MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Champion Maurice's hat trick; Ross Road clearway will remain; Proposal for flight talks rejected?;
Inquest adjourned; Cruise visits this week.

Champion Maurice's hat trickChampion Jockey for the third year running at the Darwin Harbour Sports Association's annual race meeting, Maurice Davis wins the Cable and Wireless Trophy on Shasha. Champion Jockey at the West Falklands Sports was Hayley Bonner. Full racing coverage from East and West next week.

Ross Road clearway will remain

THE Ross Road clearway will be made permanent, Executive Council (ExCo) has decided, despite the protests of businesses who say their trade is affected by the system. The decision was announced by His Excellency the Governor in his ExCo round-up speech this week. Over the past year, three Ross Road businesses have objected to the clearway. The Pod Gift Shop, The Waterfront and the Harbour View Gift Shop say the absence of parking on the front road has had a detrimental effect on their trade. Commenting on the decision by Executive Council to make the clearway permanent, Harbour View Gift Shop owner and Ross Road resident Anna King said, "I do think they should have tried the one way system first. "I realise it's difficult to stop one thing and start another, but when you drive along John Street now, it is like Ross Road used to be - you have to stop, pull in and wait, then move on, stop, pull in and wait again. "People on John Street have no off-street parking either." Ms King said that while she acknowledged it is, "...nice to drive along Ross Road and have it clear," she added that, from a personal point of view, she found the absence of off street parking difficult. From her business' point of view, Ms King said, "I do think that the Jetty Centre car park should have been completely paved and signposted before they started this. "They should have done some landfill in front of the sea wall and created parking there as Emma Steen suggested years ago and Dave Eynon has more recently, then at least people could park outside the business they're visiting. "By doing this clearway they've taken away so many car parking spaces." Executive Council has instructed that work on additional car park spaces in the vicinity of Ross Road should be undertaken "without delay." Councillor Mike Summers confirmed the parking proposal fromMr Eynon for has been passed to the Design Office. "...for some kind of preliminary engineering analysis and an assessment of cost. "In addition there are planning issues and whether anyone really wants a row of vehicles along the front of the harbour." He said the cost implications for such a plan could be substantial: "...it'll involve repairing all the roads once you've ruined them with trucks dumping all this rock in the harbour." Councillor Summers added that two serious options for parking are now being considered. "One which will definitely be done is the creation of about eight spaces at the end of the Jetty Centre (where a shed currently stands), solely for use of those three businesses who say they are affected by the clearway. "We are also negotiating with the Falkland Islands Company to get a strip of land adjacent to Jubilee Warehouse where we could get another fifteen spaces, some of which are likely to be allocated to those business and others in that area."

Proposal for flight talks rejected?

A PROPOSAL from the British government for talks to solve the problem of charter flights to the Falklands appear to have been rejected by Argentina. According to Argentine press reports, the British Foreign Office proposed that talks for a definitive flights programme between the continent and the Falklands should begin on April 1, however the proposal "does not satisfy" Argentina, says Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa . Mr Bielsa told the Argentine Foreign Affairs committee of the Senate that, "...at this moment we're transmitting this position to the British Ambassador in Buenos Aires, Robin Christopher." His Excellency the Governor, Mr Howard Pearce yesterday confirmed the British government had put a proposal for talks, "...about a permanent arrangement for charter flights," to the Argentine government. He added that the proposal had been, "...discussed beforehand with Falkland Islands councillors and had their support." However Mr Pearce said no formal response has yet been received from the Argentine Government but, "...we have noted the press reports from Argentina that the proposal has been rejected." PN/MP Bill Rammell MP addressed the UK Parliament on the Falklands flights issue on Monday. See report on page 3.

Inquest adjourned

A YOUNG woman was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident at the weekend. An inquest was opened and adjourned yesterday for further investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dionne Jones (21) on Saturday. Two passengers sustained injuries in the accident.

Cruise visits this week

INFINITY (maximum passenger capacity 1950) will be in Stanley today and Endeavour (110) will visit West Point and Carcass Island before travelling to Stanley. Tomorrow Endeavour will spend the day in Stanley and Orion (106) will visit Sea Lion Island before heading to Stanley. Orion will also spend Sunday in Stanley then on Monday she will visit Carcass Island.