FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD FOR
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
PRESS RELEASE
CHALLENGE DAY ONCE AGAIN A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS IN THE
Had an alien space ship landed in
The FICS PE teacher was being pushed around the school field in a little red car, the entire population of the Infant and
All this along with endless streams in and out of the Leisure Centre with people taking up the chance to have a go at the new classes on offer.
Why were we doing it? Challenge Day. Challenge Day traditionally involves challenging a similar sized city in the
Final numbers are not in yet as some departments are yet to put in their returns and others are taking the challenge on other days, but organisers are confident that we will yet again reach the magic 25% figure. Lots of departments took place this year and they all need to make contact with the Recreation manager, Steve Dent to register and get their certificate.
Well done to everyone who took part or are taking part in the future and thanks to the many people who have helped to make the day a success once again. So now onto 25th May, 2005.
Steve Dent
Recreation Manager
Stanley Leisure Centre
Contact Steve Dent – Stanley Leisure Centre 27285/27291
BUDGET DECISIONS EXPLAINED:
Refuse collection charges, cruise ship passenger charges and the loss of .50p a day on holiday credits were all up for discussion at a post budget press conference (FINN not informed) in Gilbert House this morning. Cllr. Mike Summers (MS) Chief Executive, Chris Simpkins (CS) Financial Secretary, Derek Howatt (DH) explained about some of the difficult decisions made in this year’s budget. We asked the panel to explain more about the new service charge on refuse collection and whether people could opt out.
CS: No. It’s not a direct charge against refuse collection. It’s a property tax effectively. There won’t be an opt-out clause.
MS: It’s a service charge. It’s not a wheelie bin levy. But the charge is levelled at such a rate that it will cover the costs that the Government incurs in doing the refuse collection. The water charge we have enjoyed up to now is set at a level that recovers the cost of producing and supplying water. The two figures added together – the service charge – will cover those two services. But it’s not an option. You can’t empty your own wheelie bin.. If you got into that sort of circumstance, we all know that there would be some rascals that would simply throw their rubbish over the fence or dump it on the side of the road. That’s not satisfactory in this kind of community.
CS: Moreover, the other rumour I heard, indeed, it was mentioned yesterday, that if you’ve got two bins, that means twice the charge. No. It doesn’t. Not for domestic properties. For commercial premises that’s different but for domestic properties there is one charge.
LH: The panel said they didn’t feel they were sending out the wrong message to the cruise ship industry by adding an extra £5.00 for each passenger who lands in the Islands.
MS: Once again, its back to the user pays principle. This is not a charge that the Government is going to use to be any better off, if you like. It’s a charge to stop us being even worse off. There are now significant costs providing security services for cruise vessels, as, indeed, there are for airlines. And, we gave notice to the cruise industry several months ago that there would have to be increases in charges to cover the costs of security. And, you can see from the Capital estimates the sums of money that are involved in providing firstly the infrastructure and then there will have to be a contract of the sort we have with private contractors at Mount Pleasant to actually provide that security service. We’re just trying to cover our real costs. I don’t think the cruise vessel industry themselves will be deterred, nor will they be surprised. The Security issue is one they are very acutely aware of. They won’t come here if we don’t provide proper security services. It’s something that they demand. Inevitably, it should be their passengers that pay for it.
LH: Smokers also felt the pinch as tobacco tax was increased under “The Health of the Nation Plan.” But Alcohol taxes are to stay the same. Did the panel think there would have been similar health benefits if alcohol taxes were increased as well?
DH: The main reason why alcohol taxes haven’t gone up is because the retail price in the United Kingdom and in the Falkland Islands is about the same at the moment. So, if we would put up the alcohol price in the Falklands, then we would exceed the UK retail price. It’s also been subject to increases in previous years.
MS: As a drinker of long experience, I don’t think it would make very much difference to the level of consumption. It is a tax. And, I think it is the same with cigarettes. I don’t smoke. I’ve never smoked but I know plenty of people who do. I don’t know anybody who has ever given up smoking as a result of increased tax. It’s a way of levying money. And, in the past, we have dedicated the additional income from the smoking tax to channel in to the “Health of the Nation Programme” to help the educational side of encouraging people to give up.
CS: I think that’s right. I’m not sure there’s a lot of evidence to suggest that taxation deters people from smoking or drinking, unless, of course, you were to apply very swinging increases. Even then, people tend to drift back. If we can channel some of those resources into preventative measures, I suspect that’s going to have more impact particularly in the schools.
ARGENTINA TO QUIT THIS YEAR’S SQUID SEASON:
There are reports today that Argentina will call a halt to squid fishing north of the 44th parallel. The recommendation from Argentina’s fisheries research and development institute (INIDEP) is expected to be officially adopted before the end of the month. It comes as a result of the same poor squid catches that saw the Falklands’ Illex season suspended 2 months early this year.
HAROLD ROWLANDS:
An obituary of former Financial Secretary, Harold Rowlands, has appeared in the Independent Newspaper. Entitled, “Falkland Islands Stalwart,” the piece describes the changes that took place in the Falklands during his life. The transformation from a rural society dominated by absentee landlords to a modern, healthy post-war economy. The article by Hugh O’Shaugnessey, says Harold’s hour came when he was left as the most senior Government officer in the Islands during the 1982 conflict, when he coped with a run of the Government Savings Bank and refused to collect taxes. The piece mentions Margaret Thatcher’s visit in 1983 and it also refers to his later service on Legco and EXCO when he saw first hand the scandals and the waste of many millions of pounds of public money. He’s recalled as a gregarious person, seldom happier than when chatting on one of Stanley’s pubs.
HELICOPTER LANDING SITES INSPECTION:
Helicopter landing sites are to be inspected from Saturday, 05 June. Captain Jill Hamlyn at Media Ops says the inspections are to be carried out over a three-week period by Flt. Sgt. Ian Hanford from the mobile Air Operations team based at RAF Benson in the UK. He will be assessing each site either by air or Land Rover and will confirm whether these sites will be suitable for future helicopter operations. If land owners have any questions, please contact the Helicopter Tasking Cell at MPA on 75429 or 75403.
CHALLENGE DAY:
Distributed as a press release yesterday
COMMITTEE NEWS:
The Historic Building Committee met this morning in the Archives building. Members discussed the Darwin corral and repairs to the German Camp, among other things.
COURT NEWS:
Annual licences for pubs, restaurants and shops were all granted in the Licensing Court this morning. Applications for extensions in the Globe Tavern and the Narrows Bar were also granted. The Narrows Bar also applied for an extension of the bar area to cover the games room. This was agreed on and means that the room is now under licence. A children’s certificate will be applied for when needed.
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