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Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Port Troop leads Rowlands memorial; Shortages in Camp after Tamar crane breaks; Budget session; May Ball tonight.

Port Troop leads Rowlands memorial

A MEMORIAL service held in the United Kingdom this week for former Financial Secretary Harold Rowlands was attended by over sixty members of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment. More members of the Regiment wanted to attend, but were unable due to work commitments. The service at St John's Church, Marchwood on Wednesday was also attended by former Falklands Governor Sir Rex Hunt and his wife Mavis, staff from the Falkland Islands Government Office and former FIG Chief Executive David Taylor. The service included tributes from Sir Rex and Captain Spencer LeGrande of 17 Port and Maritime Regiment. Capt LeGrande described how so many of his Regiment had experienced Mr Rowland's hospitality in the Falklands. He also announced that Mr Rowlands will be entered onto the Regimental Memorial, which is soon to be built, to its men fallen in war, as one of the Regiment's own. WO1 Carl Carter, who has made ten tours of duty to the Falklands and who travelled to the Islands to represent the Regiment at Mr. Rowland's funeral said, "I would like to wish his family all the very best for the future and may our new-found friendship last." WO2 Steve Nicholls, a veteran of the Falklands War who presented a park bench to Mr Rowlands in 2002 as a gift from the Regiment, also attended the memorial service. The hymns "I vow to thee my country" and "Abide with me" were sung. "Hello Dolly", a favourite of Mr Rowlands' was played at the end of the service.

Shortages in Camp after Tamar crane breaks

WEST FALKLANDS residents are once again running short of supplies due to delayed and cancelled voyages of the coastal shipping vessel Tamar FI. A spokesperson for the Fox Bay-based West Falklands Co-op, the main store for West Falklands, said that supplies of, "...milk, sugar and many other food stuffs are desperately low." The spokesperson explained that as, for some time, Fox Bay has been included on every trip by Tamar FI to the West; "...we don't tend to order such large quantities of each item." However the settlement has not received supplies since the first week in March and residents are now trying to prepare for their annual charity fundraising sweep draw next weekend. This event traditionally swells the population, as crowds gather fora ?two-nighter' at the Southern Cross Social Club. However the Co-op spokesperson says that supplies of rum and vodka are also very low, "...certainly not enough for the weekend." Port Howard residents faced a fuel shortage earlier this week when supplies became worryingly low. Farm manager Rodney Lee confirmed that he had borrowed fuel from the Public Works road gang's supply as, "...we were getting to the point where there would have been houses running out at the end of this week and power not too long after that." Mr Lee is unsure when his farm will next receive a visit from Tamar FI but hopes it will be, "...before we get short of fuel again." He added, "It is a shame when one weak link in the chain can cause the whole operation to suffer." Operations Manager at Island Shipping Jason Morris told Penguin News, "We are aware that people on the West are running low on supplies and will endeavour to service everybody's requirements as soon as possible." He explained that the Tamar's last voyage (V409) had to be cut short due to a breakdown with the deck crane. He said the spare parts for the crane have been procured from Norway and are now with Island Shipping's agents in Punta Arenas awaiting Saturday's flight. Mr Morris assured, "... engineers will work through the weekend to effect the repairs and we would hope to have the ship back out early next week. "The remainder of the ports to be serviced on V409 have been added to V410 to avoid any further delay in reaching the affected ports."

Budget session

THE annual budget session of Legislative Council takes place next week. The two day meeting will be opened on Tuesday at 9.15am beginning with a guard of honour from the Falkland Islands Defence Force. His Excellency the Governor will give his annual Address to the Nation before leaving the meeting. Legislative Council will consider a number of papers from the Chief Executive before hearing questions for oral answer. A motion will be put to councillors to approve The Wearing of Seat Belts (Regulations) 2004. This law will mean all children carried in vehicles must wear a restraint.* The Financial Secretary, Derek Howatt, will outline his budget proposals before Legislative Council adjourns into Select Committee on the estimates. On Wednesday afternoon, Mr Howatt will report back on the deliberations of the Select Committee. The Falkland Islands Broadcasting Station will feature live coverage of the meetings on 530MW and 88.3FM. Under the road regulations, the definition of a child is a person under the age of 14 years.

May Ball tonight

ONE of the most popular events of the Falklands calendar, the May Ball takes place tonight in the Town Hall. Doors open at 10pm. The May Queen will be crowned at midnight. Tomorrow night's dance will run from 9pm until 12am. This will be an evening of traditional and novelty dances. The theme for this year's ball is Twenty years of the existing Falkland Islands Scout Group.

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