
The Falkland Islands government has granted a one year extension for Rockhopper Exploration’s production licences PL023 and PL024. The licences, in which Rockhopper has a 40% interest, have been extended until November 2013, with no requirement for the operator to perform further work on the licences in that time.

Yasmina Reyes is the Editor of the International Section of the La Prensa newspaper in Panama City and was one of the journalists from Central America that recently traveled to the Falkland Islands. She has written the guest post below about her experience.

The Royal Navy Type 21 Association raised funds in support of activities to remember those that have lost their lives in war and peace whilst serving in the Armed Forces. The funds were raised at a successful reunion recently held in Devonport where the eight Type 21 ships were based.

Hedge funds have been quietly building up stakes in the oil explorers operating off the Falkland Islands betting that companies will ignore the threats made by Argentina to disrupt the activity, according to a Reuters’ piece published this week.

Planning ahead for the next three years Falkland Islands Desire Petroleum announced on Wednesday changes to its Production Licences following approval received from Executive Council.

The Falkland Islands government has opened a public consultation on the proposed referendum question on the Falklands Political Status to be held in early 2013. The proposed question was arrived at and agreed by all members of the Legislative Assembly having received expert advice on the issue.

For the first time, the 16 flags of the British Overseas Territories including the Falkland Islands are being flown in Parliament Square, alongside the flags of the Crown Dependencies, to mark a state occasion, reports an official release from the Foreign Office.

After a six-month deployment to the South Atlantic, including a patrol and exercises in the Falkland Islands, the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dauntless has returned to her home port in Portsmouth, southern England.

The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) is likely to earn somewhere in the region of 25 to 30% of the gross value of the oil resource spread over an expected field life of 25 years, it was stated at a public meeting in the capital Stanley earlier this week.

A group of Central American journalists recently visited the Falkland Islands for a week as guests of the Foreign Office together with Bruce Callow from the UK Costa Rica embassy. During Mr Callow wrote in his blog about the experience regarding important issues for the Falklands such as the referendum next March on the future of the Islands.