Falklands : General Purposes Committee Meeting Report (25/07/07)
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 06.08.2007 (Article Archived on 20.08.2007)
Find out what happened during this important Government committee meeting.
GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE REPORT (25/07/07)
By J. Brock (FINN)
A meeting of the General Purposes committee took place on Wednesday, 25 August 2007. Councillor Summers gave the press briefing on Monday, 30 July. Present were representatives from FIRS, Penguin News and FINN.
On the agenda discussed at the meeting were the Argentine Next of Kin Visit, C-24 Attendance During Budget Week, the CPA-UK Branch meeting in the Falklands, Full Fares paid by FI Scouts to Attend the Jamboree, Cllr Summers’ Visit with the FCO, the Year 11 Post GCSE Issue, Discussion about an announcement from the Foreign Office about a UL Parliamentary Enquiry, Correcting Historical Errors in Friedman’s Definitive History and the Split of Year 3 in the Infant/Junior School.
Other meetings held in July include A Tourism Workshop, A Planning Workshop in Relation to the Islands Plan and a Select committee Meeting about Portfolios.
Next of Kin Visit:
There have been no firm proposals from Argentina about the Next of Kin Visit in November. Seeing that Argentina has imposed a charter flight ban, the their Next of Kin will have to come via sea from South America. It is thought that such a visit would take place around the 28th of November. Councillors have decided not to chase after snippets of information about the visit because they tend to be confusing. Though a large visit is planned it shouldn’t take long to organise it.
FCO Visit:
Cllrs Summers and Hansen met Meg Munn, Lord Triesman’s replacement. Seeing that she had been in Office for only two weeks the Councillors briefed her on relations with Argentina and the Constitutional review. Ms Munn reaffirmed HMG’s stance about British sovereignty over the Falklands as long as the Islanders agreed to it.
Split Year 3:
Councillors agreed that there should be a split in the Year 3 class because there is sufficient number of students to do this. Funding can be found for another Year 3 Teacher.
Year 11 Post GCSEs:
There was a case of an over 16 year old being offered a job but he had to continue with the Year 11 Post GCSE Programme at FICS. It was decided to look at the legislation about employment of Year 11 Post GCSE Students on a case by case basis. The programme will finish in five years time when the process of changing term times runs through the process and it is no longer needed.
Youth Groups Airfares:
The cost of youth groups airfares are under MOD control. There was general discontent that the Scouts had to pay full fare to go to the Jamboree in the UK. Peter King will be looking into funding youth groups.
C-24 Conferences:
C-24 conferences are held alternatively in the Caribbean and in the Pacific. Councillors Cockwell and Davies attend these but they are conflicting with the Budget session of Legislative Council. It is useful to attend these meetings and unsatisfactory for Councillors to miss the Budget session of Legislative Council. GPC are discussing a change of dates so Councillors Cockwell and Davies can attend both.
Portfolios:
Minor portfolios – Finance and Government Shareholding, Legal and Immigration and Admin and Human Resources will be held by members of Executive Council and the Industries, Agriculture and Minerals, Hydrocarbons, Tourism, Development, Education, Health Services Police and Fire and Rescue, Public Works, Land Use and environment will go to 5 elected members on Legislative Council. Once these are agreed they will be available to the public.
Personnel:
Chief Justice: There had been a discrepancy in the process of recruiting a new Chief Justice. It is a Foreign Office and Government problem. It was decided to go to another recruitment round done correctly this time
General Manager for FIGAS: The man offered the job isn’t coming and the second on the list is being sought for further discussions. If he is interested, there will be a few questions to answer and the process could be completed.
Friedman’s History:
Factual errors have been pointed out as to historical events late in 1500 to the late 1700ds. The focus is on Historical Fact and not Historical Opinion. It is hoped that this “official History” is corrected and that file references can be made in the appropriate places as well as in any future publication runs of the book.
Workshops:
The ISLANDS Plan Workshop was the first involving Heads of Department and Councillors. They discussed how to take the plan forward and expressed the hope that by the end of 2007 there would be concrete results. A few changes as well as some wording changes are being made to the next 5-year plan and Departments would be consulted. These changes have to be agreed. This is an important document that provides overall direction for the Government. Timing is designed so that the plan is instituted half way through the Council so that new Councillors will be able to review the document before having to come up with a new one.
|
