Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Tobi … Any rumours that we have a new police chief on Madeira are just rumours. The same man as always continues with his usual impeccable work. But who on earth is this guy? Any captions anyone?

Here are my feeble contributions, but I am sure someone can do much better …

"I wonder if they will give me a gun … I fancy going ‘Rabbit’ hunting".

"I promised I would play cops and robbers with Auntie Bertie when I get home … but I am not sure which side I should be on".

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Tobi also sent in this grumble, thanks Tobi:

Not sure how many of you have been to airport arrivals in the past week or so???  But if you have i think you may have noticed something missing???

Of course I’m talking about the ticket machine to pay for your car parking, i went to meet friends off a plane the other day , and as most of you know my back is not good at the moment so cant walk to far, as soon as i walked into arrivals i noticed things had moved round, and i couldn’t see the ticket machine, so i then started walking round looking for it so i knew where to pay when my friends arrived, after 5 mins my legs were hurting and i was getting ratty, so i started to walk to the desk at the other side of the airport to ask where it was, well i didn’t need to ask as it was sitting right next to the bloody desk, i asked why it had been moved and the chap just shrugged his shoulders, so in good British fashion i wanted to complain, so off i went up stairs then had to walk to the other side of departures to the airport customer service desk and complain, i asked the lady if she could tell my why the ticket machine had been moved, in which she replied she didn’t know , so i asked for the complaints book and started filling it in , the lady started saying that she thinks they are getting more machines, but if this is the case why move this one, plus there are no signs to tell you where to pay, and people were just helplessly walking round the airport with ticket in hand.

I have my complaint, and have already had a letter in the post to say they have received it and i will hear from them shortly.

I just find it unbelievable that they have moved this machine and we are made to walk to the other side of the airport to pay for our ticket now.

I did my first ever serious ‘Livro de Reclamações’ complaint two weeks ago Tobi, and I have heard nothing back yet. Der

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Nacional lost 2 –1 away at  Athletic Bilbao last night in the Europa League, leaving them bottom of their group, with just one point from 3 games so far. They almost came away with a draw, but conceded defeat in the last few minutes.

Elaine has yet again very kindly provided the stories from yesterday’s news :

São Roque looses pharmacy. The population still has three pharmacies within a 2 km radius. The pharmacy is now next to the ‘Sa’ supermarket in Santo Antonio, for commercial reasons. Pharmacies have been allowed to relocate within the same municipality since 2007. In a few weeks, there will be public tenders for pharmacies for both São Roque, to replace this one, and Monte, another area poorly served. There is no guarantee that these or other pharmacies will also relocate.

Outside Seating. The first cafe to have outside seating in the Rua Dr. Fernão Ornelas applied for a licence four years ago. For the past week the nine tables have had good occupancy. This area was enlarged a few years ago and there are questions about commercial trade in a public area and its effects on mobility of citizens in a very busy area of Funchal. When the licence is reviewed in three months time, the critical period will be Christmas with the increased number of pedestrians. Two of the three other cafes in the area are applying for a similar licence, including Sã’s Severa cafe. The council is also considering partially closing the street to traffic, as has happened in other areas, e.g. Avenida Arriaga.

‘Aedes’ in Caniço. The ‘Aedes aegypti’ mosquito has previously been found in Câmara de Lobos and larvae have now been collected from the cemetery in Caniço by the team of entomologists. The density is high for this time of year and is partially due to people leaving containers of stagnant water. One way they collect adult mosquitoes is to have a special collection tube attached to a bare leg, so they can assess the risk of disease by the density of aggressive mosquitoes attracted to humans. Not very ethical as they use themselves as ‘bait’. Final results will be known in a few months time. The female mosquitoes are more active during sunrise and sunset when they forage for food. They also like sheltering in dark and low areas, so bite legs and feet more. They are attracted by warmth, sweat and smell and some people are more susceptible to bites. They only go to ceilings when they have been fed.

Three hotels close for the first time this winter. It has been the worst Summer season for Porto Santo for twenty years. Between January and March next year, three large hotels; Hotel Vila Baleira, Pestana Porto Santo and Golden Beach will close. It is usual for the last two to close between November and March and the Vila Baleira is now closing from 7 January to 25 March. The three remaining hotels – Torre Praia, Porto Santo and Lumar, with  438 beds, will provide twice the number of beds needed for the season. Between November and January, staff costs amounted to 1.2 million Euros and income generated was 748,000 Euros. The hotels will still have to pay wages (35% outlay) but save on overhead costs. The poor occupancy rate has partly been due to 30% more beds over the past 10 years and only 20% more customers. In the first nine months of this year, the aircraft flew 62% full and the Porto Santo line ran at 52% capacity. The air industry is loosing passengers to the ferry (23.9% by plane, 76.1% by boat). Since 2004, the average bed occupancy has dropped from 47.2% to 38.1%.

The new kennels/cattery on Porto Santo were inaugurated on the eve of the elections but are still not opened due to bureaucracy by the council. In the inauguration, Jardim gave the council ‘merit’ for the decision to have new kennels but did not say that this was after a long list of public complaints, a law making councils responsible for stray animals (2003) and a court injunction filed in 2006 because of the poor state of the existing kennels.

Explosion and fire in residence in Pena. A house annexe was destroyed and some rooms damaged. None of the occupants were home at the time and two neighbours tried to douse the flames with water hoses but were driven back by flames from an exploding gas cylinder. The damage was loss of a washing machine, dryer, two dogs kennelled nearby and a cat which succumbed to smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is unknown, possibly a short-circuit. The neighbours smelt smoke at 18.15 and two fire brigades attended, but were slower in arriving than expected due to heavy traffic.

Ombudsman is visiting amidst an increase in complaints, mostly about planning and the environment. This year there have been 109 complaints, mainly about the local government in Funchal. Also complaints about the Regional Government and delays in court hearings. The increase is partially due to the fact that people now know there is a complaint procedure which is simplified by an on-line application form.

Homes for the elderly have already been inspected by the Ombudsman and their recommendations carried out. Both governmental and non-governmental homes catering for young people will be inspected in 2010 to ensure they are suitable and that children’s rights are being exercised.

One establishment for youngsters at risk, Vila Mar, had its 29th anniversary yesterday and presently has 61 clients. Some are there for ten or more years but others can be successfully reintegrated into the family. The children had a very high education attainment rate at the end of the past school year, and Vila Mar has exchange agreements with similar institutions in Sweden and the Netherlands.

Swedish training ship ‘HMS Gladan’ in harbour. The two-mast schooner arrived in the Bay of Funchal on Monday 19th and after three days navigation along the coast, it arrived today at 9 am. It will be here until 9 pm on Sunday 25th when she will sail for Tenerife. The stopover is because a cadet requires medical attention.

‘Fashion Week’ in Madeira Shopping. 28 October to 1 November to promote the new Autumn / Winter collection. The event will be held between 12.00 and 21.00 and there will be ‘fashion advisers’ and ‘personal shoppers’ to help maximize both time and budget, and organize pieces in the way that best suits the style and personality of the client.

Madeira is exemplary in the application of EU funds. MEP Nuno Teixeira is part of the Regional Developmental Committee of the European Parliament who are visiting Madeira. "In just over 20 years, Madeira has increased its GDP which was 29% of the European average to 98%, becoming the European region with the highest rate of economic growth." Partly due to use of cohesion funds. Tourism accounts for 20% of GDP. Nuno, if you haven’t guessed is the PSD Euro MP, and while he may be technically correct in his statement, which is quite impressive if true, "exemplary in the application of EU funds" is stretching the truth an awful lot. All I can say is if that is the comparative assessment, then the rest of Europe must be even worse with wasted EU funds and corruption than I ever imagined. Der

In today’s top headlines :

Low inflation is the major threat for the economy – In the first day of the Convention of Economists warnings went out that the crisis is going to continue. Uncle Bertie was there giving his valuable opinion on our economy, looking very concerned about something. I think maybe he had dropped a whopping great Cuban cigar he was smoking.

A PS counsellor is going to lead the cabinet of the PSD council – The socialist counsellor in Porto Moniz, Nélio Rodrigues is the first appointment of the social democrat Valter Correia, new president of the Câmara and also his godfather. Strange happenings up in the north there in today’s top headline, but surely we are not seeing nepotism in play here on Madeira? I am looking forward to reading this one later on.

Madeira government owes €1.5 million to the ‘Casas do Povo’ – The majority of the 40 centres live with the ‘noose around the neck’, forced to pile up the debts. A ‘House of the People’ is like a community centre, that provides activities to the local people, including further education.

Also much on today’s news is the announcement of the new cabinet for the new socialist government of José Sócrates in Portugal. 8 new faces, but the concern here is the retention of Santos as the chancellor or finance minister, as he is seen as the main obstacle to funding between the state and Madeira.

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(25th September). Today’s main news headline : ‘Metropolitiana Forgets Santa Cruz – It’s been six years since the people of Santa Cruz saw any new project coming to their region’. That was the multi-storey car park asked for by the câmara from the Sociedade Metropolitana de Desenvolvimento (SMD – Metropolitan Development Society). SMD is the responsibility of the vice-presidency of the Madeira government, and has the responsibility of improving the supply of social and economic infrastructures, through the promotion of sustained investment, to enable new local developments. SMD also covers the areas of Porto Santo, Funchal and Câmara de Lobos. The work of the SMD is often obscured by the local council presidents who take the credit for any new and popular developments, but now the local politicians are not so pleased with the lack of recent activity in the area. Asked about the lack of work, the president of Santa Cruz admits that he would like to have more developments in his region, but tried to play-down the situation. “I would have liked to have more projects, we all would, but it was not possible. We must remember that Santa Cruz has already received four works conducted by the Metropolitana in recent years”. The four projects referred to are : Aquaparque, the sea front at Ribeira da Boaventura, the Largo do Caniço, and the beach zone at Reis Magos. 

The main front page photo today shows a traffic jam : ‘War Of Neighbours In Order To Park Occupies Carriageway – The Chaos on the [road] 5 de Outubro has worsened since the start of school. The council gives in to residents and complicates the life of those who come down through Viveiros’. The traffic of Funchal needs routes, as getting in and out remains awkward, and the hope now is on the new Via Expresso at the port. Peak traffic times are particularly difficult, despite the completion of improvement works completed in central Funchal, and now it’s ‘back to school’ the problem has worsened. The Cota 40 and especially at largo da Cruz Vermelha are highlighted problem areas. The article goes on to list and debate just about every problem on every major road in Funchal, but isn’t it the point that traffic problems are the best way to get people to look to alternatives, such as public transport, and park and ride, and even if I might be so bold to suggest ‘on foot’. If the council keeps looking to make improvements in the traffic flow, it is going to counter its attempts to create a ‘green’ city. Bus lanes on every major road would be my solution, with a few well placed ‘park and ride’ schemes.

‘Convict Beats Up Man In Funchal – The accused of the aggression that sent the man to intensive care, had already robbed the house of a police commissioner’. The 20 year old convict was detained, but subsequently managed to escape, after also being taken to hospital. His 44 year old victim is in a serious condition in Funchal Central Hospital with head injuries.

‘PSP Receives New Guns – The regional command is one of the first in the country to be equipped with the ‘glock’. They are the “latest shout” in firearms, and Madeira already has it’s new stock ready to issue to police officers. The 9 mm weapon is “Characterized by its high taking-out power”. I for one intend to be very well behaved over the next few weeks, as no doubt our fine officers will be keen to try out their new toys. I might even have to be nice to Uncle Bertie when he is over this way again, and even shake hands with him, in case he tells the police to sort me out.

In football, a picture of Cristiano Ronaldo, with the headline ‘Spanish Change Their Opinion – Finally they give in. In Spain, the same press that ‘attacked’ CR9 now appears to idolise him’. After 5 goals in 4 league games, and 8 goals for Real Madrid altogether, Ronaldo has turned a doubtful Spanish press into a bunch of slobbering hero worshippers. He is now the top topic in newspapers and sports circles.

In entertainment : ‘Comedy Brings ‘Aces’ From The TV In October’. National comedy arrives on Madeira next month, with stars from Flor do Mar and Malucos do Riso / Morangos Com Açúcar. The theatre comedy is called ‘I Love My Penis’ (and that has not been translated), and has been doing the rounds in theatres throughout Portugal. It’s for over 18′s. 

‘Via Expresso In The North Ready In 2011′. During a visit to the new road construction yesterday, the regional secretary responsible said that the new road between Boaventura and São Vicente would be ready in 2011. The total length of the extension is 7.1 km. The road is being constructed in three phases, with two phases already underway (Boaventura – Ponta Delgada 1.341 km, and Ponta Delgada – Faja da Areia 3.254 km). 4 new tunnels will be needed to complete the route.

‘Child psychiatry unit opens with a lack of professionals – It needs two child psychiatry doctors, but at present there is only one’. The new centre, São Rafael, was inaugurated yesterday, and is the first one on Madeira, and just the third one in Portugal, that specialises in children aged between 10 and 18 with acute mental health problems. The unit can accommodate 10 patients, with an emergency reserve that can be called upon if needed. Amongst other mental problems, the unit will deal with children who suffer psychotic episodes, make suicide attempts, and suffer severe depression and behavioural changes.

Portugal had 2,213 new case of Gripe A swine flu between 14th and 20th September. Around 20 of the victims were hospitalised.

The ongoing strike by customs officers is causing some problems with incoming freight by sea. Two container ships, the ‘Apolo’ and the ‘Portdouro’, suffered significant delays yesterday in the unloading of containers, posing a threat to the restocking of Madeira’s supermarkets. The deliveries included 30 refrigerated containers, which were released thanks to ‘shortcuts’ permitted by the Director of Customs, but the other containers will remain in Caniçal Port until the strike is over and the release can go through the normal customs channels.  

‘Easyjet Increases Weekly Flights Between Madeira And The United Kingdom – One more connection on the Stansted route will start operating at the end of October’. The UK airport will now have 5 weekly flights for the start of the Winter season. As a result of the same negotiations with Tourism of Madeira, Easyjet will also operate 4 weekly Gatwick to Madeira flights in the Winter, and 3 in the Summer, which is one extra. Including the Bristol route, that will make 12 Winter and 11 Summer flights to and from the UK.

‘Luxury Italian Ship In Port – The new cruise ship of the Costa fleet makes it’s debut today in Funchal Port’. The €450 million Costa Luminosa brings over 2,700 Italian tourists, before leaving for Malaga at 5.30 pm. It underwent the usual inauguration process early this morning, with a good soaking from a powerful water ‘canon’. It will be back again on the 6th October, with 4 more visits to Madeira scheduled for this year. Among its specialities, the ship is a floating art gallery, with nearly five thousand works of art, of which 288 are original works.

I realise I couldn’t escape politics for another day, so I am afraid it is back, but although this is the last ‘legal’ day of the national campaign, there is still a long way do go. All the main political parties are concentrating their final efforts in Funchal today, which I think is a great idea from a Ribeira Brava perspective, although to be fair, I don’t think we have had hardly any campaigning visits here. I have been checking the party schedules every day, just so I could go to one event for the experience, but so far no joy.

(25th September). ‘PSD-M Makes A Complaint To The CNE Against RDP And RTP – The social democrats complain that the news coverage is unbalanced compared to the PS’. The party will complain to the Nacional Election Commission, against the Madeira director of the media stations because different criteria were used in the coverage of campaign initiatives on Porto Santo. "Those two stations, under the control of Lisbon, didn’t appear at the events of the social democrat candidates on Porto Santo", said a statement. But "to the contrary, they have collaborated with the socialist candidates", that held their campaign events last weekend on the Golden Island, it continued. The stations excused themselves from commenting on the situation.

On the TV news today, a poll carried out into voter intentions, commissioned by RTP, has shown the PSD social democrats slipping away in popularity in the race for seats in the Assembly of the Republic. PS socialists now have 38% of the vote, PSD 30%, BE Left Block 11%, CDS & CDU 7-8%, others 2%. That’s probably the last poll we will see before we find out the actual election results. A few locals were having a good ole chat about this last night, and the conclusion was that the big parties are all liars and don’t deserve anyone’s vote. I was asked who I was voting for, but when I explained that I wasn’t entitled to vote, people were quite surprised, but wanted to know anyway who I would vote for. BE I said, more through lack of a serious opinion. Why? Because it has the catchiest campaign theme tune, I explained. This went down very well as a legitimate selection criteria, and I think that the BE now has its own little corner in Rib. Bra.     

(24th September). The last of yesterday’s headlines : ‘Complaint Of CDU Against CMF Dismissed’. The Public Prosecutor’s office (MP) together with the Administrative Court of the Circle of Funchal (TACF) dismissed a complaint by the CDU communists about  development plans for Amparo. The complaint was made last December against Funchal Council, when the CDU asked for an assessment on whether or not the administrative practices of the council were legal or not, particularly in relation to Pico da Cruz, which is defined as a green zone. CMF were believed to be accepting the plans of some residents contemplating construction work in that area.

‘The PSP ‘enter’ the campaign, dragged in by Jardim – PSP guarantees that it acted in a neutral form in Curral and in Canhas and avoids commenting’. First, it was the opening of the cycle path in Funchal, on Sunday, when the President of the Government (in that capacity) that spoke out against the [lack of] action of the Police Force (PSP), which he said was only interested in handing out traffic fines. Then the New Democracy Party, out on the campaign trail in the Nun’s valley, was targeted by the police, allegedly on Jardim’s instructions. Then, the cases got more complicated. On Tuesday in Canhas, a new controversy arose when Jardim was ‘doing the rounds’, shaking hands and greeting everyone, when a socialist party candidate just happened to be next in line for Dr. [Jekyll] Jardim’s attention. The PS-M parish elections candidate, Manuel Relva, decided to keep his hands in his pockets, catching Jardim by surprise. According to Manuel, Mr. [Hyde] Jardim then called over a policeman that was part of his security team, and told him to identify the ‘impolite’ citizen that refused to shake hands with him. For the socialists, this was a clear abuse of authority. Meanwhile the PSP is accused of letting Jardim make the rules. A senior police spokesman said that the intervention was "requested by the President of the Regional Government, as this was a matter of inappropriate behaviour, including offences and insults". More tales followed, but must move on.

Whilst many are still deciding what to vote on Sunday, or even what to do instead, the first votes have already been cast by prisoners and hospital patients, and also military personnel. Madeiran emigrants will also be receiving their voting forms by post, except in Venezuela it seems, where the mail company considers them low priority, and it looks like many there will miss their voting deadline.