MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Preparing for the next budget.

Provision of additional funds and proposals to the put forward to the forthcoming budget were approved by the Falkland Islands Standing Finance Committee in its April 30 meeting. The additional funds include £19,500 for a new edition of laws and £150,000 for medical treatment overseas.

The funds for the medical department are to cover costs of patients referred to South America, long term patients referred to the UK for confinement, rent for family residing in UK for health reasons and Falkland Island Government Office account arrears.

At present six patients are receiving treatment in the UK and eleven patients are in the process of referral to UK.

The proposals to be put forward to the forthcoming budget include are, Ilex season refund policy; £50,000 for the Goose Green Community Development project; £50,000 for the replacement of the camp telephone system; European Union, South Atlantic Invasive Species proposal, £200,000 for the eradication of thistles; purchase of property for a nursery and remuneration for the post of Senior Magistrate.

The SFC also considered the estimated disbursement of Stabex (supplied by the European Union) funds for 2004/5 totalling £885,000, mostly for improvements to infrastructure such as: jetties and sea-truck ramps; renewable energy; Goose Green project; improving agricultural production; aquaculture and feasibility studies and the organisation of work shops and business sessions. (PN).-