Tristan : EDITORIAL FROM THE HARD COPY OF TRISTAN TIMES
Submitted by Tristan Times (Juanita Brock) 18.01.2004 (Article Archived on 21.03.2004)

The Editors have been off Island for several months dealing with other business. Having now happily returned, the Administrator extends his gratitude to the Chief Islander for his careful and diligent attention to the business of running the Island. The Editors tell us more.

EDITORIAL FROM THE HARD COPY OF TRISTAN TIMES

(Edition 1 2003)

The Editors have been off Island for several months dealing with other business.  Having now happily returned, the Administrator extends his gratitude to the Chief Islander for his careful and diligent attention to the business of running the Island.

During this period there have been increasing difficulties in maintaining contact through official e-mail.  Intensive and extensive telephone calls with London reveal that this is not entirely unconnected with the Gulf War.  Our current new and highly sophisticated satellite communication systems, whilst adequate, are insufficient to deal with the situation.  This is a position with which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office agrees.  As a result, the Administrator, with London’s help, will fund a brand new satellite communication system called “Fleet77.”  It will not cost Tristan a single penny.  At the same time, the Administrator realises that the basic human right that medical communications should be confidential.  This arrangement is also in hand.  The capital equipment, again, will cost Tristan not a single penny.

The Editors have pleasure of taking notice of the request from our readers that Tristan Times should contain more articles from local sources.  The Editors therefore hope that this edition satisfies those aspirations.  They also hope that this will be a continuing feature of the Tristan Times. 

It will be obvious from this issue that there has been an enormous investment in new equipment for the Island funded by the Good Government Fund (GGF) controlled by the Overseas Territories Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.  Tristan has competed for this funding against equally deserving demands from the other Territories, particularly in the Caribbean, where the Foreign Office is waging a serious war against drugs.  Tristan is therefore particularly grateful that this funding has been made available.  You will have read about the benefits of this serious investment in Tristan’s ability to deal with emergencies on land and at sea.  There are many other arrangements, which have been made to enhance our ability to deal with disaster in this, the remotest inhabited island in the world.

While all this is going, in the wake of the dramatic high seas arrest of Viarsa, the Administrator is in contact with the South African Authorities and others to bring the utmost rigour to bear on the piracy by illegal, unlicensed and unregulated fishing for the treasure of Tristan which, as you know, is our Lobster.  For obvious reasons the Editors are unable to, at this stage, tell you more.  But our readership may be assured that everything possible is being done to prevent the depredation of our single resource.

The Editors hope that you enjoy this issue and look forward to comments that they can incorporate in future editions.

MESSAGE FROM THE EDITORS:

The Editors will gladly publish letters and articles provided they are clearly attributable, that is preferably signed (Difficult with e-mail) but at lease with a name, address phone/fax number and working return e-mail address.

We reserve the right to edit contributions.  There are no guarantees that all letters will be published but we will do our best.  Nor do the Editors undertake to reply. 

Closing date for contributions for the hard copy: February 2005.

Submissions should be sent to: hmg@cunha.demon.co.uk or faxed on: 00-871-682-087-158 or alternatively to: 00-871-1445-435.  Put Tristan Times in the subject line, please.