MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands thanks Commons' Speaker for the 40th Anniversary support

Representative Hyslop presented Sir Lindsay with the framed envelope to thank the House of Commons for marking the Falkland Islands 40th anniversary this year

This week Falkland Islands Representative in London, Richard Hyslop presented the House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle with a 40th Anniversary of the liberation of the Falkland Islands framed stamped envelope.

“Representative Richard Hyslop presented me with the framed envelope to thank the House of Commons for marking the Falkland Islands 40th anniversary this year, I am deeply honored,” said Sir Lindsay.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle has been a long time friend and supporter of the Falkland Islands, and has visited them, the latest was at the end of May/June when the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Liberation of the Falklands, becoming the first Speaker of the House of Commons to address the elected Legislative Assembly of the Islands.

In Stanley Sir Lindsay called on the Falklands Legislative to take advantage of his chairmanship to promote initiatives for the benefit of the Islands, and underlined that Islanders can only decide on self-determination and their future.

The representative for Chorley spoke at the opening session of the Falklands Legislative Assembly pointing out how honored, privileged and humbled he was visiting the Islands on such a special anniversary, the 40th since the war.

Sir Hoyle also referred that he was the first ever Speaker of the House of Commons to address the Falklands Legislative, but nevertheless underlined the close links of Chorley with the Falklands recalling that Clifford Kenyon, a farmer and preacher who was his constituency's MP since 1945 until the sixties had also visited the Islands, and a construction company which started as a simple stone mason and carver, but turned into an international construction company has been involved in the reconstruction of the Falklands after the war.

“When my first trip to the Falklands in 1999, sponsored by Sukey Cameron I remember seeing the orange vehicles and orange porta-cabins, and I recognized they were from my village.

Sir Lindsay also attended the liberation service at Goose Green, because despite the thousands of miles away from UK, the war was an important lesson which must be transmitted to children and grandchildren, like the defense of the values of democracy, and the sacrifices it demanded. ”And with the joy and relief of the Liberation after 74 days of occupation, stronger than ever self determination of the Falklands, which can only be decided by the people of the Falklands“.

”The sovereignty of the Falklands does not depend on UK, it's up to the people of the Falklands to decide. Finally the second visit 23 years later is also about the British Overseas Territories and their initiatives, and for you to take advantage of my speakership to promote them“.