A proud former Madeiran.

Tobi Hughes·
Madeira News

Probably many Madeirans have the same experience when coming back to their island.

Born and raised in Madeira for 30 years, I decided to emigrate 15 years ago due to a lack of opportunities. I always take advantage of every break from work to return to my homeland, but it is increasingly difficult to recognize the island I left behind.

This year, for the first time, I chose to exchange the usual two weeks of vacation in Madeira for another destination because:

Visiting any space on this island is now a martyrdom, such is the confusion and disorder that reigns.

The lack of peace reigns, without any control.

Traveling on our roads is a nightmare and a danger.

The irreversible degradation of our landscape is frightening.

Going to a restaurant or bar and being served in Castilian is something that leaves me deeply disconsolate.

And the most important reason is that I feel like a stranger in my own land.

It’s a reality, Madeiran is on the verge of extinction.

I continue to return to visit family and meet friends because today’s Madeira has very little to offer. But what truly intrigues me is the conformity of Madeirans.

When talking to friends and family I realized that there is no desire for change, there is no perception of reality and as such they do not realize the loss of quality of life. The pride of being Madeiran is not dead but it is severely injured!

But I will continue to defend you, praise you and promote you.

Madeira, who saw you and who sees you!

From Correio da Madeira

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Tobi Hughes

20 Responses

    1. There isn’t a town in the UK I visit that hasn’t changed and rarely for the best in the last 15 years.

  3. Places are continually seeking investment to develop infrastructure and wealth, in consequence the appearance will change.
    We’ve read previously those in the tourist industry whooping it up when there have been increases in visitor numbers bringing in income and jobs, the character of anywhere is bound to change especially when some of the visitors decide to become resident, few of them will totally immerse themselves into local culture and will bring attitudes and practices that will dilute it, no matter how little they think it will do so.
    You only have to look at the North Norfolk coastal area in England, some villages and towns have in the order of 50% of the housing stock either as second homes or holiday lets and in consequence price the local population out of homes.
    Madeira has become much like that and now it’s happened there is no going back, they’re on the money-making treadmill and once on they refuse to jump off.

  4. Go to Sao Vicente. It’s still the same as when your grandpa was chasing your grandma. Last time I was there I stepped into a shop that still had a weights scale, grain and rice in hessian sacks and quaint ancient bottles everywhere. The proprietor, with suspenders (the ones holding up your pants, not the sexy type) looked about 100 years old. It was like stepping into a time warp

  5. Yes unfortunately I must agree with the post. I have also been away but go back to Madeira every year and yes Madeirans have lost the friendliness and honesty no smiles, very hard faced as though they are doomed. The only faces smiling are tourists or ex-pats.
    They complain that they don’t have money but then they don’t want to work and then complain about from Venezuela getting benefits and work.

    Madeira really needs to change and quick

    1. Lee. Sixty odd trips since 1968, and I am still in love with Madeira and the Madeirans I speak to. The smiles, honesty, friendship, kindliness and openness is the major part of my holiday. Don’t forget, friendship and the other qualities you speak of are a two way thing.

  6. Many Madeiran’s have emigrated for a better life and we find that due to the shortage of workers people from other countries are maybe taking their place.
    We too have found the same that in the years we have been coming things and people have changed especially during the Covid pandemic.
    Madeira is still beautiful and my favourite place.

    1. As somebody that was thinking of visiting Madeira, I find comments such as ‘Visiting any space on this island is now a martyrdom, such is the confusion and disorder that reigns. The lack of peace reigns, without any control. Traveling on our roads is a nightmare and a danger.The irreversible degradation of our landscape is frightening.’ very off putting.
      Does this blog deliberately want to stop visitors from coming??

        1. This looks like someone’s personal gripe and not even remotely ‘news’. And +1 to the person who called out the xenophobia.

        2. I agree with you Tobi but I cannot agree with the writer. So, he left the island 30 years ago and finds it difficult to accept what progress has done to the homeland. Well, I left this Pearl 72 years ago and find it more exciting each time I return. That’s progress for you my friend – ask anyone who’s still cognitive enough to remember what life was like back then.

          1. I agree with you James, I was born here but moved overseas when I was very young. With each visit I am astounded with the progress, Madeira is vastly improved from what it was 40 years ago. The roads, the freeways, the supermarkets, the modernisation of the suburds, the first world malls, all of this is a far cry from what it was. Life has improved for the locals too, just look at the quality of the cars now driven by locals, they even dress better now. Madeira is a gem; a place of natural beauty, temperate climate all year round and relatively free of crime. You will always get people who complain and want things how they used to be but this is progress and the sooner he comes to terms with it the better.

            1. Ditto Mario, I call it Alberto Joāo Jardim because a lot if not most of the breakthrough progress happened during his administration. I published a book in 2017 where I praise his work. I called him the king of Madeira when we met in my office at Toronto city hall.
              James Fernandes
              Oshawa, Canada

  7. Any criticism involving xenophobic tones is not worth taking note of!!!!!

  8. Well it seems some people still aspect the live in Madeira still the same when they did visit years ago well that isn’t possible and there is a thing called evolution and development that did improved a lot the livelihoods of the local people there .And people shouldn’t generalize making assumptions and conclusions that the some local people don’t want to change or even adapt there is a a old generation where that did happen but this new generation was more opportunities than the other before leading them to evolve and developed a better future.

  9. Well it seems some people still aspect the live in Madeira still the same when they did visit years ago well that isn’t possible and there is a thing called evolution and development that did improved a lot the livelihoods of the local people there .And people shouldn’t generalize making assumptions and conclusions that the some local people don’t want to change or even adapt there is a a old generation where that did happen but this new generation was more opportunities than the other before leading them to evolve and developed a better future

  10. My sentiments are very similar about my home country, the U.K. I grew up in a small village on the coast, Family and friends all around, now sixty years later the place is unrecognisable! Rich people have made the town out of reach for local families that are working class, and cannot afford to live there anymore, anyhow I come to Madeira for the last five years and can see difference from my 1st time but it is still beautiful and I will come again x

  11. I have noticed many places I have traveled across the world change dramatically when my visits are many years apart. I’m not sure this is Madeira News any more than it is for any other place in the world.

  12. We totally agree with your sentiments. Madeira is not the same place anymore we have been visiting for about 20 years and have noticed the sad changes and also some good ones. Money and commercialism has taken over and now I read about muggings stabbings and arson and it makes us very sad. We still visit for the New Year celebrations because we love the island and it’s very friendly people but fear it will become like any other commercial cash cow in the future.

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