The Falkland Island’s Government (FIG) announced yesterday that a conditional offer of employment had been accepted in principle by Mr. Barry Rowland for the position of Chief Executive. Current FIG Chief Executive, Keith Padgett, is retiring later this year after serving as head of the civil service for the past 5 years.
Falkland Islands remains hopeful of improved relations with the new administration of Argentina and cooperation in the many areas of mutual interest such as fisheries and connectivity, but sovereignty of the Falklands is not for negotiation, reads the Gilbert House report to the 46th British Isles and Mediterranean Region Conference, which opened on Sunday in Jersey.
Britain reiterated interest in strengthening relations with Argentina in areas of mutual interest, but also underlined London's position regarding the Falkland Islands remains unchanged, while from Stanley, the Falklands' elected government expressed its willingness to explore a potential cooperation with the Argentine government.
Big OceanData has been awarded a contract to provide the Government of the Falkland Islands with its vessel monitoring system (VMS) capability for another five years. For the first time the system will include AIS data, which will be integrated with existing Inmarsat tracking data from the fishing vessels.
The Falkland Islands elected government has announced details of the parade to celebrate the birthday of Her Majesty the Queen to be held at Stanley's Victory Green on Thursday 21st April 2016. The parade will form up at Victory Green at 10.20 hours and His Excellency the Governor will arrive at 10.30 hours.
A group of five Central American journalists, including one from Honduras, visited the Falkland Islands to learn more about the politics, economy and life in the Islands. The invitation was made by the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to media representatives from Panama (Diario La Prensa), Costa Rica (Diario El Extra), El Salvador (El Diario de Hoy), Belize (The Reporter Press), and Honduras (El Heraldo).
Falkland Islands provided twenty five Argentine nationals with humanitarian aid (food, warmth and shelter) following the announcement of a week long delay to their return flight to Chile. The group was made up of marathon runners and associates who came to the Islands on March 19 and participated in the Sunday Standard Chartered bank Stanley Marathon. The competition was won by Argentine athlete Rafael Lencina in record time.
The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, reacted to the Tuesday official Argentine announcement of its extension of the continental shelf saying it was waiting clarification from the UK government on the implications, if any for the Islands. What is certain is that it does not affect fisheries or squid catches, one of the Islands main source of income.
The member of the Falklands/Malvinas legislative assembly Phyllis Rendell on a private visit to Paraguay openly stated that the South Atlantic archipelago claimed by Argentina is a British Overseas Territory and underlined that the sovereignty issue was settled with a war between the two sides over thirty years ago.
Luis Alberto Lacalle, the Ex-President of Uruguay, is currently in the Falkland Islands on a week-long tour, along with Uruguayan Elected Representative Mario Jaime Trobo. Lacalle served as President from 1990 to 1995 and Trobo is presently a Member of the International Affairs Committee.