A bulletin of current news and island events. With this we can keep up-to-date on all of the important issues and happenings in Maio such as: the transportation problem, the new water plant, cable TV, the long wait for land sales, etc, etc...

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CV Fast Ferry, Maio Port Requires Adaption

A little over a month until the arrival of the first Fast Ferry Kriola from Cabo Verde Fast Ferry (CVFF). CVFF is waiting for an adjustment that has to be made to the port in Maio before it can receive the new ferry.
According to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CVFF company, Andy Andrade, "The port in Maio has to be adapted with a ramp to receive the ferry."

Andy Andrande told the "Voice Djarmai di", a gathering of entrepreneurs and the Dutch Cape Verdeans in Rotterdam, "The CVFF, is sensitive to the problem of maritime connection between Praia / Maio / Praia, could not Djarmai out the project", but Andrade says that "without port adaptation this connection will be impossible." However, he claims to be in contact with the Mayor of Maio, Manuel Ribeiro, and ENAPOR who have been unwilling to resolve this issue.

Note that the ferry Kriola "already done this month and was baptised on October 22 in Singapore should, according to Andrade, arrive in Cape Verde between 24 and 26 December. However, judging by how things have gone, the people maense have to wait a while to see the resolved problem of sea transport.

Article: CV Fast Ferry, Maio Port Requires Adaption

Tremen­dous News - HalcyonAir Flights to Maio and Sal

We would like to inform you that HalcyonAir Airways will start regular flights to Maio Island from Thursday 28th of October 2010.

In the new scheduled there will be four (4) flights a week, Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays with possible connections to the islands of Sal, São Vicente, Boavista and Fogo.

Below is the flight timetable:

1. Segunda-feira / Monday
   • (361) 11:05 Praia - Maio 11:25
   • (631) 11:45 Maio - Praia 12:05
2. Quinta-feira / Thursday
   • (361) 14:00 Praia - Maio 14:20
   • (631) 14:50 Maio - Praia 15:10
3. Sexta-feira / Friday
   • (361) 16:35 Praia - Maio 16:55
   • (631) 17:25 Maio - Praia 17:45
4. Domingo / Sunday
   • (161) 07:30 Sal - Maio 08:05
   • (631) 08:35 Maio - Praia 08:55
5.  
   • (361) 16:30 Praia - Maio 16:50
   • (611) 17:20 Maio - Sal 18:00

With the new flights to Maio the access to the island will be considerably improved.

ED:
Best news for Maio in a long time...

United Nations Projects on Ilha do Maio, Cape Verde

In the field: Cape Verde making its way for the Sustainability of the Environment / Making the difference in shaping the minds and the actions of the people

Cape Verde has been recognized as a global hotspot for terrestrial and marine biodiversity and United Nations in Cape Verde is actively involved in promoting environmental sustainability for the people and its' future generations of Cape Verde. On the island of Maio, two projects funded by GEF Small Grants Programme, are making the difference in shaping the minds and actions of the people.

"Marine Turtles Protection" is the first turtle conservation project in the history of the island involving the active participation of local communities and fishermen to protect Loggerhead Turtles. The project enables 17 fishermen and local people to be employed to patrol the beaches from June to October for the nesting and the hatchlings of the turtles. The local youth are also taking part in the conservation project by visiting the project sites and learning about the life cycle of the turtles and the eco-system of the island. The youth also had the opportunity to share their findings by organizing a theater performance at the municipality's festivals. Theater is relatively new to Maio and the play combined traditional story-telling techniques with an emphasis of turtle conservation and the importance of preserving the natural environment.

This is a positive change in the increased awareness of the people where before, the hunting of turtles for their meat and eggs was common practice across the islands and egg predation by humans and other predators, had almost wiped out the breeding turtle population of the island.The project is also in alignment with Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP), a national government policy priority, which is also linked to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). The project is really a local-to-global contribution.

"Revitalizing the Porto Ingles Wetlands" is also a unique cooperative project,empowering 70local women working in salt extraction. Porto Ingles Wetlands include the largest «salina» in Cape Verde with a heritage of salt extraction since the late 16th century. The entire salt production process in Maio is managed and operated by local women, and these women are proud and motivated in further improving their professional skills by actively participating in a technical exchange program to increase salt production with women from similar projects in Guinea Bissau, West Africa.The UN in Cape Verde will continue work with the Government, civil society, private sector, development partners, and families to promote sustainable development. After all, the women in Porto Ingles Wetlands have definitely illustrated that by working together and sharing experiences, they are not only helping each other to enhance the quality of life for themselves, but also are contributing to the lives of the people in Cape Verde and it's neighbouring countries.

In addition,the project not only promotes sustainable traditional livelihoods of these women, it also promotes biodiversity by protecting and re-vitalizing the wetlands. The wetland attracts a wide variety of birds,including endemic species, for breeding and feeding.A protected fence is scheduled to be built to preserve and to develop this area as a natural reserve to incorporate eco-tourism as a unique bird-watching site in Cape Verde. The flocks of flamingo can also be observed when visiting the Porto Ingles Wetlands.

Both projects, while aimed at issues related to MDG7, (Ensure Environmental Sustainability), have the added benefits of addressing poverty eradication and other MDG1 targets. The UN in Cape Verde and GEF Small Grants Programme continue to be committed to promoting sustainable livelihoods of the people by protecting the environment and utilizing the natural resources.

* Reported and photos taken by Masakazu Shibata (OUNF&P Communication Officer) except group photo of "Marine Turtles Protection" project provided by Tony Melo (Biosfera I)

DAMEN delivers first-ever newbuild fast ferry to Cape Verde

Singapore, October 22

Cape Verde marked an important milestone in its history as the ten-island state sees the official inauguration of its first-ever, newbuild fast ferry. The “Kriola”, a DAMEN Fast Ferry 4512, literally represents a lifeline to Cape Verdeans.

DAMEN Regional Director, Friso Visser, commented: “We are very proud to have been chosen to partner with Cape Verde in this unique project and to be able to answer the exact needs of the owner, Cabo Verde Fast Ferry.”

The Dutch shipbuilding group, headquartered in Gorinchem in the Netherlands, is especially delighted to have managed to build the new ro-ro ferry in less than one year and to have even delivered it weeks earlier than planned.

Kriola is expected to enter service by the end of the year and a second sister vessel, the Liberdadi, is due to be delivered early 2011. Other vessels may follow in the future to boost Cape Verde’s sea transportation connectivity.

As well as being the country’s first new fast ferry, the vessel was also funded in a unique way. Cabo Verde Fast Ferry carried out the country’s first Initial Public Offering (IPO) to raise the funds needed. Cape Verdeans were so keen to buy bonds that the IPO resulted in one of the highest stock exchange participations ever.

The Kriola can accommodate 164 passengers and 65 tonnes of cargo and was built at DAMEN Shipyards Singapore, a yard known for its quality aluminium fast ferries, patrol boats, crew suppliers and workboats.

Cabo Verde Fast Ferry President, Andy Andrade, outlined the importance of the new vessel to the islanders.

Cape Verde has always been somewhat isolated because of its position in the middle of the Atlantic but this is particularly worse for the outlying island of Brava, explained Mr. Andrade.
“Often transportation is only carried out on an ad-hoc basis because the waters are subject to many currents, substantial wave heights and very windy conditions. Safe, reliable transportation to the islands was a key priority.”

Cabo Verde Fast Ferry company contacted several yards, both in Europe and the US, Mr. Andrade stressed: “Our new vessels had to be very specific for Cape Verde. It was only DAMEN that took the time to actually look at the specific needs of Cape Verde.”

Seakeeping ability was crucial and the vessel had to be able to support the business plan, so facilitate the right mix of passengers/cargo, comfort levels, fuel consumption and operational costs weight into the design factors.

The DAMEN 4512 also appealed because it could offer a very fast turnaround in port because the vessel is very compact. To achieve the same operational profile, a comparable German-built vessel operating between the islands is 68 meters - a considerable increase on the 45 m length of the DAMEN Fast Ferry.

Another high priority request from CVFF was a ferry that had to be able to serve the four southern islands in a day before travelling back to its home port in Brava for the night. Therefore, it needed to achieve speeds of 18-22 knots.

“These two vessels will really bring maritime transportation into the 21st century,” company executives emphasized. They are certain that as soon as the Kriola arrives it will stimulate travel and it will give a boost to the economy. The DAMEN Fast Ferry will not only make it easier for foreign tourism but also internal tourism between the islands. Workers and students travelling will also benefit from the new ferries, added Andy.

Established in 1927, DAMEN now has more than 30 shipyards worldwide and employs 6,700 people. In 2009, the company had a turnover of E1.4bn. DAMEN has an extremely varied portfolio, specialising in fast ferries, tugs, workboats, patrol craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, mega yachts and naval vessels.

DAMEN has been a pioneer of modular shipbuilding based on standardised designs. Introduced in 1969 by DAMEN Chairman, Kommer Damen, this technique gives the yard the ability to offer well-proven vessels, very short delivery times and competitive prices.

In addition to newbuild construction, DAMEN is involved in maintenance and repair activities and a wide range of associated maritime services.

Per­fect opportunity to purchase excep­tional plot of land on Maio Cape Verde

We are glad to reveal that after a recent web-page make-over of the real-estate section, the web-page can finally be revealed

Maio Land For Sale on Ilha do Maio Cape Verde (Cabo Verde)

Land sales on the Ilha do Maio have steadily been increasing over the last couple of years as the prices for premier land are substantially less than other islands in Cape Verde.

New High-quality stunning Maio Cape Verde Images

A new set of excellent and stunning photographs of Ilha do Maio, Cape Verde, have been added to the MaioCV.com website gallery page.

Maio Cape Verde Photographs Gallery

Also, beautiful recent images of the excellent Stella Maris villa development in Vila do Maio.

More Publicity for Ilha do Maio

The tropical island of Maio is fast becoming the favoured choice for wealthy Cape Verdeans and is set to attract international investors due to planned infrastructure developments and improved air and ferry links.

The Salinas Beach Resort is the premier development on Maio and is currently under construction by No. 1 Cape Verdean developer Sogei. This project has been financed by funds raised on the Cape Verde Stock Exchange, and the strength of the Sogei name means buyers can be assured that off-plan purchases will deliver both quality and reliability.

The Salinas Beach Resort is located in Porto Ingles near to Maio’s harbour. The resort will include a 4 star hotel, commercial area, gymnasium / sauna, bar and beach club. Three bedroom semi-detached villas are available from €248,000, 2 bedroom 2 bathroom apartments from €126,000 and commercial units from €70,000.

“Before the financial crisis Cape Verde was Europe’s closest tropical destination with a constant climate, direct flights from the UK, a stable economy pegged to the euro, investor-friendly government policy and a vibrant culture – and nothing has changed!” says Akwei.

“Those are just some of the reasons why Cape Verde developed as a highly desirable overseas property investment market - and that’s why it will recover and return to health so much quicker than many other destinations.”

Original Article: easierProperty - click here

Cape film crew retraces global journey (Ilha do Maio)

By Patrick Cassidy
pcassidy@capecodonline.com
November 13, 2009

SOUTH YARMOUTH — When Cape Cod native John Kendrick left Boston Sept. 30, 1787, on the first American-based voyage around the world, his crew must have felt some trepidation. They were headed into still largely uncharted waters on a mission filled with unknown dangers.

But at least it was not Friday the 13th and the Columbia was not traveling into a known dengue fever outbreak, as is the case with the small Cape Cod film crew following in Kendrick's footsteps today.

The brainchild of 43-year-old Chatham author Andrew Buckley, "Hit and Run History" is a 13-part documentary that purposefully blurs the lines between the past and present.

Think the "flinty nephew" of Anthony Bourdain from the travel show "No Reservations" and the fishing crew from the "Deadliest Catch" with film cameras in hand, searching for history, Buckley said Tuesday during a pre-trip meeting at the Cape Cod Community Media Center on White's Path.

The crew comprises a film student, freelance videographers, an Emmy winner and Buckley, a shellfisherman and self-proclaimed "gumshoe historian."

"The whole concept of this is that our crew is our cast," Buckley said. Buckley and four other crew members board a plane tonight headed for the island nation of Cape Verde, off the west coast of Africa.

Cape Verde, the ancestral home of thousands of Cape Cod residents, was Kendrick's first stop on his three-year journey. The former privateer captained the Columbia, which gave its name to the Columbia River in Washington state.

The first 45-minute production of "Hit and Run History" chronicles Kendrick's life and other events that led up to the 1787 departure. It was completed earlier this year and has been screened across Southeastern Massachusetts as well as on local cable Channel 17.

Today, five members of the crew are scheduled to leave on a plane from Boston to Cape Verde to complete the bulk of filming on the next part of the journey, Buckley said.

The crew plans to document Kendrick's time in the country's capital city of Praia and action that took place on the nearby island of Maio, he said.

Perhaps appropriate for their Friday the 13th takeoff, the small country of nine inhabited islands off the coast of Senegal is in the throes of an outbreak of dengue fever, an infection common in the tropics but never before seen on Cape Verde.

Almost 14,000 people on the islands are now infected by the mosquito-borne disease and a half-dozen have died, according to A Semana newspaper. The cases of infection appear to be dropping, however, and none of the reported deaths occurred this week, according to the newspaper.

Still, for the Cape film crew, the dengue outbreak has changed their plans. A ticket meant for the group's Portuguese-speaking translator was donated to Luisa Schaeffer, an outreach worker at the Brockton Neighborhood Health Center, who is returning to her native country to help with the crisis.

The group is also packing plenty of bug spray and medicine to use and will fly to the island of Fogo on Monday to document the ongoing epidemic, Buckley said.

"For the show it certainly is going to make things much more interesting and rich," he said.

At the crew meeting the prospect of dengue or other possible maladies elicited mostly laughter.

When it was suggested that taking vitamin B complex could help drive mosquitoes away because of the scent excreted through a person's pores, Jul3ia Astatkie, 23, of Marstons Mills suggested some high-flavor, pore-exuding food might also be good to have along.

"We're fearless individuals," Astatkie said. "If we are going to die, what cooler place?"

After a moment of thought Astatkie, who works at the media center and won an Emmy in May for a video she produced and starred in, decided it would be better to live at least long enough to get some good footage.

The inclusion of the experiences of the crew has been pivotal to the project's appeal with audiences, Buckley said.

The technique "doesn't just lift the curtain a little bit," he said. "It tears it away."

Cape film crew retraces global journey (Ilha do Maio)

Halcyonair resumes regular flights

Private Cape Verdean airline Halcyonair has announced the resumption of regular inter-island flights beginning today, September 25. As a way of enticing passengers and making up for the complications caused during the period in which its aircraft was not flying, the company is offering special fares on its Sal-São Vicente and Praia-São Vicente route.

ASemana

Gallery Page Updated | Maio, Cape Verde

I have eventually got round to updating the Gallery Web page...

I think I've included all the galleries and journals that have so kindly been submitted. Please shout if any have been omitted.
It's starting to build into an informative collection, and I hope, proving useful to visitors and investors alike.

Thanks again for looking in,

Mark.