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Headlines:
Competitive cuisine; MRSA found in hospital; SAMA group arrives; Carlisle coaching team; Thatcher Jnr plans filming; MPs begin Falklands tour; Dockyard views; Encouraging wool news; This week's cruise ships.

Competitive cuisine

Vic Epstein (left) and John Maskell-Bott battle it out in the Community School kitchens for the honour of having their recipe included in the new cook book, Natural Ingredients, Taste of the Falklands. Turn to page 3 for the full story. Picture: J Bellhouse

MRSA found in hospital

A SMALL number of patients and staff at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital have been found to have MRSA, the so-called ?superbug'. A UK resident was admitted to the hospital last week for an operation on an abscess. A routine swab was taken and it was discovered that the patient had MRSA. Following routine procedures, the theatre and ward areas were deep-cleaned and tested: no MRSA was grown. All staff and patients in the ward were also tested. Three staff members were found to have MRSA and are undergoing treatment to eradicate it. Two patients with chronic problems were also found to have MRSA. Director of Health, Nikki Osborne, said patients with chronic problems are more vulnerable to infection. "One patient had been treated in the UK on several occasions and had been found to be MRSA positive in the past and recurrence is normal. "The second patient had been tested previously and not found to have MRSA. However, the strain of MRSA that both patients have is different to that grown from the original patient, which suggests that the source of infection is not from the hospital. This is still under investigation." The hospital deals with patients with MRSA on a fairly regular basis, Ms Osborne said, and cleaning and testing procedures following known MRSA admissions have been shown to be very effective. "All hospital staff are routinely tested for MRSA on appointment, and all patients who return from the UK and are admitted directly to hospital here are also routinely tested." The hospital is now reviewing its procedures to see if it can tighten them up still further, Ms Osborne reported. "By coincidence, our microbiological adviser, Matthew Dryden is due to visit later this month. "Part of the purpose of his visit is to review our infection control procedures. Our approach to MRSA will form part of that review."

Visitors this month

SAMA group arrives

A GROUP of 1982 veterans and family members arrive on today's airbridge. The visit is organised by the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA82). Paul Stanton (Welsh Guards), Jon Stubbs (9 PARA RE),Barry Brookes (HMS Brilliant), Dave Lewis (Welsh Guards) and Alun Thomas (Welsh Guards) will visit, along with Gary Western (Royal Marines) and his wife Heather, and Carmella Cowley, whose husband was killed in action in 1982. Nicci Pugh, from the SAMA Pilgrimage Support Team in UK is travelling with the group. They will attend Saturday night's banquet being held in aid of SAMA82 in the Town Hall. A small number of tickets are still available for this event; contact SeAled PR (tel 22432).

Carlisle coaching team

A TEAM of coaches from Carlisle United Football Club makes history this week when they become the first delegation from a professional team to visit the Falkland Islands. Headed by John Halpin, the team will teach school children in Stanley and MPA and coach an armed forces team. Also in the group are James Tose, Nick Rigg, Matthew Graham and Barry Keal. They will be coaching boys and girls in the Leisure Centre in Stanley on Saturday, then again on Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday evening they will meet members of the Falkland Islands Football Club.

Thatcher Jnr plans filming

JOURNALIST and presenter Carol Thatcher is due to visit the Islands this month. The daughter of former Prime Minster Margaret Thatcher is understood to be arriving on November 11 to film a programme about the albatross as part of a new BBC series. She is also due to work on a film, the working title of which is Mummy's War, which will involve filming in the Islands and in Buenos Aires in December.

MPs begin Falklands tour

TWO UK Members of Parliament begin their week long visit today. Sarah McCarthy-Fry MP (Labour) and Mike Penning MP (Conservative) will be accompanied by the Falkland Islands Government's London Representative, Sukey Cameron.

Dockyard views

THE manager of the museum is encouraging as many people as possible to share their views on the dockyard development plan. Leona Roberts said, judging from the comments she has had over the past week, "there does seem to be a general view that this is a sensible move that will benefit all of Stanley." She added, "Given the season that we have ahead, it's quite clear that we need to provide more in the way of facilities for cruise ship tourists - even basic amenities such as toilets are going to be in short supply - and the dockyard development can go a long way towards solving some of these issues." Mrs Roberts said all comments are "very, very welcome" and they do not have to be made in writing. "It's not necessary to write in - even a phone call to either myself or the Environmental Planning Department, stating support (or not) will be included in the consultation report. "We really want to hear from people and it would be terrific if we could go back to the government with a firm backing from the public."

Encouraging wool news

WOOL sales held in Melbourne Australia on October 31 saw prices peaking higher than for some years and offered a ray of hope to Falklands'farmers. Speaking on Falklands Radio on Tuesday, Senior Agricultural Advisor, Neil Judd said the wool market had shown in previous weeks "a lot of enthusiasm" for wool between 20 and 24 micron, but in this week's sales that enthusiasm had extended to broader wool, with 26 micron also being in very strong demand. Asked what the consequences would be for wool producers in the Falkland Islands, Mr Judd said that at the start of another shearing season, Falklands farmers could look forward with a little bit more hope than even six weeks ago that prices were moving "in the right direction." MP

This week's cruise ships

THREE cruise ships will visit the Falklands this week. On Saturday, Multanovskiywill visit Stanley, before heading to George and Barren Islands on Sunday. On Wednesday, Molchanov will call into New Island and West Point Island before heading to Stanley on Thursday. Aleksey Maryshev will be at New Island and Carcass Island on Thursday.

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