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Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Chatham welcomes West friends aboard;
Tourism under fire; Cash flow blamed for shipper's demise.
News in brief:
C&W switch grows; GCSE results arrive; New Governor arrives today.

Chatham welcomes West friends aboard

PICTURED left: Commanding Officer of HMS Chatham, Captain James Morse, chats with Fox Bay West resident and former councillor, Norma Edwards, and Civil/Military Liaison Officer, Lt Cdr John Maskell-Bott, during a cocktail party on board the ship on Tuesday evening. All residents of West Falkland were invited on board , with transport to the Type 22 frigate provided by Bill Pole-Evans in the lifeboat West Swan. HMS Chatham has been on patrol in the South Atlantic since early July and played host to four visiting MPs during the West Falkland trip.

Tourism under fire

CRITICISM has been leveled at the Directors of the Falklands Islands Tourist Board (FITB) by members of the industry. During a lively Annual General Meeting held on Tuesday, FITB members discovered the company accounts had gone missing and could not therefore be signed off. Roger Spink of the Falkland Islands Company said he felt the members of FITB have received poor service over the last few months, "?and deserved better than to turn up for an AGM where no accounts had been sent out and there was no business plan outlined to the members by the Board." Fellow member Phil Middleton was equally angry: "If it would have made any difference, I would have asked the meeting to take a vote of non-confidence in the directors; however seeing as four are appointed from outside (two councillors, the General Manager FIDC and the Director of Tourism), it would not have made any difference..." Members are hopeful the election of new directors will ring in the changes for FITB. Debbie Summers of Sulivan Shipping Ltd and John Fowler of the Falkland Islands Languages Organisation were elected as new directors, while former director Jennie Forrest of International Tours and Travel Ltd was re-elected. Commenting on Tuesday's AGM, Mr Fowler said there had been a "significant breakdown" in communication between the Board of Directors and the members. "The members haven't been receiving information on a regular basis and the number of general meetings has been reduced pretty much just to the AGM." He said he had frequently heard from members that they felt "ignored and uninformed rather than consulted" and this has led to feelings of "genuine frustration". "The FITB in its new more independent form, away from the shelter of FIDC, was supposed to be giving the players in the tourist industry more opportunities for participation," Mr Fowler said. "However for most, it seems, what promised to be a new dawn, still hasn't arrived." Councillor Ian Hansen is Chairman of the FITB Board of Directors. He told Penguin Newshe did not wish to "point the finger" at any party for the problems experienced by FITB however he admitted having the current Director of Tourism, Connie Stevens, based out of the Islands "hasn't been ideal." He added, "I think it's a fact we're in a transitional period now." With regard to the missing company accounts, Councillor Hansen said this was attributable to the fact FITB did not have a company secretary: "Now we've got (solicitors) McGrigors on board, that will be sorted." He said it was important for the FITB to look to the future: "We're only looking forward now and I have faith in the new board to help take tourism forward." He added, "If there are lessons to be learned, it's that we have to have more cohesion between members and the Board of Directors, and a lot more co-operation between all members." Continued on page 3 THE man in charge of now insolvent Island Shipping has attributed the company's demise to cash-flow problems caused by increased operating costs. Captain Ian Wilkinson said Island Shipping "very much regrets" that it has had to cease trading and will no longer be undertaking the coastal shipping contract. He said that during the last two years of the contract Island Shipping has experienced cash-flow problems, brought about largely by increased operating costs. "In the past cash-flow problems have been surmounted, and would have continued to be supported had ISL been considered for the future coastal shipping contract, and been able to continue after November 2006." However the company's tender was not among the two short-listed for the new contract. Captain Wilkinson said that in early August the company advised FIG of its concern over the cash-flow situation, "...with a view to sitting round the table with FIG in an effort to resolve the problem." However, he said, "...there was no offer from FIG and we were advised that a contingency plan had been previously discussed and was now being put in place." He said Island Shipping was disappointed there was no support from FIG "or even the offer of discussion," and was reluctantly left with no alternative but to cease trading. "Island Shipping is therefore saddened that we have not been able to carry on operating at least until the introduction of the new service which is now so eagerly awaited." Penguin News last week reported on comments by the government's Chief Executive that the news of Island Shipping's insolvency had not been entirely unexpected. "We'd been observing the situation for some little while and had been aware the company has experienced some cash flow difficulties, but obviously we're not privy to the details of the company's operations." Captain Wilkinson disputes this: "FIG have received management accounts and quarterly figures throughout the three years as per the coastal shipping contract." Continued on page 3

News in brief

C&W switch grows

AROUND 500 customers have been moved over to the new Cable and Wireless telephone exchange. The remaining Stanley customers will be moved to the new exchange over the next few weeks, a spokesperson for the company said. In July a number of customers took part in market research for the company's ADSL (broadband) services and Cable and Wireless says, "Valuable feedback was received and new package proposals have been submitted to FIG for their approval." More next week.

GCSE results arrive

STUDENTS in the Falklands received their GCSE results from the Department of Education yesterday. Unfortunately, the Director of Education, Mrs. Barbara Booth, was unable to reveal any results or comment on the general performance of pupils this year in time for publication in today's Penguin News. We hope to bring you news of how well the students have done next week.

New Governor arrives today

THE new Governor of the Falkland Islands, Alan Huckle, arrives to take up his new post today. He will be sworn in during a ceremony on Monday morning and a parade at Victory Green will follow. See page 18 for timings.

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Categories: Falkland Islands.

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