The Falkland Islands’ status as a British overseas territory has nothing to do with imperial gestures, and everything to do with the wishes of the population, writes Dr. Nigel Haywood, in response to the article by Simon Jenkins, published in The Guardian and MercoPress a week ago.
The Falkland Islands also joined Royal Air Force centenary celebrations. Despite poor weather the hangar event held at Mount Pleasant Complex, MPC, to celebrate RAF 100 the Royal Air Force Centenary (April 1) “went off perfectly,” according to spokesperson for the event.
Falkland Islands former Governor Nigel Haywood CVO departed the Islands on Tuesday and his successor, Colin Roberts CVO, is not expected to take up his post before late April. In the interim, John Duncan OBE has been designated as acting Governor of the Falkland Islands and acting Commissioner of South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands.
The Falkland Islands will commemorate on Sunday the naval engagement of 8th December 1914 when the Royal Navy sunk with a minimum loss of life the German fleet, an event which until Liberation Day, 14 June 1982, was the most outstanding of the Islands calendar.
Falkland Islands will be holding the annual Service of Remembrance on Sunday 10 November at Christ Church Cathedral. Governor Neil Haywood, Commander British Forces, Members of the Legislative Assembly, visiting and resident South Atlantic veterans, together with Senior Officers of the Armed Services will be attending the Service.
The Falkland Islands elected Legislative Assembly was dissolved on Thursday by Governor Nigel Haywood in advance of the General Election scheduled to be held on November 7.
Despite a tiring 32 hours flight and encountering extremely hot and humid conditions the Falklands football team, playing in their 5th International Island Games competition, took home a bronze medal after defeating the small Norwegian Island of Froya by a 6-0 score line.
For the first time the Falkland Islands have underlined the significance of the hydrocarbons industry as a fully integrated sector of the local economy as it effectively and successfully moves from the exploration to the exploitation stage with first shipments scheduled for 2017. At the same time it regrets that South American companies are not participating of the logistical opportunities because of Argentine interference.
A reception was held at the Falkland Islands Government House in honour of the Honorary British Consul in Punta Arenas, John Rees MBE, who is currently visiting the Islands at the invitation of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Falkland Islands Governor Nigel Haywood accused Argentina of “making stuff up” in its relentless verbal assault on the UK and the Islands. With a referendum on whether the Islanders want to remain British less than a week away, Haywood vowed to keep “pushing back” against the “extraordinary” sabre-rattling, UK’s sensationalist tabloid The Sun published.