State denies debts to councils ; Tree preservation plan ; 12 tips for a ‘green’ Christmas
Today’s Photo Thanks to Martin L. … Porto Moniz
" … And an organizational disaster. It took us 1,5 hours to finally leave the ship and they extended the already short stay therefore for 0,5 hours. That was the worst of a long line of going ashore problems we faced. Don’t think that only because it says being at a port from 10 to 17 actually means you got that time". CRUISE PASSENGERS BLOG
"Funchal is another hillside town on the ocean. It has about 150,000 inhabitants and is another quaint town where tourism is the number one industry. Unfortunately, we were docking in Funchal on Sunday so a bunch of the attractions, such as the Madeira wineries, were closed. Enough of the tourist souvenir shops were open that we were able to get some shopping done". YET ANOTHER CRUISE PASSENGERS BLOG
"The island of Madeira has an oceanic microclimate with the warm Gulf Stream passing through the islands and offers year round warm waters to swim in. The capital town of Funchal is picture perfectly set in the bay and is home to the majority of 300,000 population". It’s about Madeira Wine, but quite well written, and worth a visit. DID WE HAVE A POPULATION EXPLOSION LAST NIGHT?
"Woman who battled cancer by embarking on string of adventures plunges 100m to her death from cliff". An update on the death of Ruth Holdway who fell to her death whilst out walking on Madeira. UK DAILY MAIL
Portuguese Ministry of Finance denies owing any money to local authorities in autonomous regions. Portuguese Finance Minister Teixeira dos Santos has denied that the State owed 15 million Euros to the local authorities of the Azores and Madeira. However, local authorities said that the State owes 5 million Euros to the Azores, and €8 million to Madeira in IRS revenues. Azores and Madeira local authorities voiced their complaints this weekend during the National of Associations of Municipalities which was attended by Prime Minister José Socrates. RTP AZORES
Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :
West Zone not celebrating New Year’s Eve. The amusement park Giga Park is the exception on the evening of New Year’s Eve. The amusement park in Ponta do Sol is the only official attraction for the night of New Year’s Eve in the counties west of Funchal. From Câmara de Lobos to Calheta, passing logically through Ribeira Brava, there will be no party to commemorate the passing of the year, with the exception of Ponta do Sol, which this year hosts the Giga Park Christmas fair, which on this long night is open until at least five in the morning. Here lies the only lure that will attract the attention of thousands of Madeirans in what for many is the longest night of the year. Moreover there will be no more proposals for animation because it its understood that Funchal is itself an attraction impossible to dethrone on the magical end of year night. In Câmara de Lobos, due to the proximity of the ‘capital’, a bet on staging a New Year Eve’s Party is risking an expected failure, since the well-held tradition focuses on the centre of Funchal and surroundings. Yet the bars in the old zone of Câmara de Lobos will be open until dawn, thus providing an alternative for those looking to escape the crowded fun areas of Funchal. The nearby Ribeira Brava this year has nothing to offer. After several years of promoting a musical show at the sea front in the early hours of the morning of the first day of the year, which almost always showed low compliance, the Council decided not to continue with an event that a priori was doomed to poor participation. Hence, the arrival of the new year will have no cause for celebration in this county, mainly because of the strong competition that focuses attention both on the capital city or in nearby Ponta do Sol. Ponta do Sol this year is placed on the ‘map’ of options for fun because of the Christmas fair there. The relative proximity to Funchal (20/25 minutes) and the privileged access to the main road – one minute to the expressway – and the large parking capacity (3,000 places) around the Giga Park, are factors that promise to heavily influence not only the residents in the area southwest of the island, but also from other parts. In the extreme, Calheta, also has a night without a party. A reality that also reflects the fact that the only nightclub in the ‘West Point’, the Art Caffe, closes its doors, transferring itself to Funchal on this night of the reveillon.
Christmas only for the great. Political Christmas party rivalry. With three elections this year, the smallest parties have no funds for gatherings. The PSD and the PS will have large celebrations in Madeira Tecnopolo. The PCP (Communists) have never held dinners at this time and the funds will be spent on their convention in February. The MPT (Earth Party) also have insufficient funds. Of the three large parties, only the CDS-PP have a different choice of location for the Christmas dinner; 200 met yesterday in a restaurant in Encumeada. Last year, there were over 1,500 PSD members in the Tecnopolo and this year, the organizers expect a similar number. It will be at 20.00 on 12 December. With the usual protocol, the regional leader, Alberto Jardim, will open the official speeches before the dinner. The Socialists expect a more ambitious gathering than last year when there were 800 at the meal. This year, they expect 1,200 to 1,400 at Tecnopolo. This is scheduled for December 19 at 19.30, with a speech by the party leader João Carlos Gouveia. On 20 December, the Socialists Funchal branch will also hold a Christmas party for children belonging to the militants.
Credit growing in the festive season. It is normal for this season: closer it is to Christmas the use of credit increases considerably. The manager of Radio Popular in Cancela said that the main sales were in Forum Madeira but he expected a ‘flood’ in the days before Christmas. "Taking into account the experience of previous years, people all come at the same time: it is a massive demand." People of all ages now use credit cards, even the older population. FNAC expect the most sales in the middle of the month and normally the cards provided by the shops are linked to reductions, in the case of FNAC there is a 10% reduction on purchases on ‘days adherent’. —- Other recent articles about Christmas shopping, especially in smaller shops in the centre of Funchal, have been very negative with shopkeepers complaining that people are just looking and not spending.
Câmara de Lobos lights up tonight. In Câmara de Lobos, they maintain the tradition of the official opening of the Christmas celebrations on the public holiday assigned to today. In ‘baixa’, the House of Father Christmas at the entrance to the city is the ‘card’ for the visitor. A traditional nativity scene is by the Municipal Market. In the vicinity of the Town Hall, at the entrance to Avenida da Nova Cidade, the garden is decorated with a large nativity scene with a background of the traditional houses of Santana. Other areas for excellent decorations are the churches where the presepios and lapinhas have been authentically constructed.
Reveillon marks the ‘Day of the City’ of Santana. Santana begins to celebrate the 9th anniversary of the elevation of the village to a city from New Year’s Eve onwards. From Friday, the services of the municipality will begin to collect subscriptions to join the mega-gala dinner. There will be a meal and musical concert in a tent next to the City Hall. The mayor states that you can still go to Funchal to see the fireworks and return in time, as the celebrations will go on well into the night.
Funchal advance in 2010 with classification of trees. The inventory ‘Trees in the Public Interest’ will be advanced in 2010 to include the classification of nearly 30 trees of this genus. The law gives preservation status to these trees. These are iconic or monumental trees and are classified according to size, age and rarity. The most impressive examples are to be found in parks, forests, churchyards, public and private gardens, quintas and public squares. Once classified, the trees have a protection area which has a perimeter with a 50 metre radius from the base. The tree cannot be cut or pruned without prior authorization by the Forestry Authority and maintenance work has to be carried out with their technical guidance. The trees are measured every ten years to monitor their growth to try to prevent their decrepitude. Trees can also be classified for purposes of tourism or environmental education, if asked for by either the land owners, members of the public or authorities. The survey of monumental and emblematic trees was carried out in 1985 and updated in 2008, which is awaiting ratification. The Nucleo de Dragoeiros at Neves is about the only area where there is a Centre of protected trees, the dragon tree (dracaena draco) is slow growing taking 10 years to reach about 2 to 3 metres. The Regional Directorate of Forestry have edited a book on monumental and iconic trees. In addition to protected species such as the lauraceaes, the laurissilva in nature reserves, there is no progress in the protection of individual examples.There are many sites on the island to be looked at.
Fire at Panteada Market. Fire broke out early on Tuesday morning at Panteada Market in Sao Roque, causing extensive damage to 12 fruit and vegetable stalls. The warning was given at 07.07 and two emergency fire vehicles and two ambulances went to the site, manned by 15 men. The firemen wearing breathing apparatus broke down the corrugated zinc door and roof to extinguish the flames and allow the smoke to escape. It is thought that a short-circuit causing overheating of Christmas lights started the fire. After the investigation, the debris can now be cleared away and the losses which are huge are still being evaluated by the stall holders.
Revenue in 2009 does not depend on authorization of the State. With or without the ‘redistributive’ budget approval in the Assembly of the Republic, Madeira will operationalize the €230 million revenue in the budget for this year as ‘financial liabilities’. The redistributive budget and the revision of the Law of Regional Finances are to be voted on in Lisbon on Friday. These two documents represent many millions of Euros to Madeira. Due to falling revenues and the current expenditure, there is a shortfall of 100 million Euros. The budget has a limit of 5 million Euros but Madeira wants a loan of 129 million Euros approved, arguing that this is much lower than if the amount of debt allowed was in direct proportion to the indebtedness of Portugal. As for the Law of Regional Finances, if the proposed amendments are approved for calculating the money that should have been transferred from the State over recent years, 111 million should be returned to Madeira. It is thought that the Socialist Party in Portugal will approve the new debt limit but the fact that Teixeira dos Santos did not include the Regional Government proposed amendments in the State Budget is worrying. Garces Ventura believes he can find some other way to ensure the budget revenue. Rather than go to the banks to seek authorization to pay off loans and short-term borrowing, the Government will go to funding sources that do not count towards the debt. This will include a new small loan. The vice-president of the Regional Government said that the State is obliged to pay the health and educational costs in the Region but it has not paid a third of what has been spent.
Quercus 12 tips for a greener Christmas. The Association for Nature Conservation has 12 tips to reduce waste which increases each year. Greeting cards should be via electronic mail. This is cheaper and reduces the use of paper and producing waste. If this is not possible, use recycled paper and reusable envelopes, or make your own using recycled paper. Offer any excess used toys to other children. Buy useful gifts which will not just be thrown away. Use rechargeable batteries. Re-use wrapping paper from gifts from last Christmas and birthday presents. Make use of Christmas tree ornaments from last year and buy artificial trees. If buying a real Christmas tree, make sure it is from authorized forest thinning and ask the Town Hall to collect it after Christmas. Buy longer-lasting higher quality items. Buy books printed on recycled paper. Do not eat in excess and cook at home rather than eat pre-packed foods. Consume drinks in reusable containers and use returnable bottles. Recycle packaging and use the waste bottle, card and plastic banks. Use energy-efficient lighting and appliances and have old appliances recycled. Use public transport whenever possible.
Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :
Funchal Council have €200,000 to restore the market that burned – The fire damaged 12 stalls in Penteada. There are in fact only 12 stalls or stands there, and all were damaged to some extent. Elaine has already covered the story above. There will be another 12 pretty unhappy families on Madeira this Christmas, as a chunk of prime selling time passes them by. Maybe the €200,000 recovery budget will compensate them, but things don’t generally work like that here.
PSP Police promise ‘zero tolerance’ during Christmas. There will be no ‘Christmas spirit’ as far as our police forces are concerned, and although they are sensitive to the festive season, the law will be upheld to the ultimate degree. The police chief said that his priority is to ensure the safety of the population, and as such there will be no slack for driving offences or other infractions, and checks will be reinforced.
People already infected by Gripe A swine flu advise calm. ‘Calm is the best remedy for H1N1′. 3 people of different ages tell of their experiences as victims of the the Gripe A virus, and they all talk of the importance of following the recommendations of the authorities. The total number of victims has risen to nearly 400, and there have been two deaths to date, but these were people with other medical problems. The advice given is to quarantine yourself for 7 days, and in most cases one can then return to a normal life.
Today’s main news headline : There are less Madeirans travelling by plane. The liberalisation of the airways doesn’t appeal to residents despite of the fares having fallen by 40% and the travel subsidy. Compared to the previous system, there are 100,000 less benefiting from the public assistance. The state saves 15.5 million Euros. The numbers are undeniable, in the first 11 months of this year only 117,513 journeys by the residents of Madeira benefited from the €60 subsidy, support from the state for air travel. Surprising really, as an early bargain booking combined with the subsidy would cost less for many than the journey to the airport at Santa Cruz. Money spent that could probably easily be saved on Christmas shopping in Lisbon or even Porto.
Rui Moisés renegotiates previous contracts – The councillor runs a fine tooth comb through the council of Santana. Practically all of the negotiations of the previous president, Carlos Pereira, have been reviewed and renegotiated by the new president Rui Moisés. Loans, debts to suppliers, and public contracts are all being reviewed, and the new man has publically appealed to all the companies involved to show understanding. Moisés says the move is to meet budget cuts of €100,000 imposed by the government of Portugal through failing to transfer 5% of tax revenues. Discussions between the regional and central government seem to be going nowhere, so it may be that we see the other câmaras doing the same exercise now that Moisés has very publically set a good example, and as all councils face the same problem. I suppose most people will see it as a more palatable option than increases in council tax, but I do wonder if there is a little bit of an attempt in this to embarrass an already embarrassed outgoing president, who has already been undeservedly kicked in the teeth enough times by Uncle Bertie and pals.
In Gaula, councillors challenge puzzling work of the Regional Government.
In football : Portuguese great in the ‘Champions’ – Ronaldo scored two more, FC Porto thrash Atletico. Madeiran Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice for Real Madrid away at Marseille (1 – 3). Porto won away (0 – 3) at Atletico Madrid. Both teams qualify with ease for the knockout stages of the Champions league.
Another story that caught my eye, but away from the front page, was about a drunk cyclist arrested for hitting and damaging a parked car in Santa Cruz. The man was cycling with over 2 g/l of alcohol in his blood on Sunday night. It is an unusual case, as the cyclist clearly has no insurance for road accidents, and the police have had to take on the role of mediator between the cyclist and the owner of the car. The highway rules specifies that the man committed a crime by drink-cycling, and he will have to appear in court. What the penalty will be I have no idea, but unlike a car driver, it can hardly be anything that will prevent him doing the same thing again.
That’s all I have time for. If anyone else can oblige with any of the ‘blank’ or sparsely filled headlines or other news stories, here is the link
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Model Boat Championship. Organized by the Nautical Association of Madeira and held last Sunday at the Centro Nautico da Ribeira do Natal in Caniçal. The trophy ‘Liquid PC’ for radio-controlled boats winner was Goncalo Sousa. The wind was weak and variable, the participants experienced some difficulties because the small boats were unruly, forcing the organizers to postpone most races until the afternoon. With rising wind and tide, the races went ahead. The big surprise was Omar Vieira who won five of eight races with ‘Bleu’. 32 boats were entered in the races. —– I never knew there were model boat enthusiasts in Madeira. There will be train spotters in a couple of years too! Der.
CMF wants to encourage renovation of buildings. Funchal Council want to revise the municipal tax again in another initiative to encourage private investment in the renovation of houses. There is already a 50% reduction for residential use and exemption if the use will be for tourism. The mayor Miguel Albuquerque said that in recent years there had been a housing boom in the city centre. Therefore the council must make an effort to ensure affordable social housing in these areas such as in Cruzes and Alegria, and not introduce discrimination in terms of residents in the historic centre. He was speaking at the inauguration of a restored building in the Rua do Bispo, which includes six apartments, seven offices and three commercial spaces, and cost 1 million Euros to renovate, keeping the original facades and main features. (Shown in photo)
Airport receives 200 pieces from the private collection of Joao Carlos Abreu. The collection of ‘Angels and Boys Choir’ will be on display at the Arrivals Area from 20 December and throughout the Christmas period. These figurines are made of clay, ceramic, cardboard and metal and many were collected in Portugal and Italy as well as other countries. 
‘Estelinha’ and the conflict over the chapel. ‘Estelinha’ – popular name for Estela Pereira Ferreira – a 73 year old resident of Campanário who holds the keys to and receives the money from the promises for the Capela de Nossa Senhora do Bom Despacho (Chapel of Our Lady of Good Order). She has done so for more than 40 years on behalf of the local population. Several parish priests have been in the region but none have been able to clarify the ‘jurisdiction’ over the private chapel which belonged to Conde Canavial. There have been bitter exchanges and suspicions between ‘Estelinha’ and some priests, disagreements over public/pulpit money. In 2004, the priest and the diocese refused a baptism in the chapel, other times there have been weddings, Masses and christenings. Now the Mass is limited to festive seasons and the priest has to ask ‘Estelinha’ to open the door. ‘Estelinha’ says she has the permission of the owner to manage the chapel and has a ‘commission’ to pay for the upkeep made from received money and the ‘gold’ of Our Lady given by Conde Canavial. With conflict over the ownership of this property over the past 15 years, this ‘commission’ is not enough for the people to legally claim ownership of the chapel. Also conflicts over payment for repair work and the door and the roof were restored with the ‘commission’, not by the parish. The chapel is in a magnificent setting with a beautiful view and it is worth tourists asking to see inside. It was founded in 1672 and restored in 1762. In 2007, the Regional Government classified it as a monument of public interest and with this classification, it is in an area for special protection.
Today’s top news headline : Expenditure in the port divides opinions – The project is to provide facilities to embark and disembark in the comfort of covered passageways. But the investment of €3 million is not peaceful between the shipping agents, because the equipment will not be 100% functional. This is about the installation of walkway equipment that will be used to embark and disembark some passengers arriving by ship (ferry or cruise), similar to the facilities used for planes, where a moveable corridor is moved into place to allow passengers to enter or leave the ship through a moveable corridor mechanism, as shown.
