MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Self Determination Right Under Attack Say FI Councillors.
The need for overseas representation of Falkland Islands interests to counter Argentine government lobbying was a theme picked up by nearly every member during speeches in support of the Motion for Adjournment, which signaled the end of last week's meeting of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council.
Councillor Jan Cheek, newly returned from the Overseas Territories Consultative Council, said that such meetings offered opportunities for learning from the examples, good and bad, of other governments, but also an opportunity to make friends for the Islands and set the record straight about the Falklands position with regard to Argentina to countries who might otherwise assume that no problem still existed. She concluded, "we could bury our heads in the sand but to do so would be a betrayal of the very things that we should be fighting for."
"If we were to produce a profit and loss account on those visits, I believe they would always end up well in the black." This was the opinion of Councillor Roger Edwards, who recently attended the United Nations Committee of 24 in New York with Councillor Summers. In respect of this annual event in the Falklands political calendar, he added, "The Argentine deputation, sometimes exceeds 32, with their own television and own radio support teams. I think they are good value and we must be there. We will default and lose out if we do not attend."
In his closing remarks, Cllr.Summers described the right to self-determination of Falkland Islands people as being "under attack from the current government in Argentina" and thanked the British Government for doing an excellent job in stating its case regarding sovereignty to the Argentines. "But", he concluded, "it can't be left to them. It is our job, it's our responsibility, to make our case around the world for self determination."
The October 1st meeting of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council was held in the Court and council Chamber of the Town Hall and lasted less than an hour, including the customary opening prayers led by the Reverend Paul Sweeting of Christchurch Cathedral.
Five bills were placed before the house and passed without dissent. The first of these: Falkland Landholdings Corporation Amendment Bill 2004 and Falkland Islands Development Corporation Amendment Bill 2004 made provision for changes in the composition of the management boards of both organizations and could be regarded as ?housekeeping measures' as was the final Bill, the Supplementary Appropriation 2004/2005 Bill 2004 which allowed for the withdrawal of a relatively small amount of money from the Islands Consolidated Fund to meet supplementary expenditure approved by the Standing Finance Committee on 30 July 2004.
Of the remaining two bills before the Legislature, The Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 Application of Provisions Bill 2004, described as "complex and quite technical" by Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Simpkins, in his introduction, has the purpose of adapting the provisions of UK legislation on aviation and marine security to the circumstances of the Falkland Islands, while the Broadcasting Bill 2004 provides for the first time in the Falkland Islands a regulatory framework for re-broadcasting of satellite broadcast reception services and creates a number of offences in relation to unauthorised decoders.
John Fowler (MP) Stanley.
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