MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Plucky Sorrel Pompert Robertson streaks across the beach after joining a record-breaking crowd of loonies for the annual Midwinter Swim at Surf Bay

Headlines: Construction team faces a nervous wait; Wind and snow drives cars off the road

Construction team faces a nervous wait

THE 12-strong construction team at Government partners Morrison (Falklands) Ltd today face a nervous wait to find out if they have work for the next two months.

Stunned employees were told earlier this week they might face being stood down after boss Mike Butler broke the news that the company’s work programme could be frozen.

But a government rescue plan will be discussed this afternoon at a special meeting of the Planning and Building committee.

Mr Butler met with his team on Monday to tell them of the gap in the work schedule, and they discussed options for the next few months, including staff being stood down on reduced pay, or looking for temporary employment elsewhere.

He said the company could not have paid its employees to stay at home: “Because of the nature of the fixed fee contracts, the good times don’t pay for the bad times.

“We do not make that much money and do not have a stack in the bank for paying our employees 100 per cent when they would be sat there doing nothing. But we wanted to be fair and I didn’t want to lose them. We had no intention of making people redundant.”

One Morrison employee said around half the workforce would be badly affected if work was halted: “One of the guys here told me if we went down to half wage for six weeks or two months, he wouldn’t be able to afford to live. He just couldn’t do it. And there are a few boys in that position.”

Councillor John Birmingham said plans to develop the Mink Park site for housing - originally due to be heard on July 3 - were now likely to be pushed forward to enable Morrisons to start on the project and “help them bridge a gap in their work projects.”

The Planning and Building committee will meet this after-noon to consider the application for the development of the site into 19 serviced housing plots.

If approval is given Morrison will have enough work to keep its construction team working.

If the application had to wait until the committee’s scheduled meeting next Friday, due to shipping schedules a nine week gap would have opened up in the Morrison programme, leaving the work crew with nothing to do.

Bringing the item to the committee a week early means the materials will arrive by ship in just five weeks’ time.

Morrison has had a partner-ship agreement with the Falkland Islands Government for almost ten years. A programme of work worth £2.2 million is due to be issued by the government in this financial year.

Wind and snow drives cars off the road

AS winter set in with a vengeance this week police have urged drivers to take extreme care.

Three cars were blown off the Mount Pleasant Road, south of Sapper Hill, despite their drivers traveling slowly.

Chief of Police Paul Elliott said it appeared the road was so icy they slid off when they were hit by a blast of wind.

Advising motorists to take great care on the snow and ice, he said: “Stopping distances are up to ten times that of a normal dry road. Choose a high gear to avoid wheel spin when setting off and consider using four wheel drive.

“Drive slowly, giving extra time for braking, and manoeuvre gently to avoid harsh braking and acceleration. To brake without locking your wheels, get into a low gear earlier, allow your speed to fall, and brake gently.”

If drivers begin to skid, they should ease off the accelerator and not brake suddenly.

Roads Engineer Bob Hancox also advised caution: “If the wind catches you on the MPA road you’re in trouble. Drive only if the trip is absolutely necessary