This month five Falkland Islands lawmakers, elected Members of the Legislative Assembly, according to a release from the Islands' government are travelling to the UK to have a series of key meetings with the oil industry, trade partners and UK parliamentarians, and to reiterate the need for a good deal for the Falkland Islands in the context of continuing Brexit negotiations.
Contrary to what happens in the region, and for that matter in most of the world, inflation in the Falkland Islands is on target and the budget performance remains under spent with strong Capital projects carryover from previous budgets.
The Falkland Islands Government announced on Tuesday the appointment of Richard Hyslop as the new UK Representative, succeeding Sukey Cameron MBE who retires from the post in October 2019, after 36 years of service within FIG, 29 of which were as UK Representative.
The Falkland Islands government Public Health Advisor, Carol Morrison, is set to launch a survey this week to gather data on the community’s lifestyle habits, perceptions of health, access to health care and barriers to health.
The Falkland Islands Government announced the appointment of Debbie Ferriby as Head of Finance. Debbie is an experienced and qualified accountant, and is currently the Chief Finance Officer at Sure South Atlantic, based in Stanley.
Argentine entrepreneur Eduardo Eurnekián, who financed the Argentine cemetery in the Falkland Islands to bury with dignity those who perished in the 1982 war and also the March 26 flights for relatives to visit the graves of the newly-identified bodies, last week flew to the Islands to the place that has touched his heart since 2003 and thank everybody for the humanitarian accomplishment.
The proposed second airline service between the Falklands and South America with a once a month stopover in Argentina, drew both strongly voiced concerns and praise at a public meeting held on Wednesday evening in Stanley. Worried citizens suggested Argentina might manipulate Islanders by threatening to interrupt the link to Sao Paulo, Brazil in the longer term.
The Falkland Islands could have a new port within the next two years. Three consortia have presented proposals to the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) for a new port confirmed Legislative Assembly Member Dr Barry Elsby in recent weeks.
The Falkland Islands retail price index (RPI) increased by 3% over the last 12 months, the Standing Finance Committee was told this week. The hike is principally down to an increase in the cost of fuel and power (excluding fuel for transport), which led to a 1.6% increase in the index, and food and non-alcoholic beverages, which further raised it by 1.1%.
The Falkland Islands Government operating surplus of £38 million for 2017/18 was driven primarily by favourable Corporation Tax receipts. The original budgeted deficit in my view led the former Legislative Assembly to be over cautious in their demands leading to unnecessary thrift in some areas, according to MLA Roger Spink, who is head of the Government Services Portfolio of the Assembly.