MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Remelia, Shaun and Nick join the ranks; Govt: 'We want to keep BAS'; Councillor welcomes tax survey but defends increases; Jail considered for cannabis importer; Stop press: Tamar sold.

Remelia, Shaun and Nick join the ranksRemelia Ped, pictured with her fellow recruits Shaun Reynolds (left) and Nick Roberts, has become the first girl to join the ranks of the Marine Cadets in the Falklands, since the unit was commissioned in 1991. The three new recruits received their berets from Commanding Officer Ken Newton on Wednesday night. Govt: 'We want to keep BAS'AN OFFER from the government to split the costs associated with improving Stanley airport in order to allow its continued use by British Antarctic Survey (BAS) aircraft has been turned down by BAS. The news followed meetings held between the government's Chief Executive, Tim Thorogood, and BAS Head of Operations John Pye and Air Safety Support International (ASSI) Chief Executive Rod Dean to discuss how BAS could be retained in the Falkland Islands. In his meeting with BAS, he offered to split the costs involved in improving Stanley Airport's fire cover. But BAS had to decline the offer due to non affordability and because it felt the current arrangements met its requirements as a corporate aircraft operator. However, according to a statement from the government released yesterday, both parties agreed to work jointly on a safety case to see if BAS could operate from the Islands without costly upgrades to Stanley Airport. "The preference would be to continue to use Stanley, or if necessary MPA as the primary airfield and Stanley as a back up." In a later meeting with ASSI, the possibility of BAS using Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA) as the primary airport with Stanley as a backup emerged as the most feasible option. If Stanley is used only as a diversionary airport then it is possible that expensive investment in fire safety improvements may not, subject to a safety assessment by BAS, be required. Also, flights from MPA to Stanley for maintenance only (carrying no passengers) could, subject to a detailed safety appraisal, be possible. Reacting to the outcome of the meetings, Councillor Mike Summers said: "FIG is very keen to retain BAS in the Islands and a number of options have been discussed with BAS, ASSI and the Foreign Office. We are looking at what the options are which could allow BAS to operate from the Islands without expensive upgrades. "If upgrades are necessary, then FIG is keen to see if BAS are willing to split the costs with FIG; so far BAS have said that is unaffordable. However, a way forward centred on MPA as the primary airport appears possible. We will continue to work closely with BAS, ASSI and the Ministry of Defence to explore this." Councillor welcomes tax survey but defends increasesTHE councillor with responsibility for the government's finances has welcomed a survey carried out by the Chamber of Commerce into members' views on the current tax policy. Cllr Andrea Clausen said it was "good to see" the Chamber consulting its members in its work lobbying the government on such issues: "That is what democracy is all about." The information, she said, would be fed into the government's tax review so that it could be "properly digested and taken into account." However she added that the survey related predominantly to Chamber members' "perceptions" and councillors needed to see "some real comparators" on tax rates for both employers and employees, "so that we can truly understand where the Falklands sits globally." Given that the survey was conducted by the Chamber of Commerce, Cllr Clausen said, the emphasis was on employers, "which is one section of the community that needs to feed in to the overall review;" what was next needed, she said, was "the employee's point of view." Defending the current rates of taxation in the Falklands, she cited comparisons to the UK's taxation of employees: "The UK household tax burden rose from 34% to 34.6% in the first quarter of this year - the highest level since 1991. The average family earning just under £23,800 now pays £8,222 a year in direct taxes, including income tax, national insurance, council tax and vehicle excise duty. This excludes indirect taxes such as VAT. "By comparison a person earning £23,800 in the Falklands will be liable pay £3,564 in direct taxes from next year if the 2% MSL/Employment (MSL/ET) Tax is introduced. This represents a tax burden of 15%. The £3,564 is made up of: income tax £2,142; Retirement Pension Contributions (RPCs) £598 (at £11.50pw from January 1, 2009); 2% MSL/ET £476; Service Charge £348 (our closest equivalent to UK council tax). Furthermore," she added, "we don't have the extensive range of indirect taxes enjoyed in the UK." Jail considered for cannabis importerA YOUNG mother could face a prison sentence after she pleaded guilty to importing cannabis resin into the Islands. Giving the facts of the case in the Magistrate's Court on Wednesday, Crown Counsel Ros Cheek said Kristy Lesley Anne Buckland (23) had been apprehended by a Customs Officer on July 7, after information was received that she was carrying illegal drugs. At the airport, Miss Buckland approached an officer to declare insulin she carried for her diabetes. When asked if she was carrying cannabis she told the officer that she was and indicated which of her bags it was in. The drugs were located wrapped in tissue paper inside a tied condom. In a police interview Miss Buckland said she had purchased the cannabis resin from a person she knew to be a drug dealer and that she had tried drugs on the recommendation of a friend after being diagnosed as suffering from postnatal depression. She said the cannabis, estimated to be 5.9 grams, was for her personal use and would have lasted her about a year. Defence Lawyer Richard Marlor said he did not dispute the facts and acknowledged that custody would be considered given the nature of the offence. He sought an adjournment for a pre-sentence report to be prepared by the Social Work Team and Medical Department. He said that, bearing in mind Miss Buckland's diabetes and postnatal depression, they would then be better placed to deal with the case. Senior Magistrate AlisonThompson said that custody was indeed a matter that the court would consider. Miss Buckland was released on unconditional bail to reappear in court on August 20. Stop press: Tamar soldEXECUTIVE Council has approved the sale of the former coastal shipping vessel Tamar FI to a Scottish company. More next week.