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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Second Cabo Verde Fast Ferry vessel to be called “Liberdadi”

Alcides Vicente, a Cape Verdean residing in Atlanta, Georgia (in the United States), is the winner of the contest aimed at selecting the name for the second ferry boat being built by Cabo Verde Fast Ferry. The name chosen is “Liberdadi” (“Freedom”). The name of the first vessel is Kriola.
Second Cabo Verde Fast Ferry vessel to be called “Liberdadi”

Construction of the first of the two ferries is expected to be concluded by October of this year. The second ferry, according to Cabo Verde Fast Ferry, is slated to be finished in January of 2011.

The winner of the contest to choose the name of the vessel, Alcides Vicente, will receive an award in the form of US$ 500 cash, two round-trip tickets on TACV Cabo Verde Airlines from Boston to Praia and a trip aboard the first ferry, as well as lodging in the most luxurious hotels and resorts on the islands.

Original Article: ASemana - click

Delegation from the Ilha do Maio MADRRM promotes III Mondays Agro-livestock

A delegation from the Ministry of Environment, Rural Development and Marine Resources (MADRRM) promotes the Ilha do Maio on 24 and 25 opened, the third Monday of farm and livestock products of the island.

According to the deputy MADRRM, Carlos Dias, will attend the event for farmers and creators from the island, selected, among other things, the quality (variety) and quantity of its products such as agricultural, farming or handicrafts.

The idea, according to Carlos Dias, is to give participants the opportunity to exhibit their products, taking into account that the island that there is a space where they can sell. Normally, all the run-off is channelled into the market in Praia.

Moreover, Open Days, are also a way to spread the productive capacities of the island are increasing year on year.

The fair will be held during the weekend and has a partnership with the City Council on Maio, farmers, ranchers and artisans.

Original article: Noticias Cape Verde – click here

Marine Princess Ferry Docked Indefinitely, Cape Verde, Maio

The hydrofoil Ferry Marine Princess remains docked at Praia sea port with no date in sight for the resumption of business. After news indicating that the vessel was paralysed due to the departure of its captain, several A Semana Online sources have revealed additional problems that have combined to keep the embarkation from going out to sea. This is the second time the Marine Princess has been forced to lay idle in the short time it has been operating in Cape Verde, thus dashing expectations that it would help resolve the problematic issue of connections among the country’s southern islands.

Sources close to the vessel's administration claim that, "Operations have been suspended" not only because the captain left for Angola, but also because, after "investing millions of escudos, administrators have been combating archaic procedures that, in addition to being costly, hinder or even render useless the company’s work," said the source.

As such, the administration of Cape Verde Navalis is waiting for a reaction to a memorandum submitted some time ago aimed at doing away with "parasitical" costs and "archaic and anti-economic procedures."

In addition to the lack of a captain, the company is hoping authorities will put an end to these "parasitical" costs that they claim make operations unreasonably expensive. Without mentioning to which authorities the memorandum was actually sent, A Semana Online's source says that the ship will remain docked until these issues are resolved.

The hydrofoil Marine Princess, which had been plying the waters along the Praia-Fogo, Brava route three times a week, is currently sitting at Praia sea port. Connections to the other Leeward Islands were expected to resume during the Christmas and New Year's holiday, but this will no longer happen.

The ships Praia d'Aguada, Sotavento and Sal Rei travel to the islands of Fogo and Brava twice a week, but even so are unable to meet the demand on the part of would-be travellers, who often take advantage of the holiday season to visit their native islands.

Source: ASemana Online - click here.

Maio, Rain and a Green Island|Maio,Cape Verde

Elisabeth has created a new journal with photos of the GREEN island of Maio.

Maio, Rain & a GREEN Island - click here to view

Businesses Realising Maio's Potential

This year will be an important period in Maio's development. A healthy business climate must have competition and businesses from Praia are beginning to realise Maio's potential. Already this year in Vila do Maio, two travel agencies have opened and two banks are under construction. Also, a supermarket in Morro will open this month.

Maio Weather Back to Normal

In the passed two weeks the unusual warm weather for this time of year is back to normal with an idyllic Indian summer climate, warm sunny days and cool nights.

The weather in Maio is not often a topic of conversation...