Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Tobi … New year 2010 fireworks of course

Tess, who has lived here for two years, has just started her own new blog, sort of a diary really. I don’t mind giving the competition a plug, so here’s the LINK.

"To identify the chemical changes, Marques and his team used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to analyse Madeira wines produced from the four main grape varieties, with each wine aged for either five or 10 years. This analysis revealed that the wines contained varying concentrations of 37 different volatile compounds, including alcohols such as butanol, organic acids such as malic acid and esters such as ethyl citrate". A SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF MADEIRA WINE

"Ronaldo became Manchester United’s first-ever Portuguese player. Initially, he requested for the number 28 as his jersey number because he didn’t feel that he could live up to the pressure of previous players such as George Best and David Beckham who wore the number 7 jersey". CRISTIANO RONALDO – BIOGRAPHY AND TRIVIA

Many thanks to Sue for some of yesterday’s news stories :

My apologies Sue, but I was out yesterday in the afternoon and it was too late to post this when I arrived back, hence some past tenses needed. Der

Singing of the Kings – The Municipal Garden suspended the ‘Singing of the Kings’ in the Quinta Vigia: The aunt of a Government official has died who was also the mother of one of the musicians and composer.  Tried to find this back again – so not 100% sure but if anyone was intending to go maybe you should check first.

Madeira remains on yellow alert – Due to wind and rain strong Institute of Meteorology put Tuesday on yellow alert, the third most severe of a range of four.   According to forecasts, in the afternoon the wind will intensify and mountainous areas of northwest there will be strong gusts up to 90 km / h.  Also the rain far will fall later and intensify during the night which may be by thunder. The state of the sea, the north coast to northwest the swell will be 3.5 to 4 meters. On the south coast the waves are from the southwest with 1.5 to 2 meters.

‘Choupana Hills’ nominated for ‘Best International Resort’ – Condé Nast selection of 25 resorts around the world the ‘Hut Hills’ is the only Portuguese

Choupana Hills Resort & Spa is among the 25 hotels selected by the Spanish edition of Condé Nast Traveller as candidates for its annual awards. The hotel units in Madeira are the only Portuguese representative and are candidates for the Condé Nast Traveller Award 2010 in the category of ‘Best International Resort’. The Condé Nast Traveller awards are chosen by voting on-line ‘on the’ site.

Marina closes indefinitely

The two accesses to the Marina do Lugar de Baixo have again been sealed. Judging from the damage caused by the relentless surf – two leaks in the protection wall in the marina dock area and is unlikely to reopen later this winter. The president of the West Point Development acknowledged Thursday that the ban on access to the marina will remain in the near future. "We are waiting for the time (sea conditions) to improve, so we can assess the damage caused and only then can a decision be taken accordingly," explained Paul Sousa. The marina has closed after the wave heights of the last weeks, three months after the end of September, when the president of the Regional Government has declared its opening in the municipality of Ponta do Sol giving orders to remove the fences and open the marina to public. However, while it was open, the beach area was little used.

Public good despite the rain for Circus – The return to school eased the demand recorded during the Christmas and end-of-year

It was felt that the weather during the Christmas season did not help to bring more public to the circus, but still, overall, the feeling was one of satisfaction, so much so that those responsible for these three circuses this year in the region are already planning to return next year. However, after the feast days, the audience decreased due to back to school and back to work, which means that at this stage discount campaign have been instigated.

Fernanda Alves, owner of Circus Brazil, located in Machico, says that attendance of people exceeded expectations. The rain and wind complicated performances a little, but the balance was positive. "Everything is going better than we thought. Due to the competition we have, we thought things were getting weaker, but no. During the week, the number of visitors did not exceed an average of two hundred, but after the weekend, all the daily sessions ranged between 1,000 and 2,000 spectators. Circus Brazil has conducted a session on weekdays, four on Saturdays and three on Sundays, but this week there will only ne one show on Friday. On Saturday, the hours remain the same but on Sunday the show will be held from 21:45 after this the tent will be dismantled. Although close to the farewell it is their desire to return next year, same location but with a different show.

The same desire was expressed Renato Alves, Circus Dallas. Mounted along the Madeira Technopole, the tent has a capacity of about two thousand people, but the average per show was around of 300 to 400 people. "For a few days was positive," said Renato. With the end of the holiday, the daily spectacle of 15 hours becomes more difficult to achieve, but nonetheless, it is expected a good crowd for 18 hours and 21h30. This week, the circus is distributing discount coupons, which allow the purchase of tickets for the 5 million adults and 2.5 for children. Although the rain has been above average and circus Dallas has already secured the contract for the next five years, at the Technopole. "There will be big surprises for next year," promises Renato Alves not only in the show content but with the animals. "We will try to bring something else, perhaps a white tiger or a white lion and more broad appeal." In Ponta do Sol, the rain was also the main enemy of the Circus Jorge Cardinali. "People want to come, the problem was the bad weather," noted John Azevedo. "We’ve been here 26 days and it rained 22 days." Some performances had to be cancelled as a precaution and the revenue will almost only to cover expenses. Still, John Anderson will return, but to Funchal and a groundbreaking show. One idea is to do a show with penguins. To attract more public, the circus Jorge Cardinalli is promoting two-euro discount on each ticket.

Circus Brazil – Machico. Circus Brazil, mounted next to the stage of Machico, promotes performances until 10 January. During the week, the sessions take place at 21.45. Saturdays, at 10, 15, 18 hours and 21:45 and Sunday at 15, 18 and 21.45, however, this week, only one show will be held on Friday and Sunday will be the last session. The great attraction is for the pair of clowns, but one of the big spectaculars is ‘The Magic of Harry Potter’ which is depicted in the poster. There are discounts for groups.

Circus Jorge Cardinalli – Ponta do Sol. This circus is installed at Giga Park ‘, which is in the residential area of Ponta do Sol for 11 days, the Circus Jorge Cardinalli greatest novelty is the ”Water Show, which includes the Pacific Ocean sharks and seals in Alaska. From Tuesday to Friday, there is a daily show starting at 21:30. On Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and holidays, are held three sessions: 15.30, 17.30 and 21.30. Tickets cost 14€ for adults and children over 12, but there is now a 2€ discount.

Dallas circus – Madeira Technopole. The Circus Dallas, located on land anticipated for the expansion zone of Madeira Technopole, says with many animals, including lions and horses and for the first time, macaws, cockatoos and parrots that ride scooters and even perform in a small theatre. Three sessions are held daily, at 15, 18 and 20:30. The shows continue until 17 January. Tickets for the general audience is 15€ for adults and 7.5€ children, but there are coupons available that reduce the price to 5 and 2.5€.

Rather a long article but it shows how people try to survive against the elements and a plug or two probably would not harm – not a circus person myself, but the kids always love it.

Appointments via the Internet – For hospitals and health centres in the Region.

The Health Service of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (SESA) will, by the end of this term, put in place a project that involves the scheduling of appointments via the Internet as announced the JM president of that body, Almada Cardoso. In other words, users can dial "on line" to be consulted when the project is complete, from their homes or jobs or offices provided by the local media. The president emphasized the SESARAM project will also allow for users of the Regional Health Service to consult their consultation process, with confirmation of time delays or anticipation of any delay. On the other hand, the body is considering the implementation of a project some national hospitals, which would allows people registered for the surgery to monitor their position on the waiting list. It is anticipated that this project would advance during the term of the current administration SESARAM. The Ministry of Health announced in late December, that people scheduled for surgery can now consult the Internet as to their position on the waiting list and know how much longer they have to wait before their operation. To check the e-SIGIC, you must register with the Health Portal with the number of users, which entitles you to a password that allows access to the file. The Minister of Health recently said that several people had entered with an indication for surgical intervention approximately 170 thousand patients. In Madeira, the waiting lists affected, as reported recently were plastic surgery, vascular surgery (on the veins, in part because there is no blood) and otolaryngology as well especially removal of tonsils. This situation could be improved greatly with a second room for outpatient surgery, which will be launched next year. According to Almada Cardoso, "the lists” are only for surgery where there is less risk of life or loss of quality of life. In comparison, however, the example of oenological surgery, a patient is operated on average, two weeks after joining the list, "that is well below the national average, which is three months in more regions and 1.5 months in one or another regions.

… and more top stories from yesterday’s newspapers from Elaine … many thanks :

New Year’s Eve ‘positive’ The initial half of the night was for dinner and the fireworks display and then there were the post-midnight celebrations. In the main areas of Funchal, the public live performances were successful. According to the different organizations contacted, the major events in Funchal on New Year’s Eve were well attended. At the Casino, the three nights from the 29 – 31 were all a full-house with more than 400 people each evening. The revellers were well-dressed with spirits to match. For 2010 – 2011, the Casino will have a different format but with live bands again. The three night clubs on the Avenida Sa Carneiro began to fill from 3 am onwards when other parties finished. The Wine Institute (photo) had a good night and feedback was positive and although it was mainly young people, older age groups joined the party. The Molhe club was favoured for its view of the amphitheatre of Funchal and the night "went crazy", according to the manager. The Cafe do Teatro had 2,000 visitors that night and the manager stated, "It failed in nothing, the house was full." — Der heard that the Casino dinner and events cost 180 Euros on New Year’s Eve. I make that around 72,000 Euros takings plus drinks plus Casino bets.

Bad weather continues to punish cruise ships visits  The inaugural visit of the Silver Spirit today has been cancelled due to the conditions in the Atlantic. The captain had to reduce speed between Lisbon and Funchal, so the visit would have only lasted for four hours from 13 – 17 hours. The ship sails directly to La Palma in the Canaries instead. The Volcan de Tijarafe ferry was also delayed during the crossing from Portimão and arrived at 16.00 yesterday. A large wave higher than 9 metres damaged the bow of the ship but the journey to the Canary Islands was still possible at 19.00. All 230 passengers and the cargo of 140 vehicles were not affected, the captain received no complaints and said the passengers did not seem to realize what had happened. (Photo of ‘cosmetic’ damage).

Tree falls on top of car rented by tourists The accident occurred yesterday afternoon at Queimadas and slightly damaged the car but caused no injuries to the occupants as they were not present at the time. The car was parked in the car park of Casa de Abrigo das Queimadas and the Voluntary Firemen of Santana had to ask the Forestry Police for equipment to cut the tree to allow the car to leave. The car park is now shut and should reopen tomorrow when the area has been made safe. The portion of the highway in Madalena do Mar which was closed after a wall collapsed has now reopened.

Falling crane traps man. The crane was transported on a lorry when it toppled off onto another lorry travelling in the opposite direction. This accident occurred on a curved section of road in the area of Levada do Poiso, Ponta do Sol. After intervention by the Fire Brigade, the trapped man was freed, still conscious and taken by ambulance to hospital.

Fallen wall still causes concern A wall that collapsed on December 23, damaging a motorcycle and car, still leaves a house at risk. The accident happened in the Beco das Courelas in Santo Antonio in Funchal and damage to the street lighting has not been repaired despite the residents complaining to the council.

Madeiro still cannot discharge all of the fuel 17,000 tons of fuel was the tanker to supply the islands. The tanker originally arrived on Christmas Day but bad weather has hampered the delivery of fuel to Madeira and Porto Santo. Some fuel was delivered at Caniçal on the 2 January. Since then, she has gone to Porto Santo and will return on Wednesday for another attempt to transfer fuel to Socorridos.

Impact of the Geneva Agreement on Madeiran bananas The PCP (Communist Party) MEPs are visiting on the 15 January and are studying the marketing of bananas. They want to gather information which can be used to alert Brussels about the consequences of the impact of the Geneva Agreement. The EU pact with countries such as Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela leads to a substantial cut in import tariffs. The communists have asked the EU to support European producers as they are concerned on the impact of this agreement. They will also discuss concerns about GESBA, the organization which processes bananas in the region.

SPAR in Santa Cruz This will be the fifth, and for the present time the last of the Dutch-owned chain of stores to open in Madeira; the others are in Porto Moniz, Pilar, Funchal and Gaula. The shop should have opened on the 4 January but has been delayed due to the weather and will open sometime this week, date not yet known. The shop is in the Plaza da Cerveja and has a butchers, bakery, ready-meals, take-away and also sells magazines/newspapers and SPAR own brand groceries. The shops are placed in areas of tourism as the brand has a good image in countries such as the UK, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands etc. There are also a lot of Madeiran residents in South Africa where SPAR is a leading firm.

160 metres of Bolo Rei. This afternoon in the Praça do Municipio, the traditional Bolo Rei Gigante was larger than last years, reaching 160 metres. This tradition has taken place over the past five years. It contained hundreds of eggs, hundreds of kilograms of flour and many kilograms of crystallized fruit and sultanas and was baked according to tradition. Despite the weather, which improved this afternoon, the free slices were enjoyed by both residents and tourists. — SAPO video from last year – 150 metres and 300 kg cake. BIG CAKE

From Madeira Tourism – Events for January

from 12th to 16th – Madeira Islands Walking Festival
This is an organised group walking programme, along man-made waterways (levadas) or special trails (veredas), with specialised guides throughout, lasting for a period of 5 consecutive days. A total of 20 different walks have been selected, all having been classified and recommended by the Regional Government of Madeira. The participants have at their disposal a choice of 4 walks per day, these being of different duration and various levels of difficulty. Stay aware of information about this festival by checking out the official site, MADEIRA WALKING FESTIVAL

15th – Feast of Santo Amaro – Santa Cruz
Every year the saint’s day of Santo Amaro is celebrated throughout the entire island of Madeira, in a particularly festive and ceremonial way, when Christmassy delicacies are laid on every table. This is the day when families dismantle the Nativity scenes (lapinhas in the Madeira Islands), and "sweep the larder clean" – a tradition in which people visit family and friends to share the last of the Christmas season’s delicacies. The feast of the patron saint of Santa Cruz – Santo Amaro – is the most important religious feast of this borough. It’s a very lively three-day festival, which marks the end of the Christmas holidays.

from 26th to 28th – Madeira Orienteering Festival (Festival de Orientação da Madeira)
This is organised by the Funchal Mountain Club with the support of some official Madeira tourist organisations. It is held on the hills of Madeira and has the participation of both national and foreign athletes. This is a competition that blends in well with leisure activities and takes place in a setting offering permanent contact with Nature.

** Now it’s time, and with great pleasure that I can introduce Vanessa Swesnik. Vanessa is a recently qualified translator and interpreter, and fluent in Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish. Vanessa has joined the ‘team’, and will produce several articles a week for the blog in similar areas to the one below (preferring government, politics, economy, business, and environment). She is very busy, so the effort is much appreciated, but we have also talked about another exciting possibility that I may be able to share with you in the future, going in a quite different direction. Unfortunately, we are still way short of the number of contributors needed, so please don’t sit back and relax … or the blog will still have to close … yes seriously. Many thanks Vanessa for this article from yesterday’s Diário :

The last three months of 2009 confirmed that which was already a certainty: last year, with 89 insolvency proceedings of businesses, as individuals, collectives, or persons (also possible according to the law), broke all records in the Madeira Regional Authority.

In the last quarter, the rise levelled off with just 15 insolvency proceedings between October and December. In the three proceeding quarters (January to September), 74 insolvency proceedings were initiated by business owners or creditors. On average, that turns out to be 22 proceedings each quarter and 7.4 businesses publicly assuming financial difficulties for each of the 12 months in 2009.

During the first nine months of last year (according to the latest findings from Coface, a French multinational that publishes information on insolvencies and creation of businesses in Portugal), there was an increase of 184.6% in insolvencies compared to the homologous period of 2008, from 26 to 74.

According to unofficial accounts from the Portal Sitius of the Ministry of Justice- we had a total of 89 insolvency proceedings in 2009 compared to 36 in 2008. This increase of close to 150% reflects the initial idea: that despite everything, the last quarter showed a decrease in the number of insolvencies to enter into the 5 existing courts of the Madeira Regional Authority.

Funchal Stands Out in Front. Not all insolvency proceedings end in the dissolution and closing of a business. Naturally the majority of businesses that file for bankruptcy with the county court are in Funchal.

In the last quarter of 2009, there were 9 filed from Funchal, 4 from Santa Cruz and one each from Sao Vicente and Porto Santo.

Looking at the numbers from the entire year, Funchal “monopolizes” the grand majority of proceedings with 66. The other cases are distributed throughout Santa Cruz (19), Ponta do Sol (2), Sao Vicente (1) and Porto Santo (1).

Many times insolvency proceedings have served as a way to settle accounts and restart business activities, even if it’s at the expense of jobs as is indicated by unemployment statistics (also at record numbers in 2009).

But, as was reported earlier in the Diário (see edition 21/06/2009), according to Ruben Jardim Freitas, one of the principal administrators of insolvency proceedings in the region, there are fraudulent bankruptcies and others that end up being forced by the law or the heavy hand of Social Security.

Of all the businesses, either collectives or in individuals’ names, that are having difficulties and have closed their doors in 2009, there is a growing and still undetermined number of them that will no longer be part of the International Center of Madeira Businesses (or CINM). Practically every week there were dozens of businesses listed in the Regional Official Journal under “dissolution and closing of the liquidation of a business society” according to the Zona Franca’s Conservatory of Commercial Registry of Madeira, or Conservatória do Registro Comercial da Zona Franca da Madeira.

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

Year end helped the tills of the big hotels – They are just a few days, but the period around new year pleased the hotels and improved on the previous.

Today’s main news headline : Birth rate in 2009 was a record low -  The year ended with just 2,386 babies born in the Region, the lowest number ever. The decrease of 12% relative to 2008 is also a record.

São Vicente contract a company to dump mud in the sea – Mayor Jorge Romeira says that he has authorisation from the Regional Government and that he is complying with the standards :  dumping downstream. Quercus condemns the solution that has been polluting the coastline of Passo da Areia. No really, it’s a serious headline! The Diário front page photograph today shows exactly what the headline says, with a lorry having emptied it’s load, and a digger pushing the load down off the roadside onto what seems to be a beach. Nothing surprises me anymore about our government, nor its PSD politicians in São Vicente or anywhere, and the best I can hope for in this story is that the Diário has got it wrong and the picture is a fake, but the truth is I am bl**dy fuming. The article says that there are hundreds of truck loads, taking thousands of cubic metres, being the muck and sludge from the recent storm damage, for dumping in the sea. The environmental agency Quercus say that the action will have tragic consequences for marine life. Personally I would have used that mud etc. to construct a very useful grassy knoll quite near to the council offices in São Vicente. At times Madeira’s claim to be a ‘green’ island is an absolute mockery of environmental issues. Imagine the message that this action sends to the population, who are regularly reminded of the evils of dumping rubbish in the sea (and indeed rivers).

Humiliation in ‘Idols’ pricks islander – The young Madeiran Carlos Costa says the attack of jury member Moura Santos is going to backfire. The controversy started on Sunday live on the TV channel SIC, when Manuel Moura dos Santos said he hoped that the Madeiran Carlos Costa does not win the ‘Idols’. "I hope that you are not the winner of this competition because you are the idol that we do not need," he said after harshly criticizing the selection of music that the Porto Moniz competitor is doing in shows and in particular the song ‘I’m Here’. I have never watched one of these programs, but I remember our local celebrity Vânia Fernandes won this stupid competition one year, and went on to represent Portugal in the Eurovision song contest (… what a gal! … did I ever tell you that she gave me a big hug once?).  Anyway, isn’t the whole idea that the judges are controversial and are expected to harshly criticise the contestants who present them with such an opportunity? Stupid competition, and no doubt many stupid people enter, but I bet the judges earn a hatful of dosh, so maybe they are not so stupid. It seems that now there are several Facebook groups set up both for and against the singer. What a weird world we live in!

In sport : Today there is and exciting derby in the juniors – The captains of Nacional and Marítimo show ambition.

Hard to believe the report from Elaine earlier about that ship getting hit by a 9 metre wave and buckling the top rail (as shown in the photo above). The Naviera Armas ferry, ‘Volcán de Tijarafe’, was also damaged during the last journey between Portimão and Funchal, which although turbulent and far from pleasant, "there was no panic on board". The hull was damaged at the bow of the ship, but it will not prevent it from continuing its journeys.

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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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s photo – Many thanks to Elaine (West) … Hibiscus flower

Someone a few days ago was asking about this : "… This year we will be transmitting the famous Madeira New Year’s Fireworks show live, here on MadeiraHelp.com from an even better location [than last year], where one may see most of Funchal amphitheatre. … The broadcast will be on from 23:30 on the 31st December 2009 and will transmit all 10 to 12 minutes of the Fireworks show which start at midnight (GMT)". FUNCHAL 2010 LIVE FIREWORKS

Someone looking for really cheap accommodation might find this link handy, as it lists cheap hostels / budget accommodation from just over €10 a night MADEIRA HOSTELS 

I must be going soft, giving all this free publicity : "Estate agents Fine & Country have just opened their latest office, at a landmark location in Madeira. The opening of the Madeira office also follows hot on the heels of Fine & Country scooping two of the industry’s top international accolades last month: Best International Estate Agency Marketing at the CNBC International Residential Property Awards, and the Gold Award for Best Estate Agency Overseas at the Sunday Times Estate Agency of the Year Awards. ESTATE AGENCY INFO

"Madeira’s unique topology is what accounts for the prolificacy of levadas. A mountain chain cuts the island in half on an east-west plane. This causes clouds drifting in from the Atlantic to get caught, where they release plenty of rain. The problem is that most of that rain falls into the north end of the island. The south end, which is a more favorable farming area, can sometimes go for six months without any rainfall. The particular geography of the island causes what rain does fall to run directly into the ocean". LEVADA WALKS ARTICLE

Wind strong to very strong in mountains – Civil Protection advises against journeys on foot or by car because of the strength of the wind. The Institute of Meteorology predicts the occurrence of strong winds and very strong in the mountains by early afternoon on Monday, December 28, with gusts that could reach 110 km an hour. The Regional Civil Protection warns the public of the risks associated with cars and pedestrians in mountainous areas and exposed areas.

Many thanks to Sheila for sending this in : The Portuguese Parliament has approved a new law (proposed by the Communist Party) which will give tax inspectors power to access the bank accounts of relatives of anyone being investigated for tax evasion. The law was passed with the support of the PCP and other parties of the Left, but the ruling Socialist Party and the main opposition Social Democrats abstained from voting.

Strong winds in the mountains. The Institute of Meteorology predicts strong winds, especially in the mountains, by early afternoon on Monday 28 December. Gusts could reach 110 kilometres per hour. The Regional Civil Protection warns of risks to traffic and pedestrians in the mountainous areas and exposed areas. The ferry to Porto Santo returned earlier than normal to Funchal today due to the conditions of the wind and sea. It might be unable to sail tomorrow with predictions of an increase in waves to 4.6 and 5 metres.

Many thanks to Elaine from the East for this whopping contribution from yesterday’s Diário de Notícias :

SANAS rescue capsized launch in the Marina.  The boat was moored in the Marina of Funchal. The owners of other boats were checking their vessels after the bad weather and discovered this one, a recreation launch (Seagull) beneath other boats. The Maritime Police investigated then SANAS intervened. The boat was re-floated, towed then lifted by a large crane into dry dock at São Lazaro. The operation took five hours.

Overturned car at Pilar.  A car on the motorway from Santa Cruz – Câmara de Lobos, crashed then overturned at Pilar junction. The accident occurred at 20.30 and the driver was unhurt.

Shopping centres flooded yesterday with shoppers. MadeiraShopping Centre was crowded with people exchanging gifts and seeking reduced priced items in the first sales, especially luxury items. Most are visiting relatives on Sunday, although the shops expect another bumper day, and the majority of people want to shop before they have to return to work. The shop owners were rejoicing and the evidence was in the long queues at the tills. The closure of the shops in Funchal centre on Saturday helped boost sales. FNAC did well yesterday since gift cards are gaining popularity as presents. Worten  tripled their sales on the last few days before Christmas. Salsa has maintained its popularity in the 25 – 40 year old range by strategic marketing during the crisis with promotions. Analysts predict a very difficult 2010 for the Portuguese economy. The Avenida Arriaga was visited by numerous families yesterday, especially after the recent stormy weather. The children enjoyed the seasonal displays with many photographs taken, the Christmas Crib and Ethnological Village being favourite attractions, more than the stalls selling regional produce.

Mysterious boat.  A  luxurious mega-yacht took refuge from the bad weather off the north coast of Madeira. For two days, the sinister image puzzled drivers on the north coast roads. Dozens of calls alerted the Diário to its presence and the reporters discovered it to be a mega-yacht called ‘A’. The name represents the initials of the owner’s wife Aleksandra. The owner is a Russian billionaire, Andrey Melnichenko, his ‘toy’ is 119 metres in length with a construction cost of 150 million Euros. It was built under secrecy at the German shipyards Blohm + Voss in Hamburg, under the name ‘Sigma SF 99′ and the interior designer was French. It was finished this January and it is designed with straight lines to minimize splashing under the maximum speed of 25 knots. Privacy and security are paramount as evidenced by close-circuit TV, motion sensors and digital codes for access, especially to the master suite. It is at the 11th position in the ranking for the largest motor yacht in the world. The heliport is often used by the couple to embark  and disembark. It is crewed by 35 sailors, chefs, entertainers and security staff. The special glass used on the yacht allows privacy for celebrities who want to escape the photographers.

Tsunami here is not a fantasy. The region might suffer a natural disaster, similar to that five years ago in Southeast Asia.  A British researcher, Simon Day, has finished a thesis on the formation of tsunamis by landslides, his study quoted by an advisor to the British Government. In the next 10,000 years, a giant tsunami wave up to a hundred metres might form in the Atlantic Ocean. The epicentre would be the volcano Cumbre Vieja in the Canary Islands and the collapse of rock would cause a wave which would have a catastrophic effect on the east coast of America, Brazil and sweep over the Madeiran archipelago. A previous eruption in 1949 opened a 2 km gap in the island of La Palma, sufficient to threaten the destabilization of an area of 500 cubic kilometres. A University of Madeira representative said that geological mapping of the region confirms this but more work is required for any predictions. Geological mapping of seismicity in the North Atlantic by the National Earthquake Information Centre – United States Geological Study is shown in the photo. The map shows flaws in Madeira but the seismic potential is very small. The two previous earthquakes on 24 November (southwest of Funchal) and 3 December (near the Desertas Islands) have gone largely unnoticed.

100 elderly on the waiting list for domestic help.  At present, 3,346 elderly receive home help from 580 carers employed by Social Security and there are 100 on the waiting list. Judging by the three personal stories quoted, there are no complaints about the care received. Care is often needed when the families lack patience, are selfish and elderly relatives are abandoned.

Year of crisis makes more people join political parties. The Socialist Party over the past 5 years has gained an average 200 new members every year, with an increase of 400 in 2008 – 2009. The only party which will not give numbers is the PSD but numbers have increased for all other parties. The Movement of the Earth party is the only one with more women than men.

Political parties ask for support for families affected by bad weather. The leader of the Party of the Earth, Isidoro Goncalves, has criticized the silence of the authorities over the damage caused by the weather over recent weeks. She suggests that Câmara de Lobos Council give support, through the contingency funds, especially in the areas of Estreito and Curral das Freiras. There have been no official Council or Government visits to the areas and criticism is directed at Manuel Antonio Correira and Santas Costa. Some damage is due to negligence of the Government in not implementing public works which would have influenced the water courses. In Ribeira Grande in São Vicente, Joao Gouveia (PS) suggests the creation of an emergency plan, after visiting the local population. There has been alleged dumping of waste materials in waterways by the company Tâmega. After a protest by locals, he wants their activity suspended and compensation for families affected by damage. The CDS deputy in the Assembly of the Republic has said his party will write to the Prime Minister to ask for a plan to help those affected by bad weather, as it did with the Azores. José Rodriques had visited São Vicente and wants an immediate payment of 250,000 Euros for those affected, similar to the amount given to the Azores on the 16 December. A contingency plan is also needed for farmers, especially for damaged vineyards.  He said the Madeiran executive must establish the responsibility of those who dumped rubbish and other debris in the rivers, which contributed to the destruction seen in São Vicente, Santana and Ponta do Sol. He said the destruction was a combination of human error and the weather, and it was strange that the Regional Government was not meeting the emergency, both in restoring public infrastructure and surveying the damage. The bombeiros responded between the 24 – 26 December to 57 requests for assistance, 34 for transport to hospital. They undertook over 50 hours of work, and 60 vehicles and 123 bombeiros were involved.

New Year average of 90%. Forecasts for the end of the year point to an average occupancy rate of 90% in the hotels. Occupancy is better than last year and some hotels are already full.

Prisoner on Christmas leave returned in less than 24 hours.  The man, on leave to join his family over Christmas, was forcibly returned to Funchal Prison within 24 hours. He was apprehended by the PSP on the day after release, in a bar in Santa Cruz, for damage to a motorcycle by throwing it to the ground after a bar fight. He had more than four times the amount of alcohol in his blood than legally allowed under his probation conditions. He had been imprisoned for several years for a rape which he committed on the Continent, and was imprisoned at Cancela in order that he would be closer to his family.

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

Judicial Police without leads of the whereabouts of Martins – 5 months after the death of the businessman Guilherme  Alves, the PJ were on the look out for José Martins, who was already the accused and the plaintiff in Porto Santo Court. That’s seems an interesting combination of roles, so perhaps Martins also has a separate lawsuit outstanding beyond his alleged role in the murder of the businessman.

´São Silvestre’ trusts in São Pedro. If the weather helps, today there will be a record number of participants in the Volta (race). Marítimo also runs in the name of solidarity.

Today’s main news headline : Malaria attacks Madeira by surprise – There is a man in the intensive care unit infected with Malaria. Another two are hospitalised with the same disease. Returnees from Guinea, they were diagnosed with flu. The clinical director has already requested new medical supplies.

Movements in the port quadrupled in 50 years – Despite the small berthing area, the number of dockings grew 94% and the size of the cruise boats tripled.

The main photo on today’s front page shows several felled trees and a pile of large rocks, clearly where they shouldn’t be. Today seems to be ‘catch-up day’ for weather stories with 5 making the headlines :

Tempest provokes political storm – Rodrigues (PP) has already  written to Sócrates calling for support and sent another letter to Jardim harshly criticizing the lack of action by the Regional Government.

Manuel António guarantees that he was at the site.

BE  (Left Block) takes protest to Legislative Assembly of Madeira.

Race to the water in Ponta do Sol.

Two families relocated in Ribeira Grande.

The Lobo Marinho has decided not to go to Porto Santo island today, well I guess the actual masters of the ferry service have decided that. Sea conditions are just too bad.

I am really strapped for time today and tomorrow, so I can’t do any more today, but will try harder tomorrow.

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. 

I read that tsunami article just before going to bed last night, and it was really interesting, with facts and figures about what this massive piece of rock in the Canary Islands (500 cubic kilometres) would do. I remember trying to work out how big that really is, and I reckon that’s a fair bit bigger than Madeira, the part above sea level at least. That particular risk in the Canary Islands has been known about for years, and nothing has been done to mitigate it. But what do you do with a chunk of rock that big? All the cement and cement mixers in the world probably wouldn’t do much good to patch up the cracks. There I go rambling again. Anyway, the tsunami wave would be between 50 and a 100 metres high, and would obviously devastate Madeira and many other coastlines within hours of happening, so it’s no laughing matter. But you know what dreams are like, and as I was still thinking on the matter when I went to bed, I ended up with dreams ravaged by massive tsunamis. The blog snipers will be pleased to know that I did not survive, perishing as the water crashed through my patio doors situated at a mere 40 metres above sea level, having refused to abandon home along with the others. However the dream also contained other important information about who and what survived, and obviously whilst I cannot tell you much about the fate of Uncle Bertie and the other political cronies for reasons of national security, I can tell you that the newly finished €45 million Barreiros Stadium, where Marítimo play, was smashed to smithereens, and Uncle Bertie was pretty upset. But he still managed to stump up another €116.7 million of taxpayers money to build another one before the tsunami wave reached his own front door. The Nacional football stadium however, being much higher up in Choupana, survived the disaster unscathed, and the team inspired by the memory of those lost went on to win the Champions League. I can’t tell you which year it happens exactly, but Cristiano Ronaldo was still playing for Real Madrid, so it’s not so far away. I might leak some more facts later on, but it’s all still a bit wishy-washy at the moment.

Sue sent in these news stories – many thanks.

Strong wind reaches the Azores islands and disrupts air traffic

An aircraft carrier Azores Sata from Lisbon to the Third and he was forced to depart at the end of the morning on the island of Santa Maria because of the strong wind at the airport of Lajes and eventually returned to the capital. A company spokesman told Lusa that the plane, with 89 passengers on board, tried to operate on Terceira island after refueling in Santa Maria, but the weather did not permit it. Five of the passengers disembarked at Santa Maria and the other will fly on Monday from Lisbon to Terceira, stated by the same source. Despite strong winds, the inter-island operation of the company was to be accomplished by other cancellations, said the same source. The nine islands of the Azores will continue to be buffeted by strong winds, with gusts that could reach 100 miles per hour, until the early afternoon on Monday, warned the Regional Civil Protection yesterday. In a notice issued in the late afternoon yesterday, the Azores Civil Protection stated that it also predicted heavy rain and scattered thunderstorms, between last night and the afternoon on Monday. During the same period they warned of rough seas around the islands, with waves that could reach six feet tall.

Faial without signaling. Not only was the sun out yesterday in the early afternoon it attracted some families in the bathing area of Faial. So popular was it that they also wanted to get close to the power of nature and the damage caused by the storm, as the walls of the support ‘promenade’, tumbled due to the storm last Thursday. Clearly the absence of signs or even barriers that prevent the inquisitive children to move close to the rugged area, it could create more accidents; a fact which should be considered due to the number of visitors and tourists who visit this leisure site.

River sand removed. The mouth of the stream that flows next to the swimming complex Madalena do Mar, which was completely blocked on the night of 22 to 23 December, had the sand removed. However, it is believed that due to the weight of huge amounts of earth, stone and debris from trees and other materials carried by the water caused this. But as the photo shows this did not happen. The dredging of the mouth of the stream resulted in a huge pile of debris that is piled on the stone, served to show the many facets the force of rain can given to the flow which had gone down stream.

BMF collects dog run over and save trapped cat. The Fire Department of Funchal were called yesterday to collect a dog that was killed on the Road Conde Carvalhal. The intervention of the same corporation was sought afterwards in the area of the promenade, near the Lido, to remove a cat that could not get down to an awning, where he hid to escape the attack of a dog. Sad dog Happy cat!

Tons of trash from river give the marina. Funchal Marina protests against illegal dumps in the Ribeira de S. John. Funchal marina has removed rubbish in the order of tons since records began with the more intense rainfall this winter. Americo Costa, head of the management of port infrastructure protests against the "lack of civility and poor education" of Funchal who throw garbage into streams allowing the problems to drag downstream. Debris has been dragged either by long duration of heavy rain which raised the level of the streams. The illegal dumps that proliferate along the Ribeira de Sao Joao, which flows along the portage of St. Lazarus, lie behind the pollution of domestic waste in the river port. The strong southwest wind has carried the garbage to the mouth of the marina, outraging some yachtsmen. Carlos Sousa has several vessels moored there and saw with displeasure the diverse abundance of garbage: bottles, plastic, driftwood and animal carcasses. He witnessed the waste floating on Christmas Eve – describing it as "an attack on public health" – Carlos Sousa contacted the administration of the Marina of Funchal, but says nothing was done. He also called for civil protection that ultimately refered the matter to the authority of the Marine Police. No action was taken and the pollution continued for all to see, tourists and sailors, right next to the berths in the south jetty near the mouth of the marina. "We do not have any claim related to this, either orally or in writing," responds to the director of Diary of marina capital of Madeira. Americo Costa says that whenever outbreaks of garbage are detected, the order for removal is given in conjunction with the evaluating of the weather. "The cleanup actions then proceed immediately whenever they are detected debris carried by the rains.

We have the collaboration of APRAM, which provides us a means to transport car and the site itself," he explains. Since the beginning of the rains that have hit the region over the last three weeks, the Marina of Funchal has removed from the basin under its concession area "junk in the order of tons," says the head. "With the floods and the southwest wind, the garbage comes all into the marina." Americo Costa points out that the problem is upstream and protests against the perpetrators of the attacks environment. "It’s a common situation but it should not happen, but there is a lack of civic education and it is the people and who are downstream who are paying," remarked when asked why more surveillance activities were available.

Play safe CHRISTMAS 2009 – Entrepreneurs of shops selling fireworks leave message. The so-called "bomblets Christmas" and any type of firework that the islanders have traditionally launched at this time of year are safe, since they are launched in accordance with the recommended rules. The message is shared by two owners of "Firework Shops" of Madeira, respectively, Fernando Rodrigues and Rui Camisanova.

The latter, Firework Shop Mariano in Itataia, advises parents not to let the children throw any type of fire without being accompanied by adults. "Although they is a moderate risk, there is risk" he says. Adults, in turn, he warns: "Fireworks and alcohol are not good companions." Rui Camisanova explains that a person should never release "bombs" or other types of fireworks, because under the influence of alcohol you do not have control of your actions. "Have fun in safety and not put others at risk ‘is your final warning. Whilst sales have not been could to date due to the economy and bad weather it is hoped that by the end of the year sales will increase. Until then, who buy 75 Eurs or more fireworks in his shop are entitled to a bottle of sparkling wine and 100 grams bag of raisins. Fernando Rodrigues, in turn, owns the "Shop of Fire" Burn the Street, the oldest of Madeira, with about 60 years. Compared to the past, Fernando Rodrigues has no doubt that sales fell a lot. Mainly due to increased competition. Is that this is a type of product to sell, especially at this time and, or if you can sell, or no recovery possible in other months of the year, explains. Five years does not increase the prices of the products they sell and, although he says people are spending more difficulties than before, another explanation for the loss of sales is primarily the weather. It was, as he says, ‘a real whirlwind for the traditional trades. Fernando Rodrigues caveat that "taking the bombs and rockets of large, none of that danger", when used correctly.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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Today’s Photo Thanks to Elaine over West  … I have been dreading this one, it’s been giving me bad dreams, so I will be more than happy to get it off my laptop. Der

"Rui’s case is special for another reason: he’s not from Funchal, which is a large city (100,000 people, more or less). He comes from a small village in the mountains. A very small village. When the people there (many of them his relatives, of course) found out about his interest in the gospel, the sky started falling. Threats have been made; he is no longer considered to be a part of the family; he is considered an outcast. His wife came with him Sunday, but she has serious reservations. Her Catholic upbringing is strong: the comments by her neighbors about her having anything to do with a religion "that doesn’t believe in the Virgin" makes her stop and think". TROUBLE IN THE BAPTISTS

Don found an interesting seasonal story and put it on his blog : "Dinner was taken at Baroness Conceicão’s, and the afternoon passed right merrily. During the entire day the streets of Funchal were completely deserted. The mystery of this was afterwards explained by the fact that the native population spend their Christmas by congregating in one another’s houses and eating pig". Christmas on Madeira anno 1896

If you have the time, the Travel Channel has put a 5 minute video of one of it’s programmes on it’s website. It’s all about Porto Santo, but nice, and something I hadn’t seen before. TRAVEL CHANNEL

It’s the big ‘switch on’ tonight if I am not mistaken. Well in Funchal that is, as here in Ribeira Brava they do things differently and don’t tell people when things happen. You guys in Funchal have no surprises, you know tonight is the night for thousands of Christmas lights to come to life, and you can be enchanted by the spectacle. Here the number of lights is no surprise and no great spectacle, but instead that is substituted by the heavy suspense of an unknown switching on date, and I wouldn’t swop it for anything.

Nacional last night lost their final, albeit very slim, chance to proceed in the Liga Europa after losing 4 – 1 in Germany to Werder Bremen. Rúben Micael scored for our lads, which won’t have done him any harm at all, with top club scouts supposedly present at the match to watch him. No doubt more later on from the newspaper headlines. On the subject of football, it’s the draw for the groups in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which I believe starts at around 5.15 pm, so no guessing what the Portuguese news will be full of for a couple of days, or even for a good few months. My condolences to those who dislike football … there’s always hibernation!

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

Madeira Tourism site now has end of year program in English.

CDS wants to concentrate transport in Ribeira Brava. The CDS-PP surprised the ‘new’ town council (mainly PSD and PS) at the first public meeting of the current mandate, with four proposals. One proposal is a central parking area for public transport, tourism buses and taxis which will be on a platform suspended over the bed of the river in Ribeira Brava. The idea is to make a central hub where the passenger, be it resident or tourist, can take another means of public transport to reach the desired destination. For example, a bus passenger could then take an immediate taxi to go to the outer districts. Concentration of these services instead of the current dispersion will give greater convenience to passengers. It would increase security in the bypass road where one of the lanes is currently occupied by buses, which is dangerous for other road users and pedestrians. The desired location is on the river at the old North Bridge. Faced with the impact that such a structure may have on the environment, the architects would have to find the best solution to mitigate the impact on the landscape. The Council has technicians capable of knowing how this project would fit in with the surrounding setting. Asked if this bold proposal by the party in opposition will be considered, a centrist councillor replied, "The proposals can always be accepted or not. It depends on the sensitivity of the people. But we believe that this is a valuable proposition and I think it does not hurt political sensitivities. Above all, it is in the interests of the municipality and of residents."

Two weeks without sessions. The Legislative Assembly will not hold sessions until the 15th December. This is when the debate and votes on the Plan and Budget for 2010 has been completed in Lisbon. The discussion of the proposal for the budget will take place between the 15 and 18 December. A condensed discussion is unpopular with the opposition parties and it reduces the time of the plenary sessions. The opposition parties only have short periods of time during the debate to ask questions to the regional secretaries. The plenary meetings will not return until January after the Christmas holidays and a date has not been set for the first meeting of 2010.

Gouveia is in reverse and Rodrigues is in Lisbon. Having advocated a tough stance against the Government and Alberto João Jardim, which would be a boycott of the budget discussion, the leader of the PS has retreated after a meeting of the parliamentary group, confirming the presence of members of his party in the discussions that take place between the 15 and 18 December. João Carlos Gouveia admitted only a week ago, the PS was a clear voice of protest against the regiment of the debate of Planning and Budget 2010, but the way of expressing socialist discontent has changed. Yesterday, the parliamentary group was convened and decided to attend the debate. The leader went on to defend that strategy. Gouveia acknowledged that it would be difficult to explain to Madeira the absence of discussion of a proposal by the Government which affects the lives of all. The president of the PS, who is also the parliamentary leader, recalls that by the end of the year there will be no more debates in the Assembly so the boycott will be even more complicated. Although  he dropped the withdrawal strategy which was to demonstrate against the violation of rights of the opposition, he accused Jardim of behaving as a dictator who refused to discuss the budget with his deputies. The PS complain about the time distribution among parties, but especially the fact that the President of the Republic is not subject to questions in Parliament. "Then at the end, and without a time limit, he can insult the deputies." The leader of the CDS-PP, José Manuel Rodrigues, will not be at the Legislative Assembly to attend the debate on the Regional Budget of 2010. He will be in the regional parliament to discuss the most important aspects of the Plan and Budget, but would not join the debate and vote. The main reason for his absence is that he has to be at the Assembly of the Republic when they discuss specific proposals that affect the region. He will be in Lisbon to discuss the revision of the law of regional finances, scheduled for the 11 December and other legislation arising form the Legislative Assembly of Madeira.

200 cars in Used Car Show. Initiative of the company Camacho. ExpoGonfirpe from yesterday until December 6 at Madeira Tecnopolo (free entry). There will be 200 cars exhibited with promises of unbeatable prices. Financing available with their partner Santander Consumer, the average interest rate (APR) of 6% and car insurance with Lusitania and AVS, for example insurance liability (broken windows) of around 160 Euros. These shows are held twice a year, the last one was in June when they traded almost 100 cars.

Record of Madeira might have fallen last night. Madeira must have lost last night its only recognized record in the famous Guinness Book of Records, the fireworks display of New Years Eve 2006/7, which was recognized as the largest of its kind. Yesterday in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates far outpaced the record of eight minutes from Madeira and the news has reached the Diário through the news agencies of the Persian Gulf that the show lasted 45 minutes and the fireworks reached a height of 2,000 metres. 100,000 fireworks were released from 12 barges located in front of the Marina Palace Hotel in Abu Dhabi. The inspectors from the Guinness Book of Records were in attendance and within a few days, Madeira will know if the firework display which marked the 38th National Day of the United Arab Emirates is approved as a new world record in that category. In November 2008, the Emirate of Dubai, at the opening of the Atlantis Hotel on an artificial island had a show of fireworks which earned the rank of the world’s most expensive. The cost was 3 million dollars.

Madeiran Christmas in the Palace of Belém. Nini Andrade Silva designed the Christmas decorations for the Presidency of the Republic. The Palace of Belém, where the Head of State, Cavaco Silva and his employees reside, the Madeiran designer Nini Andrade Silva was invited to decorate for Christmas. This renowned interior designer is responsible for the interior decoration of some prestigious hotels in Portugal and abroad, winning several international competitions. The Madeiran insisted on taking to Belem decorations and arrangements produced in Madeira as well as many fresh flowers originating in the gardens and greenhouses of the region. Nini also took the team of decorators to Lisbon for the finishing touches and three companies collaborated in the project. The inauguration of the Christmas tree at the Palace, a ceremony marking the opening of the Christmas spirit, will occur today. The tree itself was also from Madeira.

SPAD needs blankets and food for the rescued animals. This year, SPAD will not be able to promote the usual December collection of food for the dogs and cats it rescues, due to a lack of volunteers.  There is a particular need for food for infants / young due to the growing number of litters of dogs and cats. They also need blankets, any old ones which are no longer used, and Turkish towels. The cost of adopting an animal is 40 Euros, which pays for vaccinations, deworming, an identification chip and sterilization. Membership is 25 Euros per year and allows 20% discount on services.

Region has completed the POG areas of conservation. Six Plans of Organization and Management required by the EU for the Special Areas of Conservation have now been completed with the Laurissilva the last one to be executed. The plans required both the Directorate of Forestry and the Natural Park of Madeira to work together. The other ones have been for areas of the Desertas, Selvagens, Ponta de Sao Lourenço and  Porto Santo. This plan covered the forests of Santana, São Vicente, Ponta Delgada, Boaventura, Seixal, Ribeira da Janela, Porto Moniz and Poiso.

Adventurous tourist required rescuing.  A tourist born on the continent required help yesterday afternoon in a rocky area of Fajã Escura in Nun’s Valley. The walker was alone on a path by Pico do Areeiro, then left the path to go up a rocky slope thinking it would lead to another path. This was not the case and showing signs of muscular fatigue, thought it was best not to try to descend back to the original route. Asking for help, was assisted by the bombeiros from the Curral Section. After being helped back to the levada, the tourist continued the walk alone.

German camper helped. The German citizen who was camping for some time in the Admirante Reis gardens was picked up by the police and is now being helped by the Association for the Protection of the Poor. He was in a very precarious position in terms of food and hygiene and was taken to the hospital and later contacted by Social Security. He is now being helped by the Association for the Protection of the Poor, especially due to his physical limitations.

Man attacks another with knife to kill pigs. A man used a ‘knife used to kill pigs’ to attack another, with some gravity, near to the Casa da Luz – Rua Artur de Sousa Pingo. The attack occurred during a brawl and despite a deep abdominal wound, the victim is out of danger. A man is detained by the police, awaiting a court appearance, and claimed he used the knife that day to kill pigs. Under the new arms law, it is illegal to be in a public place with a knife or sharp object.

Carristur launches ‘Sparkling Funchal’. The panoramic tourist buses will for the third consecutive year run trips to see the Christmas lights in Funchal. The ticket costs 3 Euros and is free to children under 12. The trips are held from 4 December to January 6, omitting December 24, 25 and 31. They begin at 19.00, 19.30, 20.00 and 20.30 from near the Marina, Avenida do Mar.

37 tons of food collected by Caritas. Christmas campaign was a success. Thirty-seven tons of food were collected last weekend, 4 tons more than in the campaign in June and 10 tons more than last Christmas.

Câmara de Lobos seafront plan. Urban redevelopment project of the seafront between Socorridos and Fajã do Mar, includes new access and a promenade. The promenade will be between Praia do Vigário and the new fishing port. There will be new access to the seafront, both pedestrian and by road, and recreational areas and green areas. There will also be specific zones for nightlife. The plan will be completed by the end of 2011. The countryside will also be preserved with sitting areas and recreational areas installed in each parish. Air quality will be monitored, more solid waste recycled and the domestic water supply upgraded. There will be a new Fisherman’s House created, integrated in the recuperation of the Historic Zone, renovation of the Sao Bernardino Convent and old chapels and churches, and the building of a new Church of Santa Ceclia. Social support to the elderly will be intensified with community centres built and a new community and social area at Fajã das Galinhas.

News headlines from today’s front page of the Diário de Notícias :

Tourist promotions continue without funding – There are €2 million of arrears from the Madeira Government and Tourism of Portugal, and the budget for 2010 will be diverted to the internal market. The State and the Region don’t make the transfers, which leads to collapse in the Associação de Promoção da Madeira. Conceição Estudante and Bernardo Trindade, secretaries for tourism at both levels, get the blame for the 40% shortfall in AP-Madeira revenue this year. They should have together contributed €2 million for the activities of the association, that is responsible for promoting Madeira for tourism purposes. Attempt to resolve the issue were ‘smothered’ by Tourism of Portugal, who refused to settle the account.

Today’s main news headline : Gripe of the people of Funchal treated in Santo António – It is starting on Monday for the residents of the capital with flu symptoms, who will be treated in the centre of Santo António, and not in the hospital, that remains allocated for pregnancies and babies. From 7th December, the health centre (Centro de Saúde) of Santo António will be the destination for anyone from Funchal showing symptoms of flu (Gripe A or seasonal flu). This was always part of the contingency plan, to set up a specialist unit, the Serviço de Atendimento à Gripe (SAG), and the decision was taken to implement the measure following the recent increase in the number of people becoming infected with H1N1, particularly in schools. SAG will be open 7 days a week, between 8 am and 8 pm on weekdays, and weekends and public holidays between 8 am and 1 pm. Outside these working hours, only serious cases may go to the hospital for examination and treatment. The president of the health service IASAÚDE said that those living outside of Funchal should continue to go to the nearest Centro de Saúde that has the facilities (valences?). Pregnant women, babies under 1 year old, and chronically ill people will be the only exceptions to the rule. 55 schools have now registered outbreaks (2 or more cases). Did you know that to date Porto Santo island has been Gripe A free?

Museums awarded – Portuguese Association reveals innovation of Palácio de São Lourenço and Estação de Biologia. (Marine Biology Station?). The two institutions were recognised by the Associação Portuguesa de Museologia (APOM) with awards for Innovation and Creativity,  for making themselves more accessible, with blind people in particular mentioned as beneficiaries of the actions taken.

Taxi Judges – In the performance of their duties judicial officials catch a taxi on the rank, or a ‘Carroça’ from home. Carroça translates as a cart or wagon, but it just means ‘own car’  in this case. Elaine of the West very kindly translated this article … many thanks.

An ancient car in poor condition remains the only means of official transport official in the service of the courts of Madeira. This car is given over to the General Circuit Court of Funchal, although occasionally, when available, it is ‘borrowed’ together with a driver for the duties to be carried out by the Judicial Court of Funchal. But when this is not possible, judges and officials of the Justice Palace in Funchal have no option but to resort to using taxis or even their own private cars to travel where they need to in the course of work.

The issue of transport for the Madeiran judges and court officials is not a new one. About two and a half years ago, the DIÁRIO recognised this problem in connection with the criminal court of Funchal. After that time, the scenario remains, though, on the other hand, the number of external representations also declined. The regional representative of the Association of Portuguese Judges, Paulo Barreto, recognizes that the only official car in Madeira is old and on several occasions it has broken down, leaving the officials stranded on the road. The demand for a new car has already been issued a while ago, but so far the Ministry of Justice has not responded positively. He argued, “Here in the Circuit Court on Fridays we have to go to Santa Cruz, São Vicente and Ponta do Sol, so it is important to have a car".

However, Paulo Barreto questions the real need for an official car at the service of a district court, since trips performed as part of the proceedings are normally short. Except, of course, the district of Funchal, which, said the judge, has a remit which extends as far as Santana. The magistrate further clarified that it is only when it is a criminal case that the State assumes the costs of transport, which are then forwarded to the defendant in the case of conviction. In civil cases, the value of travel is borne by the parties as part of the expense of the process. The coordinator of the Regional Delegation of the Union of Judicial Officials, Danilo Pereira, believes that one solution to the problem of lack of transportation would be to use those cars seized by the courts which are in good condition. However, he admits that the issues of who would pay for the fuel and insurance are not easily solved. What is more, ends Danilo Pereira, “The risk of conducting an investigation using a private car, particularly in certain housing estates, must be taken into account.”

and Jon of the East also … Sod’s law I think it’s called, after over a week of trying this ploy!

The Judges of Madeira that have to travel to various Courts around the Island (in pursuit of their duties) wish to have a new "official" car supplied to them to enable them to do this. Currently they have an "old banger" that is worn out and not roadworthy and so have to resort to private taxi hire between home and the various courts. Whilst the costs can be claimed back it does take some time and is less convenient than having an official car. It is two years since they applied for a new vehicle but as the legal system here is somewhat slow and many cases are "log jammed", the relevant government department has yet to approve the "issue" of a car. It has been suggested (by the Judges?) that perhaps vehicles "appropriated" by the Police could be used instead …… I can’t believe that there is no official transport for our fine and respected legal gentlemen – unless of course they are unpopular with Uncle Bertie?  

Many thanks to you both, and your stories collaborate too, so 10 out of 10! 

Over half of the front page today is given over to a photo of the president and players of Nacional, looking rather dejected leaving the pitch in Germany last night. Defeat in Bremen finishes any mathematical chances of qualifying – Liga Europa : Alvinegros show too much respect and lose 4 – 1.

Marítimo has another player (Kléber) infected with Gripe A. It was already reported this week that Bruno is laid up with swine flu. No doubt if there are any more, the president (you choose which one) will be calling for games to be postponed.

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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