MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Headlines: Up, up and away...; Farmer to close road in protest; Young mother jailed for drug importation; MoD flight contract still up in the air; Early closure planned for loligo season.

Up, up and away...AFTER winning a quiz during a recent class visit to the Met Office at MPA, Lesley Stewart was selected to release an enormous weather balloon which would soar to a height of around 27,000m above the Islands. More on page 10. Farmer to close road in protestAN East Falkland farmer is planning to close part of a road which runs through his land. Mike Triggs of Farm Rodeo announced this week that the road passing through his land, which he described as "privately owned" would be closed from midnight on Sunday, August 24, until further notice. It is part of the road which links the North Camp to the settlement of San Carlos. Mr Triggs said he had been motivated to take the step due to animal welfare issues. The section of road in question acted as a channel, he said, driving animals into an area of swamp, in which they regularly became trapped. In addition, gates being left open by drivers meant his ewes regularly became mixed with rams of a different breed from a neighbouring farm. He told Penguin Newsthat the Public Works Department did not consult him on where the road would run through his land prior to its construction and added: "Evidently there was an email sent to PWD by another farmer about the animal welfare issues, but it was ignored." Mr Triggs said he felt bad about closing the road off and he would continue to allow use of it by the two farmers who needed it to access their land. Director of Public Works, Manfred Keenleyside, said the road built by the government through Farm Rodeo was a highway along which the public had a right to travel. He commented: "Any obstruction of a highway is a criminal offence and is liable to be investigated by the police." Young mother jailed for drug importationA TWENTY-TWO year old mother of one began a prison sentence on Wednesday after she admitted importing drugs into the Islands. A visibly distressed Kristy Lesley Anne Buckland of Stanley was sentenced to a 28 day custodial sentence despite her lawyer's mitigation that the amount of cannabis she had imported was small and for her personal use to treat postnatal depression. Miss Buckland was apprehended by a Customs Officer at Mount Pleasant on July 7, after information was received that she was carrying drugs. The 5.9 grammes of cannabis resin was located in her luggage. A comprehensive pre-sentence report and a medical report were considered by the Senior Magistrate Alison Thompson sitting with Justices of the Peace, Andy Brownlee and Jan Cheek. Defence Lawyer Richard Marlor said that while the charge of importing drugs to which Miss Buckland had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity was correct, the case could be distinguished from other importation and possession cases because of the depression Miss Buckland was attempting to treat with the drug. Referring to the medical report, he said that while Dr Roger Diggle appeared "relatively sceptical" of cannabis being used as a treatment for postnatal depression, in Miss Buckland's experience it had worked. His client was a young mother and this was her first offence he said. He urged the court to consider a suspended sentence or community-based penalty. "Prison is not the place for her," he added. Following a lengthy deliberation, Miss Thompson said that although it was a small amount of cannabis involved she was not persuaded it could be dealt with as leniently as possession. She said it was a deliberate act to bring drugs into the Islands and that a custodial sentence was justified. MoD flight contract still up in the airAN announcement on the award of the new airbridge contract is believed to be "imminent," Councillor Mike Summers has said. "We are all waiting on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to complete their procurement processes before any details of the new contract, aircraft type and schedules can be issued," he added. It was not clear whether flights under the new contract would be in the same pattern as the current contract or not, Cllr Summers said: "There could be a larger airframe on the same schedule of three times a fortnight as now, or a smaller airframe twice a week." Until this is resolved, Cllr Summers acknowledged, many businesses and organisations were struggling to make progress: "We are fully aware that the booking agencies have huge difficulties with this, but it is entirely outside our control. We (and others) have put as much pressure as we can on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and MoD to release information as soon as possible." Penguin Newslearned this week that Monarch airlines is to be involved with the new airbridge contract, however, Cllr Summers was unable to confirm this as he had received "no official news." Early closure planned for loligo seasonTHE second loligo squid season of 2008 is to close a month early unless new stock enters the zone. Marine Officer Jon Clark said the early closure was necessary as a precautionary measure because there was statistical evidence that further fishing could deplete stocks below a notional breeding stock level of 10,000 tonnes. At a meeting with the Loligo Producers Group held yesterday afternoon a decision was taken to close the area of the loligo box south of latitude 52 30' South at 2359 hours on Monday, August 25unless there was evidence in the intervening period that a fresh stock pulse had entered the fishery. The season should have closed at the end of September. A further meeting will be held with the fishing companies involved on Monday afternoon to discuss any developments in the next few days. Notice has also been given to the companies that the rest of the fishery - that is north of 52 30' South - may have to be closed on August 31, unless fresh stock enters the area.