S.Atlantic : Sartma Daily (29/08/05)
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 29.08.2005 (Article Archived on 05.09.2005)
A quick overview of South Atlantic news
SARTMA DAILY (29/08/05)
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
CONTENTS
Section 1: Article by FINN
Section 2: Item from BBC World Service “Calling the Falklands”
Section 3: FIRS News Direct
Section 1:
KOREAN VESSEL HELPS WITH ENQUIRIES
By J. Brock (FINN)
Earlier today the M/V Sigma, the Falkland Islands Fisheries Patrol Vessel, escorted the Korean Trawler, Esperanza into Stanley to help with enquiries. The Esperanza is licensed to catch Ray in the FICZ and she was escorted into port after transhipping her catch and by-catch.
At present members of Esperanza’s crew are helping Fisheries Department authorities with their enquiries.
Section 2:
FALKLANDS VETERANS’ FOUNDATION RECEIVE FREEDOM OF GOSPORT
A Report for BBC World Service “Calling the Falklands” by Dee Palmer (DP)
On Wednesday, the Freedom of the borough of Gosport was bestowed on the Falklands’ Veterans Foundation. About 200 veterans gathered in the Falklands Garden and waited for the mayor and other dignitaries to arrive. As the Band of the Brigade of Gurkhas played and the rain fell, the Chief Executive of the Falklands Veterans’ Foundation, Derek “Smoky” Cole (DC), told Judy Frankel (JF) what to expect.
DC: The Councillors will be arriving down here about 1030, then we are going into the ceremony. We will get that through as quickly as possible with this weather then we will parade back up the High Street and the salute will be taken by Rear Admiral Jeremy Larkin, Lady Fieldhouse and the Mayor.
JF: Bronda Booker (BB) is Press Officer for Gosport Borough Council. She said that Gosport was where a lot of families came to see their loved ones off and a lot of people came to welcome them back as well.
BB: A few years ago now we dedicated the Garden and re-named it the Falkland Gardens. We have a memorial stone over there, which Baroness Thatcher very kindly came down to unveil. And, it’s a place where families still come and still lay flowers in memory of those who weren’t lucky enough to come back.
JF: So this is a fitting place to hold the service?
BB: It is. It means a lot to the families and it means a lot to the Falkland Veterans as well.
JF: Pipers lead the civic procession from the Town Hall past the Guard and on to the podium for the official ceremony. The Chaplain to the Mayor, Rev. Peter Sutton (PS), addressed the Veterans, their families and all those from Gosport, who braved the rain to come to watch.
PS: Veterans of the Falklands War, welcome back to the Borough of Gosport, which today wishes to honour you in this Freedom Ceremony. Today we have come into this Falklands Garden to confer upon the Falklands Veterans’ Foundation the highest honour that this town can give – the Freedom of the Borough.
JF: The Mayor of Gosport Graham Burgess (GB) praised the Falklands Veterans’ Foundation for its tireless work in giving financial and emotional support to Veterans and their families. But he also spoke of their disappointment at not getting a lottery grant to build a refuge in Stanley.
GB: All here will be greatly saddened that the lottery fund has refused to finance this vital shelter project. For I am sure the Falklands will carry on the fight to achieve what most people will see as absolutely necessary for those who are still trying to come to terms with the horrors of the 1982 campaign.
JF: Then came the signing of the Freedom Scroll, well actually, it was signed indoors to keep it from getting too wet.
GB: I would like to present the Freedom Scroll to the Falklands Veterans Foundation.
Vox Pop No. 1:
JF: Can I ask you what you thought of the Ceremony?
Voice 1: Other than being very wet, it was very good!
Voice 2: It was a lovely ceremony.
Voice 3: It was very nice.
Voice 4: It was quite moving.
Voice 5: It was very moving, yes.
Voice 6: I am very proud of them.
JF: Now that they were Freemen, Falklands Veterans marched down the High Street to Cheers and applause from the crowd. The rain was relentless but it didn’t dampen the mood. And, in the Marquee, all friends and comrades ate, drank and reminisced.
Vox Pop No. 2:
JF: How important is this Freedom for you?
Voice 1: It’s very important. We appreciate being given the Freedom of Gosport but also we think of the people who lost their lives in the Falklands as well.
Voice 2: I came all the way from the North of England for this so I appreciate it anyway because this is actually the first time I have come to a reunion. And, it’s nice to be able to meet friends 23 years later.
Voice 3: I don’t think it’s so much about us. I think it’s what the Town of Gosport has done. It’s nice to be acknowledged by somebody and after this amount of time. The guys in general appreciate someone saying thank-you for what you did.
Voice 4: I was only a youngster. I was nineteen and I had my birthday down there and I was talking to somebody earlier about the fact I had a can of beer for my birthday and then we got on with the job.
JF: Have you been back to the Falkland Islands?
Voice 4: Yes. I went back in 1986. I was on HMS Nottingham at the time and it was quite moving. It didn’t lay ghosts to rest but it put my mind at ease over what it was all about. The second time around I enjoyed myself and at least I wasn’t getting shot at. That was a bonus.
Voice 5: I am Graham Burgess, the Mayor of Gosport.
JF: How important was it to give the Freedom of the Borough to the Falklands Veterans for you?
GB: It is the highest honour the Borough can bestow. And, it was unanimous from the Council. There were no dissenters and everyone was in favour. Everybody was involved in ’82 in some way or another. They knew somebody who went down South, they knew somebody who was affected when they came back or didn’t get back and we are absolutely overjoyed that the Falklands Veterans Foundation are actually going to have their 25th reunion in Gosport
Voice 6: My name is Les Hayhoe. I am Falklands Veterans Foundation voluntary fundraising co –ordinator.
JF: How many Falklands Veterans came today?
Voice 6: Officially, we had 140 marching but people found out the day before or on the day so I think in total there is something like 180. We had 400 families including adults and children. The weather was against us today but I think there has been a very good turn out.
JF: And they came from all over the UK?
Voice 6: All over the place but a gentleman has come from Norway. A couple of guys who actually reside in the Falkland Islands, Scotland, Wales – you name it.
JF: What does having the Freedom of the Borough mean?
Voice 6 It certainly means a lot for me as an individual. So, it’s a great honour. As you can see by the turn out, everyone is highly delighted.
DP: That report from a rather soggy Gosport was by Judy Frankel. All Falklands Veterans – that is, all those with a South Atlantic Medal, are able to have their own personal certificate, a duplicate of the scroll presented to the Freemen, by going to the Falklands Veterand’ Foundation website. It’s address is http://www.fbf.org.uk.
Section 3:
FIRS NEWS DIRECT: 29 AUGUST 2005
Compiled by Stacy Bragger (SB) and Amy Johnson (AJ)
STANDING FINANCE COMMITTEE:
The Standing Finance Committee met in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat on Friday morning. Cllrs. Mike Summers, John Birmingham, Jan Cheek, Norma Edwards, Roger Edwards, Richard Cockwell, Stephen Luxton and Ian Hansen were present, with Cllr. Summers chairing the meeting. One of the items discussed was an update on the Government Vehicles Working Group. Cllr. John Birmingham said that departments depend on quality vehicles. Cllr. Hansen asked what the life-span was of a Government vehicle and was told 10 years on average.
BA COUNCILLORS CONSIDER FALKLANDS TRIP:
The project is to create a special commission to honour the hundreds of Argentines who sacrificed their lives in 1982. According to the press in BA the trip will take place in November and will institutionally honour the Argentines who are buried in the Falklands, with a plaque to be unveiled at the Darwin Memorial.
WOOL REPORT FROM NEIL JUDD:
In last week’s wool report, greasy wool prices remained relatively stable with some micron categories gaining a penny or two clean at sales in Australia. Prices slipped a bit at the fine end in New Zealand. It held up at the broader end. Prices in South Africa were markedly down, however, price movements brought South African greasy wool back in line with normal compared with Australian and New Zealand markets. Prices for non-fleece wool were also reported to be quite firm during the week with better style, finer low VM types being in particular demand, adding that in Australia more than 89% of the 59,000 bale offering was sold. Included in this were 4,400 bales of crossbred wool, of which 91% were sold. In New Zealand, more than 25% of the 24,000 bale offering was passed in. Auctions will continue this week in New Zealand and Australia, where almost 71,000 bales will be on offer.
WAR GAMES IN THE PARISH HALL:
There was a war hammer painting game day held in the Parish Hall on Saturday. I spoke to David Green (DG), who told me more about it.
DG: Today has mainly been a painting competition – showing the lads how to do different kinds of painting. We have got a couple of boards out where we’ve got a small game this morning. What War Hammer is – it’s a strategy game played on varying sized boards. We normally use a 6ft by 4ft board, which you can either model yourself or you can buy a green mat and stick a few hills and a few model trees on it and it’s all done with dice. You roll a dice to see who goes first and roll the dice to see which end of the board you start on. It depends on the type of army you’ve got. You’ve got different types of weapons systems and you roll to hit, you roll to wound and the opponent rolls dice to save. There are several different armies as you see on the painting – Elgar, Base Marines, Imperial Guard, Hawks, Ecron, Space Marines – quite a large selection to choose from.
SB: If anyone is interested in taking it up, how often do you meet?
DG: I am always available to do games on Friday mornings from 1000. We normally do them in my garage. There’s plenty of room in there to set up a few boards. I’ve got two armies, so if someone who hasn’t got an army wants to come up and find out how to play, like young Warren over there, he can come up and borrow one of my armies I will teach them how to play. Just call me on 21568.
BANK O VISION:
Customers will now be able to find out the latest news while they queue at the bank. The Standard Chartered Bank now has an LCD flat screen television on display for customers to view. The television, installed by KTV Limited, will mainly be showing BBC World News but will also give an opportunity for customers to watch Standard Chartered commercial videos. Steve Dent of the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association, has also provided a video about the Commonwealth Youth Games in Bendigo. Nick Hutton, Standard Chartered Bank Manager said that the introduction of the television was all part of improving the customer experience and would help brighten the bank up and would occupy customers while they were queuing.
DEATH NOTICE:
It is with great sadness that Peter and Robert King report the death in New Zealand of their uncle, Ron King, the elder brother of their father, the late Joe King, on the 25th of August at Duranga Hospital. The funeral service was held today in New Zealand. Ron was 86 years of age.
POLICE NEWS:
On Saturday night, officers on foot patrol came across a damaged window at Crozier Place. Later that night, officers on foot patrol came across an intoxicated person who was unconscious. The man was woken and officers assessed if he needed medical attention. It was decided that he would be fined and the officers escorted him home. Early on Sunday morning Stanley Police Station was informed of a medi-vac off a vessel in Berkley Sound.
(100X Transcription and Monitoring Service)
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