Madeira News Blog

(24th July). Today’s main news headline : ’296 More In The Army Of Unemployed – Madeira was the region of Portugal that registered the highest (%) leap in unemployment in June. One year ago we had 8,244 without work and today we have 12,483. They are the worst numbers in 40 years’. Unemployment Increased 2.4% In The Month Of June, with 12,483 people signing-on in the Regional Institute of Employment. Or to make it sound even worse, the increase is 47.4% up on the same month in 2008. The 2.4% is the increase from May to June this year. Madeira is in 2nd place for the worst unemployment deterioration in Portugal over a year, with the Algarve registering an increase of 91.5% since June last year, whilst the Azores are in 3rd place (40.3%). What a nightmare, and whilst it doesn’t say what the current rate is against people who work / want to work, it is about 5% of the whole population. 1st quarter figures from the National Institute of Statistics showed official unemployment here at 6.8%. The Government of Madeira, through the Regional Secretary of Human Resources, gave the usual comment on the registered unemployment with the statement: "We continue to notice some slowdown, because the increase in the month of May is less than the case for April" (or something along those lines). I reckon that makes employment here around 7.4%, still lower than the national level of around 9%.

‘Portuguese Point Out Communication Failures In Banks – 75% of those asked consider that nothing has improved in the ability to talk to the account managers’. Nothing has changed due to the crisis a study reveals that was published yesterday, and 48% of respondents expressed concern about the security of their savings.

‘Tourism Lost €309 Million In The First 5 Months Of This Year – The secretary responsible for tourism promises a pro-active attitude from the government’. The €309 million (12%) lost is for all of Portugal, and the prime reason is a 25% drop in receipts from English tourism. Despite the headline, no mention of what this pro-active attitude here is? Doesn’t pro-active mean doing something before it goes pear-shaped?

‘Air Nostrum Starts Charter Operation From Bilbao And Valencia To Madeira – Four weekly connections will run until the end of September’. The charter company of Iberia starts the service today, with flights on Fridays and Sundays, and if all goes to plan should bring over 3,000 Spanish tourists here. The Spanish market for tourism on Madeira dropped 32.6% last year compared to 2007, in terms of tourist numbers, and 24.3% in hotel night reservations.

This from the Journal : ‘Increased Metrological Stations – Two new units installed in Santa in Porto Moniz and São Lourenço in Caniçal’. The Institute of Meteorology has just installed two new weather monitoring stations, that are now activated. The new facilities will provide better weather vigilance and hence forecasting, and reflect in the safety of people and property, as well as air and sea transport, says a spokesman. The operation and collection of data is completely automated, and the two new additions bring the total number of weather stations on Madeira to seven, the others being in Funchal, São Jorge, Ponta do Pargo, Ponta do Sol, and Areeiro.

And another from the Journal : ‘Promenade Of Porto da Cruz Will Proceed in 2011′. The Madeira government has approved a project to construct the promenade, that will serve as an access to Maiata beach, with 2011 being the most likely date for construction to start. The article lists quite a few projects that were approved, including public gardens, a music hall, and car parks in various locations, but as the headline was Porto da Cruz I will leave it there.

I noticed today that the Diário has put the letter of complaint, submitted to the competition authorities, back on the front page of the website. I didn’t remember that it was as long ago as April last year, well that is the date of the letter at least. The complaint is about the anti-competitive practices of the technically bankrupt government owned newspaper ‘Journal da Madeira’, as well as inappropriate use of taxpayers money to keep it going. The whole situation seems to have died a death since the complaint was made. The letter in English is here if anyone needs a refresher DIARIO COMPETITION COMPLAINT

President Jardim has gone quiet, reluctant to talk to the press, but I don’t think it will last. He is cheesed of at the press boycott of coverage of his plans for constitutional review and the debate in the regional assembly on Wednesday. "The debate wasn’t transmitted, just some small reports,  and even the radio went to Curral das Freiras as if it were more important", he said. Poor Bertie, no doubt the management of your newspaper the ‘Journal’ will be punished for their lack of effort.

As you know most of the opposition parties boycotted the debate on Wednesday, organising their own session to discuss the ‘real issues’. They returned to assembly yesterday to find that the PSD were continuing the debate in an attempt to revive interest. The PS, PCP, BE and PND were all back in force, but sat through the session in silence. The discussion will continue on Tuesday, the final meeting of this legislative session.

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Tobi … Porto da Cruz

On Tuesday afternoon, the sky got really dark, and I was convinced it was going to rain and I even got the washing in. I was later talking to a local and said I thought it was going to rain, and she looked out to sea, and said no it wouldn’t (and it didn’t). I asked her about how she knew, and she said by the direction of the waves, and that here in Ribeira Brava (and I don’t know how this applies elsewhere on the island), when looking out to sea when the waves go left to right it wouldn’t rain, and it would only rain when the waves went in the opposite direction. She said she had followed this rule for years, and it nearly always worked. I asked another local about the theory, and he knew about it, but was a little more sceptical about it’s reliability. I shall be watching out in future.

This is quite an interesting article about the history of our wine trade MADEIRA WINE

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(8th July). Today’s main news headline ‘Plague Opens Extra Rabbit Hunt – In P. Cruz those who rely on food agriculture despair: The rabbit is eating everything, vineyards included. The Directorate of Forestry says that starting today hunters can help to ‘correct the density of the species’. The explosion in the rabbit population is devastating crops in Porto da Cruz, where since January farmers are unable to grow food to eat. Dozens of farmers just watch as the rabbits systematically attack their crops, most of which are grown for their own consumption, with even potatoes suffering. Then once the ‘more tasty’ crops have been eaten, they then move on to the vineyards. Normally the hunting season isn’t until October, but the authorities promised to act quickly, and issued a 15 day special window for hunting from today until 22nd July. This allows the farmers to cull rabbits in and around their land, subject to meeting certain conditions.  

‘Port Strike In Lisbon Hits Madeira – Container ships shift from Lisbon and Setubal, that will delay the arrival of merchandise to Madeira’. The docker’s strike in the mainland ports of Lisbon, Setubal and Figueira da Foz, that started yesterday and lasts until Friday, will have an impact on the regular services to Madeira, mainly because it will reduce the number of regular container deliveries, and what does come will be delayed. The ships ‘Apolo’ and ‘Port Douro’ have gone to Leixões to be loaded, and that means things have to be reorganised, resulting in delays. ‘Ilha da Madeira’ and ‘Insular’ will be unable to operate on their normal days, and will have to wait until Saturday when the strike is finished, and as a result will arrive at Caniçal port next Tuesday. The strike does not affect ports here or in the Azores.

‘Regional Government Completes Contingency Plan For Gripe A – The regional health secretary announced yesterday that the measures are defined and ready to implement’. Whilst the swine flue H1N1 is escalating in confirmed cases on the mainland, we are assured that our plan is ready to be activated when necessary, and is going to work in a ‘pyramid form’. 57 confirmed cases in Portugal it said on last nights news, but not a confirmed case yet on Madeira … surprising being so touristy that we have got away with it so far. Schools have been closed in Lisbon and the Azores, and our Madeira plan also covers that eventuality.

‘Museum Of The Crosses Reopens With New Valuable Pieces’. The museum ‘Quinta das Cruzes’ reopens of the 13th July, renovated and with new exhibits. President Jardim will perform the inauguration on the 13th at 9.30pm. The museum has been closed for a year, while improvements were made, including much improved lighting, wheelchair access, and improvements to the garden, all at a cost of €904,000. The article does cover the new exhibits contained, but I will leave that as a surprise for those who fancy going.

The relevant authorities in South Africa and Madeira are discussing the twinning of Port Edward and Machico. That should provide a good excuse for a few political overseas jollies.

"They Seemed Easy" – results of the national exams were issued yesterday, some students were disappointed with the results obtained. 12th grade students who took first phase exams last month at Jaime Moniz High School in a number of the 27 exams held, expressed that they were frustrated with their results, and had been expecting better. In 13 of the subjects averages were down, and in 12 they improved, with two staying at the same as last year. The second phase of exams this month are there to give a second opportunity to students, who flunked in the first phase.

‘ERC In The Heavyweights In The Rally Madeira Wine – Lucca Betti is confirmed on a list of heavyweights’. The Italian driver Betti, who competes in the European Rally Championship, has confirmed that this year he will compete here in the Madeira Wine rally.