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The Islander - Thursday 18th January 2001

A NOBLE GESTURE

Karen, pictured below, is currently on her way to the Falkland Islands on tour with the CSE show. She volunteered her services in aid of the fund after being tracked down on the beach.

Karen is no stranger to Ascension, having performed here during the days when the RAF contingent was significantly larger than what it is today.

Thanks must go to The Administrator, Geoffrey Fairhurst and RAF Station Commander, Sqn Ldr Colin Menage for making it possible for this show to go ahead.

A total of £257 was raised in entry fees, and £30 more was raised by the sale of autographed photos.

Farewell To Phyllis Coleman

Phyllis with the Administrator Geoffrey Fairhurst minutes before getting on the RMS St Helena last Tuesday morning. Farewell to Phyllis Coleman, after 7 years in the Administrators office. Phyllis and Dakey finally left last week after admitting that the Administrator can be left in charge of the Island without her guidance !!! Good luck for the future from The Islander team.

Father Keith Writes:

PARISH CHURCH OF ST MARY THE VIRGIN.  ASCENSION ISLAND (Diocese of St. Helena) Parish Priest: Fr. Keith James - +247 6431 Church Warden: Mervyn Isaacs Church Warden: Cheryl Anthony

Dear Friends,

Why me?" I wonder how often you have said that when things have gone wrong? It's a term we most often use when things seem unfair, when you really do ask "what have 1 done to deserve this?"

It's been a busy week.

Last Friday Ginny and I hosted a supper at the Vicarage for the Church Council members and Churchwardens. No boring Church Business or financial affairs, simply a time to talk with one another over a lovely meal with a very relaxed feel about it all. It's our way of saying "Thank You" to those who support the Church week by week in getting the building ready for services, greeting people as they arrive, giving out the books and making sure things run (fairly) smoothly. Our thanks to them all for their support.

Then on Saturday we were privileged to have the wedding of Jules and Nancy Moquin, a first "bi-lingual" marriage for me, and again made possible by the willingness of so many people to make sure the day was a very special one and that all went according to plan. It was good to welcome so many to the Service and attend the delightful reception afterwards, again made possible by eager helpers.

Sunday morning we were blessed by several visitors to the Island attending the Eucharist. It's always a good feeling when numbers exceed those you were expecting. Cheryl led our singing, 'George' our amazing digital all-singing-all-dancing-hymn-tune machine gave us the tunes we wanted, Jet the cat came to keep us all in order, and afterwards people stopped to chat even though we didn't provide refreshments!!

Then, on Sunday evening, just as we were about to begin Evening Prayer (all two of us!) the doors opened and we welcomed the company of six visitors bound for the Falklands; and after the Service they too spent some time with us on the Vicarage veranda - this time we did rustle up some coffee.

So all in all a good week. Just wanted to share it with you. It's not only the difficult or demanding or unfair that makes you wonder "What have we done to deserve this?" It's the good things too.

God Bless you and keep you, Fr Keith & Ginny.

FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR Mr Geoffrey Fairhurst

Turtles
Last week I mentioned the proposal that we should close the road behind Long Beach between 2100 and 0600 during the turtle nesting season. In his article Brendan Godley mentioned closing the "Beach". I rush to say that there is no intention of closing the beach to anyone. It is only the road that we propose closing and then only to vehicular traffic. All we want to do is minimise the disturbance to the turtles.

500th Anniversary
Donald Johnson has come to my rescue and offered to form a committee, the first meeting of which is to take place on 16 January. Anyone with ideas on how we should mark our 500th Anniversary should contact Donald - or me.

Education Fund
The fund received a surprise boost on Sunday. The proceeds of the show put on by Karen Noble and Dave South came to £289, all of which has gone into the Fund's account at the Savings Bank. Thank you all for your generosity and thank you to Karen and Dave for providing such an entertaining evening.

Medical Insurance
Visitors to Ascension must have adequate medical insurance to cover both treatment here and the cost of a medical evacuation by air if necessary. The suggested minimum cover is £10,000 for treatment and £100,000 for a medevac. We have seen some insurance policies recently that provide far less cover, even as low as £1,000 for a medevac. This is not enough and will not be accepted . Please ensure that your visitors have adequate insurance cover.

 

Geoffrey Fairhurst
15 January 2001

SPONSORED SLIMMING UPDATES

The Education Fund / Two Boats Playgroup

After week 1 of 10, at the official weigh in Sharon has lost 6lbs out of her target of 14lbs. Sharon will continue for the full 10 weeks. Sponsorship/donations can still be made at the SIFF shop or by stopping Sharon in the street.

The Fat Boys Slim - Ascension Island Cub Scout Group

For the period 1st January 2001 to 10th January 2001

Jamie - 3.9 Kgs (8.59 lbs)

Roger - 4.3 Kgs (9.47 lbs)

By the Headteacher - Mrs Betty Joshua

SCHOOL PAGE

www.ais.co.ac/school/

Hello everyone!

School's back and we're already into the second week of a new term. Since it is the new year, lets start of with some new beginnings................

New Pupils In School
We're pleased to welcom new pupils into school and they are: Joseph Bowden and Shanco Green for our afternoon Nursery Class; Macauley O'bey for Reception; Taylor Essex and Lex Yon for Lower School; Shane Green and Nico Ellick for Middle One; Shaun Joshua for Middle Two and Clayton Yon for Year 7 in the Senior School. Welcome to you and your families, and we hope you will enjoy your time with us at TBS.

New Works Improvements
The School has been the center of major and minor works since we embarked upon our new academic year back in September last year. One major works feature has been the extension to the upper playground, which, after it has had its final sweep, etc., will be an added facility for Middle School use. The children have been involved in presenting ideas for its use and are looking forward to having this nice open space to play in. We plan to enhance the surrounds with shrubs and climbing plants and we would like the children to be involved in the planting and care of these. So watch this space, everyone! Another major job has been the upgrading of the Lower School toilets, which has meant replacing the old with the new. Other works have included new tiling in Middle Two's classroom and Middle One is on the waiting list for theirs in the next school holidays. We've had new window replacements in the Hall, Lower School's playground has had a surface lift and the Staff Car Park is in the process of a tidy- up, too! So, in spite of the dust and noise that we've had to endure during the on-going works period, the improvements to the school's buildings and surrounds are an obvious asset in making our lives at school more safe and comfortable

New monies for new things!
Through the generosity of the American Legion, we have had a recent donation of £340.00, which will be used to put towards the purchase of a new television screen and recorder. We use this opportunity to thank the members of the Legion here on the US Base for yet another kind gesture. We would like to wish Mr. Don Powell all the best as he leaves our Island soon. Thank you, for your interest in our school.

And as we are in the thanking mode, it is fitting that we thank all those people who made the recent week-end 'CSE' Show possible and to those who attended so that the Education Trust Fund got yet another boost. Thank you, indeed. And to Sharon, Jamie and Roger who are shedding and collecting pounds all at the same time - well done and thank you for your efforts in raising money for the same Fund. You are to be admired (and will be even more, later!!).

Betty Joshua
Headteacher

Extract from the Governors Xmas Speech 25th December 2000

LETTERS

The Met Office Weather Report

ASCENSION SEA SWELL FORECAST:

Southwesterly 1.0 metres increasing to a meaty Northwesterly 1.5 to 2.0 metres towards the end of the week.

Sea temperature around Ascension Island:
Still stubbornly stuck at 25.6 Celsius..

ASCENSION ISLAND:

Disappointingly rather cloudy up until Saturday with one or two light showers then dry, hot and mainly sunny.

ST HELENA:

Gary Thomas reports … A relatively cloudy start to the week with a moderate breeze and the occasional light shower. However broken cloud produced a fairly sunny weekend - totalling 15 hours.
Mean Temp: 19.0ºC. Sunshine: 23.4 hours. Mean wind speed: 13.6 knots.

UK:

High pressure has arrived at last so a largely fine and dry week has been enjoyed by most. Typically cold and frosty by night though.

FALKLAND ISLANDS:

Not a bad week with a good deal of dry weather, sunshine and even a couple of days of light winds.

I know you're all going to be disappointed but this week's Metchat is going to have to be necessarily brief. Due to a complete misunderstanding, breakdown in communications, cock-up, call it what you will, I am now writing this just a few minutes before the Islander deadline. As usual the demon drink was involved but to cut a long story short I thought that 'Pops' had already prepared a guest piece for this week's edition. Unfortunately we had both had a few beers when this was being discussed and it transpired that he actually intended to write his article this morning. Last night then happened to him at his basha, the Saints Club and Tristar Village so understandably work was not an option this morning! Having just found this out, I have now come into work, covered in sand and wearing only a pair of swimming trunks to get something, anything into print.

That's the excuses for this week out the way and at least that's a few lines taken up already. The rest of the week for me anyway, has been a bit mixed. My wife and daughter arrived for a 9 day stay last Monday only for my wife to promptly go down with flu. She has spent the whole week feeling absolutely awful and will probably be the only person ever to leave Ascension Island whiter than she arrived. The usual comment that 'there is a lot of it around at the moment' hasn't exactly cheered her up very much! I have however, found the floor in my basha a very comfortable place to spend the night but it's not very romantic is it?

Work-wise and we had a fair amount of trade last week what with Hercules coming in and out and the VC10 disappearing down south. There have also been a number of delays, most notably to the Tristar on Friday. Where would the passengers have stayed that night if, as seemed possible at one time, the aircraft ended up night stopping here? Meanwhile the seemingly cursed VC10 returning from the Falklands has been due to come for several days now although there is a vicious rumour that it is actually en route to us at the time of writing.

Last week's teaser asked what the lowest temperature ever recorded at the Airhead is. The answer, to the nearest degree, is 19ºC recorded in September 1992. This week I'll ask you to name the narrow bands of high-level winds that blow around the planet.

Time is running out now so I shall have to finish. After this little episode I shall probably start writing next week's Metchat tomorrow. Gary from Operations tells me that our offerings aren't amusing enough or near enough to the knuckle so he's going to be even more disappointed than usual this week! I shall get him to write a guest article himself one week although the arrangements for this will definitely not be made over a beer otherwise I could be sitting here writing this in my blinking trunks again! All the best until next week!

Captain Caveman.

PRESS INTERVIEW WITH GEN. GUTHRIE

General Gutherie, the highest ranking Military officer in the United Kingdom, has come to visit the Falklands and to see how the armed services stationed here are getting on. He also took a whistle-stop tour of the Falklands during his brief three day stay. The second day into his tour, the General laid a wreath at the 1982 War Memorial and he had a chance to take questions from Liz Elliot of FIBS, Lisa Riddell of Penguin News and J. Brock (SARTMA).
GG: I have come here to see the garrison who are doing an extremely important job here and, I think illustrate just how committed we are to the sovereignty of the Falklands. We really do believe that this garrison has a very important job to do and it is our job to see that they are looked after properly. I have come down, I have talked to many people in the garrison and they are very conscious of what an important role they have. I also, of course, came to honour the dead of 1982 when I had been around various memorials ending up here today to lay a wreath and I will go back with mixed emotions. Obviously it's very sad but it is necessary for people to die. I am quite convinced that it is a cause which is very important for both the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom. And, I am very proud to have been part of it really, though I wasn't here at the time.
LE: It's nearly nineteen years since the conflict. You have just spoken about the defence of the Islands. Is it as important now as it was back, say, just following the Conflict?
GG: We have never wavered in our determination that the Falklands should be a sovereign country and sovereignty is extremely important. We have always said that Sovereignty is not negotiable. That's just is important. But I have been received very well, indeed and I have met some extremely interesting people on the Islands already and I hope to meet some more. I am full of admiration for your position that you have taken over the years.
LE: How do you find the morale of the service personnel down here in the Falklands.
GG: The ones I have talked to; it seems to be fine. some of them have been here more than once. In fact, I met one person here that had been on six tours and seemed to be happy. Six months is quite a long time to be separated from your family. And, of course, apart from the Falklands, the services are involved in other commitments and operations around the world so, there is quite a lot of separation. But this time last year 47% of the services were on operations away from home. And, that figure has gone down to about 25% now. so, it's moving in the right direction. But I found morale high. Of course some people would like to do some things they can't do down here but overall, I think it's very good.
LR: Can I ask you if you were briefed on the recent suspected Argentine incursion?
GG: Well, I have been briefed on the very strange story of this dinghy which was found with various pieces of equipment on it. I think it's too early, really, to give a definite point of view about what actually was going on. I don't know but I think we are looking very hard at some of the equipment we found. And, that has been analysed and before long we will have a much clearer picture. I think it would be a bit premature for me to start guessing about what it might be.
LR: Are they stepping up security at Mount Pleasant as a result?
GG: I don't think it makes much difference. The security at Mount Pleasant is good at all times. And, just because a dinghy which has been damaged and a lot of equipment has been found on a beach a long way away from anywhere else, I don't think they need to start alarms. The guard is always up.
SARTMA: What about Wide Awake Airfield and the RAF's participation on that Island after the 31st of March when the joint venture to run the Island runs out?
GG: I am going to Ascension when I leave here on my way back . But I actually don't want to say anything about it until I actually go there. Ascension's been an extremely important staging post for us, as you know, for many years now and has made a great difference to the way we can re-enforce the Islands, how we can re-supply the Islands and how we can move people backwards and forwards to the United Kingdom. So, it's an important place and I will be seeing and hearing from the commanders in Ascension Island what their views are, if they have problems and I am going back to London and see if I can sort them out.
SARTMA: There are some negotiations going on with the Americans about allowing more civilian aircraft to land at Wide-Awake Airfield. At what stage are they?
GG: I really don't know. I haven't been involved in them. That doesn't mean to say they are not going on. If I had been to Ascension Island on my way here I could have been more helpful.

The Administrator of Ascension Island later confirmed to SARTMA that General Guthrie's visit to Ascension Island will last only 90 minutes.

By J. Brock (FINN)

Hash Hares: The Major & HKP

Hash Hounds: Frank-N-Furter,Grasshopper,Skipper,Thunderthighs, BeanyBaby,Morticia,Blind Pew,Ivor the Engine,Pants, Miss Trunchbull,LimpSausage,Sticks,Woodswrecker, Ma-Bell,Human Mattress,Patrick,Tina,Gary

"Have you ever known Tiggers to be tricky?"

We start today's fun at The Klinker Klub where groans & moans and slightwhimpers could be heard throughout the island. The rules(as such ) wererelayed to the newbees to further confuse them. On-on to the vehicles for abrief ride along the pipeline on the dangerous bend. Towards English Bay aways, then back along the road and across to a previous hash trail. Off intothe wild blue in search of hash. With numerous bars and circles, the packtires. The newbees are treated to such stuff as running over loose soil,lava rocks(of the tigger-ous kind ), around thorny trees(one of our newbeeshas a dirty mind ), and other odds bits. At a bendy bar check, a short cutfor Beany Baby(Crystal Tips wasn't here to guide her ), the pack finallygets to go up & up & up, to the lower mound of Sister's. Here Sticks, afteryears of rest and excuses, challenges the Hash Tigger to a skree race wherehe learns that Tiggers are best at this. A home arrow awaits all at thebottom after a quick cinder removal. To the vehicles and back to the KKwhere food and spirits are consumed. A newbee decides to explore the watersedge and show of a new set of cloths. Down downs have been given for less.We also say farewell to the Human Mattress, Little Cushion, Mum Mattress,and Blind Pew as they all leave us for warmer areas. TTFN Has anyone seen the Drain-man or Rat Boy? EXCUSES?!!

Next Weeks Hares: Woodswrecker & Pants from old movie theatreBehind the VC

Hash Scribe - HKP

www.the-islander.org.ac

EDITORS : Ian Andrews, Steve Fowler & Adam Henshaw
The New Islander Office, Fort Hayes, Georgetown, Ascension Island.
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E-Mail: editors@the-islander.org.ac

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