FINN (COM) Daily Record for 02 June 2004

FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: WEDNESDAY, 02 JUNE 2004

 

Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)

 

Members of the public wishing to nominate individuals for inclusion in future Honours Lists may obtain a form for this purpose from Government House. 

 

Nominations may be sent either to Government House or direct to the Honours Secretariat, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, King Charles St, London SW1A 2AH.

 

Nominations for awards in the 2005 New Year’s Honours List should be returned to Government House by 15 June.  Nominations may be made after this date, but will not be processed in time for the New Year 2005 List.

 

For more information, or for guidance on completing the form, please contact Government House on 27433.

 

 

FWG

2/6/04

The Australian dollar has weakened so far today at time of writing to A$
2.6328.

With Regards

Robert

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

Wednesday, 02 June 2004

 

 

The Childcare Steering Group met on Monday evening this week along with Clr John Birmingham to discuss the next step forward in seeking an additional Childcare facility within Stanley.  Clr Birmingham was pleased to report that Councillors have made provision for money to be set aside to purchase a property.  A property has been identified as appropriate and negotiations are proceeding for the purchase of this property. The group expressed their sincerest thanks to Councillors for having the foresight and generosity in such a serious financial time for the islands.

 

The group then discussed with Ms Sarah-Jane Rich the implications of possible regulations within Childcare Facilities both public and private. There are no proposals at present to adopt regulations on the UK-model but this is something that will be reconsidered in the future. 

 

The meeting was also attended by Ms Alison Inglis from the Attorney General’s office who had been asked to attend with regard to advising on how to formalise the group into a committee that can ‘manage’ such a facility.  Ms Inglis outlined two options, either run the facility as a co-operative Society or as a Company Limited by Guarantee.  The group then discussed the pro’s and con’s of these two options and it was decided that a company limited by Guarantee would be the way forward.  Ms Inglis was to report back to the group if she felt that this was inappropriate on further investigation of the co-operative Legislation.

 

A decision was made to form a more formal group that can now take this work forward. The first task for the new group will be to work with Ms Inglis to draw up a constitution for the new organization.  It is also envisaged that the new group will form the first management committee, which will oversee the opening of a new nursery facility.  

 

A meeting is to be held on Wednesday 23rd June at 7pm in the Geography Room of the Community School.  The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in forming part of the new management committee and working towards the opening of the new facility. All interested persons should initially contact either Steve Dent at the Leisure Centre on 27285 or Sarah-Jane Rich at the Social Work Department on 27296 for more information.  Persons intending to be put forward for a position on the committee should be aware that they will be subjected to a Police Check prior to taking office.

 

 

Steve Dent

Recreation Manager

 

 

 

 

 

FIBS NEWS DIRECT: WEDNESDAY, 02 JUNE 2004

 

LIBERATION DAY PROGRAMME:

 

The Liberation Day programme is out.  To mark the Anniversary of the liberation of the Islands from Argentine occupation in 1982, a Thanksgiving service will be held in Christ Church Cathedral starting at 0945.  The Governor, CBSAI, Members of Legislative Council, and representatives of the Royal Navy, Army, RAF, FIDF, Members of the Merchant Navy and Youth Groups will attend.

 

At 1100, a ceremony is to be held at the Liberation Memorial in front of the Secretariat.  After prayers, H. E. the Governor will lay a wreath, as will CBSAI, representatives of the three services, relatives and others wishing to do so.

 

Members of the community are asked to arrive at the Monument no later than 1050 and are also reminded that Ross Road between Barrack Street and Reservoir Road will be closed to traffic.

 

After the ceremony, members of the public and the armed forces are invited to attend a civic reception in the Town Hall from 1130 to 1230, hosted by the Governor.  Medals and decorations can be worn on this occasion.

 

TRUDY CLARKE:

 

Trudy Clarke is once again to take to the road to walk for charity.  For a number of years, Trudy has undertaken a Mid-Winter Challenge and this year, she says there is to be no exception.  The Challenge is to walk around 100 miles from North Arm to Stanley over the 12^th and 13^th of  June to raise money for the Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel and the ’82 Trust.  If anyone would like to make a donation, they can pay it straight into the bank under “Charity Walk” or send it to Trudy Clarke, 7 Fitzroy Road.

 

MAY WEATHER:

 

May was drier, less sunny and a bit more windy than normal.  According to the MPA Met office, the mean May temperature was 7.1C against the average of 6.9.  The highest recorded temperature was 13.9C on the 6^th and the lowest was –2.5C on the 29^th.  There were 11 nights with an air frost and 18 nights of ground frost.  Rainfall was below average, with 32.1MM falling, compared to the usual average of 50.1MM.  Snow fell on 9 days and hail was recorded on 6.  Sunshine was below average with only 75.3 hrs compared to 80.2.

 

£30,000.00 FRO GOVERNMENT BUILDING STUDY:

 

A team of architects who are back in the UK this week after a visit to the Islands, carried out a £30,000.00 feasibility study for a new Government Office building.  The team were in the Falklands just before Budget Week, working with AWG to consider options for replacing some of the older Government Offices.  Although Councillors earmarked £30,000.00 for the study itself, there is currently no money in the budget to pay for a new one.  Chief Executive, Chris Simpkins (CS) told me this:

 

CS:  Three months ago now, we appointed AWG in association with the James Tottie Partnership, which is an architectural practice based in Sheffield in the UK following a mini competitive process, to undertake a feasibility study with a view to new office accommodation to replace some of the very poor accommodation like Cable Cottage occupied by the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Secretariat.  There are other buildings as well.  Nothing is ruled in or out at this stage.  It’s merely to examine the feasibility and what might be done and what savings could result.

 

SG:  What are the options that they were considering.  Are they talking about a new build on a new site?

 

CS:  Nothing is ruled out or in.  Certainly there is the possibility of nothing ruled in or out.  There are other possibilities, perhaps a new build on an existing site.  But there are no specific options.  Part of the feasibility study itself will be to identify those particular options.

 

SG:  I gather, correct me I’m wrong, SFC allocated £30,000.00 for this feasibility study but the money for a new building isn’t in this year’s budget.  Is the study not a bit of a white elephant in that case?

 

CS:  Actually, doing nothing is not an option because the Secretariat and Cable Cottage are in very, very poor condition and only have a very short life left in them.  Even if we were to stay where we are, there will be considerable expenditure required to bring the services to those buildings up to modern day standards, not the least safety standards in terms of wiring and heating, etc.  As you say, there is nothing in the Capital Programme for the forthcoming year.  Members will have to consider proceeding with some kind of development and expenditure on the buildings.  They must consider what the financing options are.

 

SG:  The Architects are expected to produce a report for FIG in September.

 

MID WINTER SWIM:

 

The Mid-winter swim has been taking place for 10 years.  This time around, to celebrate, there will be a party atmosphere.  Instead of warming up in the comfort of the pub, the bar will be brought to you.  The Victory Bar has been asked whether they will run a bar on the beach for all of the mad dippers.  This is, of course, subject to the decision of the Licensing Court on Friday.

 

SPONSORED TAB:

 

Last Friday’s sponsored tab from MPA to Stanley raised an impressive £1527.00, which is being topped up to £3,000.00 by the Mount Pleasant Charity fund.  The money was raised to send Hodgkin’s Disease Sufferer, 24 year old Alexandra Sharpe to a health farm to help her to recover from chemo-therapy.  She’s a family friend of one of the team, who were out in Friday’s bleak weather, Sgt. Steve Mixture.  The seven-strong team set out at 0500 on Friday with £250.00 being collected in a bucket from passers-by on route.  An anticipated 9-hour slog onto Stanley was, in fact, covered in less than 8 and the team were met by Harriet Hall, who came out to walk with them on the final leg.  At the 1982 War Memorial, the men were met by Anya Cofre, who has, herself, battled Hodgkin’s.

 

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