FINN (COM) DAILY RECORD: TUESDAY, 07 SEPTEMBER 2004
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
UK News 324
Sheep meat Trends week ending 4 September 2004
Prices
The GB provisional deadweight SQQ price for week ended 28 August 2004 was 245.3p per kg dw, almost 2p per kg above that recorded for the previous week.
The average auction market price for SQQ lambs for week ended 1 September 2004 was 112.93p per kg lw, down just less than a penny on the previous week. Despite the occurrence of a bank holiday during this week, throughputs increased by almost 4,000 head week-on-week.
Slaughterings
Clean sheep slaughterings for week ended 28 August 2004 were estimated at 239,200 head, down six per cent on those recorded for the equivalent week of 2003. This is despite the Bank Holiday falling in this week last year.
Trade
UK exports of sheep meat rose by 5,000 tonnes in the six months to June 2004 compared with the equivalent period of 2003, to 36,300 tonnes. Slightly more product was sent to France, whilst Belgian imports more than doubled to 6,500 tonnes according to customs figures. However, MLC expects this figure to be corrected downwards. 84 per cent of total exports were supplied as fresh/chilled lamb carcasses and half carcasses. Imports of sheep meat also rose over the same period, up 10,000 tonnes to 72,000 tonnes. Australia increased its share of the market, up from eight per cent in 2003 to 11 per cent this year.
Ireland also supplied more product.
FIBS NEWS DIRECT: 07 SEPTEMBER 2004
BIO-SECURITY EXPERTS HEADING FOR THE ISLANDS:
Two Bio-Security experts are going to arrive in the Islands next month to review the Falklands regulations on imports and quarantine procedures. The two consultants, Bruce Simpson and John Halstram from a company called “Bio-Security Limited” in New Zealand will look at a wide range of issues regarding live animals, planted animal products and incoming passengers. Their investigations will also cover the importation of veterinary medicines, animal feed, second-hand agricultural machinery and seeds, among other things. The review is to help to secure the relatively disease-free status for the Islands. A Government report on the work to be carried out by the consultants says tighter controls would help exporters prove the quality of their product to other countries. This will be particularly important to farmers as they will increase their income in future by exporting sheep semen, embryos and live rams. The report reads, “It is the belief of the Department of Agriculture that inadequate records were being kept by various Government Departments on what is being imported into the Falkland Islands. The consultants will meet a wide range of people from Government and the private sector to discuss the implications of tighter bio-security.”
TOY LIBRARY:
The Islands’ new Social work Director, Vikki Butler, is getting to grips with her new job that will keep her busy for the next two years. One of them is the new toy library.
VB: We will be starting at the toy library at the moment, working alongside some of the other professionals. We are at the stage of categorising all the toys. Hopefully that will be up and running soon.
SF: Would that be at the Welcome Centre?
VB: We are negotiating at the moment.
SF: Where are the toys at the moment?
VB: I know some of them are at the Leisure Centre and we still need to have discussions as to where it eventually is going to be based. But it will be open to the whole community.
CRAFT FAIR:
The event is happening this coming Saturday and Sunday in the Community School. Entries should be taken to the school on Friday afternoon between 1500 and 1800. The Fair will be open to the public between 1400 to and 1700 on Saturday and 1400 and 1600 on Sunday.
APPOINTMENTS:
There are a total of 12 appointments in the Government Service in August. These include a Fisheries Protection Officer, 4 fisheries observers, Chief Internal Auditor, Check in Clerk at FIGAS and a Clerk with the public service. There was one promotion from Refueller/Handyman at FIGAS to Foreman with the PWD. Five contracts were completed and there were also six resignations.
SCAM LETTERS:
Sgt. Tom Whistler warned us about the latest money making scam to hit the Islands. The fraudsters used fax machines to try and get people go give their bank details from them. Over the last few days a number of people turned these faxes in to the Royal Falkland Islands Police. The fax says it’s from the USA Internal Revenue Service. The form asks for passport details, your bank account number(s) and pin number, etc. Police urge people not to fill the forms in but to contact them if you have. General advice is to inform Social Security if your number has been compromised as well as informing the Passport Office in Pittsburgh of a possible attempt to acquire a passport in your name. Also, inform your bank(s) and credit card companies.
FINN’s note: The FBI has been informed and no doubt are checking the fax-back number that is provided on the fraudulent form, as well as new US Passport applications against a list of those people who mistakenly filled out and sent the form. If you have filled out the form and sent it in, please contact the Royal Falkland Islands Police immediately.
COLLECTING FALKLANDS HISTORY:
The Stanley Museum and National Trust are asking for Islanders’ help to compile a list of historic sites and stories from around the Islands. Museum Manager, Leona Roberts (LR), joined Liz Elliot on “Lifestyles” to explain how she intends to collect some of the oral history of the Islands before it disappears forever.
At the moment, we are working on building up a list of registered sites around the Falklands in the Camp. These range from corrals, old bits of equipment, old buildings that have interesting histories, even old sites like where people used to swim horses from or sent messages via beacon from - that kind of thing. So many people know about them but many assume this history is recorded somewhere. But it is very important that we get all this down in writing because in another 100 years, how many people are going to remember what happened?
(100X Transcription Service)
