MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

FIBS Breaking News.

Public Meeting discusses Lan Chile flights?

Matias Suarez Anzorena, the Argentine businessman who wishes to visit the Falklands has said he hopes to arrive by private jet tomorrow. Gerald Cheek, the director of Civil Aviation maintained that Mr. Anzorena has still not contacted him for authorisation nor has he been in touch with Mount Pleasant Airport. He added that if he did, it would be refered to councillors before any agreement was reached. Matias Anzorena said that the principal purpose of his trip is to try to start commercial operations with Falklands agricultural producers on wool, leather or any other sheep products. He is a sheepskin and wool exporter from Tierra del Fuego where he's the representative for a company called ?Fowler SA'. His boss, Mr. Marcelo Fowler also wanted to join him on the flight. When asked if he thought there might be problems in trading with the Falklands, he replied that he thought it was difficult but not impossible and his expectations of farmers were good because he was trying to offer them new ways to sell their farm products.

Confusion over allowing this flight

This case came up at the public meeting in the town hall yesterday, and there seemed to be some confusion as to whether the flight should be permitted. It seemed either that if there were a willing buyer and a willing seller, then it should be allowed but some councillors thought that the agreement only covered tourism visits and commercial trips different. This was discussed at the General Purposes Committee today.

LANCHILE flights refused extra flight and changes to schedule

At the Public Meeting in the town hall yesterday, the first item to be discussed were the changes to LanChile flights. A member of the public expressed concerns that LanChile's request for a change in dates and times of landings plus an additional weekly flight were being turned down by the military at MPA. This was alleged to be due to a lack of staff to manage increased commercial activity and it was put to councillors that the government and FIDC need to liaise with the military and help them in providing extra staffing for the increase in flights. Richard Baker from the Falkland Islands Devel