MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Naming ceremony for new Falklands patrol vessel
Today, Thursday, 7th September saw the naming ceremony in Portsmouth of the British Royal Navy's 80m offshore patrol vessel, HMS Clyde, which it is expected will arrive in the Falkland Islands in 2007.
Falkland Islands Government Representative in London, Miss Sukey Cameron and Legislative Council Member, Richard Stevens, were both in attendance.
According to a news release from Government House in Stanley, the following message, signed jointly by the Falkland Islands Governor, Mr.Alan Huckle and the Commander of British Forces in the South Atlantic, Cdr.Ian Moncrieff, was read out at the naming ceremony.
"This message comes with the best wishes of all in the Falkland Islands on this landmark day of the naming of HMS CLYDE. The Castle class patrol ships have served the Falklands with distinction for the past 24 years. HMS CLYDE will, however, bring welcome improved capability to the defence of the Islands. Her arrival in the Falkland Islands next year, around the 25th anniversary of the Falklands conflict, should provide further reassurance that Her Majesty's Government will continue to uphold the principle of self-determination and the rights of the Islanders to decide their own future. We look forward to working closely with this fine new ship and her ship's company and wish them every success in their deployment preparations." John Fowler (Mercopress) Stanley
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