MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rapid response to Tristan Da Cunha's storm desvastation.

The Falkland Islands have taken the lead in response to an urgent appeal from Tristan de Cunha, devastated by last month's hurricane.

As soon as word reached the outside world from this isolated South Atlantic territory, the Falkland Islands re-acted immediately by donating all £5,000 in their emergency disaster fund. Individual Islanders promptly donated several hundred pounds on the first day of a local appeal, which the Falklands Government pledged to match pound for pound to help a fellow United Kingdom Overseas Territory.

Tristan da Cunha, the world's remotest inhabited island of only 300 inhabitants, was struck by the worst storm for a hundred years, churning the sea into a heaving mass, tearing buildings apart, hurling power lines into a tangled heap, and killing cattle and sheep. Miraculously there were no human casualties.

The Falklands' rapid response is typical of its generous aid to many causes internationally in the past twelve months. The Falklands Government has helped nearly thirty charities, associations and institutions with donations of more than US$139,000 (ST£100,000), and nearly US$10 per head of population has been given towards disaster relief. An additional US$50,000 was contributed by private subscription to Kosovo and Mozambique.

Falklands Government Councillor Richard Cockwell told Mercopress: "Although we are a small Overseas Territory with a population of under 2,500 people, we recognise our privileged financial position and try to help other, less fortunate countries and communities".

Supporting the British forces is also a priority. Annual contributions to military charities include the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund; Royal Naval Benevolent Fund for Officers; Royal Naval Benevolent Fund and The Army Benevolent Fund, on an annual basis. Other donations have been made to the Royal Marines National Memorial in London, the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies, and the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA 82) of veterans of the 1982 Falklands Conflict.

A recent beneficiary has been Home Base, a charity which helps service men and women who are homeless or risk becoming homeless. As many as 25 per cent of those who live rough on the streets of Britain's major cities served in the Forces.

Cllr. Cockwell says: "Supporting these charities is a live and progressive way for