Falklands : Motion for Adjournment Speech by the Hon Mrs Sharon Halford MLA
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 30.08.2011 (Article Archived on 13.09.2011)
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it seems to be that time of year again where madness takes over and common sense goes out the window.
Motion for Adjournment Speech by the Hon Mrs Sharon Halford MLA:
Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, it seems to be that time of year again where madness takes over and common sense goes out the window. I know not everyone will agree with me but we, your officers have been tasked to update and effectively write the business plan, in other words the Islands Plan. This is a time consuming exercise and gets rid of a rain forest of trees each time around. It would be interesting to ascertain just how many man hours goes into this exercise, hours that could be better spent on real work.
And I would agree with the comments the Honourable Emma Edwards made on the budget and all the paperwork that’s come out of it. I apologise for my simple request and I guess no answer for the single constituency. It’s created massive amounts of paperwork. I would also lend my support for the idea of the Gazette. Although this is increasing paperwork being in paper form rather than on computer, I mean, who said computers would get rid of paperwork. In this instance, they obviously are not going to.
Last week we had a very welcome change from my usual routine in that we went out to Goose Green for a public meeting and took the ferry across to the West where we held another public meeting in Fox Bay. I would like to thank all of you who took time out to attend and hope your journeys were worthwhile. I apologise for opting out early from Fox Bay but with the weather closing in as it was, I thought it was the best option. Next time I visit, I plan on staying at least a week.
I heard not so long ago or a ferry crossing the Sound westbound with a trailer-load of peat. This must surely be the longest peat-carting route in the Falklands. I am slightly bemused as to why peat cannot be sourced on West Falkland as it would surely have been far cheaper. As I understand it, peat is a mineral and as such belongs to the Crown. While less peat is cut these days in the Islands, I would have thought that there must still be plenty around to satisfy the needs of the few who require it. No doubt someone will give me the true details of the exceptionally long peat haul.
There was mention about communications earlier and FITV and the success. I wish them every success, too. But as I haven’t the faintest idea of what they produce, I can’t really comment further. I would consider them successful when they can actually put their channel around Islands-wide. I look forward to that.
I understand there is a petition going around Stanley re (about) the time change or lack of it this last winter. I would like to say, well done,” to whoever has got this up and running as you obviously feel very strongly about it. You all know my views on this. However, as not changing the time this winter was a trial, it is an issue that needs further debate. Should we next trial a year on Falklands’ time, other words, Camp time, should we try changing the time for three months during the winter? Should we go back to changing the time as we always did previously? Or should we stay on this so called summertime all year round? How does the change of time or no change of time affect your daily life and work. I do believe all MLAs would like to hear from everyone with an opinion of whether one likes winter time in winter or summertime in winter. I am from one of those households as my husband, being a little bit tight, likes the fact with the summertime that he doesn’t run the generator for as long as he would the other way. I, on the other hand, don’t like it.
Now that we have hopefully managed to leave the winter behind us, we are once again reminded that spring is here as every time I drive along the road to and from home I manage to count more baby lambs along the way. Once again, I would like to remind drivers to take care as these lovely little things are not wise to the world and do not have too much road sense. But you should.
And talking of roads, I, too, acknowledge the fact that there are a lot of bad roads. They are not just bad on West Falkland; they are bad on East Falkland also. And they are particularly bad this season. The road gang have done a tremendous job and continue to do so in repairing the MPA Road at the moment. Hopefully before the season kicks in and people are wanting to transfer their stock to FIMCO, they will be able to get around and make some of those other roads navigable because, at the moment, some of them would certainly not be, with the stock trailers.
There’s also been criticism of signage over the past couple of weeks in Penguin News – about triangles being put on gates and one actually said “gate” and I would agree that is pretty obvious. The gate is there. But believe me, without those triangles, which are luminous at night time, it’s amazing how many gates get destroyed. Somebody made the wisecrack perhaps we should put signs on posts beside them. Perhaps we should if you have seen as many of them taken out as I have. And of course, nobody’s ever done it but they are just lying on the ground. So I don’t think we can ever complain when we see signage. We have to bear in mind, too, just because some of us know where these things are, other people who may be out driving don’t. And when you are out in dark areas, and you are not familiar with the road, you are not really sure what’s around the next corner or along the way, so a sign on a gate is not a bad thing. But hopefully, we will eventually get rid of all the gates and have cattle grids.
I support the Motion.
There were no further contributors and the Speaker adjourned the House accordingly.
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