Health by internet ; Marina shutdown ; Tourism events in January ; Wine in a test-tube
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
![clip_image001[6]](http://madeiraislanddirect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/clip_image0016.jpg "clip_image001[6]")
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![clip_image002[4]](http://madeiraislanddirect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/clip_image00241.jpg "clip_image002[4]")
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
![clip_image003[4]](http://madeiraislanddirect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/clip_image0034.jpg "clip_image003[4]")
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.
![clip_image004[4]](http://madeiraislanddirect.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/clip_image0044.jpg "clip_image004[4]")
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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MSC Splendida visits Funchal for the first time. Photo of the ship this morning. This new cruise ship accompanied two others, bringing a total of around 7,000 tourists. The Splendida has 3,300 tourists on board but can accommodate up to 3,887 passengers. Arriving form Tenerife at 7 am, she sails for Malaga at 17.00. Traditional arrival ceremony hosted by the Ship Enthusiasts Club and the port authorities but she will not be seen here again until 21 January 2011.
Rampa de Carros de Pau in Água de Pena. (These are home-made wooden go-karts). 28 ‘cars’ and 40 participants in the fourth edition of the race which is organized by the Parish Council. There were more participants yesterday afternoon than previously. Some ‘cars’ are conspicuous in their originality, one decorated with the ‘colours of Ferrari’. The competition is open to all ages and there are prizes for all present, especially the winners of the two categories: individuals and pairs. As they went between the Caminho Florestal and the Queimada de Cima, there were a few minor scratches and bruises from falling off or to poor driving ability, especially around corners, but all the participants were satisfied and happy to complete the course. — I watched them on the news this morning and they were able to accurately steer when they had to weave in between tyres placed in the centre of the road, and quite reasonable speeds were achieved. Some were wearing the requisite helmets and elbow and knee pads but not all. I remember that the race had to be rescheduled to yesterday due to previous bad weather. Fathers and children had combined forces, really enjoying themselves and proud of their efforts – great to see.
Right to a view in Avista Navios recognized by the courts. A widow in her 70s living in Caminho do Avista Navios in Nazaré, Funchal has had a long standing dispute with a neighbour over construction work which obstructed her view of the bay of Funchal. She owns a building of 762 square metres and a neighbour built a wall that caused the dispute. The neighbour bought the property in 2003 and in 2004 built a wall which was 2.35 metres high rather than the legal 1.5 metres, and a chimney for a barbecue which also obscured the view. The widow complained that her house has an aluminium and glass porch with a 80 cm high balcony, from which there had been a fantastic view over the city. She has had this right to a view for over 20 years and in addition, the building works caused water damage to her property. In 2005, the defendant was ordered to lower the wall to 1.80 metres and replace the adjacent roof and gutter that had been removed. The neighbour refused and in 2008, another court case ruled that the widow had a right to a view, the offending part of the wall would have to be demolished and compensation paid. The case then went to the Appeal Court in Lisbon and without any reasons given, the court ruled the first decision was correct. The neighbour, still not satisfied, went back to the Appeal Court and on the 10 December, the court again ruled the widow had a right to a view and part of the wall had to be demolished. The defendant has no right to further appeal and will have to comply with the court order.
Two hundred watched the Cantar os Reis. The rain did not stop attendance at this initiative yesterday afternoon, organized by the Casa do Povo da Camacha. It is the first time a tent has had to be used due to heavy rain, erected in the Largo da Achada by Santa Cruz Council. Folklore groups from Camacha and Santo da Serra took part. They will still keep the tradition of singing at people’s homes during the night of the 5 – 6 January. 
It is recalled that each year there are more houses visited. The "Kings" are received with great joy and are always invited to visit the Lapinha and have a liqueur and sample the traditional broas and cakes of this season. This activity has always been held on the Saturday before the Epifania do Senhor (Epiphany of the Lord), (the day the Church celebrates the Dia de Reis, second Sunday after Christmas). The fact that this initiative falls on a Saturday makes it possible for young people, mostly students, to participate since the visits last into the night. 
150 thousand litres of water ‘bail out’ Ponta do Sol. Over 150,000 litres of drinking water have been distributed in just 4 days. The tankers used to provide the water will not result in any additional costs for Ponta do Sol council. Normality is returning to domestic users in Ponta do Sol, as drinking water now flows through household taps. A week ago around 5,000 people in the district were still without drinking water, due to storm damage to the supply network in Rabaças on 22nd December. The council used it’s own tanker, and one from the fire brigade from Ribeira Brava, to meet demand for drinking water, but as it pays €100,000 a year to the ‘bombeiros’ in support, the service provided will not cost the taxpayers in Ponta do Sol anything extra.
More details about rescue exercise in Rabaçal. The Civil Defence and Armed Forces are performing a ‘Missing 09′ rescue exercise on the 19th and 20th November in Rabaçal. To simulate the disappearance of a group of 15 tourists in Rabaçal and an accident involving a passenger bus on the road that leads to the Casa da Rabaçal. Over 100 people and 25 vehicles will be involved. There will be the Armed Forces, Emergency Medical Teams, Bombeiros and ambulances from 6 regions, PSP and GNR, SANAS, Forestry Police, Mountain Rescue and Canyoning Teams and Calheta Council representatives. Rabaçal is chosen as it is a tourist area where weather conditions can quickly change during the day, which tourists are often unaware of. On November 18th at the airport, the other rescue exercise will involve about 60 – 70 people, 10 – 12 ambulances and 2 Emergency Medical Teams. It is a collaboration between ANAM, Civil Defence and the Armed Forces. —- Don’t have an accident on any of these days.
Public works pollutes the seafront of Câmara de Lobos. Mud was being washed into the sea yesterday afternoon west of Vigario causing a brown discolouration. This was clearly seen from the Largo da Autonomia situated in front of the Town Hall. Diário reporters traced the origin to Council contractors who are building a wall in association with a new access to Ribeira da Alforra and Limoeiro. No one at the Council was available for comment.
Schoolchildren taught road safety. 50 children in Câmara de Lobos participated in an initiative promoted by the Operation Life association. After a talk at the Police Station, they went to the promenade at Vigario where there was a test course marked out. There was a maze of signs, both marked out on the promenade and roadsigns, and different means of transport, ranging from bicycles, rollerblades and skateboards. This was also part of the social inclusion project called Radically Inclusive which is designed to channel the excess adrenaline that youngsters have.
Purely by coincidence (having published the readers letter above), this was the main photo on today’s Diário cover : Strays in the mountain remain waiting for owners until they die. Paul da Serra is the dumping ground for abandoned dogs. Also in other remote sites like Choupana. They fight until death to survive (exact translation). Confused, and wet to the bones, a little dog wanders amongst the parked cars at the miradouro of Rabaçal, in Paul da Serra. The fog was thick on that Thursday morning. The rain drizzled but was steady, soaking into the ground and leaving puddles here and there, and the animal ambled around in search of food, and for his owner who left him there to die. Further in front, on the road, the same scenario. The dog this time is bigger, seemingly a German Shepherd, hungry, soaking wet, staring and pleading … enough of that because does anyone really care? Will anyone head up there today to feed them … no I thought not, so there’s not much point in me continuing.
