MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands’ courts operate under new Constitution from August 8

Falkland Islands Courts (Overseas Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Order 2009

Falkland Islands Courts will begin operating under the new Constitution of the Falklands as of next August 8th according to the Amendment Order 2009, approved by Her Majesty with the advice of the Privy Council.

An official release from the Privy Council made public this week states that the “Order may be cited as the Falkland Islands Courts (Overseas Jurisdiction) (Amendment) Order 2009 and shall come into force on 8th August 2009”.

Secondly the Falkland Islands Courts (Overseas Jurisdiction) Order 1989 is amended— (a) in section 2, by substituting for the definitions of “the Constitution”, “Court of Appeal”, “the Magistrate’s Court” and “the Supreme Court” the following definitions: ““the Constitution” means the Constitution of the Falkland Islands set out in the Schedule to the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008; “Court of Appeal” means the Court of Appeal of the Falkland Islands established by section 87 of the Constitution; “the Magistrate’s Court” means the Magistrate’s Court of the Falkland Islands established by the Administration of Justice Ordinance or any Ordinance amending or replacing that Ordinance;

“the Supreme Court” means the Supreme Court of the Falkland Islands established by section 86 of the Constitution;”; and in section 8, by substituting for the words “Section 85 of the Constitution” the words “Section 94 of the Constitution”.

The Falklands new constitution which enshrines Islanders right to self determination came into force January first this year.