Madeira News Blog

(18th September). ‘Management Of Waste And Water Leaves 200 Outside – The operation in its current format involves 400 employees in Madeira’s 10 participating regions. The new company, that excludes Funchal, is only going to need less than half of those. The local authorities are already complaining’. Water employees in the 10 local authorities are to be absorbed by the new company, but there are 379 in total at present, excluding administrative staff, and the new company, that will also manage rubbish collection services, sewerage, and water treatment, will only need 150 of them. The government will delay the entrance of ‘Águas e Resíduos da Madeira’, of which it is 1% shareholder, until 2010. The councils also jointly hold a 48% stake in the company. The new timetable will enter in two phases, to allow resolution of the manpower issues, and also with the legal framework. Initially Câmara de Lobos, Machico, Santa Cruz and Ribeira Brava, and maybe Porto Santo, will receive services in rubbish collection, sewerage treatment, and water distribution and billing, with the other councils to follow in phase two. The council workers have no obligation to move to the new company, but clearly the councils will not want to retain the staff when there is no work for them. As well as the 379 workers employed by the councils, there are also 109 vehicles in use. Santa Cruz is the most ‘top heavy’ of the councils, with 115 staff employed in waste and water (excluding administration), nearly twice the number as anywhere else. São Vicente has just 9 employees. Really! The article makes it sound like the reduced manpower needs have come as a shock. Somewhere along the line someone must had crunched the numbers to make the project viable.

‘Private Education Takes Cut – The support for the construction of new crèches and private schools is suspended’. With the new rules, the government is tight on finance and, in some cases is demanding the return of funding. The funding situation underwent a review, and a decision was taken yesterday to suspend support and funding, including a demand for the return of money given to pay staff. The measure is justified as ‘imposing the same measures for the reduction of costs in the private sector as are necessary in the public sector’. It is a temporary measure, but the Diário has information that indicates that this could be for three years. In crèches, or kindergartens, the state pays for a teacher and two assistants in each class, and sometimes other employees, but this funding will stop and any advance payments for salaries will have to be returned to the Department of Education. Some schools with financial assistance for swimming pools and sports pavilions will also be affected, as support is withdrawn. The Department of Education is still of the view that families should still have a choice between public and private schools, and will continue with the principle that private schools still form part of the regional education system. Full details were published in the official government journal JORAM yesterday HERE but I don’t know the document reference, and obviously the information is in Portuguese. I would imagine this will be a big worry for some parents.

‘Teachers Without Training For Teaching Through The “Magalhães”. The Magalhães are the mini laptop computer that nearly every 1st cycle school child now has, as provided by the government a couple of months ago. Parents and guardians have already been informed that the laptop will be an essential tool in school, but in truth not all teachers are prepared to teach using the programmes used by the little computers, despite having been offered training in Information Technology and Communication. A spokesman from Madeira’s union for teachers said that the training offered was not specific to the computer programmes used by the Magalhães, and many teachers are having to learn by themselves. “There should have been training for all before the delivery of the computers to students” he says, “We think that this was a failure”. Another issue is the continued issue of the computers to children, as there has been no announcement as to whether central government will offer the Magalhães to the next batch of eligible students. You can see people, not just children, with these computers all over the place. At night, when the kids are asleep, parents ‘borrow’ them, and you can see them at the free internet access wi-fi zones peering at the little screens. A brilliant scheme (in theory), with many kids getting them free, others having to pay €50 or something like that. They even (in theory) mean the kids can follow lessons at home, if sick, and you can imagine the value of that, if it works, in a Gripe A swine flu epidemic causing a school closure. The Diário cartoon today suggests that if teachers have trouble working the new computers and software, they can always ask for kids for help.

‘Government Warns Sick With Gripe A – The citizens are going to sign a ‘Declaration of Commitment’ to avoid spreading the virus’. The Institute of Administration of Health and Social Affairs (IASAÚDE) wants to enforce the issue of personal responsibility in the case of Gripe A infection, and has devised a ‘Declaração de Compromisso’ (Declaration of Commitment) that will be issued by health professionals to confirmed cases of swine flu, explaining the responsibility of individuals in preventing the spread of the virus, including staying at home for a prescribed period. There is also a leaflet available explaining the situation and responsibilities. Both documents (in Portuguese) can be seen HERE. Knowingly spreading and infection disease (even negligently) is a criminal offence here, punishable by a long prison sentence. Great idea, but of course it does sort of depend on the sick person actually going to the doctor or hospital, as I am sure many will just try and ‘sleep it off’.

Today’s main photo is from last nights big game : ‘Nacional Startled The Germans But Lacked Experience’. That’s not my assessment, but the Germans were certainly physically stronger, knocking our lads all over the place, and a bit quicker too.
Thanks to Paul ‘do Mar’ for sending in this UEFA link with pictures, a video, and a sort of match report. NACIONAL 2 – 3 WERDER BREMEN

‘Madeira Ballet Theatre’ In Russia – The ballet dance group is performing in St. Petersburg’. Madeira Ballet Theatre conquers Russia, with the performance of ‘Auguste Rodin’ held between 4th and 11th September, with a warm reception that motivated the dancers. The show will be repeated in Funchal in November, in the Teatro Baltazar Dias.

‘The Most Expensive Car Parks Are The Most Used – The more central car parks in Funchal have more users, despite of the prices’. Those such as Anadia and Dolce Vita are the most expensive and yet the most used (around 80% occupation). Those away from the centre, such as Rua Bela de Santiago, with much more accessible prices, have an occupation rate of around 10%. Last year car parking use and revenues took a nose dive as the crisis changed people’s behaviour, but now everything is pretty much back to normal. In the Anadia car park, one would pay €1.30 for an hour, but cheaper less central car parks are available for €0.50 an hour. Convenience is king, forget the price. Or is it car parking for the wealthier, and long walks for the poorer?

The new stretch of cycle path along the Estrada Monumental in Funchal is due to be inaugurated tomorrow.

Police say they have broken up a drug trafficking network, with 5 arrests and the seizure of enough hashish for 11,000 doses. The investigation, to obtain the evidence and make the arrests, ran for 5 months.

UPDATE :

‘Criminal complaint against José Manuel Coelho – SRARN condemns the “false and offensive content” of statements by the PND candidate’. The Government, through the Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources (SRARN), today announced it will present a criminal complaint against the candidate of the New Democracy Party (PND) in the parliamentary elections, José Manuel Coelho, following statements made yesterday during a campaign outside the premises of that regional office. José Manuel Coelho, perhaps better known as ‘The Rabbit’, denounced the alleged embezzlement of funds from the European Union. “We must expose a den of thieves that exists here in the regional office of the Environment and Natural Resources”, said Coelho at the opening of the campaign. The full story is on yesterday’s blog.

Another 26 political stories again today, but nothing much more of interest in that section.

(17th September). ‘Secret Houses Bother Councils – The local authorities hide numbers and even support illegalities. The lack of paperwork leaves the occupants in difficulties’. The vast majority of the houses were built in the 1970′s and 80′s and are located in Funchal, Machico, and Câmara de Lobos. The story is nearly always the same, and the complications too. When life changes and a bank loan is required or someone else enters the equation, nothing can be done because the house was built without consent and is not registered. The câmaras don’t know the extent of the problem, but there are hundreds in the locations mentioned. The councils try to work around the problems so that occupants have water, sewerage and electricity connections. Some even try to lessen the impact on the landscape by providing materials for the owners, such as paint, tiles, and building materials (presumably to help them blend in and look acceptable?). Funchal is mentioned as having given such materials free of charge to people in the high zones, who don’t have the money to pay for them themselves. Often such assistance was misdirected. The problem occurred when there was an acute housing shortage, and in the case of Câmara de Lobos, assistance was offered by the council by allowing utility connections without the required permits, and there are hundreds of such houses in that district alone. It is not easy or cheap to legalise such houses, with lawyers finding legal obstacles in the process that can take years to resolve. Sometimes it is not possible at all because the ‘plots’ are too small for legal building, and the câmaras cannot issue permits to legalise the situation. Meanwhile the owners cannot sell the properties, and banks will not allow mortgages.

‘He Ordered A Funeral But Was Saved Through The Agency -  Morbid and highly unusual. The case occurred on Porto Santo’. Yesterday morning the staff of a hotel and a funeral agency managed to prevent a death through a suicide attempt by a pensioner, a guest at the the hotel. The man who wanted to end his own life, ordered his own funeral, and even had his own burial suit ready own his hotel room. He had asked for anonymity at the hotel, and on Tuesday had asked the hotel reception not to put through any calls or disturb him after 9.30 am. The funeral director turned up in the hotel reception as requested by the man, and asked to speak to the guest, but the telephone was not answered, and eventually a maid was sent along to the room. The room door was open, and the maid, seeing traces of blood on the floor and bed, raised the alert. Help was summoned, and the man was found still on the bathroom floor with his wrists slashed, but still alive. He was taken to the local health centre, and then to Madeira by air. A suicide note was found alongside the burial suit, with instructions on what to do after his death.

‘Fraudsters Attack On Madeira’. Two women posing as social security workers tried to enter a house in Santo Serra yesterday. The two women, aged around 20 and 40, are believed to be trying to rob elderly people living in isolated locations. The intended victim alerted the Diário to warn others of the danger, but was not actually robbed due to her cautious actions. A spokesperson for Social Security said that their employees are obliged to show identification before entering private premises.

‘Archive Shows ‘Legacies To The History’. The ‘Arquivo Regional’ will have on show items donated for the exhibition ‘Legados para a história’, which opens to the public on 24th September, continuing until 21st October. The exhibition will be housed in the lobby of the Arquivo Regional da Madeira, showing exhibits donated & acquired (loaned?) from people and private collections between 2005 and 2008. The complete collection comprises over 5,000 photographs, and 169 maps, plans, and drawings. The archive is always looking to acquire new material, and people who have documents or items of interest but don’t want to donate them, can take them along for microfilming or scanning.

Today’s main front page photo is taken outside the stadium of Nacional, with many things being delivered and set up, including TV cameras : ‘Europa League Brings Hundreds Of Tourists – Spanish and Austrians arrange special flights’. It’s probably the biggest game in the club’s history for Nacional, as they take on Werder Bremen. ‘The Circus Is Already Assembled’, refers to a number of changes and improvements demanded by UEFA, at the Stadium of Madeira in the Choupana, in order for the match to take place. The smell of fresh paint still hangs in the air, and everything has now been done to meet the UEFA requirements. The game tonight between Nacional and Werder Bremen is considered ‘high risk’, and around 70 police officers will be in attendance. Some officers will be in ‘plain clothes’ and will mingle in with both sets of fans. Everyone will be searched on entry using metal detectors. I know the Germans don’t have the best of reputations when it comes to problems with fans at football matches, but I can’t imagine that the fans of Nacional cause any concern, despite what UEFA think.

‘Coach Of Werder Bremen Is Enchanted With The Location Of The Stadium Of Nacional’. I can’t find this story, but I certainly agree with him … except when the mist or cloud comes down that is.

The match is on SportTV 1 at 8.05 pm.

‘New Screening Unit For The Beginning Of 2010 – The mobile screening unit is aimed at early detection of breast cancer’. The agreement was signed yesterday between the regional health service SESARAM and the bank Espírito Santo. The new acquisition is a welcome contribution in reducing backlogs in screening, that have been up to 7 or 8 months. There is one unit already in use, but at 10 years old is showing signs of wear and tear. The regional secretary for Social Affairs, Francisco Jardim Ramos, said that there are around 120 new cases of breast cancer detected on Madeira each year, but 80% of the cases are treatable because they are detected early enough.

Funchal Council are looking at the idea of giving parking discounts of 50% to environmentally friendly vehicles. A change to municipal regulations is set to be discussed next week. The change is expected to cover both electric and hybrid powered vehicles. To take advantage of the scheme, owners of such vehicles will need to go to Funchal Council offices to obtain a permit.

‘Police Identify Alleged Robber’. Police believe they have identified one of the two masked men who appeared at Elos cash and carry in Viveiros in Funchal, armed with a knife, and who forced checkout staff to hand over "a significant sum". (See yesterday’s blog). No mention of an arrest yet, but it appears that the other robbery reported, at a hotel reception, was carried out by a different pair of criminals.

At one of his inaugurations yesterday, president Jardim used the occasion to announce that he has already ordered the removal of the fences from the Marina of Lugar de Baixo, with the clean up work barely finished, regardless of ongoing legal issues. "I am a revolutionary. This is how I work, acting in the interest of the people" he said.

‘Journalists For ‘Good Health’ Visit Madeira And Porto Santo – French, Italians and Germans in the Region’. The Association for the Promotion of Madeira, is supporting the organisation of three trips for the media from Germany, France and Italy, each with seven journalists from various sectors on the themes of spa tourism and good health (well being). The first French initiative is also being supported by Portugal Tourism based in France, and TAP airline in France, and those journalists arrive on Sunday.

From yesterday’s Jornal da Madeira : ‘SORT-MAC Project Starts In October – The aim is to restore pathways and place signs in the Ilhas Desertas and Ponta de São Lourenço’. The project has support from the European Union, and on Madeira will be organised by the Directorate for the Environment, jointly with the National Park Service. Information boards will also be put in place, once a survey has been carried out to determine the best locations.

(29th August). Today’s main news story : ‘Robberies In Madalena – The police admit that there is a new wave of break-ins on the Avenida da Madalena. Garages and cars are the targets’. The area itself is quite calm, but the break-ins just don’t stop. Even the noise of the car alarms don’t deter the criminals. The article gives quite a few stories from residents in the zone of Funchal, who have had their cars broken into, both on the street and in garages, but they are all much the same. According to a spokesman for the PSP (police), Commissioner Roberto Fernandes, "the PSP has been monitoring this phenomenon closely and has found a fluctuation in the crime of car robbery in the area of Madalena. He said the population needed to take more care, making sure they were not followed into garages for example, and also mentioned condominiums where access is not secured.

‘Gripe A : Six Thousand Masks Face masks For The 1st Cycle And Pre-School’. Madeira government preparing plan to ensure there is no disruption to school meals. Paper towels and hot air hand driers installed. All measures in response to the risk of the spread of H1N1 swine flu. The masks will only be used in the event of a suspected case, while the situation is being dealt with and the kids are in isolation. In fact, right now, all eyes are focused on a contingency plan to avoid disruptions in the supply of meals in schools. The Director of Planning and Educational Resources points out that this issue is very sensitive and, if not taken care of, can cause problems for families. "Imagine that two of the three kitchen staff of a school fall ill during the night. The school must have alternatives to continue to provide meals to students, in order not to compel families to find solutions on their behalf". Now there’s a scary thought … 6,000 infants, … even scarier is 6,000 hungry infants with masks.

The sports story of the day is an expansion on what was given yesterday : ‘The Distinguished And Dangerous In The Group Of Nacional – Club President Rui Alves expects to get through the group stage with victories in the Choupana’ (home games). Group L fixtures for our local football team in the Liga Europa are : Weder Bremen 17/9 (h) & 3/12 (a), Austria Vienna 1/10 (a) & 16/12 (h), and Athletic Bilbao 22/10 (a) & 5/11 (h).

‘Licensing Hours Annoy Businessmen In The Docks – The council of Porto Santo provides for the bars of the city and leaves Penedo do Sono deserted’. The article is accompanied by a photo outside the location in question, with not a person in sight. The bosses in the dock area say they are worried. Those that invested in bars in Penedo do Sono are upset with the câmara who have spoiled their Summer by "giving out licenses to any bar on the island that might want to stay open until 4 or 5 am in the morning", said Ruben Drumond, night club owner and spokesman for the discontented. He said he made a considerable investment in his venture on the strength of a ‘scenario of withdrawal from the city and residential zones, that did not come to pass’. A measure adopted, he adds, because it is a local election year.  "It appeared to us a sense of injustice and disrespect on the part of Mr. President, Roberto Silva, who conceived and laid down certain rules that now have no value in themselves, thereby showing a great contempt for those who believed in his ideas" he regrets. "The city council had set a strategy to remove the noise from the city centre and focus on the nightlife in Penedo do Sono" he recalls, explaining that this was intended to "feed the evolution of the island as a destination of quality", with a separation between those people seeking rest and those seeking nightlife. Ruben, who owned a bar in the town in 2005, was approached directly by the câmara president in November that year, and told that the opening hours were to be cut back, and anyone wishing to ‘make a noise’ late on would have to do it in Penedo do Sono, which was to be built for this purpose. A politician who doesn’t keep his word … whatever next! A businessman who bases a substantial investment on the word of a politician … whatever next!

‘Adverse Weather Conditions Cancel Entertainment In São Vicente – The international group Hermes House Band should have been playing, but the performance was cancelled’. The entertainment programme, including the open air disco, for the night in the annual festival in São Vicente was cancelled due to strong winds and rain. Tonight the top comedy act ‘Super Gordo’ also depends on weather conditions. And there’s me just down the road struggling to find a breath of cool air last night, and certainly not a sniff of rain.

UPDATE

‘Excavation makes rats to flee to the homes’. An excavation which is being undertaken in the area of Ribeiro Seco, which is encompassed in the work of connecting the Port of Funchal to Pilar, is causing the rats to flee, which were there in large numbers, to the houses in the vicinity, including the Caminho da Fé. The complaint was made by a resident of the area, directing criticism at the company who is doing the work, in particular for not having targeted the rats for extermination before the start of the ground-works. Something he stresses that has been suggested by residents at an earlier stage of the work.

Restriction on some lands preventing hunting have been lifted, in time for the new hunting season. As a result, in Paul da Serra there will be 400 more hectares available to hunters than there were last year.

‘Biofuel production to start in Porto Santo before the end of the year’. The production of biofuel from biomass, made through the intensive cultivation of micro algae will start to be implemented by the end of the year in Porto Santo, said a spokesman from EEM (Empresa Electricidade da Madeira). The new ‘substation’ at Calheta is costing €1.3 million, and is in response to growing demand on the island, and to make Porto Santo "truly green in terms of electricity". Porto Santo, was the home of the first wind farm in Portugal, established in 1998.

Several ‘bush’ fires were reported yesterday, including in Santa Cruz and Câmara de Lobos, and also two suspicious fires started in Campanário.

Funchal’s taxi drivers are to put together a petition against the decision to make the 4 ‘eco buses’ free of charge to users, on the basis this it creates unfair competition. Actually it says ‘taxi drivers of the region’, so maybe they are expecting others outside of Funchal to come on board. The decision was taken at a meeting last week, to which very few taxi drivers actually attended. The petition will be signed by the drivers, families and friends. The chances of getting public support will be pretty thin, like turkeys voting for Christmas, and what with the fierce inter rivalry between the 11 regions of Madeira on taxi matters, I doubt whether there will be much support from outside of Funchal either.

The ground staff on strike at major airports have returned to work, after promises from the airline TAP that jobs will be retained. Unions and management signed a protocol after a meeting lasting 4 hours, that ended the industrial action of the ‘handling’ company Groundforce.

The last of the front page offerings for today is from politics. The main photo today shows a close up photo of the face of Humberto Vasconcelos, the president (or soon to be ex) of São Vicente Câmara : ‘Humberto Felt That They Wouldn’t Allow Him To ‘Give More’ – Humberto Vasconcelos expressed his state of spirit on The Dia do Concelho (day of the region) of São Vicente about not being able allowed to continue the work in the North. In an interview to the Diário, he explains himself better. Who doesn’t feel …’. A restrained interview with HV who seems to be popular locally, but he got on the wrong side of President Jardim, who stopped him standing for another term. "That I have to respect" he said. "From my point of view there is no conflict, it was a strategy determined by the (PSD-M) party", he said. At his farewell speech in the ‘dia do concelho’ this week in São Vicente he received a standing ovation from the crowd, something the government representative in attendance didn’t get. The opposition parties will use this controversy to pressure the PSD-M in the forthcoming elections, and as the seat is less safe than the social democrats would like, they might find winning here a bit of a struggle. Another Uncle Bertie classic ‘own goal’ perhaps?