MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Weekly Penguin News update

<i>Indomitable</i> at FIPASS for the last time

Headlines:
Old friend Indom sets sail; Falklands cricketers plan England tour; South Georgia job split; Will permit be granted?; Body found; Journalistic invasion; This week's cruisers.

Old friend Indom sets sailAFTER almost twenty years in the South Atlantic, the Ministry of Defence tug, Indomitablesails home to the UK this week. The tug sailed from Liverpool on June 6, 1987 and arrived in the Falklands five weeks later. Since then she has assisted Royal Navy ships in Mare Harbour and Stanley and provided assistance to all of the UK resupply ships that visit. Chief Engineer Brian Quinn was a member of the original crew in 1987 and says that over the past twenty years the crew of the Indomhave formed strong friendships with Islanders, particularly in Stanley, "...including the late Harry Rowlands who was a very close and dear friend." The ship is now in Stanley for the final time. She sails for the UK on Monday. Falklands cricketers plan England tourPLANS are hotting up for the Falkland Islands Cricket Association's first tour to the United Kingdom. The Association has been inundated with requests from teams in the UK to play against them when they tour in July, with the Falkland Islands much in the news as the 25th anniversary of the conflict approaches. The Association's application to become a member of the International Cricket Council has also attracted considerable attention, with the vote by the full test-playing nations due to take place at Lord's in June this year. Richard Marlor of the Cricket Association said the tour will include fixtures against the Foreign and Commonwealth Office XI in London and Norton Rose XI, at Dulwich. The team will then travel to Stowell Park, Gloucestershire, Lord Vesty's private estate and cricket ground, to play the Gloucestershire Gypsies, before heading to Newbury, Berkshire, for the final few days of the tour. There they will play the Falkland Cricket Club in Newbury. The final game of the tour is scheduled to take place on July 17, against Ilsley Cricket Club, near Newbury. Richard says the Association has been busy attempting to secure sponsorship for the tour. "A sponsor has already kindly agreed to supply the team's playing whites. "The Argos groups of companies, a long-time supporter of cricket in the Islands, have organised and are sponsoring the game against Ilsley Cricket Club. The Association has also secured sponsorship for new bats and protective equipment for the tour from Boart Longyear." The final list of players who will be taking part on the tour is rapidly taking shape, he added, "...with both employers and family being cajoled into co-operation! "The major stumbling block in all tours is often the cost of the airfare and accommodation." The Association will shortly be sending out letters to potential sponsors. Richard commented, "If you or your business is able to assist in any way with sponsorship, please contact me at Kilmartin Marlor, Legal Practitioners, on telephone 22765, fax 22766, or by email at falklandscricket@horizon.co.fk. South Georgia job splitTHE two roles currently carried out by Harriet Hall at Government House are to be separated. As part of her job as First Secretary - a Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) post â€" Ms. Hall is also the Director of Fisheries for South Georgia. However, as the completion of her posting as First Secretary draws near, Government House has announced the two roles will in future be carried out by two employees. Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia, Mr Alan Huckle, said the opportunity for change arose with the departure of South Georgia Government's Operations Manager, Gordon Liddle, who left this month to take up a position at Dundee University. "This allowed us to look at a way of getting extra capacity without asking the FCO to do it and pay for it," Mr Huckle said. Mr. Liddle's former role will be amalgamated with the Director of Fisheries position, creating a full time job, Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Huckle said that, as a result, the new First Secretary will be "100% focused on Falklands issues." A successor to Ms Hall has been appointed and the role of Chief Executive Officer is now being advertised. Will permit be granted?NO decision has yet been made on whether or not a work permit will be granted to Terry Gainer, the Canadian appointed as the new General Manager of the Tourist Board. Cllr Ian Hansen yesterday said he was expecting a decision very soon. There is speculation about whether or not the permit will be granted as another applicant for the job was Debbie Summers, a local candidate who arguably met the criteria laid out in the advertisement for the position. Body foundA BODY, believed to be one of the two missing fisherman who jumped ship in Stanley harbour last month, was found by walkers on Wednesday evening. It was discovered near the wreck of the Lady Elizabeth, at the east end of the harbour. Police attended and, with assistance from the Fire and Rescue Department, who were training in the area, the body was recovered and a search of the area carried out. This was discontinued as night fell. While stressing that the body had not yet been officially identified as one of the missing seamen, Inspector Len McGill said he was "encouraged" by the discovery and added, "I sincerely hope our efforts will recover the other one." The search was continued on Thursday morning and a further sonar search of the seabed will also be made in the area. Journalistic invasionTHE media invasion of the Falklands continues with the arrival of international journalists every week. Visiting this week are reporters from the UK, Argentina, Spain and Germany and visits are planned this month by the BBC, a Dutch journalist and a team from Al Jazeera This week's cruisers ALEXANDER von Humbolt visits Stanley on Tuesday, with around 300 passengers, along with Norwegian Crownand her 1,050 passengers. On Wednesday, Alexander von Humbolt will visit West Point Island and Grigory Mikheev(46) will arrive in Stanley.

Categories: Politics, Falkland Islands.

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