S.Atlantic : Byron Marine Says Good-Bye to Tamar
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 08.07.2003 (Article Archived on 22.07.2003)

On Friday, 04 July 2003, the Directors of Byron Marine said Good-Bye to the Tamar, which they managed for eleven years. They also said adieu to Gordon Peck, who retired, age 74.

Photo (c) J. Brock (FINN)

Lewis Clifton's 'Speech on the Retirement of Gordon Peck and the winding up of Byron Marine.

Lewis Clifton presents Gordon Peck with a momento of his years of service.

Ladies and Gentlemen… the 6p.m. bell has just gone, and it is thus appropriate to say a few words at tonight’s gathering as we remember “fellow shipmates, willing hands, good friends and happier times”.

It has seemed to me over recent weeks that getting into business was a lot less frustrating and much more satisfying than dealing with the raft of complexities in shutting down our coastal shipping operation, and dealing while dealing with emotional baggage of 11 years of trading and providing a valuable, reliable, regular, safe and economically efficient coastal shipping service for the Falklands.

The Government was in a quandary 12 years ago.  It wanted a shipping service, but did not have a ship.  I was interested in that issue but it was not until October 92, that I was able to persuade David Hall to move into pastures new, persuade David Allan, who was then on holiday in the Australian outback, and my brother who was studying in Lowestoft, to take the plunge and bid for what we have successfully achieved over past 11 years.  Perhaps we had an easier start; in 1991 the Government did not know what service it really wanted, and it did not have an asset at its disposal to extend to any bidder.  How times have changed!

Tonight is about saying thank you to fellow shipmates, willing hands and good friends, who have all contributed to the making and the success of Byron Marine and the delivery of 11 years of continual and uninterrupted service.  It would be invidious to single out individual praise, but first and foremost, I extend a grateful and personal thank you to all of the crew we sadly had to make redundant at midnight on Monday.  The Board could not have asked for more from you.  Your objectivity in duty, during the final months of job uncertainty, and loss of job security is a credit to each of you.  That we were so successfully able to re-deliver “Tamar FI” to the Owner, despite all the accusations being levelled against the Company and its employees in recent times is to be long applauded. 

However, what remains irksome is the process of tendering which unfolded; the price comparison as not at all well reported in the Penguin News, and a Councillor’s statement to the effect that because we did not have a foot in the MOD camp to provide a harmonised MOD/FIG shipping service, we would never be successful in winning another coastal shipping contract.  So much for political support for home-grown initiatives, the private sector and a local work force, and more so considering the discussions the Company has held with the Development Corporation over the years to provide such a service.  One very eminent person and a former FIG employee posed a very pertinent question, “why is it that successful developmental initiatives are subsequently destroyed by future Governments?”

But I digress.  Many of you here tonight have assisted Byron Marine over the years.  I bid a warm welcome to you all.  Ex-shipmates and crewmembers; the Stanley Services bowser boys, and SSL management in assisting with the successful development of the liner service to Punta Arenas – as a tribute to the success of that link the “Magallanes” flag flies alongside our own at the makeshift masthead above the bar counter.  We thank Ray and Carl for marine engineering support; the FIC stevedoring lads; and Neil & Brian for additional stevedoring services; Tony Anderson for Port San Carlos linesman duties during the Falkland Sound Crossings – there’s some money to be made there in the future Tony!  John Pole-Evans, who seems never to sleep and even at the darkest of small hours and the foulest of weather, would greet Tamar on its return to the East Jetty.  Synergy and KMZ for electronic and communications services; Dave McGill for his marine electrical engineering advice; Dr Diggle for medical advice on stores and equipment and numerous ENG1 examinations; Gardner for testing and certifying fire equipments; Steve Pointing for animal transportation advices and support; Hugh and Rory from Ledingham Chalmers, and Robert King, who wears many hats but we know him best as the Shipping Master.

The trading that Byron Marine practised ceased on Monday, and unfortunately other enforced restructuring of the Byron Group follows in that wake.  Tonight is not only an occasion to say thank you to the Tamar crew and ex-crew, but also to present three other loyal staff members who depart our services shortly.

Our two ladies, Angie and Christine, are soon to move on – in part for slightly different reasons, for which I am not responsible!  They make up the front line in the office, especially when “Tamar” is on inter-island trading and communications are not quite perfect.  To coin one of Angie’s oft spoken phrases, after receiving the bluntness of a customer’s tongue “what’s he like then” appropriately underscores the politicised arena in which we have successfully delivered our service.  But customers are always supposed to be right, even when we know them to be absolutely wrong! 

The Board would like to thank you for your services, and bid you a pre-retirement farewell, by inviting you to accept these gifts in appreciation of your endeavours and support in helping keep the office end afloat.

But, it is the oldest boy in the house tonight, we now salute - Gordon Peck.  Shipmate, engineer, fixer of things, large and small, designer and manufacturer extraordinaire.  Gordon wished for retirement at the end of June.  However on Tuesday morning he re-qualified when knocking on my office door and saying, “I’ve a couple of more jobs to finish!”  But it is his wish to retire, and at 74 years we have accepted his decision.  It gives me great personal pleasure tonight to thank him for his outstanding service, afloat and ashore and to extend this painting from the Directors and Staff, in the hope that it may long hang in a place of prominence in your home.