FINN (COM) DAILY RECORD FOR 06 FEBRUARY 2004
(With Relevant Articles from FIBS)
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
Asthma Support Group Purchase of Nebuliser Equipment
By Graham France
The Falkland Islands Asthma Support Group has recently purchased from funds raised by donations, raffles etc. a number of machines, called nebulisers, which assist asthma sufferers with restoring their breathing following an attack from the disease.
In consultation with Sister Lidda Luxton, the Asthma Practice Nurse at the King Edward Memorial Hospital, Chairman of the Group, Graham France, approached Wilkinson and Gaviller in the UK which firm had on earlier occasions assisted in obtaining equipment for presentation to the KEMH and who readily agreed to help.
The equipment purchased includes rechargeable batteries and car adapters so that the machines are fully portable and can be used when the sufferer is away from home. The hospital has asked that the Group look after this and will refer patients to Graham when he is available to obtain the required units from his home on Snake Hill. One item has already been obtained for use by a sufferer on West Falkland and flown out there by FIGAS.
The Asthma Support Group was formed early in 1992 and equipment purchased in the past has included six nebulisers (including one fully portable unit), a “Smokerlyzer” and an oxygen probe, all at a cost of more than £2,000. The Group meets at the Day Centre in the hospital every three months where members and their families enjoy a friendly and informative discussion on the disease and related topics aimed at “living well with asthma”. Announcements on future meetings are made on FIBS the previous week with the next scheduled for Tuesday 9th March beginning at 5pm.
FIBS NEWS DIRECT: FRIDAY, 06 FEBRUARY 2004
STANLEY REGATTA:
Visitors in the first Stanley Regatta, which starts at 1100. I asked Organiser, Steve Dent (SD) to give us a run-down on the day’s events.
SD: There is a dinghy race, which is sponsored by Island Shipping. It’s a 5-round dinghy race, which is open to all dinghies. And we are going to use the Portsmouth yardstick scheme, which is a very confusing handicap scheme. I am just about to get my head around it. There is a kayak race, a wind-surfer speed race and slalom race as well. There is a jet-ski race and a power-boat race, a pirate race, which is being sponsored by donations, an orienteering race, a junior dinghy race where all participants must be under 18 and there is a cup at the end of it. And, lots of bits and pieces. There are some vessels left that can be loaned out. There are various people involved in the event. There are still quite a few dinghies about so if people want to give me a call, please do. There is a pre-race briefing that everybody needs to attend at 1000 and registration is given to me on the “B” Slip or at the Committee tent from 0900 onwards. All the events will take place at the “B” Slip. It’s very much weather-dependent. So, on the morning, come along and see what we are going to do. If the weather is bad, we may divert to later in the day or another day. It should be a really good day out for sailors as well as spectators. The Seaman’s Mission have put on a BBQ on the beach in a tent and we hope to have a bar on the beach as well.
COURT NEWS:
The Licensing Justices will sit today to consider a beer tent on the beach tomorrow. They will also be looking at a range of other applications for special events. These include Sports Week at Port Howard and Goose Green, and Irish Band, the Brewery Boys playing at the FIDF Drill Hall tonight (Friday). The Brewery boys are also behind an application for an extension of hours at the Victory Bar until Midnight on Monday. All approved.
COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Fisheries Committee will meet at 0900 today in the Liberation Room at the Secretariat. Included on the agenda is the Falklands National Plan of Action for Seabirds and an update on John Ridgeway’s “Save the Albatross Trust” Voyage. Members will consider an application from Gaol Fishing to register the chartered long-liner, Argos Helena in the Islands as a replacement for the Lyn. There is also an application from Seaview register the Trawler, “New Polar” in the Falklands as a replacement for the Polar Fury.
The Housing Committee will meet at 1330 in the Liberation Room today.
MENSEN BOUND:
Islander, Mensen Bound is to be involved in another dive on the wreck of the Admiral Graf Spee, which was scuttled off the coast of Uruguay at the beginning of W.W.II. A salvage team, headed by Hector Bardo includes other Uruguayan divers, British and Argentine Marine Archaeologists and German experts, who will attempt to remove the communications tower. The Tower weighs 27 tonnes, is 10 metres tall and has one of the first Naval Radars and a sophisticated range finder for the artillery.
The Graf Spee prowled the South Atlantic, hunting and sinking allied merchant vessels before she was surrounded by a British flotilla in the River Plate. The British ships, HMS Exeter and HMS Achilles, along with a New Zealand War ship, were stationed in the Falklands when they confronted the German ship. After taking several hits, the Graf Spee took refuge in Montevideo where the decision was taken to scuttle her off the coast.
A couple of years ago, Mensen Bound, who is an Oxford University Marine Archaeologist, rescued one of the Graf Spy’s Guns, which is now on show in the Uruguayan Naval Museum in Montevideo.
INJURED CREWMAN:
The Captain of a Taiwanese Jigger who was air-lifted to KEMH earlier this week with a serious head injury was medevaced to Uruguay last night to Montevideo. He was injured in what is thought to be a violent incident on the vessel, which also saw the Chief Engineer left dead onboard. The Tai Shang 6 is now expected into port in Uruguay at 0800 on Sunday morning. The incident took place on the high seas but as the vessel is Uruguayan flagged; a man who is detained onboard is expected to be handed over to Police there on arrival. Director of Health, Norman McGregor-Edwards, this morning praised staff who had worked around the clock to save the Captain, who suffered severe head injuries. He said, “The effort that the anaesthetist, nurses and other staff put in here was absolutely superb. They were absolutely amazing to bring him to the point where it was safe to fly him out to further treatment.
JOHN RIDGEWAY:
Last reported west of Cape Horn, John Ridgeway are creeping towards the Falklands on the 5th leg of their “Save the Albatross” Journey. Mr. Ridgeway carries with him two film crews recording the sailor’s aim of drawing attention to the mitigation and protection of Albatross breeding colonies around the world. At today’s Fisheries Committee meeting, members anticipating the arrival of the yacht in approximately 4.5 weeks, said Mr. Ridgeway might be able to observe the work of the Fisheries Department and Falklands Conservation on reducing Albatross mortality. They said he might visit an appropriate fishing vessel on his route between the Falklands and South Georgia. On his arrival in the Falklands, a reception will be held for Mr. Ridgeway in the Jetty Centre. He will also be invited to give a public talk.
NATIONAL PLAN OF ACTION:
The Fisheries Committee also discussed the national plan of action on seabirds this morning. Industry representatives, Drew Irving and Stuart Wallace said they were concerned that seabird mortality work was already effective and didn’t need to be formalised further. They said the plan could impose unnecessary controls and have an economic impact on the industry. But Director of Fisheries, John Barton, said the plan ratchets up the pressure but is not excessively onerous in the way it does it. He defended the plan, which was presented to the Committee by Falklands Conservation’s Dr. Ben Sullivan, as did Attorney General, David Lang. Mr. Lang said the European Union was taking an increasingly aggressive attitude towards import authorisation of fish and the Government might be required to produce something like the plan in future anyway. The Committee heard around 130 Albatross were killed in the Falklands each year, mostly by fishing trawlers. Under the guidance of an action plan, it is hoped that the industry would be able to reduce this relatively low level even further.
HOUSING COMMITTEE:
The Housing Committee is due to meet at 1330 today in the Liberation Room.
FISHING, HARBOUR, AND SHIPPING NEWS:
A total of 42 jiggers have been in so far this year to pick up their licences, ready for the start of the season on the 14th of February. Fisheries Operations say around another 50 are still due in. Seven of these vessels are Japanese and due to start fishing on the 17th of February. This number is three less than last year, although another two will join the fleet later as they are fishing off the coast of New Zealand at the moment. The number of vessels fishing in the zone has risen to 18, where Hoki catches are doing well with most vessels catching around 15 tonnes per day. Scallop vessel, Holberg, is said to be doing well. At the moment, she’s working the waters 60 miles N/E of McBride’s Head. The Invincible has sailed from Berkley Sound, leaving the tanker, Zalgares and the trawler, Don Sung Ho, which is waiting for passengers to arrive on the LanChile flight.
UNUSUAL PENGUIN SIGHTINGS:
Falklands Conservation have reported a couple of unusual Penguin sightings in their latest newsletter. An albino Gentoo has been spotted at Kidney Cove and, on Saunders Island, a King Penguin has apparently adopted some Gentoo chicks. Conservation say they never heard of a case like this. Every time one chick walks off, the extra-keen adult King goes to find another Gentoo chick to feed.
(100X Transcription Service)
