Flood clean-up video ; Euro interest rate held ; Whale watching ; SS Funchal liner
Today’s photo – Many thanks to Roslyn … "The sun is rising again over Madeira – Sunrise over Funchal from the Casino Park Hotel September 2009".
Many thanks to Elaine (East) for these two web snippets :
Watching whales in Madeira. Madeira is a great place to visit! It has long been a popular destination among those seeking respite from the northern European winter, but while its gentle climate has long been celebrated, it is less widely known for its rich marine-life HERE
Anyone heard of the Madeira Liberation Army? Police blitzed by odd Maddie claims. ….The wacky reports include: An email from the Madeira Liberation Army who claimed to be holding Madeleine and had a video showing her in good health, but couldn’t vouch for her safety unless the city of Funchal was granted independence. UK DAILY STAR
More on that story HERE … many thanks to Don
Many thanks to Pete, why said this fine ship used to do the Lisbon-Azores-Madeira service … "SS Funchal is one of a few Classic Liners still operating today as a cruise ship. This delightful 10,000–ton Portuguese cruise ship has become a favourite for many around the world as passengers return again and again to cruise on her. Although 46 year old, she has received a number of refits and has been meticulously maintained". FULL STORY
Pete also found this link … a biography of one of my personal local heroes ALBERTO JOÃO JARDIM
And many thanks to Becky for this update video … 10 days after the floods in Funchal.
And you thought, or maybe even hoped, that I had forgotten this weekends football? Today at 4 pm Marítimo host Académica, and tomorrow Nacional visit V. Guimarães … SportTV1 8.15 pm. I believe it is free entrance for the Marítimo game today for both lots of supporters, but I can’t guarantee that.
The European Central Bank (ECB) has kept the eurozone interest rate at its record low of 1% for the 10th month in a row, as expected. The ECB also signalled it would scale back the special lending measures introduced during the financial crisis. ECB president Jean-Claude Trichet said that economic recovery in the euro area was "on track but will remain uneven". (Source : BBC).
Many thanks to Elaine once again for yesterday’s top news stories :
DIÁRIO 06/03/2010
FRONT PAGE NEWS
Tragedy caused a loss of 1.6 million Euros in tourism revenue. Madeira had 15,000 fewer tourists the week after the disaster of February 20th. This is the conclusion drawn from the movements through the port and airport and data provided by the main hotels on the island. Six cruise ships cancelled with a loss of 13,000 visiting passengers. 20% of these ships were going to stay overnight. At least 2,000 hotel guests cancelled or returned early. There were 6,000 fewer plane passengers arriving of which 70% would have been tourists or 27,000 overnight stays. The average stay is 5.4 nights and the largest losses were international flights (- 49.8%). The impact on tourism was a loss of 1.1 million Euros from hotels and half a million Euros from cruise ships. This is based on an estimated 40 Euros spent per day by each cruise ship passenger, and the official statistics from last year in relation to the revenue from hotel guests (249.28) or the cost of overnight stays (41.90). The average bed occupancy rate for February was 40%, a 6.7% drop from last year and from the 57.1% achieved in February 2008. Hotel receptionists said that many tourists returned early after seeing distressing images in the newspaper reports. They gave donations and the majority said they would still like to return to Madeira. The decrease in hotel reservations for March is worst for the five-star hotels (31% bed occupancy rate compared to 37.2% last year) and three-star hotels (64.5% as opposed to 72.6%). The average occupancy for March is predicted at 52% which has been decreasing gradually from 53.1% last year, 64.45% in 2008 and 60.7% in 2007.
MADEIRA
It rained seven times more than normal. In February, there were 458.7 millimetres of precipitation in Funchal, which is almost seven times the average for this month. This corresponds to the highest figure in February since records began in 1865. The amount of rain that fell on February 20th, 144.3 mm, is the highest since 1920. In one hour, more than 50 mm fell. 2nd February was the second wettest day this February, with a recorded 129 mm. On the Continent, February was the wettest for 24 years and there was above average rainfall in the Azores. Wind speed registered gusts of 57 km/h on the 4th February in Funchal and 108 km/h at the weather station at Areeiro. Alberto Jardim calls for an end to alarmist news about bad weather. "The worst thing that can happen to society is living under alarmism. We need serenity, very calm and gradually diminish the psychological effects that the tragedy has caused."
Progress after the storm. In the county of Ribeira Brava, there are two people still missing and 211 people remain homeless. 90% of the roads are cleared of debris and the demolition of the century-old bridge has begun. The bridge was partially damaged by the flood and it will be replaced by a suspension bridge which, unlike the old one, does not depend on two supports in the stream. There are no more isolated areas in the county now the new military bridge connects Fajã da Ribeira to the rest of the island. The population in Curral das Freiras are returning to normal life but still become alarmed at the instability of some slopes with landslides occurring. They feel trapped in the isolated area and one person is still missing. There are 34 families homeless in Câmara de Lobos municipality. Roads in Jardim de Serra have all been cleaned and repaired. Santa Cruz Council rehoused only 6 of 83 families last week. They do not know when the remaining 77 families will be permanently settled as they want to return to the areas they used to live in. 48 homes suffered significant damage and repair work should begin next week on some of them, but another 19 homes cannot be recovered (one shown in photo). There are a total of 237 homeless in the county and 184 of these are staying with relatives or neighbours. The machines are still slowly working along the ribeira da Luso-Brasileira, next to the Estrada do Livramento, to remove the large amounts of sludge and debris. They have to work slowly as there are still people missing in the area.
POLITICS
Ismael Fernandes leaves the MPT. Ismael Fernandes held a senior position in the Earth Party and gave the motive for his resignation as dishonest financial management by the party leader Isidoro Gonçalves. He will not give details of the amount of debt but said, "I am not responsible for any debt the party has undertaken while I was part of the directorate." "I also resign for the reckless and dishonest way that João Isidoro manages the finances of the party." Isidoro wants Ismael to clarify any complaints about his financial management or be guilty of defamation. Ismael thinks the future of the party is very black (dark/gloomy) under Isidoro’s leadership and he has not received any reactions from other members of the administration. Isidoro denies any illegality in the accounts, noting that they are available to party members and the Constitutional Court. The party has a debt of 100,000 Euros, of which 40,000 Euros are from the MPT’s festa and will be paid by the end of the mandate. He said Ismael resigned the day after the party approved cuts in remunerations and the management model has not changed over the past two years. Both Ismael Fernandes and João Isidoro were members of the Socialist Party, then left and set up the independent MPT (Movimento Partido da Terra).
Today’s news headlines from the front page of the Diário de Notícias :
Today’s main news headline : Equipment [infrastructure] situated in risk zones – Of concern, schools, fire stations, pavilions, and commercial centres. Locations : river banks, unstable cliff faces, close to the sea. Taking into account the work of reconstruction. MAP OF ‘AT RISK’ CONSTRUCTIONS HERE This is a Diário assessment of over 30 strategic structures on Madeira and Porto Santo island that they consider at risk from nature and natural events.
European support in the hands of [prime minister] Sócrates – Commissioner Johannes Hahn was moved by the evidence left by the water torrents and considers the situation inside the parameters that permit European support. But almost everything depends on Lisbon. What Hahn said was that he only takes responsibility for the support coming from the European Solidarity Fund, and the rest is down to central government renegotiating the support ‘package’ destined for Portugal. That needs Prime Minister José Sócrates to take on board a different strategy. It’s a tricky issue, because it will mean that the government may need to agree to divert money originally intended for structural and cohesion funding, but there are also other possibilities, said Hahn, indicating the the EU would be a flexible as possible given the right approach from the Portuguese Government.
Thieves steal articles intended for those made homeless – The warehouse of the charity Caritas in Nazaré was raided.
Number of dead from the big storm rises to 43.
Business remains closed in some parts of the city of Funchal – Recovery works prolonged in the rua da Alfândega and Tanoeiros.
Fado solidarity concert sold out. That’s the the big photo on the left, taken at the fund raising event last night at the Casino.
The main sports headline today : Bernardo Sousa wins Torrié Rally – The Madeiran makes a great start in the Rally Championship of Portugal 2010. Vítor Sá was obliged to pull out. It was Bernardo’s first title at national level, as he and co-driver Nuno Rodrigues da Silva drove their Ford Fiesta S2000 to victory. At one stage they lost control of the car and could have been killed, and that cost them over 50 seconds off their advantage, making the achievement even more remarkable. They won by a 6.6 second margin in the end. Next stop for Bernardo is in April, in Jordan.
A right old mixture of extremes of good and bad news on today’s front page. Two showing support for Madeira from the population, and from Europe, and then those thieving gits in Nazaré spoiling the show. How low can people get! The article about infrastructures in danger may be technically factual, but most certainly over the top, and will do nothing to help the tourism or economic situation here. Wherever one builds a property in this world there are some some risks, and building by a mountain that has existed from long before mankind indicates that it is likely to still be there in a good many years from now. And yes rocks will fall, rivers will flood, and the power of the sea will take its toll now and again, but what are we supposed to do, go back to living in caves? I, like many others who have homes here, looked up at a towering rockface when contemplating my new home, and thought about the possibility of a serious rock fall, but that was a risk far too small to deter me.
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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Infiltrations in the Bairro da Nazaré. For over 20 years, residents in the social housing complex in the neighbourhood of Nazaré in Funchal have complained of rain entering the apartments. A resident complained he had spent 500 Euros in an attempt to fix the problem and had to replace a water damaged washing machine and refrigerator. On the top floor, a middle-aged couple no longer bother to have the damage repaired because the same problem recurs. Residents have notified the IHM, responsible for the building, but they visit then say they have too many repairs to do.
Benjamin Marques in focus in Madeira International Art Biennial. The Biennial will open on June 15th and the works of art will be displayed over several areas. This year it will pay homage to the Portuguese artist Benjamin Marques with a display of eight of his works. This is the third edition of this arts exhibition and the inauguration will be held at the Casa da Luz (Electricity Museum) on June 15th. The event ends on July 31st. The works and artists will also be represented in other areas of Madeira: from June 18th at the Casa de Cultura de Santana; from 24th June at the Casa da Cultura de Santa Cruz and at the Library of Estreito and Civic Centre of Ponta do Pargo, at dates to be announced. The photo is one of the works of Benjamin Marques in the collection titled, Géologie.
Madeiran wins slot in television series – Joana Ponte is a vampire in the series ‘Lua Vermelha’ [Red Moon]. I haven’t watched this series on SIC, but a few days ago I saw a bit when channel hopping, and it looked quite interesting. But if SIC wanted to recruit for monster / weirdo roles in the series, surely Uncle Bertie would have been the first choice. He has nothing else constructive to do, and he wouldn’t even need any make-up. If that doesn’t get me deported, then I reckon I am safe here for the rest of my days!
