The Falkland Islands Executive Council (its effective Cabinet) agreed late last week a set of budgeting principles for the Government over the coming financial year beginning 1st July 2018. These principles are likely to apply throughout the four year term of the current Legislative Assembly, though will be formally reviewed by the Assembly annually.
British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson is expected to institute a ban on fishing, drilling and freight transport in British overseas territories in the South Atlantic in an effort to protect wildlife in the area. The South Sandwich Islands, which plays host to Antarctic scientists but has no permanent residents, lie around 1,500km east of the Falkland Islands.
The entire text of the fantastically informative Dictionary of Falklands Biography has been placed on a new website www.falklandsbiographies.org. In addition to the original 476 biographies, six new names have been added and more are to follow. Among the newcomers are Constance Allardyce, the wife of Governor Sir William, who was a respected palaeontologist and expert on Falklands fossils (written by Dr Phil Stone).
A Falkland Islands Summary Court acting Justice of Peace Andrew Brownlee and Leeann Harris handed out a conditional discharge for eighteen months to Spanish fishing captain, Oscar Gomez, while fining his company, Pesquerias Marinenses SA, a total of £5,000, plus court costs of £150. Mr Gomez was also ordered to pay £150 costs.
The Falkland Islands will be sending a team of 26 competitors and officials to the 21st Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast Australia in April. Two sports will be represented: badminton and various shooting disciplines and the whole event will run from April 4 -15.
The Falkland Islands Holiday Credit Scheme that lasted some ten years until 2008, and by which the government credited a daily contribution to each Islander in support of the cost of overseas travel, may be about to make a comeback, according to the latest edition of the Penguin News.
The Bank of England has recently introduced a new, more secure UK £10 banknote. The phasing out of the old UK £10 note will take effect in the Falklands as well.
The Falkland Islands Government has announced the appointment of Rachel Seddon as the new Director of Education for the Falkland Islands. Rachel has worked in education for the last twenty five years. In the last five years she has managed a wide curriculum at Assistant Principal level; led a sixth form college; and has been Director of Quality and Learner Support at a large London college.
When the Indian Naval sailing vessel INSV Tarini sailed into Stanley Harbour at approximately 19:00 on Sunday 21 January it was warmly welcomed at the town’s public jetty by the Falkland Islands Governor Nigel Phillips and MLA Stacy Bragger.
Sasha Arkhipkin, Senior Fisheries Scientist talks about mass strandings of pilot whales.