MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
End of an era for Falklands protector;
The Falklands Regime: Bingham book hits the shelves.

News in brief: Marine life study; VC10 damaged; Elqui to be scuttled.

End of an era for Falklands protector.

ONE of the Royal Navy vessels used in the Falklands Conflict Task Force was decommissioned this week. HMS Leeds Castlesailed into Portsmouth Harbour for the last time on Monday as her 24 year navy career came to an end. A familiar sight in the Falklands, the Leeds Castle has, along with her sister ship Dumbarton Castle,provided the resident naval patrol for the Islands for over ten years. Commanding Officer of the ship, Lieutenant Commander Chris Goodsell said, "It has been an honour and a privilege to serve as the last Commanding Officer of HMS Leeds Castle through the final few months of her long and distinguished history. "She has served the Royal Navy with distinction and now heads towards a well-deserved retirement." His Excellency the Governor, Mr Howard Pearce has paid tribute to the ship after her long association with the Islands. In a letter send to Lt Cdr Goodsell, Mr Pearce said, "Falkland Islanders are deeply grateful for the key role which the vessel has played in protecting the Falkland Islands and in maintaining UK sovereignty in the South Atlantic. He added," They also value greatly the personal friendships which have been made over the years with the officers and crew." Mr Pearce describes the sight of the Leeds Castlesteaming into harbour as, "... a great source of comfort and reassurance." Leeds Castleleft the Islands for the last time in November and has been busy with various tasks in places such as Lithuania, Norway and Newcastle. Leeds Castle and Dumbarton Castle are being replaced in their Falkland Island patrol duties by brand new ship HMS Clyde. The Clyde is currently being built in Portsmouth and is expected to enter service in 2007.

The Falklands Regime: Bingham book hits the shelves.

ENVIRONMENTALIST and former Falklands Conservation (FC) Officer, Mike Bingham has written a book about his experiences in the Falklands. Entitled ?The Falklands Regime' The Book Store review describes the book as a "true story" which tells how, "twenty years after British troops died for democracy in the Falklands War, a British citizen would be forced to flee the Falklands to escape political corruption and death threats, to seek democracy and freedom of speech in Argentina." Mr Bingham hit the headlines in 2003 when he challenged Executive Council's decision to refuse his application for Falkland Island Status in the Supreme Court. Executive Councillors had recommended to the Governor that the application be refused on the grounds that Mr Bingham had misrepresented his qualifications on appointment to Falklands Conservation, held out that he had a Doctorate from a university in Ireland which was "bogus", did not have "...skills, abilities and qualifications" of which the Islands were in need and listed three other grounds relating to Mr Bingham's outspoken views on conservation which criticised the Government. On October 27, 2003, Chief Justice Wood ruled that Executive Council's decision to refuse Mr Bingham's application for Falkland Islands Status was, "...morally and constitutionally indefensible," and that it, "breached Mr Bingham's freedom of speech guaranteed by section 10 of the Constitution." Executive Councillors responded to the ruling saying, "...This does not mean that he (Justice Wood) has granted the application which will have to be reconsidered by the Executive Council." It is not public information whether Mr Bingham has ever reapplied for Falkland Island Status. Excerpts from the Free Preview of the book to be found on www.authorhouse.com, read; "The people exposed for corruption wanted revenge, and since the Supreme Court ruling had not stopped them, it was hard to imagine what would. Sooner or later my luck was bound to run out, and they would succeed in framing me for something serious in such a way that I would not be able to prove my innocence...By now I was weary of looking over my shoulder, of continually checking my house in search of false evidence that the Falklands police might have planted, of being unable to start a family for fear of the harassment they would suffer for my beliefs." Chief Police Officer, Dave Morris said that the allegations Mike Bingham makes regarding the Royal Falkland Islands Police are "totally untrue." The preview of the book claims that when Mr Bingham, "dared to connect the starvation of five million penguins to commercial fishing that was making the Falklands elite rich, a deadly game of cat and mouse was unleashed," and "...when oil exploration began in the Falklands, Mike Bingham led a protest against the hundreds of penguins that were dying from oil pollution." Continued on page 3

News in brief

Marine life study.

THE Hobart-based Australian Antarctic Division is to coordinate the biggest marine life survey of its kind in Antarctica. It will involve up to 30 countries, with 15 research ships and about 200 scientists over the summer of 2007-2008. Antarctic Division chief scientist Professor Michael Stoddart says the census is part of a bigger 10-year study of the world's marine life. "Never before has there been a survey where everyone has worked in the same way, using exactly the same sampling devices and gear, so that you can get an overall snapshot." He said the overall snapshot will be a benchmark, "against which we can look at the effects of future climate change and so forth." Professor Stoddart added that the international census could reveal new species.

VC10 damaged.

MILITARY officials are investigating the cause of an incident on Wednesday afternoon when a VC 10 aircraft was damaged upon landing. Four port side tyres burst when the VC10 touched down at Mount Pleasant Airfield. The aircraft had been out on a routine flight. Officials from the base confirmed that the aircraft will not be flying again until they have finished looking into the matter, but say that it is a pretty quick process. The aircraft is reported to have made a safe touchdown while reports that there was damage to the runway have been denied. FIBS

Elqui to be scuttled

Operations Manager for the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Gordon Liddle, has confirmed that the Elquiis to be scuttled. The survey on the longliner has been completed and the decision has been made to scuttle her because the scrap value is minimal. Mr Liddle said that a date and place for the disposal of the Elquihas yet to be decided.

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