News

The Internal Audit section has reviewed the Report on the FIGAS Recovery Action Plan at the request of the GM FIGAS.  Please click here to read the Report.

At a meeting of the Executive Council on 27 February Mr Keith Biles was elected as the new Speaker of the House and Mr Anton Livermore CPM was elected as Deputy Speaker.  Keith Biles was a member of the overseas staff of a major international British bank for 25 years, living and working in many parts of the world.  He arrived in the Falkland Islands in 1995 to take up an appointment as manager of the local branch of the bank, and retired from that position in 2002.  He is active in many roles within the voluntary sector in the Islands and his wife, the Rev. Kathy Biles, is the Associate Minister of Christ Church Cathedral in Stanley.

Ms Madeleine Moon, Labour MP for Bridgend, and Mr Brian Binley, Conservative MP for Northampton South, have completed a successful visit to the Falklands from 19 to 24 February 2009. The visit included Government briefings on fisheries, hydrocarbons, tourism, agriculture and defence.  The weekend was spent in Camp at San Carlos and at Sea Lion Island.  Ms Moon commented that the trip had been highly successful while Mr Binley said he would take back the message that the Falklands are a very healthy, vibrant and able community.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will visit the Falkland Islands on 24 and 25 March on her way to South Georgia.  She will be accompanied by her husband, Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence.  Visits to the Police Station, Fire Station, Junior and Community Schools, Liberty Lodge, Falkland Islands Defence Force Headquarters, Cape Pembroke Lighthouse and Atlantic Conveyor Memorial, Port Louis Settlement and Stanley Power Station are planned.  The Princess Royal last visited the Falkland Islands in January 2007 when she was on her way to Antarctica.

Captain Gavin Pritchard OBE has personally assured that it is the intention of the Royal Navy that HMS Endurance will return to full operational status as early as is safely possible.  The ship suffered engine room flooding in December and is returning to Portsmouth for repairs.  A welcome and familiar sight around the Falkland Islands, she is the Royal Navy’s sole ice patrol vessel.