Quinta do Lorde Injunction? ; Jardim Wants New Partnerships ; Vehicle Tagging To Be Opposed
(22nd July). Today’s main news headline : ’88% Flunk Revision – A survey by the Diário / TSF shows that the priority of some of Madeira’s politicians clash with the interests of the population’. For the people, the fight against unemployment should be top of the political agenda, in place of projects of constitutional revision, that goes to debate today. The illustration that goes with the headline shows the people’s priorities in favour of unemployment (54.5%), poverty (33.1%), and lastly constitutional review (7.7%). 712 people took part in the 3 option survey. Me thinks the Diário saved this one especially for today, the day of the big debate, maybe hoping that the politicians would read today’s newspaper over morning breakfast … smart move!
Another article today says that President Jardim is going to rewrite the constitution revision paper, and the article says at one point that Jardim "is going to impose his vision". Have we ever come to expect anything else?
‘Madeira Parliament Rejects Electronic Tagging Of Vehicles – Use is "illogical and impractical in the region". The Legislative Assembly of Madeira decided yesterday that the national law that requires the use of the electronic device for the registration of cars is not acceptable. Therefore, with the votes of the members of the PSD, CDS, PCP and MPT and the abstention of the PS, a draft decree was approved aimed at squashing the mandatory installation of the electronic device, making it "optional" instead. One PSD member said the new law presents a "serious risk of jeopardizing constitutional values, rights, freedoms and guarantees(?)", adding that as we have no toll roads on Madeira it is illogical. "It would be absurd, in time of crisis and difficulties, to impose on citizens in the region, the cost of acquisition and the installation of chips, just for mere control" she said. In the national proposal the microchips were also intended to trace traffic offenders and stolen cars. As happened with the national law on the compulsory use of seatbelts, the move to opt out will very likely be overturned by the Constitutional Tribunal, as outside the authority of the regional autonomy.
‘Quinta do Lorde with injunction – New Democratic Party contests the manner of the inquiry and moves to court’. The decision of the PND was announced yesterday that it would seek a court injunction to stop any further work at the controversial development, even after a forced and manipulated inquiry found everything to be in order. The inquiry was concluded after hearing just two witnesses out of the 30 nominated, both of those were PSD politicians who supported the development.
‘Jardim Wants New Public-Private Partnerships – The president of Madeira asked for help from the bank Caixa Geral de Depósitos’. He made public yesterday the request, that was originally made in private to the board of the bank, to help the island put together partnerships in different sectors. Giving as examples the design, construction and operation of a new hospital, as well as the development of golf on Porto Santo. The appeal is to businessmen and bankers to help at this critical juncture.
‘State Penalizes Madeira For €16 Million – The compensation for the loss of IVA (VAT) revenue differed in the two regions, in favour of the Azores’. I tried but failed to understand the details of this complex financial summary, and I don’t think I would have done any better if it had been in English. In a nutshell the Azores did better than Madeira, and the penalty mentioned seems to be the amount that Madeira lost out compared to the Azores.
