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Falkland Islands: Weekly Penguin News Update

Sukey Cameron (left) with young Islanders Dion Robertson, Liam Stevens, Adam Henry, Caris Stevens and Zoran Zuvic Bulic.

Headlines: “No place for claim” UK representative’s message to Argentina; Community Safety director: recruitment to begin overseas; Swine flu increase in Chile, Falklands still clear.

“No place for claim” UK representative’s message to Argentina

THE Falklands wish to maintain good, co-operative relations with Argentina – provided that sovereignty is not in question. That was the message delivered by Sukey Cameron, the government’s UK representative, at the annual Lincoln’s Inn reception.

She told the 250 guests that the Falklands’ new Constitution, against which Argentina had made a “predictable” protest, recognised the reality of the modern world in which the rights of free people were paramount, and the assertion of territorial claims, irrespective of the wishes of those who lived there, “have no place.”

She said it was a “post-colonial” Constitution and added: “It enshrines, in the first chapter, our fundamental right to self-determination in accordance with the United Nations Charter.”

The principle of self-determination had never been accepted by Argentina as applying to Falkland Islanders, Ms Cameron said, adding: “Surely no-one who truly supports democracy and human rights can oppose this?”

The Lincoln’s Inn reception, held on Tuesday, presents an opportunity for Islanders in the UK, MP’s, former Governors, plus many others who have links withthe Falklands, to celebrate the end of the Argentine occupation in 1982.

Argentina marks ‘Malvinas Day’

Ms Cameron’s comments came just a day before Argentina celebrated Malvinas Day.

To mark the occasion, Buenos Aires newspaper La Nacion published an article from Hypolito Solari Yrigoyena, a senior member of Argentina’s opposition Radical Party and a well known campaigner for sovereignty, in which he said the “recovery” of Argentina’s “island territory” was a priority.

He said that, for the “benefit” of Islanders, who were currently going through a period of economic difficulty, Argentina should “insist” on the development of the “natural inter-dependency” of the Islands and Argentina, and should repeat its offers to establish air and sea links between Argentina and the Islands, instead of just the one monthly stopover in Rio Gallegos of flights to Chile, which currently existed.

To achieve this, he said, Argentina should re-negotiate the 1999 joint agreement with Britain.

Reacting to Snr Yrigoyena’s article, Councillor Mike Rendell commented: “Putting to one side his nationalistic dogma which is rejected out-of-hand, Snr Yrigoyena does appear to be offering a re-negotiation of the 1999 joint agreement. This would be a positive initiative and is certainly worthy of consideration.”

“However,” he added, “there could be no pre-conditions as to the negotiated outcome except that, as was the case in 1999, all three parties (Britain, Falklands and Argentina), would implicitly be directly involved.”

Community Safety director: recruitment to begin overseas

NONE of the local applicants for the new Director of Community Safety job has been selected for interview, according to the Chief Executive.

Tim Thorogood said there had been three applications made by people living in the Islands for the post, which is one of the new positions created as part of the government management restructure.

An appointments panel which met on Friday decided that none of them had shown in their applications that they could meet the “minimum criteria” in the Person Specification for the post and accordingly no one had been selected for interview.

He told Penguin News: “The Falkland Islands Government will now proceed to recruit internationally for the post in the usual way.

“I’d expect UK based recruitment consultants to be appointed this month and interviews to take place in September.”

Mr Thorogood said that previous applicants would be invited to re-apply, “having received feedback on their applications, if they feel that they can show how they can meet the minimum requirements of the Person Specification.”

Swine flu increase in Chile, Falklands still clear

WHILE the number of diagnosed cases of swine flu in Chile spiraled this week, a senior member of staff at the hospital has confirmed there are no cases in the Falkland Islands.

However, Chief Nursing Officer, Mandy Heathman, said the hospital had stocks of anti-viral drugs to cope with the illness.

She said the advice given last month by Dr Roger Diggle still applied and that if people were concerned they had the illness they should isolate themselves at home and call the hospital.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday said the spreadof swine flu had become a global pandemic. Chile was rated as having the fourth highest rate of infection in the world.

Mrs Heathman commented: “The public should be reassured that whilst it has now been described as a pandemic, that only means that there are cases in a lot of countries, not that it is more serious than seasonal flu.”

As for those planning to travel to Chile, she said: “Everyone that goes on holiday should take out good travel insurance - they would then be able to seek medical help were they to need it in Chile.”