Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Vic … I believe that is the ‘Cisne Branco’ tall ship from Brazil here last month … that right Vic?

 
… and whilst at sea, another video from Tobi, this one shows the yachts getting ready for departure from Funchal in the TRANSAT :

"my camera was on full zoom as they were quite a way out, so its a bit shakey" said Tobi.

Tobi also has some great photos of the boats and movements FLICKR

And to finish the Transat theme today …

"At 14:02 exactly, the 83 competitors still registered in The Charente-Maritime / Bahia Transat 6.50 set off this Saturday, October the 3rd, in front of the city of Funchal (Madeira – Portugal) for the second and longest stage (3100 miles) heading for Salvador de Bahia (Brazil)". THE FULL STORY

Then another one of the ‘World’s Most Dangerous Airports’ web-pages, much like the others, with Madeira number 6 in this particular assessment. I recommend DONT BOTHER

I have had change the blog comments facility due to a huge spam attack yesterday, so it will not be possible to post any comments once an original post is more than 5 days old (it was previously 10 days). Shouldn’t affect anyone too much, but I had hundreds of spam postings yesterday, so it should help me a lot. Once the spammer has gone away I will reset the comments closing time back to 10 days. If this doesn’t work the blog may have to return to postings from registered users for a temporary period.

Nacional 2 – 0 Guimarães yesterday evening. 2 wins on the trot for our lads after an excellent referee gifted us with two penalties, and the photo of the goal scorer has the lions share of today’s Diário front page.

Today’s main news headline : ’7 Councils Defaulters – The ‘Black List’ of local authorities with payment time to suppliers averaging over 90 days includes Machico, Funchal, Santa Cruz, Porto Moniz, Câmara de Lobos, São Vicente and Ponta do Sol’. On average they were taking 5 months to pay their bills from suppliers during the second quarter of 2009. Machico takes 256 days to pay it’s suppliers, which is actually a vast improvement from the previous quarter (335 days). Next is Funchal at 213 days to pay its bills. Perhaps that’s one reason why suppliers, or more specifically contractors, charge the councils so much for repair and maintenance work, as we were talking about a couple of days ago. You can imagine that any contractor reading this will be working out how much to ‘uplift’ prices based on the council involved and the poor payment record they have, and to some extent you can hardly blame them.

The political story today : ‘PSD Strengthens Majority In Santa Cruz – Survey reveals that the PS runs the risk of losing a seat’. The entry of the independent JPP (Juntos Pelo Povo) into the local elections on Sunday, is looking to cost the PS socialists a place. The PSD social democrats are forecast to get 43.9% of the vote ( 4 – 5 seats), the PS socialists 24.2% (2 – 3 seats), and JPP 8.7% (0 – 1 seats). The JPP is led by an ex-socialist, so I suppose the shift is logical.

‘Rains Increase 300% In The Summer – The precipitation was abnormal when compared with the last 30 years. Also, because of this there were less forest fires’. The Summer was hotter and wetter, with rain "well above the normal levels", according to the Institute of Meteorology, who estimate an increase in the order of 300% compared to the averages from record of the years 1971 – 2000. June was the really different month this year. Temperatures over the comparison period mentioned, in Funchal, were also higher. The average maximum temperature was up 2ºC, and the average minimum temperature was up 1ºC.

More of today’s news stories : Many thanks to Elaine in Garajau :

Lack of musicians threatens Fado in the region. Today is the  tenth anniversary of the death of the Fado singer Amália Rodrigues. There is a lack of musicians learning the Portuguese Guitar, which is made out of camphor wood, and the ten or more who can still play it are getting older, so Fado is at risk of  dying out. There is a Saturday afternoon course to learn the instrument, with several students but still vacancies. The main venues for hearing Fado singing are ‘Arsenio’s’ and ‘Marcelino, Pão e Vinho’.

Porto Santo has kennels again. The new veterinary area has been opened where there are 37 kennels and a cattery with 16 spaces. The poor state of the old one gave Porto Santo a bad image. Jardim used the opening ceremony to praise the mayor for the opening coinciding with World Animal Day, and gave his usual sermon on modern-day disrespect for life and that pets are important as more people become isolated and live alone.

Already arrests for illegal hunting on Porto Santo. The season has just started and already several arrests, one for a Madeiran businessman with 14 rabbits, more than twice the legal number (6). The police seized their guns and their permits.

Rockfall closes the Vereda do Ladeira. A rockfall Monday morning has temporarily closed this way to pedestrians, but it should be cleared soon. Between Paul do Mar and Prazeres.

"I do not understand the Portuguese of the Continent…." Jardim had another full house when speaking, (according to the Jornal da Madeira). He says he cannot understand how the Portuguese have criticized prime minister Sócrates over the past few years then re-elect him. Jardim says Sócrates has a "financial stranglehold" on the region, the Socialists have done harm to Madeira, and the opposition in Portugal are insufficient.

2000 will fly green flags tomorrow in Câmara de Lobos. Of the 88 Eco-schools, 22 are in this municipality. The students will meet in the Town Square at 10 am to receive awards for environmental education. It is an international project in 45 countries and most of the Portuguese schools involved are primary level.

Homage to fishermen. The Government will erect a monument in homage to the fishermen of Machico but no details yet. There will also be a new health centre, social security centre and residential home for the elderly at Porto da Cruz.

Mandolins reunion in Câmara de Lobos. For the 2009 City of Culture – Câmara de Lobos, a free-entrance meeting on the 24 and 25 October at the Casa da Cultura.  The XXIV Regional Meeting of the Tunas and Madeira Mandolin Orchestras.

Farewell to the ‘Black Prince’. Today is the last day the ‘Black Prince’ visits Funchal. She has been coming since 1967 and is under the Fred Olsen cruise lines. There will be a farewell ceremony from the Ports Authority, The Ships Enthusiast’s Club and usual water jets. She is to be a cruise ship under the Venezuelan ‘Hello Cruises’ line, starting in November and renamed ‘Hello Esmeralda’. There are two other Costa cruisers in port today.

Just imagine yourself doing gymnastics in your workplace? Need to burn calories, prevent repetitive strain injuries, relax, and increase productivity? Professor Brown says that gymnastics at work produces benefits and the craze has spread from Japan, USA, through Europe and now to Madeira. 10 minutes at least once a week, preferably twice, especially beneficial to prevent headaches, backache and RSI. He teaches 2.5 minutes of individual stretching, then in pairs, then a few minutes of ballroom dancing and aerobics. He also teaches how to give 10 min. massages to work colleagues.

Santa Cruz City Park. Finally decided, the venue will be Pedra Mole, on a riverbank. The model design will be exhibited in Caniço Shopping Centre for any comments. It will be partially ready in 2 years time but not fully functional for 3-4 years, and is a part public-private investment. In talks with the bus companies about putting it on the tourist route.

In another article, complaints that Santa Cruz council has only fulfilled 44% of planned projects in the last election program, most at the end of their mandate. 29 of the delayed projects are essential.

Cycleway to be extended. The mayor of Funchal, Miguel Albuqueque, says if re-elected, the cycleway on the Estrada Monumental will be extended by 1850 metres between the north of the Lido and Forum. Total investment 4 million Euros.

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(30th September). Today’s main news headline, pictured with a ‘landscape’ swamped with political posters : ‘Complaints And Threats In The Start Of The Campaign – The election campaign for the local elections started yesterday, marked by incidents from the national elections. The region of São Vicente has already made complaints to the police, about vandalising of posters, and offences by text message’. Election posters belonging to the PS-M socialists were vandalised in the parish of Boaventura, the location where the candidate lives. In addition anonymous SMS text messages have been sent by mobile phone, of an unpleasant nature, being slanderous and blackmailing, to party member(s). "This is a clear act of [bad]intention and with that of course one can not remain indifferent. When it is a moustache, some drawings, these are cases that are not serious. But this is completely different. The entire structure of the sign was destroyed", said the president of PS-M. Asked who might be behind these vindictive actions, the PS top-of-the-list to the local authority in São Vicente says it is "in the eyes of those who want to see. But I’d rather not comment further on this matter. I will let the police investigate". In the 2005 elections similar things happened to property relating to candidates, and the car of the president of PS-M was set alight.

‘Cavaco Silva Adds More Fuel To The Fire’. ‘President of the Republic Accuses Prominent Socialist Leaders Of Manipulation – Cavaco Silva believes that they tried to stick it on the PSD’. Silva made a 10 minute broadcast to the nation last night over the shocking affair of his office being ‘bugged’. He accused "prominent personalities of the party in government" of manipulation, and trying to stick it [the blame] on the national president of the PSD, in order to divert attention during the elections. 

‘ERC Accuses Lack Of Balanced Reporting’. The Regulatory Authority for Social Communication (ERC) issued yesterday a statement outlining the main points of a decision on a complaint made by the PS-M socialists against the newspaper Jornal da Madeira. At issue was the supplement ‘autárquicas2009′ and the fact that in publishing this material, it just referred to the position of the PSD social democrat câmaras, omitting the views of opposition parties. The ERC decided that there was, in that supplement of  J da M, "a blatant violation of the duties of pluralism". The complaint of PS-M alerted to the fact that during the pre-campaign for the elections, the behaviour of the newspaper was detrimental to candidates of the opposition parties. The ERC concluded that "the lack of pluralism in the information provided leads to a serious breach of the principle of equality and impartiality, contributing for the benefit of certain political forces over others". The recommendation of the ERC, which summarizes the deliberations, should be published by the J da M. This ERC sounds like a toothless watchdog to me, if there is no further action taken other the publication of it’s findings. Still, on the positive side, had it given the Jornal a massive fine, who would end up paying it … us taxpayers of course.

‘Câmara ‘obliges’ some to give up school by not paying for student transport – In Câmara de Lobos parents have to pay between 15 and 90 Euros for each child to study’. It is an accusation from the CDU communist party that parents are having to take their children out of school because they don’t have the money to pay for school transport. A CDU spokesman says that the council is one that has "turned its back on education, on the crisis, and on parents that have children studying".

(29th September). The last of today’s headlines : ‘Half [of the ?] Regional Commission Asks Congress – The petition was delivered last week. But the leader Gouveia himself had the idea’. The PS-M socialist leader João Carlos Gouveia has pre-empted critics about the poor showing on Madeira in the elections, and 28 members of the Regional Commission of the Socialist Party last week signed a document asking the chairman of this body to urgently schedule a Congress meeting, with elections to choose new party leader. The initiative was not disclosed, as it was not considered appropriate, being in full campaign for the elections. Various other candidates are discussed. Well, the last two election results already proved what a shambles the PS-M are, and with 2 out of 3 seats lost in the Assembly in Portugal on Sunday, is the hope now that this news will improve matters for the local elections on 11th October? Is the logic there that people are more likely to vote for a PS with a unknown future leader than a poor current leader?

‘Madeira will submit the proposed amendment to the Law of Regional Finance – Jardim counts on the new composition of the parliament and coherence of the parties for the adoption of the revision’. President Jardim announced yesterday that the amendments, proposed by the PSD-M social democrats will be submitted to the Assembly of the Republic. Jardim says that the current law has choked Madeira’s state funding. He was of course hoping that his own PSD party would be be in government, as he had already reached agreement on what would happen, but he will now have to bank on a reduced majority government being out-voted.

The local election campaigns officially restarted today. The PSD-M noise car has already passed my house at least 4 times today.

‘Albuquerque Beats Jardim – Albuquerque has an advantage of nearly 4,000 votes compared to the leader of the PSD-M’. Within 15 days the social democrats will get to know who is worth more in Funchal, the PSD-M president of the câmara or the PSD-M president of Madeira. The two will not be competing head to head, but the comparison of results between legislative (national) and local elections is compulsory, and the same has happened in previous regional elections. Miguel Albuquerque’s support for re-election to Funchal council will have more meaning than ever before, as he is the pretender to the throne of Alberto João Jardim, who is rumoured to be bowing out in 2011. In Sunday’s election Jardim achieved 25,511 votes in Funchal, as top-of-the-list for a seat in the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal, or 43.7% of the vote, a fairly low achievement, whereas four years ago, Albuquerque managed 29,395, or 50.3% of the Funchal vote. What a useless comparison, with people not only voting for different people, but for different things. What would be more useful and entertaining is to give them both a pistol, and have a crack of dawn winner-takes-all duel, on top of a grassy knoll (a contingency plan, just in case they both miss). Not wishing to be politically incorrect (before the blog snipers come along), it would of course all be in fun using paint ball pistols.

The high level of abstention in Funchal is a bit of a concern in Funchal. One of the reasons is explained in today’s Diário : "As reported, Portugal has a huge number of voters who are unable to vote. Because they are dead, or because they live in a foreign country". The latter case gives us some cause for forgiveness, as ballot papers get lost and delayed when sent abroad, as happened in Venezuela at the weekend, but as for the dead voters, do they really have excuses, if so I would like to hear them. And there was me thinking, that in this terminal stage of life, one automatically qualified for an important position in the PSD-M, so does that in fact mean that our current rulers do still have some blood movement in their veins, or is that just afterlife twitching we see?

‘In the series ‘Through Madeira’ : ‘Porto Moniz : ‘People’s tribunals’ still decide’. Residents discuss life in the towns two cafes. They analyse and pass ‘sentences’. The Portuguese Justice System doesn’t know, but in the region of Porto Moniz, two courts exist (‘Relação’ & ‘Supremo’), curiously both quite near the town hall. It is in these two places that the common life and politics of the town are discussed, and ‘sentences’ given out. They article says that if the president of the câmara kept his office window open he would be able to hear what was being said from his desk. The  power of the ‘Supremo’ is sufficient to change the political scene in the area, and the Diário hints that if the outgoing câmara president might have listened more closely, he would still be around to serve another political mandate next month (another Jardim ‘casualty’). The two courts fall into the categories of regular and supreme, and there is a protocol between the two. Rui Nelson, is one of the youngest ‘judges’ of the ‘Relação : "When we do not agree on a certain subject, we take the matter to the Supremo", he said. The Diário, having hyped up the story, then takes it back to reality, a powerless discussion forum … but is it?