MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Breaking News

Headlines:
Falklands to discuss full time Councillors and Governor's role; Falklands' 25th anniversary Liberation Committee. Experimental fishing proposals approved

Falklands to discuss full time Councillors and Governor's role

Elected leadership, full time councillors, structure of the government and the committees system are among the issues to be considered by the Falkland Islands Select Committee on constitutional reform during the next three months meetings, reported Councillor Mike Summers.

The February meeting will focus on government reform; March on fundamental rights and the European Union Convention on Human Rights and April on interrelationship between the elected Councillors and the Foreign Office named Governor, how Executive Council is conducted and an ombudsman.

This will be followed by a draft with all the changes proposed to the Constitution, which will then be explained and consulted in several public meetings to be held in Stanley and the Camp.

It is estimated that a final report with the reforms should be ready to send to the Foreign Office by September. Later in the year a team of experts from London will be coming to the Falklands.

Councillor Summers cautioned that there may be contentious issues between the Falklands legislature and the Foreign Office since Councillors will be seeking to advance internal self government.

"This means redefining the role of the Governor and in some cases circumscribe powers so that it's clear the elected government is responsible for policy decision making in the Falklands".

Immigration policy issues are also forecasted "to require a fair amount of discussion with the Foreign Office", added Councillor Summers.

Falklands' 25th anniversary Liberation Committee

Preparations for the 25th anniversary of the Falkland Islands Liberation in 2007 will begin rolling next March when a 2007 Committee is officially launched. Two names are already linked to the project, Councillor Janet Robertson and House Speaker Lewis Clifton.

Mr. Clifton was involved in the twentieth anniversary commemorations and this time it is hoped that a high profile Royal visit can be arranged.

In related news the General Purpose Committee announced Councillors Richard Cockwell and Richard Davies will be going to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association 52nd Conference to be held in Abuja, Nigeria next September.

Experimental fishing proposals approved

PENDING the Governor's approval, Consolidated Fisheries Ltd (CFL) are to charter a dedicated potting vessel to operate in the toothfish fishery to ascertain whether potting for toothfish can work in Falklands waters.

The Fisheries Committee last week approved the recommendation by the Fisheries Department with Director of Fisheries John Barton explaining that, generally, potting appears to catch fewer toothfish than longlining and avoids interaction with marine mammals. He said that deep water and spider crabs may be caught but as trials to fish for them have not been overly successful what is caught would be of interest.

Approval was given also for an exploratory license to allow a deep water exploratory project by Byron Joint Venture to proceed. The primary interest is in Grenadier which are largely unexploited at the moment.

A paper put before the Committee explained that most trawling in Falkland zones takes place on the relatively shallow shelf in depths of less than 400m. The only deep water activity presently involves longlining for toothfish in 1,000m. The Byron proposal is to fish in areas where the depth is greater than 400m. The vessel will use a bottom trawl and semi-pelagic trawl over a proposed period of 60 days. (PN)