Penguin News FALKLAND ISLANDS Ross Road, Stanley, Falkland Islands • Tel: 22684 Fax: 22238 • [email protected] • www.penguin-news.com • Every Friday V19. No 03 Price £1.00 Friday, May 25, 2007 Sailors restore Coventry’s cross New Chief Justice HIS Excellency the Governor has THE memorial on Pebble Island for formally appointed His Lordship HMS Coventry has received a major Christopher Gardner QC as Chief facelift for the anniversary of her Justice of the Falkland Islands. sinking twenty-five years ago Mr Gardner was sworn in by today. Acting Governor Mahala Wynns in Built in 1983 by Coventry the Turks and Caicos Islands on survivors, the memorial had May 22. become severely weathered in its Mr Gardner has served as Chief exposed position on the side of Justice in the Turks and Caicos First Mountain. Islands (British West Indies) since The mahogany and iron cross November 2004 and will be that forms the main part of the returning to London later this year. memorial was removed in early He replaces James Wood as May by crew members of HMS Chief Justice of the Falklands, who Edinburgh. It was flown onboard was appointed in September 1998 by the ship’s Lynx helicopter where the restoration work was carried out following the death of Sir Renn by members of the Marine Davis. Engineering Department, under Commenting on the the supervision of Chief MEM appointment, His Excellency the Hattie Jacques. Governor, Mr Alan Huckle, said, “I The cross was flown back to am very pleased to have appointed Pebble Island on Wednesday by Christopher Gardner QC to serve helicopter, along with a six-man as Chief Justice of the Falkland party to reassemble it. For Chief Islands. He comes with a fine Jacques and his team this was the reputation from the Turks and reward for many hours of work put Caicos Islands, which is a British in to restoring the cross, and they Overseas Territory in the were justifiably pleased with the job Caribbean, and he has had a they had done. Although serving on distinguished legal career in HMS Edinburgh at present, they London.” are in fact crew members of HMS Exeter (on a trial crew exchange), Mr Huckle added, “I take this a sister ship of HMS Coventry and opportunity also publicly to thank the last serving Royal Navy vessel James Wood for his distinguished from the Falklands war, therefore service as our Chief Justice since the project had a particular 1998 and also as Senior Magistrate poignancy for the team. before then - and wish him well for The restoration work was the future. He has served the carried out by Chief MEM Jacques, Falklands well.” POME Norman, LMEM Scobie, Picture: A White LMEM Allen, MEM Lardner and with HMS Broadsword The ship capsized in less than half Badminton coach visits ETME Ellis; the Lynx crew were approximately 10 miles north of an hour and sank with the loss of Lt Sims and Lt Reynolds. Pebble Island, when she was bombed 19 lives. THE Badminton Club is hosting a On May 25, 1982 HMS by Argentine Skyhawks as part of A commemorative service professional coach, Rebecca Coventry was on radar picket duty their “Homeland Day offensive”. takes place at the memorial today. Pantaney, to help with training, in preparation for the Island Games Badminton Tournament in ‘No meeting of minds’ on sovereignty, says Governor Greenland in October this year. IN HIS annual Address to the consistently made it clear that the memorations planned by the Ar- The visit is sponsored by Nation, the Governor has spoken UK government has no doubt about gentine Families Commission for the Commonwealth Games of the Falklands’ strong links with British sovereignty over the Falk- later this year, Mr Huckle urged the Association, Falkland Islands the United Kingdom and the land Islands, and that there can be respect of Islanders’ feelings. He Company, Falkland Islands Holdings deterioration in relations with no change in that sovereignty or explained, “...memories of the Ar- and Caribbean Alliance Insurance Argentina. discussion of sovereignty unless and gentine invasion and occupation Company and help and support has His Excellency Mr Alan Huckle until the Islanders agree - and cur- are still very stark here. The Ar- also been provided by the Falkland yesterday told Legislative Council rently I see no indication that Is- gentine government...cannot ig- Islands Overseas Games and the listening public that the pres- landers wish any such change.” nore the fact that the invasion oc- Association. ence of senior representatives of the By contrast, he said, the ap- curred and that it changed the situ- Rebecca, herself a UK at the planned Liberation com- proach of the current Argentine ation completely for Islanders and Commonwealth Games gold medal memorations - such as the Earl of government has been disappoint- Her Majesty’s Government alike. holder and currently ranked number Wessex, the Minister for the Armed ing. “The Argentine government “It will be important, therefore, four in England, will be arriving on Forces and the Shadow Defence Sec- have made it clear publicly that in agreeing with the Argentine Fami- Saturday for two weeks. retary - “clearly demonstrates” the what they want is discussion about lies’ Commission the arrangements As well as working with the “depth and closeness” of the link the transfer of sovereignty to Ar- for this group visit, that Islander Badminton Club, she will also be between Britain and the Falkland gentina - and on that there can be sensitivities are respected.” Islands. He commented, “Succes- no meeting of minds.” More on the Governor’s address doing some work with the schools. sive British Prime Ministers have Looking ahead to the com- next week. The Badminton Club members say anyone who is interested in coming along to the club is more than NEXT WEEK IN PENGUIN NEWS: Full coverage of the Legislative Council Budget welcome - club nights are Mondays session, including the final decisions of the Budget Select Committee. and Thursdays from 7pm to 9pm. Page 2 Penguin News, May 25, 2007 Drink drivers receive hefty fines Penguin News STANLEY painter and decorator family and employment. She issued Comment by Deputy Editor, Sharon Jaffray Darrell McGill avoided prison this him with a one month sentence, week when he pleaded guilty to a suspended for one year and fined AS ALWAYS, a fantastic amount of people have been attending the memo- drink driving charge. him £750. rial services this year. Some sceptics seem to think that the turnout is for In court before the Senior Mag- Mr McGill was also disqualified the media’s benefit but personally I don’t think that is the case; indeed, istrate, Clare Faulds, Mr McGill ad- from driving for three years and some have found overzealous media coverage to be an intrusion on their mitted driving on the Mount Pleas- ordered to pay £70 prosecution time of reflection. ant Road after consuming alcohol costs. But then media coverage is often perceived in many different ways. on May 4; when breathalysed, his Also in court was David Hills, Take the YouTube interview that Argentine journalists held with three lower reading was 109 micrograms who admitted to drink driving and young local lads that has been causing consternation in some quarters. of alcohol per 100 millilitres of driving without a licence. Police I held my breath when I watched, but, they didn’t swear and they said we breath. The legal limit is 35mg. were notified of the offence by Mr had little crime or prostitution. OK so they admitted to a bit of underage Mr McGill’s legal representative, Hills’ partner on May 7, and found drinking, they took the mick a bit out of the military fund-raising trait of Hugh Ferguson, said his client had him at his mother’s home on Dis- dressing in drag, they estimated the numbers of police a little highly and consumed three beers before driv- covery Close. His alcohol reading one got a little flustered when trying to explain how he feels British rather ing on the MPA road. A few miles was 86mg. than English. out of Mount Pleasant, he had Addressing the court, Mr Hills - But it not always easy to be eloquent with a camera and microphone in parked at the side of the road and, whose provisional licence had ex- your face. In many countries the cameraman might have gleefully filmed while he waited for a friend to meet pired in April - said he felt “very abusive behaviour from hoody-clad thugs hanging out in the town centre - him and drive him to town, he had foolish” about his actions, adding, thankfully not here. They were three youngsters being polite while trying another beer. Mr Ferguson said his “I don’t know what came over me.” to maintain their street-cred on home ground and I really don’t think the client “deeply regrets his conduct.” The Senior Magistrate reminded interview is going to change the perception of the Islands overnight. The Senior Magistrate was not Mr Hills that his previous court However, one thing that did concern me greatly was that they said they convinced; in sentencing, Mrs appearance, in November, was for were taught very little in school about the 1982 war. Yes, I know it is up to Faulds said Mr McGill’s alcohol read- an alcohol-related offence, and she parents to teach their children respect and to help them understand the ing indicated he had consumed warned him to, “...watch your situ- importance of the war but I think that if each year, children aged around 11 “much more” than four beers.