Madeira News Blog

TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Elaine O Sol … Cisne Branco, one of the tall ships berthed in Funchal harbour last week.  It’s registered in Brazil and was on its way to the Cape Verde islands. Elaine will be pleased to know that from now on she will no longer be referred to as Elaine O Sol, as she is now promoted and in future will just be ‘Elaine’.

Talking of boats, if anyone on Porto Santo sees the yacht ‘Cantare’ stop over in the next few days, please ask if they need another ‘BOAT BUNNY’, and let me know, thanks.

Petrol goes down  2 cêntimos a litre on Monday, diesel by 1 cêntimo.

‘Jardim Agrees With Sócrates’. The headline I never thought I would see. Both the president of Madeira and the prime minister of the Republic agree that the airline TAP should be closed down and a new airline formed to rejuvenate the company financially. The company has massive financial problems, but European rules prevent the government from intervening.

‘New Whale Museum opens doors next summer – Santos Costa was at the location that costs €6 million’. The new Whale Museum in Caniçal was visited by the regional secretary for social matters was visited on Friday. The visit was also attended by Jacques Solaires, a French environmentalist, who helped design the contents of the museum.

The ‘Orange’ weather warning has now been extended to at least Monday, with strong winds and heavy rain all over Madeira.

I presume some of you have computers with Windows Vista, so just to say Service Pack 2 is available, and it didn’t update automatically with me, I had to do it manually. This should fix any problems with the original version, particularly security issues, and hopefully provide some improvements too.

UPDATES :

Talking of TAP and their financial problems, they are touting for new travellers to Madeira in their new campaign. €36 to Madeira from Lisbon & €52 from Porto, one way, for travel November to March (excluding around Xmas / New Year). Also €30 a room per night in the Calheta Beach Hotel, and €49 in the 5 star Hotel Melia.

In today’s new headlines:

‘Ribeira-Braveneses Want The Sea-Front Back – Traders in the centre complain of the mishaps of the reconfiguration of the sea front area’. They miss the days (5 years ago) when the tourist buses used to stop alongside the esplanade (now they stop at a car park just outside the main town). The population complains about the consequences of the new format of the town. Traders say there is a shortage of customers, shoppers complain about the lack of parking, and taxi drivers say that they are far from the buses (?). I couldn’t agree more, its a right mess, a nice looking mess, but a mess nether-the-less. As for the shortage of car parking, I think the Diário forgot to mention the word FREE. Plenty of parking around at a price, and maybe a short walk.

Number 220, Rua de Santa Maria, presumably in Funchal, fell down yesterday evening, putting neighbours houses in danger. The building has been unoccupied for 10 years. Neighbours had warned the authorities that the building was dangerous, as pieces had fallen off, but were told that that there was no danger. Yesterday the complete roof collapsed inside the building in a huge cloud of dust, and neighbours had to be evacuated. There is another headline ‘Rain Collapses 4 Houses In Funchal’. The picture was taken in Rua da Fábrica.

A big sigh of relief for Marítimo, as they whopped Académica 4 – 2 away from home, breaking a run of 3 consecutive defeats. Baba scored twice in the top performance so far this season. Nacional play Guimarães at home on Monday night (SportTV1 6 pm).

Today’s news translations : many thanks to Elaine in Garajau & Paul :

Inauguration Required Intervention of the Police. The PND party (Democrats) have often interfered with Jardim’s inaugurations, saying they are electioneering and their leader, Coelho, has often attempted speeches when Jardim is speaking. During  the inauguration of the new link road between the port and the expressway. Jardim’s supporters and the PND leaders clashed, a cameraman was allegedly too close to Jardim, and the police and security guards had to intervene resulting in a  police cordon between the PND leaders and Jardim’s supporters. Jardim has accused the police of working at the behest of Lisbon, by allowing the PND to interfere too much, and they are there to protect the government and it is the first time in 31 years of autonomy that the police lack control.

Quote from Jardim in Sao Vicente, "Who is ridiculous cannot earn the respect of the people."

Anger at Mix of Politics and Church. The Feast of Our Lady of the the Rosary began yesterday and ends Monday. In Sao Vicente, the PS and PSD parties have been paying for some of the entertainment. The local priest denies any knowledge of this but the public is not happy about their involvement and want the Bishop to intervene.

Weather Stories. An 83 year old lady and an elderly couple have been rehoused by the council after their homes made uninhabitable by rain damage. A car in a garage was destroyed when the roof collapsed. Trees blocked roads in Monte. The walls and old bridge around the riverbed at Ribeira Brava have been reinforced before the heavy rains arrived (pictured). The ‘Pes Livres’ walking club have still continued their program, Ponta do Pargo to Encumeada, this weekend despite the weather warnings. SPAD has rearranged the annual Blessing of the Animals from the 4th to now the 10th October. It occurs by the Statue of Francis of Assisi in the Municipal Park in Funchal.

Jardim ‘Boxed the Ears’ of the Madeira Business Parks. He states the management have not marketed the Business Parks enough and wants the councils to attract more clean industries. There are also talks underway to develop more trade with African countries.

Portugal is probably happy with Brazil hosting the next Olympics.

OCM Celebrates 5 Years of the Park with the Show ‘Popsinfonico’. It has been an ambition of the conductor Rui Massena of the orchestra to fuse popular and classical music and pay a tribute to traditional Madeiran music. This will be for the celebrations on the 10th October of the Madeira Theme Park in Santana. There will also be other groups involved, clowns, acrobats, jugglers, face painting and traditional craft workshops for the tourists to have a go during that weekend. Special ticketing/opening arrangements and details on their website www.parquetematicodamadeira.pt

Nun’s Valley Has New Garden. Sao Vicente Will Have Wine and Water. New garden inaugurated in Nun’s Valley, for both tourists and locals, with four sculptures entitled ‘The Fountain’. Sao Vicente plan to redevelop the old winery to help promote the local wine. The council also plan a pond including a waterfall, a mill, entertainment stage, open-air amphitheatre, market for local handicrafts and produce.

Will be Born the Party of the Animals. 200 signatures so far collected for political representation of a party member to represent legislation for animal welfare in Portuguese territories. There is an online petition, but you need to be a voter to participate. WEBSITE IN ENGLISH

Swine Flu vaccination program starts at the end of the month with 1100 doses. First, some health professionals and other personnel essential for the island security/utilities, if medically advisable. Then pregnant women and people under 65 years with chronic illnesses.

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TODAY’S PHOTO : Thanks to Jon … His adopted Madeiran pets Gizmo & Lucy involved in a bit of a loving rumble.

"Saturday we’re off for a short break to the island of Madeira. There’s somewhere I’ve never been to in this country of mine, so I have to go, if nothing else simply because I haven’t been. I’m pretty neurotic so right now I am worrying about leaving my mum on her own, the dog, my business being ran by someone else, I’m scared about flying…come on, I am returning on a fokker. There are a few yikes going on at the moment". BON JOVI FAN?

Marítimo play Naval today at 4 pm, on Madeira, but it’s not on TV. No game for Nacional as it has been put off for 2 weeks. The big game this weekend is this evening at 7.15 pm on SportTV 1, Porto v Sporting.

Have a great weekend!

Don’t forget that news / articles will be posted at various times during the day – Check back regularly and keep yourself up to date.

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

You can email blog@madeira4u.com with any large contributions or comments and photos

(more…)

(22nd August). Today’s main news story : ‘Wind Enables Saving Of €5 Million – Wind turbines already create 6.5% of the energy produced on Madeira, supplying the equivalent of 27,500 houses in 6 regions of the island’. It is predicted that by 2012, wind power will represent 9.8% of electricity needs, and take up to 22% (of total electricity needs) the output of the renewable sources of generation on Madeira. The new wind turbines will generate 71 GWh per year, enough to supply all the domestic needs of Machico, Calheta, Ponta do Sol, Santana, São Vicente and Porto Moniz. By the end of next year it is planned to have two new wind farms, one an expansion of the site at Loiral (project of EEM), the other a private initiative. The current capacity saves the importation of 13,700 tons of fuel to Madeira, and eliminates the emission 43,000 of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. In theory there is no limit to the number of wind farms that could be built here, but there are restrictions that prevent this purely for technical reasons. Renewable resources could provide as much as 30% of electricity production by 2016/17. In theory, anyone can apply for a licence to generate electricity from wind power, by applying to the Regional Directorate for Trade, Industry and Energy, although the guarantee that all such energy produced can be sold into the grid in the future is not quite so clear.

The main front page photo today today is an eye-catching colourful shot inside the farmers market : ‘Bosses Annoyed With Market opening – Lack of information fell badly for the traders that preferred to relax on the Day of the City of Funchal’. The majority of traders only knew from the newspapers that Funchal Council had decided that the market (Mercado dos Lavradores) would be open, and those contacted by the Diário said they did not want to work on that public holiday, preferring to relax along with everyone else from Funchal. The stalls were open from 7 am until 4 pm, and trade was weak. One flower seller said she had just €20 in the cash till at the end of the day. The shops of downtown Funchal were also running on ‘half gas’, but bars and some restaurants were full of customers.

‘Rescued From The Sea Of The North With A Tragedy Imminent – SANAS, the Navy and FA undertook an operation together that finished in a difficult rescue, at night, of a 20 year old man in the high seas of São Vicente’. A helicopter, lifeboat, and the launch ‘da capitania’ fought for 4 hours against bad weather. The 20 year old man who was catching ‘lapas’ (limpets) on the reefs of São Vicente was rescued in the dark by a combination of rescue teams, and survived thanks to being in good shape physically, the diving suit he was wearing, and his rescuers of course. He was seen as it was getting dark, and a surfer bravely tried a rescue and had to be rescued himself, but as darkness fell the fisherman was lost from sight. The alert was raised about 7.30 pm and the authorities rushed to attend, along with the Merlin Helicopter stationed on Porto Santo. The rescue was achieved around 11 pm. A spokesman breathed a sigh of relief, saying these night time operations don’t always go so well.

’5 Dead In Rock Fall On A Beach Of Albufeira’. 4 women and a man died after a huge rockfall on the beach of Maria Luísa in the Algarve. 6 more were injured, one seriously. One expert believed that the cliff face, which was already identified as ‘at risk’, fell after a slight seismic activity. Four of the dead were women, killed just after midday yesterday. 8 people were rescued, including the injured mentioned. Work is still underway to clear the location, but there will not be any more survivors found.

‘SPAD Received 184 Animals Up Until 19th August’. The number has been less this year according to a spokesman for the Society for the Protection of Domestic Animals. Of the 184 animals received in just 19 days, 57 have already been adopted. The SPAD adoption campaign held in May will probably be repeated at the end of the Summer.

The emergency landing of the SATA shuttle service at Porto Santo yesterday, resulted in one injury, a man with a light fracture to his left foot, after a drop of around 3 metres on exiting the aircraft. He said he was pushed by another passenger in panic. The escape chute on the rear exit was not put in place until after all the passengers had left the plane. A vice president of the Assembly of the Republic of Portugal was amongst the passengers.

‘Parents Deal With Purchase Of School Books’. It’s just a month to the start of the new academic year, but this year this year the sale of school text books has gone very quiet, in complete contrast with previous years, and especially last year. Large queues formed from late buyers, and supply problems from the publishers, have always caused a large headache with parents, not to mention the unwanted expense. This year, "Parents are being more responsible," says Agostinho Gonçalves, of Anny & Jhonny’s Bookstore, which sells textbooks for all subjects and levels, and to all parts of the Madeira and abroad. "There is much concern for purchasing the text books earlier", he stressed. This book shop alone orders more than 100,000 books a year. The text books needed are chosen by each school, so a wide variety are needed, although each book selected has to be adopted for a period of six years. For younger children, parents will have to find €60 – €75 for each child this year. In the secondary school this rises to €250 – €300 a year.

The sports headline today : ‘Nacional Prepares For FC Porto Thinking About Russia : Alvinegros (Nacional nickname) guaranteed a minimum of €900,000 if they eliminate Zenit St. Petersburg. But before that there is the game tomorrow in the Dragon’.

This weekend football : Marítimo are at home to Leixões on Sunday at 4 pm, and later on Nacional play away at the ‘Dragon’ against league champions Porto. (8.15 pm SportTV 1). There are currently 14 teams (out of 16) tied in second position in the league table, and I will stick my neck out and predict that will change significantly this weekend.

And from the political pages :

‘Solemn Session : Albuquerque says that the political class lives wrapped in cotton wool’. At the ‘Solene’ (solemn or serious) session yesterday in Funchal on the ‘Dia da Cidade’, in a 25 minute speech, one of the longest in 15 years, the President of Funchal Câmara Miguel Albuquerque accused the state of being "controlling, arrogant, and inefficient". The PSD politician was using a public engagement for political purposes, saying that politicians in the republic live in a glass dome. The last time I looked sr. Albuquerque you were one of the political class.

‘PND Help Jardim’. The New Democratic party launched a campaign yesterday afternoon, during Funchal 501, to help president Jardim pay the rent on the holiday home he is using on Porto Santo. The government owned property, reserved for the most deserved holidays for politicians and their cronies requires that a daily rent of €10 is paid by users, including Madeira’s president. According to José Manuel Coelho of the PND (aka The Rabbit), through a megaphone, Jardim does not deserve to be subjected to such "ingratitude", because despite being "retired", he still "cannot rest day or night, as he is always thinking about the welfare of Madeira and Porto-Santo". For everything that he has done for Madeira, especially "roads and concrete", and for being a "great world leader", at the level of Obama or Putin, he (The Rabbit) can not agree that Jardim has "to pay from his own pocket", for the holiday that he enjoys every year on Porto Santo. The money collected will be given to president Jardim. Yet another great wheeze from The Rabbit, the entertainment just doesn’t stop coming! Lettuce wait and see how much he raised for Uncle Bertie.

‘Candidate Denies Coming Together Of MPT (Earth Party) And The Orange Power – Lícia Agrela aspires in counting on the disenchanted PS supporters’. This is the next in the series of Diário interviews with the top candidates (head-of-list) for the national elections. The first question posed is about a ‘proximity between the MPT and the PSD, which she says is not correct and is just criticism made because of the MPT support shown for good policies (regardless of the political party responsible). As for the rest of the interview, I can’t be bothered. 

‘Santos Silva says that Ferreira Leite, in ‘democratic asphyxiation’, confuses the Republic with Madeira’. The Minister for Parliamentary Affairs in Portugal, Augusto Santos Silva, said yesterday that Manuela Ferreira Leite (PSD Leader) is confusing Portugal with Madeira, "where they don’t follow the main democratic principles". He was reacting to a radio interview given by the social democrat national leader in which she said that the main problem of Portuguese society is a "very complex democratic asphyxia", and that "people are afraid to speak out against the government because they have fear of retaliation". I can’t speak for Portugal, but yup, that’s definitely Madeira.

‘BE does not participate in the Day of the City – Left Block challenges Funchal to "think" about the city’. Left Block councillors did not participate in the formal session of the 501st anniversary of the city of Funchal yesterday, because they contest the fact that only the PSD speeches were permitted. A situation which has been repeated for several years. Only Miguel Albquerque, president of CMF and Alberto João Jardim, president of the regional government, were allowed to speak. Rodrigo Trancoso, candidate of the BE for the forthcoming council elections on 11th October, believes this is a clear trampling of democracy and challenges Funchal to think about the future of the city. That must have spoiled the day for everyone then, and it certainly got me thinking about Funchal, particularly on how to avoid going there during election time.