FINN(COM) Daily Record: 07 November 2003
NEWS DIRECT:
SHIPPING PROBLEMS:
Onlookers gathered on the Front Road this morning to see the FIC charter boat grounded on the beach while trying to approach the FIC Jetty. FIC say the boat suffered engine trouble as she approached the jetty and drifted towards the beach. The launches, Speedwell and Beagle tried to keep her away but to no avail. And, eventually the John Byron and the Lively mounted a rescue attempt, pulling her free around 0815 after about 30 minutes grounded.
And, that’s not the end of the dramas for shipping around the Islands today. The Tamar struck her rudder on the bottom last night as she tried to leave Pebble Island. The rudder is broken and she had to stay overnight at Pebble. She is due to set off for a better anchorage at Saunders around 1400 but will probably end her voyage there so the damage can be assessed.
LEISURE CENTRE:
There was a good turn-out at the Leisure Centre last night where Recreation Manager, Steve Dent (SD) held a public meeting to discuss changes that could happen in the future. Around 16 members of the public turned up to air their views on subjects ranging from the Summer Programme to the amount of noise made by aerobics sessions and the upgrade of gym equipment. Steve tells us more.
SD: It was a very good turn-out. Most clubs were represented. And people were able to come around before-hand and have a chat about bits and pieces so it was quite a good turn out. Most of the discussion centred around the Holiday Programme and things like that and the pool access was discussed. There was also day-time use of the pool, to make it more flexible - things like better advertising and the different facilities that we offer – different sessions that we offer. Jelly Tots and the smaller age groups have to be fitted in. There was discussion about the three-week Holiday programme at the next school break. The idea is to try and limit the amount of time we use the facilities, to make public access more available so the kids who aren’t involved in the programme can access the centre as they would have done beforehand. The sessions will be an hour and hopefully each session will be a whole lot cheaper and more accessible for parents.
FIDC SURVEY:
Time is running out to get your FIDC Survey back so it can be analysed. I spoke to General Manager, Julian Morris (JM) this morning to find out how things were going.
JM: It’s going very well. Lee, we have got over a quarter of the total surveys back, which, I have to say, has really surprised me because it takes a while to fill in the survey. And, I think what it shows is that people want to have their opinions heard.
LH: There are quite a few to come back in, then?
JM: Frankly, I would have expected only about 10% of the surveys back and we’ve already got a quarter of them back which I think is remarkably high. What’s also been interesting is the number of people who have taken the opportunity, not only to tick the box but also written down their opinion and sort of given full voice to what they think is happening, what they should be happening and how they feel about their business in the Falkland Islands economy. If people have still got them on their desk, it would be great to receive those within the next week.
LH: When are you going to be doing the draw for the bottle of wine?
JM: We are looking to draw a line under this at the end of next week. That’s when we will be going out and telling people who the lucky winners are.
TOURISM:
Tourism Manager, John Fowler, has hit back at suggestions that FIT is charging too much for parking in the Jetty Centre car-park. Representatives of businesses at the east end of Ross Road said earlier this week they were gathering signatures on a petition to get the clear-way replaced by a one-way system so their customers would once again be able to park outside their doors. Shula Phillips from the Waterfront told us she wouldn’t be joining FIT because she didn’t want to pay the membership fee, just for one parking space. But John Fowler told us today that the fee, which varies according to turn-over, from £25.00 to £250.00 brings members benefits, including a free web page worth at least £80.00 and 50% off the cost of producing brochures.
EOD:
EOD carried out training today on extracting casualties from minefields. The two RAF teams were working between two sites. The first exercise was at Surf Bay, involving a runner who had stood on a mine. And, the second was in a mock-up extension to Minefield 27 between Sapper Hill and the Mount Kent turn-off. It involved a vehicle coming off the road into a minefield. In the scenario there was a person with a head wound in the vehicle and the driver got out and was wandering around.
BANK BASE RATE:
From today there will be am change to the Standard Chartered Base Rate. They report that it’s to go up from .25% to 3.75%.
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