MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update

Headlines:
?Falklands 25' launched; Detective pleads guilty to new charge; De-mining talks; Art exhibition announced; Baggage restrictions; This week's cruisers.

?Falklands 25' launched

THE commemorations planned for the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War were officially launched in London this week. At an event held aboard HMS Illustrious, the Under-Secretary of State for Defence and Minister for Veterans, Derek Twigg MP, described the liberation of the Islands as a "huge achievement", but said the fallen on both sides of the war would be remembered. Islander Graham Bound attended the event, as did Emily Hancox and Liam Stevens who are attending college in the UK. More on page 3Pictured: Falkland Islands students Emily Hancox and Liam Stevens at the launch with Frances Knox from Keene Public Affairs. Picture: P Pepper.

Detective pleads guilty to new charge

IN A dramatic turn of events, suspended police sergeant Jonathan Butler pleaded guilty to a charge of misconduct in a public office on Monday. He is expected to be sentenced today (Friday). A joint charge of doing acts tending and intended to pervert the course of public justice against Detective Sergeant Butler and his colleague, Superintendent David Morris, was discontinued by the prosecution following a review undertaken by the Attorney General, in the light of Mr Morris' conviction on November 9 for a similar offence. Mr Morris' counsel, Paul Treble, informed the court on Monday that his client was being treated in hospital; he awaits sentence in respect of last week's trial. The Acting Senior Magistrate, Gary Hickinbottom, ordered the rapid preparation of a pre-sentence report for Mr Butler, and said he will likely deliver sentence today. He told Mr Butler a term of imprisonment is, "...certainly one of the options I will be considering." The charge In court on Monday, prosecution counsel, Peter Cooke, said the charge of misconduct in a public office stemmed from an incident in July 2005. On July 17, police were called to deal with an alleged public order offence in the Globe Tavern, centering on an argument between and a man and woman. PCs Pearce and Collins attended the scene, spoke to the couple individually and calmed the incident down. Both wrote witness statements about the incident and each dealt with the conduct of an off-duty WPC; they said she had intervened in the incident in an unnecessary and inappropriate manner. Mr Cooke said both officers described her actions in terms consistent with a "minor assault". The original case against Mr Butler and Mr Morris was that thereafter they brought pressure to bear on the two junior officers to produce different versions of their witness statements, covering up the WPC's actions, which the junior officers did. The "pseudo original" statements were then submitted to Crown Counsel for considering as to what action might follow. The charge of misconduct in a public office, Mr Cooke said, is limited to Mr Butler knowingly submitting the revised statements without declaring they were not the originals.

De-mining talks

A FEASIBILITY study on the clearance of land mines in the Falklands is due to begin soon. Diplomats and experts from the United Kingdom and Argentine Joint Working Party (JWP) attended a meting about the study in Paris earlier this month. According to a press statement from Government House, the representative of the Argentine government, Minister Guillermo Rossi, signed a contract with Cranfield University, represented by Alastair McAslan, whose offer had been previously selected by the JWP and approved by the British and Argentine governments, to carry out certain tasks of the main study of the feasibility study. The representative of the British government, Jon Wilks, signed a declaration witnessing that the contract had been entered into. The tasks requested of Cranfield University by the contract funded by both governments will include a field survey on the Falklands to be carried out in December 2006 and monitored by two experts from each country. Cranfield University will then submit a report to the JWP in February 2007. According to the statement from Government House, the JWP also agreed to move forward on several tasks during the intercessional period, "...with a view to fulfilling the shared commitment to carry out the Feasibility Study in the light of the obligations of the Ottawa Convention (on anti-personnel mines)." The next meeting of the JWP will take place in London in February 2007.

Art exhibition announced

AN exhibition of works by artists James Peck, Julie Bellhouse and Eliana Escobar opens in the Parish Hall next week. The event ?Falkland Images' is being run by the Falklands Brasserie in collaboration with SeAled PR Ltd and will be open on November 24 and 25. Sarah Clement of SeAled PR commented, "All the works are fantastic and contrasts between technique make for a truly sensational exhibition." All the art work is on sale throughout the event.

Baggage restrictions

NEW restrictions on the size and carriage of liquids in hand baggage come into force next week. From November 23, dimensions of hand luggage must not exceed 56cm x 45cm x 25cm including wheels, handles and side pockets. Other bags, such as hand bags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage. All liquids must be placed in a transparent, re-sealable plastic bag. Only travel-size toiletries of 100ml capacity or less, in separate containers, are permitted. Liquids that cannot be placed inside the re-sealable bag must be packed in hold luggage and checked in. More information can be obtained from JSPSU on 76364, Air Bridge Flight on 74747 or the LAN Security Manager on 51295.

This week's cruisers

EXPLORER II will spend today in Stanley, bringing approximately 199 passengers. On Tuesday, Akademik Sergey Vavilovwill visit West Point Island and Carcass Island before heading to Stanley on Wednesday. She can accommodate around 100 passengers. On Wednesday, the Multanovskiy(approximately 48 passengers) will visit New Island and Carcass Island; she will visit Stanley on Thursday.

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