MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Hot News from FIBS.

Internet initiative Open Day.

The newly formed Falkland Islands Internet Initiative group had its first meeting last week. The group was formed after Cable and Wireless consultant Chris Gare came to the Falklands to discuss Internet matters with FIG and how valuable it would be to have the Falklands market itself on the Internet. As a result of these meetings FIG got together with the private sector to look at various things including the e-commerce angle to market local products particularly farming products. For maximum exposure to the public, the Hard Disk Café is having an Internet Initiative Open Day next Tuesday 4 July 2000 from 2pm to 6pm during farmers week. The Group is also looking at improving the portal to the Falklands, either basing it in the UK or America. At present the FI WebPage is based in the UK. As well they are looking at local businesses linking their WebPages to the main portal to increase accessibility for people overseas.

Committees Open for Attendance in July.

Following the implementation of the Ordinance giving members of the public freer access to Government Information on 1 July, the following committees will be open for public attendance during the month. The Training and Education Council at 08.30 on July 3, Planning and Building at 08.30 and Stanley Lands at 11.30 both on 5 July, Oil on 7 July at 08.30 and Housing at 13.30 on 11 July. On 19 July at 09.30 the Cost of Living committee will be open to the public, on 25 July at 13.30 the FIDC executive board will be open and two committees will be public on 28 July. Firstly the Standing Finance Committee at 08.00 and secondly the Environmental Committee at 13.30. All of those committees will be held in the Liberation Room of the Secretariat except the Oil Committee which will be held at the Department of Mineral Resources and the FIDC Executive Board which will be held in the FIDC Board Room.

Vietnamese Mans Death Recorded as Accidental.

A verdict of Accidental Death was recorded at the inquest of Nguyen (Nian) Viet Xuan this morning by Senior Magistrate Keith Watson. Mr Nian, a twenty five year old Vietnamese fisherman on board the Koras 5 was caught in the nets an