Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Becky … 2010 New Year fireworks from Rua do Lazareto in Funchal. That’s definitely the last of the fireworks now.

I quite liked this 10 minute video, with some really good singers from ‘Funchal a Cantar 09′ – Santo António. At first I thought it was from 2008, but at the back of the stage, behind the singer, it looks like someone has stuck a number ’9′ on top of the previous number.

"The enchanting Portuguese archipelago of Madeira is a tiny verdant gem suspended in a sea of brilliant blue. Walking holidays in Madeira can take you from lush walks through sub-tropical vegetation to open ridges approaching 2000m with views seemingly to the ends of the earth". Walking the Levadas of Madeira

‘That’s pretty, but what the hell is it’, I hear you ask. "Vortex streets emerge when the right wind and cloud formation encounters the right kind of obstacle. Theodore von Kármán, a fluid dynamicist, observed and documented this phenomenon. Swirling rings sequence along a street-like corridor trail beyond the obstacle. Each ring stems from an air pockets are released in a series of vortices alternating parallel to wind direction. This condition can happen at any scale if the proportion of energies and obstacles is present". This picture from 2002 shows the area South East of Madeira, and the effect of the landmass on cloud formations. Thanks to InfraNet Lab for the pic / info.

This is very politically incorrect and I prohibit you from clicking on this link How some people can sleep at night I just don’t know!

Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :

Living under threat.  Dorita Escorcio and her father were driving near the Cruzinhas viewpoint in Faial when a gust of wind dislodged a large eucalyptus branch. It pierced the roof and windscreen of their car and landed in between the seats, near the gear lever. Ironically, it was another branch lying in the road that prevented injury to either of them. They were driving in the middle of the road to circumnavigate this branch when the eucalyptus branch fell on top of their car and it would have hit one of them. She is hoping that the government will partly pay for repairs to her car. There are many instances of storm damage in both the parishes of Faial and Sao Roque do Faial, for example two large landslides in Fajã do Cedro Gordo still mark the landscape. About 30 families live in this area which is known for its instability. Nearby, due to a large landslide, a road has been closed for nine months, to the inconvenience of residents who have to make long detours.

Storm raized a pear plantation. Heartbroken, angry, indignant, revolted and disgusted. These are the five adjectives used to describe the mood of  Albino Teixeira Francisco who lives in São Vicente. He has suffered heavy losses on his land in Burras, the last time at the end of December. A break in the structure of the Levada de Norte led to the water flooding and destroying almost all his plantation of organic Pear trees. This happened three years previously and despite letters to the Electricity Company, no measures were taken. He insists the levada walls are too old to resist the pressure of water formed during periods of heavy rain. His land lies at an altitude of 10,000 metres in the Laurissilva Forest which is littered with branches blown down by the stormy weather and these were dragged down onto his land by the overflowing water. He wants an official assessment of the cost of the damage but will not be compensated for the delay which affects the plantation.

Operation Christmas led to 67 arrests. Results of the increased policing operation from 8 December to January 9. Most offences related to driving, 36 due to driving under the influence of alcohol and 10 for driving without a licence. The police stopped a total of 2,984 vehicles during the operation and most offences occurred during the first period from 8 December to 27 December. During Operation Christmas, the police seized 10,960 doses of illegal drugs, mainly heroin (10,845). They also confiscated two guns and three knives.

Lisbon orders a retrial for murder. The Court of Appeal in Lisbon has ordered a retrial of a Madeiran who was accused in Venezuela of murdering a 33 year old Venezuelan man by dousing him with petrol then setting him alight in 1994. The accused was prosecuted in Venezuela and acquitted. He then returned to his native Funchal but the Venezuelan press still pursued the case. A retrial was ordered in Venezuela but the defendant used his right to be tried in Portugal. His case was heard at the Court of Santa Cruz and he was acquitted in 2009. The Appeal Court in Lisbon has now ordered a retrial. The defendant was the manager of a petrol filling station and the victim was employed to wash windscreens and help motorists. The man was asked to leave by the management after complaints by customers and the two exchanged ‘mangueiradas’ (hosepipes) of petrol. The victim then left the petrol pump area and lit a cigarette when he caught fire and died days later in hospital. The family of the victim also sued for 325,835.28 Euros. The family presented four new witnesses to the Appeal Court and because of their evidence an appeal was ordered. The defendant challenged the admission of new witnesses, that this did not comply with procedural deadlines but it was ruled that their evidence was admissible in court.

Bad weather again undermines the Night Market. After the bad weather ruined the Noite de Mercado in Estreito on Christmas Eve, yesterday a second version was attempted, the Cantar as Janeiras (Night Songs – sung at New Year). Just a few hundred people braved the harsh weather conditions with uninterrupted rain ruining the outside stalls although nearby bars were crowded. The interior of the Municipal Market of Câmara de Lobos was still festive and colourful with traditional musical entertainment. The entertainment was well attended (photo) but the fruit and vegetable stall holders lamented the poor sales.

Construction defects complaints soar. Weaknesses in the construction of buildings has brought in three years (2007 – 2009), 1,200 people to the Defesa do Consumidor. Cracked walls and lifting tiles are the most common examples of problems found in new apartments. Many builders eventually evade liability. The guarantee period is 5 years and people are advised to send a registered letter to the seller, identifying the defects. Usually an agreement is reached and the repair work carried out. If not, then people can go to the Serviço de Defesa do Consumidor desk at the Loja do Cidadão in Funchal. Their Legal Office tries to resolve the issue by mediation before any legal proceedings. They often have to return to court to enforce a judicial ruling. In one case in Caniço, after a three year legal dispute the firm declared insolvency. After declaring bankruptcy, some companies reappear in business under a different name. Cracks are normal in buildings but several apartments in Edificio Panoram in Funchal, built by Manuel de Abreu & Slilva, have serious defects which were reported in the warranty period but are still not repaired. A worse situation is Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Caniço (photo) which was inaugurated by Jardim in 2003. There are serious flaws (e.g. gas and water supplies too close together) and after lengthy arguing (Funchal Council accused Santa Cruz Council of not inspecting the building properly), one million Euros of work should begin this month.   —- I hope the repair work at Edificio Quinta do Garajau in Cancela is completed as the building already looks shabby for a relatively new building. There is an apartment block opposite Caniço Health Centre which looks in a worse condition – I wonder if that is the one where the builder has declared insolvency. The recent weather is certainly finding the ‘quick to build/profit’ faults, roofs and basement garages are the worst areas. (Like many others, I could rant about residents not paying condominium fees).

Contingency plan to save infrastructure from the sea. A CDU councillor urges Funchal Municipal Council to establish a contingency plan to safeguard swimming complexes from sea damage. This would minimize damage and possibly reduce costs to Frente Mar and the Council. The annual cost of repairing damage to the swimming complex at Ponto Gorda is 160,000 Euros. CDU councillors have alerted the Government to the existence of tourist facilities that are exposed to geological hazards, for example at risk form mudslides and landslides. This has been highlighted recently in Angra dos Reis in Rio de Janeiro.

Campanário welcomes Fatima. The Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fatima is now at the Parish Church of Campanário. There was a large number of people participating in the procession before the religious ceremony, as shown in the video.

It rains outside and inside. The Centro Comercial Olimpo in Avenida do Infante has a glass ceiling which is causing concern to traders as it leaks when it rains. The rubber seals in between the glass frames have perished due to lack of maintenance. The shop owners are particularly worried about water seeping into electrical connections and affecting places such as the elevator. They are concerned about implications for their businesses and have alerted the condominium owners to the problems.

Santo Amaro celebrations in Santa Cruz. More details of activities for the Festas de Santo Amaro, the patron saint of Santa Cruz. On Wednesday at 18.30, opening of a painting exhibition and ethnographic fair. Thursday, procession between Capela de Santo Amaro and the Igreja Matriz for the Eucharist. Entertainment by the Grupo de Folclore da Casa do Povo de Santa Cruz (22.30), Grupo Musical Reis Magos (23.15) and karaoke from 23.30. Friday 15 January, Municipal Band of Santa Cruz at 13.00 followed by a solemn Eucharist. Later, entertainment by Sol Nascente and Encontros da Eira. Saturday, Vozes de Santa Cruz competition at 22.00. Sunday at 16.00, folclore and romarias for the Grande Premio de Santa Amaro and Romarias Antigas do Rochao from 20.00.

Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :

… and what a lot there are!

Battle against the insects is lost – Mosquitoes and ants resist the cold and the insecticides. Even cockroaches have become more resistant to the cold, as over the last few years new species of insects have appeared on Madeira, and are proving very difficult to control. "The battle against the insects is a battle lost" says the boss of the company called ‘Extermínio’, that has 18 years experience in the control and eradication of plagues. The most famous of the invaders is the mosquito Aedes aegypti, but there are others he continues. There are people now complaining about ant infestations, even in places where there is no food source apparent, and even in cold places, like refrigerators. António Sales Caldeira says that infestations are becoming ever more common, doubling year on year the call outs for help to control the problems in hotels and other businesses, and in private households also.  Of particular problem is the little ‘Pharaoh Ant’ that arrived on Madeira in the 1990′s, adapting very well to our conditions, breeding like rabbits, and seemingly needing very little  resources in order to flourish. Another type is the ‘Argentinean Ant’ that likes to nest near food and water, and is quite territorial and will expel other species. Another type is the ‘Crazy Ant’ that is small, dark, and wanders around quickly in circles. Other ant species, the more native sorts, seem to be disappearing as the new more dominant species take over, and Sr. Exterminator says that of all the insects the ants are the hardest to control. Apparently even ‘bed bugs’ have now found their way to Madeira, enjoying our warm dry climate, and they are active at night and feed on blood, mainly from the area around the neck. They are very difficult to eradicate says our expert, adding that in the case of an infestation, the only solution involves throwing out the old mattress and buying a new one, as well as professional help that will last 4 to 5 days per bedroom.

Junta (Council) of Gaula pay the presidents default – Élvio Sousa arranges payment of €5 thousand in his favour.

CDS takes to the Ministry [the issue of] delays in the scholarships of UMa [Madeira University].

Government returns to freezing funding.

Today’s main news headline : Environmental inspections double – The inspection increased in the last 4 years. Only in 2009 there were nearly 400 done, the majority about the waste from construction.

The authorised landfills have withstood the recent rains.

Dumping of inerts [mud, stones, etc.] increase along the roadsides.

The sport / football headline today : Madeiran coach is ‘Winter Champion’ – Beira-Mar of Leonardo Jardim finished the first half of the season with leadership of the second division. The coach is already thinking about how to keep the position until the end [of the season], but he knows it is going to get tougher.

I can’t get into the pages of the Diário (beyond the headline page at least), as I guess they are having some technical problems, so I had to get the news story about the  insects from netmadeira instead, but the only one I could find is the insect one, except the extra one below.

Easyjet tariffs have been slashed by 25% in a sale that ends tomorrow. The discount is applicable for travel between 3rd February and 14th July. 22 million seats are available, and the discount applies for flights between Madeira and Lisbon, and Madeira and UK airports.

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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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. Please don’t send in automatic translations (like Google translator) without checking them through and correcting them first, thanks.

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

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How well do you know Madeira?

"Just to task Vela ….. Guess the location AND restaurant! We also make a rare public appearance in this photo…..along with Guests! Difficulty is 12 out of 10 – that should sort her!" Jon. 48 hours allowed, then the correct answer will be given (if necessary).

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Someone has published a list of Christmas events running through December. They probably came from the official tourism website, but who cares. XMAS CHEER

"Our guide was Rubina (Ruby), pronounced Hubina since the Portugese do not pronounce their R’s as “R” … One of the vegetables which was particularly tasty is called Pearclipper that grows on a vine  … We boarded our tour bus for a short drive to the Cable Car Station and then took the cable car up to the top of the mountain … At the top of the mountain we climbed into basket tobagens which are made out of cooked brown Willow, taking 3 hours to cook the wood which is white in its natural state … Madiera is known for its linens and rabbits which can only be hunted on Saturdays and holidays with a 5 rabbit per day limit … vendors who primarily show embroidered linens but unfortunately for them and fortunately for me, they didn’t take credit cards and we didn’t have enough Euros on us to consummate a deal, so we said, “Abrogado".  With spelling and facts like that, he must be from across the pond, but Antony was on the Transatlantic crossing, and writes an entertaining piece. PIMPINELAS OR PEARCLIPPERS? I think the guide must have been having a laugh, as the initial ‘R’ on any word is very strong and throaty.

In today’s headlines from the Diário :

The main headline today : 522 new cancer patients – The number of cancer patients is growing on Madeira, as certified by 58 cases per month, in just this year. Ana Azinhais shares her struggle for life and encourages those who suffer : a cure is possible. It’s just an interview with a lady with lung cancer, there is no other information in the article on cancer generally.

Police detain 31 individuals in the night – Regional Command undertook a special operation of crime prevention. The authorities checked over a thousand vehicles coming from the via rápida. The operation ran for 6 hours from late on Saturday night through to early Sunday morning in Quebradas in São Martinho, Funchal, checking every vehicle coming from the Câmara de Lobos direction, breathalysing drivers for intoxication, and searching vehicles for arms.  The 31 arrests were mostly for excess alcohol and possession of drugs, but two extendable batons, three knives and three baseball bats were also seized. 1,140 vehicles including motorbikes were stopped and checked using a task force of 83 officers. I wonder why they choose to stop and search vehicles coming from Câmara de Lobos … what goes on there that I don’t know about? They should have done a search on vehicles entering that splendid location and maybe recovered a stash of booty or two on the return journeys from the surrounding locations. No good catching criminals before they have committed a crime methinks.

In the economy : Exports and purchases fall by over 8% – Indictors confirm the crisis. Imports fell by 9% in just 9 months, that represents 3,507 less shipping containers unloaded, or 83 less per week. They are the most obvious signs of crisis and the lack of money. All the frontier indicators for Madeira show that we are importing less goods, which means a clear slowdown in consumption and consequent reduction in the circulation of money. Exports also took a knock, down 8.2% by sea, or 703 less shipping containers in 9 months. You can imagine the impact on the shipping companies. Air freight is also falling, with 7.5% less over the period stated. No mention of the fact that Madeira has been pushing very hard for the population to buy local produce and products, so perhaps that has paid off. More consumption of local produce means less imports are needed, and less products are therefore available for export. So is it doom and gloom, or just the result of what was asked for?

In football : Nacional turn result and secure 5th place – Great goal of Manú worsens crisis in Alvalade. Splendid results for our two football teams yesterday, firstly here on Madeira where Nacional beat V. Setúbal 2 – 1, leaving them equal 4th in the league table. Marítimo managed a great away draw at Sporting 1 – 1, leaving them with 12 points in 8th place. A bit of trouble after the game, and gunshots were fired to disperse supporters.

Many thanks to Elaine for another fine news contribution from yesterdays newspapers :

Armas working illegally. Initially, the Port and Maritime Transport Institute (IPTM) said the ferry was working legally. The Commercial Shipowners Association and the Portuguese company Viera and Silveira made a formal complaint which opened the enquiry which concluded on 26 October that the ferry is not operating within the terms of its licence. The terms were that the cargo should be in lorries as the port of Funchal is not designed to handle cargo as it is a passenger terminal. Armas owners have ten days to comply with the ruling or else the licence might be suspended or revoked. In 2005, Armas owners were told they were banned from moving cargo in the port of Funchal. The cargo has been a quarter of their revenue, supporting another argument of unfair competition against the company.

The threat of dengue fever is not enough to end the tradition of vases in cemeteries. The vases of stagnant water are a breeding place for the mosquito ‘Aedes aegypti’. The law was drawn up in 1969 allowing the beautification of graves, when dengue was a fever confined to tropical countries. The Health Authority would like the managers of the cemeteries to change the rules so that flower vases are not allowed but this would mean changing deep rooted lifestyles and behaviours and religious rituals and traditions. A better idea would be to use either sand or gravel to cover water in the vases.

‘Limpar Portugal’ has volunteers in Madeira to clear the forests of illegal dumps. The day of action to implement the initiative ‘Clean Portugal’ is March 20, 2010. The aim is to clear away illegal dumps in the forests and promote environmentally sustainable behaviours. On the mainland there is strong uptake of the project but it is lower in Madeira, 76 volunteers in total. 36 are in Funchal, the groups ‘MAD’, ‘Garajau’ (2), ‘MCH – Machico’ (3), ‘SCR – Santa Cruz’ (5) and ‘Madeira’ (17). This initiative started in Estonia in 2008 and it will be Portugal’s turn next year. The motto is ‘Let’s clean the Portuguese forest in one day’ and details are on the website www.limparportugal.org. Companies, institutions and public and private entities are supporting the initiative through exchange of human and/or material resources. A social network will manage the teams (http://limparportugal.ning.com) in which bodies can register and gain access to updated details. The movement has more than 6,000 volunteers across Portugal and numbers are expected to increase towards March 20th.

Number of people on disability benefits increased  by 2.1% to 8,212. "This is ‘normal variation’ as the criteria of health boards are rigid, and therefore it is impossible to make fraudulent claims," according to the President of the Board of Social Security. Benefit can be awarded temporarily and reviewed after 12 months.

Three drug dealers in custody again. All three, aged between 25 and 30, have previous criminal records for drug trafficking and had been recently released from prison when re-arrested. They had 400 doses of heroin, worth 8,000 Euros and several hundreds of Euros in notes.

Two attempted robberies by a gang of 5 youths aged between 16 and 18 in Porto Santo. On one occasion, they approached a woman in the street and tried to steal her handbag but aborted the attempt when she screamed for help. It is unknown if all five suspects taken to court yesterday participated in this alleged crime. The police seized headgear, a mask, a wig and two imitation handguns.

Free Santa Maria trips. The ‘Santa Maria de Colombo’ owners are offering free trips to pupils, people from social security institutions, Casas do Povo and others. Like previous years, trips will be for one hour every Tuesday morning in November and from January to March. Last year, the offer was taken up by 1,260 students and 281 people from other institutions. Since 1999, when the initiative began, they have carried 26,000 people for free. —– Nice to have a ‘good news’ story. I don’t know why this initiative started.

Police arrested 31 people on Saturday night/Sunday morning under a Special Crime Prevention Operation. More than 1,000 vehicles monitored in Quebradas, São Martinho on the highway from Câmara de Lobos. The drivers were screened for alcohol and the cars searched for arms. 31 arrested for drug trafficking, driving under the influence of alcohol, possession of prohibited weapons, possession of drugs and lack of legal authorization to drive. Among the weapons seized were two extendible poles, three knives and three baseball bats. Five vehicles were seized. The operation lasted six hours with 83 police officers in attendance.

Curral das Freiras crowded as there is a call to invest in regional products. There was a promise by the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Natural Resources to deliver 21 million Euros this year to 11,000 farms in Curral das Freiras. This was at the XXVI Chestnut Festival which was attended by thousands of people. There is 165 million Euros in the Regional Budget and the State needs to contribute €30 million for investment in agriculture and fisheries. Farmers’ incomes are increasing thanks to aid granted by the Regional Budget and the EU.

Tragic death of a Madeiran child in England after alleged negligence. A 5 year old died more than a year ago in England. There is an allegation of negligence, that he was treated with an ineffective antibiotic due to the treatment team not recognising the severity of the symptoms. The autopsy said the death was due to ‘natural causes’. The child was diagnosed with chickenpox and his father took him twice to a hospital in south London and the child was discharged home. The family have received compensation ‘to prevent a court case’ but want the case highlighted to prevent it happening in the future to other children.

Lack of evidence for alleged aggression against tourists in Funchal as shown in videos on YouTube. In 2007, a group calling themselves ‘Os faz merd’ (translates as ‘The Shits’) filmed themselves throwing tomato paste, cigarette butts and bleach at people and  tourists in Santa Catarina Park. They then uploaded the videos on YouTube. Two were aged 14 and 15 and two over 16 (criminally responsible) but not identifiable. The Public Prosecutor of the Family Court has closed the case as the individuals were not identifiable and lack of evidence. There was only one complainant, a boy, whose mother is angry at the decision as she says the parents should be held responsible if the children are under the age of criminal responsibility.

What a strange island we live on! Over In Ribeira Brava the weather is fine, with blue sky and clouds, but over at the airport, on the busiest day of the week, there are delays and diversions to Porto Santo as conditions were not good enough to land a plane. Der 

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If you can, please contribute something Madeira related. A funny story or good or bad experience, a news item, or a story from a Madeira newspaper, a photo or video, a teaser, news of a bargain flight or item in a supermarket. Please help keep this blog going … without user contributions it won’t survive. 

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions and photos / videos.

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Please use the comments here for general chit-chat, or feel free to ask any questions … someone usually has an answer.

(more…)

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Selina … "The waterfall by Modelo in Ribeira Brava was extremely fierce, dark brown in colour from all the soil in the water. This picture was taken during a downpour on Sunday morning".

‘Easton resident, native of Madeira, follows calling to become a Spanish teacher – Blue Hills Spanish teacher is well-versed in five languages’. Worth a quick visit to read the beginning bit about the differences in education, and although things have vastly improved here, the kids / parents still have to buy their school books. BOOKS FOR FREE

‘Wind Power in Portugal’. Although not specifically about Madeira, quite an interesting article about renewable energy policy and achievements in Portugal. THAR SHE BLOWS

"Hi all, I have found a website for anyone wanting to learn a new language, you can find it at www.livemocha.com . There are about 160 hours of lessons in 21 different languages available for free, including Portuguese.

The livemocha site offers social-networking tools that augment the online lessons and let users add hints and tips. You are given a personal homepage where you can see what lessons you have taken, how far you have progressed, and how fast you are learning. The site also supports video chat so you can hook up with other students and practise conversations. The site is totally web based, and easy to sign up which I have done, lessons seem quite easy to start you off, and could be a good free way of getting some practise in Portuguese". Tobi.

In today’s news : ‘Seasonal Flu Vaccinations Start On Monday – The campaign gives free jabs  to at risk groups’. The health centres of Madeira will start the injections next week, with the over 65′s, people with chronic conditions and respiratory problems, and other ‘at risk’ illness groups at the head of the queue. 27,000 vaccines were ordered, 3,000 more than last year.

As for Gripe A swine flu, last weeks figures were released and the numbers remain unchanged, with no new cases confirmed from the 10 that were tested. The count since the start remains at 40, mostly being foreigners, with just 4 cases of secondary transmission so far.

‘Mosquito Bites Increase In The Last Few Days’. The complaints have noticeably increased, but it is not possible to confirm whether the ‘Aedes Aegypti’ was responsible, or other mosquito species, particularly as studies in July have shown the AA population to be low. A new study started yesterday looking at the AA population density, and the effectiveness of the insecticides being used.

‘Rock Fall Hits Via Rápida – Junction at Quinta Grande closed in the direction of Ribeira Brava’. At around 2.30 yesterday afternoon a rock fall closed the via rápida, forcing drivers to exit the road at Quinta Grande and rejoin at Campanário. No one was hurt and and the damage caused was minimal. It was hoped to clean up the area and have it reopened last night. The TV coverage didn’t show much evidence of the rock fall, but the workmen were up on the rockface clearing off loose material.

The main news headline today : ‘Fire In Quinta Escuna Creates Political Controversy – The company that owns the property in Santa Cruz said it is the "victim of an act of vandalism" and involves the movement ‘Juntos Pelo Povo’ (JPP) in a communication about the fire of suspect origin on Sunday. The case is already in the hands of the law. JPP threatens it own lawsuit’. The company that administers the Quinta Escuna, Tijolo Branco, has sent a communication to the Diário making 5 points about the fire, that was started by a tyre and petrol, and could have caused much more damage if the emergency services hadn’t arrived quickly. The basis for the blaming of the JPP, who are contesting all the seats in Sunday’s local elections, seems to be based on the fact that an organised event was cancelled due to bad weather, and the fire occurred soon after, after many of the JPP supporters had "frequented the taverns and bars of Santa Cruz". A fire of suspect origin eh? I would suggest that a burning tyre accompanied with petrol was slightly more than ‘suspect’, especially if the rest of the car was missing at the scene.

‘Delays – The Complaints Increase : Correios [Post Office] delay payments to the retired, that increase by more than five thousand in a year’. Madeira has over 37,000 retired pensioners, but add to that those with ‘survival pensions’ and disability pensions, the number rises to close to 64,000, rising by an average of 524 each year over the last decade. These people complain about the services of Correios in sending their pensions, and the Association Of Retirement of Madeira has called a conference next week to discuss the matter. There should be a counter just for complaints at the Correios, as the service just seems to get worse and worse. For me lately, stuff delayed by weeks, stuff correctly addressed but returned to sender, masses of repeat and out of date junk mail, and then last week an attempted delivery that wasn’t when the postman couldn’t be bothered to ring the doorbell, and left a card instead. The days when the bills arrive before the direct debits are taken from the bank have become a rarity. Darn contractors, no pride in the job and the lack of local knowledge, are probably the main reasons, and if we could get Uncle Bertie to give them as good a slating as he did with the police, then maybe the Correios bosses might sit up and take notice.

UPDATES : Thanks again to Elaine in Garajau :

Funchal council demolish building in Rua de Santa Maria. They will demolish part of the building which partially collapsed on Friday, as it is a danger to passing people and adjacent buildings.

Shelter has new attic wing for boys. Funchal council will aid expansion of the shelter for young people, Our Lady of Conception, which at present houses 45 young people, although it can accommodate 50. It successfully helps them integrate back into society.

Camacha has a new Centre for Occupational Activities for children with special needs. Necessary due to geographic location often making travelling difficult to other areas.

Three parish councils provide training for the unemployed. Three areas of Funchal, Sao Martinho, Sao Goncalo and Imaculado Coraçao de Maria, will provide IT and commercial training, leading to recognized qualifications, for 15 people in each area. The courses last 15 months and they will receive a subsidy of 500 Euros.

Rain affected official inaugurations. The rain affected Jardim’s inaugurations of new roads in Câmara de Lobos and Ribeira Brava yesterday. In the first one, he had to use the PSD campaign car’s sound system. Usual refreshments were still served. Jardim looked favourably upon the rain, saying: "It is said that when there is rain there is happiness." "Thanks to God we always need plenty of water for our land, especially for these agricultural areas that have missed the rain". The photo with this story will appear tomorrow, for reasons that will soon become clear.

Two PSD rallies have been cancelled due to the rain, one at Santo António and one at Ponta do Sol.

Government has filed a complaint about Friday’s policing of the opening of the port tunnel. Unlawfully disturbing the activities of the Government can lead up to three years in prison. Jardim keeps stating he has no problem with the PSP of Madeira it is just outside influence (Portugal, I presume).

Political disagreements about the residential home in Porto Moniz. A PS candidate for the area complained that the opening of the home had occurred just prior to elections, although it is not ready to function or would employ as many people as stated. The Foundation which run the home have rebuffed this political accusation.

Usual complaints by all political parties about unfair electioneering by inaugurations, defamation and sweeteners.

Fishermen in Câmara de Lobos complaining. Saying that politicians only think of them during election time. Still want a fishing port, and subsidies during the low season similar to those in Machico and Caniçal. Also, poorer catches of the black scabbard (espada) fish.

PSD confident to win Câmara de Lobos. Usual pre-election poll says they will return to power, as in 2001 and 2005, with 5 seats and 2 to the PS. They will get 50 – 54%  of the vote, less than 61.4% in 2005, and the PS 15.4% instead of 17.6% last time.

PS candidate for Funchal asks the Minister of Finances to resolve the situation of €8 million owed by the Portuguese State. Claims that there has been 5% IRS withheld from the 2009 Budget, 5.4 million Euros from Funchal council and when including other municipalities, 8 million Euros should have been transferred in February.

Porto Santo has emergency plan. More details of proposed work on the island. There will be an emergency fund for housing repairs, food assistance and assistance with medical expenses, especially to the elderly. Road improvement, expansion of the Residential Home, Arts and Crafts Workshop, Cultural Centre, Library and Archive and Fire Department.

Colombo’s Resort still stagnates. Work stopped in 2008 when the developer SITCB needed 60 million Euros to complete the project. Difficulty in obtaining investment and bank loans due to the financial situation. In July, there was supposed to be a memorandum between public and private companies to restart the work but still no progress. Was due for completion in summer 2010. There are still negotiations about the continuation of the works on Madeira Palace Hotel, and management of the Quinta da Lorde Resort in Caniçal.

‘Costa Serena’ will start cruises from Funchal next January. The Costa Cruises Portugal promoter confirmed that you will be able to board in Funchal on the cruise from next January.

Date of next year’s International Film Festival still not certain. Not yet confirmed that it will be 10 – 17 April 2010.

‘Overcoming the Fears’ exhibition opens in the Electricity Museum. Opens at 6 pm tonight. Illustrating the UN’s eight Millennium Development Goals, established in 2000 by 189 Governments.

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