MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bingham: moral high ground lost to ?greed and corruption'

CONSERVATIONIST and former Falklands resident, Mike Bingham is hoping the launch of his new book in Argentina will alert the world to the decline of “political morality” in the Falkland Islands.

Mr Bingham published his book several weeks ago and says that more than 8,000 copies have been sold. Four courtesy copies have been sent to the public library in Stanley.

This week the book was released in Spanish by Argentina's largest book distributors, Libreria

Santa Fe. According to a statement sent to Penguin News by Mr Bingham, the Argentine press has hailed the book as one of the most important to be published in Argentina in many years.

"Both books are identical except for the difference in language. They describe in great detail Mike Bingham's penguin research data, demonstrating the massive penguin declines in the Falklands, and the overwhelming evidence linking the decline to commercial fishing. It also takes the reader step by step through the persecution he faced at the hands of the Falklands authorities as a result of his work, and concludes with his Supreme Court victory against FIG for human rights abuses in 2003."

According to Mr Bingham's press release, it is hoped the book will, "...alert the world from London to Buenos Aires that political morality has changed dramatically over recent years, with South America now developing into a stable and honourable society, whilst the Falklands, as a British Overseas Territory, is tarnishing Britain's previously good name for democracy, human rights, environmental protection and justice."

It continues, "The moral high-ground that the Falklands once held over its South American counterparts has been thrown away by greed and corruption. This needs to be urgently addressed if long-term support from Britain is to be maintained."

Responding to the press release, Councillor Mike Summers said that, while Mr Bingham is entitled to his view, "it has previously been well documented that the Falkland Islands Government does not accept many of the assertions of Mr Bingham for which there is no sustainable evidence. The Supreme Court judgement in 2003 to which Mr Bingham alludes was extremely critical of him in a number of respects."

Mr Summers said it is for the UK government, "...to form a view and inform the Falklands government," if it thinks that governance is not of a sufficiently high standard.

"No such view has ever been expressed - indeed quite the contrary. I much prefer the moral standards of government of this country to most South American regimes, and most particularly the one Mr Bingham seems to have adopted.

"They deserve each other." Penguin News