Madeira News Blog

(25th July). Today’s main news headline : ‘Gripe A Changes Habits In The School – Electric hand dryers and disposable towels replace cloth towels; washing of toys and door handles; lessons in hygiene; all in September’. That’s just the headline, and the new school term is still two months away, but the list continues : Windows open in classrooms to keep them well ventilated, a switch to liquid soap and paper towels, stocks of disposable masks, tissues, and disinfectants. How much it is all going to cost no one knows, and the budgets are only just starting to be done. Even children are to be taught in school not to mess with their mouths and eyes with their hands. That’s just schools, and the article goes on to briefly cover other public places like social centres and public toilets, that need precautions to prevent the infection and spread of swine flu.

‘Kidnappers Threaten – Names on the ‘black list’ of José Martins are receiving threats with demands by mobile phone on Porto Santo’. The police investigate’. Just a tiny headline on the front page. The ‘tombstone’ (photo) of marked men, allegedly placed next to a grave by José Martins, alleged kidnapper and murderer, has already led to threats to some of those named, sent by text message. The messages gives 48 hours to meet the demands within. The four (at least) businessmen named on the tombstone, are accused of a hand in the failure of the company ‘Erucasa’, owned by Martins around a year ago. The four have been to the police, but there may be more victims. The messages were all different, and although each ended with the words "this is a warning", they did not say what the consequences would be if the demands were not met. You would think at first it must be hoax, but the fact that he has their mobile phone numbers gives some credence to the article. I am beginning to think I should write a book about this whole episode, and I reckon it would sell well as a work of fiction. Maybe even worth international news coverage (Tobi, you know what to do, and we will split the proceeds) 

‘Journalist Silenced – The Journal of Madeira took a reporter off its panel called the ‘Media File’. The management of the Journal invoke exclusivity. The decision arises after criticisms of Jardim on a programme of RTP-M’. Jardim asked for the recording of the programme and sent it to the regulator and the National Electoral Commission. Journalist Marsilio Aguiar was prevented from taking further part in the weekly programme on RTP Madeira ‘Media File’, after 3 years in the role. The programme covers the news highlights of the week, with journalists invited to express their personal opinions, not as representatives of the media companies they work for. The JM management came to the conclusion that the presence of the journalist on television is "incompatible" with the role he plays as head of editorial of the Journal, a newspaper almost totally owned by the PSD Government. The fact has not passed by unnoticed in public opinion, and the removal is interpreted as a ‘reorganization’, given the recent protests of the President of the Government to the views expressed by some commentators on the program. There has been speculation that this is a clever way for Jardim to indirectly ‘liquidate’ the program. The Diário contacted the journalist, who refused to comment on the affair (now there’s a surprise!), but the director of RTP Madeira has gone on record as saying that he has not appeared on the last two programmes due to "professional issues". The programme is now going to be suspended until after September due the period of the election campaign. There are no details given of what was actually said in the programme, but it shows that freedom of speech is not alive and well, and criticising government is especially dangerous when you work for a company that is government controlled and funded.

‘Gripe A – Ministry, bosses and trade unions debate who pays for forced absenteeism’. In a national story, a meeting was held yesterday on the subject of who pays the workers in the event that a place of work has to be closed due to a risk or an actual outbreak of H1N1 swine flu. The working laws specify that workers have the right of 75% of their salary, paid by their employer. But bosses have already refused to honour this expense, as it is a matter of public health. It’s an extraordinary situation, with the motive of resolving the situation before it happens, and not penalising employees when it happens. The trade union presence is concerned that some unscrupulous employers may use the situation to create forced lay-offs. The ministry for employment has already expressed the view that the situation requires no new measures.

In a slightly linked story, the Portuguese are the Europeans most pessimistic in a scenario of losing their jobs for fear of not finding another for a long time. Just 16% were optimistic of finding new employment quickly.

The 10 Spanish scouts that were admitted to Funchal hospital were observed / tested, and nearly all have been cleared of infection of Gripe A. Just two are now waiting for test results to come back from Lisbon. A laboratory has now been established on Madeira, and should be functioning this weekend, removing the need to send samples to Lisbon for testing.

Just about keeping the chain going … pet owners may need to be concerned about the Gripe A crisis, not just for themselves, but also for their pets. Cats and dogs will not be affected, but parrots and parakeets are vulnerable. I can’t remember the last time I saw a parakeet out for a walk and sniffing another parakeets private parts, so I would have thought that the only real risk would come from an infected owner.

At an award ceremony yesterday to give 28 newly qualified young nurses their certificates, President Jardim promised them jobs. "If by the 31st November, the opportunity for employment has not opened, you have my authorisation to hold a protest outside my offices" he said. Shrewd wording or poor translation on my part?

‘There Are less Mosquitoes Than Expected’. Initial results of an investigation to count and locate the Aedes Aegypti indicate that there are less insects than expected. The working group that includes entomologists are undertaking searches in various parts of Funchal and Câmara de Lobos. One of the entomologists however alerts us to the danger of the mosquito, and calls to the population to reinforce the fight against them. He explains that the eggs of the mosquito are able to stay active as long as 3 years in completely dry conditions. Unable to find many pests in Câmara de Lobos?, I find that hard to believe.

I gave up reporting extreme UV levels some weeks ago, as it seems to be microwave weather pretty much every day now. The advice is as always keep covered or out of the sun between 11am and 5pm. Did you know that even in the south of Portugal, the general rule is to avoid the hours from midday until 4pm, giving them two more beach hours than us on Madeira. Who said that a great all year round climate was such a great thing?