Portuguese president Anibal Cavaco Silva (centre right), with Madeira's president Alberto Joao Jardim (right), look at the damage caused by the floods in Ribeira Brava, Funchal, yesterday. (AP Photo/Octavio Passos)
SOME areas of Madeira are still without running water and electricity six days after flash floods claimed 42 lives.
While official reports suggest that services are being restored across the island, people in some areas are still being forced to boil muddy water from the levadas and flush toilets with buckets of water.
A man whose sister lives in Madeira has said that some of the islanders feel like they have been forgotten about in the aftermath of Saturday’s deadly floods.
Noel Twomey’s sister, Stella Twomey De Costa, lives in Ribeira Brava, one of the worst-hit areas, and is still without running water, electricity and a phone line.
According to the latest official statement from the regional government of Madeira the death toll remains at 42, with 18 people still missing. Of those injured, 18 people are still in hospital and around 600 people have been made homeless.
In Jersey, £3,340 has already been collected online for the Jersey Side by Side appeal for Madeira, thanks to 36 separate donations. A number of events are also being planned for the coming weeks in aid of the appeal.
The charity Jersey Side by Side has launched and appeal and donations can be made via their website: Click here
Article posted on 25th February, 2010 - 2.59pm
58 Article Comments
Portugal is part of the EU and so Madeira is far better placed than, say, Haiti. The same principles apply however, disaster areas suffer from supply issues due to the logistics of getting to areas and then effecting repairs as well as fulfilling the requirements shortfall until normalty is resumed. More accessible areas will always be first to receive aid. EU helicopters and personnel would be useful and more effective than donations.
As a non-EU member, I wonder how much aid of any description Jersey would get in similar circumstances?
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I get the impression that a lot of people in Jersey dont give a fig about Madeira.
Judging by the lack of comments “none at all” on every article written about the Madeiran tragedy, and the general silence regarding donations,one wonders if the self loving Range Rover im “alright jack” brigade are just thinking about Jerseys next multi billion dollar investor.
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Well said comment 4, Clip Clop Horsey. I totally agree with you and believe, so will many others. I’m sure Madeira sends thousands of pounds to other areas hit by bad weather, fires etc. I am sure there are lots of people here who can rush back to Madeira and help re-build their ruined homes built with money earned working here for them to retire to
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4 and 5, you better hope nothing bad ever happens to Jersey and the rest of the world gets bored and tired of hearing about it.
What is the problem if people go to Madeira to retire? It doesn’t change the fact that most of us work here all of our lives and pay taxes, Gst, social security etc etc, just like you LOCALS!
Your attitude towards what happened in Madeira and the ”why should we give a damn”is no surprise to me, it is only a shame that you didn’t find anything better to do with your time than to come to a site, that is read by thousands of Portuguese people, to let us all know that some pompous people in Jersey are too up their own backsides to give a damn about anyone else other than themselves.
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Post 4, are you forgetting that there are about 12000 Portuguese people in Jersey? I know there other internationals living in Jersey but these news are about a tragedy that happened in Madeira , killed 42 people, about 20 still missing and hundreds left homeless! It affects the thousands of Portuguese living here, that’s why it is news! How anyone can just roll their eyes and come up with insensitive crap like ”they go back home to retire, with the money they earned in Jersey” and ”this is a JERSEY newspaper” is beyond me. Have some decency and save the usual ”poor us locals” repetition for other news articles, not the ones that are about many losing their lives and the destruction in a small Island where most people already struggled before this horrendous Storm. It is heartbreaking for those who have been affected. There are some real idiots posting on this site. Have your mothers never taught you that if you nothing nice to say than say nothing at all?
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Ok let me change some words around and mybe this one will go through.
Post 4, are you forgetting that there are about 12000 Portuguese people in Jersey? I know there other internationals also living here but these news are about a tragedy that happened in Madeira , killed 42 people, about 20 still missing and hundreds left homeless! It affects the thousands of Portuguese living here, that’s why it is news! How anyone can just roll their eyes and come up with insensitive stuff like ”they go back home to retire, with the money they earned in Jersey” and ”this is a JERSEY newspaper” is beyond me. Have some decency and save the usual ”poor us locals” repetitive manure for other news articles, not the ones that are about many losing their lives and the destruction in a small Island where most people already struggled before this horrendous Storm. It is heartbreaking for those who have been affected.
There are some real hideous people posting on this site.
Have your mothers never taught you that if you have nothing nice to say then say nothing at all?
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Fatima (7)
If anything bad happens in Jersey we would not expect it to be reported elsewhere in the world, except in the INTERNATIONAL section of the news.
Last week 12 people died in France – there are lots of French people here, where was the in-depth report?
Recently several people died in a fire in England – there are English people galore here, again where was the in-depth report?
A car bomb in Ireland nearly narrowly missed killing dozens – there are lots of Irish here, where was the in-depth report?
Starting to see a pattern here?
Whilst us “pompous locals” have every sympathy for the Madeirans, it does not qualify as Jersey news and the point I was making is that I buy the Jersey post to read Jersey news.
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Some of us consider the Portuguese to be an integral part of our community, as such this disaster has happened to our brothers and sisters. Of those that complain, would you refuse to let a Portuguese person clean your home or place of work, would you rather they did not contribute tax and social payments to the island. Or are you happy for them to make these contributions but would prefer that they kept quiet and ideally did not venture out during daylight hours. Perhaps they could relocate back to Madiera but send the overinflated rent they pay through the post to the many Jersey landlords getting rich on it.
This forum is a truly great thing, I had no idea of the level of racism and hatred present on the island until I started reading posts on This Is Jersey.I just hope those who regularly contribute their bile are judged by the same measure they employ to judge others someday.
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We will be asking for donations from Madeira soon the way we are rapidly going down the pan.
The Eu wouldn’t want to know. UK forget it.
We haven’t got any allies to bail us out if a disaster struck,It would be every man for himself.
We better start getting friendly with the rich and those with boats.
Now what is that guys phone number? the one that gives dosh to the pensioners at Christmas?
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4 & 5 Get off that rock and try to get an education, “travel broadens the mind”. Your evil rantings are the kind that cause so much conflict in this world. You will probably be delighted to learn that your hate filled, wicked thoughts kept us awake all night We suggest if you can´t afford to broaden your horizons you seek expert help for you warped minds.
From an extremely angry ENGLISH couple who lived (and worked damned hard) in Jersey for over twenty years and have now been residents in the beautiful island of Madeira for 10.
2 Disgusted ex Jersey residents.
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It seems a bit pointless to freeze your “nads” of in Jersey all your life,to go back and retire at the age where you could have a stroke or heart attack.
I heard of a chap who spent 40 years!!! working in all the “unpleasant” jobs in Jersey.
When he returned home he planned to retire in the villa that he had spent all his years working for.
Unfortunatlely he dropped dead two weeks after returning home which echoes my comment.
On the other comment on here, about Jersey not existing without Madeira, perhaps its the other way round as its “Madeira” thats “relying” on donations to survive not Jersey!!!
There arent many Jersey people working in Madeira.
If the situation was reversed would Madeira be giving charity to Jersey?? I will let you make your own minds up on that one.
Please dont stay if you hate Jersey so much.
Somehow we will manage if you go.
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As an annual visitor to Jersey for the last 15 years and viewing it as an adopted treasure – it’s a shame some of your comment posters don’t recognise what an asset the Madeiran’s have been to the tourist industry – always polite/helpful and hard-working; and how service has deteriorated now there are fewer of them. I have some Madeiran friends who are Jersey residents now, and they work hard in the jobs they do to support the people of Jersey. Many of their families back in Madeira have lost everything – so don’t make such heartless comments. Thank goodness Jersey Side by Side are trying to help, because I’m furious that there has been no published donation route in the UK – unlike for Haiti. To Madeiran’s everywhere my families thoughts are with you.
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I for one want to hear about all sorts of news. Yes, I live on an Island, but you know what they say – ‘no man IS an island’ Meaning people do not thrive when isolated from others. It’s important to be aware of what’s going on and that the local paper caters to as many readers as possible. There are a significant number of Portuguese residents in Jersey and a significant number on non-Portuguese residents who do want to know what’s going on in Madeira. If you’re not interested -just turn the page and read something else.
I am glad that the JEP is not solely reserved for news from Jersey and about Jersey. If it were, it would make for a pretty dull read!
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@4
JEP want to sell papers, why wouldn’t they report on something that will sell the newspaper!? If you don’t want to read about it…don’t? =S
The Portuguese will buy the paper when they normally don’t to find out more about what’s happening which is more money for the JEP
THAT’S why it’s in the paper all the time
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Hmmm, Fatima dictates that “if you nothing nice to say than say nothing at all” (sic) yet in the previous sentence it’s a case of “There are some real idiots posting on this site”
Do as Fatima says, not as Fatima does! LOL you should apply for a job in the States, dear, you’d fit in well.
As for the ludicrous comment at 15, “your hate filled, wicked thoughts kept us awake all night” – and this is because I suggested, fairly politely I seem to remember, that the local news should consist primarily of local events, with international stories appearing in the international news section..??! Goodness me, someone’s a bit on the sensitive side. Considering the reply that I got from Fatima I guess you won’t be sleeping tonight either!
For what it’s worth, I’m not a racist (I had a Madeiran girlfriend for 4 years) – it was merely my opinion, which some others share and some others do not. However, as we’re on the subject, I would like to point out that I agree with Lula’s sentiments regarding the fact that a large proportion of people living here do not speak English nor do they make any attempt to learn – indeed, I see many parents dropping their kids off to school yapping away in a foreign tongue – why should we the taxpayer have to pay for these ‘local’ children to be taught our language?! And then there’s the cost of translators when they require medical care or when they’ve broken the law and need a translator in court. All at the taxpayers expense.
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“There are 12,000 Portuguese people here in Jersey”.
Which, I agree, does make it of interest to a sizeable part of the population. However, it’s still not Jersey news, as you’d expect to find featured in a Jersey newspaper.
As a very very rough estimate, I would suggest that there are around 50 – 60 thousand English people here, yet we do not print their news.
Further, there are many Jersey people now living in Canada, at some point in the not-too-distant future I shall be joining them. If I want to keep up on Jersey events, I will log on to ThisIsJersey.com, not ThisIsCanada.com!
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Post 10, I don’t expect YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER to cover every death in Portugal, but this was a huge thing, how can you not see that? Are you seriously going to compare a bomb that narrowly missed killing dozens in Ireland to what happened in Madeira? There is no favouritism towards the Madeirans, it’s only the biased self- important ” Jersey should only be about the locals” people like you that are getting their panties in a twist over the portuguese grabbing the newspapers headlines for about a week or so. For God sakes some of the Portuguese people in this Island lost family, yet here you sitting in your high horse acting as if Jersey locals are so hard done by. And don’t speak on behalf of the French, Polisn, Irish or any other Internationals living in this Island because you don’t know how they feel about this whole situation, they’re probably just happy it wasn’t in their country!
If you are so upset then why don’t you just stop buying the paper for now? I am sure by this time next week you can go back to reading how much poop the seaguls leave all over town roads or the other usual ”can’t be missed” local news!
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11 Lula, a small town got hit by a bad storm?? REALLY? Why don’t you read about what happened first before you comment? Youtube and google are your friends, just look up some videos that show how bad it really is. The whole Island was affected, the Island’s main city Funchal is unrecognizable! We do not compare what happened to Madeira to what happened in Haiti, nor do we demand to be NEWS all over the world, what we are getting a bid upset here is that some of you are bitter because Jersey Post decided to cover this tragedy in depth. I have been living in this Island for 13 years and I have NEVER seen this Jersey Post cover any portuguese news like this, so what’s your problem?? You seriously can’t get through a week of the Madeira tragedy being talked about? How sad.
12. Such well paid jobs? Oh dear oh dear, yes it is true we get paid more here than back home but do you seriously believe that we have ‘’such well paid jobs”? Most of us work night and day because our main jobs do not pay that well, or do you also think that you poor hard done by locals get paid less than the evil immigrants? And prosperous Island? Be careful what you say about immigrants because the way this Island is going you too could be packing your bags and look for a better life elsewhere, hopefully you won’t go to a place where the a lot of the locals think everyone else is inferior to them and not worthy of staying in their Country/Island.
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20. Oh so you had a Madeiran girlfriend? What happened? Did you get dumped? Is that why you’re so bitter towards the Portuguese? Aw, how awful for poor local ClipClop Horsey. And I just have to laugh at the ”I’m not racist but…” Sure, dear, whatever you say. We can all read between the lines of what you post.
Do you think it is easy to learn a new language? Most Portuguese I know make an effort, sure some don’t, but most do! Just like Jersey people, some are racist idiots and others are not.
It’s none of your business if I and other Portuguese people speak in own language, for your information most Portuguese children can speak both languages just fine, of course the only way to learn Portuguese is by us parents yapping away in our own language! You don’t need Einstens IQ level to understand that.
Taxpayers pay for our children to learn english? Get off your high horse, children just go to school like the other English children and learn together with the English kids, so what in the world do you mean by the taxpayers have to pay for the Portuguese kids to learn English? By the way I am a taxpayer, so are thousands of other Portuguese people!
Cost of translators? What, paid by you? Translating is a job, people get paid by their bosses to translate. Translating job = money to the Island, so how is that such a horrible thing? But you’re NOT racist, right?
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Clipclop horsey.Can you remind me what exactly is Jersey news? Appart from the daily reports on suspended copper,minister says this and minister says that,waterfront developments,crappy hospital debates,town assaults and oh yes Mrs Le Marquand from St.Brelades has lost her cat!!!What happened in Madeira is REAL LIFE,not your cosy little narrow minded idea of it.
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Fatima (22)
Thanks for your comments, we obviously have differing views here. However, that’s what the forums are here for, healthy debate, so I would like to take the opportunity to correct you on some of your points:
Firstly, you incorrectly claim that “there is no favouritism towards the Madeirans” come off it, there’s no other nationality that has been given this much media coverage, even English news (and the english people outnumber the Madeirans here about 5-1 I would estimate).
It’s blatantly just a case of being extra nice to the foreign nationals in case they get upset and play the race card. We’ve even gone the PC route and renamed James Road to appease our Madeiran friends, so don’t try to claim you’ve not been shown favouritism.
Second correction: You say “For God sakes some of the Portuguese people in this Island lost family,” well but there are lots of Liverpudlians here and I personally know of one person who lost family in the Hillsborough tragedy, yet I did not recall nine pages of JEP reports on the subject.
Thirdly, “acting as if Jersey locals are so hard done by” well don’t even get me started on that one, as you claim yourself in an earlier post there are “12,000 Portuguese people here” – and it’s thanks to that overcrowding of our small island that house prices are so sky-high. Nowadays us HARD DONE BY LOCALS chances of getting on the property ladder are about on a par with that of the chances of a cat at an alsation convention.
Finally, “If you are so upset then why don’t you just stop buying the paper” well dear it’s the Jersey paper so if YOU want to read about Madeira, how about YOU just ’stop buying the paper’ and start buying the Madeiran Evening Post instead.
I have no desire to start an international incedent here, so please let’s keep this debate friendly. I am enjoying reading the views of someone with such differing points of view, even if they are wrong, and indeed I look forward to your reply.
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Lula, I just have to ask you this, how is it that you know that those men are from Madeira? Did you ask them or are you just assuming things? I wonder how I have missed this awful behaviour from Portuguese men since I go to town every day and frequent Portuguese establishments and have never witness any of this. Care to tell me where these ENTIRE SECTIONS in town are?
Could it be that you are exaggerating just to score points against the Portuguese? You go from having your say about the Newspapers coverage of the Madeirs Storm to accuse the Portuguese people of not making an effort to learn English and Portuguese men of sexually harrassing women in town. Oh yeah, it’s not you saying it, it’s your ”portuguese friend” who told you so. Yeah, ok.
In your opinion this event does not warrant 9 separate articles, but IN MY OPINION it does, and I am thankful to the Jersey Evening Post to show so much support for the Madeiran people. It’s good to see that most people In Jersey are not small minded, self-important, selfish people like some of the posters on this site.
Oh and by the way, if you’re going to be a smartbackside about a Portuguese posters spelling, at least make sure that your spelling is perfect. It’s obsCenities not obsenities.
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so lulaa thinks local people would not exist with out madeirans. no wonder our island is in such a mess then. think again.!
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Once again the small minded section of the Jersey locals rears it’s ugly (inbred) head and lets forth with bile about how all new comers to their island are ruining it. Fact – without the English, Polish, Portugese & Irish immigrants this beautiful island will not have prospered one tenth of that it has. Every day you should thank God we have come to your island.
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“Clipclop Horsey”
I could go on and on about our comments but i have decided just for this.
YOU ARE A VERY SAD MAN!!!
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this tradgedy is even worse than reported on t.v [here]
i feel for you FATIMA and everybody there, please dont rise to Clipclop’s bait as you are far better than that, just ignore him
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i bet all of you, if it wern’t for polish and portuguese working on farms and agricultural work,then all the farms would go down. and its a disaster that this has happened to madeira,and i bet you that if anything happened in jersey that it would go on the madeiran newspaper BECAUSE MADEIRANS LIVE HERE!!!!
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God’s Mentor – 26
Utter rubbish.
Thanks to the foreigners coming here pushing up property prices, most people now have no chance of getting on the property ladder. OK we had less money before, but it went much further.
The quality of life is now considerably lower than it used to be thanks to the overcrowding.
Thank the foreigners? you’re having a laugh
I wish they’d all go back where they came from and we could return to our lower-paid but much happier times.
Don’t bother trying to pretend that you foreigners have done us a favour coming here – it’s in your own interests to be here, otherwise you’d up and leave – nobody ever, ever, ever came to this island with the intention of ‘helping us poor locals’ like you are trying to kid on, you all came because you either can’t get jobs back home or because there’s more money here. So stop whinging and get on with it, otherwise if you dislike it here than don’t stay.
Like someone else correctly pointed out in a different thread, you have nothing of substance to say and are only here to try to wind people up, so I doubt anyone pays the slightest bit of attention to such ridiculous comments anyway.
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26. cLIPcLOP
There is no other Nationality that has been given this much media coverage? And? How is that the Madeirans fault? I still don’t see any favouritism. Do we get more money? Do we get cheaper rents? Do we pay less taxes? What, extra news pages on your local paper ? A street renamed for us? Yipeeee!
I couldn’t care less about the Funchal street over here, I wasn’t asked about it, nor were any of my Portuguese friends and family. If we were asked we would have all voted NO. We all knew too well that it would upset the locals, and rightly so. If you go out and ask the Portuguese what we think about it you would see that the majority of us were against it. Don’t come talk to me about bending over and being nice to the foreigner when for years we have been forced to pay very high rents for a room, not a flat, a very small room with shared toilets and kitchens! Do you think if you ever moved to Madeira we would treat you like that? No we would not! We might be poor but we have far more respect and care for our fellow human beings. On one of your other posts you mentioned many Jersey people living in Canada, how would you feel if the Canadians forced you to live in the conditions we are forced to live in just because we are not local? Thankfully I am no longer living like that but I am paying £1200 rent, plus water, electricity and rights, for a flat. I get no easy ride for being an immigrant, everything we have here is because we work hard for it. Jersey let us stay here, true, but we pay hard for it. Why resent us so much?
When I first came here in 1996 I was told that we were to work in farms, restaurants and cleaning jobs. Not banks, shops, finances or any other nice jobs, those were for the local people who thought they were above doing the jobs designated for the immigrants. That is why YOUR ISLAND called us, we were invited here!
You can’t afford to buy a house because YOUR Island is governed by YOUR VERY OWN LOCAL greedy senators, not because of us immigrants, so maybe you should go take your frustrations out on them instead of discriminating against us because we pay the same as you to live here. Actually I would say we even pay more if we don’t have qualifications.
You said you are moving to Canada soon, I really do hope you never come across Canadians who have the same opinion about immigrants that you, and many others on this Island, do. It is not nice to be treated like this, but we have to put up with it because sadly we just can’t afford to move back home.
I really fail to see what is so upsetting about the local paper covering the Madeira Storm, it’s a one off thing, you don’t really see them writing this much about Portugal/Madeira on other occasions, do you? Some of you are just using this as an excuse to rant against us.
I sympathize with not being able to live in your Island, afterall that is the same reason we moved over here, but it is all your government’s fault and it certainly isn’t an excuse to show such little sympathy for a small Island that has just been through their worst Storm ever that caused over £200 million in damage plus the many lives that were lost.
If immigration is such a big problem then you should all vote for someone who will do something about it. Don’t just sit on your backside and whine and moan and descriminate against the immigrants.
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Tobias, you should follow your own advice to stop whinging it and get on with it. If you dislike the way the Island is now then you too could easily just leave. No-one is stopping you.
You are right, we came to Jersey because we did get more money here it certainly wasn’t for the hospitality of some of you locals.
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Let my just add another disaster or 2.
Aberfan 1964/65/66?about 150 killed mostly at school by mud slide.
Plenty of welsh working here in hotels farms etc.
No whip round for them.
Oil rig in Scotland 160-170 killed again no whip round and 1000,s of Scots living here.
Even going further back over a million in the Irish famine while under English rule left to starve to death,and no begging bowl from them either must have been loads living here then as well.
And 1000,s of Irish perished fleeing to the nearest shore in what became known as the coffin ships and Westminster stood by for 2 years and did nothing.
I,ve come to the conclusion these 3 and the liverpool disaster and its proud people don,t like to ask for help,but wait till it is offered.
This is not intended to upset any-one,just stating the facts as I see them
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I totally agree with Clipclop. (And all the other UK born folks, inc Jersey.)
Where were the donations from the Portugese in accidents/disasters that have happened in England, Wales, France, Scotland, Ireland, Jersey?
As sad as the disaster is, things like this happen all the time. . . Chile for instance. 200 people dead there already. . THAT aint on the front cover. So why should Madeira???? Are Portugal making any donations???
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Strange debate: everyone in Jersey is an outsider,either with Celtic, Norman or Anglo-Saxon roots.After the Bretons came the Italians, and then the Madeira people, who did nothing for tourism except it’s downfall. Now there are ‘immigrants’ from other regions. One forgets the contribution made to the Island by the Irish, the Scots and the Welsh, but none have ever been so demanding (like having portuguese tuaught in the schools!) as the Madeirans…a bit of respect for the land that has given you so much opportunity please!
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The title of the article is “Maderians still without water”. . .
. . .What about Ethiopia. . .
. . .And, in the picture, it’s raining. . .
. . .And I think the JEP is taking the micky as they’ve just had a flood. . .
. . . But where’s the article about the starving and thirsty Ethiopians?
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also . . two million people affected in Chile . . . again, no donations to them!!!
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32 Non-local
“i bet all of you, if it wern’t for polish and portuguese working on farms and agricultural work,then all the farms would go down”
You should read the JEP more often….Agriculture has gone down and is no longer the major industry in Jersey…..Finance is.
It seems to me that the same old debate has arisen again…locals v non-locals.
The sooner both parties realise that they need each other then the better for all of us. BUT and this is a bit BUT (not mine because I try and exercise) we need the authorities to keep the population at a healthy and sustainable level….too many and we ALL suffer.
Also (and you would be plainly stupid to say otherwise) the local of any place in the world has an absolute right to want to cling on to their heritage, language and everything else they hold dear.
They have generally welcomed outsiders in with open arms and only ask that they be respected by abiding local laws, customs and language.
You’d ALL want this in your own birthplace too so do not pretend otherwise just because you may be the outsider in this case!
Great Britain aside (a notorious soft touch) take a hard look at your own country and ask yourself……if it’s so perfect then why are you here?
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hi i’m 14 and i’ve been following this little comment here since it started.
my take on things is that clip clop horsey’s argument is just pathetic. if you really have such a problem with it being in the paper. either don’t read those bits or don’t buy the paper at all. since there is such a high percentage of madeirans on the island, it affects a high percentage of islanders, so a high percentage of islanders will be interested in reading about it!
so just leave it alone and stop making such annoying and petty comments.
also, your ‘name’ is stupid.
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Fatima
“How is that the Madeirans fault”
At what point have I said that it is the Madeirans’ fault? My initial little moan was directed at the JEP that have chosen to give so much coverage to the recent incident.
My second little rant was a response to your comments that “There is no favouritism towards the Madeirans”, which I believe is wrong as there is blatant favouritism towards them by people who are trying to hard to appear politically correct. Again I do not blame the Madeirans for this, you are correct (!) in saying that it’s the governments fault, and my dig was at them, not at you. Bit defensive are we?
At no time have I shown any form of racism here,yet once again people with no valid counter-argument play the race card in order to try to get their way.
In your earliest comment you say, “if you nothing nice to say then say nothing at all” yet soon afterwards you make an assumption that I was dumped by my Madeiran girlfriend and then go on to gloat somewhat. Perhaps you should try living by your own rules, dear. Just for the record I was not dumped and bear no ill-will towards her (we’re still friends, and this was many years ago) – I put the story in as an attempt to point out that I do not have racist tendencies, otherwise I’d hardly have stayed with her four years. Still, it fell on deaf ears, as you wasted no time in screaming “Racism!!” as soon as I dared to disagree with you. Which, I must admit, is pretty much what I expected – it’s much easier to simply use the race card to get your own way than it is to actually have a sensible considered debate. I really have nothing else to say to you, so post what you like as I won’t bother responding.
Tanguy (42) well if my argument is “just pathetic” it’s surprising how many people are openly agreeing with it. Are they all “just pathetic” too? Perhaps you should get a bit more life experience before you start labelling people like that. As for your counter-argument that “a high percentage of islanders will be interested in reading about it” – had you bothered to read my posts, I already pointed out that the Twin Towers story would have been interesting to 100% of islanders, yet it did not feature prominently in the local press. It’s not a case of what’s interesting, it’s a case of what’s Jersey news and what is international news. Pathetic indeed? Go and get on with your homework and leave this sort of debate to the adults until you know what you’re talking about.
As for your closing argument, “Also, your name is stupid” – how very lame. That’s the best you can manage?
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37. UK BORN And how exactly would you know that the Portuguese didn’t donate? Every time there is a tragedy and donations are asked for, we do donate. Or do you think the donations from Jersey are only made by locals? Haiti earthquake, there were donations from Madeira, we might not give as much as the richer countries but we help with what we can. Of course th richer countries help more, surely no-one in their right minds can expect the poorer countries to help the same.
Chile tragedy, how awful, and I will definitely help with what I can. Are you?
38. Livioja How exactly did the Madeirans cause the downfall of Jersey tourism?? Fod goodness sakes you people are truly sad.
My son goes to school here and they do not teach Portuguese there, as far as I know it is only Rougeboullion that does it and the parents pay for it. But I am not sure, all I know is that my son’s school does not do it. Respect for the Island that has given us so much opportunity? LOL Your landlords made a fortune exploiting us, YOUR Island called us to do the jobs some lcal snobs think are below them, then we have to deal with crap from arrogant self-absorbed people who think they can treat immigrants like crap just because they are the local ones. Your Island gave me a job but that is all, everything else I bloody work and pay for! And where is your respect for us? Some of you have none! Some of you are constantly putting us down, yet you expect respect? Get off it. Some of us have been here almost all of our lives, we work hard, we are good people, we pay taxes and treat this Island as our own yet some of you who probably haven’t even contributed to the Island a smuch as some of us immigrants have, think you are entitled to look down on us just ebcause you were born here.
I do respect Jersey I just don’t have any respect for discriminating people, and I would even go as far as calling some of the people racist. The amount of vile things said against the immigrants here, especially the Portuguese, is disgusting. I guess the only thing I can relish on is that there is nothing these fools can do about us staying here so… HA!
40. NO DONATIONS? And you know that how? Have you donated? If you’re so worried about Chile why don’t you start campaigning for donations? Sitting on your backside moaning about the Portuguese getting donations and Chile not is not really going to help them is it? They don’t need your indignation on their behalf, they need your money, clothes, food etc etc. So less moaning and more work for Chile!
41. Our country is not perfect, when have any of us say anything like that? But some of you are constantly knocking us down and accusing us of being responsible for all that is wrong with Jersey. We are here because we make more money, do you even have to ask? It’s no big secret! We do abide by your laws, respect your culture and try our best to learn your language, well the majority of us do, I can’t be held responsible for what some bad apples do just because we were born in the same country. The majority of Portuguese people who don’t speak english are older people with not much education, but most of the younger ones do speak the language or at least try their best to. I have never studied here, my English was very basic when I arrived in the Island almost 14 years ago, but I bought a computer and taught myself to speak, write and read English. Most of us do try but some just aren’t good with the language. It is hard and scary to learn new languages, ahh yeah the memories of me trying my best to learn the language and having english speaking people laughing in my face because of my pronunciation or the grammar.
No-one has said that you have no rights to hold on to your heritage, it’s your Island, we know that and we don’t want to take it from you. What we don’t have to put up with is discrimination, and in some cases racism!
Oh I am sure I will get a lot of ”’ if you are not happy then go home ” comments but should we give in to some fools? I shouldn’t even be wasting so much of my time on these people but there is only so much a Portuguese, or any other immigrant, can read before getting somewhat upset.
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By the way how many of you moaning about the Madeira donations have actually donated? If you haven’t contributed then why do you even care? I am not aware of the taxpayers money being used, is it not just donations from people who want to help? If so, then what exactly is the problem?
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I don’t understand the comments saying that Portuguese people don’t give to other charities =S
I’m Portuguese I give money to all sorts =/
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The night of October 16Th 1987 the worst storm in living memory of jersey hit the island .. islanders rallied around for days and weeks following this storm, no out side help was needed or reported world wide! and if it was only small articles published ! France has been hit over the weekend by storms dubbed “xynthia” 53 people confirmed dead so far and half a million without electricity,Scotland has had the worse winter in 30 years people left without water and electricity.. Has there and will there be big spreads in the j.e.p and fundraising in shops schools and town as we jersey has a population of many mixed race people ! answer properly no we cant help everyone and for comment no6 get real !
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Beanie – i was quoting an earlier comment from HAHA (i wanted to know how he thought locals wouldn’t exist without madierans)
And Fatima no offense but if you don’t integrate with locals – locals will not want to know you.
New Street by the continental Café, Mindem place carpark, cheapside – need I go on? In my childhood years I remember we had 16 portuguese kids in our class and 3 french students… the Portuguese students had 4 translators the French students had nothing…
The French students also spoke better English and were better behaved also but again this is based just on my knowledge and past experiences.
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Fatima (44) to quote you: “I am sure I will get a lot of ”’ if you are not happy then go home ” comments but should we give in to some fools?”
I’d be inclined to agree with you there.
Funny enough, to quote you from your rather impolite post at # 35 “If you dislike the way the Island is now then you too could easily just leave. No-one is stopping you”
Yes, I could leave. But should I give in to some fools?
(Especially as my heritage is from Jersey, not quite so easy for me to pack up and ‘go home’ as I’m already home, well what’s left of it anyway.)
As ClipClop Horsey correctly said, perhaps you should try living by your own rules.
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I am local and I am very happy to have friends, lovely people who are from Madeira. As for the coverage of the disaster that hit Madeira, I think it is terrible that people are making comment – we are all human beings, and if you don’t want to donate then don’t – you have a choice, unlike the poor people who have lost loved ones, homes etc – that was not their choice. I send my condolences to those who have suffered loss, I hope there are more people who choose to assist in whatever way they can to help ease suffering regardless of colour or creed.
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Fatima you done nothing but complain about yourself and your people yes I’m a true and threw jersey bean going back many generations i also work hard at my job which is an average earnings i pay high tax’s rents as you do etc etc and if i was unhappy with this then yes id move off the island jersey coped very well before and will when u leave so don’t think you need to stay for us locals maybe people from jersey feel this way because the island has been over populated for many years now and should never have given up work permits it seems to be the same old with comments cant get my own way then your classed as a racist could i go to Madeira, and rent, claim social money could i speak my first language jersey french behind a till ? and before you ask yes i bye the post to read about jersey i bye the sun to read about the world and yes i donate money every year to jersey hospice ! charity starts at home !
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Liz. Nobody died in Jersey during the great storm, and as I recall, the entire United Kingdom was badly affected and so therefore Jersey wouldn’t have got a mention.
Tobias, what exactly do you object to? Do you feel that the floods in Madeira some how threaten your Jersey heritage? Why do we send containers to Romania? Why do we send money to Gambian schools? Why did we extend our help to Thailand after the Tsunami? I like to think that because on some basic level, the good people of Jersey are a compassionate group of individuals. I, for one, come from a Jersey family that dates back for generations, and I am deeply disturbed by some of the comments. Please don’t use your Jersey heritage to back up your rather colourful thoughts. Not in my name thank-you.
Lula, I think that there is some other deep dark motivation behind your post. Why else would mention integration or even talk about when you were at school the French children were better behaved then the Portuguese. I don’t see what relevance this has to the situation. Are you saying that because of some kids in your class, the people who lost their homes and family don’t deserve any help?
As far as I can see, the Portuguese are well integrated into society. I really don’t believe that because a bunch of Portuguese people want to meet up and socialise with each other that you can say the community it not integrated. It’s purely a perception and it’s not reality.
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If it’s a “let’s make generalisations about foreigners” thread can I just say that I have employed many Madeirans and have found them all, without exception, to be polite, hard-working and considerate.
There is a bit of a problem with young males hanging around a couple of town hotspots but when I see serious assaults being reported in the JEP, it is rarely Maderians involved (the young chaps tend to be more “entrepreneurial” in their illegality).
In the end, a lot of people who live in Jersey have links to Madeira and it is right that the JEP represents its community. I have no interest in the Woman’s Institute but over the course of a year it gets more coverage in the JEP than Madeira and I don’t complain.
Why can’t all you alleged locals appreciate how lucky you are and the fact that many people who have lived here for many years will be anxious about their friens and relatives?
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Bean Crock (52)
I couldn’t care less about whether (weather!) the Madeiran floods are reported or not. What I was objecting to was the self-righteous rubbish spouted by God’s Mentor at comment 29, whereby he referred to us locals as “inbreds” and then went on to sput more rubbish such as “Every day you should thank God we have come to your island”
Therefore I corrected him.
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Fatima 44
You seem to be jumping down everyone’s throat for some reason.
Please re-read my post 41. Then read it again!
This is not directed at you or anyone in particular. This is just my observation and general opinion on the local v non-local (note: not specifically Madeiran) debate.
You seem to have an inferiority complex or at least seem to be playing the victim quite well.
How about some rational thought before commenting as you do. The good thing about Jersey is we all have freedom of speech and are each entitled to our own opinions – hence these forums. Not one persons opinion is better than anothers….please respect that.
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47 Liz, Do you think this is the first time a Bad Storm batters Portugal? Only in 1993 Madeirans had something like what just happened, it wasn’t as bad but it destroyed a lot of the Islands main city and lives were lost. Did you help us back then? NO! Did the JEP write about it as much as they did this time? NO! This time around the Portuguese community with the help of good hearted local people decided to do something to help Madeira, no-one is being forced to give anything. Jersey taxpayers money IS NOT being used so this has nothing to do with Jersey not being able to help everyone.
Madeira has damages over £200 million, that is a lot for an Island that is already struggling, that is why the Portuguese all over the world started campaigning for donations. If you’re against it then just don’t put money in the ”begging bowl”, as Bella put it. Other countries are hit by tragedies and it’s awesome to help them out but when a Storm batters a small Portuguese Island, we are just begging.
France has been hit by a terrible storm this weekend. Seems that is one tragedy after another lately. Terrible weather!! My heart goes out to all the French people who have been affected by this. If the French community asks for help, I am sure that everyone regardless of their Nationality, will help if they can.
Will you lot throw your toys out of the pram if people start asking for donations or the JEP decides to write about it for days, even though no-one asks them to?
Thankfully the majority of people in this Island, locals and non locals, do not care about colour or nationality when it comes to helping those in need.
48- Lula,there are probably some nasty men around town but why should you use that against the Portuguese when it is only a few idiots doing it? The majority of them are decent men who would never disrespect you, but you don’t care about that because it does not suit your ”The bad Portuguese” agenda. Idiots like that exist everywhere. When I go clubbing I have had to put up with perverts who behave like they have never seen breasts in their lives. And no, they were not Portuguese. I put it down to them being idiots, I couldn’t care less what Nationality they are.
God forbid we stereotype Jersey locals based on some peoples comments on this site.
We do integrate with the locals, but it is very clear that we are just never going to be good enough for some people. I am accused of using the race card yet you haven’t had a good word to say about the Portuguese. I am sure you would say a lot worse if you could.
51 Liz, I complain? And you lot do what exactly?
I never said I stay for you locals, I have been quite clear that we came here because of money. It really is no big secret. And yes you CAN go to Madeira rent and buy your own property. I am going on holidays there soon and I am renting a villa that is owned by an English couple. Many English, and other nationalities, go to Portugal to live and work there. I wonder how many of them speak Portuguese? They are certainly not as fluent in Portuguese as most of us are in English. You’re right that people should learn the language, I agree 100% with that, I just know from my experience that is not always that easy. You just don’t get up one morning and are able to speak in another language, it takes a lot of work and time.
I do not label people racists just because they are fed up of what is going on in their Island, but when you stereotype, go on and on about a Nationality picking on every little thing they do or don’t do, accuse them of being the downfall of your Island, say you wish they weren’t here and get so upset over some donations being made to that country than I am sorry to say but, in my opinion, it does come off as racism. All of those things you lot and complaining about is your government’s fault, not the immigrants. Go get mad at them and leave us alone.
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55- BS DELUXE
I seem to be jumping on everyones throats for some reason? And you have no idea what that reason is? So you see all my ‘irrational’ comments but are fine with people spitting venom against my Country and the Portuguese people living here? And NO, hell no, I do not respect the disgraceful opinions of some of the people on this site.
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good grief, I am reading this online from Canada and can’t believe the bitterness & venom attatched to some of these comments!anyone anywhere in the world suffering in the aftermath of floods, earthquakes or any other man made disaster aren’t interested where help comes from, just that they get the help they need.yet again some people have used a newspaper article a vehicle for their nasty little attitudes. Makes me glad I no longer live in Jersey.Oh and Clip clop horsey-I sincerely hope that if you do move to Canada that you leave your attitude on the plane,it will be even less welcome here!
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9,845 euros (13,290 U.S. dollars) for Madeira!
The Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Portugal raised at a night gala a total of 9,845 euros (13,290 U.S. dollars) for Madeira
Source: WALL STREET JOURNAL http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/6906206.html
Paul Abbiati, a Jerseyman living and working in Madeira
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Thank you no 58 for some perspective. I lived in Jersey for 5 years and sometimes everything becomes so provincial. Jersey is part of a world community, so start acting like it.
Why can’t you all just live and let live.
It makes me sad to see that Jersey has only got worse since I left and I echo the sentiments of 58 in no longer living in Jersey.
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People died.
many have lost their lives, not just in Madeira but in Haiti, in Chile and in Europe last week…. and all that i see here is petty squabbles.
Why do stories that mention anything to do with the Portuguese community have to always turn into the same old tired arguments regarding immigrants in Jersey? (Arguments from both sides)
Just wanted to remind everyone that People Died.
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Liz (51): “Fatima you done nothing but complain about yourself and your people yes I’m a true and threw jersey … before you ask yes i bye the post to read about jersey i bye the sun to read about the world”
Well, thank the Lord for immigration is what I say.
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bean crock – i was mentioning the portuguese kids at my school in response to Fatima’s comment saying that all portuguese children can speak english and the maderians integrate with locals. As i said in my first post – i have nothing but sympathy for the people who have lost relatives or/and their homes – however i doubt that madeira would give aid if jersey was in a similar situation and i doubt even further that they would care if i lost a relative in a natural disaster. I was agreeing with a former post that this news does not warrent 9 pages in the JEP i was not being malicious or spiteful – which is more than i can say about Fatima’s emotive comments
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