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Falklands: Penguin News weekly update

Mirabelle 'Tim' Simpson MBE

Headlines:

Tim picks up her MBE; Exploring the southern wilderness; Smoking ban looms; 'Frustrated' Argentines; Tourism meeting today.

Inside Penguin News: Past Finders repair historic corral; Queen's Birthday Parade; HE's First trip to South Georgia.

Tim picks up her MBEART teacher Mirabelle 'Tim' Simpson was all smiles last Friday, April 20, when she received her MBE from His Excellency the Governor, Mr Alan Huckle. During a special reception at Government House, Mr Huckle read touching extracts from a number of the letters from colleagues and former students which had accompanied Mrs Simpson's MBE nomination. Mrs Simpson was awarded the honour in recognition of her work in education and charities in the Falkland Islands. Exploring the southern wildernessPICTURE: The Commissioner of South Georgia, on his first visit to the area, is pictured on Bird Island with his wife and guests, Royal Marine veterans involved in the defence and liberation of the South Georgia in 1982, Major Guy Sheridan and Lt Keith Mills and their wives, Molly and Liz. Full story on page 6. Smoking ban loomsDEMAND for nicotine patches and gum is set to grow with the news that a smoking ban in public places now seems likely to go ahead. A draft bill is now being prepared and will soon go before Executive Council. The imaginatively-titled Working Group on Possible Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places met on Tuesday to discuss the methods of implementing and enforcing a ban in enclosed areas. A draft bill is to be drawn up by the Attorney General's Chambers which will be further discussed by the group and Executive Council; when the final draft is prepared, more public consultation will take place. Councillor Andrea Clausen said that a period of six to twelve months will need to follow the approval of the bill, to give publicans and businesses time to prepare before a ban is implemented. At the meeting on Tuesday, particular attention was paid to the issues surrounding and definitions of public and enclosed places and the Acting Attorney General is to draw on the experience and legislation of countries who have already taken the step to ban smoking, when drawing up the draft document. It was suggested that in other countries a staged or gradual ban has proven less effective than an immediate ban when everything is in place. One idea for avoiding a ban has been to improve air quality in public places. Providing medical statistics regarding the effects of passive smoking, Dr Barry Elsby explained that extractor systems in smoking areas merely remove the visible signs and smell of cigarette smoke, but leave harmful carcinogens in the air. Dr Elsby told the group that unlike lung cancer, where the risk to passive smokers rises in a linear manner as the concentration of smoke rises, "...heart disease seems to occur largely at very low levels of smoke exposure." In the Health Department census, smokers were asked what might help them to stop. Dr Elsby said the top six responses in order were: to ban smoking in public and at work, have free nicotine replacement therapy, raise the cost of tobacco products, advertise the harmful effects of smoking and provide more 'stop smoking' clinics. Dr Elsby added that he did not think enforcing a ban would be a problem in the Falklands. "When people know it is the law they will comply as it is a law abiding society; without much trouble there would soon be 100% compliance." Cllr Clausen agreed that there was no need to, "...wrap ourselves in red tape," but she added that non-compliance should nevertheless be considered. The next, and possibly final, meeting of the group will take place on May 30. 'Frustrated' ArgentinesA PLAN by Argentina to place "special emphasis" on its sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands at this year's meeting of the United Nations Decolonisation Committee (C24) has been dismissed by a councillor as, "a sign of frustration." Councillor Richard Davies, who will be representing the Islands at the C24 in June said the plan is, "...yet another example of the way they are hyping up the Falklands issue in Argentina. "I think it's a sign of frustration, to some extent, that they are not actually getting anywhere." For over 40 years, Cllr Davies said, the Decolonisation Committee has had a resolution calling for negotiations between Britain and Argentina. "That is fundamentally incompatible with the principals of the United Nations as it denies our existence as a people and our right to self-determination; that is why it has never got anywhere and why Argentina is getting frustrated." He added, "I think they are hoping that by taking a different approach in the UN that they will get more support but I think that is unlikely." Tourism meeting todayAN EMERGENCY General Meeting of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board (FITB) takes place in Stanley this afternoon. Members are expected to hold votes of no-confidence in the FITB Directors, both collectively and individually. The votes appear to have been prompted by the controversy surrounding the recruitment of a new Manager of FITB. A week before the meeting, Chair of FITB, Councillor Ian Hansen, wrote to members urging them to have "an open mind" and to vote, "...not on the basis of rumour, but based on the facts and answers to any further questions you may have." Inside Penguin News Centre:Past Finders repair historic corral Page 8:Queen's Birthday Parade Page 6:HE's first trip to South Georgia