News

The Legislative Assembly met on 12 January to decide the priorities for 2010. Working towards a balanced budget is the most important priority but Assembly Members also recognise the need to invest in housing, education and training.  Other priorities are the Rural Development Strategy and the Falkland Islands Meat Company, roads and tracks, communications, the review of employment law and ensuring that the health service is efficient and affordable.

The new Director of Community Safety and Chief Police Officer, Gary Finchett, took up his post on 11 January, after serving with Cheshire Police.  A key priority for Chief Superintendent Finchett is to make policing more visible and to be committed to more engagement with communities across the whole of the Falkland Islands.

The new Commander of British Forces in the South Atlantic, Commodore Philip Thicknesse, arrived before Christmas, having already served in the Islands in 1982.  He is keen to continue the wind farm project which his predecessor, Air Commodore Gordon Moulds, initiated and championed, and possibly investigate further methods of alternative power.  He is also looking forward to working on joint civilian/military projects and developing the Mount Pleasant base.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has praised the Falklands for its “community spirit, resilience and strong democratic foundation.”  In his Christmas radio address, Mr Brown welcomed the work going into developing an economic strategy for a “more diverse and sustainable footing” and he wished the new Legislative Assembly well after an “impressively high voter turn-out.”  To read the press release in full click here.

Air Tahiti Nui and Air Titan are continuing to provide temporary cover for Airbridge flights between the Falklands and RAF Brize Norton in the UK until a longer term operator can be found, following the collapse of Flyglobespan.