Archive for January, 2009

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News on HMS Endurance

Thursday, January 29th, 2009
Following a serious flooding incident suffered in the engine room just before Christmas,  HMS Endurance, the Royal Navy’s only ice breaker, is currently moored in her second home port, Mare Harbour in the Falkland Islands. Due to the severity of the accident, a vessel is currently sailing from the UK and will then tow the ship back to Portsmouth for extensive repairs. At this stage it is not known how long she will be away from the South Atlantic, where she carries out vital work patrolling Antarctica.

According to the ship’s Captain, Gavin Pritchard, “In terms of the future, it is the Navy’s intent to get the ship back to Portsmouth at the earliest opportunity in order to complete repairs and then to get the ship back to patrolling Antarctica as soon as safely possible thereafter”.

New CEO for Conservation

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
Craig Dockrill has been appointed as Chief Executive of Falklands Conservation, the charity that takes action for wildlife in the Falklands.  He succeeds Grant Munro, who left the organisation in September 2008.  Craig has spent the past three years working in the western Arctic region of Canada as a Habitat Biologist for the Canadian Wildlife service.  Prior to taking up residence in Arctic, Craig served as manager for the Wildlife Society of Malawi.

Future Chief of the Air Staff Visits the Falklands

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
Future Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Stephen Dalton visited the Islands last week and carried out a full programme that has taken him out into Camp and around Stanley.  The aim of the visit was to meet a broad cross-section of service personnel in the Falklands and view the full range of military capabilities commanded by Air Commodore Gordon Moulds.  Air Marshal Dalton was said to be impressed by the dedication, professionalism and enthusiasm of all the service and civilian personnel he met, and the information he gleaned from his visit will prove invaluable in his new appointment commencing in July.

Members of Parliament to Visit in February

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
Labour MP Madeleine Moon, who represents the Welsh constituency Bridgend, and Conservative MP for Northampton South, Brian Binley, are due to visit the Falkland Islands for one week in February.  The planned itinerary includes Government briefings, meetings with Legislative Assembly Members, officials and the private sector. They will also visit the British Cemetery at San Carlos and travel to Sea Lion Island to see the wildlife there.

Falklands Wildlife to Feature on BBC Radio 4

Wednesday, January 28th, 2009
Wildlife from the Falkland Islands, including rockhopper penguins, black browed albatross and caracara birds are to be featured on a highly popular series of natural history programmes to be aired by BBC Radio 4 over the next four weeks. Starting on Sunday 1 March, the Islands’ wildlife will feature on the ‘Living World’ series. Visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/livingworld.

Falklands Conservation assisted the programme producers who visited the Islands whilst making the series – www.falklandsconservation.com.

Penguins Encourage Schools’ Link with Edinburgh

Friday, January 16th, 2009

Sandie Robb and Polly Phillpot, education officers from the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which owns Edinburgh Zoo, have arrived in the Falkland Islands.  They will spend a month visiting schools at Mount Pleasant and in Camp, as well as Stanley and various youth groups. They will be teaching local children about Scottish wildlife, as part of a School Linking Programme, which aims to set up Scottish schools with links to classrooms around the world.  Lessons about the Falkland Islands have also been planned for Scottish pupils in 56 schools and will culminate in a School Linking Day at Edinburgh Zoo in June, when the Scottish pupils will be able to speak to Falklands pupils via webcam. Edinburgh Zoo is home to many Falklands penguins, which Sandie and Polly have now seen in the wild for the first time.

New Website for BFSAI

Friday, January 16th, 2009
British Forces South Atlantic Islands has launched a new website, www.mod.uk/bfsai, which is now being frequently updated.  The website contains information for members of the British Forces serving in the Falklands as well as recent news.

New Year’s Honours

Friday, January 9th, 2009
Shirley Adams-Leach, a dedicated music teacher, has received a MBE for her services to musical education in the Falkland Islands.  She first arrived in the Islands in 1988 on a two-year part-time teaching placement.  Returning full time in 1999, she has since instilled enthusiasm in music in a large number of Falklands students.  The musical ability in the Falklands is borne out by the size of the GCSE class and consistently high results in Associated Board examinations.  Also in the Queen’s New Year’s honours list was Brigadier Nicholas Roy Davies MBE MC.  Formerly of the Parachute Regiment, Brigadier Davies has been appointed CBE in recognition of his long and distinguished service and particularly for his service in the Falkland Islands.  Brigadier Davies was Commander of British Forces in the Falkland Islands (CBFSAI) for 18 months during the busy and sensitive period of the 25th anniversary of the 1982 conflict.

Islanders Celebrate the New Constitution

Friday, January 9th, 2009
A reception was held at Government House on 5 January to commemorate the new Falkland Islands Constitution, which came into effect on 1 January.  H. E. the Governor Mr Alan Huckle commended the Constitution as being “a significant step forward in democracy in the Falkland Islands” and acknowledged role of the Constitution to constrain the power of the Governor.  Councillor Mike Summers OBE, who had been involved in bringing the new Constitution into being over twelve years and three Legislative Councils, paid tribute to the work of his colleagues to ensure fundamental rights and freedoms for Falkland Islanders.

Falkland Islands New Years Radio Address, Gordon Brown MP

Thursday, January 1st, 2009
Today we’re not only welcoming in the New Year, but also a new Constitution for your Islands.  This Constitution both reiterates the United Kingdom’s commitment to your right to self determination and enhances local democracy and accountability.  I welcome this and I recognise that, through your full participation in the Constitutional Review, you have shown your unequivocal desire to remain British.

2008 has brought enormous challenges with the downturn in the global economy.  I know that your Government’s financial situation is under pressure, and that you are taking steps to find budgetary savings.  None of us is immune, and we all have to do our best to plan against further shocks to the global economic system.

Exploration for oil and gas around the Falkland Islands continues.  The British Government will continue to support your ambition to develop this into a viable and secure sector of your economy.  We will provide guidance and advice to ensure that your Government is able to plan for and manage all of the problems and responsibilities that come with a hydrocarbons sector, be they health and safety, security, or socio-economic.

But extraction is still a far-off and uncertain prospect.  So your Government is right to try to diversify your economy further.  Success will of course depend on a close working relationship between the government and business sectors, committed to the same goals.

Maintaining physical links between the United Kingdom and the Falkland Islands is important.  I’m pleased that the Ministry of Defence has been able to deliver a new Airbridge contract, with a more regular service.  I know the importance of this Airbridge to your Government’s plans to develop business and tourist traffic.  I hope that this new service will support that.

I am sorry that the large Argentine next of kin visit to the Islands has still not taken place.  I know that your Government wants this visit to happen.  I hope that this is the year we can find an acceptable way forward.

We shall continue to encourage the Argentine Government to co-operate on matters of mutual interest and concern, such as the conservation of fisheries in the south west Atlantic, and to build business and communications links between the islands and all other countries within the region.  We will also make it clear that we want to work with Argentina if we are to address the world’s future needs and problems, from finance to terrorism, and drugs to non-proliferation.

We shall discuss all these issues openly with Argentina.  But we will, as always, make it clear in any such discussions that we have no doubts about the United Kingdom’s sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.  There can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of your Islands unless and until such time as you so wish.

Next year, you will have elections for a new Council. that will be an important expression of the democratic tradition in the Islands that we shall seek always to uphold.

I wish all on the Falkland Islands happiness, good health and good fortune for 2009.

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