MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Royal Honour for FIGO Head Sukey Cameron.
The work of the Falklands Government Representative in London, Sukey Cameron, has been recognised in the Queen's Birthday Honours. She has been awarded an MBE - a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, for, as the citation says, “public service to the Falkland Islands”.
The honour was announced only three days after her speech calling on the new Argentine President to initiate a new era of co-operation in which the Falkland Islands and Argentina "could live as neighbours do" if only Argentina would drop its sovereignty claim and recognise the Islanders' fundamental right to self-determination and their wish to remain British.
Miss Susan Elizabeth Cameron, as she is named in the Honours List, is the longest -serving Falkland Islands Representative since the London office was created 20 years ago. She has been in charge for thirteen of those years, pioneering a series of initiatives which have given the Islands what she calls "a strong voice" in the United Kingdom.
One of her most effective campaigns has been in lobbying Members of Parliament at Westminster and at Party Political Conferences and organising visits to the Islands for MPs to make sure they are aware of Falkland Islanders' concerns and policies and especially to strengthen their support in resisting Argentina's claim to sovereignty. A visiting Member of Parliament, Mr Richard Ottaway (Conservative) recently paid tribute to her,declaring: "Sukey has a very high profile in London. The Falklands are more than adequately represented and if Islands should slip out of our minds, it would not be for long".
Miss Cameron has recently completed a busy twentieth anniversary year of the London Office, coinciding with the 20th anniversary of the 1982 Conflict. She was deeply involved with the mass pilgrimage by more than two-hundred veterans who went back to the Falklands last year as members of the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA). She was also closely associated with the founding of SAMA a few years ago.
She has been involved in arranging several Royal visits, including those by Prince Charles, the Princess Royal, the Duke of York, and Princess Alexandra.
Among other initiatives she has overseen to increase awareness of the Islands, she has promoted a successful Falklands Forum business conference, presided over a series of annual receptions, and participated in agricultural shows and other exhibitions throughout the United Kingdom.
She has been an influential leader of the Overseas Territories Association, and played a leading role in its foundation.
She has also modernised the London office to make it a more attractive show place for the Falklands way of life. In a tribute to her staff, she says: "They pride themselves on the central role they play in changing people's attitudes and perceptions of the Islands as well as strengthening understanding of the Islands' way of life and our place in UK history and culture".
She previously helped to run the Falkland Islands Association in London.
Sukey Cameron is the daughter of the late Mr Norman and Mrs Anne Cameron who settled and farmed in the Falklands at Port San Carlos. Sukey is the grand-daughter of Herbert Henniker Heaton, who was Colonial Secretary and later Governor of the Falkland Islands. Sukey is one of their four children. Her sister, Jane, is the Falklands Archivist. Her brother, Alastair, who had also been London Representative and Director of Fisheries, was killed in a road accident in the Falklands. Her other brother is Donald.
She is one of three Falkland Islander recently awarded honours. Former Councillor Lewis Clifton was awarded an OBE, and Claudette Anderson, Clerk of Councils in Falklands Legislature, collected her MBE from the Queen only a few days ago.
Harold Briley, (MP) London
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesCommenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!