Madeira News Blog

Today’s photo – Many thanks to Pete … Ship in Funchal harbour Wednesday 3rd February

Thanks a lot for Becky for coming up with a few more web snippets for our enjoyment. These two are very nicely written, and well worth a visit :

“The natural beauty of the place really is staggering though unfortunately, many visitors don’t get to appreciate all that the island has to offer. Too many remain in the capital, Funchal, and delighted by its pretty cobbled streets, gorgeous gardens and stunning situation fail to venture into the rugged interior. Those who do will be rewarded by towering mountains, breathtaking views and a taste of rural life that has hardly changed over the past century. What a refreshing change from the usual hurly-burly of life in London!” ONE FOR THE GOURMETS

“The wheels were lowered. The plane was coming in to land. And yet, from the window, all we could see was a fast-approaching mass of blue. Unless an aircraft carrier made a last-ditch appearance on the scene we were all going to get very wet. I nervously made a mental note of the location of my lifejacket. The Portuguese girl in the seat next to me dug her Nancy Dell’Olio nails into my arm. Then miraculously, at the very last, Madeira sprang out beneath us. A tiny porcupine of an island, each of its rocky prongs holding a spectacular viewpoint on its tip. The plane of passengers burst into spontaneous applause.” THIS IS NOTTINGHAM

Many thanks to Elaine for this whopping contribution from yesterday’s news top stories :

DIÁRIO 09/02/2010

FRONT PAGE NEWS

Pollution of the pond of Lugar de Baixo. This is "an untapped potential", according to the environmental agency Quercas. The Lagoa do Lugar de Baixo is a unique coastal habitat for migratory birds from the North Atlantic. Yet it is polluted with rubbish and has not been cleaned for five years. The proposed environmental education centre lacks facilities and is only half used. In 2005, a group of students from Ponta do Sol removed 19 bags of rubbish.  A guide to the birds that visit the pond was published by the DRA but there has been little other work on this area of 3,500 square metres which is one of the main points for bird watching in the region. The Regional Director of the Environment explained that the protocol with the local offices of Tourism,  Environment and the Society for the Development of the West Point (SPDO) was not realized. He said it is the latter who own the area and they must make the first move. The pond is polluted by both rubbish deposited by humans and rotting vegetation. The local council know about the degradation and the mayor said he had already contacted the DRA about a joint cleaning operation. The DRA recognize the importance of the area as a place of ecological sensitivity but deny responsibility for the management or cleaning of the area and state the responsibility belongs to the owners SPDO. Eight years ago, Quercus made a 46 page report on the environmental restoration of the area and proposed that a frequent analysis of the water quality was needed. Obviously, this has fallen on ‘deaf ears’.

Left Bloc takes the Jornal da Madeira to the Committee at São Bento. The extensive debate on the Portuguese media, specifically any pressure from the Government of the Republic and schemes to control the media, takes place shortly in the Assembly of the Republic and will include the ‘case’ of Madeira. All opposition parties require clarification by José Sócrates on issues related to some media, in particularly any attempt to purchase TVI by PT, the end of ‘Jornal de Sexta’ of Manuela Moura Guedes, the case of Público and  recent controversy involving the journalist Mário Crespo.The Left Bloc has promised to forward a request for a parliamentary inquiry into the situation of the media in Madeira, in particular the Jornal da Madeira. The Left Bloc (BE) is limited at a regional level as it has only one deputy and cannot ask for a parliamentary inquiry. Pressure on journalists and media companies and the situation of Jornal da Madeira, owned wholly by the Regional Government, are some of the things that over the years, the opposition have denounced in Madeira. Recently, in the Assembly of the Republic, the CDS raised the issue of unfair competition caused by the Jornal da Madeira receiving several millions of Euros per year from the Regional Government.

MADEIRA

Carnival maintains 2009 funding but attracts fewer tourists. Current forecasts indicate 10% fewer tourists – 62% – than 2009 but the budget is still 350,312 Euros. The decrease is thought to be because the Carnival is early this year, whereas last year it was at the end of the month. A manager of the hotel sector, António Trindade, said that over the past three or four years, the hotels have been practically full. They must concentrate on the traditional British market in future years, as there are no new emerging markets. The Carnival events are being increased this year with a new Carnival attraction on Sunday. Friday is children’s day, 1,100 taking part in the ‘Carnaval das Crianças’ between 10.30 – 12.00 at the Placa Central da Avenida Arriaga . Between 15.00 – 17.30 along the Avenida Arriaga, ‘Carnaval Solidário’ has 200 participants, followed by a party in the Jardim Municipal, organized by the Association for Community Development. On Saturday evening, 1,095 take part in the main parade, ‘Cortejo Alegórico’, which starts at 21.00. There will be fireworks ten minutes beforehand at the Parque de Santa Catarina. The OCM plays at the Praça do Município from 22.00. A new parade on Sunday between 21.00 – 23.00, ‘Carnaval das Avenidas’ (Carnival of the Avenues), involves three of the groups that participate on Saturday: ‘ Fura Samba’, ‘Caneca Furada’ and ‘Os Cariocas’. There will be one group performing at each of the following locations: central area of Avenida Arriaga near the Sé, in front of the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and the Pier. This new idea is to act as a bridge between the main event and the following Tuesday’s ‘Cortejo Trapalhão’ which starts at 16.00. Program on the official Tourism site in five languages.

Carnival with varied agenda at various locations in the region. The Carnival parade in São Vicente takes place at 10.30 on Friday 12 February, taking the theme International Year of Biodiversity. Participating are all the local schools, social services institutions and day centres. After the procession, the council has prepared a variety show in the Municipal Gardens.

Vandalism and arson at Santo António. Early yesterday morning, vandalism and an alleged arson attack on two trucks caused more than 100,000 Euros of damage. The one that was vandalized had the windows broken and the interior ransacked and the other had the front tyres set alight. This is possibly linked to another suspected arson attack. A fire broke out at the Complexo Desportivo do Marítimo, an infrastructure to support the youth and veterans of the football club. Damage was not as bad as first expected; damaged electrical wiring, paintings, aluminium and glass.

LREC and Meteorology interested in partnership. The Regional Laboratory of Civil Engineering and the Institute of Meteorology of Madeira are interested in forming a partnership to study the climate and landscapes of the region.They would combine data from the weather stations and automatic monitoring stations of LREC to help prevent natural disasters.

POLITICS

Free JM costs each Madeiran 16 Euros. The media agency Lusa has calculated that every year, each person in Madeira ‘pays’ 16 Euros for the Jornal da Madeira. Lusa arrived at this conclusion by dividing the four million Euros that each year the Executive transfers to the Jornal da Madeira by the population size of 255,000. The newspaper also receives advertising revenue. It is distributed free to some outlets. The published opinions are all assigned to the PSD and the Government. These complaints have also gone to the Competition Authority and the EU. In comparison, every Portuguese resident subsidises the three state-run media channels: RTP, RDP and Lusa by less than 15 Euros each year. Most of the money transferred from the State Budget goes to RTP which has a number of public channels: RTP1, RTP2, Madeira, Azores, International, Africa and RTPN.

BE protest against millions to Barreiros. The Left Bloc has calculated that the 31 million Euros the Regional Government will spend on the remodelling of the Estádio dos Barreiros would create about 1,100 jobs in the region, a decrease of almost 8% in the number of unemployed. This justifies a protest vote in the Legislative Assembly against the "waste" in the construction of the stadium of Clube Sport Marítimo. This would be a significant number of jobs at a time when the region has more than 14,000 unemployed and companies are going through a serious crisis. For the BE deputy, the Government has shown "not to be socially and politically serious or responsible in defining their priority areas for action."

Coelho accuses the judges of being "subservient". José Manuel Coelho, (PND) compares the courts of the Region to the military dictatorship that ruled Brazil in the 1960s. He says the judges "persecute" the democrats. "The judges are not independent and are subservient to the jardinista regime." In the court case of the PND directors of the journal Garajau, Coelho accuses the Government of defamation. At issue are the texts in the journal that accuse the lawyer Cunha e Silva of being a legal advisor to the Port of Funchal and not declaring this income to the Constitutional Court. Coelho accuses the Government of abusing taxpayers’ money to pay the lawyer Garcia Pereira to defend Cunha e Silva when it is a case of "personal issues". Garcia Pereira is one of the most expensive lawyers in the country, receiving 5,000 Euros every time he comes to Madeira, at a time when there are plenty of unemployed local lawyers.

ECONOMY

Madeira guarantees the State more IVA than claimed. The Minister of Finances said that Madeirans pay less tax, IVA (VAT), than the rest of the Portuguese, used for political opportunism by Alberto Jardim. The rate of IVA is 30% less in Madeira and the Azores than the mainland, but Teixeira dos Santos left out the fact that this reduction only applies to consumers and not the companies that import goods and services that are consumed in the region. These reductions in the Azores and Madeira are allowed by the EEC and are designed to compensate for the higher transport costs of imports to autonomous regions. In his speech, Teixeira dos Santos hinted that Madeira is prejudicing the Portuguese taxpayer. Yet the State receives revenue from purchases that are bought in Portugal then imported to Madeira. The State also benefits from Portuguese telecommunication firms and banks based in the Free Zone. Madeirans generate more revenue; the income per capita (per person), without compensation from the State, is 33% higher than the Azores. The Azores benefit from a compensation of 471 Euros per capita whereas Madeira receives only 172 Euros, to compensate for IVA generated in the Region but not paid on the Continent. The income per capita is higher in Madeira than the Azores because of income generated by tourism and the higher cost of living. With a PIB (GDP) 45% higher than the Azores, the IVA revenue of Madeira is 35% higher than the Azores. — Usual spurious arguments as they are not comparing like-for-like: Continental Portugal, Azores and Madeira. No indications of the relative cost of living in all three areas.

UPDATE

Prime Minister denies giving directions to PT for the purchase of TV station. José Sócrates announced that PT had a "strategic intent" on buying TVI but this was totally beyond the control of the government. In Face Oculta, a case presently in the Portuguese courts, there is strong evidence that there was a plan involving the Prime Minister to control the TV station TVI. This case involves wiretapping to investigate allegations of corruption and economic crimes related to business enterprises of the State and private enterprises. There are 18 defendants.

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

Man dies two hours after release from hospital -  A fall yesterday sent the sexagenarian to hospital. He was released yesterday, but he wanted to stay in as a hospital inpatient. But he returned to Campanário. A little later he died.

Controversy keeps 46 families without a home. Five years later, the Council of Santa Cruz and the Housing Institute discuss the Salão complex. And the works don’t go forward.

Intensive Care invade the AVC Unit. The hospital department that deals with stroke patients is taking in more inpatients from intensive care, than there are actual stroke inpatients. The Hospital of Dr. Nélio Mendonça, in Funchal, says "It’s a matter of priorities". The clinical director of the Health Service Region (SESARAM), Miguel Ferreira, explains that the situation is not new, but adds that it is a timing problem.

Today’s main news headline :  UNESCO Ambassador evaluates the ‘Rabaçal Case’ – The disagreement over the cable car project in the mountains moves on to a new stage : discussion between the opposing parties in front of the international representative. The trip to Madeira was to be low-key, but the opinion of the UNESCO representative will be decisive regarding the building of a cable car in the Laurissilva forest.  The ambassador and an inspector spent two days here trying to understand the scope and impact of the proposals, and why environmental groups were so against it and sent a petition with thousands of signatories. The visit was kept confidential, but it is known that on Monday the ambassador spent the day in the area of Rabaçal, along with officials representing the Natural Park, Forestry, and the Environment, as well as the company promoting the project.  The beautiful landscape that would be affected by the project is the subject of the main photograph on today’s front page, and if the UNESCO representative took one look at that they would for sure be thinking no, no, no! I really really hope the plan is shelved, and if it is it would be doing debt-ridden Madeira a real favour. This project will cost a small fortune that will surely never be recovered through tourism revenues. In fact I reckon the plan can only really still be in existence through the sheer stubbornness of Uncle Bertie’s pals, as the economic case against the project must have overtaken the environmental case long ago. 

The main sport / football headline today : Benfica ‘bury’ their rivals Sporting – Thrashed (4 – 1)  by the reds in Alvalade [Sporting's stadium].

Winner of the Portugal Cup may not qualify for UEFA. Fifth place in the league will give access to Europe. If all goes to plan Porto will occupy the other place in the final against Benfica, but have to get past Académica first tonight (SIC 8.15 pm). As both the big teams will probably finish in the top five in the league, I doubt  whether they will really care about this method of entry to the Europa League, but should Académica pull off a miracle tonight … well then that would be a different story.

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 Photos Thanks to  Martin L … Christmas lights in Ribeira Brava

CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR A FULL SIZE VIEW

"Hotels in the Portuguese town of Funchal on the Atlantic Island Madiera are also favoured by travellers; hotels in the port town have an average of 79.31 points and are fourth in the overall European Reputation …" TRAVEL NEWS GAZETTE

ALSO : Amusement park in Ponta do Sol – Giga Park A COUPLE OF PHOTOS

A short video here from the 4TH FUNCHAL INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

This from the RTP Azores website :  The number of domestic violence complaints filed in the Azores amounts to 3.6% of the national total, but the region recorded a 3.9%decrease compared to the same time last year. According to data from a report issued by the General Direction of Internal Administration, the number of complaints filed to the PSP and GNR increased by 12% nationwide in the first half of 2009 compared with 2008. The document says that police forces received 14,600 complaints during the first six months of this year, i.e. 1,570 cases more than in the first half of 2008. The most complaints were filed in Madeira which recorded a 24.6% increase over last year while mainland Portugal saw the number of cases rise by 12.4%.

"DARTMOUTH — Joseph Sousa, age 83, of Dartmouth, MA passed on Friday, December 4, 2009 at Brandon Woods in Dartmouth … he was the driving force in creating the Museum of Madeiran Heritage and was tireless in his dedication and promotion of Madeiran culture and history. He received numerous honors for his many outstanding accomplishments". MORE

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

Bonus item : Caniço in 1933 (on the Casa do Povo site).

More than 150 cars sold. It is a ‘safe bet’ for the Group Camacho. Of the approximately 200 cars set out in the VI Used Car Show, more than 150 were sold. The show was between the 2 and 6 December and more than 600 euros was collected for the ‘Hat of Hope’ charity.

Fighting begins with the ordinary citizen. President of the Council for the Prevention of Corruption in Portugal states that the idea that ‘favours’ for benefits are ‘a normal thing’ must stop. He is  also President of the Court of Auditors and pointed out that corruption is a phenomenon for us, not for others, and knocking at the door of every citizen. "Corruption starts as a small favour and may end up in  a crime. The fight against corruption starts at the common citizen. "In public departments, citizens undoubtedly see they will be treated more quickly if they give something to state officials. This certainly has to end once and for all." He reinforced, "People may think they are attended to more quickly if they corrupt. This can even be seen as a normal thing, but it must cease." "If we reach positive objectives in the fight against corruption, we will obtain better results in public administration, and overall, the affirmation that the State is like a good person." That is, the better that corruption is tackled, the more effective will be the public administration machinery, and less justification for corruption. Laws can only be deterrents if they give rise to sanctions. The Council for the Prevention of Corruption has been active for a year and he is sympathetic to the fact that people are usually sceptical about new institutions.

Air quality is better. In Funchal, the average annual carbon monoxide content has decreased by about 25% since 2007. São João (Edificio 2000) monitoring station data analyzed. There might be two explanations; the decrease in car traffic in the city and/or improvements in vehicle carbon monoxide filtration equipment. The annual average CO content fell from 522 micrograms per cubic metre to 401 this year. The lowest monthly averages were also achieved during this year, a continuing trend downwards. Two years ago, the highest monthly concentration was in January at 700 micrograms and the highest this year was in March but even so, was less than 500 micrograms. There are lower levels during the warmer months coinciding with the holiday period when there is less car traffic. Similarly, the highest daily averages are falling, from 1,300 micrograms in April 2007 to less than 700 per day this year. The highest hourly concentrations of CO for the last three years reached almost 4,000 micrograms which are lower than the legal maximum of 10,000 micrograms of CO per cubic metre. The maximum this year has not exceeded 2,000 and they coincide with the peak traffic times at 08.00 and 18.00 hours.

Christmas competitions in Machico. Getting ready for Christmas in Machico. The local council has released details of the usual seasonal competitions. Until January 4, ‘Machico More Sweet’ to preserve and disseminate traditional Madeiran confectionery and liqueur recipes. Competition of Display Units for shops from 15 December to 12 January. Nativity Contest to revive the symbolism of the traditional Madeiran presépio for people both inside and outside their homes.

61 year old woman brutally attacked. Occurred on Saturday night in Funchal by her brother using a hoe handle, after a history of threats. She has a broken arm and hand, scars and wounds and has been advised bed rest for eight days. She will make a formal complaint to the police, from which he retired but is still covered by disciplinary regulations.

‘Função do porco’ tomorrow in Camacha. At the Casa do Povo, the Christmas festivity program has been released. The range of festivities and celebrations include performances by traditional groups and institutions of the ‘capital of the traditional Madeiran culture’. Tuesday December 8 at 15.00 is the traditional ‘função do porco’. Nuno Abreu, the President of the Casa do Povo explained, "The pig will come already dead for the procedures of cleaning and cutting." The various steps of the ‘função’ were then explained, which result in the prepared pig cut into five sections. —- I will leave out details in case there are any vegetarian readers.

Quartet in Port; port full with up to 7,400 tourists. Four cruise ships in port today has meant that the arrival of the ferry Volcan de Tijarafe from Portimão has had to be delayed until 18.00, because the normal mooring site will be occupied by the Balmoral. The ferry will leave for the Canary Islands two hours later, freeing the pier/ramp for the Lobo Marinho arrival at 20.15. The four cruise ships are the AIDAluna (2,250 tourists), MSC Orchestra (2,600), Balmoral (1,200) and the Island Escape (1,400).

‘Weekbreak’ includes the Pousadas de Portugal. The product ‘Weekbreak’ is the result of partnership between Travelport and ‘Life is Beautiful’. The stays at the Pousadas de Portugal, operated by the Pestana Group, have prices ranging from 79.90 to 119.90 euros, ensuring brand new and better experiences at Christmas. These are available through travel agents and promoted as unique Christmas presents for families and friends. The first proposal is an inspiring evening for two, with breakfast included, in one of the 20 Pousadas de Portugal. The second proposal is a pack of two night stays for two people in the 31 pousadas. Pousadas de Portugal are restored buildings of architectural heritage with high quality modern interior furnishings. Ancient palaces, monasteries, convents and fortresses have been restored. The Pousadas de Portugal package includes the North, Central, Alentejo, Algarve and the Azores. The other packages include;  Country Escapes, Spa and Rituals, Charming Places, Hotel and Spa, Youth Hostels and Paradores of Spain. More information www.myweekbreak.com —- Photo is the Convento de Santa Clara in Vila do Conde, one of the proposals.

2,000 already have solar panels and other environmental news. By the end of November 2009, there were more than 2,000 Madeirans who have benefited from the ‘Medida Solar Termico 2009′ campaign, providing tax relief expiring at the end of this year. At the end of the year, individuals are eligible for a reduction of 50% of the purchase of solar heating panels from the beginning of the year until the end of the month. A family can save up to 70% of annual water heating costs, even on cloudy days up to 60% of need can be achieved. Already including Government support, the initial costs vary from 600 to more than 3,300 euros and the panels should last for up to 20 years. Details online www.paineissolares.gov.pt. For anyone interested in ‘clean energy’, another article states that 94% of wind farms in Portugal have been approved since 2005. There will be 76 in total (1,057 turbines), mainly located in mountainous areas of the Northern and Central Interior. SPEA criticize the lack of strategy in locating wind farms as they are sometimes installed in migration routes of birds. By 2010, the Portuguese Government predicts that about 45% of electricity will be generated from renewable sources. Quercus in Madeira have drawn a list of twelve tips that allow one to save the environment and lessen spending this season. Energy saving, recycling and using rechargeable batteries are some of the tips for a ‘greener’ Christmas. Saving on lighting, utilizing recycled wrapping paper, offering helpful gifts, taking advantage of the Christmas decorations provided by the Councils, for ‘sustainable consumption’. The Regional Director of the Environment at the UN summit on climate change in Copenhagen and Quercus are concerned about water management as there are decreasing amounts of rainfall in Madeira.  Madeirans have to rationalize water consumption, streams have to be maintained by cleaning and the Government has constructed reservoirs to secure water resources for agriculture.

"So who is the ass?" The CDS-PP in Câmara de Lobos Council still want the second access road to Nun’s Valley that was proposed in the last reunion of the Council. It is recalled that recently the President of the Government, Alberto João Jardim, described as "illiterate" all those who defend a second alternative road to the interior of Nun’s Valley. Roberto Rodrigues, author of the proposal submitted by the CDS-PP in that authority is convinced that these words of the President of the Regional Government will have negative effects on the next electoral results of the PSD. Rodrigues claims that he has no doubt that in the next election, the electorate will know the Curral gave proper response to the President. "I am convinced that in the next election, the vote of the people of Curral das Freiras will make people aware about who is after all the ass in this whole story."

Five arrested and 34 weapons seized in Nun’s Valley. Police operation lasting six hours on Saturday / Sunday, including house searches. Four people arrested for possession of prohibited arms and one for driving without a licence. The weapons seized included twelve firearms, two extendible batons, three replica firearms, five daggers, one sword, three machetes and a whip. In addition to weapons, 107 pyrotechnics were also seized and 24 large blue cans labelled as bleach but containing 600 litres of alcohol. The police also carried out roadside checks and monitored 88 vehicles. In a statement the police said that Nun’s Valley "reveals some disturbing deviant behaviour, particularly the high rate of domestic violence and alcohol consumption." These were the reasons for "adoption of a strategic intervention in order to prevent and tackle illegal activities."

Câmara de Lobos has 45 million euros budget. The Municipality of Câmara de Lobos is expected to have for the next financial year another Municipal Budget of the order of 45 million euros. Last year’s budget was 45.23 million, this years has declined by around 300,000 euros to 44.9 million. In order to prevent a debate on the Budget Plan 2010 at the next public meeting on December 18, and also because the Municipal Assembly meets a day before the last meeting of the town council, a special meeting has been scheduled for next Friday by the mayor to debate and vote on the Budget Plan. The approval should be easy as the PSD have absolute majority against the three opposition parties. The PS (Socialist Party) reject the Budget is lower due to the Local  Finance Law but because the Regional Government has reduced transfers. The MPT (Earth Party) believe that special attention should be given to the quality of life and money not to be diverted for what can be classified as ‘megalomanias’. The CDS-PP stresses that the crisis also comes to the Council and it is also the fault of the Regional Government because it does not meet the contracts-program.

More than half a thousand requested retirement. This year, a total of 516 public employees have requested early retirement. It is a very high value, more than double than in some recent years and not the record only because last year’s accumulation represented two years (2007 and 2008), reaching a total of 625 retirements. Almost a third (139) were from the educational section, of which 74 were teachers, possibly reflecting the turmoil that resulted from the new arrangements for evaluation and career development. Another significant share of outflows were from the areas of social services and health, with 172 retirements, as follows: 139 from the Health Service, 33 from Social Security, 3 from Health and Social Services Administration. 17 doctors retired (including 14 Heads of Departments), more than in any previous year, a phenomenon that should not be alien to the restructuring of the Central Hospital of Funchal. Also 44 nurses left active service. High outputs in the Department of Natural Resources (43), the 11 local Councils (53, 26 in Funchal), ANAM (19), RAMEDM- Roads of Madeira (13) and Social Equipment (13). The sum of the pension these 516 retirees are entitled to reaches a total value of 581,000 euros, that is, an average monthly pension of 1,125 euros. This is slightly below last year’s value of 1,169 euros. Men on average earn 76 euros less pension than women but the ‘millionaire pensioners’ barely cover women, last year 8 out of the 10 highest pensions were awarded to men. In the last 10 years, 3,918 public sector pensioners have been created, an average of 391 per year. The highest pension among the 516 retirees this year was awarded to a notary who is entitled to receive 4,500 euros a month.  It is about 20 times more than the five people who received the lowest pension of 227 euros per month. Among the other beneficiaries of the ten highest pensions, six were doctors, a nurse, a university professor and a deputy.

Lights go on today in São Vicente. The illuminations start today at 21.00 in São Vicente, also in the centres of Ponta Delgada and Boaventura. There will be two presépios in São Vicente, one Madeiran in the lobby of the Municipal Building and a large one in the Municipal Garden. The illuminations will continue until January 22, day of the patron saint of the county, which is a municipal holiday. The Night Market is on December 18, with Christmas carols.

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

Plan for the mountain range include Rabaçal cable car – The popular action is in progress. The time has come to join the ‘class action’ against the cable car that is planned for construction in Rabaçal. The action was instigated in March by two environmental organisations, both with the intent of putting a stop to the project. ‘Quercus National Association for Nature Conservation’ and ‘The Friends of the Ecological Park’ asked the Administrative Court of Funchal (TAF) for a declaration of nullity or annulment of the decision of the Madeira Government, approving the planned construction in the laurissilva forest, an area classified as "biological reserve" by the Council of Europe, and as a world natural heritage site by UNESCO.

Funchal Council identifies trees of public interest.

Future of the land doesn’t get decided just in Copenhagen.

Today’s main news headline :  Cheque mystery – Santana Council passed a cheque to its ex-president to the value of nearly €5,000, relating to entertaining expenses  in the final three years of his political mandate. Carlos Pereira left it in a office in the câmara from where it would come to be removed on the day that the new executive took office. The cheque showed up weeks later, in a donation box in Sé. When Pereira returned to his office to ‘clear out his desk’ he was pretty upset to find his cheque had disappeared, but his happiness returned when a council employee told him that his cheque had turned up in the donation box in Sé Cathedral in Funchal. The story seems implausible even within a comedy,  but Pereira confirms that the cheque was stolen by someone who had access to keys, narrowing it down to just a few people.  He thinks it was a prank in bad taste, because no one else could have banked the cheque, or an act of ‘pure malice’, as he sought to play down the matter. The matter was resolved when a priest at the Cathedral had called the council very surprised to have found the cheque that had appeared, with the name of the ex-president (PSD). Very upsetting, I could hardly swallow my breakfast cereal reading this tale of woe. It just goes to show that the PSD unpleasantness extends within the party, and is not just reserved for outsiders. Is there no system to stop a stolen cheque here then, as issuing a new one surely wouldn’t have been an insurmountable problem?

Almost 100 went to the Gripe A Centre and to the confusion. The treatment centre at Santo António was very busy and the users were muddled. 82 concerned / sick people had turned up at the new swine flu treatment centre by 5 pm yesterday, on its first day of operation, some having firstly gone to the Emergencies at the hospital (obviously not blog readers then!), and others went to Santo António when they should have gone to their local health centre. One father of a sick boy, said he first of all rang the ‘Health Line’, where he was told to go to the hospital, only to find that he ‘was knocking on the wrong door’. He was then told to go to Santo António, and he did so, despite actually living in Garajau and covered by the health centre in Machico. But common sense prevailed and the sick boy was attended to at Santo António. Some patients had to wait in the reception as the waiting room and corridor was filled with adults and children wearing green surgical masks. Talk about the unpleasant things people have to do in life sometimes, as this must rank amongst one of them … being perfectly healthy yourself and having to take a kid (who may or may not have Gripe A) into a room of festering germs, all eager to jump down ones throat. Must be almost as bad as going out to lunch with Uncle Bertie … no I jest … bring on the swine flu!

The public revenue doesn’t depend on the authorisation of the State.

Nacional celebrate 99 years with two victories – The Alvinegros went to Leiria winning by 1 – 2 and keep fourth place in the premier league. The other victory came from hospital : Manager Manuel Machado is now conscious and out of danger.

That’s all I have time for. If anyone else can oblige with any of the ‘blank’ headlines, here is the link 

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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.

(more…)