MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Star Princess ban from Falkland Islands: health reasons not politics
FOR only the second time in recent years, on January 14 the Falkland Islands Government refused permission for a cruise ship to land its passengers in the islands' capital, Stanley. The ship in question was the Star Princess which had 2,608 passengers aboard. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesA very significant silence from Mercopress is much more than telling. It claims to cover the whole ofnthenSouth Atlantic and even reports irrelevant news fromthe islands it insists not to call as all ofnthenregion does: Malvinas. However, it purposedly omitsnto mention the article by Simon Winchester recently published in The Times of the UK. Interesting ommission as the article calls the UK to put and end to this colonial situation, sit down and negotiate a “civilised solution” recognising Argentine sovereignty and the need to take into account and guarantee the islanders' interests and way of life. That is to say UN and hence Argentina's position. This article accompanied an opinion column by Argentine FM on this issue. Mercopress is regrettably too biased to speak mthe A very significant silence from Mercopress is much more than telling. It claims to cover the whole ofnthenSouth Atlantic and even reports irrelevant news fromthe islands it insists not to call as all ofnthenregion does: Malvinas. However, it purposedly omitsnto mention the article by Simon Winchester recently published in The Times of the UK. Interesting ommission as the article calls the UK to put and end to this colonial situation, sit down and negotiate a “civilised solution” recognising Argentine sovereignty and the need to take into account and guarantee the islanders' interests and way of life. That is to say UN and hence Argentina's position. This article accompanied an opinion column by Argentine FM on this issue. Mercopress is regrettably too biased to speak mthe truth!
Jan 17th, 2012 - 12:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There's nothing on MP about the rather stupid idea to catch as many illex squid as possible before they reach Falklands water, incidentally potentially wrecking the future of the entire fishery. That's made the UK press as well.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 01:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The problem is that given the fact that the Falkland Islanders can remember the previous Argentine idea of taking into account and guaranteeing their interests and way of life, not to mention the current Argentine administration's efforts to undermine their interests, they don't trust your guarantees.
With regard to the article it was a very sensible decision made by TFI government in consultation with medical experts. They looked at the LONG-TERM affects of allowing the infection to spread, rather than the SHORT-TERM financial gain from the tourists. That the Argentine government would seek to make the decision political does not reflect well on them. Are they suggesting they would have opted for the short-term gain?
Jan 17th, 2012 - 01:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As for the unrelated comment @ 1. That opinion piece is one person's opinion. In the UK press we allow free expression and there are a variety of opinions expressed. Some reflect majority opinion and some do not. This particular opinion does not reflect government policy or the majority opinion. It is valid as a minority opinion but that is all.
If you do not like the content of MP, why read it? Why not start your own online news site?
#1 - the Times article was an opinion piece and does not represent the views of either the newspaper or the majority of the British people. So don't get your hopes up.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 02:42 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There is nothing to talk about.
Get used to it!
Alejomartinez (#)---- How many times must we tell everyone that there is nothing to negotiate about and that the persons on the Falkland Islands are already guaranteed their way of life. Furthermore, the Falkland's have nothing to do with Argentina no matter what your deluded past and present leaders tell all of you. If you think, you have a claim, which in all honesty you do not then take that claim to the ICJ you have had plenty of chances in the past but as usual you back away from any law abiding decision.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 02:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now could you please tell everyone what your rant had to do with the Article. In future, no matter how hard it is for you please stick to the topic in hand and the topic in hand on this post is about a cruise ship that has a virus on board that is following protocol in not docking and that the silly deluded lying Argentine Government are saying it’s in a reprisal. It never crossed their tiny minds that is cost the islands in revenue £100,000. No wonder the whole world sniggers behind the backs of these clowns.
I thin kthey dont have enough baths in those islands to support tourism
Jan 17th, 2012 - 02:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0so cruises can better choose others more interesting landscapes (its so nice Arg, Chile) and better tourism offers
Prevention is always better than cure, a Good call from the Falkland Island government not to put the Islanders and any other cruise ship in harms way!
Jan 17th, 2012 - 03:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Long Live the Falklands.
Childish actions by this colonial British “government” going “viral” very fast...in the news.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 04:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Princess Cruises said Monday that it is surprised and disappointed that the Falkland Islands government turned away its Star Princess ship because a small number of people on board have stomach flu”
“She said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Britain's Health Protection Agency and other international health organizations encourage ports to provide support to vessels arriving with ill people”
“Benson said a total of 74 passengers and crew, about 2 percent of those on board, had been reported ill. Of those, 20 people now have symptoms, which falls short of the 3 percent that the CDC would consider an outbreak, her statement said.”
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/argentina-falklands-hostile-blocking-cruise-144548838.html
@1 Is there some valid reason for posting the same thing twice? Did you (mistakenly) think your drivel wasn't long enough? Let me assure you that the moment you tap the keyboard your drivel is already too long. Try cutting back!
Jan 17th, 2012 - 05:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@6 Of course there aren't enough baths in the Falkland Islands. All the ones that argie troops left their dung in had to be destroyed. Do you not send them on courses to acquaint them with the 19th century technology they may encounter when illegally invading other people's territory?
Although I gather from a British newspaper report that there are “Many Argentines are among the 3,500 passengers and crew.” I believe the Falkland Islands when it says this is not a reprisal for the recent Mercosur ban on FI-flagged vessels. But there's no need to let loads of argie spies and other animals land.
Should this not be FIG policy? No entry to argie nationals. No entry to nationals of mercosur members. No entry to any suspicious-looking foreigners.
@8 There's a point that you're missing in relation to “support to vessels arriving with ill people” Argies aren't ”people”!
@8
Jan 17th, 2012 - 05:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Or it could be their health standards are higher than the Argies
Argentina Major infectious diseases
http://www.indexmundi.com/argentina/major_infectious_diseases.html
I wonder where its going next........ and if the passengers will be banned from going ashore ?
Jan 17th, 2012 - 05:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Childish.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 05:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0From time to time ships tenders cant transport passengers ashore due to bad weather, how long before this is all the fault of the Falkland islanders?
Jan 17th, 2012 - 05:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@8
Dont want to be catching anything nasty off the Argies
Dengue outbreak in Argentina now ‘epidemic’
Nearly 8,000 have the disease, according to nation’s health ministry
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30115212/ns/health-infectious_diseases/t/dengue-outbreak-argentina-now-epidemic/
”We were told that we had only 20 cases and (the captain) considered that the refusal by the Falklands Island health department to let us land was very unreasonable and unprecedented considering the very few number of cases we had,” said English passenger John Sturgeon in Buenos Aires.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 06:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://finance.yahoo.com/news/argentina-falklands-hostile-blocking-cruise-144548838.html
At the end of the day,
Jan 17th, 2012 - 07:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0it was the islands decision, and they called it,
That is the end of it,
Anything else is purely anti brit ?
of course they could of done it the argie way
Jan 17th, 2012 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Dengue is here to stay,” Ocana said.
Ocana had previously insisted that there was no epidemic. But local news media and political leaders in towns and cities affected by the mosquito-borne disease claimed the national government was underreporting the numbers to calm fears and avoid blame for not addressing the problem sooner
News from today: Cristina Offer to all argentinians 20 perpetual tourism pass to Malvinas in all the companies -
Jan 17th, 2012 - 08:20 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The cheapest way to close the tourism to the islands-
Including Icterichia Colli viruses inside-
Gracias señores malvinenses por aislarse cada vez mas del mundo- No saben la mano que nos dan-
Please do that again every time- :D
PD: even chilean protocols says 20 passengers are OK for landing..... tahnk you thank you thank you!!!!
Regardsssss
?OO?
Jan 17th, 2012 - 08:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Save the preaching please argies
Jan 17th, 2012 - 09:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina's Dengue Fever Outbreak Fans Anger at President .
The lesson from dengue is that “the Argentine health system simply isn't ready to handle the problems of our country,” says Gonzalo Basile, president of the Argentine office of Doctors of the World, an international humanitarian group. The group says the number of dengue cases might be three times higher than the government is citing.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124087003193660939.html
#16 Nice one stick - a good medical decision, but a bad commercial one.
Jan 17th, 2012 - 11:30 pm - Link - Report abuse 0novovirus could have caused havoc in a small community. I'd have banned them too !
Of course the point is - it's the Islander's decision :-)
Of course was an islander's decision Lorton, nobody else can match their genius idea to shoot themselves in the foot ...again :-)
Jan 17th, 2012 - 11:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Interesting ommission by Mercopress: it quotes all UK newspapers but The Times. last Saturday it claimed a “civilised solution” must be found tomthis conflict. The author, Simon Winchester established what the solution should be in exactly the same terms as Argentina and the UN: negotiation, dialogue, respect for islanders' interests and way of life and recognition of Argentine sovereignty. It may hurt but it is very sensible as it come to terms with reality, international law and justice. He may write for The Guardian too, so what? This last piece was published in Conservative The Times. It's no use crying over spilt milk!
Jan 18th, 2012 - 01:27 am - Link - Report abuse 0Just an opinion piece, not that of the British people.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 01:42 am - Link - Report abuse 0There will be no talk - nothing to talk about!
Reality, history and international law favour the British. Argentina only has geography!
No milk spilt :-)
Yup Alejandro, it was indeed a clever well thought out piece....with just one flaw, the Falklands aren't Hong Kong, and the Chinese are far more trust worthy at holding their ends of the bargain, the Chinese also regarded the inhabitants of Hong Kong as co-nationals, Argentina refuses to acknowledge that any islanders exist.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 09:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Also dear Simon Winchester omitted to ask the islanders their position on the whole matter.
Here is my preferred negotiating position:
A referendum is held very publicly like in Gibraltar yes or no to Argentine sovereignty....simple cheap, democratic and definitive if Argentina doesn't like democracy...tough....bugger off.
Any nation has the right to ban any ship, no questions asked, from it's ports.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 09:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0We do not have to justify ourselves to Argentina or anyone else for the banning of the Star Princess.
lf it's possible that infection could come ashore, then the banning has my full support. lts no-ones business but ours.
Simon Winchester doesn't live here...thus he does not speak for my family.
He could give his home in the UK to an Argentine family if he feels so strongly about it.
Now he IS a turnip.
He could give his home in the UK to an Argentine family if he feels so strongly about it.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 10:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0He is not even British,
‘America…it takes all kinds:’ Author Simon Winchester on becoming a U.S. citizen
http://multiamerican.scpr.org/2011/06/america-it-takes-all-kinds-author-simon-winchester-on-becoming-a-u-s-citizen/
The Falkland Islands Government permits entery to the Falkland Islands of several thousand Argentines every year, an agreement reached after mature discussion between equals in 1999, in return for the agreed air access through Chile.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 10:40 am - Link - Report abuse 0There were a very small number of Argentines on the Star Princess, one with a loud mouth and even bigger ego who thinks we would bother to ban him from his day trip. Why, pray ? Are you really that important sir ?
The Falkland Islands refuses admission of one passenger vessel for one visit for valid documented health reasons..............
Mercosur, on the direct request of the Argentine Government, denies access to all Falklands vessels at all times from all Mercosur ports for the purpose of causing economic and social difficulty to the whole Falklands population...................
Which of the above do we think is the actions of a rational Government who cares for its people, and which is the predatory aspiring colonialist power ? Answers on a postcard to the Casa Rosada.
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/falklands-criticized-refusal-ship-dock-15380342#.TxbqL6WyYfV
Jan 18th, 2012 - 03:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Malvinenses only gained discredit with this....
@28 Hello No Name. It appears that there were about 300 argies aboard. And they had paid thousands of dollars. Good decision.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 04:10 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Long live the free Falklands!
It appears that there were about 300 argies aboard
Jan 18th, 2012 - 06:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Shows how stupid the argies are, it as been known in the past passengers have been unable to be tendered ashore because of the wheather,there was always a risk they couldnt get ashore anyway
Sends a good message anyway, even if its the one the RGs think it is, fuck with our flag we fuck with you.
Jan 18th, 2012 - 07:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0times up
Jan 18th, 2012 - 11:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0gentlemen,
the fuse is lit,
l'd be happy if no Argentines at all were allowed to come to the Falklands.
Jan 19th, 2012 - 10:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0That may yet happen. If CFK carries out her threat to stop the Lan flight there would be no impediment to requiring all Argentines to have a visa............
Jan 19th, 2012 - 12:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0perhaps [virgin airlines] could run it .
Jan 19th, 2012 - 06:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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