manuel Saldanha was influential in the PSP (Public Security Police) of Madeira. He was a promising official, but he ruined his own career. He was convicted for the practice of a crime of drug trafficking, conduct that led Internal Affairs to dismiss him.

Deadly skid in Rosário. A 34 year old man died from his injuries after his truck went off the road at a bend and hit a wall.

Madeira pays €200 thousand to exhibit art in Lisbon. The regional heritage (collection) is going to be promoted starting 21st November in the National Palace of Ajuda.

The main front page photo today shows a number of elderly football supporters arriving at Madeira Airport : Bilbao brings a thousand supporters and Nacional asks for a full house. "Them coming is helping us to win". The challenge is launched by Nacional coach Manuel Machado. Spanish flight operators fill four charter flights. The game is live on SportTV1 around 8 pm tonight. Last chance saloon methinks, so good luck lads!

In politics : New president changes the locks – The drastic measure of Rui Moisés motivates the opposition to ask if the local authority was burgled. The new president of Santana Câmara took the measure as one of his first acts after taking command. He says that is something "normal for one who is new in post" and "it is not a lack of confidence in anyone". Knowing the level of corruption that goes on in politics here, I think I would have done the same thing, and used the exact same excuses.

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3 of the 5 headlines today are in Politics, so I will deal with those later.

(24th August). ‘Hospital ‘Seals’ Paediatrics – After the affair with the baby in the hospital nursery, those responsible reactivate the door code entry system’. Referring to the 3 month old baby who was found with a fractured arm and head bruising, but no one knows what happened, or are not saying more likely. The security door lock for the baby unit in Funchal Central Hospital has now been reactivated, making it necessary to enter a code to pass through the access door. The door lock was deactivated when work was going on, but according to the clinical director of Madeira’s Health Service Region (SESARAM), Miguel Ferreira, the system was only there to monitor staff movements, but has now been reactivated as a direct response to the baby being injured. The baby’s mother is still not allowed to visit, a situation that could last "indefinitely", and she says the measure with the door lock has come to late to prevent what happened. She denies any responsibility for what happened. An anonymous letter to the Diário on Saturday says that the mother was at the hospital on the day the baby got a broken arm, and that the mother didn’t enter through the reception.

In football : ‘Marítimo Mission Accomplished In The First Home Game At The Barreiros Stadium – With a scarce result, but fair, Marítimo give manager Carvalhal his second victory. In The Dragon stadium Nacional rushed themselves and lost 3 – 0 (to Porto)’. Nice one for Marítimo, but Nacional played well for over an hour, and it all went wrong when the referee gave an undeserved penalty to Porto for a handball, and then sent off a player. It just got worse from there.

‘Jardim do Mar ‘Isolated’ For Several Hours’. The village will be inaccessible most of today as the only access road is closed for cleaning of the rock faces close to the road. It is expected to reopen at 5 pm. 

‘Animals Poisoned In Ribeira Grande’. There is a rather grim looking picture of a dead dog and cat that were poisoned last week at their owners home in Machico. The culprit is unknown, but it seems that poisoned food was thrown into the back yard of the house, causing the death of the family pets. The owner called the police, and at the end he said he was disappointed with justice, that treats animals like objects rather than living creatures.

‘Coming Soon – New Traffic Rules – Innovations in the use of roundabouts and speed limits’. Pay attention to the new rules of the highway code, some of which will come into effect later this year, but with changes planned through until 2015. The National Strategy for Road Safety (ENSR) has thirty operational objectives which are divided into groups of ten, known as key actions, to be implemented from 2009 to 2015. Some of these key actions will result in amendments to the Highway Code and legislation, in particular, ‘Rules of the Road and the Regulation and Signalling of Traffic’. Not all the changes are known yet, but one of them will be the creation of 30 km zones, especially in urban areas. Also expected to change are the ‘safety distance’, circulation at roundabouts, variable message signalling, the rules around cycling, and a reduction in the permitted blood alcohol levels. Also to be reviewed are the systems and levels of fines for traffic offences. According to the Diário the rules have already changed once for the use of roundabouts, so hopefully the diagram will make it all crystal clear. What it says is that it is prohibited to travel in the outside lane of a roundabout, except in the stretch immediately preceding the intended exit.

UPDATE

‘Man Aged 75 Disappeared On Porto Santo – The elderly man didn’t return home after going fishing’. The resident of Porto Santo went missing yesterday, and his family raised the alert around midnight when he didn’t return home. The car of the man was found at Pedras Altas on the south side. Fireman and a group of forensic navy divers from Madeira have been mobilised to help in the search operation.

‘Jardim do Mar Complains About The Quality Of Water – Petition organised by the PS candidate warns of the harmful effects of chlorine’. Several dozen residents signed the petition, and "more did not sign for fear of possible political consequences", said the socialist candidate Sofia Canha, who took up the case of the drinking water with a intense taste of chlorine. The water problem is one thing, but not signing a petition about poor water quality because of fears of reprisals is pretty sad, or is it just BS from this candidate? I have heard similar stories many times before, about people with issues afraid to speak out, in fear that someone will come knocking on the door after dark. I wonder which political party could have installed such fears in Madeira’s democracy?

Today’s main news story : ‘Bernardo Teaches Marketing To Jardim – The national politician makes use of the game of Nacional at the stadium of Zenit to promote Madeira in the Russian press, with the slogan ‘Madeira, Land Of Danny & Ronaldo’. The photo with the headline, which I assume is part of the advert, shows a stunning view of Madeira’s mountain scenery. The secretary of state for tourism is going to approve the Europa League second leg qualifying match between Zenit St. Petersburg and Nacional as an advertising opportunity to strongly promote our island. Bernardo Trindade responded to president Jardim, who was rude to him last week, by taking the initiative to promote Madeira, saying that the "gratuitous insult is the weapon of the weak, I respond with the effort". The campaign will run in three of the most prestigious newspapers, starting on the eve of the big match. Trindade says that the Russian market is a target for ‘Tourism of Portugal’ and that the football match fits perfectly into the strategy to promote Madeira and Portugal, with an investment of €10,000. If Nacional make it through to the next stage he says he will consider similar initiatives. Good old Bernie, always has an eye open for Madeira, but there again it is his homeland.

The main photo on the front page shows the back of the head of prime minister José Sócrates as he waves to a large crowd at Fonte do Bispo yesterday : ‘Abuse Is A Weapon Of The Weak – Sócrates came to say to thousands of socialists at Fonte do Bispo that he is counting on the Madeiran voters’. He didn’t come here "to give lessons on good manners", he came to defend the Government, present the PS manifesto, and ask the Madeirans for their vote. He didn’t mention the name of Jardim, but his direction was clear when he said "abuse degrades democracy and freedom, it is a weapon of the weak". The secretary general of the socialist party was certainly made welcome by the crowd, and the weak local leadership. "Welcome to Madeira! I am honoured with your presence", local leader João Carlos Gouveia did not conceal his joy at the presence of his national leader at the ‘Festival of Freedom’. The president of the PS-M wants Sócrates to come more often to Madeira, "as Prime Minister and a distinguished representative of the common homeland". Gouveia said that "nobody is the owner of Madeira and that "the Madeirans are civilized". The abuse, he said, "does not fall within the genetic framework of democracy".

In a second related article it says that José Sócrates came to Madeira with two firm objectives :  To mobilise for the elections, and to leave it very clear that he distances himself from the talk of Alberto João Jardim. It also says he came here to "defend what the socialist party does in government", but perhaps that one wasn’t such a firm objective as the other two. "I always counted on Madeira and who counts on Madeira always finds more than they counted on … Madeira never failed", stressed José Sócrates. What a load of political BS, as the PS have never had anything more than a slight foothold on Madeira. A statement like that here would label him a ‘graxista’, especially as until this year he had never visited since becoming prime minister.

Yet another article on the same matters : ‘Madeira is known for the "common insults of Alberto João" – Bernardo Trindade denounces the "shame" he brings to the Region’. He condemned the "insulting" that president Jardim thrives on as tarnishing the image of Madeira, and called for "cooperation and solidarity" with the government of José Sócrates. He called the recent PSD party rally on Porto Santo the "festival of insults that shame our land". The opening speech at yesterday’s PS rally referred to Jardim as the "Hugo Chávez of Madeira". An estimated 15,000 supporters attended the event. 

‘CDU On The Attack -The candidate for São Bento Isabel Cardoso says that between Sócrates and Ferreira Leite it’s the Devil’s choice’. The next in the series of Diário interviews with the ‘top of list’ for each party, and it’s beginning to look that each one will get ‘front page’ space, which is a bit of a drag. Although the communists are going through a good spell at the moment, the CDU candidate Isabel Cardoso doesn’t have any chance of a seat in the assembly of the republic, and she is not even Madeiran. The CDU party share of the vote in all the elections in the last 5 years has been between 3.3 and 5.5%, except for the European elections this year when it achieved 6.65%.

RIGHT TO REPLY (today 1.32 pm)

‘Sócrates came to Madeira to "do the usual number, to play the victim" – Jardim considers that the ‘Festival of Freedom’ "in terms of political and programmatic content for this region, was zero". The president of the Regional Government and leader of the PSD Madeira, Alberto João Jardim, said that the secretary general of the Socialist Party, José Sócrates, came to Madeira to "do his usual number, that is playing the victim". Jardim interrupted his €10 a day holiday on Porto Santo to speak to the media about the PS rally yesterday in Calheta. "I had challenged the previous day in Porto Santo, the secretary general (Sócrates) of the PS to clarify certain issues and he said nothing, however he did his usual number, that is to victimize himself and say that the others are incorrect and rude" he said. "What he (Sócrates) did to Madeira and what everybody knows, that it is the PS behind a far-right organization who’s been insulting and slandering everyone". The president of the PSD-M concluded that for José Sócrates "there’s no water to wash himself with". Apparently the rally yesterday did not actually mention the name of Jardim. Thanks to you Uncle Bertie, I am now back on the right track. I was actually briefly taken in by José and his henchmen into believing you were on occasions rude to other politicians, but now I realise it must be the media misinterpreting your complimentary views on your political colleagues.

(9th August). Today’s main news headline : ‘Madeira Government Puts The Wine Companies To Resolve Surpluses – The secretary Manuel António and the social democrat Jamie Ramos promised that there would not be a a grape left to sell. With the excessive production, the government, in election times imposes on the companies that they buy more than they need’. There is already too much wine in stock, but for "electoral reasons" the government commits the ‘wine houses’ to buy more grapes than they need. Now there are 14 million litres of wines in stock here, but an export market of little more than 3 million litres annually. Over / high production also should result in a drop in grape prices, and it is this problem that scares our leaders. The problem is not just political, but relates to the sustainability of the whole sector. We produce more wine than there is demand, and as a result the companies that produce and export Vinho Madeira are starting to feel economic difficulties in managing very large stocks of wine. Guarantees to growers given by our leaders and politicians did not go unheeded, and as the government cannot buy the excess grapes, and nor can the PSD social democrats, the private sector has been committed. Manuel António Correia, Regional Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources, is now waving money at the merchants, having secured a line of credit of €3.5 million, especially to ensure that the total grape production of 2009 is brought up. The incentive is that the merchants can borrow the capital necessary, and the government will then pay the loan interest (100% year 1, 90%, 50%, and 50% in the 4th and final year). The situation has arisen in part because the government has wavered in imposing production limits on the farmers, by hectare. Exports registered a sharp fall last year, with the devaluation of the British pound cited as the main reason. Unbelievable.  I am sure there must be some European law which prevents this sort of thing, but as it is not a direct state subsidy perhaps not. Did you know there is a ‘Madeira sem alcool’ (alcohol free Madeira wine)?

‘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.