Falklands : Summary of Executive Council Meeting Held on 26 October 2011
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 09.11.2011 (Article Archived on 23.11.2011)
The meeting commenced at 9am with the Governor, Mr Nigel Haywood chairing. Present were the Attorney General, Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and Group Captain Jim Klein who was deputising for the commander British Forces plus MLAs Cheek, Halford and Short.
Summary of Executive Council Meeting Held on 26 October 2011
by the Honourable Gavin Short
The meeting commenced at 9am with the Governor, Mr Nigel Haywood chairing. Present were the Attorney General, Chief Executive, Financial Secretary and Group Captain Jim Klein who was deputising for the commander British Forces plus MLAs Cheek, Halford and Short.
The minutes of the previous meeting were checked for inaccuracies and were duly signed.
The first item to be taken was the task status report which was duly noted.
A paper revisiting Learning Support Assistants was taken, Hillary McFarland and the David Jenkins attended for this paper, MLA Short declared an interest and absented himself for the period of the discussion. The paper was agreed.
David Jenkins stayed on for the next two papers which were looking at the present situation regarding the recruitment of GPs and a CMO for the KEMH and the future KEMH surgical and anaesthetist contracts.
The paper contained a proposal that in future doctors can be sourced who are not members of the GMC in the UK however that said the GP would have to have their credentials examined by the GMC in the UK to see if they passed muster before we would employ the person. The GMC in the UK are used to operating this system and we cannot foresee there being any major issues.
The paper regarding the surgical contract and its future direction was noted. As this is a contractual issue I cannot say anything further about it at this stage.
The next paper was the Supplementary Appropriation Bill 201 – 2012 which was agreed for forwarding to SFC and then onto Legislative Assembly, if agreed by the SFC.
A paper from the government actuaries report for 2009 on the Pensions (Old Scheme) Fund was noted for forwarding to the standing finance committee and would in all probability form part of the forthcoming budgetary discussions.
Likewise the budget procedures for the forthcoming year was presented and noted. Like Christmases, budgets seem to start earlier each year.
A paper giving the review of the oil spill contingency plan as submitted by Borders and Petroleum Plc was presented and agreed. A copy of this can now be found at the public library for general scrutiny.
An application by the same company for permission to drill in the South Falklands basin using the Leiv Eiriksson rig was noted.
We then approved a request by Rockhopper Exploration to deposit chain on the seabed in approximately 450 meters of water adjacent to will 14/10-3 between the Johnson and Sea Lion areas. There will be instruments attached to these chains which will collect data on currents at or near the sea bed and also at 60 meters depth. These buoys will have floatation collars and beacons fitted. It is anticipated that these buoys will be recovered every three months. It is intended that there will be four separate sets of chain with attached instruments in the prescribed area.
The new Jury (Amendment) was presented to Executive Council for approval before gazetting and forwarding to the Legislative Assembly sitting in December. The main change that will be evident since the public consultation was the order of trial section has been taken out. The idea that work permit holders can be called for jury service remains. It was approved subject to defining how long a person must be ordinarily resident in the Falklands before they can be considered.
Executive Council noted a paper that will spark a public consultation process which will cover the draft Committees (Public Access) Bill and two draft bills that would repeal the Data protection and Access to Personal Files ordinances. Executive Council approved these to go out to public consultation.
A paper covering follow up actions from the recent human rights training visit was considered and it was agreed that a sum of money that is being offered by DfiD for follow up human rights work be accepted and offered to the local group who have recently formed. It was felt that we probably don’t have any pressing requirement at this time for further visits from the human rights folk as the local group will, we are sure be more than up to moving any issues forward in which we may be found to be lacking.
A paper setting the date and mechanism for the forthcoming by-election was considered with the election date being set by proclamation as being the 15th of December.
Executive Council then considered two papers from persons who have made applications requesting Falkland Islands status. Those who applied should be very shortly hearing the outcome if they haven’t already done so.
The final two papers considered were appointments of trustees to the board of the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust and also for a lay member on the Historic Buildings group. We were very happy to bless the recommendations made in the papers.
There being no further business the meeting was brought to a close at 11.30
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