
A Spanish flagged trawler returning from fishing in the Falkland Islands caught fire early Monday morning as it was docking in the port of Montevideo. The cause of the fire which was rapidly controlled by Uruguayan fire brigades is still unknown according to the navy spokesperson Gaston Juansolo.

The Falkland Islands Government has announced that an updated version of the FIG Oil Readiness Checklist is now available online. The checklist refers to key areas from the FIG ongoing program for the development of the hydrocarbons industry as it grows into a production phase.

Panama reaffirmed its support for Argentina and its sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands following on a complaint from Buenos Aires regarding a trip of Panamanian lawmakers to the Islands invited by the local government

A locally owned and managed credit union, “run by the people that it serves” that would provide savings, credit and other financial services to its members, is the subject of a newly released suitability study by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation (FIDC) and was discussed at public consultation meetings at the Chamber of Commerce and the Goose Green Social Club this week.

London’s fastest-growing communications agency, Pagefield, has been appointed by the Falkland Islands Government to provide strategic and tactical advice in relation to all public relations and media issues in the UK, following a competitive pitch.

Personality clashes in an elected assembly of a small community where virtually everybody knows each other, such is the case of the Falkland Islands and its almost 3.000 residents, was one of the issues discussed during an electoral debate ahead of the 7 November General Election chaired by the local radio station, FIRS, and Penguin News.

An alternative north-south air-link and better facilities for tourism development surfaced at the Falkland Islands candidates debate ahead of 7 November General Election during the FIRS/Penguin News press conference earlier this week.

To the loss of transshipments from Argentina, estimated in 100 million dollars a year by Montevideo port authorities, must be added the 60 million dollars following the ban on Falklands' flagged vessels from operating in Uruguay, claimed Mario Baubeta, president of Uruguay's Navigation Centre.

Argentine ambassador in London Alicia Castro in a letter published in The Times, defended the peaceful call from President Cristina Fernandez to dialogue and negotiations on the Malvinas Islands issue and underlined that the sovereignty claim over the Islands is 'enshrined in the national constitution'.

The constitution of the Falkland Islands requires that a general election be held every four years to choose the eight members of the Islands’ Legislative Assembly or lower house of government. The next General Election is due to be held on November 7th this year.