Falklands : DEMINING TEAM TO RETURN TO THE FALKLANDS
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 10.12.2011 (Article Archived on 21.01.2012)

The most important difference about this second phase is that the project aim is to release land that is currently unavailable for social use but is considered to be safe.

DEMINING TEAM TO RETURN TO THE FALKLANDS

A statement by Mr Robin Swanson

Thank you all for attending this press conference.  It was considered better to issue a single statement and answer questions collectively rather than to visit you all individually this week and risk different messages emerging in the period during this preview visit and the actual commencement of the project in early January. 

First, let me say that it is a real pleasure to be coming back to the Falkland islands to run the demining programme office again.  We had a tremendous amount of support from the Islanders during the first phase of the pilot demining project and I am sure that we will receive the same welcome and support again.

The most important difference about this second phase is that the project aim is to release land that is currently unavailable for social use but is considered to be safe. 

Any mined areas that we encounter will be fenced and marked off in the normal way and the Stanley Common fence will be re-positioned following the operation to give unrestricted access to the corral and the released area.

I am sure you all know that BACTEC Limited from the first contract in 2009/10 have been selected to be the Land Release Contractor.  Guy Lucas, BACTEC’s CEO, will visit the Islands at the start of and during the project.  You will not know their project Manager, Andy Frizzell, who is a New Zealander, and is currently BACTEC’s country manager in Mozambique.  He has extensive experience in land release projects in various countries including Angola.  And he will bring with him a team of Zimbabwean searchers and de-miners, many of whom you will know and recognise. Philemon Gnabe and Michael Matziba, who were supervisors the last time around, will be returning again.

BACTEC will also be bringing in some specialist mechanical equipment this time – an armoured remote control tractor fitted with a flail, known as an Armtrak-55. 

Phoenix Insight Limited is a new company directly developed from the previous DPO Contractor.  They will be providing the quality management of the Land Release Contractor.  I will be the sole representative on the Islands this time, although one of the directors, David Hewittson will visit half-way through for a few days.

As before the DPO Contract will be independent and separate from the main land release contract deliberately to prevent any contract of interest occurring. 

Operations will start on the 9^th of January although we will arrive on the 1^st of January.  And it will finish by the 31^st of March 2012.  And we will be releasing significant areas of land behind the Stanley Common Fence to the South-west of Stanley.  There will be some closures on the MPC Road as there were during the last project but we will attempt to limit the impact of these to a minimum by avoiding the commuting times when possible and by advertising in local media in advance.

This land release project is very different from the de-mining of Surf Bay and Sapper Hill minefields.

However, it will be similar in some respects to the work conducted during the last phase in 2009/10 in the promontory at both Goose Green and the headland at Fox Bay East.

Documentary and historical research is undertaken first and that is followed by targeted, physical investigation in areas where the risk of mines or unexploded ordinance is deemed to be higher. 

The process of decision-making in relation to land release will be fully documented by BACTEC so that decision-makers gain confidence in the validity of the adopted approach and the safety of the released land.  The DPO will cross-check the documentation as part of the approval process but will also conduct field reviews to audit the process during implementation. 

Once approved and agreed by the DPO, the plan will be discussed with the Suspect Hazardous Area Land Release Committee or SHALR for short at a meeting early in the programme.  This will ensure the methodology is open and transparent to the committee, which should consist of members from FIG, including an MLA, the Deputy Governor and a Military representative. 

Committee members will also have planned visits to the sites and will meet after the project’s completion to receive the results of the land release processes. 

I would like to conclude by saying that we will do all we can to reduce the impact on your routines and to involve the community as much as we can by updating you on progress through the media and by site visits where possible.  As before, I will welcome everyone to visit the DPO and ask questions.

FIG and Government House on behalf of the FCO will continue to lead on policy of de-mining in the Falkland Islands.

(100X Transcription Service)

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