MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News update

Mr. Tim Thorogood

Headlines: Councillors: 'We're not under pressure to accept charter flight'; New FIG boss; Wind farm = savings.

New FIG bossTHE government's new Chief Executive has been busy finding his feet since his arrival in the Islands late last week. Tim Thorogood (45) said he was looking forward to a number of areas in his new role: "There's all that government already has in hand, which is a lot, plus there are clearly some major challenges around balancing the budget and growing the economy, hydrocarbons, and so on. "Then there is making sure that the government machinery, the civil service, is as effective as it possibly can be - that's a story of ongoing continuous improvement." As a child Mr Thorogood lived in the Islands for two years when his father was the first Cable and Wireless representative to the Falklands. In a few weeks he will be joined in the Islands by his wife, Alison. Councillors: 'We're not under pressure to accept charter flight'FALKLANDS councillors say they see no advantage in allowing a special flight for a large Argentine next of kin visit, unless it forms part of a general change of attitude by the Argentine government to charter flights. Reacting to a call from visiting Foreign Office Minister Meg Munn for the Islands to discuss the idea of a charter flight for next of kin, the councillors said they were "keeping an open mind" but were not being pressured into a decision. For a number of years the Argentine Families Commission has been trying to co-ordinate a visit by families of men who died in the Falklands War and the inauguration of a memorial to them at the Argentine cemetery. A plan had been formed for the inauguration to take place last November but it never eventuated. During her three day visit which ended last Saturday, Mrs. Munn said councillors had explained the difficulties surrounding the next of kin visit arrangements with Argentina: "Not just the principle about charter flights but also the issues of the logistics of a large number of people arriving on a charter flight." She commented: "We think it's important that the Falkland Islands are able to portray to the wider world that they are reasonable and are responding in a way which is humane to people who want to come and visit as next of kin. "I know that next of kin visits do happen all the time and that this is another specific arrangement in relation to the 25 years [anniversary] - although we have moved on from that - but I think if a way is able to be found of that happening it will be a very positive signal from the Falkland Islands to the world more generally." Councillor Mike Summers said he and his colleagues did not feel pressured into allowing a charter flight for the next of kin: "There is certainly no evidence that the UK Government is losing patience with us - they are simply discussing with us, as they should, the various issues that arise and the potential outcomes. "We have a strong and open relationship with Her Majesty's Government based on key principles of self-determination, internal self government and mutual responsibility." Mrs. Munn said Britain wanted to be able to tell its partners in the European Union (EU) that the Falkland Islands are behaving "reasonably, humanely and compassionately." Cllr Summers said the EU generally had not, to councillors' knowledge, raised any issue about next of kin visits, but he added: "Some Member States (Spain and Portugal) are regularly less than helpful over Falklands issues. However this is as so often a matter of presentation." He said the Falklands had agreed to a full scale next of kin visit and that, to this extent, the Islands are beyond reproach. He commented: "I observed to Mrs. Munn in our discussions that because of this we surely already occupy the moral high ground. "The current discussion is about how best to achieve that visit, and from all practical perspectives a shipbourne visit is far easier to manage. That is what the Families Commission requested in the first place, and it remains our intention to assist them with that visit however we can." More on page 2.Wind farm = savings AROUND £60,000 in fuel savings have been made since the wind farm became fully operational at the end of August 2007, this despite the turbines not yet functioning at full capacity. Director of Public Works, Manfred Keenleyside, said that 750,000 units of electricity have been generated by the turbines, something he described as "clearly very positive". It is early days for the wind farm, however the government is now giving thought to future developments, Mr Keenleyside said. "Based on performance to date additional units do appear likely to be proposed, although there is much to do and a business case will have to be developed and presented for consideration by council."