Falklands' fisheries company Fortuna Ltd’s Stuart Wallace said at a meeting of Fisheries Committee last week that he was “disappointed” with the level of engagement about Brexit between FIG and the fishing industry.
The Falkland Islands Chief Medical Officer Beccy Edwards said this week that “we are still in the foothills of the global curve” of Covid-19, as Falkland Islands Government, FIG, confirmed that they will not yet be reducing the 14-day quarantine requirements.
LATAM Airlines have confirmed to the Falkland Islands government that the Punta Arenas-Santiago route will remain suspended until at least 2 January 2021, and the situation will be reviewed near that date.
The newly formed Falkland Islands National Sports Council (NSC) has revealed its new logo, designed by Tony Ellis of Tonedog Graphic Design. The front ‘wings’ represent the freedom and movement of sport and are also symbolic of a winner’s ribbon that the penguin is passing through, head raised in proud accomplishment.
The Falkland Islands Executive Council approved the extension of the employment/self-employment, job retention, unemployment subsidy and direct grant schemes which were introduced in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, and are currently being administered by the Treasury and FIDC.
The Falkland Islands government had made donations to Uruguayan and Chilean Covid-19 charitable organizations that support Covid victims in the two countries. The decision was agreed this week by the Standing Financial Committee and involved 5,000 pounds to each of the organizations in the two South American neighbors.
On July 13 ExCo approved measures to facilitate a repatriation flight for approximately 50 individuals present in the Falklands who had planned to return home via scheduled flights, but due to the suspension of the LATAM services to South America had been unable to do so.
British contractor BAM Nuttall is set to start work at the end of this month on a new port for the Falklands Islands. The existing facilities will be replaced. BAM Nuttall was chosen by the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) in February to carry out the design and build contract for the new port. The contract was signed in early April but was suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Falkland Islands Standing Finance Committee has revealed that the government has funded Covid-19 support measures to the tune of £7.983 million. The spending has been offset by underspends from a number of government departments, including Education and Natural Resources, while the Islands Plan budget is expected to underspend by nearly half a million pounds.
The Falkland Islands currently have an only air link which is the air bridge with the United Kingdom twice a week, since the commercial flights from Chile and Brazil managed by Latam, have been suspended at least until the end of July.