MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Challenge Day makes ?em smile; Belt up - it's the law; Move ?best for tourism'; November date for police trial; How healthy are we?
A Liberation Day performance.

Challenge Day makes ?em smile

ABOVE: Infant and Junior School students Derryn Robson, Lewis Porter and Lauren Dent are all smiles at Victory Green on Challenge Day. A string of free events took place on Wednesday with the aim of getting people of all ages out of breath. More on page 3.

Belt up - it's the law

SEATBELTS must now be worn at all times by drivers and their passengers. This follows the passing of an amendment to the Road Traffic Ordinance in Legislative Council last week which extends the existing seatbelt law to all highways in the Falkland Islands. The change in law officially came into force yesterday, June 1. In general terms, this change of legislation extends the wearing of seat belts to all roads on East and West Falkland including all those in Stanley. Explaining the amendment at LegCo last week, the Chief Executive, Mr Chris Simpkins said, "Its effect is that the existing law in respect of the wearing of seat belts by drivers and passengers in vehicles using all carriageways, streets, thoroughfares, lanes, all accesses to a farm constructed by or at the expense of the Crown with the intention that it should be available for use by the public with motor vehicles as of right, will be compulsory." Inspector Len McGill of the Royal Falkland Islands Police further explained, "All drivers of motor vehicles must wear an adult belt when driving a motor vehicle and it is the driver's responsibility to ensure that every child, (any person under the age of 14 years), being carried in that motor vehicle, is wearing a child restraint appropriate to their age and height. "All other passengers being driven in a motor vehicle must wear an adult belt." He added, "The old advert of ?clunk click every trip' is well worth remembering." There are a number of exemptions from the requirement to wear a seat belt by adults including: (a) a person holding a medical certificate; (b) a person using a vehicle for deliveries or collections; or (c) a person driving a vehicle while performing a manoeuvre which includes reversing. There are a number of other exemptions, details of which are available from the Royal Falkland Islands Police. Inspector McGill said that in the coming weeks, the police will be carrying out a process of "educating and informing" drivers and their passengers on this extension to the seatbelt law. He added that advice can be obtained by contacting the Police either in person at Stanley Police Station. He added that advice can be obtained by contacting the Police either in person at Stanley Police Station, by telephone on 27222, by fax on 27227 or by a letter. "Help us to improve the safety of all motor vehicle occupants by ?belting up'."

Move ?best for tourism'

THE directors of the Tourist Board "took all consultation into account" in taking a decision on how the notice period of the manager should be served. Responding to a number of questions submitted to Penguin Newsabout the decision that Connie Stevens, the Director of Tourism, be permitted to serve her notice in the UK, Councillor Ian Hansen said the move was agreed to be, "best for the Falklands tourist industry." Following her resignation last month, Mrs. Stevens is working six months notice, as her contract provides, Councillor Hansen said. "The Director was entitled to full pay for that time in any case. "Much of the time over the six months is to be taken up with attending conferences and marketing events previously agreed by the Board of Directors. There is a period of leave owing as well." He said it had been deemed more cost effective to have Mrs. Stevens working from the UK in this instance, "...and a significant saving has been made on flights." He added, "There may be the cost of one flight to ensure a smooth handover is implemented." When asked if all members of the board were consulted during the decision making process, Councillor Hansen replied, "If by the ?board' it is meant the Board of Directors then yes, of course they were. If the ?board' means individual paying members then the answer is no. "The Directors were elected according to the Tourist Board Constitution, by members to represent them. "That is not to say that the opinions of those members who felt strongly one way or another and contacted directors were ignored. The directors took all consultation into account whilst making a final decision that was agreed to be best for the Falklands tourist industry." At present, the official email address for Mrs. Stevens is a ?hotmail' address; Councillor Hansen said this was professional and correct but added, "If any one can come up with a serious suggestion as to what the e-mail address should be, the director(s) can change it." The process of recruiting Mrs. Steven's replacement is expected to begin soon, after the next Board of Directors meeting on June 9.

November date for police trial

A TRIAL date in November has been set for two police officers charged with perverting the course of justice. Chief Police Officer David Morris and Detective Inspector Jonathan Butler have been suspended from duty since November 2005. The trial to deal with a single charge against Mr Morris will begin on November 6 and the joint trial will commence on November 13.

How healthy are we?

THE Department of Health has urged the community to participate in a census which is now underway. Dropping into post boxes this week is a two page questionnaire designed to help the Department of Health and Social Services find out more about the well-being of the Falklands population. Responding to the questionnaire is voluntary, but the department is encouraging as many people over the age of 16 as possible to respond. Director of Health Nikki Osborne explained, "In the hospital, we generally only see people when they are sick, and we have a lot of information about what illnesses people suffer from in the Falkland Islands. "The purpose of the census is to find out more about how people feel about their health generally. We are also interested in finding out what factors have an influence on our health. "Everyone knows that your lifestyle affects your health, but lots of other things influence whether we stay healthy or get ill. "Some of these are practical things such as whether we have enough money to live on, clean water to drink etc. Others are less tangible, such as whether we feel secure in our jobs or whether we have someone to talk to. This is the information we want to gather through the census." The results of the survey will be published, and will be used to help determine how health services are developed in the future. More importantly, Ms Osborne said, it is intended to use the results to influence wider government policy on a whole range of matters that affect our health. "For example, the census will give people an opportunity to tell councillors what they think before a decision is taken about whether to ban smoking in public places." The form should be quick and easy to complete: most of the questions are tick boxes so at most it should take about five minutes. People can return their questionnaire either to the hospital or via the Post Office: there will be a box set aside for the purpose on the main counter in both locations.

A Liberation Day performance

A CONCERT of military music is to be held in the Town Hall on Liberation Day. The performance is by the Volunteer Band of the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering and will benefit the Falklands branch of the South Atlantic Medal Association and the Falkland Veterans Foundation.

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