Stories for February 24th 2005
“Oil money won't bail us out” say Councillors.
FALKLANDS Councillors made it clear this week that if offshore oil reserves are discovered, the financial bonanza won't come soon enough to dig their budgets out of the immediate hole left by a reduced illex fishery.
Stanley draws up plans for stranded cruise passengers.
A CONTINGECY plan is being written up for Stanley so that the town will be better prepared if it ever again finds itself overnight host to hundreds of stranded cruise ship passengers.
Torres del Paine blaze: “ecological disaster”
Torres del Paine Park in Chilean Patagonia was definitively closed to tourists Wednesday following almost a week of raging blazes that have destroyed so far anywhere between 9,000 and 11,000 hectares of pristine grassland, shrubs and woods.
US inflation low, but interest rates are “quite low”
Consumer prices in United States advanced 0,1% last January following a drastic drop in energy prices for the second consecutive month, according to a release this week from the Labour Department.
Chilean delegation to London Food Exhibit.
A numerous delegation of Chilean businessmen will be present at the coming International Food Fair scheduled in London March 13/16.
Bolivia supports Mexican candidate for OAS chair.
Bolivian Foreign Affairs minister Juan Ignacio Siles said his country could not support a Chilean candidate for the post of Secretary General of the Organization of American States, OAS, because it could be harmful to its country's maritime claims.
Paraguay: massive purge in security forces.
Paraguayan president Nicanor Duarte Frutos sacked Interior Minister, Nelson Mora, and at least 55 Police officers, the greatest security forces purge ever, in the framework of the investigation on the abduction and killing of a former president's daughter.
Mercosur approaches Arab countries.
Mercosur and the Gulf Cooperation Council are moving closer to begin trade negotiations in the framework of a more ample understanding, said Brazilian Foreign Secretary Celso Amorim who is currently several Arab countries.
Ousted Argentine Air Force Chief accused of “cover up”
In a harsh speech Argentine President Nestor Kirchner said Wednesday he wasn't moved “by some tears”, and accused the sacked Air Force Commander in Chief (and a Malvinas hero) Carlos Rhode of “cover up” in a drug traffic scandal in the country's main air terminal Ezeiza.
Hardman Provide Falklands Licence Area Update.
Hardman Resources has been advised by the operator Falkland Oil and Gas Ltd that it has completed recording approximately 85% of the planned 4,900 kilometre 2D seismic survey in their 33,000 square kilometre licence areas to the south and east of the Falkland Islands (Hardman (22.5%) is in joint venture with FOGL (77.5%).
