FIBS NEWS DIRECT: THURSDAY, 12 JUNE 2003
SEA RESCUE:
Yesterday, just before 12, a call was received from a Russian Trawler that had an injured man onboard. It was decided at first, not to bring the man into Stanley as he was comfortable. But another call was received saying that they were getting more worried about his condition. The reefer had tried twice to get around to Port William but because of the weather had to turn around. Because the man had a compound fracture, it was decided that he had to be brought into Stanley for treatment and so, a Chinook took off in a suitable weather window around 2:30 and picked the man up.
COURT NEWS:
A local man who pleaded guilty to Speeding by post had his case adjourned so that he could appear in person. Tom Blake was stopped for speeding on the Stanley to Darwin Road in the Sapper Hill area on the 10th of May. The Police followed him while he was driving and monitored his speed over a distance of 2.6 miles. The lowest speed he was travelling was registered at 63 and the highest, 70. He said that he had been having some trouble with crew-members who were due to fly out that day and was anxious that they would catch the flight. He apologised for the error of judgement and considering what was important. The Senior Magistrate adjourned the case as a disqualification could be imposed. And, ordered that the defendant appears before him on the 18th of June at 0900.
Lance Corporal Christopher Dooks was sentenced to two months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to four offences in Court this morning. These are driving whilst over the prescribed limit, taking a vehicle without the consent of the owner, driving without insurance and assaulting a Police Officer. The incident happened on 01 June when he had taken the vehicle and driven into a ditch on the Bypass. He ran away from the Police and when one had caught up with him, he had assaulted her as he tried to get away. Police later caught up with him at Hillside. Hugh Ferguson, for the Defence, said that his client was sorry and embarrassed for the offences and that he had made apologies to the Police Officer and the owner of the vehicle for his actions. Senior Magistrate, Nick Sanders, told the young man that if he hadn’t assaulted the Police Officer, he may well have put it down as a one-off incident. But it was his duty to uphold the law and that the Police had the right not to be assaulted. There was no separate penalty for driving without insurance.
HARBOUR NEWS:
There are three reefers and one trawler in Berkley Sound. The Atlantic Crusader has now left bound for the UK. She was delayed for a day because of the adverse weather conditions. The Avalmad has now left Port William and is on her way to the fishing grounds. And, there are seven vessels fishing in the zone.
ANOTHER POSSIBILITY FOR LAST SUMMER’S BIRD DEATHS:
Falklands Conservation is investigating another possible cause for thousands of bird deaths late last year. At the same time that Penguin samples were being collected to test for red tide toxins in January, three vets from the Wildlife conservation society were also here. They tested for a variety of bird diseases. The results of these tests are now back, as Conservation Officer, Becky Ingham (BI) explains.
BI: That was headed up by Dr. Billy Corash, who’s quite a well-known seabird vet from America tested for, in particular, Newcastle’s Disease, which is quite a well-known bird disease, Avian Salmonella, Bronchitis, Influenza and a range of other viruses that can affect seabirds. Quite interestingly, they found that none of our seabird populations – we are still waiting for test results on Rockhopper and Magallanic Penguins – none of those viruses exist in Albatros and Gentoos, with the exception of one. Avian Adino Virus, which can cost intestinal and nervous problems, there is a very slight possibility that it could be the cause. At the moment, Dr. Coresh isn’t convinced. It’s not really safe to conclude that from the results he’s got.
CG: Will he be investigating further?
BI: Yes. The plan is that there will be, over the course of the next few years we will continue the wildlife health monitoring. The cruise ship angle in the Falklands will play a part. The fact that none of our seabird populations have these antibodies is a slight cause for concern because they do all exist on the South American Coast and there is a distinct possibility of cross contamination by people stepping ashore in South America, getting infected mud or guano on their boots and then travelling to the Falklands and stepping ashore in another colony. It would be quite prudent at this stage, knowing that we do have very clean, uninfected and antibody-free populations, to introduce foot-baths as a matter of course to prevent contamination and then cross contamination.
CG: How could you implement those controls?
BI: A lot of those controls are currently available on cruise ships. Every IAATO registered vessel in operation in South Georgia and the Antarctic, will have a foot-bath onboard. At the moment in the Falklands there is no blanket approach to using those regulations. A lot of times, they are not used. It wouldn’t be all that difficult to implement them on those vessels and, on larger vessels it would be a fairly simple case of a container of disinfected water that people sluiced through – and a broom to scrape your boots with. It’s not a very difficult process.
CG: What about people travelling between colonies on the Islands?
BI: There is a possibility that if an infection occurred at one of the colonies in the Falklands and people travelled to another one, that could cross contaminate, even within the Falklands. It’s best if you are going on a boat straight from one colony to another, make sure that your boots are clean and you have taken basic sanitation measures.
NEW LOCATION FOR THE CHARITY SHOP:
The Charity Shop is moving. It’s going to be closed until Wednesday so that they can move everything into their new building on Fitzroy Road. Anya Cofre, who is involved with running the shop, says that goods can be delivered to her house on Brandon Road, or at either shop if anyone is around. She thanks all customers for their patience during the move.
(100X Transcription Service)
"A" Press 12 June 2003:
Several top stories today. In Clarin, it is that Nazareno cannot now get his support even from three of his usual five allies on the Supreme Court for the Redollarisation decision. This is clearly the other judges distancing themselves from him as the impeachment process against him proceeds. This is a major story in La Nacion too. Redollarisation was a Menem policy. It is out now, and the knives are out for Menem's supporters and policies.
Both papers, especially La Nacion, cover the plans by Kirchner and President Lula of Brazil for future collaboration, and political and economic integration between these countries. This includes a possible future common currency and parliament. They are the principal countries in Mercosur, so this would eventually turn Mercosur into a major political block. They want to be able to negotiate as a block to enter ALCA, the all American free trade area.
John Taylor of the US Treasury is reported to have commented that Argentina should go forward to a long term agreement with the IMF with targets that it can accomplish. The temporary agreement with the IMF expires in August and the negotiation process is now taking place for a long-term agreement.
In the courts, the case against Menem for his famous Swiss bank account, which he didn't declare on his statement of assets has started up again. An accusation of "illegal enrichment", i.e. corruption, is involved too. This is an example of Argentina's political justice in action. Menem is in decline, so his enemies are now attacking him. There would have been no question of this case proceeding if he had been elected president.
President Kirchner himself has declared assets of 6.6 million pesos in his declaration. This includes 13 houses in Rio Gallegos and 1.5 million US dollars!
Pickets caused traffic chaos in BA yesterday to press their time honoured demands for handouts etc. They claim that 30,000 marched in the demonstrations, but police said there were only 7,500.
Concern is reported in military circles because of the likely extradition from Mexico to Spain of the dirty war criminal Captain Ricardo Cavallo. The Argentine military are worried that the Kirchner government might relax the previous government's ban on extradition’s to foreign courts of the military and police thugs who committed so many crimes during the dirty war.
Note: I slightly regretted the prominence that I gave to the account of the OAS supporting calls for negotiations over Falklands sovereignty in my report yesterday. This shouldn't be taken as a major issue. The OAS passes a similar resolution every year.
(100X Translation Service)
