Falklands : MPs Complete Falklands Visit
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 27.02.2009 (Article Archived on 13.03.2009)
Mr Brian Binley MP (Cons) Northampton (South) and Ms Madeleine Moon (Lab) Bridgend have completed a successful visit to the Falklands from 19 to 24 February 2009.
Photo (C) J. Brock (FINN) Mr Brian Binley MP Left and Ms Madeleine Moon MP outside the Malvina House Hotel on Monday afternoon
MPs COMPLETE FALKLANDS VISIT
By J. Brock (FINN)
Mr Brian Binley MP Left and Ms Madeleine Moon MP outside the Malvina House Hotel on Monday afternoon
Mr Brian Binley MP (Cons) Northampton (South) and Ms Madeleine Moon (Lab) Bridgend have completed a successful visit to the Falklands from 19 to 24 February 2009. The visit included a full Government briefing hosted by the Chief Executive Mr Tim Thorogood and an extensive visit to the fisheries Department, a brief and lunch at the Chamber of Commerce, a visit to the Agriculture and Minerals Department and a tour of the Museum. The weekend was spent in Camp at San Carlos and at Sea Lion Island.
On Monday the MPs had a full tour of Mount Pleasant Complex before coming back to Stanley to attend a press conference at the Malvina House Hotel.
Ms Moon began the conference by saying there were objectives and in terms of those objectives the trip had been highly successful. Mr Binley mentioned that topics discussed included Fisheries, Hydrocarbons – the long term development of the Falklands with regard to tourism, agriculture, fisheries and defence – all were covered pretty much in depth. He stressed that it was important to listen to the voice of all the people like the families and to see where they want their country to be.
The MPs agreed it would be a very unhealthy society where everyone agreed with the government on everything it would be a very unhealthy society. “The whole point of that relationship is that it’s a dynamic relationship,” said Ms Moon. “One would hope that it would push you forward,” she continued. She felt that one had to examine the past and prospects for the future to help formulate what happens in the future.
Mr Binley says he will take back the message that the Falklands are a very healthy, vibrant and able community. He feels there is a lot of quality, adaptable human resource in the Falklands. He had a lot of praise for Phyl Rendell, who was the Director of Education then moved to being the Director of Minerals – later Minerals and Agriculture. He went on to say that talented people were among the most important assets the Falklands had. Camp was important in his view as well as the great professionalism of the people. Military professionalism was also on his list of assets. “If I were an Argentine I would take that very seriously,” he added.
Ms Moon mentioned that it could be summed up in one word – resilience. She mentioned that people from the Falklands came from the UK, where some people decided their life was not god enough and they went out looking for a better future. She said that they are still creating a better future. She went on to say that people were apprehensive about threats to the economy if there is an oil industry in the Falklands but mentioned there wasn’t a recognition about how the Falklands have moved from what was a feudal society to a vibrant economy with fisheries and a huge amount of wealth as well as the absorption of great numbers of Military. She praised this in respect of the size of the Falklands’ population and said it was absolutely amazing. She went on to say that there was quality of life and huge waiting lists of people wanting to come and settle. She went on to say that perhaps the problems we have with the Air-bridge worked in our favour. “People will want to stay because of the education, leisure, quality of life.” she added.
Mr Binley wanted people to have a debate about our future. He admitted it was difficult at the moment because we are not sure about hydrocarbons but a debate about the future is paramount – our responsibility. He went on to say that hydrocarbons would affect every facet of everybody’s life because the question of hydrocarbons is vital to how things will go. He said that if it is successful there is reason for optimism but Tourism and Agriculture also had a role to play in our future. He also mentioned the fishing industry in this respect. He was not sure the community were facing up to this challenge the way we needed to. However, Ms Moon thought that Islanders were good at taking up opportunities that came along. She feels that it is an uncomfortable time when change is in the air. “The conversation at the moment is around – do we want change?” She feels it is how the change is managed that is important, especially how we are going to manage the inevitable growth in population. She says that doing the planning and being ready for any change is well worth the time spent on it but that we need to be more introspective if we want to truly be successful in adapting to the changes that will come. She finished by saying that it is important to have visitors come in and see things afresh and that she noticed we knew when something didn’t work but had difficulties coming up with an idea to replace it.
Mr Binley added that his forte was business and he knew that if our neighbours grew up there would be a lot that we could do together. At some stage he prays that Argentina will have a grown up government that will sensibly look at the situation as it is. If we are able to get that, he thinks, we can make sizeable steps forward. “Hopefully, in the next few years we will see a more adult reaction,” said Mr Binley.
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