MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Flight Lieutenant William Wales is “in the Falklands to do a job”

Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands Brigadier Bill Aldridge: “no change to the alert state”

“There are certain people that we would just like to allow to get on with their job if that’s possible, and give them the opportunity to see as much of the Falklands as they possibly can” Commander British Forces South Atlantic Islands Brigadier Bill Aldridge said this week when asked about the deployment of Prince William to the Falkland Islands as an RAF search-and-rescue pilot.

Flight Lieutenant William Wales was scheduled to arrive at Mount Pleasant Thursday, Thursday February 2, to begin his six week tour.

The Brigadier also noted there had been indications that “third parties” had already attempted to encourage persons on the Islands to take photographs: “I would be extremely grateful if people didn’t, and I am sure it shouldn’t be an issue with people in the Falklands…”

When asked if Prince William would have the opportunity to visit Stanley, Brigadier Aldridge said: “I tell all new arrivals the same. I encourage them to get out as much as possible, a. to meet the Falkland Islanders, b. to experience the fantastic scenery and c. to see the wildlife. It doesn’t matter who you are I say the same to all of them, and I would expect them to make the most of it”.

2012 security measures

Commenting on security at Mount Pleasant over 2012, the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, he said, “I think throughout the year given the increased profile here we would like to be more stringent in checking people’s identity; it is already checked but it is enforcing a rule that perhaps hasn’t been enforced as well as it should have been in the past. That said I have been adamant with everybody on the front gate that people need to be sensible about realising that not everybody carries their passport or their drivers licence or some form of identity. So this isn’t absolute, its just common sense. And I think people would understand why we are being a little more stringent over the next weeks and months.”

The Brigadier said it was a matter of being “sensible” but “without inconveniencing people” so that there is a higher awareness, “of who is around Mount Pleasant.”

Asked about the current alert state at Mount Pleasant in relation to increased rhetoric from the Argentine government on the subject of the Falklands, he explained: “As I have said to other journalists there has been no change to the alert state, there is no change to our activity, we are no more or no less prepared than we have been over the last months or years”.

“The threat (from Argentina) is not a military one at the moment but of course we are here to do whatever is needed, if necessary to defend the Islands, but first and foremost my job is to deter any military pressure against the Falklands or the other overseas territories”.

Brigadier Aldridge added he would not suppose to understand the inconveniences and pressures imposed on Islanders as a result of recent words and actions by Argentina, saying, “it would be far too pretentious of me to pretend to understand what you are put through. But if there is a threat here it is not military, and as a soldier it is about military matters I can speak and not the political. But as someone who lives on the Islands I feel quite a lot of the pressures that everybody else does – we see things being less available in the shops, but I think it is fair to say that a lot of the furore such as it is, is generated by the media off-Islands and my impression is that there is an awful lot of debate and media coverage which is generated in the UK for UK readership and is not necessarily reflecting the reality of what life is like on the Islands or what the situation is.”

The Brigadier confirmed that HMS Clyde’s presence in Stanley last weekend was, “purely coincidental,” explaining that it was a “demonstration of the various capabilities of the ships we have here and some of their embarked capabilities to the Governor and members of the government”.

He said he was conscious “that for quite a few people MPA is seen to be remote and that perhaps there isn’t as much integration as people would like.”

The Brigadier would like to see “far more interaction between the military personnel and the personnel in the Falklands, so I am keen to keep MPA as open as I possibly an for those people who want to come to the cinema or use the pool, because of course you built those for us”.

Finally, “I would ask if people can bear with us and if people have difficulties or concerns about obtaining access please let us know”. (Penguin News)