FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: MONDAY, 20 SEPTEMBER 2004
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
WOOL REPORT: for the week ending Friday 17th September 2004
Auctions
The Australian Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) was unchanged on Tuesday and on Wednesday and eased three cents on Thursday. The EMI thus closed the week down three cents at 777 A cents. Prices slipped across most microns. Pass-ins averaged 12%.
In New Zealand the Fine Indicator was quoted up five at 1,073 NZ cents. The Medium Indicator was quoted down 16 cents on the week at 539 NZ cents. The Strong Indicator was down eight cents to 414 NZ cents whilst the Lamb Indicator was not quoted. There was an 85% clearance.
The South African Overall Merino Indicator lost 0.4% on the week, from 2,778 SA cents to 2,766 SA cents/kg clean.
In Britain, there was a strong Scottish sale with sustained competition throughout that produced a clearance of 93% on the 1.87 million kilos offering. The Indicator was up a penny at 83 p/kg greasy.
Currencies
Stronger currencies in Southern auctioning countries were largely responsible for their wool prices easing.
The Australian dollar was trading about a cent stronger at A$2.56/£. The New Zealand dollar was about four cents stronger at 2.70 NZ cents/£.
FWG Agency
All additional supplies of wool in 2005 would be much welcomed by our customers.
I am planning to next visit the Falklands from 24th November until 9th December.
With Best Wishes Robert
FROM MEDIA OPS AT MPA
WORK EXPERIENCE:
Eleven students have completed two weeks work experience at Mount Pleasant. Five students spent two weeks working in different areas, including Anola Hobman at 460 Port Troop, Evan Vallesquez in the Motor Transport Workshop, Sam Elliot in the Supply Section, Chester Crowie at Air Movements and Christine Hewitt at the Aircraft Feeder. The students participated in a mid-week boat trip around Mare Harbour. They watched an SAR Helicopter winch men off a landing craft. The scenario was that they were on a wildlife trip.. One student commented that you see penguins every day when you live here but you don’t always see helicopters doing this.
YOMP:
The 9-member Military yomp from San Carlos to Stanley last month handed over a £2,000.00 cheque to the “Acorn Social Club.” The men from MPA Ammo Sub Depot, REME and Vehicle Sections raised the money in sponsorship for their marathon effort, completing the distance in 23 hours, 25 minutes and 17 seconds.
WAXING:
Another group of Military volunteers will soon be ready to hand over a cheque from KEMH. The boys from Hillside, who had their legs waxed on Friday have already raised £950.00. They say there’s another £350.00 outstanding. That sum is due to be doubled by MPA and it will be donated to the hospital to go towards the cost of new trolleys for the Casualty Department.
INTERNET NEWS:
When the United Nations meets for the opening of the General Assembly Debate this week, British Foreign Secretary, Mr. Jack Straw and Argentine Foreign Minister, Raphael Bielsa will hold routine meetings as well. It is expected that issues relating to the Falklands will be discussed but sovereignty is not on the agenda.
Argentina is due to become a member of the Security Council in January 2005.
FIBS NEWS DIRECT: 20 SEPTEMBER 2004
HOLED:
The western end of FIPASS was holed on Friday morning when a fishing vessel struck her while coming along side. The Sierra Nafria was trying to berth in a northerly wind when the collision took place. The pumps have been on at FIPASS. Manager, Trevor Betts, told us this morning he didn’t know how much the damage would cost to repair.
John Pollard from agents, Sulivan Shipping, said the vessel itself was undamaged.
CPA CONFERENCE:
Councillors have recently returned from the CPA meetings in Canada, where several conferences and workshops were held. There were two parts on the agenda. First of all was the Small Countries Conference held in Quebec and attended by Cllrs. John Birmingham and Clerk of Councils, Claudette Anderson. Richard Cockwell attended the Executive meeting in Ottawa before they joined up for the main conference, including the larger countries, in Toronto. The CPA paid for all flights and accommodation costs involved in attending the two conferences.
John Birmingham (JB), who chaired a workshop on Sustainable Tourism, they were not decision-making meetings but explained to us the reasons for attending.
JB: what you get from attending these conferences is a report to the Media and you will find out at home, wherever that home may be, what was discussed and what was agreed. But the CPA is not a formal decision-making organisation in the way that you might think of the UN. The reason Falkland Islands Councillors go to these conferences - it’s the first one I’ve attended in my 10 years as a Councillor - the reason we send people and hopefully continue to send people - is that it puts the Falkland Islands into the minds of what could be potentially important people. There are some big countries there - Canada, Australia, India - these are major countries in the world. If the Falkland Islands don’t go out there and put our case, and in the news print as well, basically forget that we have a particular issue. We could be in trouble in the future. We have to certainly battle on. It was interesting for me as an individual to hear of the problems that other countries face. In fact, a couple of people there had to leave early. What you find is that although the Falkland Islands are small, we have our problems here and so does every other country on the planet. No country is that bad off that they don’t have any problems at all. And, it was good to exchange views on the various ways that we run particular countries.
SF: Small Country Conferences are for those with a population of under 35,000. John told us what happened at the meetings.
JB: First of all, we had a plenary, which is everybody sitting around, talking about various issues from tourism to security to whatever problems people had in their country. We then split up into workshops. The first one was about economics and small states. The second one was also about trade and small states and how vulnerable they are to world trade and the third one was about sustainable tourism. That third one was the one I chaired and I also did a presentation on it. The only other presentation was from Ton y Leo from St. Helena. That went very well. We then went back to the main session at the Plenary, where we had to report back from our various workshops. Most of the useful stuff is done outside of those meetings in meeting people and talking about various problems and just generally exchanging views and ideas.
POLICE NEWS:
Officers were alerted at 1230on Saturday after it was discovered a blue container at Bush Pass near Fitzroy. Written on the side was 1.2 G Explosives and half a dozen flares were found inside. EOD were alerted and removed the box.
CABLE & WIRELESS:
Just a reminder that telecommunications expert, Chris Doyle is touring the Islands this week to talk about the Camp Telephone system. Tomorrow, he will be flying to Hill Cove for a meeting mid morning, followed by an afternoon meeting at the Southern Cross Social Club in Fox Bay. He will continue to Goose Green and Stanley on Wednesday and Hope Cottage on Thursday.
HARBOUR, FISHING AND SHIPPING NEWS:
For the weekend, trawler Arcadia Dos arrived in for bunkers and to tranship. The New Polar and John Cheek came in for a crew change. The Leo de Galicia arrived for bunkers and stores. In Port William at the moment the Trawler Tsarte has an engine break-down and is awaiting repairs before moving to FIPASS to tranship. The Reefer, Panyat Ali Acha is also in Port William for crew change. The Sierra Nafria is still at FIPASS awaiting the Tsarte. There are 32 vessels fishing in the zone and catches have been poor as fishing has been disrupted due to the weather and some vessels have left to fish outside the zone.
(100X Transcription Service)
