MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

Cherie Clifford (forth from right) and her family with Cllr Robertson, HE the Governor, Principal Immigration Officer P. King and referee B. Watson

Headlnes:
Cherie takes first Status pledge; Smiles abound as kids make the college grade; West ferry terminal uncertainty remains; 'Jail break' investigation.

Cherie takes first Status pledgeTHE first ceremony for the granting of Falkland Islands Status has been held in Stanley. On Friday, August 17, St Helenian-born Cherie Clifford, in the company of family and friends, made and signed the Status Pledge and received her Certificate of Falkland Islands Status from His Excellency the Governor. The Honourable Janet Robertson, councillor for immigration, made a short speech in which she congratulated Mrs Clifford on the grant of Status, considered to be of "great significance" as it is the closest thing to "citizenship" that the Falkland Islands can grant to immigrants. Champagne and soft drinks were then served and the Governor proposed a toast to, "Her Majesty the Queen and the Falkland Islands." Status Ceremonies, lasting one hour, will normally take place within one month of approval of an application. The fee for the ceremony is paid by the applicant together with, and in addition to, their Status application fee. The introduction of the ceremonies was recently agreed by Executive Council and the final amendments to the Falkland Islands Status Ordinance were passed by Legislative Council in May 2007. Under the new arrangements Executive Council considers applications for Status four times a year in January, April, July and October and advises the Governor as to whether or not they may be granted. Status does not now become effective immediately on approval of an application; the grantee must attend a Status Ceremony and make the Pledge. Smiles abound as kids make the college gradeTHERE will be many smiling young faces seen in Stanley during the next few days as the results of the GCSE examinations, announced yesterday morning, sink in. This year 50% of the students have achieved five or more A* - C grades in their GCSE examinations. Of the 15 pupils who aspired to attend college in the United Kingdom, twelve are now packing their suitcases and looking forward to a new chapter in their educational career. The Director of Education, Mrs Barbara Booth, reported that several students had done exceptionally well, exceeding the required 42 points for further education at Peter Symonds; in one case by as much as 29 points. "Their commitment to study and hard work must be congratulated," she commented. Last year only 38% of GCSE students gained five or more A* - C grades. Mrs Booth commented, "Although there will inevitably be variations between year groups and where the groups are small, percentage points can mask the true picture; this set of results represents a considerable improvement in standards." She said this "very welcome" improvement in standards overall is a combination of the efforts of staff and pupils alike and, "...should be acknowledged and celebrated." She added, "The results should stand as the benchmark for further development and improvement. Well done and congratulations to the young people and teachers." Four of the students exceeded the required 42 points by at least 10 points. West ferry terminal uncertainty remainsCOUNCILLORS are once again considering whether the new West Falkland terminal for the cross sound ferry should be at Port Howard or Second Creek. They say they are not simply looking at cost but also the long term prospects for the area. A number of months ago it was decided that the new terminal would be sited at Port Howard, near where the jetty currently stands, despite a road having already been built to Second Creek. However, at a meeting of the Transport Advisory Committee held on Tuesday, Councillor Mike Rendell explained that, as it was a hypothetical possibility that any new South American Atlantic Shipping (SAAS) vessel may be too large to use Fox Bay's port, it was pertinent to consider whether it would be able to instead use Port Howard or Second Creek. As a result, the siting of the ferry terminal needed to be re-examined, to tie it in with a future deep water port. While Cllr Rendell revealed he was personally in favour of building the terminal at Port Howard, Cllr Hansen said it should be considered that, as people become accustomed to the ferry service over the years, the amount of animals and vehicles using the service should increase and the bigger space available at Second Creek may be advantageous. There is space to expand at Second Creek, if necessary, he said, whereas this is limited in Port Howard. The final decision on where the terminal will be built is expected to be made by Executive Council in September. 'Jail break' investigationFIVE police officers are reported to be under investigation for allegedly permitting a detained person to escape from Stanley's police cells earlier this month. The investigation is believed to have followed the detention of a juvenile. Acting Chief of Police Len McGill yesterday commented, "An investigation is underway into the circumstances surrounding the removal of a person held in custody in Stanley police station." He said none of the officers have been suspended.