MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Spain and Morocco to monitor Gibraltar Strait traffic; UK side-lined
Britain has been side-lined from a proposal to change the mandatory reporting system for ships sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar, despite its jurisdiction over Gibraltar and the surrounding waters, reports the Gibraltar Chronicle. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesAnd now we ask UK to be side-lined from falklands.
Aug 26th, 2009 - 02:58 am - Link - Report abuse 0free falklands!!
Billy, do you ever tire of being a plonker?
Aug 26th, 2009 - 07:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Falklands are free, the oppressive Argentine military regime was kicked out on June 14 1982.
jjajajaja...do you mean the fake liberation day??
Aug 26th, 2009 - 08:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0as a chilean living in the falklands & in the mailand I can tell that there is no freedom in the falklands. the only freedom you have here is to drink & drink & drink.
free falklands!!
when you are brainwashed & misinformed about the mainland; and when your councellors represents the interests of the crown and not the interests of the people...so you are not free.
Aug 26th, 2009 - 08:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0freedom means no more conflict, means negotiation & a solution.
free falklands!!!
The democratically elected councillors, elected in a free democratic election. With the Falklanders calling the shots.
Aug 27th, 2009 - 04:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0No one is making you stay there.
jajajaja...where do you live?? democratic election??? jajajajaja
Aug 27th, 2009 - 11:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0in falklands there are no political parties, there is no political discussion, there is no independent media; democracy is a lie in falklands, always the same summers & co. Alternative thinking is forbiden in falklands; but this, sooner than later, will change. More & more people are begining to think that this status quo is dead.
Free falklands!!!!
There is no political parties but equally there is nothing to stop political parties either. There is political discussion and its Summers and Co because they're elected. Equally Summers and Co can be kicked out - by the electorate.
Aug 27th, 2009 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Alternative thinking is not forbidden, its a democracy. No independent media - errr what website are you on?
Love it, you chose to come and work in the Falklands for economic benefit, equally if you don't like it you can exercise your democratic freedoms and leave.
electorate??? ok
Aug 27th, 2009 - 08:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0look at table 12 please.
http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documents/Census Report 2006.pdf
jajajjaja...democracy??? what´s that in falklands??
about alternative thinking... anywhere when people feel scared about thinking in a different way of the stablished power you can say that alternative thinking is forbiden....but don´t worry, this is changing.
yes, I can leave anytime; but this will not change the situation in falklands.
PD: Mercopress is not a falklands´s media.
Justin you said:
Aug 27th, 2009 - 11:29 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“”Alternative thinking is not forbidden, its a democracy. No independent media - errr what website are you on?“”
Do you realize that mercopress claims to be a news agency based on Montevideo, Uruguay?.
So Justin, how is that a news agency based on Uruguay become part of the falklands independent media?.
Do they had to be exiled to Uruguay to become that independent?.
You make no sense at all.
Luis,
Aug 28th, 2009 - 04:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0The first action of any nation that doesn't like free speech is to censor the Internet, aside from the fact that Mercopress reports on Falklands issues, utterly independently. Its location is immaterial.
Scraping the barrel are we?
Billy,
Looked at your table, do you have a point? Funny that a democratic Government openly publishing census stats. Kind of undermines your point. And if the people living there don't like their government, they can vote them out. Nothing to stop them.
The situation in the Falklands is one of the choice of the people living there. So whats your solution, imposing an Argentine Government they don't want. Mmm, very democratic.
what part of “free falklands” you don´t understand??
Aug 28th, 2009 - 09:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0I´ve never talk about argentina, I´ve only talk about UK and their colonial link with falklands.
funny is the fact that you talk about democracy when less than 20% of the population can vote...funny democracy.
I still dont see the conection between a news agency(mercopress), “based” on Uruguay, and the falklands independent media.
Aug 28th, 2009 - 04:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Do you realize Justin that if mercopress is Uruguayan, it means it is not falklander? ergo it is not a falkland media?. At least that Montevideo, Uruguay belongs to the territory of the empire of the falkland islands.
A lot more than 20% of the population can vote, funny that. What colonial link, the FIG governs the Falklands the British Government has nothing to do with it.
Aug 28th, 2009 - 07:24 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Luis,
So at what point did I claim Mercopress was a Falklands Media? I said independent media, Mercopress is merely an example of a independent media reporting on Falklands issues. Ergo you're full of it and ergo as always you attempt to distort what people say, merely to have a cheap shot. But as always fall flat on your face.
Justin, i think you need to calm down and read again what you had wrote before, becouse you were talking of mercopress as an independent media IN the falklands.
Aug 28th, 2009 - 10:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When Billy said:
“”in falklands there are no political parties, there is no political discussion, there is no independent media...“”
You said:
“”Alternative thinking is not forbidden, its a democracy. No independent media - errr what website are you on?“”
Is not a big deal, you made a mistake, dont hide it, you will look dummy.
Right
Aug 29th, 2009 - 02:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0a) Mercopress is independent
b) It reports on Falklands matters
Nationality is immaterial.
I said no such thing, to be honest you're simply being a dumb ass.
mercopress is independent; but mercopres in uruguay only reproduces what the falklands media writes;
Aug 29th, 2009 - 03:28 am - Link - Report abuse 0penguin news; finn & sartma etc are falklands media; they are not independent; they are tools of the colonial stablishment.
http://www.penguin-news.com/about-us.php
Aug 29th, 2009 - 06:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0About The Newspaper
Penguin News was founded in October 1979 by islander Graham Bound. The first edition was an A5-sized black and white publication, a far cry from today’s A4 paper which is usually 24 pages long with plenty of colour. Originally launched as a monthly publication, Penguin News is now published weekly each Friday and is the Falkland Islands ’ only newspaper.
In 1989 the paper began to receive a subsidy from the Falkland Islands Government, and the Media Trust was formed by Ordinance to ensure independence from Government and/or other influential parties in the Falklands . Today the paper is once again financially independent, and the role of the Media Trust is similar to that of Directors of a company with most responsibilities delegated to the Managing Editor on a day to day basis.
-------
Didn't take too long to find that did it. The briefest of searches shows your allegations to be untrue.
in front of that piece of evidence I have no words; you might be a detective.
Aug 29th, 2009 - 05:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0jajajajajajajaja....and what do you expect the penguin to say??
freeeeeeeeedom for the falklands!!!!!
Ah and your only response is to cast aspersions, with no substance behind them. Yet you stay. Mmm.
Aug 31st, 2009 - 02:44 am - Link - Report abuse 0calm down kuntz
Aug 31st, 2009 - 05:02 am - Link - Report abuse 0I know you. In stanley I meet a lot of british like you, I call them nostalgic nazionalists.
you talk about kelpers but don´t care a damm about them; kelpers are an excuse for people like you. what you only want to defend here are the last remains of a dying empire.
keep walking kuntz
UK go home & freedom for the falklands!!
I'm a bit puzzled as to why this article on Gibraltar/Spain/Morocco arouses such venom on a topic such as the Falklands.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 04:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0And for Billy, the Chilean without “freedom” in the Falklands, if you make the effort and integrate and become naturalised, you will have a voice, can vote, you can even stand for council. If you don't want to do that, why not exercise your freedom to go back to Chile?
Mmm, it would appear that you don't give a shit about the “kelpers”. If you gave a shit, you'd know that term is considered somewhat racist these days. If you gave a shit you wouldn't be spreading lies.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0No one talks of Empire anymore, the British Empire is long gone. The situation in the Falklands has nothing to do with it.
Billy...shut up or leave the falklands!!!
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0I love british democracy.
Yea, I will make the effort, in falklandsutopia a non british with anticolonial thoughts can be a councellor...jejejeje...keep dreaming. But perhaps sooner than later we can have a british councellor with anticolonial thoughts...I hope he has the balls to try it. Come on my friend!!!
Given that one of the FIG was born in Argentina who knows. Leaving is your right Billy if you're so unhappy.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0Billy, you seem to be a very angry person with whatever you have experienced in the Falklands, and of course I have no idea why you feel likle this. We have a good life here, with good medical facilities, good schooling, and generally a good standard of living, so why are you so angry? Are we really colonial? You should perhaps inform yourself a bit more about what goes on, take the latest consititional change as and example. You can think what you like, even anticolonial.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0If I interpret correctly, you perhaps would like the Falklands to be independent. Well, with Argentina as the big bullying neighbour, ready to take over, that is just not possible. If they drop the claim, then yes, it could be, BUT don't forget that the rest of the population also has to agree with that.
Also, as you may know, Falkland politics is not about confrotation and party politics, but rather about consensus-->a good debate leads to a commonly held view. I think rather good, and I don't think this is colonial either.
Anyway, maybe you just need a holiday back in Chile to be able to appreciate what the good points about the Falklands are!
And Billy, another thing. If a British person wants to live and work in Chile he can do so, but it also has rules and regulations. You will have to become Chilean to own land, and I am sure also to be able to vote and enter politics, so are we so different in our outlooks and systems?
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0In an ideal world we would be free from all those restrictions everywhere, but please do not blame the Falklands for this not being the case.
Regarding Kelpers, well, it is an endearing term for a people that now call themselves Falkland Islanders instead, and an identification with the country Falkland Islands. It belongs to an era though that has gone since 1982.
But to get back to my original posting, I just can't see why an article on Gibraltar causes this debate. We should be on another page instead!
Thanks to Mercopress for having this discussion forum. Keep it up guys!
well, I consider myself a chilean kelper, so kelper it´s ok for me, I think that the word kelper is part of our identity.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 07:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0you are wrong when you say that you have to be chilean to own land in Chile, you don´t need, that restrictions only exists in falklands.
about good medical facilities or good education I don´t agree, we don´t have university and we need the mainland hospitals for difficult operations for example.
when you say that the political system in fkl is consensual for me is a kindly way of saying that here there is no alternative thinking, all political system needs the ideas to be confronted.
To blame arg for everything is part of the stablished way of thinking, so arg is guilty for everything nothing can be done to solve the problems, flk are paralized because of that, arg shouldn´t be the perfect excuse to do anyting that can put in danger the stablished colonial situation...bravo!!
you say that if they don´t drop the claim and bla bla bla; but what about if they never drop the claim.....where is plan B?? are you saying that this status quo will last forever without an exit??? ok, but I don´t agree, can I?? please don´t ask me to leave.
I think that fkl needs to grown up and start to discuss other options, only discuss alternatives to solve the situation, we need tourism, we need a sustainable fishing industry, we need to atract investors here, we need the camp to be prosperous, and like it or not this status quo is not good for our development like a modern society integrated with the world.
I guess Billy I need to respond once more. Call yourself a Chilean Kelper if you like, fine by me. Obviously you have made this your home, and feel at home, so please do so. But I think it is an archaic word not reflecting the current identity of Islanders anymore. Maybe Cochayuyo is a new race of Islander?
Sep 01st, 2009 - 08:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0I don't really know all the laws in Chile or any other country for that matter, but I don't think it is unreasonable to ask for so called foreigners to identify themselves with the country they migrate to, adapt to the laws and customs, adopt their nationality if need be to be able to be regarded as full citizens. If I would choose to live in Chile I would want to do the same, rather than trying to change it into a new Falklands!
You can argue about the quality of the medical facilities, but compare it with any small community in Chile of around 3000 people, and I bet you that we have a much better system, and free! Of course you need to go elsewhere for cancer treatment, do you really expect to have top quality staff based here permanently. Maybe speak to the radiographer, who conducts all of 20 x-rays per week.! And that's just x-rays. No we don't have a university, but really, who are you kidding, do the villages in Chile each have theirs? Don't be pedantic about the issues that are so obvious, they just don't make sense at all. Anyone that wishes to study would want to go to good universities, with good professors, not go to the university of Stanley...
OK the political system is based on consensual thinking does not mean at all that there is no alternative thinking. Of course there is. You cannot assume that all councillors always agree on everything, just that they find a middle way which serves the majority of views. Of course this is not perfect for everyone, but this is the right of the majority. And of course views and ideas can be confronted, you can do this in the media (anonymously if you so wish).
Argentina is not blamed for everything at all, just for continously making life difficult (not allowing charter flights, harassing fishing companies that operate in both their and our EEZ, ceasing oil negotiations, ceasing fisheries research negotiations, not agreeing to the UN principles of self determination, the list goes on). In the end you should know that the Islanders are quite resourcefull in continuing to live here, believing it is right what they do, and wanting to belong to Britain!
Plan B? Invade Patagonia, and claim it for the Falklands, as Rio Gallegos was founded by farmers that came from the Falklands, so why shouldn't we have it back!
You are right about discussing other options, that is a positive step forward, and I invite you to come up with some concrete and sensible ideas. How are you suggesting we do this?
I await your reply.
it´s late and tomorrow I wake up early.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 10:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0please don´t compare stanley with chilean villages, we deserve more, stanley is the capital of our home; now it´s a village but it has the potential to be a city of 30.000 people with hospitals, university, macdonalds, shoppings, hotels, etc, like our neighbour cities, you know that, we are 3.000 in fkls only because of our politcal choice. I want that city, that would be genuine growth and development. If you have traveled you know what I´m talking about; forget villages, think in cities.
Your plan B...ok...you don´t have one.
My plan B.... the falklands to be like a new Uruguay, the 2º Uruguay for Argentina; let´s be free, let´s cut the colonial links and then negotiate with them our neighbourhood without the british in the middle. thanks britain, but I think that know they are an obstacule for our development and growth. I think that falklanders needs to think about their own interests, not british interest anymore. Now british interest and falklands interest are not the same, and I´m afraid that now they are opposite.
Lot of kelpers talk about new zeland and sometimes they compare fkls with nz; let´s be libe the kiwis, but first we need to be free and integrated with our region like them; now we are isolated, we are out of the map; and that´s a cost for us.
There is a fact, falklanders & argies will always live together in the same geographical space; you can´t change that. british are in europe, with their own problems different of ours. I think it´s our choice, be friends or be like that chilean villages you told me.
The last thing for today. I think that we are not the problem for argentina, the problem for them are the british; and now the problem for us are the british too, beacuse it´s their problem and they punish us. I don´t want to be punished anymore for the british cause, I want to see the falklands growing and developing, I want my children to stay here when 18 years old. Perhaps today you don´t see all this but our children surely will. This status quo is unsustainable, you know that.
Billy,
Sep 01st, 2009 - 04:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The FIG has proposed direct talks with Argentina and would be happy to do so. However, its the Argentine Government that refuses to countenance direct talks and has torn up every single agreement related to the Falklands. At least be honest about the fact that the Falklands are not on good terms with Argentina is rather one sided and largely down to the intransigence and bad tempered attitudes from that country.
As far as any British Overseas Territory goes its the stated policy of the British Government to grant independence on request and to devolve Government on those territories as far as possible.
There is no British cause, the only cause that keeps the British in the South Atlantic is that the Falklanders determine their own future. There is no desire to maintain a permanent presence there and the British would happily pack up Mount Pleasant.
So instead of blaming the FIG and the British for the current situation, I suggest you actually look at where the problem lies.
And as regards the current “Status Quo”, Argentina has no intention of allowing the Falklanders to determine their own future. The only thing it is currently prepared to accept is total capitulation to Argentine demands. So what do you propose the Falklanders negotiate about when the Government of Argentina won't even speak to them.
Ok, Kuntz, I´ll answer briefly in the morning. It´s true FIG proposed talks to arg, arg said no talks only with UK, and UK said no talks. So we are in a trap; we are in the middle of this conflict, a conflict that we don´t create but we pay. Now this conflict is a “menage a trua”; and I think that the only way we can succeed is trying to make this conflict a 1x1 conflict; and the only part dispensable are the british, sorry, but nor arg nor us would leave the region; british are the only who can leave.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 05:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I don´t think that the arg demand is the total capitulation; I think that they want the british to leave, not us, that´s the conflict. they accepted a free uruguay, why could´t they accept a free falklands?? I think that if we negotiate without the british here we can achieve that.
That isn't correct. The British Government position is that any talks with Argentina will only be with the consent of the islanders and with their right to self-determination to the fore. If you think that Argentina would simply consent to Falklands independence, you're remarkably naive; Argentina has already said that is unacceptable. If the Falklanders want the British Government to negotiate they will.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 07:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina's position is that the only acceptable solution to Argentina is the full transfer of sovereignty to Argentina in direct contravention of the wishes of the islanders. You blame the British Government when it has neither created nor sustained the dispute.
Prior to the 1982 invasion, the British presence was essentially negligible and progress on the Falklands economy was stymied by British refusal to act for fear of antagonising Argentina.
And as you've noted Argentina will only talk to the British Government, it pretends that the FIG doesn't exist.
Yes, perhaps I´m naive and sorry for not see arg as the devil.
Sep 01st, 2009 - 08:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I understand you don´t like my idea, and I understand why; nostalgic and nazionalism are very powerfull feelings.
Well, let´s try it, why not??
I would call argentina and offer them....hey argentina!!! I will ask the british to leave....but.....you will recognize our freedom, independence & selfdetermination...what do you say???
are you sure they will say no?? if you are sure...why dont´ we try it??
If they say no...long live status quo!!!
If they say yes...freedom, growth and development!!
It´s a win win alternative.
It has nothing to do with seeing Argentina as the devil, its more a matter of actually looking at the evidence.
Sep 02nd, 2009 - 02:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina denies that the Islanders have any right to self-determination, they state that quite explicitly; they even concoct the most ridiculous reasons to deny it.
And again if the Falkland Islands want independence its theirs, Britain has no desire to remain in the South Atlantic. The policy is openly and publicly stated.
And again its Argentina that refuses to speak with the FIG. Its very much a one sided issue in that respect.
Put the blame where it belongs, the British have neither created nor sustain this dispute.
I did not realize you could grow mind altering drugs in such cold weather.. there must be a bumper crop of mushrooms growing in all the sheep dung, or maybe Billy is just smoking sheep dung.. I love the “I am Chilean working in Falklands” routine.
Sep 02nd, 2009 - 09:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I do too. :)
Sep 06th, 2009 - 05:55 am - Link - Report abuse 0For the people that don't know, one of the properties of mercury is that it makes fabrics waterproof. Hatters used to rub mercury on the hats they made, however, when they did this, the mercury got absorbed through their skin. When handled in large amounts without protection, mercury has the unfortunate effects of messing with the functions of the brain, making people quite loopy. This is where “Bubba” comes from.
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