In my report on the February meeting of Executive Council, I commented that our Agenda was relatively short. We made up for that with an Agenda for the March meeting which was considerably more substantial.
The first item was the latest Contingencies Fund Report from the Treasury, coupled with a Supplementary Appropriation Bill which was taken by Legislative Council on 28 March.
We then approved a recommendation by the Director of Health and Social Services that he should have discretion to make a payment of up to £20 per day for accommodation in Stanley of women who are required to stay here because of an impending confinement, and who cannot obtain accommodation with relatives or friends.
In order to extend assistance to small businesses in Camp, we then agreed a recommendation by the General Manger of the FIDC that the 10p freight rate now applied to fresh produces being flown by FIGAS from Camp to Stanley should be extended to businesses sending other products.
While all Councillors present declared their interest, we had no hesitation in Executive Council in approving a recommendation that there be no increase in fishing licence fees for the second season of 2002. The relevant licence fees from either the first season of 2002 or the second season of 2001 will continue to apply.
In order to regularise a position which, it seems, has been somewhat uncertain recently, we agreed to put in place formal tax exemption documents for contractors and employees in defence related activities, to apply until the end of this year. We will consider the future of these provisions during the course of the year.
The Museum Curator had submitted a report about the Jhelum and Charles Cooper. There was no inclination among members of Executive Council to spend a great deal of money on the Charles Cooper, but it was agreed that more precise costings should be obtained before any firm decision on either vessel was reached.
Executive Council then considered proposals for land transactions submitted by the Falklands Landholdings Corporation Board. The relevant paper is being released for the information of the public; all proposals in it were approved by Executive Council.
We then spent some time considering the options for a postal delivery service or a Government-only postal service. Executive Council agreed that no action should be taken to instigate a postal delivery service for the whole of Stanley, but agreed that further work was necessary in order to establish whether postal boxes could be established in locations other than the Post Office, and what arrangements might be possible for the delivery of Government mail.
The Economic Adviser had submitted to Executive Council a paper proposing the development of a system of national accounts, appropriate to the resources of the Falkland Islands. We approved that recommendation.
We then turned to consideration of the way forward in the preparation and adoption of a Development Plan for the Falkland Islands. On 7 March the Planning and Building Committee had agreed that work should commence on the preparation of a Development Plan, comprising a Falkland Islands structure plan and a Stanley Town plan. The aim would be to have a draft by 2003 and a plan adopted by 2004. We endorsed that decision.
Executive Council then agreed two changes to planning policy as it affects housing, endorsing decisions made by the Planning and Building Committee on 7 March. The first was that existing criteria for minimum plot sizes should become guidelines except the requirement for “two parking areas to be provided within the site”, which must still be met in order to ensure that road parking problems are not compounded. The second change was in relation to mobile homes, which it was agreed should not be restricted to family members only.
With these policy changes behind us, Executive Council granted the appeal by Mr Frank Leyland against the refusal of planning permission relating to the use of a portakabin as dwelling.
The Environmental Planning Officer had submitted a recommendation that £2500 be made available to finance remedial works at Ajax Bay. The work was approved, with the arrangements for funding to be resolved in the Standing Finance Committee.
Following an earlier discussion in Executive Council about the Grant Scheme for off street parking, the Environmental Planning Officer submitted a proposed definition of a “core area” which Executive Council approved. The core area would fall in two parts. One is the area bounded by Stanley Harbour, Reservoir Road, Brandon Road, Dairy Paddock Road, Davies Street and Snake Hill together with properties south of Brandon Road and Davies Street with a frontage to these roads. The second area, in West Stanley, would be defined as “properties fronting Ross Road West between the western end of Racecourse Road and the speed restriction sign at the town limits, together with Racecourse Road and Racecourse Road East.”
Executive Council then addressed the response to the draft report by the European Union Mission on animal health and abattoir exports to the European Union. We approved a letter commenting on the draft report, and agreed that a Bill be submitted to Legislative Council which aimed to address some of the requirements of the Inspector.
We then approved an Order which would ban the collection of waste food scraps from any premises that handle or store imported meat or meat products and would prohibit the feeding of such products to pigs. The reason is of course that the feeding of meat scraps to pigs constitutes a real risk in relation to the introduction of Foot and Mouth Disease.
In order to cover adequately the legal situation in relation to the issue of long-term fishing licences, the Attorney General’s Chambers had proposed a short Bill which we agreed should be introduced in Legislative Council. This action is quite separate from the broader review of fisheries policy which has now begun.
Some time ago, Executive Council agreed that a wide-ranging review of Employment Law was required. Two papers associated with this Review were submitted for our consideration at this session of Executive Council. The first concerned working hours. We agreed that consultation should take place with representatives of employees and employers in relation to Camp and Stanley and with the Ministry of Defence in relation to employment at MPA; that the Chief Executive should establish a joint working party with the private sector in relation to Camp and Stanley, consisting of the Chief Executive and Economic Adviser, together with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, the Rural Business Association and the Trade Union; and that the Chief Executive, through the Command Secretary, should seek the views of the Ministry of Defence and of employers and employees at MPA on this subject.
The second paper concerned the question of a National Minimum Wage. This paper argued that there was clear evidence that unacceptably low levels of remuneration are paid to some workers and that it was therefore not an option that we do nothing about the issue. We agreed to explore the possibility of a National Minimum Wage being introduced voluntarily and therefore discussions with the Chamber of Commerce and the Rural Business Association should be begun in relation to that possibility. At the same time, we agreed that we should approach the UK Government about whether a National Minimum Wage might apply to civilian contractors to the Ministry of Defence at MPA.
The linked questions of working hours and a Minimum Wage are complex and sensitive ones. Both the papers on this subject are being made publicly available.
Executive Council then approved the introduction to Legislative Council of a Bill dealing with the question of interest on debts, together with an explanatory memorandum.
Our next decision was the approval of a short Bill which, if approved by Legislative Council, would increase the upper limit of the Insurance Fund from £15 m to £25 m.
The next Bill to be approved for introduction in Legislative Council related to licensing law, and reflected the outcome of the full consultation which had taken place with licensees and others over the past year or so.
A further draft Bill, which we approved for introduction to Legislative Council, would allow for the bar in the Falkland Islands Defence Force Club to be made available for public use on certain occasions.
Executive Council approved an increase of £1600 per annum in the maximum allowance payable per child in respect of overseas boarding school fees for the children of contract officers.
Honourable Members did not, however, approve a recommendation that children should be included in the certificates granting Falkland Islands status. The view was taken that children should make their own decision on whether to seek Falklands status when they are of the appropriate age to do so.
We then considered, not for the first time by any means, the introduction of a points system in the application of our immigration policy. The prevailing view was that, for a community as small as that of the Falkland Islands, a formal points system was likely to prove unnecessarily rigid. The work which has been undertaken in attempting to define an appropriate points system will, however, be useful in tailoring the forms which are used for applications, for example, for permanent residence and in shaping recommendations on immigration matters.
Dental Health, or Oral Health, has been a matter of concern for some time. Executive Council received a report outlining an Oral Health strategy for the Falklands. We agreed that the dental health of the Falkland Islands population is a major health issue which requires firm and purposeful action. We agreed in principle that fluoride should be introduced into water supplies wherever possible. The practical and financial aspects, however, will have to be considered before that happens.
We then approved a Mission Statement and Objectives for the Education Department. The new statement focuses more clearly on equality of education and its lifelong nature than the statement which was previously in place. And we approved the Annual Summary Report of the Education Department, copies of which should be available in the Library, which presents an impressive picture of the progress that has been made in providing quality education for young people in the Falklands.
We then took an Information Paper from the Marine Officer about some of the issues on which he is dealing with the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
And finally, we took note of the commendably crisp half-year report of the Falkland Islands Development Cooperation, covering the six months to 31 December 2001.
