José Manuel Coelho's convict protest in Parliament

 

José Manuel Coelho, MP for the Labour Party PTP, turned up in Parliament last week dressed as a convict as a protest against the Portuguese justice system. Coelho was condemned for difamation in a case involving Jardim and his Vice-President. I am condemned for telling the truth, he says. Coelho stated he would not appeal the decision and wanted to be sent to prison to show how biased some of the judges in Madeira are.

 

The day of the protest Coelho was absolved in another case brought against him by the Vice President, who had asked for 75.000 Euros in compensation. Such cases are moneyspinners for Jardim and his chronies, who resort to Government finance to ask for substantial personal compensations.

 

 

 

Parliamentary 'Pimp'

The PSD Madeira MPs meeting on the 14th was marked by new signs of internal struggle. Its Parliamentary leader, Jaime Ramos, renown for his civility and good manners, called his fellow party member Miguel de Sousa, the deputy chair of the Parliament, a 'pimp'. All because Miguel de Sousa wanted the parliament's agenda for the next few months to be fixed in advance.

None of the PSD MPs are allowed to miss a session for free that the opposition may gain the upper hand over their 2-seat majority and all of them have their business and leisure concerns. Jaime is free to set the agenda to his liking, which he does.

The insults - word has it that far worse expressions were used - seemed to be derived from business jealousies: Miguel de Sousa is closely tied to the company that runs the offshore and to the Ports monopoly, run by his cousin - the only sector that is not feeling the recession pinch; indeed freight costs have just been upped - Yippee! Jaime is the big man in the construction sector - once the Colossus of Government spending - which has now dried up, leaving his associates with considerable accumulated government debt.  Not a happy chappy.

Destruction of electoral propaganda case reopened

The Public Prosecutor's Office has reopened the case against members of the PSD Madeira Youth for destruction of oppostion election posters. The case had initially been shelved but was reopened due to new information. This may be related to the National PSD initiating proceedings to expel the former PSD Madeira Youth leader, José Pedro Pereira, for alledgedly destroying oppostion election posters, throwing smoke bombs at opposition rallies and other rowdy behaviour. José Pedro's followers are now accusing the current PSD Madeira Youth leader, Romulo Coelho, of involvement in vandalising oppostion election posters.

José Pedro Pereira, the former PSD Madeira Youth leader, is due to stand trial for alledgedly peeing on a police car and insulting Police agents.

PSD Madeira purges city councillor

Jardim has begun proceedings to expel Costa Neves, PSD City Councillor for Funchal, from his party (the news made front page of the Jornal, above). Costa Neves was outspoken in his criticism of the way the Regional Government is handling the reconstruction process following the February 2010 disaster. He also openly backed Albuquerque in his bid for party leadership. Similar proceedings were also started against another Albuquerque follower, André Correira, for alledgedly playing pool with militants of the Christian Democrat Party.

Meanwhile, the Government has also confiscated Municipal roads bordering on streams where reconstruction work is to begin. Funchal City Council had objected to the proposed reconstruction projects and to the timing of the works which will totally disrupt traffic in the city. Jardim's answer was simply to take over the land. Opposition parties had left the Parliament in protest, when proposal was voted

4 Proceedings against the Jornal for Election Violations

Four criminal proceedings against the Jornal are currently underway at the Public Prosecutor's Office:

2135/19.2 TAFUN, violation of election laws for the 2009 National and Municipal elections

3539/11.9 TAFUN, violation of the elections laws for the 2011 Presidential elections

1327/12.4 TAFUN, violation of the election laws for the 2011 national elections

2011/10.2 TAFUN, violation of election laws for the 2011 regional elections...

Raimundo Quintal walks into the Marina do Lugar de Baixo

The enviromental activist, Raimundo Quintal, days ago walked into the moutn of the notorious Marina do Lugar de Baixo. The entrance to the unused marina is completely beached up and can be accessed on foot when the tide is low. The Government is still pouring millions into this defunct project - making use of the 2010 calamity funding!