News

Ministers attending the Seventh Ministerial UK-Caribbean Forum have agreed an Action Plan, which recognises the right of self determination for the Falkland Islanders.

The meeting, held in Grenada, was held under the theme “Prosperity Towards Sustainable Growth” and was attended by the UK Government and members of the Caribbean Community organisation (CARICOM).  Numerous Caribbean Heads of Government and Ministers attended the meeting, with the UK represented by the Foreign Secretary William Hague, and the Overseas Territories Minister Jeremy Browne.  The forum agreed an Action Plan containing agreements on a range of issues from climate change to sustainable development.  Of great significance to the Falkland Islands, the Forum agreed:

“To support the principle and the right to self determination for all peoples, including the Falkland Islanders, recognising the historical importance of self-determination in the political development of the Caribbean, and its core status as an internationally agreed principle under the United Nations Charter”

Member of the Legislative Assembly Jan Cheek said:

“We are delighted to have our rights recognised by our friends in the Caribbean.  We have much in common with island states all around the world, and we have long maintained our right as a people to determine the future of our home and country.  This basic right is what the Argentine Government are trying to deny us.”

The Action Plan endorses the position of the Falkland Islands people, who have chosen to retain their status as a British Overseas Territory.  The Argentine Government claim sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, and have adopted a policy of isolating the Falkland Islands from South America.

For further information please contact:

Darren Christie, Public Relations and Media Manager

dchristie@sec.gov.fk

+500 27400

Due to a reported outbreak of norovirus on the cruise vessel Star Princess, following agreed protocols, the Chief Medical Officer took the difficult decision not to allow the vessel to land in the Falkland Islands as scheduled.  The vessel had been due to arrive in Stanley at 8am on the 14^th January.

The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Stanley were informed of the problem on the afternoon of the 13th of January, and communicated the decision that evening following consultation with both the ship’s doctor and a consultant microbiologist in the UK.

This difficult decision was not been taken lightly, and was made in the wider interests of the public and tourism industry.  Norovirus is highly infectious, and causes potentially severe sickness and diarrhea.  It is spread easily by direct contact, touching contaminated surfaces, and through inhalation.  The virus has become a serious issue in hospitals and vessels around the world and can be very serious in the elderly and the very young.  An outbreak in the Falkland Islands would put enormous pressure on our limited medical resources, and jeopardise other scheduled cruise visits.

The Falkland Islands Government wish those affected a speedy recovery and an enjoyable onward journey, and hope to be able to welcome you to our beautiful home and country in the future.

This is only the second occasion that a tour vessel has ever had to be turned away from the Falkland Islands, with over 100 cruise visits welcomed every year.

In consultation with the cruise operator and local agent, a post-incident review is to take place.

Member of the Legislative Assembly Jan Cheek said:

‘The people of the Falkland Islands deeply regret the decision by Mercosur to ban our legitimately flagged vessels from entering their ports, though we can sympathise with our friends in South America as to the bullying tactics employed by Argentina.  We are resourceful people, and we will not bow to Argentina in their attempts to undermine our home and way of life.

‘We welcome reports that President Mujica has said Uruguay will not participate in an economic blockade of the Falkland Islands.  We would remind the countries of South America of the long and mutually beneficial trade relationship we share with countries in the region, and encourage them to respect us as the valuable and reliable regional partner we have strived to be.’

Notes to Editors

For further information, please contact:

Darren Christie:  +500 27400 / dchristie@sec.gov.fk (Falkland Islands based)

We welcome the deployment of HRH the Duke of Cambridge to the Falkland Islands, as we welcome all RAF Search and Rescue pilots to the Falklands. The RAF Search and Rescue crews provide an invaluable service by improving safety and saving lives.

 We very much hope that the Prince William will enjoy his time working on our islands.

The Falkland Islands Government are not aware of any further detail of the deployment and advise that the Ministry of Defence should be contacted with any questions.

GILBERT HOUSE

10 NOVEMBER 2011

The Foreign Office has launched a consultation on a new strategy for the Overseas Territories.

The strategy aims to:
• strengthen the engagement and interaction between the UK and the Territories.
• work with Territories to strengthen good governance arrangements, public financial management and economic planning where this is necessary; and
• improve the quality and range of support available to the Territories.
The consultation, which will run until 31 December 2011, will seek views from people in the Overseas Territories and the UK on implementing the goals of the strategy.

Comments and responses can be made online, through email or by post. These will help inform the strategy as the Government prepares for the publication of a new White Paper in 2012, which will set out in detail this Government’s approach to the Overseas Territories.

Speaking before the launch of the consultation, Minister for the Overseas Territories Henry Bellingham said:
“Since we came to Office in May 2010, this Government has worked hard to re-invigorate the UK’s relationship with the Overseas Territories. This consultation is an important part of that approach as we move toward a new White Paper on the Overseas Territories next year.
There are many people and groups who have an interest in the future of the Overseas Territories and can provide us with insight into how to develop the UK’s relationship with them. I look forward to receiving their ideas.”
The UK Government’s overall vision is for the Overseas Territories to be vibrant and flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of their British identity and generating wider opportunities for their people.
You can take part in the consultation by the following means:
• Online, by leaving a public comment on this site under any or all of the questions (comments will be checked against FCO’s moderation policy before publication)
• by private email or by post to the Foreign Office in London
Comments will be accepted until 31 December 2011; the website will remain available for reference until 1 July 2012.

Further information

The Foreign Secretary announced to Parliament on 14 September that the Government had agreed the principles of a new strategy for the Overseas Territories.

More information on our work with the Overseas Territories

Members of Legislative Assembly the Honourable Sharon Halford and Roger Edwards left the Islands today en-route to the annual Party Conferences in the United Kingdom. They will be joined by the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) London Representative Sukey Cameron MBE.

FIG are one of the longest standing exhibitors having attended the Labour and Conservative Party Conferences since 1988; this year FIG will also, as a trial, be exhibiting at the Liberal Democratic Conference having attended International Day in past years.

The days at conference provide an excellent opportunity to meet a large number of delegates ranging from MPs and their constituents, media representatives, diplomatic visitors and fellow exhibitors – some 30,000 people over three weeks.  New contacts are made and former contacts updated on issues affecting the Islands. MLAs also have the opportunity to attend a number of fringe meetings that may be relevant to the Islands.

Sukey Cameron MBE says “It is always interesting to find that a large number of people have connections with the Islands, either having visited themselves or know people who have. We are also pleased with the interest shown in the Islands and for the high level of support we always get.”

Office of the Legislative Assembly

Gilbert House

13 September 2011

FIG has agreed today heads of agreement with Consolidated Fisheries Ltd to enable South American Atlantic Service Ltd (SAAS) to resume its international freight services in the near future.

The three year deal will ensure that the financial support is available to enable SAAS to plan for the longer term and ensure customers can also plan to use the service with a high degree of confidence. Both CFL and FIG will cooperate to enable the Company to provide competitive freight rates over the next three years even if freight volumes continue to be low.

FIG had already taken steps to ensure that the MV Scout would be available to SAAS if a deal was done and the Scout will be on charter to SAAS from 1 September.

SAAS has ensured that it has a number of options available for shipping routes which plug in to the world wide container network and can provide an efficient service through to final destination for customers. The SAAS Board will determine which of these is to be utilised when the service starts.

The service should start in the near future and certainly by November at the latest. It will be necessary to recruit a General Manager and other staff and put in place many other practicalities which may mean the service cannot start immediately.

SAAS will contact its customers directly in due course to advise them of how they can obtain details of freight timings and costs.

Commenting on the deal MLA Gavin Short said:

“We have been reassuring the community for a long time that work was being done behind the scenes to ensure a satisfactory containerised shipping service would continue. The community has been very patient and this is being repaid in our announcement today of a long term deal which will see SAAS through the next few years. We should not fool ourselves that fresh challenges to our international links may occur but we shall continue to meet these with our usual determination. Farmers, fishing companies and other customers should now await arrangements to be put in place by SAAS to enable the continuance of the service”

Notes.

 MV Scout is the vessel used by SAAS for the service which finished in July.

Click here for link to press release

Elected members criticise unilateral actions by Argentine Government that impede travel and trade

June 21^st 2011, Stanley: The Honourable Dick Sawle MLA and the Honourable Roger Edwards MLA this morning addressed the United Nations Decolonisation Committee in New York.

Both MLAs used their speeches to Committee Members to robustly reaffirm the resolve of the Islands’ government and people to pursue their right to self-determination.  Both MLAs also called upon the members of the United Nations Decolonisation Committee to respect the principals of the UN in respect of countries and their fundamental right to self -determination.

 “Chapter 1 Article 1.2 enshrines the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples,” said the Honourable Dick Sawle MLA. “This is a high principle that the UN stands for and I ask that Committee Members stand by that principle today”.

Both MLAs took the opportunity to outline the elements of the Islands’ current relationship with Argentina, citing a growing number of unilateral moves that have challenged the Islands’ way of life.

“Argentina has broken agreements and attempted to restrict our external communications and economy. The end result is that any bridges that we may have attempted to build between our two countries have been destroyed by this unilateral action”, said Mr Sawle.

During their speeches, both Mr Sawle and Mr Edwards reminded the Committee that there had been no official visit from the Committee chair to the Falkland Islands, despite the previous Chairman having visited Argentina last year. They called for members to be open to listen to all parties in relation to questions of sovereignty.

“Mr Chairman, I would now like to invite you, publicly, to visit the Falkland Islands to see for yourself our unique way of life and freedoms that we enjoy”, said Mr Edwards.

During his speech, Mr Sawle made the following points: 

• The people of the Falkland Islands are united in their belief that they should be left to determine their own future
• The principal of sovereignty is not a question of control over a country, it is one that means that the governed need to respect and accept their government. The Argentine claim does not meet these fundamental requirements
• Unilateral actions such as the 2003 banning of charter flights to the Islands through Argentine airspace have damaged relations with the Islands

 Click here to read the full speech.

 During his speech, Mr Edwards made the following points: 

• The Falkland Islands are self sufficient and self governing except for external affairs and defence
• The Falkland Islands’ people do not wish to see a change from British sovereign status
• The Falkland Islands’ people enjoy a high standard of living and enjoy a highly regarded education system

 Click here to read the full speech.

 The Islands have sent representatives to the annual meeting of the Committee since 1983.

June 14^th, London: The Falkland Islands Government this evening held its Annual Reception at London’s Lincoln’s Inn. Guests this year, included MPs, Peers, Legislative Assembly Members, former Governors and CBFs, visiting Islanders, Falkland Islands students, FCO and MoD personnel, former Chief Executives, and members of UK-based Falkland Islands groups.

 In a speech to guests, Falkland Islands Government Representative, Sukey Cameron underlined that the Islands are entering a crucial period in their economic development, and called on the UK Government to continue to work in partnership with the Island’s people in order to create an even more stable economic base from which to grow.

“We intend to build upon our economic successes so that we can maintain economic independence and sustain our quality of life. While economic growth is required for its own sake, it has wider-reaching benefits: with economic strength, we will be less vulnerable to external political pressure and free to determine our future.”

A message from Her Majesty the Queen was also read out to guests, which was followed by the Loyal Toast. The Band of the Grenadier Guards then Beat the Retreat.

Falkland Islands Government Office, London