MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands MLA Spink present at the Joint Ministerial Council in London with other OTs democratically elected

A family picture of the OTs Representatives currently in London for the JMC

Roger Spink, member of the democratically elected Legislative Assembly from the Falkland Islands, is taking part in the annual Joint Ministerial Council at the Foreign Office in London, next to representatives from twelve other Overseas Territories.

 The annual event which officially begins this Wednesday but is also an opportunity to hold talks with UK officials and representative from other OTs includes in the agenda, Security and Irregular Migration; Economic Diversification and Resilience; Illicit Finance and Sanctions; Climate and the Environment; and Human Development.

For the Falklands and the other OTs it is a significant council since it is the first JMC to be held since the UK General Election when Labour and Prime Minister Keir Starmer replaced the long tenure of the Conservatives.

MLA Spink who has been doing a round of contacts previous to JMC, during the talks has the support of Richard Hyslop, head of the Falklands Government Office in London, who is also currently Vice-chair of the UK Overseas Territories Association.

“The JMC is the highest level of political engagement between the UK government and the democratically elected governments of the OTs, and as such is a significant event,” said Mr. Hyslop from London in anticipation of the meetings.

He also mentioned some of the issues the Falklands expects to achieve from the JMC this week, which will be chaired by the Foreign Minister with responsibility for the OTs., Stephen Doughty MP, a loyal friend who has visited the Islands.

“Besides engaging at such a high level with ministers of the recently elected government in UK, the Falklands will be discussing a range of issues of relevance to the OTs and UK, since both sides feed the agenda,” indicated Hyslop, and more specifically mentioned, trade health, education, the relationship that each OT has with London.

“It means engaging in bilateral meetings with ministers, other than Doughty, who are relevant to us in the Falklands, plus an opportunity to engage with the other OTs and their representatives”.

“We want to grow and expand our already successful relation with the UK, deepen it further, so that we enjoy a modern, democratic, mutually beneficial relationship with the UK, and engaging in discussions on all topics, whether health, education, trade…getting the very best out of JMC for the people in Falklands”.

Finally working with our colleagues from OTs , since this is the only occasion, in a year that “we all come together as one family”, and a great chance to work together and learn a lot from each other, But it will also be an opportunity to say a huge thanks to the UK government and to minister Doughty for their continued support for our right to self-determination”.