Madeira News Blog

(9th August). Today’s main news headline : ‘Madeira Government Puts The Wine Companies To Resolve Surpluses – The secretary Manuel António and the social democrat Jamie Ramos promised that there would not be a a grape left to sell. With the excessive production, the government, in election times imposes on the companies that they buy more than they need’. There is already too much wine in stock, but for "electoral reasons" the government commits the ‘wine houses’ to buy more grapes than they need. Now there are 14 million litres of wines in stock here, but an export market of little more than 3 million litres annually. Over / high production also should result in a drop in grape prices, and it is this problem that scares our leaders. The problem is not just political, but relates to the sustainability of the whole sector. We produce more wine than there is demand, and as a result the companies that produce and export Vinho Madeira are starting to feel economic difficulties in managing very large stocks of wine. Guarantees to growers given by our leaders and politicians did not go unheeded, and as the government cannot buy the excess grapes, and nor can the PSD social democrats, the private sector has been committed. Manuel António Correia, Regional Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources, is now waving money at the merchants, having secured a line of credit of €3.5 million, especially to ensure that the total grape production of 2009 is brought up. The incentive is that the merchants can borrow the capital necessary, and the government will then pay the loan interest (100% year 1, 90%, 50%, and 50% in the 4th and final year). The situation has arisen in part because the government has wavered in imposing production limits on the farmers, by hectare. Exports registered a sharp fall last year, with the devaluation of the British pound cited as the main reason. Unbelievable.  I am sure there must be some European law which prevents this sort of thing, but as it is not a direct state subsidy perhaps not. Did you know there is a ‘Madeira sem alcool’ (alcohol free Madeira wine)?

‘TV Inspires More Crime Than The Immigrants’. The isolated cases – the death of the businessman of Porto Santo (kidnapped and murdered) may give a different idea, but the police guarantee that Madeira is still safe. The husband that murdered his wife during divorce proceedings (Calheta), or the man who stabbed his neighbour to death over a land dispute. This is still the pattern of homicides on Madeira, but the Judiciary Police still regard this region as the safest in Portugal, both in numbers and the behaviour of the population. The regional coordinator of the PJ says that the environment here is relaxed, and one can move around day and night, on foot or by car with total free will, unlike parts of Porto or Lisbon where one needs to take precautions when travelling, or going to a cashpoint machine. He says that crimes such as the Porto Santo kidnapping, are what the PJ term ‘imported crime’, the roots in this case being Brazilian. The other crimes (mentioned) are the same as always, but now have lost weight and importance, but have not disappeared. The nature of other petty crimes has changed here, with drugs and the internet often at the root. The criminal types that operate here have changed targets, moving from city centre shops, out to residential areas. Crime victims now are often people living alone. Ricardo Silva, the regional coordinator of the PJ, does point out that imported crime comes more often and more harmful via television, than by the immigrants who came to Madeira in the last 10 years. He says that these TV images may encourage those who have criminal tendencies, but never had the courage to carry out what they were thinking, through their frustrations and hates.

‘Raul Solnado Died (1929 – 2009) – The creative comedian that entertained generations, but was also a very fine actor’. He is not Madeiran, but he is obviously very popular judging by the amount of media coverage yesterday and today. He is to be cremated today in Olivais.

Marítimo played Nacional in Machico last night, and the main front page photo today shows the ‘full house’ crowd wearing their ‘Chapeau de Esperança’ hats (Hat of Hope – fundraising for social causes) leading to the headline : ‘Solidarity Wins The Derby Match In Machico – Marítimo beat Nacional 3 – 0′.

This from the Jornal da Madeira : ‘Hot Spring: Cause Of The Jellyfish? In the season for beach outings, life has not been so good for those who like the sea. The jellyfish have tormented, almost daily, those who go to the sunny beaches. Already many people have been stung’. The uneasiness arrived before the beach season began. Almost daily came the creatures with three names (alforrecas, águas-vivas, and medusas), clinging along the coast, particularly along the south of Madeira. Many people have been stung, and some say the beach season has been ruined by the creatures that have stopped holidaymakers enjoying a dip, without any fear, in the Atlantic. The beach and pool complex lifeguards have had a lot of extra work as a result too. At the Lido in Funchal for example, they have to do several underwater exploratory dives a day, to see if there is a jellyfish problem, but even so swimmers are still getting stung. The Jornal spoke with a biologist, who said the species encountered this year is different to the usual less troublesome creatures. It is called ‘Pelagia noctiluca’, and is a species that likes to hang around at the waters surface, and stings more than most species. It is not very dangerous, but is able to sting with contact with any part of its lower body. The biologist who has been here since 1992, says this has been the worst year he has seen here for jellyfish. He said this species also occurs in the Mediterranean, in numbers for maybe several years, and then they just disappear, the cycle there being between 10 to 14 years. It could be different here, and the increased numbers are more likely to be to do with a hot Spring than with sea pollution. A medical doctor says that there are people extremely sensitive to the stings that can burn ‘incredibly’, and children are known to cry a lot and spend the rest of the holiday fed up. One sting to a child can completely ruin a holiday, he said. Some people feel a burning for a few hours, and then it just passes, and the victim stays on the beach. With some the sting mark will remain for months. Home treatment recommendations include applying vinegar or alcohol (externally), and any moisturising cream will help relieve the pain. There are also creams containing corticosteroids that "are excellent" but they should only be used on the recommendation of a doctor or pharmacist. If you don’t have any alcohol or vinegar to hand after being stung, there is another ‘home made’ liquid that most people have available at a moments notice, carried around in ones bathing costume, though quite how you get it from the dispenser to the jellyfish sting will depend on personal preferences. The article definitely says use "your own", just to make sure there is no confusion. Was I hibernating I wonder, as I am sure I missed that ‘hot Spring’.

(8th August). ‘Nobody Takes Responsibility For The ban On Selling Wine On Porto Santo – After the council, now it is the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities saying that it is the law that prohibits. The product has its days numbered’. The reactions to the news of the ban on the sale of Vinho Seco wine on Porto Santo, by glass or bottle, on the fruit stalls, continues to cause reactions, this time from IRAE. In a statement on the subject the Regional Inspectorate of Economic Activities rules out responsibility for the ban, behind the cover of "law enforcement". According to a statement from the IRAE on Friday, "in the Summer of 2007, complaints were received that bottled wines and aguardente were being sold, allegedly adulterated, in market stands located on Porto Santo". The IRAE then moved in and seized bottles, under their legal obligation, but the complaints were not verified.  They did not make any ban on the sales, but point out that the law requires tax to be paid and proper labelling of bottles with the seal of assurance, and that there should be hygienic conditions within a licensed authorisation. The council on Porto Santo has already distanced itself from any decision to ban Vinho Seco. That’s every festa on Madeira cancelled forever then, or dry at least. I hate to think what would happen if someone looked into the sale of food at these festas (in terms of hygiene), but for sure it will happen one day.

Petrol (gasolina 95) rises two cêntimos a litre in price tomorrow, to €1.211. Diesel rises by 1c per litre.

From the Jornal da Madeira : ’1,715 Accidents In The First 6 Months Of 2009 – The number has dropped, police commissioner Pimenta says that many people have taken the advice of the police, but there has been an increase of breaking limits, some with fatal consequences and serious injuries as a result’. The overall accident count has been reducing since 2003, when there were 5,950, with last year reporting 3,035 for the whole year. So far this year there have been 10 road accident fatalities, the latest being on 1st August, 70 serious injuries, and 518 light injuries. More than half of all accidents are caused by excess speed.

The number of drivers caught without driving licences by police is escalating. 170 people have already been detained, in just the first 7 months of 2009. The whole of 2008 led to 198 detentions for this crime, with the numbers growing for the last 5 years. It doesn’t say so, but I suspect that more police checks are behind the reasons.

The bridge ‘ponte do Bettencourt’, by the ‘Bazar do Povo’ in Funchal was reopened to traffic on Saturday evening … early! The reinforcing / repairs works were shorter than expected because the north platform was found to have been in better condition than was expected, and with the use of prefabricated girders. The job was supposed to have taken until next month (then add two more months for Madeira). There are still some jobs left to do, but they will be finished this week.

(29th July). Today’s main photo headline is of a part completed building : ‘Not Even The New Plan Saves Minas Gerais – The plan of São João that CMF wants to approve tomorrow leaves the building embargoed’. The story is more about an urbanisation plan for the Ribeira de São João (PURSJ) in Funchal, something covered here before in a recent blog. The zone of the plan includes the partly built offices of the company Minas Gerais, which had work stopped over a year ago when CMF (Funchal Municipal Council) noticed that it had two more floors than in the plan approved by the council. The plan PURSJ will go to public consultation next month, but includes major change to roads, a new roundabout, and defines residential and business areas and the green zones. The zone is huge and starts at the Rotunda do Infante going north towards São João, and incorporates the building mentioned, meaning that it stays in limbo whilst the PURSJ plan goes through the necessary approvals.

‘Parole For Father Of The Girl That Didn’t Reappear – The man served 5/6ths of his sentence and already has work’. Sofia Catarina Andrade de Oliveira went missing on 22nd February 2004, from the residence of her mother in Câmara de Lobos, taken by her father Luís Encarnação that evening. She is now 7 years old. The couple were separated after living in the Azores, and the mother moved to Madeira with her daughter. Only the father knows where she is, and he was sentenced to prison for nearly six and a half years in prison for his kidnapping act after being arrested back in the Azores, but he never revealed her whereabouts, only saying that she was well. He is now out on early parole for good behaviour, and has already found work.

‘Domestic Violence Gives Suspended Sentence To Doctor’. The court in Funchal sentenced yesterday a dentist for abusing his wife. The one year prison sentence was suspended for one year, with the aggressor achieving the minimum sentence, in what could have been up to 5 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay €13,500 to his victim in damages, including personal injuries, when the victim was seeking €50,000. The reports of insults, threats, and physical violence went back as far as 1996, with the victim spending several periods of up to 3 months in illness as a result. The man didn’t even attend court for the sentencing, and now has the option of appealing.

‘Prizewinning Fagundes Vasconcelos In Cerveira’. A work of the Madeiran artist was acquired by the museum in Via Nova de Cerveira for €3,600. It is called ‘Parade of Vanity’.

If you are interested in the Madeira Wine Rally starting tomorrow, it is worth buying today’s Diário to get the free supplement with maps and timetables.

‘Market Of Ribeira Brava Goes from Bad To Worse – Half of the commercial units are already closed. The others agonise’. Of the ten units available, just 5 have survived the crisis. The low movement of customers, the redesign of the sea front that reduced passing traffic, the high level of competition between the traders, and the switch from the escudo to the €uro, are some of the reasons given for the situation. The latest to close its doors this year, was the restaurant / pizzeria located on the 1st floor, where they also occupied the terrace area. The fruit traders on the same level complain that since that happened business has got even worse, as even less people go upstairs. Shame, but normally people complain about the high rent charged by the council, but no mention in this article. One of the fruit sellers is OK, but the other one, Senhor 3in1 repof, keep well away from if you value your money.

‘Police Vehicle Targeted During An Arrest On Porto Santo – No police were injured as shots were fired by a 23 year old man’. But the car was pretty messed up by fire from the shotgun. The man was arrested shortly after the gunfire. Need I mention that it was over charges of drug trafficking, and 390 doses of heroin were seized. I ask you … what idiot would open fire on police on Porto Santo … even if you did get away where would you run to, where would you hide? Lets hope the king of Spain doesn’t pick up a copy of today’s newspaper, as he is off to Porto Santo at the weekend.

‘Prohibited access to the sea at Lido – Presence of jellyfish results in cordoned access to the sea for swimmers’. Access to the sea in the Lido Bathing Complex was ‘closed’ to the public due to the presence of jellyfish in the water. I think that was on Monday, but a later article says that yesterday a yellow flag was raised, and there was restricted access to the sea. There were also jellyfish reported at Praia Formosa.

The programme for the visit of the King and Queen of Spain tomorrow has been released, and it is pretty much as already stated. Anyone into royal visits will have the best opportunities for a royal wave at the airport at 6.30pm tomorrow, or an a Funchal walkabout on Saturday. It is confirmed that the trip will finish with a visit to Porto Santo.

(28th July). This story came from the ‘dark side’ yesterday : ‘Autonomy frees us of ‘silly laws’ – Alberto João Jardim said the new law will not apply to the roundabouts of Madeira’. Jardim said yesterday that a new law that prohibits the placement of statues and trees on roundabouts will not be applied. He points out that our independence allows us "to get rid of silly laws", ensuring that we keep our values and principles. The new law was (I think?)made by the president of Funchal council, and Jardim dealt with him in the most diplomatic way he knew, by saying "whoever made this law on the roundabouts is mentally retarded, and the danger is that these retards try to treat other people as retarded". Uncle Bertie! … that is your most likely successor you are talking about … show restraint please.

(18th July). Today’s main news headline : ‘People Won’t Pay For Useless Bureaucracy – The Government of the Republic counter attacks the criticisms from the public notaries of Madeira, made in the Diário. The minister of justice warns that there will not be people and companies guaranteeing the income of the notaries. And remember the requests of the GR for the introduction here of programs from the SIMPLEX regime, that have to eliminate the resource of the notaries offices’. The accusation made in the Diário several days ago claimed that the public notaries had been ‘screwed’ for want of a better word, having been promised work after moving from the public to the private sector. "Now more than ever, people and companies should stop paying for unnecessary bureaucracy in order to contribute to the generation of wealth, employment and jobs. Reducing the cost of bureaucracy is an investment in creating more employment and more productive employment, and the policy of simplification pursued by this government is a key instrument for that purpose" said a spokesman from the Ministry of Justice, in response to notaries complaining about a 75% drop in income. What is not justified is that "the activity of notaries, and hence their income, was based on a demand because people and businesses were required to use their services, without an option of choice and no other alternatives", and the response also adds that the notaries had opted for privatisation, and it was not forced on them. The Simplex programs simplify previously longwinded procedures, allowing citizens to do much more themselves, much more quickly, with much less cost, such a starting a business, property transactions, and matters of divorce and inheritance. It is the introduction of Simplex that has stripped away most of the need for the notaries. I reckon the spokesman from the Ministry of Justice needs to have a very very long chat with his opposite number in the Ministry of Finances / Treasury, as I don’t see any simplification or choices in the way that this country runs its tax affairs, from a taxpayers perspective that is, nor in social security for that matter.

‘Works On The Avenida: CMF Circumvents Embargo – Authority overcomes the injunction, the responsibility of a competitor, and the work continues’. The urban remodelling work on Avenida do Mar was challenged legally by a consortium of companies involved in the tendering process, and a court injunction was granted. The action was in response to the awarding of the contract to a company that that quoted a price perceived as ‘abnormally low’ (30% less than the base value). The work was ordered to stop by the court, but after careful consideration and a council resolution, the authorities ruled that work should continue on the grounds that stopping would cause ‘grave harm to the public interest’. The matter is now back with the courts to see if they accept the position adopted by the council. The work involves improvements along the Avenida do Mar, which include public toilets, and it was deliberately scheduled to be undertaken during the school holidays to minimise traffic and movement problems.  

The main picture today is a rather pointless photo of the Galp petrol station on Porto Santo, with the story covered yesterday now elevated to the front page : ‘Suspect Of Kidnapping Shocks P. Santo – The businessman from Porto Santo disappeared on Thursday in Funchal. The family received a ransom demand made by an individual with a Brazilian accent. The police investigate’. The kidnappers have demanded half a million Euros for the release of 78 year old Guilherme Bernardino Alves, seized after being lured to Funchal for a phoney business meeting. The police (PJ) admit to having suspects in a case that is fairly unique* to them. The kidnappers have made 3 calls so far, all around a minute in duration. Unofficially the Diário claims that another businessman from Porto Santo, with financial problems, was arrested and questioned, but later released. A police spokesman with 20 years experience, says that there have been less than 10 kidnappings in Portugal during that time, and that this is the first time for Madeira. I wonder if CSI Funchal are involved, as since the unit was established I have not heard a single mention of the unit.

In sport, just a clarification to yesterday’s headline : ‘Barreiros : IDRAM Already responded’. The front page has the same photo as yesterday, and the article says that the sports institute has already responded to the request for information to Funchal Council, so the ball is back in their court.

‘Jellyfish Return To Ribeira Brava Beach’. At least four swimmers were stung yesterday by jellyfish at the beach of Ribeira Brava. Around lunchtime the life guard hoisted the yellow flag to warn swimmers, something that the majority of people ignored, despite the reason quickly circulating by word of mouth.

‘New Collection In August’. Funchal Council is to start a new refuse collection in Imaculado Coração de Maria on 4th August, but this time it will be for organic waste. The move is a trial, and will be extended if successful. The collections will be made on Tuesdays and Fridays, but those who want to take part will need to purchase the appropriate container which will cost between €4.96 and €23.79, depending on the size required. Funchal has achieved a level of 24% for recycling, the highest in Portugal, and is feeling the financial benefits of doing so. Expecting people to separate out yet more refuse is a tall order in itself, but expecting them to ‘opt in’ and pay for a special container … doomed to failure as it is would be my guess. 

Prison Guards went back on strike yesterday, in the second part of two three day strikes. Further talks were held, mainly about retirement at age 60, but no agreement was reached. The strike, which affects all prisons in Portugal, had a 95% adhesion by prison guards in the first stage. Under existing agreements there is a minimum level of cover in the prisons, and inmates continue to be fed, exercised, given medical care, and have access to religious facilities.

Petrol goes down in price again on Monday. Petrol ’95′ will cost €1.18 a litre, two centythingies less than last week. Diesel has been reset by the government at €0.92, three cents down.

* I am expecting another visit from Trevor from the word police, and of course another telling off for criminal misuse of the English language.