MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Defence Secretary, Geoffrey Hoon is arriving on Monday

Geoff Hoon

A Senior Minister may not be representing the UK Government in June - but the Secretary of State for Defence is to pay a fleeting visit to the Falklands. Defence Secretary, Geoffrey Hoon is arriving for an overnight stay to the Falklands on Monday. The stopover will be part of his South American tour. Mr Hoon will be staying at MPA but will spend the afternoon and evening in Stanley. The Governor will meet him in town to lay a wreath at the memorial. Then an evening reception is to be held at Government House in his honour. The Secretary of State will fly to Chile the next day but his full itinerary has not been released. A junior minister for the armed forces, Adam Ingram will be here for the June Commemorations.

Falkland Islands names David Hudd non-exec chairman; replaces John Gainham

Falkland Islands Holdings PLC said it has appointed David Hudd to the board as non-executive chairman with effect from March 4, to replace John Gainham who has retired from the board. Hudd is currently non-executive chairman of API Group PLC and a non-executive director of Paramount PLC, and was executive chairman of a group he founded, Vardon PLC, now known as Cannons Group PLC, until April 1998. Previously, he was chairman or chief executive of a number of listed companies and a partner in Price Waterhouse until 1982.

. No Post

There is concern that full flights are stopping parcel post reaching the Falkland Islands. Post Master, Moira Eccles says she has let Consignia Services in the UK know and they are investigating. Parcel Post which comes on Lan Chile has not arrived for over two weeks. Post by air should take around 15 days. Consignia sub contracts their parcel mail to United Airlines. They then use Lan Chile from Santiago to get parcels over 2 kilos to the Falklands. Small packets and letters come by Tri-star. A full passenger flight should not stop post coming to the islands and it is yet unclear whether this is the reason for the delayed parcel post.

Morrison

Morrison Construction is calling for a long-term presence in the Islands. Company Director, David Bull, says despite teething troubles with the G