“The UK has sold out Falklands fishing for a Brexit era deal,” fishing company Fortuna Ltd Director James Wallace told Penguin News this week. He was replying to much general speculation as to why a Falkland Islands company with a long history of participation in the South Georgia toothfish fishery was refused licenses this season.
Anger has been expressed in the Falkland Islands this week over a letter which was sent to the Argentine Governor of Tierra del Fuego, Rosana Bertone, by a representative of the National Geographic Foundation. The letter, dated February 8, contains an apology for the appearance of the label ‘Falkland Islands’ instead of ‘Malvinas Islands’ on photos published on Instagram, which were taken here.
Ministers and senior officials from UK Overseas Territories (OTs) and Crown Dependencies (CDs) travelled to the Isle of Man last week to discuss the future of the environment in their jurisdictions. This was the third Council of Environment Ministers of UK Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies and took place in Douglas, on 6th and 7th February. Previous meetings took place in Gibraltar in 2015 and continued in Alderney in 2017.
As Mercopress reported, Premier Oil are currently consulting on the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for their Sealion Oil Field development sitting 220km to the North of the Falkland Islands in 450 metres of water depth. The formal minimum 42 day consultation period began earlier in the week and only after the Falkland Islands Government agreed via its Executive Council that it could do so.
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.
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.
The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, has congratulated Gibraltar minister Joe Bossano on being awarded a knighthood in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List for 2018. In a statement in which it described Sir Joe as a “long-standing friend of the Falkland Islands”, FIG said he has spoken vociferously in support of Falkland Islander’s right to self-determination at various international forums.
Following a full day of activities in London in the framework of the annual British Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council meeting, the Falklands delegation said talks were very high level, and a wonderful opportunity to put forward the Islands concerns, such as Brexit, and listen to the issues faced by the other British Overseas Territories.
Falkland Islands lawmakers will be meeting starting in December to scope the community’s priorities under the Rural Development Strategy (RDS), as the current Action Plan ends and a new 3-year phase begins.
Five of the eight members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, were elected for the first time only three working days before their first formal appearance in the Town Hall on Monday morning. With this in mind, the business to be brought before the chamber is normally routine and unlikely to require much in the way of discussion.