Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Elaine (West) … A rainbow at Paul da Serra

"The fireworks was indeed the  best I have ever seen. Most were launched from the waterfront, east from the harbour, but there was also a number of other sites (I counted to more than 10, but people say 40 sites). The rockets were synchronised, so the same type/colour came from many sites at the same time – amazing! 17 tons of fireworks are rumoured to have been used… Many boats went out to see it from the water, but that looked dangerous (dark, many boats, acohol, attention on fireworks, etc.), so I stayed in the harbour". PRIVATE BLOG WITH PHOTOS

São Martinho Church – Funchal by Sonia von Walter.

"FUNCHAL – Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has bought his native island of Madeira and indicated that he plans to turn it into a theme park focusing on his career. Ronaldo, 24, already owns the world’s largest collection of mirrors". From the Los Angeles Times From Lisbon to L.A., some stories we’d like to read in 2010

"Three people from the Madeira archipelago have returned home for Christmas holiday after working in the Central African country of Equatorial Guinea are hospitalized due to infections of falciparum malaria. One of the workers is in intensive care while the other two are in the hospital but stabile. The Madeira archipelago is one of the autonomous regions of Portugal in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. It does have a sub tropical humid climate which is conducive to many emerging diseases found in the tropics. But according to experts, the weather in December is too cold for local transmission". MORE FROM THE NATIONAL EXAMINER

Nacional fought a brave fight away at Benfica in the Carlsberg Cup last night, losing only in the last few minutes by a single goal.

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

Bad weather returns and causes more damage. Madeira is on orange alert, the second highest on a scale of four. This is due to heavy rain and strong winds forecasted with gusts up to 110 km/hour in the mountains. Sea condition forecasts are for 4 metre waves and 55 km/hour winds. The conditions are expected to remain until tomorrow. The Porto Santo ferry managed the link yesterday but docking at Porto Santo was hampered by strong waves. The ferry also sailed today but there are uncertainties about tomorrow’s journey. A landslide in Ponta do Sol yesterday threw more than a ton of rocks and earth into the stream. It occurred near the Giga Park when people were about to attend the circus at 15.30, causing more alarm than damage. The leader of the PS in São Vicente is concerned that the stones carried down by rain to Ribeira Grande are being moved to land fill sites above Ginjas. Gouveia questions the safety of this operation in case they are washed down from this new site. He has already alerted São Vicente Council to the matter and will inform the Public Prosecutor. The PS Francisco Dias of Porto Moniz Council accuses the PSD of halting and preventing the local authority from planning a Risk Charter for the county (disapproved in the last Council meeting in December). This would mean a revision of the Municipal Plan and would help defend the coastline, streams, industrial parks, forests and population. This afternoon, a wall collapsed onto a section of the expressway in Madalena do Mar and the police closed the road as it is partly blocked and the remaining wall unstable. The damage will be assessed tomorrow morning.

Cantares de Reis in Ponta do Sol on January 5. The Grupo de Folclore da Ponta do Sol are marking the Dia de Reis with a show in the village centre (next to the auditorium of the Centro Cultural John dos Passos) from 21.30. This initiative started seven years ago due to the wealth and diversity of regional cantares de reis (songs of the kings). There are many different groups participating. This tradition is still alive in Ponta do Sol and throughout Madeira and in recent years, there have been more groups formed. They visit, from the 5 – 6 January, homes of friends, relatives and neighbours and travel to different sites. The festivities usually continue until Santo Amaro. Visitors are rewarded by the householders with food and drink typical of the festive season (liqueurs, homemade bread with meat in wine and garlic, various sweets, bolo de noiva, torresmos and sometimes soup).

Cantar os Reis in Funchal. In the auditorium of Funchal Municipal Garden on Tuesday 5 January at 21.30. The event is organized by the Cultural Association Encontros da Eira and is part of the tourist calendar for Christmas and New Year festivities. Various groups will be performing songs and plays with religious themes, reviving the traditions of cantares de reis from various parts of the region. Inherent to the show, there will be distribution of specialities of this season to the public and entertainment on the streets by the group Gaitulia. Local men bring regional instruments and women regional food. That afternoon the group Encontros da Eira will perform at the Congress Centre (Casino) in a show which is the responsibility of the orchestra (OCM).

Valter will not give money to the Parish Councils. The ex-president of the Parish Council of Seixal, who is now the Mayor of the County Council of Porto Moniz, will not transfer any funds to the four Parish Councils; Seixal, Ribeira da Janela, Porto Moniz and Acadas da Cruz. This is the same situation as during the past eight years when the previous mayor was Gabriel de Farinha. Two Parish Councils are PSD controlled (Seixal and Ribeira da Janela) and the other two are Socialist. The two Socialist Parish Council presidents are more critical of the Mayor of Porto Moniz (PSD) than their counterparts in PSD run Councils. Valter Correia explains that he would like to transfer funds to the parishes but the budget is tight and instead, they will be given materialistic help. In São Vicente, the budget is also tight but Jorge Romeira (PSD) has a different attitude and gives 204,000 euros to the three Parish Councils. São Vicente and Ponta Delgada receive 65,000 euros and Boaventura over 74,000 euros. He said the Councils require the money for their valuable work for the residents, "Clearing footpaths and improvements cost money." In Calheta, the CDS Manuel Baeta wants to know why there are a million euros of the Council budget allocated for ‘Other’. He thinks this is not transparent and it is more than the total budget of the eight Parish Councils in Calheta.

Cavaco receives more criticism than praise. The New Year’s message from Cavaco Silva, the President of Portugal, did not please the majority of political parties in Madeira. The exception was the PP leader José Rodrigues. The PSD thought it was a message of a country without hope. Miguel de Sousa stated, "My generation has lived since 1974 hearing this speech that we must sacrifice, we need to unify, we need judgement. It is always repetitive."  He said Portugal needs a new system as the current one is not working and that change is the responsibility of all: President, Prime Minister, members of the opposition parties and other political players. The PS agree that the country needs those who will propose a new system and the message shows conflict between the President and the Government. Rodrigues of the PP said that Cavaco supported the Government as he said in his speech that the PS and the Government have all the conditions to govern. Cavaco said in his speech that the country’s foreign debt and the imbalance of public accounts are enhancers of an ‘explosive’ situation in Portugal. He stated that the political parties must maintain political stability in the country.

Madeira Island Tourism increases its investment in a promotion on the Continent. In Lisbon, there will be an Industrial Fair from the 13 – 19 January. The regional authorities who are promoting tourism to Madeira will use the themes activities and sports to engage the interest of tourists from Portugal. In recent months, there has been a remarkable growth in the number of Portuguese staying at hotels on the island, partly due to the increase in availability of air transport and campaigns launched by the Regional Tourism department. They ran direct advertising campaigns through the Internet and indirectly through sponsorship of regional events and TV productions on national television. In the first 10 months of last year, the hotels recorded 809,165 overnight stays, which exceeded the total for 2008.  The final total should be a record number for the Portuguese market in the last decade. There will be an area to promote Porto Santo and one for the Wine, Embroidery and Crafts Institute. During the days open only to professionals, Madeiran barmen will demonstrate the making of cocktails. The Regional Director of Tourism will be there on the first two days and at a dinner held in central Lisbon for those working for national airlines, tourist agents and tour operators.

Hundreds followed the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fátima to the Church of Carmo this afternoon. After a well attended Mass, the statue was taken from the College Church to the Church of Carmo in Funchal. There was also good attendance at the Peace March which started at this church and ended at the Se Cathedral at 18.30. The Pilgrim Statue remains at the Church of Carmo until next Sunday. The Bishop of Funchal would not comment on the controversial statements by the President for European Anti-Poverty about the transfer of Canon Manuel Martins to Machico Parish.

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

MP : Court of Santa Cruz is in chaos. This is an interview with the man whose job title translates roughly as something like ‘state prosecutor coordinator of the Public Prosecutor’s office (MP) on Madeira’. Just picking out a couple of points he made : "There is a big gap between what those elites in power think, and the feelings of the people". On Santa Cruz court : it is an example of how a court should not function, reaching an almost chaotic situation – with the delays of a accumulation of cases, and the inability to respond. The backlog will take years to clear.

Claim of Naviera Armas against the ports – The ferry operator respects the new unloading rules, but the action against APRAM [Port Authority] goes forward on the 18th.

Only 54 created their own employment. The restaurant trade was the favoured area for those who took the initiative, but all in all only 54 took advantage of support offered by the Regional Government, and it is clear that Madeira lacks more entrepreneurs. There are several ‘packages’ to encourage people into self-employment, but being your own boss it seems doesn’t appeal to many, and in particular the 13,500 unemployed. The 54 who have gone down that road have so far created just 66 jobs, with proposals for another 80.

Today’s main news headline : PSD Social Democrats clear out committees where it lost in the elections – The ‘orange’ political committees of São Jorge, Gaula, Achada da Cruz,  Água da Pena, and Porto Moniz, where the defeats occurred in the local elections last October, are on the way out. Soon there will be elections. And the reshaping will not end there. Party elections will be held to appoint new political committees in these 5 non-PSD parishes, but the clear-out might well be extended to other councils. The new elections will see new names, but existing names will be able to stand again [yeah right!]. Drastic, but not a great surprise. Of course it is already well known that president Jardim is punishing those parish councils where the voters didn’t elect his Social Democrats, by pulling out projects. Great tactics from our leader, as by pulling the key projects and strangling the finances, those voters who strayed from the ‘Uncle Bertie way’, will feel let down and disappointed by their current non-PSD parish council, so what will they do next time … return to the Bertie fold [maybe?]. Maybe it’s time for a new year revolution resolution.

Hundreds follow the pilgrim image to the church of Carmo – The Bishop of Funchal asked the youngsters to guide themselves by the principles of peace.  Yesterday afternoon the Pilgrim Statue of Our Lady of Fátima was moved from the Igreja do Colégio to the Igreja do Carmo, where it will stay until Sunday, accompanied by hundreds of faithful followers. A peace march also took place with dozens of youngsters walking the streets of downtown Funchal, that finished at Sé Cathedral in Funchal.

Today’s sport / football headlines : Treacherous defeat in the Estádio da Luz [Stadium of Light, Benfica's ground] – National lost the first group game of the League Cup, but can complain about the refereeing (Rodrigo goal wrongly ruled out) and about themselves also. Benfica 1 Nacional 0.

In Division II, União widen the leadership. União 1 Amadora 0, in the second division south league.

Ribeira Brava lead Série Madeira [Madeira football league]. Ribeira Brava actually scored two goals in the 0 – 2 away win at Canicense, and that’s a rarity.

Sue very kindly provided these stories … many thanks.

Parish of Mount Carmo – Bishop says "a profound cultural renewal" is needed.

Not the same numbers that gathered in the square of the College on the day the pilgrim image of Our Lady of Fatima came to Madeira, thousands of people attended did yesterday’s mass in the Church College and followed the procession to the parish of Mount Carmo. The bishop of the Diocese of Funchal addressed a few words to the young people at the church who followed later in March for Peace through Rua Fernão de Ornelas, heading for the Sé.

D. António Carrilho recalled the Pope’s message for this year, stressing that "we are called to pray for peace" and "be builders of peace" as "to build peace is to say yes and say no." It’s "say no to selfishness, lying, hatred, revenge, war and all forms of violence, injustice, envy, jealousy, lack of respect for life and the rights of others and disregard of nature "and" say yes to truth and justice, liberty, responsibility, respect for the rights of the individual and respect for and protection of creation, the whole universe and our mother earth, our common home of all humanity".

The image of Our Lady of Fatima, who has been on a pilgrimage in Madeira since October 13, remains in the parish of Mount Carmo until the end of the week. She then goes to the Belfry, where she began her visit to Câmara de Lobos.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Wallet lost at Avenue Sea. A wallet with documents was lost yesterday afternoon on Avenue of the Sé, next to the restaurant ‘McDonald’s’. The owner is a mainland tourist who asks those who find the object to contact the PSP or contact the owner on phone 962 337 080. The lady promises to reward for the retrieval the wallet and documents.

Falling trees in the Nun’s Valley. Bad weather on Saturday afternoon caused the fall of several trees on the road to the Nun’s Valley. With the use of technical assistance from a landscaping company that use a chain saw to cut two pine trees involved was completed before the arrival of the Fire Volunteers Câmara de Lobos.

Madeira remains on alert ‘Orange’. Despite the improvements that were last recorded, the Institute of Meteorology continues to put Madeira on ‘Orange’ alert, but this time mainly due to the condition of the sea. Wave levels of five and six meters together with the wind are expected also in mountain areas where they can reach speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour, are the situations to be taken into account.

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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Today’s Photo : Thanks to Jon … another hand-coloured old picture postcard view

Today’s main headline. The new mayor of Porto Moniz wants to know exactly the accounts Gabriel Farinha has left. The newly elected mayor of Porto Moniz wants to know the real situation of the accounts of the municipality. The claim of Valter Correia surprised the two Socialist councillors, that the financial situation is equally or more worse than he imagined and because of that there would be an audit. Victor Correia confirmed that he wants a detailed report of the economic situation but played down the alarm raised by the Socialist Party. "This is not a full audit. That is not what we are talking about." "We are obliged to divide the two accounts and have a new account within a period of 45 days, so let’s add a line to tell us the state of the accounts." The mayor wants previous financial years and financial resources rigorously established, especially the liabilities, loans, the current monthly expenditure of the municipality and other accounting details that allow the new town council to schedule a program of feasible initiatives. The relationship between the former mayor, Gabriel Farinha and Valter Correia has been deteriorating in recent months, so the decision might be directly related to suspicions or doubts of mismanagement during the previous eight years of office. Valter Correia denies that he has ever thought that way, ensuring that it is just and only a tool for the development of the municipality. "I really need to know the state of the accounts and what I can do in the future." He took the opportunity to criticize the opposition and admits that the financial situation of the council" is complicated, but is not as onerous as they might be saying."

Nearly 400 125cc motorbikes sold since August. A legislative amendment for holders of ‘Category B’ driving licences has led to a race for bikes, an average of five sold per day, tripling the number sold in the same period last year. The demand for bikes of 125cc per cylinder has been such that there are brands that have waiting lists for certain models, e.g. Suzuki, Honda and SYM. Some customers have to wait for three to four weeks. Models of the Chinese SYM have sold well as they are cheaper, from 1,700 Euros upwards. Yamaha bikes have also tripled in sales and the small stock of used Yamaha bikes was exhausted in July.

Pico dos Barcelos – for tourists (not) to see. The view over the city of Funchal is as beautiful as ever, but the frame that surrounds it is not pleasant. For years, a scenario of degradation took over the Pico dos Barcelos, one of the most iconic and sought viewpoints of Madeira, with a daily circulation of hundreds of tourists. As beautiful a landscape as it is, they cannot remain alien to the poor condition of the area, the abandoned buildings located nearby, turned into garbage dumps and shrub that grows uncontrollably on the southern side. Those that live and earn their living in the immediate vicinity of this area to be redeveloped, scheduled for early next year, see it as a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’, the last hope to bring back the dignity to that important tourist spot in the parish of Santo António. The 8,489 square metre area will probably have to be fenced off, like Santa Catarina Park, to prevent vandalism and an area for drug addicts. Two nearby abandoned buildings are garbage dumps and act as shooting rooms for drug addicts. These situations cause concern to those living in the area and leads to questions about public health, not least because of the proliferation of rats in the neighbourhood. The two areas have been cleared of rubbish in the past but are soon filled again with household waste. The enclosure of the viewpoint leaves a lot to be desired. The pump for the ornamental fountain has failed and the street vendors fear the stagnant water becoming a breeding ground for Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The gardens are reasonably well tended but are not as nice as they were, and plants have been illegally taken. There are also safety concerns due to holes in the floor, broken glass and a broken bench. The degradation is from both wear and tear and vandalism.

Funchal has no room for some Christmas activities. Amusement parks, circuses, fairs and even an ice rink. Funchal Council have received nine applications to install such equipment during the Christmas and New Year, but the companies were told the municipality does not have suitable spaces with regards to safety, infrastructure and noise levels. If a company can find a privately owned area and has the owner’s consent, the council will evaluate and decide whether it is possible to license the operation. Other councils might have suitable areas. Funchal Council have had 76 applications for street vendors; 11 for foliage, 20 for toys and 45 for Market Night. They prefer traders who already hold a licence and will not make decisions until December.

Firefighters without the means to help animals. On Porto Santo, the bombeiros do not have the means to help animals requiring assistance. A cat was frightened by dogs and took refuge on top of an electricity pole. Unable to descend, and being too high for the owner, the owner asked for help from the bombeiros who said that it was not a matter for them but the Electricity Company. The Electricity Company carried out the rescue. After complaining to the bombeiros, who were unoccupied at the time, they apologized but said that due to lack of manpower they could not risk leaving the post to rescue an animal, in case an emergency call came and people are their priority.

Man hit by falling eucalyptus. A 34 year old was under observation at the hospital last night after being injured at work. He was hit in the leg by a falling eucalyptus he was cutting, and was rescued by the bombeiros.

Failures in the treatment of hazardous waste. The Communist MP Leonel Nunes showed photographs of liquids escaping from containers at Meia Serra waste treatment plant. These were organic hazardous waste, especially of hospital origin, and remained in the area for months instead of a maximum of seven days. He wants a parliamentary inquiry into the operation of the unit that had been presented as the "best in the world". The Social Democrats accused him of exaggerating since it was only "a single failure" and the vote went against an inquiry. A malfunction of two incinerators for bio-waste forces the company to export hazardous waste to the mainland. The Department of the Environment said there is no link between the export of medical waste to Spain and the company of Manuel Godinho, the suspect in the ‘Hidden Face’ inquiry. Valor Ambiente has no relationship with either Godinho’s business group or the waste management company Resatlantico, recently licensed in this region.

Opposition with greater powers in Santa Cruz. Revolution. For the first time in the history of democracy in Madeira, the approval of subdivisions and award of public contracts above 250,000 Euros will not be managed or delegated by the mayor. This is the conclusion of the Socialist Party and Movement Together for the People (JPP), as the PSD executive has no majority but the mayor rejects the notion that these two parties will have greater powers.

Business Centre could double IRC receipts in the region. As early as 2012, the International Business Centre could double the current revenue from IRC (€80 million). Last year, the revenue was €94 million but has fallen due to the economic crisis. The companies at the centre contribute to economic globalization, financially contribute to the region and help to promote Madeira. A large Brazilian steel group has just opened a branch in the centre and companies in the group mine ore and export ore and steel. Jardim wants the Portuguese Constitution to be revised so the free zone can continue to exist and be internationally competitive.

More air routes needed to stem the loss of British tourists. The British tourists are flying to destinations outside the euro zone (e.g. Turkey and Egypt) due to the recession and the devaluation of the pound. The Secretary of State for Tourism at the World Travel Market in London suggested more air routes to Portugal would offer a wider choice of flights and prices may fall to attract more tourists. There was an increase in the number of routes (198) after a change in legislation and the Secretary wants to increase them further. Next May, Jet2 fly to Faro from Edinburgh, and Funchal to Manchester. Ryanair might extend its presence in Portugal, with more flights to the UK and other destinations.

Social Marketing Plan in 2010 to alert Madeirans to poverty and exclusion. Developed by the Department of Social Security to extend the effect of the four plans implemented this year. There will be messages disseminated through the media using advertising campaigns, symposia and conferences with local experts and outsiders and various initiatives. These are to make people aware of the problems and think about them, especially social exclusion, and help to resolve them.

Computerised help when deciding on a hair style. A new hair salon, Hair Boutique, in Rua 5 de Outubro in Funchal, will offer personalized advice through a computer program showing ‘now and after’. For example, cut and colour, for both men and women. The hairdresser also specializes in hair extensions and wigs essential for health reasons.

Region has 1,600 immigrants from Eastern Europe. In the auditorium of the Municipal Gardens in Funchal tomorrow at 20.00, there will be a Meeting of the Peoples of the East. There are 1,600 people residing in Madeira from both EU and non-EU parts of 18 countries of Eastern Europe. There are 363 Romanians and 736 Ukrainians. There will be a culinary display and a traditional group from Caniçal and the Ukraine Group Budjane.

An attempt to judicialize the political process. Funchal Council (PSD) approved a private construction project in Santo António for a set of town houses. A PND councillor said this is contrary to the Municipal Plan which provides for the construction of detached houses, and he is taking the matter to the Administrative and Fiscal Court. The council said the decision was based on advice from expert opinions and this "threat" was an attempt to "judicialize what is the political process". The councillor also complained that as regards another subject, he had difficulty in obtaining information he should be entitled to. The council replied that he had not gone through the correct channels. —– Corruption?

Discontent in SESARAM. The Union of Nurses and the Independent Union of Doctors met today. The doctors are still unhappy about the ‘legal vacuum’ related to medical careers that exist in the continent and the nurses are discontent about career structure, and reforms implemented by the management which have led to demotivation and dissatisfaction. The decision to strike has not been ruled out by both professional bodies.

Many thanks to Elaine again for all the above, from yesterday’s newspapers.

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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.

—————————————————————————————————————————————–

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

(more…)