The Falkland Islands are concerned about tourism and what can be expected of the coming season. Tourism is one of the main industries of the Islands and has been growing sustainedly despite attempts by an abusive neighbor to curtail its development, but on this occasion, the world pandemic has become a greater uncertainty and challenge.
The British Labour Party this week reaffirmed its commitment to the Falklands and Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination.
The Falkland Islands Governor, members of the elected government and public in general will be participating this Friday morning in the commemoration of the liberation of Goose Green settlement 38 years ago. However because of the Covid-19 pandemic the ceremony will be a shorter service to mark the occasion.
The Falkland Islands Government this week unveiled plans for a “prudent” budget that maintains the current levels of expenditure but does not propose any increase in fees and charges. The budget aims to keep the current levels of service delivery but shies away from major investments or increases in operating costs.
“Argentines love rattling the Falklands cage, and I suspect that journalists in Argentina, are being naughty as usual”, commented Labor MP Chris Bryant who was recently interviewed in several Argentine radio stations but was not able, because of workload, to listen or read to his edited statements, aired rather controversially.
The Argentine foreign minister Felipe Solá held a round of talks with his counterparts from Australia, Ireland and Armenia to address issues of special significance for an Argentine foreign policy such as the current Coronavirus pandemic, and its impact on the global economy, and the European Union position regarding the Falkland Islands in a post Brexit scenario.
The Falkland Islands Government announced the appointment of Marie Horton as the new Director of Education, taking up her position from the 27 May 2020. Ms Horton is an experienced education professional and holds an initial degree from Cardiff University, a Master’s degree from Bristol University and has undertaken further professional qualifications from Liverpool Hope University.
Falkland Islands lawmaker MLA Mark Pollard this week said that the coming tourist season is likely to be, “very tough, and a very late one if there is one at all.” However MLA Pollard emphasized that he was expressing his own opinion, and described any expectation that the cruise ship season will start as normal in October as fanciful.
The Falkland Islands' government this week confirmed that it will be a month before there is any review of current social distancing measures even if Covid-19 tests continue to return negative results.
The Falkland Islands commemorated on Thursday Landing Day, 38 years ago when British Forces took several beaches in San Carlos settlement beginning the recovery of Islands territory.