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Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Education remains priority in 2004/2005 budget plan. Petrol price rises twelve pence per litre. No new radio manager. Pilgrimage 2002 study. Landing Day at San Carlos.

Petrol price rises twelve pence per litre.

THE PRICE of petrol increased by a massive 12 pence per litre this week. The increase, announced by fuel importers Stanley Services Ltd on Monday, coincides with a worldwide rise in the price of petrol. However General Manager of Stanley Services Ltd, Mr Robert Rowlands yesterday said the increase in the Falklands is not due to the international rise. He explained, "The price rise has been brought about because we now have to import fuel in containers from England." Mr Rowlands said that, in light of the international oil situation, he expects the price of fuel to increase further in the near future.

Education remains priority in 2004/2005 budget plan.

THE Education department will be among the last to take budget cuts, and there are no plans yet to make parents contribute to their child's school fees. Following requests by the government for its departments to make budget savings, Penguin News contacted Chairman of the Education Board, Councillor Jan Cheek to ask if parents would be required to contribute to the financial cost of their child's education either within the Islands or at college and university level. Councillor Cheek responded, "The proposals for savings which went to the last Standing Finance Committee included some from the Education budget. "Most councillors have, at various times expressed the view that the education and medical budgets should be the last to take cuts so I am hopeful that they will be true to their words when we finalise the budget later this month. "It is, however, impossible to answer specific questions until after the budget session." Mrs Cheek said the greater part of the Education budget is salaries, "...so there are few options for savings if we are to continue to offer a well resourced broad curriculum and relatively small class sizes. "The director is always quick to recommend savings when an opportunity arises, as for example, when a shift in camp population allows the recruitment of fewer travelling teachers." Mrs Cheek added, "I firmly believe that the higher and further education budget is an investment for the future and in the long term is reducing our reliance on contract officers. "I have not seen any proposal for a parental/student contribution to fees except where a student has not satisfactorily completed a course or in other extraordinary circumstances, for example if the course is not within our normal guidelines." In a restructuring programme at the Department of Agriculture, four posts have been reduced to three. The creation of the jobs of Senior Agriculture Advisor, a Wool Production and Animal Reproduction Advisor and a Livestock Husbandry and Grazing Management Advisor mean the positions of Beef Advisor and Wool Advisor no longer exist. Addressing concerns that the wool industry could be neglected by the loss of the Wool Advisor, Director of Human Resources, Kathleen Dobbyns said, "The Senior Agricultural Advisor will continue to advice on wool matters." She added, "Appointments have been made to fill the other two posts. "Both candidates are very well qualified to carry out the broader range of work required in the job descriptions and there is no reduction in advice for farmers on wool production."

News in Brief

No new radio manager

IT HAS been announced that the Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station (FIBS) manager's post will not be filled when Lisa Riddell leaves at the end of June. Chief Executive Chris Simpkins yesterday confirmed, "Informal discussions have begun with a view to transferring the operation of FIBS to the Media Trust and, in order to enable options for different future management structures to be kept open, it has been decided not to fill the post of Station Manager that will become vacant when Lisa Riddell leaves. "This will have the added advantage of reducing government expenditure at a time when all expenditure is under close scrutiny." Responsibility for the management of the station will pass to Claudette Anderson, Clerk of Councils, on a temporary basis. Mr Simpkins said, "Broadcasting policies will remain unchanged and continue to be applied by station staff."

Pilgrimage 2002 study

A STUDY which evaluates the benefits or otherwise of the Pilgrimage made by Falklands War veterans in 2002 has been published. The analysis, carried out by Surgeon Captain Morgan O'Connell, Chief Consultant Psychiatrist at the charity Combat Stress, is based on the results of questionnaires completed by pilgrims. More on the study next week.

Landing Day at San Carlos

AN ACT of Remembrance will take place at Blue Beach Cemetery, San Carlos on Friday, May 21 to mark the occasion of the landing of the British Task Force in 1982. The Landing Day service will begin at 11.00am.

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