MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
FIDC assessing improvements in MPA terminal.
The Falkland Islands Development Corporation, FIDC, is actively involved in assessing improvements for the Islands main airport terminal, Mount Pleasant, and promoting rural tourism.
FIDC General Manager Julian Morris offered last week an update of activities to the corporation's Board emphasizing the "increasingly pro-active, customer focus" of FIDC.
Mr. Morris revealed that a group comprising representatives from tourism, customs, aviation, the secretariat, FIDC and the private sector are meeting to carry out a quick review of the Mount Pleasant terminal facilities and evaluate areas for improvement. He said LanChile has been approached to see if they would have any interest in providing technical advice or financing but the project is currently too small.
Following two workshops, £25,000 of funding has been approved from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to develop Rural Enterprise/Tourism centre at Hill Cove. "This is intended to improve the tourism offering and also provide a focus for rural/craft enterprise. Work is programmed to be carried out ready for the start of next season. A key feature of this initiative is for the people on the west to ?own' the initiative and drive it through to completion and operation", said Mr. Morris.
A review of the UK Falkland Islands Trust's work for the last ten years promoted discussion regarding future funding. Over £200,000 has been invested in learning about shelter belt provision and seaweed; it was decided that £15,000 would be invested this year with no further contributions in further years.
The ?Start up Offices' at FIDC are proving popular, however Mr Morris was keen to stress that they were short term lets for a maximum of one year, and were designed as, "?a migration from home to the private sector," and in no way meant to compete with the private sector.
Mr Morris said discussions with shipping company Maersk indicate whilst they are still looking at a June technical visit, no progress has been made. However he added that the Ministry of Defence is increasingly happy about making the St Brandon available for trips to Punta Arenas.
The Sand Bay abattoir now has insurance cover to the value of £2.5 million at a cost of £16,000 per annum, this equates to £1 per sheep going through the abattoir. Director of Agriculture, Neil Judd gave a verbal report to the Board, on the success of the ram sale, work shops by a leading Artificial Insemination technician and a field day at Port Howard.
Mr Judd said that with regard to the reindeer herd, investigations were still being made into the farms in the running to host the reindeer herd. It is hoped a decision will be made and the herd moved at the end of May.
One expression of interest in the resisting of the National Beef Herd has been received although Mr Judd was confident there would be more, saying, "?selection for the moving of the beef herd would begin at the end of April."
During a discussion on the Way Forward Project, a ten year farming plan, the suggestion was made that farmers not attending workshops would not receive further funding in phase two of the Pasture improvement scheme; in addition farmers who have participated successfully in the way forward project may work as ambassadors during Farmers Week.
Mr. Morris also announced that the FIDC has managed to reduce its budget by 3%.
Source: Penguin News
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