Tristan : Tristan's Annual Ratting Day Results
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 12.06.2010 (Current Article)

Ratting Day was held on Friday 21st May. The day was fine with the lee at the Settlement but a bit of breeze at the patches. Overall thought it was a decent day and at least it didn’t rain.

Ratting Day

Ratting Day was held on Friday 21^st May. The day was fine with the lee at the Settlement but a bit of breeze at the patches. Overall thought it was a decent day and at least it didn’t rain.

Fewer rats were caught this year than on previous years. This was the result of the project that has been in place for the past year with bait boxes of rat poison being put in the patches area to keep the rat population down. A total of 426  rat-tails were caught on the day. The prize of the most tails caught going to Bill’s Hill and the longest tail caught going to BIlls Hill and the Twitty Patch.

Tristan : Tristan Government taking Precautions for Swine Flu
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 22.07.2009 (Current Article)

Given the concern of some members of the community at the news from UK about Swine Flu, the Administrator Mr David Morley has issued a public notice, letting the community know what precautions are being put in place.

Tristan Government taking Precautions for Swine Flu
 
Given the concern of some members of the community at the news from UK about Swine Flu, the Administrator Mr David Morley has issued a public notice, letting the community know what precautions are being put in place.
 
At the moment there is no Swine Flu on Tristan, and we would like to keep it that way, as the MO (Medical Officer) does not have the facilities to diagnose Swine Flu, should it arrive here. So our main strategy is to keep it off the island.
 
The only way it can reach us is via a ship passenger carrying the virus. This is why there is now a system in place whereby all passengers, and crewmembers that want to land on Tristan, must fill in a medical form while they are still aboard ship.  The form asks them questions about their health. Anyone who isn’t feeling well will have his or her temperature taken. If the reading is too high, and/or if the person shows any other worrying symptoms, he or she may not land until the MO (Medical Officer) has checked them out, either via the radio or personally.
 
It is vital that all vessels follow this as many visitors are coming from many different countries.  Sadly, it seems clear that Swine Flu will be around for several years, so the measures that the Tristan Government is taking must remain in place for the foreseeable future.
 
Given our difficulties in diagnosing Swine Flu it is the intention to vaccinate everyone against it, so plans are in place to get the vaccine as soon as it becomes available.
 
The Administrator in his notice have asked people not to get too worried about what they see on the TV news, or what they hear from their friends and relatives in the UK and elsewhere, as there is no reason to be alarmed at this time, and we all want to avoid a repeat of the ludicrous media storm that proved so tiresome back in 2007.
 
 

Tristan : Friday, 12 May - A Bad One for Rats
Submitted by Tristan Times (Sarah Glass) 17.05.2006 (Current Article)

Tristan's rat population has decreased by 1,105.

Photo (c) James Glass - A collie - helped by humans - sniffs out a next of rats.

Ratting Day - Friday 12th May 2006

Yes it is this time of year again, when the Tristanians were to get their pay back on the rats and mice which had done damage to their vegetables, and cause them to make everything rat proof.

Ratting Day this year was due to be held on Thursday the 11th May, however due to bad weather and lots of rain, it was held the following day on Friday the 12th May.

This is an important day in the calendar for Tristan as it's a day when groups come together to hunt rats and have a meal together, not to mention the many bottles and cans of 5% fruit juice that was consumed throughout the day.  Although it was overcast first thing in the morning, there was no wind and the sun beamed out later in the day, which was a blessing for all, especially the children, who also had all their gadgets on how to catch a mouse.  The Acting Agriculture Officer signalled the day by the striking of the dong, an empty gas cylinder hanging in the center of the village, just daylight.  From then on lights started coming on in the houses, vehicles started up to take the teams hunting around the patches with mousetraps, dogs were barking, signaling the day had began.

The men hunting in the fields surrounding the patches followed with their dogs. The women as usual followed later with refreshments to encourage their teams on, and to prepare lunch and catch up with friends at the various camping huts around the patches.

Nine teams took part in the hunt for which there were the following prizes;

Most Tails
Second Most Tails
Third most Tails
Longest Tail
Second Longest Tail
Booby Prize

Nine teams took part, the most tails per man were won by the "Twitty Patch Gang", second most tails per man, "Below The Hill Gang" and the third most tails per man, "Bills Hill Gang" the longest tail "Bills Hill Gang" the second longest tail "Twitty Patch Gang" and off course the booby prize awarded to "Old Pieces Gang" (ladies tights and what have you not!!).

All tails were handed in at the Agriculture Officers clinic to be counted, and this was carried out be the Acting Agriculture Officer the Medical Officer and the Anglican padre, with the Acting Administrator as referee.  Much good-humored mockery, and some disrespectful remarks were made insisting that cheating had taken place, when some heard that they had not won, but then someone insisted that the Padre would certainly not lie!!

After the count it was home to brush up for the evenings dance at the Prince Philip Hall to end an enjoyable day, and being Saturday and not a working day the next day, made it all the sweeter.  The Acting Administrator, the Medical Officer and the Acting Agriculture Officer were at the dance to presented the prizes.

Total tails caught 1,105, with the longest tail being 257mm.