MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Dolphins help desperate seamen; Cllr Summers ventures where angels fear to tread; Reconsider?; Cruise News.

Dolphins help desperate seamenDOLPHINS tried to help drowning fishermen in Stanley Harbour. Bank Manager Nick Hutton describing his conversation with launchman John Pole-Evans explained how dolphins attempted to come to the rescue of the Indonesian seamen who jumped overboard from the fishing vessel Jih Da Ganon February 19. He said, "For some it was all they could do to hold onto their makeshift buoyancy device," adding that when the launch reached them they could barely raise their, arms let alone use the life rings thrown out to them. "Yet, as human hands struggled to pull their frigid bodies from the water, help was being offered below the surface," said Mr Hutton whose wife has been assisting with translation. The Indonesians who survived their brief ordeal tell of the dolphins (or 'lumba Iurnba' in Indonesian) that repeatedly swam under and nudged them upwards. Mr Hutton said that one of the men, Sudirman (21) from Salawesi, (second from the right with fellow crewmen) actually managed to swim to the Camber but he acknowledges it was not without the help of the porpoises that repeatedly swam under him and lifted him towards the shore. "Who knows how they knew to drive him to land and not back into the harbour?" he said. The events of February 19 left two of the seamen missing, presumed drowned but Falkland Islanders find it remarkable that even eight survived for so long in the cold water. How much of this can be credited to the Commerson and Peales dolphins swimming unseen below the surface we will never know, but there are eight men a long way from home who are grateful for all the help they received - human or otherwise. A member of the crew of Jih Da Ganwas arrested by Royal Falkland Islands Police on Saturday; he has since been released on police bail. Police are said to be working closely with the Principal Crown Counsel, to ascertain if there are any criminal charges to be brought. (Picture N. Hutton). Cllr Summers ventures where angels fear to tread THE quality of justice in the Falkland Islands has been questioned by no less than a Falkland Islands' elected representative. In his Motion for Adjournment speech last Friday, Councillor Mike Summers commenting on justice in the Falklands said, "...I think those that are responsible for it need to think what they are doing." He qualified this saying, "I think by and large it is a good justice system..." However, Councillor Summers appeared to accept he was raising a controversial issue by saying he was going, ..."where angels fear to tread." Picking up on the recent trial of two officers from the Royal Falkland Islands Police, he slammed the justice system for exacerbating the "devastating effect" such trials have on the accused's family and friends as a result of delays. He said, "So I would ask those involved in future cases of the sort, or entirely different cases, to think about what you are doing when you are delaying things and putting things off because it is not convenient..." More disturbingly Councillor Summers revealed, "...on a number of occasions I had to remind some pretty senior people in government, including two pretty senior people in Government House that the objective of the government on the terms of the police trial is not to achieve a conviction, but to achieve justice." A spokesperson for Government House said the Governor, Alan Huckle has not yet taken a decision on whether to respond to Cllr Summers' comments. Continued on page 3. Reconsider? THE decision by the Tourist Board not to appoint a well qualified Falkland Islands' applicant to the post of General Manager of Tourism has caused consternation locally. An overseas applicant has been offered the vital role, despite respected Sulivan Shipping Development Manager Ms Debbie Summers having applied for the job. Ms Summers has a BA Hons in Tourism and Leisure and a decade of experience in Falklands tourism. The Falklands candidate was turned down in favour of a highly qualified Canadian applicant, Mr Terry Gainer. According to a press release from the Directors of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board, "He brings to the post 25 years experience of senior executive management in the travel and tourism industries with major players, in both the private and public sectors, in Canada and the United States." Councillor Richard Cockwell described himself as "furious," adding, "I'm extremely concerned about the message it is going to give young people who have studied hard at university and returned to the Islands. It just doesn't give young people confidence in making the Falklands their home and their career path. "I trust the Tourist Board will reconsider their decision." Ms Summers commented "Obviously I am deeply disappointed with the decision but I would rather not comment further at this stage." Mr Gainer is scheduled to arrive in April subject to being issued with a work permit. Because of the controversy surrounding the issue an Extraordinary Directors meeting is scheduled for Tuesday. Cruise News NG Endeavour calls at Carcass Island and New Island with 124 passengers today, and Infinity (1,800 pax) and Norwegian Crown(1,050 pax) plan to anchor in Port William. On Sunday Golden Princessarrives in Port William with 3,100 passengers. Nordnorge will visit FIPASS on Wednesday (350 pax) and New Island and West Point Island on Thursday and NG Endeavourwill visit the same islands on Tuesday and FIPASS on Wednesday.