HOME PAGE Falkland Focus News from the Falkland Islands Government Number: 68 - September/October 1999	SOME OF THE FALKLANDS TEAM AT GOTLAND
THIS PAGE - Falkland Islands appoints new Chief Executive - Islands Councillors speak at the United Nations - Sporting success for the Islands - Commemorative coin - Students achieve A level success - Prince Charles joins Falklands Conservation - New Minister for the Falkland Islands - Fisheries Agreement update
PAGE 1 - British/Argentine Agreement Sealed - Royal Visitors at the Royal Show
PAGE 3 - Focus on Tourism - Conservation - An oasis of wildlife - The Capital: Stanley - The 1982 Battlesites - Fishing in the Falklands - Information Box

Falkland Islands appoints new Chief Executive

Dr Michael Blanch, 52, has been appointed Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands Government and will take up the post in January 2000.

After gaining his PhD in 1975, Dr Blanch has held senior posts in borough and county councils across the United Kingdom and joins the Falkland Islands Government from Bromley Council where he has been Chief Executive since 1995.

Dr Blanch was a member of the UK Territorial Army for 26 years and received the Territorial Decoration. His hobbies include mountain biking, sailing, walking and entertaining. Dr Blanch is married with two sons, aged 17 and 20. His wife, Penny, who is a pharmacist, will be accompanying him.

Press release

Islands Councillors Speak at the United Nations

Falkland Islands Councillors, Jan Cheek and Sharon Halford, attended the United Nations Decolonisation Committee on 1 July 1999. The Councillors reiterated the Islanders right to self-determination, as an essential principle of the United Nations Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Councillor Sharon Halford asked: "How long does one need to petition for a right that one is clearly entitled to?" She noted that the relationship between the Falkland Islands and Britain is a "partnership" within which the Islands "democratically elected government is wholly responsible for the internal management and running of the Islands."

Councillor Cheek called for the support of the Committee in "resisting attempts by Argentina to make the Falkland Islands its colony in the South Atlantic." "I believe," she continued, "that we have the right to freely determine our political status and that being so we choose to retain our association with the United Kingdom as an Overseas Territory".

Sporting Success for the Islands

The Falkland Islands has won its first gold medal at the NatWest Island Games in Gotland Sweden, held at the beginning of July. Policeman Graham Didlick won first place in the Whitworth class 4 black powder musket event. Five other members of the shooting team also achieved medals. Twenty four competitors represented the Islands in rifle shooting, athletics, swimming, clay target, black powder and pistol shooting, golf and badminton.

The Falkland Islands finished fifteenth in the medal table, one place behind Gibraltar. The host island Gotland won the most medals. The Islands Games began in 1985 and this year attracted almost 2,000 competitors from 22 islands worldwide.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Commemorative Coin for Sir Ernest Shackleton

The Falkland Islands Treasury has produced a legal tender coin to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the birth of the famous explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton. Sukey Cameron, the Falkland Islands UK Representative, and the Honourable Alexandra Shackleton, granddaughter of the late Sir Ernest, attended the formal first striking of the coin on 26 August at the Pobjoy Mint in Surrey.

To purchase a coin in the UK please contact John Smith at Pobjoy Mint T: 01737 818181.





Falkland Islands Students Achieve A Level Success

Eight students from the Islands are going on to higher education having achieved impressive A Level results. The students have secured places at Universities and Colleges in the UK and will be funded by the Falkland Islands Government.

Director of Education, Dr David Langridge said: "Many of our students have worked very hard and their success is well deserved."

Several students spoke to Falklands Focus about their forthcoming courses starting this autumn:

* Samantha Payne has a place at Southampton University to study Fashion Design. "After my course I would like to return to the Islands and try and open a fashion business."

* Matias Short is going to study Fine Arts at Cardiff University. "In the long term I am planning to go back to the Islands and possibly teach art in the Community School."

* Kelly Moffat is going to Leeds Metropolitan University to study physiotherapy. "After I qualify I am going to see the world and then gain some experience in Britain before returning to the Islands."

Prince Charles Joins Falklands Conservation

Following his recent visit to the Falkland Islands, HRH Prince of Wales has accepted an invitation to become an honorary member of Falklands Conservation. HRH The Duke of York is the patron of the charity, which was established in 1979 by the late Sir Peter Scott.

To encourage more young people to take an active role in the protection of the Islands environment, Falklands Conservation has set up a junior branch called Wildlife Watch. One of its first initiatives has been to tackle the problem of declining Tussac Grass in the Islands, an essential habitat for the Islands wildlife. On East Falkland it is estimated that the grass has declined from over 50 km to just a few hundred hectares in the last 100 years.

Falklands Conservation has nearly 500 members, with over 300 in the United Kingdom and abroad and more than 150 local members. For more information on Falklands Conservation and how to join, please contact Ann Brown on 0181 343 0831.


Falklands Conservation has recently completed a two year survey of the rare Striated Caracara, which are only found in the Falkland Islands and South America


Falklands Conservation Website: www.falklands-nature.demon.co.uk

New Minister for the Falkland Islands

John Battle MP has replaced Tony Lloyd MP as Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with responsibility for the Falklands. Mr Battle was previously Minister of State at the Department of Trade and Industry.

Baroness Scotland has replaced Baroness Symons and will take over the responsibility for the Overseas Territories. Baroness Symons replaces Lord Gilbert at the Ministry of Defence.

Fisheries Agreement Update

Falkland Islands Councillors welcomed the progress made at the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission in Madrid on 2 and 3 September. Measures to combat poaching were agreed and testing of the procedures is to start immediately so that they will be fully effective by 9 October.





PAGE 1 - British/Argentine Agreement Sealed - Royal Visitors at the Royal Show

PAGE 3 - Focus on Tourism - Conservation - An oasis of wildlife - The Capital: Stanley - The 1982 Battlesites - Fishing in the Falklands - Information Box




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