FINN(COM) Daily Record: Tuesday, 06 September 2005

FINN(COM) DAILY RECORD: TUESDAY, 06 AUGUST 2005

 

Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)

 

Websites:  http://www.falklandnews.com. http://www.tristantimes.com, http://www.the-islander.org.ac, http://www.sartma.com, http://www.news.co.sh

 

CONTENTS

 

Section 1:  Letter from Falkland Wool Growers

 

Section 2:  Business News from St. Helena

 

Section 3:  Relevant Internet News

 

Section 4:  Announcements

 

Section 5:  FIRS News Direct

 

 

Falkland Wool Growers Ltd

Website: www.falklandwoolgrowers.co.uk

 

Registered in Scotland No:  176228

VAT Reg No:  699 5128 75

 

 

 

Mr. Riki Evans

Rural Business Association

Stanley, Falkland Islands

 

Dear Ricki

 

During the middle of August, farmers in the Falklands expressed concern to us about your undated Rural Business Association (RBA) letter No 2.  In advance of the RBA meeting on 25^th August, FWG wrote a letter to farmers dated 23^rd August, that we copied to the RBA.  Clearly our letter received little attention at your meeting of 25^th August because on 31^st August we received concerned telephone calls from our wool customers who had received an unsolicited letter from you as Chairman of the RBA. (See attached).

 

Your letter sparked immediate concern as to our customers’ speciality supplies of Falklands wool.  Our customers have spent years developing a speciality customer base around the world and have a special understanding of the attributes of our Farm Principal’s wool. These processors are real customers not your “potential customers”, yet from your letter our customers understood that ‘wool offered electronically …on quite a regular basis’ was potentially going to disrupt the very supply of Falkland wool for which they had invested so much in speciality processing and marketing.

 

Your proposal devalues Falkland wool, to a bland electronic list, with no speciality marketing, no personal contact with buyers and manufacturers, just an anonymous list, prepared totally without thought or targeting of prime markets and manufacturers.  Yet as Falkland Wool Growers has done, it is vital to establish trust, confidence and understanding to develop ongoing speciality demand for Falkland wool.

 

Inherent in your proposal will be the loss of individual farm's speciality wool identities. The years that farmers have spent on special breeding policies, enhanced by better than average
shed preparation, would disappear into an anonymous electronic list. In the end farmers are likely not only to lose control over their identity but some of their ability to control their marketing under an RBA+FIDC/FIG controlled system. This has been in the background for years and indeed earlier this year Penguin News reported FIDC’s general manager has already had talks with the British Wool Marketing Board.

 

Your letter sent by the RBA gives a damaging impression to speciality manufacturers who believe in the  uniqueness of Falkland wool, which the RBA claiming to represent the great majority, are going to offer like “tins of beans in a supermarket”.

 

Your letter to farmers recorded “Step one would involve the RBA assuming management control of the Wool warehouse in Stanley”, yet within a week you have embarked on a personal objective of a “RBA wool brokerage service”.

 

Your letter to customers claiming to ‘represent 75% of the Falkland total wool clip’ has totally misled customers.  In fact the RBA struggled to get a quorum of 20 members during Farmers’ Week and both farmers and RBA committee members have been unaware of your damaging communication with some of our customers.

 

Your extra-ordinary letter to potential customers will appeal to the rip off merchants and will undermine the long term commitment of speciality manufacturers. You have a sure recipe for disaster: lower prices and in bad years, Falkland wool may be left unsold (without the speciality marketing knowledge built up by Falkland Wool Growers and our predecessors).

 

Your proposal for “offering wool electronically on quite a regular basis” is against both the interests of customers and farmers.  My understanding is that most farmers are unaware of your recent activities and certainly have not given you a mandate of 75% of the Falkland total wool clip.  Indeed your Wool Board type operation has already been rejected many times by farmers, very many of whom annually employ Falkland Wool Growers to successfully market their developing wool clips and their cherished year’s work.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Robert H B Hall

 

 

Section 2:

 

Amenities, Leisure, Recreational and Social Environments

 

Letter from Mount Pleasant Complex, Falkland Islands Contributed by Aubrey George, Falkland Islands

 

As Published in the St. Helena Herald

 

‘ No’ not a Complex of 5 star Hotels, multiple storey Shopping Arcades or Beach Resorts etcetera. However, the following gives a ‘adequate insight’ but not inclusive, to the MPC. With a Community of many mixed nationals the amenities, leisure, recreational and social environments simply comes with the territory, mainly for the benefit of the military personnel, if not for all who live and work here in support of the Mount Pleasant Complex.

 

Separately constructed away from major industrial offices and infrastructure, military installations and infrastructure, airport and runway, Facility 120, and the family villas of the military and civilian higher ranks. The majority of the Domestic Complex is ground floor only except for several living quarters with a first floor is interconnected by a main indoor corridor or street - over half a mile, with many sign boards giving directions to Living Accommodations, Mess Halls, Bars, Shops, Restaurants, Gymnasiums, Swimming Pool, a Church and much more. Situated a reasonable distance apart, the Navy Army Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) operates two main social venues, the Gull and Penguin Club and the Dolphin Club, both venues in recent times has under gone a long overdue refurbishment, creating a modernize relaxing and a homelier atmosphere to the social Bars, Restaurants and Amusement areas. The bars are mainly for the military’s Junior Ranks and equivalent civilian employees.

 

 The military Officers have a respective Mess, also the Warrant Officers and Sergeants, civilians with mess status use either mess accordingly, that also has social bars regularly available. On weekend nights, both of the NAAFI Club’s have been used for music entertainment although of the two, the Gull and Penguin Club with a separate social Bar and a Theatre are used for many special functions, including the Combined Services Entertainment (CSE) Shows from the United Kingdom (UK) and many local MPC Fundraising Events for Charities in the UK and in St Helena, organised by groups of military individuals or Saint Helenian employees, with the generous assistance from many local DJ’s , Bands, Karaoke and other. In addition to the social bars, both Club’s provides a fast food service Restaurant, Coffee Shops and huge Retail Shops, supplying a wide range of consumer goods including Clothing and Footwear, Food and Drinks, Health Hygiene and Domestic, Electrical Appliances and Electronic Equipment and much more to personnel on the MPC. An added attraction at the Gull and Penguin Club is the NAAFI Ultra Bowl - a 6 X 10 Pin Bowling Alley that is a popular pastime venue much used for organised competitions. In Stanley at the Hillside Camp Detachment, the NAAFI Club there operates a social Bar, Fast Food Service and a Retail Shop to the military and civilian personnel.

 

The Hillside Camp is also home to the Military’s Adventure Training Centre since it was ended at Shag Cove - near Port Howard Settlement on West Falklands in 2000. The facility is a location for Rest and Recuperation (R&R) for military personnel, and the opportunity to participate in many recreational activities including, Rock Climbing and Abseiling, Canoeing and Kayaking, Mountaineering and Orienteering, Wildlife Walks and much more for under a week before the end of their tour in the Falklands. NAAFI is a UK Commercial Contractor serving many British Forces locations around the world.  The business Manager and other employees here are from the UK, although many of its employees are from St. Helena. Of interest in recent times, several Saints are now established within the management structure at the Main Office Bulk Issue Store and in the Retail Outlets, along with the majority of the remaining workforce. Adjacent to the NAAFI’s Ultra Bowl, is one of the military’s recent amenities - the Internet or Cyber Café, popularly known as AREA 51. The facility is installed with banks of Computers Systems for online use for all military personnel only in the Garrison from early morning to late evening hours, attended by several Sodexho Defence Services Assistants throughout the day and night.

 

Nearby is a facility that is still very much appreciated by the military and civilians alike, in the day of the modern Digital Video Disc (DVD) Film Industry is the “Phoenix Cinema” that sees the latest in film releases, with a seating of under 100 paying movie goers, around a current schedule of 3 shows on Saturdays and Sundays, and 1 show only on weekdays. Further away, a useful amenity that is appreciated by all on the complex is the Joint Education Centre’s (JEC) Library, that was relocated in recent times from the main branch of the JEC away from the Domestic Complex. Here the library is staffed by several Saints and other nationals and normally open during the day until the early evening hours, offering an enormous selection of Video Tapes, DVD and CD titles on rental, in addition to Books, CD Roms, Talking Books, Newspapers, Magazines, Educational Material and much more. Also available there are Computers for online use by Distance Learning Students.  At the JEC there are a variety of, mostly free, evening classes in Computer and Sports Related, Education, Creative and Hobbies, and several Language Courses.

 

On this Complex of hundreds of service men and woman of all ranks, including many present military families, visiting spouses and their children to personnel on tour and the numerous civilian employees community, is the need for various social venues and amenities for many throughout most of the day and night. Away from the social Club’s for those who prefer a more relaxed and a quieter atmosphere to meet with colleagues and friends, or just to read current newspapers, magazines, books, or to play board games, is the Oasis Coffee Shop, with the opportunity to buy and enjoy from a wide selection of delicious refreshments, beverages, tea and coffee, that is now staffed by the Red Shield Defence Service of the Salvation Army, part time workers and volunteers. A welfare facility- the Woman’s Royal Voluntary Services (WRVS) Lounge venue in addition to the Oasis’s services, provides a TV and Video Room, Games Room, Tapes and DVD rental, a minimum Internet Facility, a 24 hour confidential hotline, and only accepts contributions towards the refreshments provided. Apart from the NAAFI Shops, the military operates a modest outlet appropriately called the “Bimble Box” on a limited open period, with sales of Clothing including outdoor Garments and Footwear, Rucksacks and Souvenirs. Away from the Domestic Complex the military also manages a “Family Shop”, a venue to the needs of the military and civilian families on the MPC or visiting, mainly providing much daily catering and rations necessities.

 

On the Domestic Complex, one of the popular amenities enjoyed by the military and civilians alike is the Physical Education Department (PED) Flight Leisure Centre, the facility consists of a Gymnasium fully equipped with numerous modernize exercise machines, weights lifting platform and a games hall. Other facilities includes Squash Courts, indoor Swimming Pool, an indoor Climbing Wall constructed in a older Gymnasium facility, and much more to offer to the ‘keep fit’ individuals. Only after an induction by the Physical Training Instructors that the Gymnasium’s exercise machines can be used by any personnel in the interest of Health and Safety.

 

The Centre is essential to the service men and woman for their schedule exercises and as a past time activity, regularly used from early morning to evening hours. Apart from the indoor games hall, an outdoor Sports Field is available for the larger team sports such as Football, Rugby, and Cricket. A short distance across the main roadway from the Domestic Complex is the Facility 120 - a small Domestic Complex with a Mess Hall that is home to many employees of Interserve Defence Limited (IDL) a civilian contractor on the MPC. Including the mess hall, a social bar is available on the premises that are staffed and manage by the civilian contractor Sodexho Defence Services, the bar operates normal opening hours as elsewhere mainly available to the civilians there, other civilians are welcome although the bar is restricted to the military’s Junior Ranks personnel. Through the succeeding contractors over many years to the present day, the social venue have seen much music entertainment on weekends, organise by the bar management or provided by many Saints and others with Disco’s and Bands, including fundraising events on behalf of good causes in St. Helena.

 

Of the many individual military sections on the MPC, several have a limited social venue where colleagues can socialize with others, that are occasionally used for fundraising for UK Charities, usually a limited number but open to all including civilians. About a quarter mile from the Domestic Complex in the vicinity of the Airport Terminal is the Falkland Islands Corporation (FIC) Shopping Centre, that is occupied by several civilian businesses. The FIC is a large business that mainly operates in Stanley. At the Centre, the FIC have their “Rightlines” Shop that is a reasonable size, an alternative venue with a range of consumer goods and products, similarly to the NAAFI outlets. Nearby is Sodexho Defence Services “Gozomie Box”- a small venue offering customers those many special items such as Scented Candles, Perfumes and Aftershave, Oils, Souvenirs and Ornaments, Posters and Greeting Cards and much more for those special occasions. Adjacent to the shops is the popular and convenient “Ronokes” Restaurant, currently run by two Chilean nationals. The menu offered includes - daily Breakfast and Lunch meals, takeaways, booked evening meals, reserve tables or takeaways, and is licensed to sell alcohol. It is a relaxing venue for those during their ‘time out’ or preferring a meal out from the norm. Furthermore as a ‘insight’ to the amenities, leisure, recreational and social environments is the Joint Education Centre’s (JEC) weekend tours to Battle Field Sites from the 1982 Falklands Conflict, conducted by the Roulement Infantry Company (RIC), weekend boat trips by the 460 Port Troop at Mare Harbour, or helicopter trips by the military’s 78 Squadron Flight or British International (BRINTEL) helicopters to outlying Islands and locations to see the enormous Wildlife colonies of Mammals and Birds, such as the many species of Seals, Sea Lions and Penguins. At the present Winter period that have seen much low temperature, snow blizzards and soon, much of the Islands Wildlife will be nesting and breeding and in the coming months will bring increase numbers to many colonies of Seals, Sea Lions and Penguins.

 

And of course, there is Port Stanley the Capital, that one can visit or stay with many Saints who work and live in the community there today. There is a choice of many hotels, bars, restaurants, shops, public buildings, and the many Camp Settlements and Villages many miles away from Stanley or the MPC where Saints usually go to visit also. I had stated at the beginning that this is a ‘adequate insight’ however, as I ponder my thoughts about the MPC there are other items that come to mind, although I do think that I’ve covered the majority of essential items as intended, that it may help future Saints who may come here to work knowing what there is available. For those Saints who have come and gone - they might say ‘been there seen it done that’ and others who may wish to visit the Islands on holiday - ’ I’ll stay with relatives or book into a local hotel in Stanley’ wait - when is that Airport expected to be completed!!

 

Section 3:

 

RELEVANT INTERNET NEWS

 

Telegraph: Ambrogio Fogar: (Filed: 31/08/2005)

 

Ambrogio Fogar, who died on August 24 aged 64, survived for 73 days in an open boat amid the frozen waters of the South Atlantic after his yacht was sunk by a killer whale off the Falklands in 1978.

 

Fogar was one of Italy's best-known sailors and explorers, and first came to notice in Britain when he entered the 4th Transatlantic Race in 1972. This contest had begun in 1960 as a half-crown wager between Sir Francis Chichester and Lt-Col "Blondie" Hasler, one of the "Cockleshell Heroes", to see who could sail fastest single-handed from Plymouth to Rhode Island. During the 1972 race, Fogar lost the use of his rudder and then his radio soon after leaving Devon, but he demonstrated his mettle by continuing to compete and by finishing 26th out of the field of 54.

 

The following year, he became the first Italian yachtsman to sail solo around the world in a westerly direction, against the prevailing wind, and only the 50th man to circumnavigate the globe alone since Joshua Slocum made the first passage in 1898.

 

When Fogar arrived in Britain to compete in the 5th Transatlantic Race, in 1976, officials looked askance at his catamaran, Surprise, as it lacked a cabin and Fogar slept in a crate inside one of the hulls. But they conceded that the Italian "seems to know what he is doing", even though he candidly admitted that he was expecting to capsize several times during the voyage.  Fogar said that he had plans in place to deal with this eventuality.

 

Two years later, shortly after returning from an expedition to the Bermuda Triangle with Uri Geller, he was faced with just such an emergency. While he and a friend, Mauro Mancini, were making an attempt to circumnavigate Antarctica, Surprise was overturned by a killer whale, and the pair were forced to take to a rubber dinghy.

 

They had virtually no food supplies, and nothing but rainwater to drink. For almost two-and-a-half months they drifted across the waves, sustained by their friendship, their reserves of fat and by Fogar's fait in God, which Mancini eventually came to share.

 

Eventually, they were spotted by a Cape Town-bound Greek cargo vessel and were rescued after having travelled some 1,300 miles towards Africa from the location of the wreck. Two days later, however, Mauro Mancini suddenly died, apparently after contracting an otherwise innocuous cold aboard ship that his weakened system was unable to throw off and which speedily developed into pneumonia.

 

On his return to Italy, Fogar was blamed for the death of Mancini, a journalist, by the media. Only the posthumous publication of the diary Mancini had kept when aboard the dinghy cleared the yachtsman's name. In the diary Mancini had written: "Fogar is an exemplary sailor and a very courageous man. I hope that the newspapers will treat him with the respect and morality that he has shown me aboard this vessel." Ambrogio Fogar was born in Milan on August 13 1941. He first made a living selling sports cars, then qualified nas a stunt pilot. His initial love was for parachuting, but after a serious accident in which he lost most of his teeth he gave it up in favour of sailing.

 

He renounced this after the death of Mancini, and in 1983 attempted to become the first man to walk unsupported to the North Pole. The British explorer David Hempleman-Adams set off at the same time, but in the event neither man reached his goal, the Briton being  hampered by injury and the Italian by disintegrating pack ice.

 

For a time, Fogar claimed to have reached his destination, but it was later revealed that he had been taken there by the aircraft which had picked him up. Nonetheless, his exploits - which also included the ascent of several peaks in Africa, where he contracted malaria - earned him much renown in Italy, and he was able to parlay this into a successful career as a television presenter and author. His books include My Atlantic (1974) and The Raft (1978), the story of his time in the lifeboat.

 

Then, in 1992, Fogar was rendered permanently paralyzed as the result of a crash while competing in the Paris-Peking rally. He spent the last 13 years of his life in bed, unable to breathe or to speak except with the aid of machines. Many regarded it as a cruel destiny for a man of action, but he inspired admiration by his defiance of his condition.  In 1997 he took part in a round-Italy yacht race strapped into a specially-adapted wheelchair. He also became an ardent supporter of Greenpeace and of anti-whaling campaigns.

 

Ambrogio Fogar was a Commander of the Order of the Italian Republic. He was divorced, and is survived by two daughters.

 

© Copyright of Telegraph Group Limited 2005.

 

Section 4:

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS: