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Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Friday, December 12th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
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Lady Granville-Chapman, Gral Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman and HE the Gov. Alan Huckle Lady Granville-Chapman, Gral Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman and HE the Gov. Alan Huckle

Headlines: Vice Chief of Defence makes Falklands visit; BA Honours degree for Nancy; Missing drugs: Spanish fisherman pleads guilty to charge of burglary.

Vice Chief of Defence makes Falklands visitGENERAL Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, has this week been visiting the Falkland Islands. The aim of his visit was primarily to view the full range of military capabilities controlled by the Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands, Air Commodore Gordon Moulds. However, General Tim has not only met a broad cross section of the servicemen and women, he has also spent time with His Excellency The Governor, representatives of the Falkland Islands Government and residents of the Islands. On Wednesday, General Tim was hosted by the Commanding Officer of HMS Clydein San Carlos Water and the Officer Commanding the Roulement Infantry Company (currently Nijmegen Company the Grenadier Guards), as both Navy and Army personnel were put through their paces during a beach landing at Ajax Bay. 905 Expeditionary Air Wing added the finishing touches to the day with a variety of air craft providing support to ground forces in a highly effective demonstration of tri-service capability. The General has been accompanied throughout the week by his wife Lady Elizabeth Granville-Chapman who was reported to be particularly interested and impressed by the range of welfare facilities within Mount Pleasant. Equally, said a spokesperson, she has gained a very useful insight into the lives of the families deployed to the Falklands and has remarked on the, "hugely positive attitude and willingness of all dependents to make the most of the unique challenges and opportunities that come with living in the Falkland Islands." General Tim personally knew many of the servicemen that fought for the freedom of the Islands in the 1982 War. Therefore it was fitting, that he and Lady Granville-Chapman chose to walk the ground fought for by the men of the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment at Darwin and Goose Green. Upon paying his respects to the fallen at the 2 Para Memorial on Darwin Ridge, he commented on the, "impressive dogged fighting spirit," of all who took part in the liberation of the Islands, said the spokesperson. Although General Tim's main focus for the week has been military matters, Lady Granville-Chapman has explored life beyond Mount Pleasant. She made a number of visits to Stanley including a tour of the King Edward Memorial Hospital where she was extremely impressed by the facilities, while visits to both Port Howard and Swan Inlet Farms provided an insight into how challenging, yet rewarding, life on a Falklands farm can prove. Air Commodore Moulds said the General's visit has been a great success on both a professional and personal basis and that it, served to reaffirm the priority attributed by the United Kingdom to the defence of the South Atlantic Territories. BA Honours degree for NancyISLANDER Nancy Poole was pleased to learn on Tuesday that she had earned a BA Honours Degree in Humanities with Art, History and Classical Studies. The Open University degree took her seven years in total to complete in her spare time, but while it was indeed hard work, Nancy said she is going to miss the studying and hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking on another course. "A big thank you to the Falkland Islands Government Office in London, without whom it would be impossible to complete a degree through the Open University, as all the material has to be forwarded through them," said Nancy, adding her thanks also to Cable and Wireless, as without a broadband connection this year, it would have been virtually impossible for her to complete the course. "Thank you also to the family for putting up with the occasional "lack of meals and the very rare tantrums," she added. "Completing an Open University degree can seem a long and lonely process, but it is also fun and interesting and the University does allow access to a first class on-line library and excellent forum facilities where you can talk to like minded people." Nancy works for Consultancy Services in Stanley and also farms sheep on the Swan Island group in Falkland Sound with her family. Missing drugs: Spanish fisherman pleads guilty to charge of burglaryTHE dropping of one of two charges laid against Spanish fisherman Rogelio Curras Pastoriza, led to a change of plea in court on Thursday. The charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice and burglary were brought against Mr Curras Pastoriza last week in relation to 23 kilos of cocaine which were discovered to be missing from the Police Station on November 25. Mr Curras Pastoriza had pleaded not guilty to an earlier charge of importing 30 kilos of cocaine into the Islands on board the fishing vessel Venturer, while his colleague Jesus Carbullo Martinez has pleaded guilty Defence counsel, Richard Marlor said that it was a fundamental legal principle that no one should be punished twice for the same conduct. Advice received from counsel in the UK suggested that in bringing both charges against his client, this might happen. It could not be foreseen, said Mr Marlor, that his client might be found guilty of one charge and not the other. Although stating that he did not necessarily agree with Mr Marlor's assertion, Crown Prosecutor, Elliott Taylforth, consented on practical grounds, to offer no evidence in the perversion of justice charge, though he said that this would be cited as an aggravating feature of the remaining burglary charge. The accused, being informed of this and charged again with burglary, this time pleaded guilty. Due to expected delays in receiving forensic reports from the UK, the Senior Magistrate, John Trevaskis scheduled Wednesday February 4 for a pre-trial revue.

Categories: Politics, Falkland Islands.

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