The possible impact of Brexit on the Falklands is no nearer to gaining definition as UK MPs once again voted against a Brexit deal proposed by Theresa May, as well as voting against the possibility of leaving the European Union (EU) without any sort of deal.
Sixty-five next of kin of Argentine combatants buried in the Falkland Islands and whose remains were recently identified, visited the Argentine military cemetery at Darwin to pay their respects and pray next to the graves of their loved ones.
“An incredible experience, the strongest of my life, it opened my head in several aspects”, said Nicolás Aguiar, the Argentine 24 year old international-relations student who spent a week in the Falkland Islands as a guest of the local government.
Describing it as the start of a long slow goodbye, at a reception at Government House, last week Governor Nigel Phillips paid tribute to the Falkland Islands Representative in London Sukey Cameron MBE, who will retire later in the year.
The Falkland Islands elected government announced on Monday the visit of Argentine next of kin scheduled for 13 March. The release states that following the identification of a further 18 unknown Argentine soldiers, buried at the Argentine military Cemetery at Darwin, a private charter is due to arrive at Mount Pleasant Airport on Wednesday 13 March.
The Falkland Islands Government has come to agreement with a local landowner to develop the area currently known as Bennett's Paddock to the east of Stanley Golf Course. The site is 18 acres in total and will be divided into approximately 70 individual plots for housing.
The Illex squid fishery season starts on February 14 and 105 licenses have been offered confirmed Director of Natural Resources John Barton. He added: “Not all vessels which applied received licenses. The number of licenses offered is the same as the last few years.”
The minefields around the Falkland Islands capital, Stanley, dating back to the South Atlantic conflict, have remained largely untouched for most of nearly 35 years, due to the restrictions in place around access to the minefields. Over this time, they have become a haven for Falkland’s wildlife.
In January, a newly leased aircraft from Britten-Norman arrived in the Falkland Islands to provide an additional resource to the Falkland Islands Government Air Service during the height of the summer season. The plan was to carry out a 100 hours inspection and to fit flotation tyres before the aircraft – registration G-BCEN – would begin to carry passengers.
The Falkland Islands Government Air Service has received funding approval from the Executive Council and the Standing Finance Committee for a new aircraft to replace Islander VP-FBM which incurred substantial structural damage while landing at Beaver Island in June.