Madeira News Blog

(8th July). Today’s main news headline ‘Plague Opens Extra Rabbit Hunt – In P. Cruz those who rely on food agriculture despair: The rabbit is eating everything, vineyards included. The Directorate of Forestry says that starting today hunters can help to ‘correct the density of the species’. The explosion in the rabbit population is devastating crops in Porto da Cruz, where since January farmers are unable to grow food to eat. Dozens of farmers just watch as the rabbits systematically attack their crops, most of which are grown for their own consumption, with even potatoes suffering. Then once the ‘more tasty’ crops have been eaten, they then move on to the vineyards. Normally the hunting season isn’t until October, but the authorities promised to act quickly, and issued a 15 day special window for hunting from today until 22nd July. This allows the farmers to cull rabbits in and around their land, subject to meeting certain conditions.  

‘Port Strike In Lisbon Hits Madeira – Container ships shift from Lisbon and Setubal, that will delay the arrival of merchandise to Madeira’. The docker’s strike in the mainland ports of Lisbon, Setubal and Figueira da Foz, that started yesterday and lasts until Friday, will have an impact on the regular services to Madeira, mainly because it will reduce the number of regular container deliveries, and what does come will be delayed. The ships ‘Apolo’ and ‘Port Douro’ have gone to Leixões to be loaded, and that means things have to be reorganised, resulting in delays. ‘Ilha da Madeira’ and ‘Insular’ will be unable to operate on their normal days, and will have to wait until Saturday when the strike is finished, and as a result will arrive at Caniçal port next Tuesday. The strike does not affect ports here or in the Azores.

‘Regional Government Completes Contingency Plan For Gripe A – The regional health secretary announced yesterday that the measures are defined and ready to implement’. Whilst the swine flue H1N1 is escalating in confirmed cases on the mainland, we are assured that our plan is ready to be activated when necessary, and is going to work in a ‘pyramid form’. 57 confirmed cases in Portugal it said on last nights news, but not a confirmed case yet on Madeira … surprising being so touristy that we have got away with it so far. Schools have been closed in Lisbon and the Azores, and our Madeira plan also covers that eventuality.

‘Museum Of The Crosses Reopens With New Valuable Pieces’. The museum ‘Quinta das Cruzes’ reopens of the 13th July, renovated and with new exhibits. President Jardim will perform the inauguration on the 13th at 9.30pm. The museum has been closed for a year, while improvements were made, including much improved lighting, wheelchair access, and improvements to the garden, all at a cost of €904,000. The article does cover the new exhibits contained, but I will leave that as a surprise for those who fancy going.

The relevant authorities in South Africa and Madeira are discussing the twinning of Port Edward and Machico. That should provide a good excuse for a few political overseas jollies.

"They Seemed Easy" – results of the national exams were issued yesterday, some students were disappointed with the results obtained. 12th grade students who took first phase exams last month at Jaime Moniz High School in a number of the 27 exams held, expressed that they were frustrated with their results, and had been expecting better. In 13 of the subjects averages were down, and in 12 they improved, with two staying at the same as last year. The second phase of exams this month are there to give a second opportunity to students, who flunked in the first phase.

‘ERC In The Heavyweights In The Rally Madeira Wine – Lucca Betti is confirmed on a list of heavyweights’. The Italian driver Betti, who competes in the European Rally Championship, has confirmed that this year he will compete here in the Madeira Wine rally. 

(20th June). ‘The Police Were On The Streets In Force Last Night – ‘Operation Stop’ took to the commercial areas and lasted up to 8 in the morning’. The regional command of the PSP (Public Security Police) initiated the operation in Funchal and other populated areas on instructions from Portugal, checking vehicles and establishments, with over 50 agents involved. Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos are the other two areas mentioned, with smaller operations in other towns. The key objectives or these increasingly frequent operations is to boost public safety perceptions, and deter illegal activities, particularly burglary, theft, and breach of highway laws, with a special focus on drugs in areas of nightlife.

‘Lights-Out In Porto Moniz To See The Stars’. All the street lights will be turned off tonight at around 11pm for half an hour, to enable people to use the telescopes set up at the sea front for star gazing. It is part of the programme of activities arranged to mark the International Year of Astronomy 2009. We had them here a few weeks ago, but unlike this notification in the Diário there was nothing for us, and I think 90% of the local population thought it was an electrical fault that lasted many hours, and definitely not half an hour.

‘Student Takes Exam For Another Person In High School – The attempted fraud took place in the national History exam on Wednesday’. A student turned up for the exam at the secondary school Jamie Moniz without any identification,  but as permitted by the regulations was permitted to take the exam. The truth was detected later, when it was discovered that the person who took the exam was not registered to do it, and the matter was reported to the examination coordinator. In theory the student can be charged with the crimes of fraud and forgery, but that will depend on who else was involved and the intent of the scam, and will be the decision of the public prosecutor. Under a very tight control system, a student who does not have the required identification at the start of an exam is allowed to proceed, but at the end his identity must be confirmed in and a document signed by two other students who can identify the person, and that is then signed by the exam supervisor, and fingerprints are also taken on the same document. The matter has also been reported to the Regional Secretary for Education. What a Wally! Or more likely what two Wallys. That is an unbelievably tight control system though, and hopefully this publicity will at least discourage other potential Wallys.

The Unit of Vascular Surgery, in the Central Hospital of Funchal will be expanded soon, with another specialist being recruited, in order to provide the required number of operations and control the waiting list. With an annual average of 300 surgical procedures, the unit is looking to increase, the number of operations next year "through better organization and updating of existing waiting lists". The unit as it is just able to cope with the current patient list, but the future is expected to bring more patients with lifestyle diseases, caused by alcohol, smoking, and poor dietary habits.

The president of the Association of Travel Agents (APAVT) predicts that sales of holidays will fall by 10% this year, which ties in with the estimates of several travel agencies contacted by the Diário. With poor results in January and February, fears were worse, but more people are now looking for holidays said the president of APAVT, but price and quality are now the principle elements that the Portuguese people are looking for.

‘Price Of Petrol Rises To Levels Of Last October – New increase in fuel prices also shows a disparity with diesel’. Petrol prices are being raised by the Madeira government again, and will from Monday be at the same level as October 2008. The new price will be €1.223 per litre, having been at €1.007 at the start of the year, nearly €0.22 difference. Diesel and industrial diesel have been much more stable, and from Monday will be €0.93 and €0.59 respectively.

In the space of a week, the number of Gripe A (H1N1 swine flu) cases in Portugal has doubled to six, it was yesterday confirmed by the Ministry of Health.

(17th June). Today’s main news headline : ‘Doctors Badly Treated – "The doctors of Madeira are being pushed into the conflict" complains the the Independent Trade Union, that is going to complain to the authorities’. The good relationship that has always characterized the dealings between the Health Service of Madeira (SESARAM) and doctors who work there no longer exists, says the general secretary of the trade union that represents them, who was on Madeira on Monday for a meeting. At the ‘full house’ meeting, the first in many years, doctors showed strong discontent with the current employment situation and the way that SESARAM is being managed. "The professionals are now dealing with labour problems, something that they never had before. The doctors are being pushed into the conflict" said Carlos Arroz in an interview with the Diário. He explains that there is a climate of intimidation and hostility, caused by a change in the basic philosophy of the administration of SESARAM, that is now becoming dominated by financial issues. The issue is changing doctors working hours, and overtime, without consultation with them. The union leader admits that with the current climate and demands, and without resorting to striking, the doctors of Madeira will "down their arms, from now on working ‘by the book’ ". Arroz has a meeting arranged on Friday with the Secretary for Social Affairs, Francisco Jardim Ramos, to discuss the matter, and he hopes that the situation is resolved in the best way for Madeira.

‘Social Centre In Risk Of Closure – The ‘Casa do Povo’ (House of the people) in São Roque in Faial is not able to pay for its staff salary. Elderly have already complained’. The centre is in danger of closing at the end of this month if money isn’t found. Appeals for help to the Social Security Centre, the Regional Directorate of Rural Development and the Municipality of Santana, have been ignored. Around 25 elderly people use the centre every day.

‘Portuguese Exam Easier Than In 2008 – Students at Jaime Moniz school were visibly satisfied with the first national exam’. It started at 9am and finished two hours later yesterday, but students seemed happier, as Saramago stayed in the drawer in this years curriculum, and out came Sttau Monteiro instead (presumably writers?). One teacher at the high school said that the exam was easier this year, but the pupils still need to be more attentive, and that some lost points in multiple choice questions. Multiple choice questions in national exams!, these kids don’t know they were born. It wouldn’t surprise me to read next week that they have calculators in maths exams, and dictionaries for foreign language exams.

The market for jewellery, including watches, on Madeira has grown 25% over recent years according to a study. Over €20 million a year is spent on such purchases, almost equivalent to the expenditure of a market 4 times larger. Madeira has around 80 such shops, but they sell as much in value as cities like Braga and Sétubal, that have 300 such outlets. Nationally the market is worth annually around €400 million, and in 2008 grew about 1%.

‘Coral Music In Machico – Training marks the 15th anniversary of the House of the People’. The show is at 6.30pm on Sunday with the involvement of the 5 ‘Casas do Povo’ of the region. Coral music, sounds like heaven, the chinking of chilled brown bottles, dripping with condensation. Or did they mean CHORAL? Fancy having the same word for beer, sea coral, and for matters pertaining to choirs, someone could get confused and ended up very disappointed. Imagine : Phone rings : "Der, there’s a Coral do on in Machico tonight, fancy coming?"

An Easyjet flight destined for Madeira on Monday night, was diverted to Porto Santo. Bad atmospheric conditions at Madeira Airport were responsible.

’224 Companies In An Hour Created Up Until May’. A ‘Company In Hour’ is the system set up three years ago to allow entrepreneurs to cut out much of the expense, wasted time, and bureaucracy associated in starting a limited company. From 1st January until 31st May, 224 such companies were established through the ‘Loja do Cidadão’ in Funchal, many were in the hotel and restaurant sectors (18.3%). The process of creating a new company last month took between 22 minutes and 2 hours 33 minutes, an average of 43 minutes. In 2006 it was taking an average of 1 hour 22 minutes to do. The Diário believes that with so many new companies being established it may be an indicator of growing confidence, but I am a pessimist at times and would label it more as a symptom of high unemployment.

‘Hotel Revenues Fell 14% And Night’s Occupied By 10.8% In The Period January To April – Madeira and Lisbon register the biggest falls’. Revenue in Portuguese hotels fell to €426.6 million in the first four months of 2009, compared to the same period last year, it was announced yesterday by the National Institute of Statistics (INE). In April on its own, the hotel receipts were €144.9 million, a fall of 7.9% against April 2008. The number of nights occupied with guests fell for 7 consecutive months, until last month when the ‘Easter effect’ delivered a 2.5% increase, mainly due to Easter being in March in 2008, and the promotions and campaigns that stimulated extra customers. However, the revenue was still down, by 18% in Lisbon, and 10.4% on Madeira, and these two areas represent nearly half of this source of income.

70% of the tourists that book hotels in Portugal are still made up of 6 major contributors : The UK, Spain, Germany, France, Holland and Italy. Visitors from Spain have more than doubled their consumption of hotel beds, in particular through an Easter preference. However the biggest declines in hotel use are from the Italians, The British, and the Dutch.