"The Portuguese settled the Atlantic island of Madeira in the 15th century. In Funchal, Madeira’s main city, the houses and commercial buildings are scattered higglety pigglety, many with sideyards of dwarf banana plants. Of Madeira’s history and heritage too little remains as modern hotels are jammed along Funchal’s seafront like hockey players elbowing each other in the corners. Indeed not that long ago the historic building where Hapsburg Empress ‘SiSi’ of Austria stayed regularly was pulled down to make way for a singularly unimpressive hotel". NOT TOO IMPRESSED WITH MADEIRA

"Madeira, particularly Funchal is known for it’s Christmas lights and this year they have excelled. Switched on progressively from late November, at the time of writing this they are all on and blaze a path all the way from the Lido to the old town (where you will find the best of them) and many other streets too". MORE IMPRESSED WITH MADEIRA

This comes under the heading of ‘Silly Signs’ … suggested by Sheila & Derek.

Sheila & Derek’s caption. : "As the credit crunch bites deeper, Madeira’s business owners are having to downsize on their premises. One company has announced the opening shortly of its new superstore in São Vicente". Many thanks … any more anyone?

Tobi sent in this video link (many thanks) for the rough sea at Ribeira Brava yesterday, whilst also concerned and asking about the safety of the many ducks on the well swollen river. I can assure you Tobi, the ducks are safe and sound, but unfortunately I only had room for three in the freezer. The video didn’t show the slightly mangled Xmas decorations along the sea front, and looking down over the town last night the massive ‘Xmas tree’ and other decorated trees weren’t quite as glamorous as they were the previous night.

I had a bit of a moan about the Missa do Parto yesterday, because of the mega bangers that go off very early every morning (5 am), and if you would like to know more Don has covered the subject on his blog. Just carrying on with what goes on outside the church  rather than in, the mega-bangers are the wake up call for the population within earshot. After the service is over another set of mega-bangers are released to signify that one can now enter the church annex and get stuck into a traditional breakfast that includes bread and aguardente (rum) and other sticky thing and beverages. The letting of off the fireworks is in fact against the law, but a blind eye is turned by the police it seems in the name of tradition. MISSA DO PARTO

Nacional da Madeira Appoint Predrag Jokanovic As New Head Coach. Portuguese outfit Nacional da Madeira have appointed Serbian coach Predrag Jokanovic as their new head coach until the end of the 2009-’10 season. Jokanovic takes the reins from Manuel Machado, who has been hospitalised since 27 November and will not return to work this season. MORE One of the main headlines from yesterday’s Diário, so it saved me a translation.

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

Parking from 5.30. For the occasion of the Missas do Parto, from today until December 23, the Church of Ribeira Brava and the Town Hall are associated with a tradition well attended by parishioners and visitors. The car park next to the Town Hall will be open from 5.30 am to meet the extra demand. The capacity of over 100 spaces should help prevent illegally parked cars causing congestion.

Car inspections more expensive from today. The Government believes that Madeira has to follow the increase in rates in the country. The value of the increase is not thought to be significant; cars cost an extra 31 cents and heavy vehicles 49 cents more. This law came from Portugal and the Regional Government thought it only fair that the same increase was implemented in Madeira. Values (including VAT) will be 27.31 (was 27.00) Euros for a car inspection and 41.05 (was 40.56) Euros for heavy vehicles. The price of the ’2 via’ (?) of the certificate of inspection also increases from 2.31 to 2.34 Euros. Re-inspection tariffs are kept without an increase. About 90,000 vehicles are inspected each year in the three centres – Funchal, Porto Santo and the mobile units in Sao Vicente, Faial and Prazeres – representing an annual revenue of 25,000 Euros for light vehicles, which represent about 90% of the inspections.

Update on Avenida do Mar. Yesterday it was reported that the renovation had been finished. There is an ‘Observatory’ (structure made of decking) next to the Praça da Autonomia, the Blind Man sculpture, the pedestrian area near to ETAR (sewerage plant) and Teleferico repaved with a square that can be used for temporary exhibitions. The Blind Man sculpture was inspired by the traditional game ‘Blind Man’s Buff’ and the lives of women of the Old Town coping with the men going to sea. The other two associated projects are the recovery of footpaths in the Garden of  Almirante Reis and renovation of the walls of ETAR. The work has been finished although there is still a court case as a company from the mainland has challenged the awarding of the work.

Hospital car park is bad for your health. The hospital car park is the most expensive in the region, and there is no alternative. A complaint by a visitor that he had to pay 5.30 Euros for just over three hours, while taking his pregnant wife to outpatients. The administration board of the hospital have asked the company running the car park to reduce tariffs but without success. The current tariff is 1.40 Euros per hour and a day costs about 20 Euros. It is usually essential for staff and visitors to the hospital and out-patients to use the car park.

Islamists condemn xenophobic attitudes. The Islamic community in Madeira now have a new mosque. It is located in Bairro de Santo Amaro, a space donated by the Government. The President of the Islamic Community in Lisbon at the inauguration ceremony stressed that, "The mosque was only possible thanks to the great openness of spirit and heart of Dr. Alberto João Jardim, who believes that the tradition of multiethnic, multifaith, multicultural and cultural life is one of the key factors in the harmonious and fraternal Madeiran society. Unlike Switzerland where they want to ban minarets, and other manifestations of xenophobia, in Portugal and particularly in Madeira there is a climate of dialogue and respect that contributes to social peace." Surrounded by a large number of police, given the presence of the Ambassadors of Iran and Saudi Arabia as well as representatives from other embassies and the Islamic community at the opening ceremony. The Bishop of Funchal and other regional church representatives also attended. Jardim said, "The big problem today is those that enter the radical materialism." As normal practice in mosques, everyone had to remove their shoes and women restricted to the back of the room. Uncle Bertie gave that impression! … he doesn’t say that about Indians, Chinese, and immigrants who come here to work! Der

Gale rips off Christmas lights. Ribeira Brava battered by bad weather. Ribeira Brava was battered today for a few brief minutes of intense winds and rain that ripped off Christmas lights, terraces and roofs. According to the Chief Fireman, "Everything happened too quickly, with record rains and strong wind." "The Christmas lights that were attached to poles on the sea front were ripped off from the balcony from where they were hooked." The river is in full spate. At Atouguia in Calheta, the river overflowed and flooded some houses (photo). Trees fell onto a road at Terreiro da Luta (photo) and the Estrada Monumental in Funchal, and rockfalls closed roads in Arco da Calheta and Calheta. At the Lido bathing complex, the waves ‘swept’ the pool and the surrounding sundeck. Six flights were cancelled at the airport during the morning and four planes diverted to Porto Santo. The cruise ship Oriana was to berth off-shore due to lack of space. Due to the high seas causing problems in ferrying passengers to the shore, the captain decided to return to England early mid-morning. Thus, the region lost revenue from 1,700 passengers. The wind will continue over Wednesday and on Thursday, the forecast is for the return of heavy rain and the possibility of thunderstorms. The Azores have been affected by bad weather with nearly 100 people displaced in Terceira, also floods and landslides. (Video on DIÁRIO website)

Garces presents budget for crisis year. The Regional Secretary of Planning and Finance presented the budget for 2010 (1.5 thousand million Euros) which concentrates on reducing the current expenditure and investing in social areas. Education, employment and habitation are the areas highlighted underlining that this is a budget for a year in crisis. Concerns about unemployment are also a priority for the Regional Government and investment in innovation and quality, employment, business development, and energy and administrative modernization. There is an increase in the debt of 180 million Euros and transfers from the State of over 200 million. Alberto João Jardim left the room shortly after the speech by Garces, not staying for the debate. Yesterday, the Legislative Assembly of Madeira approved the 2009 budget. The PSD, CDS-PP and the MPT voted for it, the PS, BE and PCP abstained and the PND voted against the budget. Using the 79 million Euros loan approved in this budget, the Regional Government intends to pay suppliers by the end of this year. Garces has asked the Ministry of Finance for a new loan of 34 million Euros for projects co-financed by the EU. The request had been previously denied on the grounds that Madeira already has excess debt but he argues that the State debt’s is 81% GDP whereas Madeira’s debt is only 18% GDP.

74 complaints of noise this year. Generally, the complaints of excessive noise are against nightclubs (often exceeding the legal hours), industrial activities and neighbour’s dogs. Funchal Council received the most complaints, 30 against establishments and 15 against neighbours, mainly about dogs barking. Santa Cruz Council received 13 complaints and are producing a Charter of Noise and a Noise Map, which outlines the areas where you can make a certain amount of noise (industrial areas and nightlife).

1,270 drivers caught talking on the phone. The PSP this year has caught 1,270 drivers using a mobile phone while driving, 521 cases of failing to wear a seat belt and 120 for lack of child restraint (seats compulsory for under 12 years of age).

Complaints about wage arrears increase in the construction industry. The wage arrears in the construction industry continue to grow, almost 200 complaints by their Union, an increase of 25 – 30% compared to 2008, almost half for wage arrears. Complaints are also about unlawful dismissal, often firms becoming insolvent. The Union suspect that it will be much worse next year despite the Government obtaining a 79 million Euros loan. This is because there will be no improvement in Regional finances and public works employ a lot of workers, and unemployment will probably increase. Data for 2009 will not be available until early 2010. At present, there are 325 officially unemployed related to the construction sector. The real number will be higher as some will not be eligible for unemployment benefit and some will have left the region. The official unemployment total is 13,000 but the Union representative reckons there are 15,000 – 16,000 unemployed. This can lead to divorce, domestic violence and broken families. 

Government provides services and adversely affects businesses. The UEFA delegation staying in Madeira has led to complaints from regional businessmen. The Government decided to offer transport to UEFA, via the Regional Tourism Authority, and this has reduced services that could have been provided by local businessmen. UEFA decided to choose the most expensive hotel in Funchal (Reid’s – over 300 Euros a night), when they could have saved money, has also angered entrepreneurs. The regional authorities have not been such a courteous host to UEFA as the occasion should have merited. Only the airline and hotel industries have benefited from this visit which could have generated more revenue for local businesses and the economy.

Celebrating Madeiran traditions. Xarabanda at Baltazar Dias on Saturday, December 19 at 21.00. Concert entitled, ‘Cantigas ao Menino Jesus’. The repertoire consists of themes of the musical tradition of a Madeiran Christmas.

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

Gale causes damage -  Floods, landslides and rough seas are other symptoms of the bad weather, that is coming back tomorrow. There are several articles on the bad weather, with some info already provided by Elaine above, so just a few highlights. Gales rip out Christmas lights – Ribeira Brava battered by bad weather. The town of Ribeira Brava was battered on Tuesday, during several minutes of intense winds and rain that ripped out Christmas lights, terraces and roofs (tiles?), according to a fireman. The Chief Fireman of Ribeira Brava, Agostinho Silva, said that "everything happened so quickly, with intense rain and strong winds". The Christmas lights that were attached to poles at the sea front of the town were uprooted and ended broken and mangled, and the steel barriers they were attached to were bent over.  Another report says that a small tornado shook the town, with chairs and tables flying around. The bad weather made itself felt all over the island. In Funchal there is no record of significant damage, besides a small downfall in the area of Terreiro da Luta, and a tree felled in Estrada Monumental. In Calheta there was a rockfall that forced the closure of the regional road between the town and Arco da Calheta, and in Sítio do Atouguia, a river overflowed and flooded some homes. There are also reports of crops damaged, with Banana plants particularly affected.

Intervention by the BIR (Rapid response unit) motivates complaint in MP. A member of  the BIR is facing a complaint from the father of a 17 year old who says that his son was slapped last weekend. The complaint will be handled by the public prosecutor, and is awaiting the issue of a medical report before proceeding. The officer allegedly slapped the lad after he was considering driving home after a night out, possibly after a drinking session with friends, and had got mouthy when he was challenged about his intentions.

Today’s main news headline : ViaMadeira takes €700 million – The government was forced to go to the bank to resolve the financing arrangements for the new concessions for the roads. A case to liven up the Budget debate. President Jardim had to go to the banks in Lisbon, to secure the millions needed to finance the concessions that construct and maintain the roads of Madeira. The operation managed by ViaMadeira (AFA, Zagope, Tecnovia, Somague and Tâmega) could need an amount of up to €700 million, but it was struggling to obtain further funding from the banks, and attempts by the Regional Secretaries of Finance and Infrastructure had to be propped up with the personal intervention of Jardim. Our president met with officials from BES, BCP, and CGD banks in Lisbon, and managed to secure the funding needed, avoiding another direct debt for Madeira.

Councils cutting off Banif Bank following the ‘raspa’.

Emanuel Silva wins prize for ‘Justice and Communication’ – The Diário journalist will receive the national distinction today. Well done, but the headline tells me all I need to know.

Problems in mid-field complicate the ‘last waltz’ – ‘Joka’ returns to Nacional in order to beat Austria. Predrag Jokanovic is taking command of the team for the rest of the season as already mentioned, with the immediate focus on the final Europa League match tonight against FK Austria Vienna. Live at 8.00  pm on SportTV1.

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 Thank you in anticipation.

Finally (from me that is), Don very kindly sent in a video filmed in Lugar de Baixo Marina yesterday afternoon. Thanks Don :

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UPDATE : You won’t see it on TV, but after extensive research the last minute Nacional goal (and the OTT celebrations) is available to blog readers HERE along with a match report in English. In the draw for the group phase made this afternoon, Nacional will play in Group L with Werder Bremen (Germany), Austria de Vienna, and Atletico de Bilbau (Spain). The first games will be on 17th September.

‘CMF ‘Occupies’ Old Buildings’. Funchal Municipal Council is to take administrative possession of 4 old run-down buildings, to use for social housing. The buildings are in an advanced state of degradation in the old city. CMF will take possession of the buildings, which are protected in legal terms, for turning them into housing. There are at least four of these buildings, whose expropriation process determines a substantial investment, not only to pay the owners, but also to pay for the restoration work. One house in Rua de Santa Maria will cost €53,000 to buy, and another €102,000 to restore. There are many such houses in the area, and the process of expropriation (compulsory purchase) is there to allow CMF to take on the restoration, to keep Funchal looking in good shape, when the owners fail to do so with their property. The process has four stages, and is usually made more difficult because owners cannot be identified or traced, often as a result of complex inheritance issues, as often happens here.

‘(Social) Security Investigates Fraud – The scheme involves false claims for unemployment benefit. Bernadette Vieira alerts citizens to the serious consequences of illegal claims’. An allegedly fraudulent scheme involving false unemployment claims, may be undermining the social security system, and costing many thousands of Euros. The case is now being investigated by the inspection branch of Social Security Madeira (CSSM), following a whistle blower complaint, and as required by law, they immediately suspended unemployment benefits awarded to people under suspicion. In practice, they suspect the existence of companies that, in return for a monetary consideration, have sent false statements to the CSSM in support of claims for unemployment benefits, for workers who in fact never worked there. Research by the Diário revealed that this scheme is suspected of taking place in the north of Madeira, involving an unspecified number of people. In the parish of Boaventura, the number of individuals suspected of improperly receiving the unemployment benefit is around 10. If the bogus claims are confirmed the matter will be turned over to the Justice Police. Bernadette Vieira, president of CSSM, alerts citizens to the seriousness of a situation like this, as well as for the obvious consequences for those involved. The first of which, is the immediate suspension of unemployment benefit. In addition, offenders are obliged to refund the entire amount obtained unlawfully. This, warns the president of CSSM, in the absence of an immediate repayment, will lead to the suspension of all subsidies and other social benefits, that will continue until the amount owed is paid off in full. To further aggravate the situation, the culprits are also subject to a fine of up to one thousand Euros. For companies involved in fraudulent situations like this, the amount of fines can go up to €2,500. In addition to all this, there are criminal consequences for some. In addition, she appeals to the public who are aware of schemes like these, to report the matter. Sounds almost like it is a new phenomenon, but surely it can’t be. A certain small percentage of human beings will always try to rip-off the system, that’s an unfortunate fact of life, but here it’s almost a national sport as far as the financial authorities go, with so many people working and claiming benefits, and working and not paying tax, or businesses earning and siphoning. Normally it doesn’t it seem to bother anyone, let alone the IRS and Social Security, and it almost seems to be socially acceptable. The fines hardly seem much of a deterrent either. I wonder if there is anything we could learn from our politicians about how to behave in this sense?

‘Weekend With The Famous – Dates 4th And 5th – The event ‘Faces’ Divine Experience’ ends with a VIP party at The Vine Hotel’. Fun, elegance and dozens of familiar faces from the world of television. This is what promises to end the weekend special summer that the famous celebrity magazine ‘Faces’ will present in Madeira, on the 4th and 5th of September. The actress and TV presenter, Liliana Aguiar, and Sofia Marques, are named guests, but the final list of celebrities is still being prepared and in the coming days there should be more news. The Vine will be an unforgettable party. For these two days, specifically Friday, after a ‘welcome drink’ at The Vine Hotel (in the hotel’s official event ‘Faces Divine Experience’), there follows a visit to the ‘Madeira Wine Festival 2009′ which will take place at Avenida Arriaga, then the night will finish with a dinner at’ Chega de Saudade’, one of the most popular restaurants in downtown Funchal. On Saturday, there is a boat trip planned along the coast to the Marina Quinta do Lorde, in Caniçal, followed by lunch there. At night, there will be a dinner at the restaurant at The Vine, followed by a media VIP party for about 400 invited guests. Having never heard of the magazine ‘Faces’, or the only two guests named so far, I thought I ought to do some Google research and it seems that ‘Faces’ Magazine is a free magazine about the nightlife, restaurants, fashion, stores, and people of Halifax in England.

‘Law of compulsory education until the age of 18 published yesterday – Students in the next school year to stay until the seventh grade are already covered(?)’. The law which extends compulsory education to the age of 18, and establishes pre-school education from the age of 5, was published in the Diário da República (official Journal). Law No 85/2009 states that "compulsory education implies, for the guardian of the child, the duty to make the registration of the child in public or private schools, in institutions of education, and / or training recognized by authorities, determining for the student the duty of attendance".

‘SATA repudiates the strike of Groundforce – Company accepts no responsibility for the inconvenience that passengers will suffer’. If the TAP strike today and tomorrow isn’t bad enough, the handling company at several airports, Groundforce, has also chosen the same days to strike. This will affect passengers using the airports of Madeira, Porto Santo, Lisbon and Porto. The strike will cause congestion with luggage movements, and problems in check in, embarking and disembarking. Passengers are advised to travel with cabin luggage only, and also to check in by telephone where possible. The SATA customer contact centre number is 707 22 72 82, or information can be obtained on-line.

‘Rockfall Along The Seafront Of Ribeira Brava – Boulders fell on the section prohibited for use’. The old sea road, closed to traffic for several years, that leads to the roundabout at Tabua, suffered another rock fall yesterday. No one was hurt, but the damage was evident both to the pavement and in the outer sea wall which runs alongside the road. The route is correctly identified with warning signs, and also signs prohibiting pedestrian and bicycle traffic, but many ignore them.

In yesterday’s Jornal da Madeira : ‘New measure against social exclusion released – The program was published this week in the Journal of the Region’. The Government has just launched a measure to combat social exclusion. This is the Local Contract Program for Social Development, published this week in the Journal of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (JORAM) whose purpose, is to ‘bridge the current needs of society in the face of persistent poverty and social exclusion’. According to the regional secretary for social affairs, it is a set of opportunities that are created locally for the social development of people who are in situations of social downfall, to give an opportunity that these people can take part in’. He said ‘this is a project of great social importance’, as it will offer them "an opportunity for integration". It involves the the creation of units that develop, train and thus provide new job opportunities for those people in need of support. It will be targeted at critical areas, urban or rural, hard hit with problems. A bit tricky to dig out the exact details, but will this be the PSD ‘election special’, designed to attract those voters suffering the worst hardship, that until now thought the government of Madeira had done little to help them?

UPDATES

‘Study Records Weak Presence Of Mosquitoes – The study was done in July by technicians of hygiene and tropical medicine’. The preliminary study says that there is no great abundance of insects, not in adult or larvae form. That is confirmed by a reduction in people attending the health centres in Funchal and Câmara de Lobos, complaining of bites by the ‘Aedes Aegypti’ mosquito. The news has surprised the experts, with the explanation being given as partly due to the use of a new ‘cutting edge’ insecticide, instead of that recommended by the World health Organisation. A colder Winter may also have helped. Another reason given for the reduction in complaints at health centres, is that people are becoming less sensitive to the bites of this species over time. However people are urged to continue the action they have been taking, particularly avoiding leaving stagnant water around, which provides breeding conditions. The worst months are yet to come, with the heat, humidity and rain of September and October, providing the best conditions for the mosquitoes.

’200 Cases Per Year In The PSP Of Madeira’. The police are the target of complaints relating to misconduct, breaches of discipline, or practices that could be considered illegal. The trade union representing police says that there is protectionism in play for more senior officers, whilst the rank and file police are subject to a quicker and more severe sanctions. The TU officer gives the example of damage to vehicles, with some officers fined and suffering a reduction in salary, whilst more senior officers were not even subject to the same process. The Regional Command of the PSP makes it clear that the process, does not discriminate between rank or function. "The disciplinary regulations of the PSP are applicable to all police officers" he said. The majority of disciplinary proceedings, which are led by an officer of higher rank to the person charged, end up being closed due to lack of evidence.

A 24 year old man has died from his injuries after a car crash in Calheta on 16th August. He had been in a coma since the accident between Prazeres and Maloeira. A 19 year old man in the same accident is still in hospital waiting surgery, but is out of danger. The funeral is tomorrow at 4pm in the church of Raposeira.

‘TAP Guarantees Flights On Day Of Strike – Resort to the company ‘Portway’ is the solution found to not leave passengers on land’. Passengers are catching their flights as normal at Madeira Airport today, despite the strikes by staff represented by 5 different trade unions at TAP airlines. So far no cancellations or delays. A TAP spokesman said that (today?) there will be just isolated small delays. TAP has contracted the handling services of Portway to minimise problems, a move that one trade union leader has said is illegal. TAP assures that the move is within the law.

"Black Stains" Appear Like Mushrooms Leaving Funchal Disfigured – CDU criticises urban growth in the city’. The election candidate of the communists for the câmara municipal of Funchal criticised the various developments that have left the city "violated and disfigured". In a pre-campaign initiative prior to the elections on 11th October, Artur Andrade said that the city had been "marked by interest groups and by speculation in real estate", and that the municipal master plan (PDM) has proved "insufficient to deal with the speculative interests and was twisted and violated". The result of the total permissiveness over the years is for the gain of "a minority whose aim is simply to make as much profit as possible". The examples chosen to illustrate the accusations are Marina Shopping, the expansion of the Hotel CS Madeira, the embargoed building of Mina Gerais, and even the cement wall at the port of Funchal for the construction of a car park. What about the complete development in and around Ajuda? If that wasn’t done for a quick buck and with total disregard for sensible planning, I will eat someone’s hat.

‘Autonomous Regions Forgotten In The Programme Of PSD – Ferreira Leite doesn’t take on any questions involving controversy’. Alberto João Jardim said during the week, that the PS electoral programme presented by prime minister José Sócrates was worth "zero", in respect of Madeira and the Azores. An evaluation (according to the Diário) that he should now extend to the programme (prospectus?) of his own PSD party, presented yesterday by party leader Manuela Ferreira Leite, who said the party did not exaggerate its promises. The autonomous regions had a quarter page and some general references, with none of the issues considered fundamental by the social democrats of Madeira addressed with a clear commitment, including the constitution revision considered as a top priority by president Jardim. It does however promise to patch up the terrible relationship between central government and the regional government of Madeira, if elected. It also promises to ensure ‘healthy market competition’, which will conflict with the government stance here in terms of the newspaper Jornal da Madeira.

‘Fire Consumes Considerable Area Of Eucalyptus – Difficult access made it difficult to combat the flames that spread in Fajã da Ovelha’. With unfavourable conditions (wind, heat, and low humidity) the fire spread Wednesday afternoon around 6 pm in the serra, and was expected to be extinguished by last night by Calheta firemen. 5 vehicles and around 20 firemen were involved. No residences or people were in any danger. The cause of the fire is unknown.

‘Emergency Landing Injures One Person – 14 passengers were travelling on board the SATA flight’. A plane heading for Madeira was forced to do an emergency landing on Porto Santo this morning, after a problem with one of the engines. The ATP of SATA (the Azores based airline) SP1691 landed at around 8.40 am.  One person was lightly injured, but operations at Porto Santo airport are now back to normal.

‘Future Crematorium Already Registers Demand – The first equipment of its kind in the Region’. The crematorium burner that will be housed in a building being constructed in Porto Santo cemetery (Santa Cantarina), has already prompted enquiries from Madeira’s local authorities. It is scheduled to be inaugurated on October 9th. How does one inaugurate a crematorium burner … barbeque or oven roast? Mind you it would have to be a strict ‘one-off’.

‘PJ Investigate Car Fire In Estreito’. I am not sure why this belongs on the front page, but the judicial police are investigating a car fire in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos. Was the early morning blaze a short circuit or arson, asks the Diário? The car was completely destroyed at 5 am yesterday morning, waking the local population into panic. The police have examined the car and have nothing conclusive to offer yet. It was a Renault Clio Sport that fell victim to the flames, and any car that has the words ‘Clio’ and ‘Sport’ so close together in my view is asking for trouble, and the act could indeed have been deliberate, symbolic, or even sacrificial, and possibly even justified.

Today’s big front page photo is of the Nacional footballers celebrating last night : ‘Nacional Close To Perfection Put-Off The Dream For Russia – The four goals scored by Nacional against Zenit St. Petersburg came very close to making a magic night in the Choupana stadium. Despite of the sparse advantage (4 – 3), the Madeirans go to Russia in a position to make come true the dream of continuing in the Europa League’. Fantastic result against one of the richest clubs in the world, who were in theory well above National’s station. Shame nobody could watch it, thanks to the greed of Nacional’s management in demanding ridiculous TV rights fees that no one would pay. I couldn’t even get to see the goals on the news this morning. Full match report in English HERE

Diesel prices rise by 1 cêntimo on Monday. Petrol stays the same.

A new ‘Voters Portal’ went live yesterday at www.portaldoeleitor.pt . It’s a guide to all matters electoral, and how, where, and when to vote. As it’s only for those eligible to vote and all in Portuguese, it’s probably not worth saying any more.

The minister of health for Portugal announced yesterday that from now on tests for Gripe A will only be done for patients who have a clinical reason for needing them. Ana Jorge said that the objective now is to "treat the flu symptoms", whether it is H1N1 or any other variety of flu. Preventative medicine will only be given to people considered at risk (pregnant, children, and people with respiratory diseases) or to people known to have had close contact with a Gripe A sufferer. Gripe A, or swine flu, has now hit 1870 people in Portugal. In future the national updates will be done weekly on Wednesdays, as is already done on Madeira. If they don’t do the tests, how will they know the numbers? Anyway, seems sensible to me, and certainly better than mounting numbers including people that have already recovered.

The 4 eco-buses that serve parts of Funchal will be free to use from 1st September, as previously mentioned. They cover routes that include schools and tourism areas, and are operated by the yellow bus company Horários do Funchal. Plans to expand the scheme were also announced at a press conference yesterday.

‘Messy Funchal Celebrates 501 Years – Festivals Today With Planes And Parade’. Don’t forget the Funchal 501 celebrations today. It is a public holiday today in Funchal, but most places are expected to be open. I can’t comment about the bus services, but even outside of Funchal they could be affected. I remember they were reduced was last year and nobody was told.

The messy bit refers to an article about the state of the peripheries of Funchal, which sprawled out of control, like all the big Portuguese cities over the last 30 years. Many communities, especially in the high zones have no community facilities other than the nearest church yard, and the efforts to correct the situations now are hindered by budgets, space, and planning issues.

‘Exhibition Unites 155 Works Of 30 Writers from Funchal’. The exhibition in Rua da Carreira at the PCP-M HQ, in Funchal, shows the works of 30 local writers of poetry, fiction, romance and theatre. One of the authors listed is represented at the exhibition with 31 books.

‘Fourth Dog Show In Funchal 5th September’. Any dog can take part if aged between 4 months and 10 years, regardless of race (or lack of). It will take place in the Lido Gardens in Funchal at 2.30 pm. Any dogs thinking of entering must take their owners and certificates of vaccination with them. All entrants of the canine variety will receive a prize of participation, as well as the prizes for category winners of course. Entry forms are already available at SPAD (Society for The Protection of Domestic Animals), the website link is at the side of this page, and in Vet Funchal. Even if one doesn’t have a dog, SPAD will be there if you are able to make a donation, and food and other donations will also be accepted, and you can even join as a SPAD associate. There will be a kiosk there and you can ask for Rachel, one of the Vet Doctors, who speaks English.

One more event : ‘Miss Summer 2009′ Elected This Weekend – The Beach of Ribeira do Natal hosts the event’. The event starts on the beach at Caniçal today with all the candidates being presented. The election starts on Saturday. After the catwalks, the entertainment continues with special guest DJ’s including the ‘Nasty Brothers’, Dj ‘Azz’, and ‘Miss Sloppy’ (all on Friday), and other DJ’s, with not nearly such entertaining names, performing on Saturday. Doors open 9 pm (do beaches now have doors?). €5 entrance for one day, or €8 for both days.

‘Justice Police Search For 10 Missing People – They continue without giving any hopeful signs of finding the 10 registered missing people; two of them haven’t been seen since they were minors’. Ten people, adults, youths, and children remain registered as ‘disappeared’ by Madeira’s police. The oldest case goes back 10 years, the most recent happened this year, but all the cases remain open, although in some cases the police believe that it is just a case of people leaving home, as people sometimes wish to cut family ties and start a new life. Some of the others that go off ‘Without A Trace’ ask police not to tell their families. A spokesman for the PJ says that it is necessary to make a differential between the adults and children, as in the latter case the communication abilities may not be sufficiently developed to seek help. This complicates matters later on when old memories are lost and appearances change. Some of the cases are discussed: Sofia aged 2 went missing in 2004 from Caniço, kidnapped by her father; João Teles then aged 16, went missing from Câmara de Lobos in 1998. The JP have no doubt that some of them are dead, maybe from suicide, or have died naturally in a place where they won’t be found, in the wilderness or the sea perhaps.

‘Wings Of Portugal’ Return To Madeira – The acrobatic squadron shows its skills on the Day of Funchal, that will also repeat the historic parade’. The parade will have 700 participants and will be made up of period costumes representing Funchal’s history. The Council of Funchal (CMF) has decided to "show some dimensions of its history, that is over 500 years old", says president of CMF Miguel Albuquerque, "it is an example of the cultural wealth of the citizens". There is an invitation to everyone, those who want to participate, and those who want to watch in the streets. The route will be in the centre streets, much like last year, ending up outside ‘City Hall’. The airshow ‘Wings Of Portugal’ will also perform, as in 2008, along with other commemorative events. A full programme of events for 21st August will be released by CMF soon. Celebrating the closing of the ’500 year’ celebrations, or the forthcoming elections I wonder?

‘Zenit Of Danny On The Path Of Nacional – The Russians come first to the Choupana, on the 20th of this month, in the Europa league. Danny doesn’t play because he is continuing to recover’. Confirmation from yesterday of the news that Nacional play Zenit St. Petersburg over two legs this month. Danny, the star midfielder from Madeira, plays for Zenit normally, but it seems he is injured.

‘Miradouro At Portela With Face-Lift – Jardim says he will tighten the vigilance on illegal traders’. It was in front of a crowd of people in Machico that the president of the Madeira government inaugurated the miradouro (viewpoint) in Portela Thursday afternoon. The work cost €370,000 and gifted Machico with four new sales areas for local arts and crafts, in an area that Jardim said was a sought after tourist location, that was equipped with car and coach parking. 

‘Firefighters delivered a petition to Monteiro Diniz – Over 300 professionals united by the career’. The Regional Secretary of the National Association of Professional Firefighters (ANBP) went yesterday afternoon to the Palace of São Lourenço, and met with the Representative of the Republic, Monteiro Diniz, delivering a petition to implement a decree in Madeira Law (247/2007) which defines the legal regime (?) of the Portuguese Firemen. The document was signed by more than three hundred professional firefighters from the region, wishing to see their careers put on a level equal to their colleagues on the continent. The details of the difference between the firemen in Madeira and Portugal are not given, but I believe it is a matter of status, compared with other emergency services. Anyway, isn’t part of being an antonymous region a matter of taking the rough with the smooth, or is it OK to cherry pick the nice bits and then complain about the bits we don’t like. Just a thought, and certainly not wishing to upset our fine fire fighting forces.

(7th August). ‘Energy efficiency in RAM’. Factorenergia, in partnership with Consulglobal, and the Regional Agency for Energy and the Environment (AREAM) have established a protocol to support and promote the implementation of energy efficiency measures in Madeira’s businesses. This protocol aims to give companies greater facilities for access to EU funds and the advice necessary to enable a decrease in energy consumption. Using various technologies, from lighting, intelligent control of induction motors, installing variable speed drives, capacitor batteries, and other technologies that are observed to be the most appropriate. Companies that want to invest in renewable energy production (photovoltaic and / or wind), are also covered under this protocol. The reduction of costs is increasingly important to competitiveness and business efficiency, and accordingly this combination of efforts between these entities, is intended primarily to provide the link between the work of diagnosis and implementation of various solutions to save energy, with packages of financing through EU funds, which support up to 50% in grants. Companies interested may contact any of the entities involved to start the process of analysis, and the work necessary will be customized for each individual business.