MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Connie is the new face of Falklands tourism; Importers meeting follows shipping rates increase; Tax penalty notice spurs returns; Exercise, exercise, exercise.

Connie is the new face of Falklands tourism.

THE new manager of Falkland Islands Tourism has been announced. Connie Stevens, marketing manager at the Falkland Islands Development Corporation, will take up the tourism post in July, replacing John Fowler who leaves the job today. The appointment was announced this week by the Directors of Falkland Islands Tourism. Mrs Stevens' career has been spent in marketing, sales, distribution and general and commercial management in various sectors internationally. She has experience in senior positions in major multi-national public limited companies such as Virgin and the BBC and has also operated her own business. This experience she says has given her, "...an appreciation and understanding of the issues that small businesses face." Prior to her arrival in the Falklands in 2002, Mrs Stevens was chairman, for almost five years, of a local government town centre management initiative in the UK, where she says the main focus was tourism. "In this role, there was a small amount of local government funding, the remaining amount had to be raised through the private sector and self-financing initiatives." Mrs Stevens foresees "exciting times ahead" for tourism in the Falkland Islands, "...and we have to safeguard our market share and develop the industry further to suit the growing needs of today's traveller." She added, "We live in a very special place and we are fortunate to have a very special product to sell and deliver to the tourist. We also need to look at ways to extend the season if possible and to look at how we can continually improve the existing offer to the visitor and further develop the infrastructure." However she added that it is important look at, "...how to develop the overseas market; we must not forget the local ?home' market and the potential that exists here." She added, "There are so many aspects of life here that hold a great fascination to new arrivals to the Islands, and these are often just everyday occurrences to those who live here. "But we should never underestimate their value, especially to tourists, who are completely enthralled, especially by some of the daily routines of life in camp. Fresh eyes can be a good thing, and can serve to remind us not to take things for granted." Chairman of Falkland Islands Tourism, Councillor John Birmingham said the Directors wished to thank the outgoing Manager of Tourism, John Fowler, for his, "...contribution to the development of tourism in the Islands over the years." They wished him well in his new venture, at the language school FILO. On the eve of his retirement from Falklands Tourism, Mr Fowler commented, "I'm sure that with Connie's experience in marketing and her general flair and personality she will do tremendously well in the job."

Importers meeting follows shipping rates increase

FALKLANDS importers have met to discuss shipping links and sea freight costs to and from the Islands. A spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce said the meeting had been prompted by a recent announcement from the Ministry of Defence that freight rates would be increased in future. Some importers say they are facing increases of up to 45%. The spokesperson said, "The effect of such increases on the Falklands economy was discussed as was the desirability of improving shipping links where economically possible. The meeting welcomed the news that the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) attached high priority on this issue and were already working to evaluate what progress might be made. "The Corporation is collating a map of all freight movements to and from the Falklands to see if alternative options could be put in place that would improve services, at lower costs. Businesses with interests in wool, fishing and importing who wish to contribute to this are invited to contact Tim Cotter at FIDC." He added, "An announcement from Island Shipping Limited (see page 3) that freight opportunities to and from Punta Arenas were to be enhanced by the introduction of a service using a vessel capable of carrying containers was also welcomed." The meeting agreed that Falklands exporters face growing challenges in terms of cost and availability of appropriate freight services, "...and these need to be resolved if the Falklands economy is to grow as all would like."

Tax penalty notice spurs returns

THE Tax Office says it sent penalty notices to non-trading companies not in an attempt to make money, but to prompt the businesses to send in their tax returns. Penguin News was contacted by a Stanley businessman who said the Tax Office had issued a number of £50.00 fines, with no prior warning, to companies which are non-trading and, in some cases, have been dissolved who did not submit their Payment On Account of Tax and Retirement Pension Contribution returns for March. However the Senior Acting Taxation Officer says the penalty notice was purely to encourage companies to submit their returns. Karen Drysdale explained, "When the Taxation Office sent out Employers Guides earlier this year we requested that any companies that no longer have employees complete ?NIL' returns and send a letter of explanation to the Taxation Office showing when they last employed anybody. "Not all companies responded with ?NIL' returns or a letter. Therefore, the only other option available was to issue all listed employers/companies with a penalty letter to encourage a response allowing us to update our records correctly." Ms Drysdale said that all employers/companies who have contacted the Taxation Office since receiving the penalty notice, stating they no longer have employees, "...are no longer liable to the £50 penalty."

Exercise, exercise, exercise

STANLEY residents should get their binoculars out tomorrow morning, if they wish to witness the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF) in action. The FIDF will be carrying out a blank firing exercise on the Camber, on the north side of Stanley Harbour at 9.30am tomorrow (Saturday). Battle simulation explosions, pyrotechnics and blank ammunition will be used, with fast jet attack aircraft support. Any queries about the morning's activities can be directed to FIDF Headquarters on telephone 27477.