Falklands : Committee News: FLH Board Meeting Report
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 25.10.2005 (Article Archived on 08.11.2005)
Find out what happened during this interesting board meeting.
COMMITTEE NEWS: FALKLANDS LANDHOLDINGS BOARD
A meeting of the Falklands Landholdings Board took place at the Chamber of Commerce Function Room at 1330 hrs on Monday, 24 October 2005. Minutes from the previous meeting held on Wednesday, 10 August 2005 were confirmed and matters arising from them were noted.
In the General Manager’s Report, contract sales, double fleeces, stained wool and the number of sheep (50) during the recent bad weather were noted. He reported that of the 149 bales of wool that went to FIPASS, 35 had been sold and the remainder is due to be sold to Standard Wool Ltd. for shipment to Montevideo. Prices received for wool were disappointing but the wool left behind was not of the best quality. He went on to say that shearing had started at Goose Green and Fitzroy and that Fitzroy was between runs of shearing when the bad weather hit. Goose Green had to stop shearing during the bad weather. Finally, Doreen and Nick Davis agreed to stay on at the run the Stanley Dairy until March 2006. FIDC are hoping to develop detailed plans to put the business back in the private sector.
An item made public was the sale of buildings belonging to FLH in the Recovery plan. The Bunk House at Goose Green has been sold to Peter McKay and Albert McLearn had bought a stone house at Walker Creek. The house on Beaver Road has been sold as well as a stone house at Goose Green. There was a discussion about some of the buildings in Camp being listed as the stone house at Goose Green should be but isn’t. Jane Cameron is going to draw up a list. One building at North Arm was an old Catholic Church and should be listed.
Fencing at North Arm is almost complete and at Goose Green it is progressing well but Fitzroy is behind schedule. Existing materials will be used for fencing. It was necessary to complete fencing for the rotation of the lambs. However, it won’t mean the end of the world if it isn’t all completed by December.
Cllr. Summers wanted to know how much of the money raised thus far had been reinvested. Owen Summers said that it wasn’t much at the moment but some of the money had been used for cropping.
The financial report was given by Bernadette Lang who said that FLH was on budget except for a late wool payment from the UK that would accrue interest. Some items had the wrong codes on them and the anomalies would be taken up with farmers in due course.
It was hoped that some wool shipments could go directly to Mare Harbour but this was to be discussed further with officials at MPC. It makes sense because there was core testing at North Arm and Goose Green and shipments could be conveniently containerised at Mare Harbour.
Deloitte has completed the audit and has proposed some adjustments but there would be a joint meeting between the entire board, including all camp members with the Auditors to discuss the proposals.
Finally, the bank mandate had become unworkable and discussions about who should sign cheques and for what amount ensued with the new mandate being based around two lists of signatories. The General Manager and Accounts Assistant were on one list, while the Financial Controller and Board Members were on the other. The old mandate list was revoked in favour of the new one.
The public session of the meeting closed at 1410 hrs.
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