MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Former Falklands Governor appointed to Venezuela
The Falklands former Governor, Donald Lamont, has been appointed Britain's Ambassador to Venezuela. He will take up his new position in July having undertaken 'pre-post training' at the Foreign & Commonwealth office in London. He takes over from Dr. John Hughes who is looking for a new position.
Mr. Lamont completed his three years tour as Governor of the Falklands in November 2002, and until recently has been without a follow-up post. He was succeeded in the Falklands by the present Governor Mr. Howard Pearce, who during the 1970's, served in the British Embassy in Buenos Aires.
Mr. Lamont is a fairly fluent Spanish speaker, having prior to his Falklands posting, served as Britain's Ambassador to Uruguay. He succeeded Richard Ralph who was firstly appointed Britain's Ambassador to Romania, and has recently taken up a similar Ambassadorial role in Peru.
Mr. Lamont's three years term as Governor in the Islands coincided with a large demonstration by several hundred residents, against the signing of the July 1999 Joint Statement, which allowed access to the Falklands for Argentine nationals, after a 17 years restriction. However, much to the annoyance of many Argentines, the Statement, signed by the Argentine, British and Falklands Governments decreed that Argentine passports would be stamped by the Falkland Islands Government Immigration authority, upon entry to the Islands.
Mr. Lamont who hails from Aberdeen was the first-ever Scotsman to be appointed Governor of the Falklands. Resplendent in his traditional kilt, he was a popular entertainer at social functions, particularly for his rendition of the tune, 'The Northern Lights of old Aberdeen'.
Patrick Watts (MP) Stanley.
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