Program to bring health care home THE MEMBERS of the first North Shore Health Board for the provincial government's New Directions program were announced Thursday at the des- ignation ceremony of the new regional body, By Kate Zimmerman News Reporter The brief ceremony designating B.C.'s third regional health board took place Thursday evening at the West Vancouver District Hall, with Health Minister Paul Ramsey and 120 guests present. “The designation of the North Shore Health Board is an important milestone for achieving the govern- ment's goal of bringing healthcare decision-making closer to home,” Ramsey said. “This important step will enable local communities and regions to have greater control over the plan- ning and management of their healthcare,” The 23-member board will be responsible for the fiscal operations and planning for the North Shore area, taking on the dual responsibili- ties of a community health council and a regional health board. Its first duties will be to develop its regional health plan and a funding allocation process for the region; later on, it will manage and deliver NEWS photo Cindy Goodman THE CEREMONY to inaugurate the North Shore Health Board, which will be instrumental in the implementation of the Closer to Home program, was held Thursday night at WVD Halli. loval health services. The provincial government has given the name New Directions to its creation of locally controlled Community Health Councils (CHCs) and Regional Health Boards (RHBs). The program, which will be eased into place rather than achieved overnight, is intended to integrate services, streamline administration, reduce bureaucracy and save money. New Directions is meant to allow Sailor seeks sub collision justice A WEST Vancouver man whose boat was rammed by a Chilean submarine last month says he is sinking in a sea of frustration in trying to deter- mine who was responsible for the bizarre collision. By Anna Marie D’Angelo News Reporter Jory Lord’s radar picked up the submarine about 20 seconds before it hit and sunk his 15-metre (50- foot) sailboat in Juan de Fuca Strait on Sept. 11. The Tofino lifeboat station work- er was able to send off a mayday message before diving off his sink- ing vessel. He was later picked up by the submarine at the collision spot near Sheringham Point, close to Sooke. There were American officers aboard the non-nuclear powered sub, which was sanctioned to be in Canadian waters by Ottawa. Lord suffered hypothermia and shock in the incident. He’s been trying to find out who is responsible for the destruction of his expensive boat ever since. . “{ really don’t understand what is happening. I’m up against the U.S Navy, the Canadian Navy and the Chilean Navy. Everybody is passing the buck,” said a frustrated Lord, 27, last week. His 1939 classic ketch, Moonglow, was made of mahogany. The uninsured vessel was last val- ued at $300,000, but Lord believes that that number is at least $200,000 teo low below the real replacement cost of the vessel. Lord lived on the boat and used if for commercial kayak charters near Clayoquot Sound. He said the latest attempt to get a government or military official to address his problem involved con- tact with a Chilean military attache who has an office in Washington. The News attempted to contact Chilean consul general Dennis Biggs in Vancouver, but an assistant said that Biggs had said all he was going to say to the media, Lord said one of the biggest things that “irks me besides this whole situation” was the published derogatory comments Biggs made about Lord’s seamanship. “Biggs said all these things about my boat and my sailing abilities and now ie says he doesn’t want to get involved,” said Lord, who is a veter- an sailor and coast guard worker. Lord’s father, Bill, has been Horseshoe Bay's harbor master for more than 15 years. Lord said his boat was outfitted with expensive radar, and he defies anyone to prove he did something to be 100% responsible for what hap- pened on that incredible September night. Lord said Burnaby NDP MP Svend Robinson has spoken on his behalf publicly. He has also talked to Capilano Howe Sound Reform MP Herb Grubel. Will Lord give up? “No, not by any means,” he said. communities more control over the planning, delivery and monitoring of health services, though funding for operating costs will continue to be provided by the Ministry of Health. According to the ministry. the new system will encourage account- ability beginning at the community level. The thinking is that with plan- ning centred there rather than in Victoria, gaps in services should be more easily identified. The Ministry of Health will con- tinue to function as the ullimate authority regarding healthcare man- agement and decisions. It will set health goals, monitor standards and outcories and ensure the delivery of services, working cooperatively with councils and boards. There are currently more than 700 bourds governing various aspects of the B.C. health system. New Directions will reduce that number to istr Board director: Ross Carter, Board members: Tony Angel, Victor Bennington, North Van City Coun. Jobn Braithwaite, Dorothy Cartwright, Faye Cooper, North Vancouver District Mayor Murray Dykeman, Derek Gellman, Jack Gerow, West Vancouver District ‘Coun. Diana Hutchinson, North Vancouver School Board trustee Margaret Jessup, William Kessel, Harry Lash, West Vancouver School Board trustee Michael MacDougall, Winifred Miller, Molly Murray, Cathy Nesmith, Shella. Ramji, Lions Bay _ Coun, Michael Reigh, Susan Thomas and Michael. Wintemute. fewer than 100 boards and councils. Two-thirds of cach CHC will consist of locally elected representa- tives; one-third will be appointed by the Health Minister. Eventually two- thirds of ministry staff — a total of 3,500 jobs -- will transfer to the RHBs and CHCs. Most RHB and CHC meetings will be open to the public, and begin- ning in 1996, members of the public will be able to run for election on CHCs. The ministry will be responsible for distributing funding to the vari- ous regions of the province. It will directly administer the Medical Services Plan, the Alternate Payments Plan and Pharmacare. ct Smoke-free school environment sought STUDENTS, TEACHERS and staff in West Vancouver District 45 schools who smoke will now have to butt out while on the premises and leave the grounds if they want to continue to light up. WEST VANCOUVER SCHOOL BOARD By Glen Anwick In the interests of providing a smoke-free environment, West Vancouver District 45 school trustees unanimously voted Tuesday night to prohibit smoking in any of the school district’s build- ings, grounds or vehicles that are on school property. Previously, smoking was allowed on District 45 grounds in designated smoking areas for students and staff. The new policy stirred debate amongst teachers, principals, par- ents and students who attended the board’s regular meeting. Issues raised in the debate included off-grounds safety, enforcement procedures, health of both non-smokers and smokers, individual rights and choices, and student responsibility. District 45 school board chair- DISTRICT 45 chairman Jean Ferguson ... “a safety issue versus a safety issue.” man Jean Ferguson said the matter was “a safety issue versus a safety issue.” She said smoking’s inherent health risks are well known but banning smoking on school grounds raises the question of the safety of students who will go off the premises to smoke. Trustee Clive Bird agreed that it was a “difficult issue to settle” but said a ban was necessary because the prevalence of smoking on school grounds could lead to “young people developing the addiction.” He suggested that the board try a smoking ban for a trial period of six montl.. to a year to see how it was working and whether it was leading to other problems. Trustee Ken Haycock told the meeting he had called a number of other school districts on the Lower Mainland and found that all those he contacted already had a total ban on smoking on their property and grounds. Board vice-chairman Michael MacDougall said trustees “can’t be seen as condoning nicotine addic- tion” of students because it is “clear to young and old” that smoking reduces lifespans and puts a burden on future healthcare costs. MacDougall was taken aback by the comments of several female students who said the new policy was unfair, would not work, could create more confrontations between teachers and students and that it was not up to the board to decide whether or not they smoke. He asked them whether they were aware that most businesses, public buildings and government agencies already have smoking bans in effect, to which they sim- ply shrugged and didn’t reply.