Falklands : Legislative Council Report Part 2 (28/07/06)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 01.08.2006 (Article Archived on 15.08.2006)
Councillors' Motion for Adjournment Speeches are included.
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL 28 JULY 2006
Part 2: Motion for Adjournment Speeches
By J. Brock (FINN)
Cllr the Hon Dr Andrea Clausen:
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, in rising to support the Motion, I would like to make a few comments.
Firstly, I would like to say how very much I enjoyed attending Farmers’ Week earlier this month. It was an excellent week, I had a lot to learn and I hope I learned a lot. And, I would like to say a big thank-you to everybody who was involved in organising and in participating in the event. I was particularly enthused by presentations that were made by the visiting Farmers from South Africa and Australia. I am sure it was welcome news to those who have started to use grazing plans and holistic management methods to see where they might get to in a number of years from now. And, as someone who considers themselves slightly on the green side of life, I was particularly relieved to see that we can do as much good, if not considerably better with our own plant species and no added chemicals than we all thought. I sincerely hope that the pasture improvement programme may be adjusted gradually over time to take some of these lessons into account.
From the other presentation that was made there was a clear message that there was a need to work together - another area that I am particularly interested in. Group breeding sounds great – no need to import lots of expensive embryos from then best wool growers, although I think a few may be needed to help out at the beginning. We just need to select the best of what we already have and use them to improve our flocks. Of course this approach will take a lot of time, a lot of commitment and an awful lot of working together. I don’t think anybody that was at those meetings was in any doubt that it might take 20 to 30 years to get to where we might want to be. But I am an optimist and I look forward to seeing at least one group breeding trial set up.
On the subject of working together, I can’t not talk about the proposed new Falkland Wool Company. This proposal is a result of discussions from last year’s Farmers’ Week when folk expressed a wish to maximise revenue from wool by selling direct, core testing locally and selling to global customers. The global wool industry is changing and the Falklands should have a positive attitude to changing in step. The Falklands have finally reached a position whereby such a proposal could really work – a company that would be wholly owned by farmers who employ a wool marketing expert, who will increase the number and diversity of buyers of Falklands wool, get better prices back to farmers faster and who will have no other interest than to satisfy the wishes of those Falkland farmers. Of course we have a long way to go. The project is only an idea at the moment. There may well need to be considerable assistance in setting it up. And, it will, in due course, be considered by Standing Finance Committee.
I personally would like to encourage folk to seriously consider this proposal. It might not be for you but don’t dismiss it out of simple loyalty to other people. Consider it as a business proposal in the light of how it may positively affect your own business.
This leads me to another point, and it is that of marketing. FIDC used to have a marketing manager and I wonder now if that role was unwisely left unfilled, what with Falkland Wool high on the agenda right now and our relatively meat industry, which whilst doing very well could no doubt use a little extra help and also fisheries products. It was interesting at a discussion of the Fisheries Committee this week regarding Loligo and the confusion in the market over the product – our product and that from other places. I think it is clear that there is much more work to be done in getting the Falklands out there to as many people as possible for the best prices.
In to a somewhat different subject, I would like to mention the toddlers’ play park - a wonderful new community project, which received funds from private sector companies, private individuals, the Falkland Islands Government as well as from a number of fund-raising activities. It is sad to see how little respect some elements of our community have for it and the efforts of others. It has been reported to the Police that some young people have been hanging around on the toys resulting in at least one of them being damaged and yet hardly used by toddlers so far, as well as a collection of cigarette butts and beer bottles accumulating around the toys themselves. I find it hard to reconcile that with a request for new facilities for young people and the reduced rent for “The Place” recently decided. Surely, if you would like us to invest public funds in new facilities, you might like to treat those limited few we already have with a little more respect so we can see how well you will take care of others.
I will end it there. I think I have said enough. I would like to finally take the opportunity to say good – bye and good luck to His Excellency Howard Pearce, Caroline and Suzanna.
Sir, I support the Motion.
Cllr the Hon Mr Richard Stevens:
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, there are two main things that I would like to talk about and the first is about farming.
Farmers’ Week to me was a great opportunity to hear the views of farmers. This year farmers from harsh areas of Australia and South Africa were invited to the Falklands to demonstrate how they have improved farm performance with difference management. I think we all accepted, as rain lashed against the Town Hall windows, that Falkland Harsh was a couple of notches above our visiting farmers’ experience. However, the link with practicing farmers was positive, with ideas shared. And, I think the Honourable Andrea Clausen has already mentioned group breeding. I know that there are quite a few groups of farmers actively pursuing this.
Another very interesting presentation was the number of farmers have tried to improve their lot with mainstream schemes in embracing the PIP funds. These farmers were prepared to share their experiences with everyone. One farmer has trodden their known path following the - phonetically -(soft loading skin system). The results look promising with finer and more wool, greater body weights.
Other opportunities for farms were highlighted by Sally Ellis with an upbeat tourism presentation. Sally believes that her experiences in Iceland has proved that you don’t need to have penguins to have a tourist attraction. An example I remember where they experienced an attraction to stand in an army-like 4X4 and then drove to a beach where everybody walked around and then went back. I could imagine farmers rushing home to sweep out the back of their 4-tonners. That’s great. I am sure that with the ingenuity that farmers possess that the ones that are interested in tourism will have something to offer Sally and other tour operators.
As farmers are working to better their lot it is also up to Councillors to look at the bigger picture and so it came to the FIDC wool initiative from David Lambert and his proposal of a wool marketing group in the Falklands. A group of farms allowed the Ag Department to present facts and figures from a number of different wool buyers and agents to demonstrate effective wool selling strategies. It showed that today over 40% if Falkland Islands Wool was sold direct by farmers and that these farms were banking the most money to a known benchmark. David Lambert suggests in his paper that to get even more money farmers have to work together. As I see the initiative it is farmers that have to make calculations and judgments. Can we handle more money? That one’s easy. Can this mechanism work and deliver? It’s purely judgement. As a Councillor that has asked colleagues to help and focus in Camp, I look forward to seeing the support farmers give the scheme.
My second subject is education. We have gone through a difficult period in the Community School. I am glad to say that we are working hard to move forward in appointing David Higgins – the past headmaster – who has experience of the Falklands is a help. We do have issues with children who don’t behave to acceptable standards in both schools. And, we are looking at ways addressing these problems in an imaginative way. To eliminate disruption they bring to the majority of enthusiastic, hard-working children.
Sadly, the past couple of weeks have overshadowed the vast number of achievements of our overseas students, who must put some of their success down to dedicated, hard-working staff of all schools and the education they received in the Falklands. I visited Peter Symonds and Chichester while I was away and I heard a lot of praise about Falkland Islands Students. And, many staff members asked about past pupils. It was a very positive experience.
I would like to say happy 110th birthday to Camp Education. It certainly was a trip down Memory lane viewing the many pictures on display and to see John Fowler and Andy Clarke together in a football team. It was great stuff.
Yesterday afternoon we had one of the best attended public meetings. That Councillors have had this term. And, it was great to see so many young people prepared to engage on issues that affect them. It certainly highlighted that the flow of information needs to be improved.
Finally, I would also like to bid farewell to His Excellency, Caroline and Suzanna and wish them well for the future.
Mr Speaker, I support the Motion.
Cllr the Hon Mr Michael Summers:
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I have three or four issues I would like to address. The first is I would like to pay tribute to the passing of Geoff Moyer fairly recently. I am not sure how many people here knew Geoff Moyer.
He was a Camp Teacher at Fox Bay and left in not all together satisfactory circumstances. But after he left and went to the United Kingdom he joined the Falkland Islands Association and was a tireless worker for the Falkland Islands Association for many, many years. And, he carried out in excess of 150 public lectures every year, educating people about the Falklands, bringing them up to date about the Falklands. People like that are absolutely invaluable to the Falklands. We need our friends in the UK and the Falkland Islands Association does an excellent job in holding together the Falklands Friends Club. And, Geoff Moyer was the epitome of the sort of people who work tirelessly on our behalf – for no reward. He did it entirely voluntarily. And, his passing will be a loss to the Association. And, I would just like to thank him publicly for all the work that he did for the Falklands and for its people.
A few comments, I think, to make about employment. The discussion that Cllr Stevens has mentioned last evening was certainly interesting and certainly illuminating. Getting Councillors together with young people and their supporters is a valuable exercise. I am very pleased that we did it. I think that we will have learned a fair amount from that exercise. I hope that the people that attended the meeting also learned a fair amount about the expectations of society and about the expectations of Councillors in terms of how the Government is to be run and what its responsibilities are. Employment is never an easy issue for anybody who leaves school, college, university, the transition is difficult and very often you have to be pushy and aggressive to get yourself into work. But I was very heartened last evening to have asked a question on at least two occasions – how many people here are finding it difficult or impossible to find work? I never saw a person put their hand up. I think that is very illuminating. I am pleased we had the meeting. We had a discussion and I am delighted that, that was the result – or one of the results at least.
I would like to support my colleague on the question of education. There have been a number of issues recently particularly in the Senior School regarding discipline. From my point of view, I would like to leave teachers, parents and pupils who are associated with the Senior School in no doubt whatsoever that we will not tolerate bad behaviour. There is no reason, in this society, why teachers or other pupils to feel intimidated by any individual and, if teachers require further action, further support from this Council to prevent some individuals from creating disruption in the school, we will provide it. There is no reason whatsoever why particular disaffected individuals should try to disrupt the education process for other pupils and the good work the teachers are doing, so I fully support the work they are doing. If they need more help, from my point of view, it’s available.
I would like to talk briefly about FIMCO – the Abattoir. We had a very useful discussion earlier this week between the Standing Finance Company (Committee) and FIMCO to be clear about where that business is going and what its place is in the agricultural sector. From my point of view, ever since we started talking about the Abattoir, planning it way back in the early ‘90s, it is not a stand-alone project. Yes. It’s a commercial business – to an extent. Yes, it operates in an area that no one else operates but it is not a stand-alone business. It’s part of a system. It’s part of a farming system and the work that’s being done in the Agricultural Department to develop new sheep breeds, breeding programmes, pasture improvement – all of that needs the Abattoir to help it succeed. And the Abattoir needs it to help it succeed. It’s part of a scheme. The Abattoir was built not as a stand-alone business but as an agent for change. And, I believe it’s having that affect, it is helping farmers change, develop new ideas, develop new ways of earning money and therefore, it’s fulfilling that function. The cost of it is, of course, an issue and it is something that we will continue to address. And, we have asked FIMCO to lay out a 5 and 10 year programme based on the Department of Agriculture’s business plan. What do they anticipate seeing that business doing over that period of time based on that set of criteria. We will look at that next month at Executive Council and Standing finance Committee. In the meantime, I am pleased that so many farmers are supporting the Abattoir and benefiting from it. And, I hope that we as a Council will be able to say to FIMCO next month, “we like what you are doing, we are happy with the way you are proceeding, you have our full support, at least for the life of this Council.”
Finally, I would like to say my farewells in this House to Governor Howard Pearce and to thank him for the work that he’s done on behalf of the Falkland Islands government during his tenure of office and wish him well in the future along with his family. I would also like to say good bye – though he’s not here – to the Chief of Staff, who has been with us for two years. According to his radio interview, he has thoroughly enjoyed himself. That can’t be a bad thing either.
I support the Motion.
Cllr the Hon Mrs. Janet Robertson:
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, there has been quite a lot of discussion already this morn ing about Farmers’ Week and the value that was. I didn’t manage to attend as much of it as I would have liked to but I did find every session that I did attend thoroughly stimulating. And, as I think it has been mentioned, really there was one dominant theme throughout all of Farmers’ Week and that was co-operation. I am smiling now because I can see some of my fellow colleagues are thinking, ‘damn, that was my speech.’ Co-operation went through every discussion from the beginning of the week right through to the end of the week, when we were talking about tourism and how co-operation to achieve complementary and wide-ranging set of activities for our tourists, group breeding schemes that have been mentioned, wool marketing companies – the dominant theme throughout the whole week was co-operation.
And, it really left me thinking that clearly the benefits that derive from co-operation shouldn’t just be limited to the farming community. It equally applies to tourism and to fisheries and the value of Farmers’ Week, I think, is in having that forum with the stakeholders, with those who are involved in the industry can get together, can have expertise, can hear new ideas, can hear each others’ ideas.
And, I think that it is tremendously valuable and I am not sure that there is not actually room to have both a tourism week and a fisheries week. I certainly think it would benefit the tourist industry this time of year when things are quieter. It need not be a week but I think that it would be a fantastic opportunity for members of the tourist industry to be able to discuss the strategies that they want to have in place for the future development of tourism. We know that this strategy is required. Iceland is a prime example of how they use strategies to have a very lively and successful tourist industry. And I would like to see the same thing happening here. I think it’s fair to point out that co-operation doesn’t nullify competition but it does help channel it into a direction that benefits everyone.
Following from that a little bit, It was just interesting that Mike Summers last night, in response to the Governor’s speech at his farewell dinner touched on the subject of debate and discussion in our community and how we in our community – and he suggested it was probably in-built – response for the need to get along in a small community but how we tend to shy away from debate and conflict. We see this as potentially creating schisms in the community – irreparable schisms that, really the best way to get along is to co-operate together. And, I was intrigued by this thought – this idea that we have a community where we co-operate wonderfully at the level of society and with each other but when it comes to business and development we have actually probably hindered our development by having an over-competitive element in it – a competitive element which has not allowed us to co-operate in a way that would have best benefited us.
Maybe that’s a result of the speed at which the development industry has developed here in the community and that we haven’t quite learned that actually debate and discussion doesn’t need rifts or schisms, that managed conflict, rational debate is actually a good thing. And, as a result of the debate and discussion consensus is achieved. And, co-operation can only happen if you have some element of consensus. So, there is a process. You need the debate, you need the discussion, you need to arrive at some element of consensus. You can then co-operate and move forward. And, I think that is something we probably still have to learn.
This doesn’t just relate to development of industry. That issue relates to everything. Councillors debate among themselves and some people might say we have consensus politics and that’s largely because we do debate the issues and we find a common ground. We have debate, hopefully we want to have that debate with the public so that we can find the consensus and the common ground where we can see each others prospective. Although I was very sad to miss the meeting last night I apologise for that I understand that was a very good process and we need to encourage that further. I think it’s good to see the young people taking on – being prepared to speak up about their own particular situation.
Just to talk about something else, the variety show, there are two things – one fantastic and one not so good. I will deal with the not so good one first, which is not actually anything to do with the variety show except that I walked to the variety show and my young daughter was on her scooter. I left the scooter behind the bank and, as we were getting a lift home at the end of the evening, I left the scooter there and the following morning it was gone. Thankfully, it’s turned up and I’d like to thank Stevie Burston for taking it off the beach where he found it, where someone had put it. I am mentioning this because sadly, it turns out that this was not an isolated incident. I have heard of a number of people who have had their bikes taken and they’ve turned up on the beach. Why? I don’t understand what the purpose is, what the motive is or why anyone should actually bother taking something from one place just to dump it on the beach. I think it’s terribly sad that this should happen. Please, whoever is doing it, just don’t because it’s just a pain for everybody concerned.
The good thing I wanted to say is that it was absolutely fantastic to see the number of youngsters playing music in the variety show. I thought it was excellent and the variety of instruments – guitars and accordions, flutes and recorders and clarinets and drums was fantastic. Tonight we are having the Winter Ball and there is a lot of young people getting dressed up. I was at the May Ball for the first time in many years and I was absolutely staggered to see the capability they have of mastering the old time dancers. I am really pleased that the Winter Ball is going ahead tonight. I just want to say it’s the sort of thing that makes me very proud of this community and all of it is a result of co-operation between those people concerned.
Sir, I support the Motion.
Cllr the Hon Dr Richard Davies:
Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, I am sure some people will be disappointed that we have postponed public debate on the smoking issue but I would like to thank those at the hospital who worked very hard over the last few days to analyse their questionnaire which had been reported in this morning’s newspaper. It’s fascinating. I think it is absolutely right that our debate, when we have it, is well informed, particularly if we are going to try and come to a specific conclusion at the end of that debate. And, I hope people will understand that.
By way of a pre-emptive strike, those of you who know me are probably aware that I’m an ex-smoker myself and I still struggle from time to time and occasionally give in to temptation to have a cigarette. I don’t see this as being in any way inconsistent with supporting a ban on smoking in public places, which I think would be to the benefit of the community. And, I hope that it actually gives me some ability to understand the views of smokers. I certainly don’t wish to deny smokers the right to smoke but I think that we have come to the time when it shouldn’t be permitted to do so in a public place and expose other people to the smoke.
To move on from smoking, the Honourable Janet Robertson is absolutely right that I wanted to talk a bit about co-operation and I will try and say a few words from a slightly different viewpoint. Councillors have spent a lot of time over the last few months in discussions about the economy and how we can improve it to everyone’s benefit. Like other members, I found David Lambert’s wool report very thought provoking. Essentially, as I understand it, he believes that farms can increase their income from wool by clubbing together to offer it for sale in larger batches and in selling it directly to buyers. I am neither a farmer or an economist but I would say that his suggestions are worth very serious consideration. And, clearly, if they are going to work, they will need some serious co-operation between individual farmers who have, perhaps in the past, viewed each other as competitors. It may be in everyone’s benefit to co-operate on this particular issue to compete against the bigger outside world.
Another recently published report is the tourist attraction study by Tony Doherty. And, although it’s come into some criticism, I think it is well worth reading and it provider a it provides a very useful overview of our tourist industry within the context of a global market. And, it’s also interesting to have an outsider’s view of what we are doing and somebody with a wide experience of the industry and how he values the different aspects of what we can offer to tourists. I was particularly interested that he thinks our historical heritage is a very important attraction to tourists. He even goes so far as to say that Stanley might meet the criteria for a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He is rather critical about a number of issues including the lack of co-ordination in information sharing within the tourist industry and, in fact, the lack of co-operation.
A couple of weeks ago the General Employees Union advertised a meeting for their members, which is going to take place on Monday. And, in the past, the Union has been beset by lack of support at the grass roots, which makes it very easy for managers to interpret as being a sign that employment conditions must be adequate. And, if employees wish to disagree with this analysis, they need to co-operate and get together and say so.
Co-operation is often contrasted with the well-known reliance of Falkland Islanders. I believe the characteristics are complementary. They are not exclusive. There are some situations which call for independence and self reliance and there are other situations when co-operation is a useful strategy. And, as the Governor pointed out last night, we sometimes need to co-operate on an island-wide scale in order to compete at a global level. And, new challenges, which face the Falkland Islands today, often call for a co-operative approach. It does take time and confidence and perhaps a bit of a culture change to get used to working together, particularly with people who are maybe competitors in other fields or who used to be competitors. It is clear there is a wide view that the farming community will benefit as a whole if a common approach can be developed in certain areas perhaps to compete against China, Australia in the wool market or perhaps New Zealand for meat. And some people are going to have to weigh long-term benefit against short-term gain. Likewise, tourist operators will benefit from developing some measure of agreement about how to get the most out of a common resource.
Moving on, from co-operation, while we are doing our utmost to stimulate our economy, the Argentine Government are doing their best to damage it. The fishing industry has been targeted at present and we can be sure they will introduce further sanctions if they can. But there is absolutely nothing to be gained from any form of appeasement. Quite the reverse in fact. Argentina is short sighted and obstructive approach does no good to the people of either country, nor will it further their government’s political ends. It may cause us some short-term inconvenience but we will continue to live with that as we always have.
And, on this note, I would like to thank the Governor, who has always robustly and articulately put our case for the position of the British Government. I think his recent media interview illustrates this very well. And, it’s well worth reading. He’s never been reluctant or backward in challenging the misinformation and propaganda from Argentina and he’s leaving shortly and I would like to thank him for this.
Mr Speaker, you and the Honourable Mike Summers very eloquently thanked him last night and I won’t go on at length but I would just like to mention one other fact and that is his and Caroline’s hospitality at Government House over the years, which I think has been enjoyed by a very wide range of people much more than perhaps the stereotyped cocktail party circuit and I think this is absolutely the right approach for the Governor of a small democracy where we are all equal, we all know each other and I don’t believe there is much class distinction in the Falkland Islands – there certainly shouldn’t be. And, I think it’s great that he and Caroline have welcomed such a wide range of people. I think this has been appreciated. I wish him and Caroline and their daughter, Suzanna all the very best in the future.
I Support the Motion.
Cllr The Hon Mr Michael Rendell:
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, firstly I really hope the farmers are finding the quick win measures a real help for wool freight as that was the reason for introducing them. Clearly the wool refunds will bring more benefits to those with larger wool clips bit they may probably have higher overheads to cover. As a matter of interest, of the £50,000.00 allocated for this purpose, over £46,000.00 has been paid out already. So the anticipated take-up was pretty accurate. The new rules regarding application of the labour scheme should give incentives to get a lot of work done over the winter, which might not otherwise have been possible to contemplate. And, once again, the take-up of these funds has so far been significant.
There will be substantial savings for those with FIG or FIDC farm mortgages over the coming financial year. In the longer term it will mean that many mortgages will be paid off much earlier than would otherwise have been the case, as FIG either foregoes or pays all interest for the next year on FIG and FIDC mortgages respectively. The real key in this assistance package is that it should allow many, if not all farmers to pay off current debts, carry out repairs and maintenance, invest in plant and machinery, perhaps buy stock and generally be able to sleep a little easier in bed. However, farmers should be clear that the intention of this financial package is to get farmers back on their feet and that it is in force for this financial year only.
Looking at my Transport Advisory Committee responsibilities, there are a number of significant issues coming up in the next few months. These include the completion of the Integrated Transport Study, which includes some pretty hot topics including new tariffs for FIGAS and coastal shipping, the rationalisation of FIGAS landing strips, what should happen after the current road building programme is completed in 2008, long-term road maintenance policy and last but by no means least, shaping up the cross sound ferry service. This is clearly the most important issue to be resolved because without a reliable, efficient and adequate vessel, many other key services will suffer, particularly stock and wool movements, tourism opportunities, and the very real potential for military transport movements.
I want to highlight in particular that the coming road building season is going to be extremely busy with many different commitments on both the East and the West. When reviewing these commitments it is clear that there will be a need for more manpower than is currently on the books. And, there may well be opportunities for farmers and others to take up part time employment on road gangs, perhaps working two weeks on and two weeks off to fit around farm and other work. Anyone interested listen out for radio adverts in the near future and apply as soon as you can so that it can be established that roadwork and other commitments can actually be fulfilled.
Moving on to another prickly topic – medical treatment overseas. Because of rapidly escalating costs, which were outlined earlier in this session, measures have had to be taken, as most people will be aware, to curb further increases. And, this has meant that some tough decisions had to be taken. These include the tightening up of rules for short-term visitors, specific guidelines for Medical Officers on matters regarding overseas referrals and, perhaps most significantly, a charge of £400.00 where a patient is referred overseas for elective treatment. Elective treatment includes, for example, hip replacements, which are not life threatening and where there is not necessarily a short-term timeframe within which such treatment must be received. Doctors have drawn up a detailed list of elective treatments and I want to make it absolutely clear that emergency and urgent treatment will remain free to the patient. Dr. Diggle and I had a radio interview on the subject on Thursday and I understand that will be going out at 1230 today, so you will get some more of my dulcet tones shortly.
Lest there is any doubt, I want to make it clear that I fully support the principle of banning smoking in public places. However, if this goal is to have any chance of being approved in this House, there is still much work to be done in working out the practicalities of such a ban in, for example, pubs and restaurants. I understand that in Ireland they have the equivalent of bus shelters positioned conveniently outside premises where smokers can puff away to their heart’s content. Perhaps this would work here, too. Anyway, until this and other practical issues can be well examined and solutions found, it would be premature, in my opinion, to go ahead.
Finally, a few farewells. Firstly, I wand to pay tribute to the hard work, vision and dedication of Julian Morris. He will be a hard act to follow. But Julian would be the first to say that he is only one of a team and that a successor will fit into it with ease. I really hope he is right. Secondly, although I am a churchgoer on
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