Falklands : Falklands Government Strikes Back at Diana Miller Accusations
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 04.08.2007 (Article Archived on 18.08.2007)

The Chief Executive has set the record straight from his point of view.

FALKLAND ISLANDS GOVERNMENT

PRESS RELEASE

Diana Miller – The Facts

Through the pages of the 27^th July edition of the Penguin News, Diana Miller made a series statements concerning the alleged failure of FIG to provide her with a job following completion of her training as a veterinary surgeon in Australia.

FIG does not usually comment upon individual contractual issues through the press but, in this case, an exception is being made in order correct a number of statements made and impressions given by Dr. Miller:

1.                   It is estimated that FIG has committed £214,000 to Dr. Miller’s training as a veterinary surgeon – not £400,000 as claimed.

2.                   Legal advice is that Dr. Miller has a contract of employment with FIG but she has not, in fact, received any payment since December 2002.

3.                   In common with higher education students fully funded by FIG, Dr. Miller has not, at any time, been given an unconditional undertaking that she would be given a job as a veterinary surgeon upon completion of her training and post qualification experience.  

4.                   There is no vacancy for a veterinary surgeon with her apparent limited experience based upon the information she has provided.  FIG requires its veterinary officers to have 5 years post qualification experience, 3 years of which should be in full time clinical practice and, since the opening of the abattoir, to be qualified as an Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) in order to perform duties at the abattoir if required.  On the information she has provided, Dr. Miller is apparently currently unable to satisfy this requirement and has refused to undertake training as an OVS. 

5.                   Despite repeated requests, Dr. Miller has never provided a comprehensive account of her post qualification experience so that a proper assessment of her suitability for work in the Falkland Islands could be made.  An “abridged” CV was provided on 3^rd July from which it is impossible to evaluate her experience.

6.                   FIG would not contemplate employing anyone on the basis of the limited information so far provided by Dr. Miller.

7.                   On 3^rd July 2007 Dr. Miller proposed that FIG should engage her husband as Senior Agricultural Adviser and that she should initially be employed in a part-time capacity for approximately 12 months.  She thus attached conditions to her return which are unacceptable even if FIG had a suitable vacancy.  Mr. Miller’s application for the post of Senior Agricultural Assistant was unsuccessful as a result of objective assessment.

The contractual position between Dr. Miller and FIG has been assessed and a recommendation to the Governor is currently in the process of being formulated.

Chris Simpkins

Chief Executive

1^st August 2007

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