MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands oil industry regulated by UK North Sea standards, one of the highest in the world

MLA Roger Edwards in a letter to The Guardian said that Filmus statement is 'yet another futile example of the Argentine Government’s futile efforts to damage the Falklands economy'

The elected government of the Falkland Islands has strongly refuted remarks by Argentine official 'Malvinas Secretary' Daniel Filmus, published in The Guardian, in which he states that hydrocarbons activities in the Falklands are environmentally reckless, and describes Filmus words as “yet another example of the Argentine's government futile efforts to damage the Falklands economy”

 In a letter addressed to the London daily, the chair of the Falklands elected Legislative Assembly, Roger Edwards underlined that the Islands oil industry and extraction offshore is regulated to UK North Sea standards, which are recognized as one of the highest standards of safety regulation anywhere in the world.

The letter dated 28 October to the Editor in Chief of The Guardian, Mr. Alan Rushbridger follows:

“We utterly refute Daniel Filmus’ remarks in his interview with Luke Harding on 27 October, and the inference that hydrocarbons activities carried out by the Falkland Islands Government are environmentally reckless. The Falkland Islands have a long history of responsible environmental stewardship, and we pride ourselves on protecting and safeguarding our unique environment.

”The Falkland Islands Government has responsibility for issuing licenses and regulating the industry, and extraction offshore is regulated to UK North Sea standards, which are recognised as one of the highest standards of safety regulation anywhere in the world. The Falkland Islands Government is committed to transparency, and all Environmental Impact Statements submitted are made available for public consultation.

“Mr. Filmus must surely be aware that his statements have no substance. His portrayal of the Falkland Islands hydrocarbons industry is skewed, alarmist, and represents yet another example of the Argentine Government’s futile efforts to damage the Falklands economy. It is in no way an accurate description of the flourishing industry which is already planning its next round of drilling in 2015, nor the commitments the which are recognized as one of the highest standards of safety regulation anywhere in the world. The Falkland Islands Government is committed to transparency, and all Environmental Impact Statements submitted are made available for public consultation”.

The letter is signed by MLA Roger Edwards, chair of the Legislative Assembly.

On October 27, under the heading of “British drilling in Falklands' risks eco-disaster, says Argentina”, The Guardian published a piece, credited to Luke Harding, in which Filmus, who was on a London visit, warned that unilateral drilling for oil and gas in the Falklands could unleash “an environmental catastrophe on the scale of the Gulf of Mexico disaster”.

“The environmental risk of exploring for oil in the region is huge. Not just for the Islanders, but for the whole of Latin America and even the world. It means potentially undermining biodiversity,” Filmus said. “You can’t explore without proper support from the continent. The risk of another accident like the Gulf of Mexico is huge.” Argentina’s government was suing the companies involved for their “criminal actions”, he said.

Filmus added he would continue to press Britain to return the Islands using peaceful means and dialogue. He said Argentina would respect the right of the Islanders to remain British but wanted “the exercise of sovereignty”.

The article also pointed out that Filmus said he did not attempt to meet anyone from the British government during his one-day trip to London on Monday, following an earlier snub from former foreign secretary William Hague. The envoy launched a book, “Dialogue”, which sets out Argentina’s Falkland Islands claim argument in a series of essays and articles.

“Argentina has said it will sabotage what it regards as illegal oil exploration around the Islands. Last year the Argentine congress voted to impose jail sentences of up to 15 years on executives whose companies drill for oil, as well as punitive fines of up to 1.5bn dollars. It has said firms will also be disbarred from lucrative work in Vaca Muerta, a giant shale oil deposit in Argentina’s Patagonia region”.

Mr. Filmus, a former Education minister and Senator, was named to the newly created Malvinas Issues Secretary, after losing his re-election bid for the Buenos Aires City seat.