Falkland Islands

• Monday, September 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Councillors “don't anticipate a visit” from Argentine President.

  Elected Falkland Islands Councillor Mike Summers bluntly disassociated himself from the remarks made by ”the recently visiting gentleman from the Foreign Office about the possible visit (to the Falklands) from the President of Argentina“ for the unveiling ceremony of an Argentine Memorial to be built in Darwin. Nevertheless Mr. Summers said he hoped ”the monument is built relatively soon and I hope this is a successful project”.

• Monday, September 1st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Minerals and Agriculture Departments to be Combined.

  FIG is pleased to announce that, with effect from 1st January 2004, the management of the Departments of Agriculture and Mineral Resources is to be combined under the leadership of Mrs. Phyllis Rendell. This represents the first stage of a review of senior management structures of the civil service that is being undertaken by the Chief Executive with councillors.

• Sunday, August 31st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Punta Arenas expects 71 cruise calls.

  A new increase in the number of international and local cruise calls is expected this coming season in Punta Arenas. Jorge Norambuena, president of Magallanes Association of Tourism Operators, (Austro Chile) revealed that 71 cruises are scheduled to call in Punta Arenas and/or Puerto Natales, plus another thirty by Punta Arenas based “Mare Australis”, compared to the 57 and 22 of last season.

• Sunday, August 31st 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Ozone Committee September active.

  Public opinion polls and focus groups among different locations of Magallanes Region residents will be carried out during the coming six months with the purpose of determining community perception of the thinning of the ozone layer and the increase of UV radiation that begins every year in September in southern Chile.

• Friday, August 29th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Penguin News Friday 29th update

  Headlines: Falklands Patrol Vessel in 'poacher' intercept; LegCo Meeting,Pension question; Inside Penguin News: Page 2:Public meeting, Page 3:Fire at Carcass Island, Page 5:Beef AI results, Page 7:Letters/questions, Page 9: Ham radio goes to the top.

• Friday, August 29th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  X rays security for Punta Arenas airport

  Punta Arenas airport will be equipped next year with a sophisticated X rays system to check luggage and passengers, or anything introduced to aircrafts “making it one of the safest air terminals in the country” and ensuring “our position as the gateway for scientific and tourist flights to Antarctica”.

• Thursday, August 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  “Antarctic Dream” cruise next December

  Magallanes Region businessmen have invested over four million US dollars in refurbishing and converting a former Chilean Navy support vessel into the Antarctic tourist cruise, “Antarctic Dream”.

• Thursday, August 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  High praise for Governments in toothfish wars.

  Legal toothfish operators around the world have today applauded the international operation led by the Australian government, which has seen the capture of the Uruguayan flagged Viarsa.

• Thursday, August 28th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Anti-monopoly Tribunal in Chile

  Magallanes Region Deputy Zarco Luksic from the ruling Chilean coalition praised the recent approval of a bill creating the Free Competition Defence Tribunal, with the purpose of promoting free market conditions in all industries, correcting or sanctioning monopoly situations contrary to consumers' interest.

• Wednesday, August 27th 2003 - 21:00 UTC

  Recession in Punta Arenas

  For the second consecutive quarter economic activity in Magallanes Region has been negative which technically means the area is in recession. However the regional representative of the Chilean Ministry of Economy, Bernardo Troncoso believes that the second half of 2003 will see a strong recovery.