Falklands : Motion for Adjournment Speech: The Hon Mr Mike Summers
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 19.07.2011 (Article Archived on 02.08.2011)
Mr Speaker, Honourable members, it’s not my normal practice to comment on what other Members have said in the Motion for Adjournment.
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY 14 JULY 2011
(Part 2: Motion for Adjournment Speeches)
Compiled by J. Brock (FINN)
The Hon Mr Mike Summers:
Mr Speaker, Honourable members, it’s not my normal practice to comment on what other Members have said in the Motion for Adjournment. I consider it unfair for those going early in the discussion but I would just like to thank all Members for the forbearance shown in allowing us to complete the Island Games before I came back. And by postponing this meeting for a few days.. Thank you very much for that. But I will come back to the question of the Island Games.
But firstly I would like to thank those people who exercised their democratic right to put me back on to the Assembly. I hope that I will do what you are expecting of me and contrary perhaps to some expectations, I am actually quite a good team player and I can work with everybody to achieve what is best for the Falklands. I will be strong and I will be robust but I can work together with everybody else and I look forward to doing just that.
I particularly look forward to taking up the Agricultural and the Rural Development Strategy portfolios which are very close to my heart. And I hope I can help people in the Camp move their lives forward in these next couple of years; and equally I think the challenges in Education are going to be interesting and exciting and remain an important part of our public service.
Although just having arrived back myself I would like to welcome commander British Forces to this House. It’s always a great pleasure to work with successive Commanders to make sure we are all on the same side and all doing the same thing and I am certain that is the case.
Since they have been raised, I would like to make a couple of comments on the By-election. I am no stranger to rhetoric in by-elections. I had a bit of it myself over many, many years. People don’t always understand the circumstances surrounding Government when they are standing for election. That is probably understandable and I think you have to allow them a little bit of latitude but it is irritating, I have to say. But there we are. That’s part of Democracy and openness and free speech. We put up with it and get on with it.
But if anybody either on the other side of the water or in any other institution around the world who is interested in democracy and self-determination was in any doubt about what the Falklands thought about our right to determine our own future I think that not only the last election but the by-election should leave them in absolutely no doubt that the people of the Falklands have no wish to have any relationship whatsoever with Argentina and the Argentine Republic and, indeed, as things go on these days, the Argentine people.
We have much work to do and I have seen some of the work that the Assembly have done. I have not had time to study it that closely, obviously, or become involved in it but I think as I said in the election there is much to do. I do commend Roger Edwards and Dick Sawle for their work in the C-24 and in Canada and in the United States. I think it’s a very important beginning and some very important work that I very much hope to participate in with our Members.
Finally, on the Island Games, I don’t think that I am debarred from carrying on with my role as Chair of FIOGA and I intend to do so not only because I enjoy it but because I am very firm about the role and importance of sport and competitive activities in not only health and healthy living but in the generation of spirit and competitive spirit and team spirit in the Community. I think it has a really, really important role.
The sheer enthusiasm that was generated on the Isle of Weight amongst the team was fantastic to see amongst those young people. And our task now is to take it into the next generation of younger people and get them working to represent our Islands overseas not only in Bermuda in a couple of years’ time but perhaps in Glasgow commonwealth Games and other places overseas as we go forward. And a fantastic thing to see when you go to these games is Falkland Islanders representing their country not only at Sport but talking intelligently and eloquently about the position of the Falklands in the world and it’s a very great pleasure to be part of that.
Sir, I Support the Motion.
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