Paula Rego in exhibition ; Calheta rubble yard ; Santo da Serra market clean up
Today’s photo – Many thanks to Fiona … Calheta beach looking slightly the worse for wear after recent storms.
"The entrance of the New Year was welcomed with a spectacular 5km extension of firework in Funchal, city of Madeira (Portugal). The city with it lights weaved evening dress, fired the sky with all its colours and lights. From the catamaran we contemplated the event and registered in our retina and on video. This is the full uncutted version (without music)".
Tobi has set up a new website where he has committed to upload a new photo every day, as his new year resolution. New photos will be loaded on every 3 – 4 days, so keep checking back TOBI DAILY PHOTO
Paul in Paul do Mar kindly sent in this article :
Comment: we are very proud not only that we have Casa das Mudas, the international award-winning Art Centre out here in Calheta but, now also, the Gallery in Prazeres … read on below …
Title: Art in Madeira outside of Funchal – Prazeres, Calheta: more world-class art
Following other impressive exhibitions at the new art gallery in Prazeres such as ‘The Rigo 23 exhibition’ The Galeria dos Prazeres part of the Quinta Pedagogica dos Prazeres complex comes another. Until the 31st January is an exhibition of the world-famous Portuguese artist Paula Rego.
Paula Rego : According to Wikipedia Paula Rego’s work often gives a sinister edge to storybook imagery, emphasizing malicious domination or the subversion of natural order. She deals with social realities that are polemic, an example being her important Triptych (1998) on the subject of abortion, now in the collection of Abbot Hall Art Gallery in Kendal in the UK.
Main Photo Source: Jornal da Madeira
In 1989, Rego was shortlisted for the Turner Prize and in June 2005 was awarded the Degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa by Oxford University. Rego has also painted a portrait of Germaine Greer, which is in the National Portrait Gallery in London, as well as the official presidency portrait of Jorge Sampaio. Rego only ever painted one self-portrait which included her grand daughter, Grace Smart, that sold for some £300,000.
Rigo 23
![clip_image001[8]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rigo23.jpg "clip_image001[8]")
Rigo 23 (also known as Rigo 95), born (1966) is Ricardo Gouveia, a Madeira muralist, painter, and political artist residing in San Francisco, California.
Galeria dos Prazeres Paula Rego Exhibition. The exhibition ‘Les Planches Courbes e outras histórias’ is in the Art Gallery in the Quinta Pedagogica complex behind Prazeres Church until 31st January. Its open from Tuesdays until Sundays from 10 until 1pm and 2-7 pm
Links : Paula Rego Wikipedia page: Rigo 23 wiki page: Galeria dos Prazeres : Blogspot
Just an observation, but in that photo I am sure Paula looks unshaven, or am I getting my Rigos and Regos mixed up?
Many thanks to Elaine again for yesterday’s top news stories :
Park closed to enhance security. In Rua das Cruzes, there are 18 places in the car park exclusively for residents. Now a barrier has been installed at the entrance to prevent inappropriate use of the car park, for example by prostitutes at night-time. As well as paying the resident rate to Funchal Municipal Council, users now have to present the relevant documents and pay 10 Euros for a card to allow free access. The residents object to this additional charge of 10 Euros and that other residents cannot use any free spaces. The Council will consider any requests from residents for additional free spaces.
‘Green light’ to open on Saturdays. A year after the PSP raided the Sunday Fair at Santo de Serra, the stall holders have reduced the amount of counterfeit goods on sale. After a face-lift which was inaugurated on October 3, the traders welcome the improved working conditions which are not as muddy as in previous years. This has increased the number of visitors but not necessarily an increase in turnover. The 96 stalls cost 60 Euros a month to rent from Santa Cruz Council and the stall holders want an additional fair on Saturdays to justify that amount. The Diário reporters visited the fair on Sunday and found pirated DVDs but not the usual imitation clothing. The police say they are now more successful in Funchal, especially in apprehending fake goods sold on the streets at Christmas. There are 96 stalls available for sundries and an additional 7 for food and drink. The charge is 180 Euros a quarter for stalls and 360 Euros for spaces to sell food and drink. A councillor said that nothing prevents the fair opening on other days. It is for the stall holders to decide whether to open on Saturdays and the Council always aims for 100% occupancy, easily met as there is a waiting list.
Elderly woman escaped a rockfall. An octogenarian escaped unharmed after falling rocks hit her house around 3.30 am yesterday morning. The residence is situated in the Travessa da Encarnação in Panasqueira in Câmara de Lobos. Whilst the woman was asleep, a stone wall on land 15 metres above the house collapsed and hit the house. The rocks caused severe damage to the roof and some landed in the room adjacent to the woman’s bedroom. The neighbours heard the noise and the woman’s shouts for help and helped her to leave. She is now staying at her daughter’s house which is located nearby. The area where the stones came from is unstable and threatens the two neighbouring houses. The Fire Department and Council of Câmara de Lobos have been informed and the area inspected.
Élvio Sousa arranges 5,000 Euros in his favour. The current president of the Parish Council of Gaula, Élvio Sousa, is to receive 5,000 Euros for the three year term when he was secretary to a previous president, Nazario Coelho. Élvio Sousa considers this payment legal and not a conflict of interest. There are two other members of the elected JPP similarly affected: Filipe Nunes is owed 4,000 Euros and Marilia Goncalves 3,000 Euros. The total debt of the Parish Council is 15,000 Euros. Gustavo Caires, who was defeated in the last elections, says they are entitled to the payment but it should not be paid now due to a conflict of interest. When he was president, the Parish Council inherited a debt of 26,000 Euros from the Councils led by Filipe Sousa and Nazario Coelho. The Council paid 13,000 Euros for debts which urgently needed meeting. In turn, Nazario Coelho said the payments had not been made while he was in office due to the high debt inherited from Filipe Sousa’s time in office.
Government to freeze funds. For the fourth consecutive year, the Regional Government will freeze various parts of the budget to overcome financial constraints. With some exceptions, 10% of funding for public administration is frozen. As in previous years, the Legislative Assembly and the Health Service are not affected. This year, projects partly funded by the EU are spared from a reduction in funding. The savings will be 70 million Euros.
Environmental inspections doubled in 4 years. Of the 396 environmental inspections carried out in 2009, 22 were for construction waste and 7 for landfill. The eight authorized landfills withstood the last rains well. The others were the problem. Despite the amount of construction work diminishing, there has been illegal dumping of waste on roadsides, usually during late afternoon and evening and this is causing the most damage. From these, the runoff is not controlled. Ribeiras are showing visible signs of pollution, for example the Ribeira dos Socorrides and Ribeira da Madalena. During the period 2005/9, there were 1,953 inspections compared to 892 over the previous four years. In 2005/9, there were 900 prosecutions compared to 393 for the period 2000/04. There were 42 warnings issued in 2009. Fines totalled 92,250 Euros, of which €63,750 went on legal costs. It cost the defendants 40,000 Euros to repair the environmental damage. (Photo shows an area at Porto Novo called ‘Aterro Maritimo’ and the sea ‘ate’ part of it despite the boulders, which disappeared).
Order free Ricardo Veira in ‘Caso Savoy’. Ricardo Veira is a CDS councillor in Funchal Council and a representative of SIET-Savoy which drafted plans for the urbanization of SIET, which were unanimously approved by the Council. The Order of Avogados (Lawyers) has ruled that he will not face disciplinary procedures but the lawyer is warned not to be a representative in legal situations that have to do with the work of the Municipal Council where he is a councillor. His representation could have been seen as unethical, not independent and a conflict of interest. Ricardo Veira claims he was unaware that his actions and conduct might have committed a breach of ethical standards. He joined the firm after they had been granted the project and there is no proof that he influenced the approval of the draft plan for SIET.
Promotion in London. The Marinas of Quinta do Lorde and Porto Santo are promoted in London. The most prestigious international boat show, the Tullet Prebon London International Boat Show, runs until January 13. There are 500 worldwide exhibitors at this trade fair and thousands of visitors are expected. It is the third time that the Marina of Quinta do Lorde is represented at this event.
Five years in prison for Gonzalez. Fernando Gonzalez is the ex-president of CAPFM, a fruit producers’ cooperative. He was convicted of bribery, diversion of subsidized credit, mismanagement, misappropriation and embezzlement of subsidies. He was sentenced to nine years in prison but the Court of Appeal in Lisbon lowered his sentence to five years. His mismanagement led to losses for the cooperative, involved public funding and he showed no regret. The Court decided that to suspend the sentence would be to give a signal to society that they can commit crimes and not be punished. He owes 400,000 Euros to the Region.
Here are a couple of articles kindly translated and sent in by Vanessa Swesnik :
Lack of investment is a “scandal” says the PM – This Sunday in Ansiao, Prime Minister José Sócrates classified the lack of investment Pinhal Interior’s roadways over the last 25 years as a scandal and granted a concession to build and repave roads today.
“This is the moment in which our country can give justice to Pinhal Interior,” which was, “in terms of access roads to highways, a black hole in which nothing has happened for decades,” said the Prime Minister in the contract award ceremony to Acendi.
“It’s been 25 years since the first proposal was approved for the Roadway Plan. It’s been 25 years since the State told Pinhal Interior that we would construct access roads and nothing was done.” A situation which has since been labeled, “scandalous”. SOURCE
First “exports store” to be created in Leiria. Prime Minister José Sócrates announced Saturday night that the first of a chain of 14 Exports Stores to be created in the country will be located in Leiria.
The announcement was made at a dinner that took place in Leiria’s Business Association (or Associação Empresarial da Região de Leiria- NERLEI) with close to 200 businessmen and women from various sectors of activity as part of the “Vested Government” initiative in which 4 Ministers and various Secretaries of the State are participating.
The Exports Stores are one of the measures of the Internationalization Pact which includes the Council for the Promotion of Internationalization, lead by Francisco van Zellar, who was sworn in on Saturday. SOURCE
Today’s news headlines from the front page and updates of the Diário de Notícias :
Green Tariff – The electric and hybrid cars already benefit from a 50% discount in ten parking meters in Funchal. From 1st January, ten parking meters (individuals, not zones it seems) managed by Sociedade de Exploração de Parques have a sticker that gives qualifying cars a 50% discount. As yet they have not had any contact from interested parties for enjoyment of this privilege. Any driver with a car that fits the requirement needs to go to the Câmara Municipal do Funchal with the car and personal documents, and they will be issued with a card to be placed in the windscreen of the qualifying vehicle. Hybrid vehicles can be purchased on Madeira now, but there is no dealership yet for electric vehicles. I am not clear if these parking spaces are exclusively for hybrid / electric cars, or if any car can use them (at full price clearly), so it may be that electric vehicles exhaust their batteries in the search for a vacant one. The list of the 10 parking meters is in the article HERE
Today’s main news headline : Lacking Ventilators – The outbreak of Gripe A swine flu has filled the inpatient wards for the Hospital Dr. Nélio Mendonça, and occupied the ventilators [for assisted breathing?]. The Army has also provided an apparatus on loan and, to avoid greater evils, SESARAM has launched a tender contest to acquire nine new machines. Knowing the way tender processes work on Madeira, I would imagine that by the time the 9 new ventilators actually arrive, swine flu will have been superseded by banana flu! The picture with the article I am sure is of an elaborate top of the range computer controlled ‘Goblin Teas maid’
Two more people have died from the H1N1 virus – The victims were aged 33 and 34 and didn’t have any other associated illnesses. In a statement to TSF Maurício Melim said that the efficiency rate of the vaccine is around 80%. In the week to the 10th January, 42 out of 142 suspected Gripe A cases were analysed, with 42 positive results. The positive count has now reached 773 cases, and there have been 7 deaths in the Region to date.
Nurses announce a strike for the end of January – Proposal of revision of the salary scales was beneath expectations. The trade unions representing nurses are to schedule a strike, one of three intended, at the end of this month. The salary scale revisions presented by the Ministry of Health last Friday do not meet the union requirements, and the union will decide today the exact dates of the strike(s).
Revolution in the banana – The company ‘Frutas Douradas’ purchaser from the producers, ignores ‘GESBA’ and exports a container a week.
Five years in prison for the ex –president of the banana cooperative.
Stars [celebrities] in the country – Carlos Costa carries on in the ‘Idols’, and has already been invited to the Festival of Song. Élvio Camacho is top attraction in the Theatre Maria Matos.
The main sport / football headlines today : Grants choke direction in the Region – The President of the Union of Football Players severely criticizes the leaders of Madeira’s clubs. Joaquim Evangelista regrets the grant dependence as a generator of bad habits and denounces "abuses of freedom of expression," threats to players and evasion of taxes.
"There is foreignization that is wrongful and unacceptable in Marítimo and Nacional," he said. Is that a real word?
If anyone else can oblige with the translation of any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines, or other news stories, here is the link. All contributions much appreciated.
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Living under threat. Dorita Escorcio and her father were driving near the Cruzinhas viewpoint in Faial when a gust of wind dislodged a large eucalyptus branch. It pierced the roof and windscreen of their car and landed in between the seats, near the gear lever. Ironically, it was another branch lying in the road that prevented injury to either of them. They were driving in the middle of the road to circumnavigate this branch when the eucalyptus branch fell on top of their car and it would have hit one of them. She is hoping that the government will partly pay for repairs to her car. There are many instances of storm damage in both the parishes of Faial and Sao Roque do Faial, for example two large landslides in Fajã do Cedro Gordo still mark the landscape. About 30 families live in this area which is known for its instability. Nearby, due to a large landslide, a road has been closed for nine months, to the inconvenience of residents who have to make long detours. 
Storm raized a pear plantation. Heartbroken, angry, indignant, revolted and disgusted. These are the five adjectives used to describe the mood of Albino Teixeira Francisco who lives in São Vicente. He has suffered heavy losses on his land in Burras, the last time at the end of December. A break in the structure of the Levada de Norte led to the water flooding and destroying almost all his plantation of organic Pear trees. This happened three years previously and despite letters to the Electricity Company, no measures were taken. He insists the levada walls are too old to resist the pressure of water formed during periods of heavy rain. His land lies at an altitude of 10,000 metres in the Laurissilva Forest which is littered with branches blown down by the stormy weather and these were dragged down onto his land by the overflowing water. He wants an official assessment of the cost of the damage but will not be compensated for the delay which affects the plantation.
Bad weather again undermines the Night Market. After the bad weather ruined the Noite de Mercado in Estreito on Christmas Eve, yesterday a second version was attempted, the Cantar as Janeiras (Night Songs – sung at New Year). Just a few hundred people braved the harsh weather conditions with uninterrupted rain ruining the outside stalls although nearby bars were crowded. The interior of the Municipal Market of Câmara de Lobos was still festive and colourful with traditional musical entertainment. The entertainment was well attended (photo) but the fruit and vegetable stall holders lamented the poor sales.
Construction defects complaints soar. Weaknesses in the construction of buildings has brought in three years (2007 – 2009), 1,200 people to the Defesa do Consumidor. Cracked walls and lifting tiles are the most common examples of problems found in new apartments. Many builders eventually evade liability. The guarantee period is 5 years and people are advised to send a registered letter to the seller, identifying the defects. Usually an agreement is reached and the repair work carried out. If not, then people can go to the Serviço de Defesa do Consumidor desk at the Loja do Cidadão in Funchal. Their Legal Office tries to resolve the issue by mediation before any legal proceedings. They often have to return to court to enforce a judicial ruling. In one case in Caniço, after a three year legal dispute the firm declared insolvency. After declaring bankruptcy, some companies reappear in business under a different name. Cracks are normal in buildings but several apartments in Edificio Panoram in Funchal, built by Manuel de Abreu & Slilva, have serious defects which were reported in the warranty period but are still not repaired. A worse situation is Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Caniço (photo) which was inaugurated by Jardim in 2003. There are serious flaws (e.g. gas and water supplies too close together) and after lengthy arguing (Funchal Council accused Santa Cruz Council of not inspecting the building properly), one million Euros of work should begin this month. —- I hope the repair work at Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Cancela is completed as the building already looks shabby for a relatively new building. There is an apartment block opposite Caniço Health Centre which looks in a worse condition – I wonder if that is the one where the builder has declared insolvency. The recent weather is certainly finding the ‘quick to build/profit’ faults, roofs and basement garages are the worst areas. (Like many others, I could rant about residents not paying condominium fees).
Caminho da Gloria transformed into a stream Access to the Capela da Gloria in Campanário is in a pitiful state and will not be repaired until 2011. The path has cracks in the asphalt and is often flooded by the stream next to it. The Capela da Nossa Senhora da Gloria is located on the edge of an escarpment overlooking the sea. The access path was built in the 1990s and is also affected by water from a pipe placed underneath an overpass over a main road, which is not wide enough and often becomes blocked and overflows onto higher nearby land and the water flows downwards onto the path. The Mayor of Ribeira Brava said that he is aware that intervention is needed but will wait until a new road has been built nearby connecting Porto da Ribeira and Pedra de Nossa Senhora. When this has been completed next year, the path will be repaired and retaining walls built.
Breakdown in the Teleferico das Achadas Cable car access to farm land near the coast at Achadas da Cruz is suspended again due to mechanical breakdown and spare parts have to be sent from Austria. The former mayor of Porto Moniz, Gabriel Farinha had said that the cable car is a ‘bottomless pit’ and costs around 100,000 Euros a year for maintenance. Analyzing the costs, he asked the Government to build a road from the town of Porto Moniz. Initially, the Executive agreed and it was included in the 2007/2011 Government program but Jardim withdrew the action on his last visit to the area because he did not think it was cost-effective. Farmers have difficultly accessing their land as the upward path takes 45 minutes to ascend. 
7,000 Euros stolen bike returned Four people aged between 17 and 20 were arrested on suspicion of theft in São Martinho. Three had scaled a wall to steal a racing bike from an annexe and had dismantled it to sell the parts. The other young man arrested in São Martinho was an 18 year old who was in possession of 1,100 Euros of tools used in construction work.
520 kg Bolo Rei “filled” Praça do Município. For the fifth consecutive year, Funchal City Council presented the population with a Bolo Rei Gigante, an initiative that yesterday afternoon attracted many hundreds of people to the Praça do Município. The cake weighed 520 kg and measured 160 metres in length. The weather helped, allowing the eve of Dia de Reis to be a joyful event. 
