Falklands : The Hon Dr Barry Elsby: Motion for Adjournment Speech 23 July 2012
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 30.07.2012 (Article Archived on 13.08.2012)
Mr Speaker, Honourable members, in rising to speak to the Motion I might as well be rather brief as many points have already been raised by other Honourable Members.
The Hon Dr Barry Elsby: Motion for Adjournment Speech 23 July 2012
Transcript by J. Brock (FINN)
Mr Speaker, Honourable members, in rising to speak to the Motion I might as well be rather brief as many points have already been raised by other Honourable Members.
But I would like to comment on the oil situation, really, and as a number of Honourable Colleagues have already touched on (it). Over the last few months – the last few weeks, really, we’ve moved from an oil exploration country to a probable – and I stress the word, probable, oil producing countries. The farm-in arrangement with Rockhopper, as with the Premier Oil Company; the development of the Sea Lion find is extremely good news. It’s good news because it gets us that much closer to oil production. But it has also sent a very strong message to Argentina. For many months now Argentina has been trying to pressurise the oil companies and the industry as a whole to try and prevent them from working with us, culminating in their threat to take legal action against any company working in our waters. The arrangement that FOGL had with Edison and now Rockhopper’s deal with Premier Oil has sent the world a strong message that the Falkland Islands are a good and safe place to work. And the industry knows that at least here they will not be nationalised.
However, the oil is still in the ground as various Members have already said. And if this field is to be developed it’s not unknown that in previous fields elsewhere in the world lots of development can take place and for various technical reasons the oil doesn’t actually get produced. So as other Members have said, I don’t think we should count every chicken until we actually have that oil flowing. Borders & Southern have completed their planned two wells now and we are still awaiting the results and the importance of the Gas Condensates they found in their first well. They will be leaving the Islands now but have no doubt that they will be back.
As Honourable member, Dick Sawle has already said, important development decisions need to be taken now both by the private sector and FIG. And these development decisions will lead to significant changes in the Islands as the Honourable Gavin Short has already touched upon. And these changes will be both good and, if we are not careful there will be bad changes as well.
The Census will report soon that our population will be somewhere in the region of 3.5 to 4,000 people. I obviously don’t know but whatever it is we need to decide what it should be in the next census in 10 years’ time.
And as the Honourable Gavin Short has also stated, Rockhopper had commissioned a socioeconomic survey and they started that last year and we expect the report to be released in the very near future. I think that report should be the focus of an on-going public debate led by MLAs but incorporating the whole public as to how we want this Island to develop. (I think he means these Islands) When I stood for Council I said that decisions on the future development of the Islands should not be taken by the 8 MLAs behind closed doors and I still firmly believe that.
Finally, Mr Speaker, I would like to touch on this House. When the Honourable Roger Edwards just spoke he started by saying “those viewers of the Chamber here today” and I think he meant speakers (properly edited above). But I would like to say that a few days ago I raised with my Colleagues the possibility of televising Legislative Assembly and I am pleased to say that the majority approved the suggestion. There are a number of technical issues to be agreed but it is hoped that in the not too distant future people will be able to watch the proceedings of this House on FITV. For those in town or Camp who do not receive FITV, free DVD copies of the meeting will be made available to those who want them.
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