FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: THURSDAY, 03 JUNE 2004

 

 

                        NEW-LOOK FOR ROYAL NAVY PATROL VESSEL

 

                        03-Jun-2004

 

                        Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Dumbarton Castle has

                        returned home to Portsmouth from an £8m upgrade in

                        Scotland.

                        

                        The 22 year-old ship spent nine months in Rosyth being

                        fitted with three new diesel generators, and a rebuilt

                        junior rates’ mess. Two new cranes were also fitted

                        allowing her to carry bigger rigid inflatable seaboats

                        more suited to the South Atlantic environment where she

                        serves for months at a time.

 

                        Dumbarton Castle will soon embark on sea training off

                        the west coast of Scotland and will be officially

                        re-dedicated at a ceremony in Portsmouth on July 16.

 

                        Commanding Officer, Lt Cdr John Garratt, said: “The

                        ship’s company have worked extremely hard, in

                        conjunction with Babcock Engineering Services who

                        carried out the refit, to get the ship to the required

                        standard in a tight schedule.

 

                        “She is looking good and performing well and we are very

                        much looking forward to putting her through her paces

                        during intensive sea training.”

 

                        Marine Engineering Mechanic Jess Owen, of Hilsea,

                        Portsmouth, said he was particularly impressed with the

                        new accommodation and recreation areas. “It is more

                        spacious, allowing more people to socialise and is more

                        homely – something really important when we are away

                        from home.”

 

                        HMS Dumbarton Castle has a ship’s company of 51 and has

                        spent half her life as the Falkland Islands patrol

                        vessel, alternating duties with her sister ship HMS

 

 

     SAMA 82 AND ST. HELENIAN CHARITY BENEFIT FROM CHAMBER RAFFLE

 

By J. Brock (FINN)

 

SAMA’82 and the St. Helenian Emergency Relief Fund have benefited from a raffle that was held at the AGM of the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce.  £140.00 was split between the charities.  It is a Chamber of Commerce tradition that the President choose the charities that benefit from the raffle.

 

On Wednesday afternoon, FI Chamber of Commerce President, Mr. Tim Miller, presented cheques to Terry Peck in respect of SAMA ’82 and Mr. John Clifford in respect of the St. Helenian Emergency Relief Fund.

 

 

ASTHMA SUPPORT GROUP:

 

 

FIBS NEWS DIRECT: 03 JUNE 2004

 

TIME FOR DRIVERS TO BELT UP:

 

The wearing of seatbelts will undergo a change in the next couple of weeks.  In a new amendment to the law was passed by Legco on Wednesday, 25 May and published in the Gazette on Tuesday.  It means that from the 15^th of June, all children under the age of 14 will have to wear a seatbelt at all times when travelling in a vehicle.  The new amendment will also have an affect on adults, who will now have to wear a seatbelt on any designated road with a speed limit of 40MPH.

 

WINTER SWIM:

 

As we reported yesterday, preparations are well underway for this year’s Mid Winter Swim to be held on the 19^th of June.  It’s the 10^th anniversary of the event so organisers are hoping to make it a special day and raise plenty of money for the Seamen’s Mission and Overseas Games Association.  I spoke to one of them, Janet Robertson (JRP) yesterday to find out more.

 

JRP:  This year’s swim is quite important for us because it is the 10^th Mid Winter Swim.  Our first one was in 1994.  Some of us have actually been in the water practically every year over the past 10 years. 

 

We have changed the time to 1200 because we are hoping to have a licensed bar at the beach run by the Victory Bar and the Seamen’s Mission is providing BBQ, which we would love people to stay for after the swim. 

 

We will have a huge bonfire and we will have some tents so it won’t be too exposed or too cold.  We would like people to make a big effort this year because it is the 10^th anniversary. 

 

We calculated the other day that we have raised something in the region of £30,000.00 for the charities involved – the Seamen’s Mission and the Overseas Games Association.  We would love to take that figure way over £30,000.00 - £35,000.00 if we possibly can. 

 

Wading up to your knees doesn’t really count.  We figured that you mist have a bathing costume – you can wear whatever you like but no dry suits or wet suits – that’s cheating.  You should try to at least get your entire body wet.  It’s not too bad.  The fire at least melts the snow on the beach, so it really isn’t that bad.

 

There are certificates signed by the Governor for those who take part in the swim.  And, we also have prizes available for the swimmers.  We won’t reveal what the lovely first prize is this year.  I am sure anyone would like to have a chance at it.

 

To encourage people to raise money, we also have a prize for the person who raises the most amount of cash and hands it in by the second or third Friday after the swim – the 9^th of July this year.  That prize is a dinner for two at the Brasserie.  It’s a good atmosphere. 

 

We’d love people just to come and watch and shout and applaud.  The atmosphere is part of it.  Just be there, Please.

 

SG:  There will also be the usual walk from Victory Green to Surf Bay ay 0900 on the day for anyone who wants to take part and collect some money on the way.  Sponsor forms for the swim are available from shops and pubs in Stanley and also at MP Travel at MPA.

 

CAMP ROAD SHOWS:

 

Around 30 Campers have quizzed the Chief Executive, Director of Agriculture and Councillors on the state of the economy today.  The first of the Camp Road Shows was held this morning at Hope Cottage.  Lee Hazell was there.  She will be bringing you a report tomorrow.

 

 

FI CONSERVATION: 

 

Falkland Conservation’s UK Secretary, Anne Brown (AB), is in the Islands at the moment, working on the Organisation’s budget proposals for the coming year.  She has also brought sown with her, copies of the new guide, “Insects of the Falkland Islands.” Produced by Alex Jones, which is now on sale at the Conservation Office.  

 

AB:  I know I am a little bit prejudiced, having played a major part in putting it together.  But I think it’s an attractive booklet and we hope it will inspire people to take a greater interest in the insects of the Islands.  They are pretty interesting and a very wide proportion of them are unique to the Islands.  There are some beautiful illustrations in it.  There are plates of the different key habitats and where the different insects’ places are in that habitat.  I think it is pretty easy for most people to follow and gives them a basic introduction in general to insect life and the structure of insects.  The illustrations have been done by Richard Lewington, who is an internationally renown entomological artist who specialises in gnats and butterflies.  I think he’s done a wonderful job.  We were so impressed by the pictures that he did for the book that we’ve produced some limited edition prints, which are for sale on our website.  There are copies of the prints I have brought down and people can go and view in our office.

 

SG:  Anne has also brought down copies of “A Visitor’s Guide to Volunteer Point.”  It is also for sale at the Conservation Office.

 

STANLEY LANDS COMMITTEE:

 

The Stanley Lands Committee met at the Secretariat this afternoon.  They discussed, among other things, the problem of rubbish dumping on Stanley Common.  Members had asked Alison Ingles of the Attorney General’s Chambers to tell them the legal situation on dumping.  She reported that it is illegal to dump rubbish anywhere on the area designated as Stanley Common and that anyone found guilty of the offence could be fined up to £7500.00. Members agreed to put up signs in some of the problem areas and to publicise the illegality of the act and the  size of potential fines.  Members also heard on changes to the rules on couples who are on the waiting list for building plots.  These include the new ruling that couples who are cohabiting, whether or not they are married, will not be allowed to both receive building plots.  Everyone who signs up will be asked to sign a declaration that they are not cohabiting with someone else who has already received a Government plot.

 

GOVERNMENT APPOINTMENTS:

 

There were 5 appointments into Government jobs last month and published into this month’s Gazette.  Two people were promoted and six people completer their contracts, two of which were renewed again.  These were Sally Owen as Dental Surgeon and Doug Martin as Agricultural Advisor.  Ian Wallace transferred from the Leisure Centre to Customs and Immigration and there were three resignations, Sarah Cole as Senior Staff Nurse at the Hospital, Katherine Gilby as Taxation Officer and Doreen Jones as Cook and Cleaner at the Hospital.

 

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