MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tierra del Fuego Debit cards with the Falklands map for Malvinas Veterans

Veterans showing the debit cards with the Falkland Islands map and the motto “Malvinas are and will be Argentine”

The Tierra del Fuego province bank has issued special debit plastic cards for Malvinas veterans with a picture of the East and West Falklands map, to mark the fortieth anniversary of the South Atlantic conflict, and reaffirmation of the Argentine claim over the Islands.

In a special ceremony Tierra del Fuego Governor Gustavo Melella and Deputy governor Monica Urquiza, gave the Malvinas Veterans their new “plastic” money. Attending the ceremony were members of the provincial cabinet, particularly those Desks referred to South Atlantic and Malvinas issues and representatives from the Veterans organizations, who received the debit cards. Priority is given to those Veterans who are regular clients, or receive their pensions through the bank which comes under provincial legislation.

The initiative was born in the provincial legislative with the purpose of honoring Veterans, “their sacrifice and commitment to Argentina's sovereignty claim over the Falklands and South Atlantic Islands”. The Falklands map picture includes the strong logo, “Malvinas are and will be Argentine”.

“With this card any Tierra del Fuego resident who operates in any bank of Argentina will have the Malvinas cause present, Malvinas, the national cause that unites the Argentine people”, said governor Melella. .

Hopefully this initiative as well as the ”Malvinas crest in school children uniforms (mandatory in Tierra del Fuego schools), will keep alive the claim over the Islands sovereignty among future generations, no matter what happens“.

Provincial lawmaker Federico Sciurano, who sponsored the debit card initiative, said it was ” a very emotive moment because we're starting a process which has a deep feeling among Argentines and particularly among the people of Tierra del Fuego“. Sciurano also mentioned the creation of Committee number 7 which deals with Malvinas, the South Atlantic and Argentine Antarctica, and which ”has member from all parties of the Legislative, government and opposition“”.

Conrado Zamora head of the Malvinas Veterans from Ushuaia underlined that it was an iconic initiative and “we expect the whole country looks this way, to Tierra del Fuego, a province which has shown the world we never gave up Malvinas sovereignty, something of which we are most proud”.

The bank's vice president Daniel Peralta said that this kind of actions make the links with Malvinas more tangible. “We are after all a government bank involved in the causes that make to the identity of our province. The cards we are distributing not only have the map of our Malvinas, but are also a reminder that these Islands are present day after day, well beyond April 2md”