FLYING FEET DOMINATE THE GOVERNOR’S FIRST FORTNIGHT
By J. Brock (FINN)
By his own admission, since his arrival on the afternoon of the 2nd of December 2002, Howard Pearce (HP) has been a busy man. As Governor of the Falkland Islands, he has a hectic job but how has he been coping? What has he been up to since his arrival two weeks ago?
HP: My feet have hardly touched the ground since I arrived. I have been extremely busy, obviously, during the first 24 hours or so with the ceremonies linked to my arrival and swearing in and also over the weekend with the Battle Day commemorations. In the meantime, I have been meeting as many people as I can and learning as much as I can about what the Governor is engaged in here. I have been meeting key figures, meeting Councillors, getting to know Councillors, visiting various departments of Government as much as I can and really taking in and absorbing as much information as possible, building on the briefing I had done in the UK before coming out here and, indeed, on what I learnt when I came to the Falklands in September for a few days.
FINN: How has your reception been?
HP: Everybody here has been extremely hospitable and kind and welcoming. I am obviously very grateful for that. And, I am having a most interesting time, even more than I expected. I am sure that will be the case during the next three years while I am here.
FINN: Do you have any plans to go out to Camp to see the workings of the wool industry and, indeed, the new developments and diversification that is happening in Falklands Agriculture?
HP: Most certainly. Before this interview, I was visiting the Agriculture Department and it’s my intention to travel as widely in the Falklands as I possibly can. I don’t have any specific travel programme yet because I want to concentrate on getting my feet under the desk in Stanley first. Once I have done that, I will certainly make my plans to travel around Camp.
FINN: Have you been out already?
HP: I already did one recreational trip to Volunteer Point on Monday. It was wonderful weather and I managed to get myself bogged a couple of times in my Land Rover. I am thankful to the party I was with that managed to pull me out. I am sure that helped me with the familiarisation process!
Baroness Amos Quote (Hansard):
"We need to pursue vigorously constructive dialogue with Spain and Gibraltar. Now is the way ahead so that the real issues remaining can be tackled constructively. Negotiations on all issues, including sovereignty, are the only way to secure a prosperous future for the people of Gibraltar. Nothing should be ruled out at this stage regarding the way forward."
HP: The British Government’s position on Gibraltar has always been that there can be no change without the agreement of the Gibraltarians themselves. Any agreement which is reached with Spain, will, in due course, be put to the Gibraltarians.
FINN: Even though we have been assured about our status in regard to the Argentine claim, over the Falkland Islands, will there be a time when the UK will want the Islands to interact more fully with Mercosur?
HP: On the Falklands, the British Government’s position is absolutely clear. And, I made it quite clear, I repeated it again in the speech, which I gave when I was sworn in last week. That is that there will be no change in sovereignty. Indeed, sovereignty is not on the agenda, unless the Islanders wish it to be. The British Government is committed to self-determination, committed to respect the wishes of the Islanders on the sovereignty issue. That commitment has been made by the Prime Minister and it was repeated to me by the Foreign Secretary, when I saw him about a month before I came out here and has been reiterated by successive British Governments. I don’t think there is any room for any doubt about what the British Government’s position on that.
I don’t think the issue about the Islands’ interaction with Mercosur really arises. But I see no difficulty in pursuing commercial relations with the Mercosur countries if the Falkland Islanders consider it to be in their interests to do so.
FINN: What diplomatic pressure is being applied to Argentina with reference to the proposal with reference to fishing companies having to pay for fishing in the FICZ?
HP: I understand that the current situation is that a bill has been submitted to the Argentine Senate but that it will not be discussed until March next year. What will happen to it then, is difficult for me to judge. But it’s absolutely clear that any attempt by the Argentine Senate or by the Argentine Government to extend its jurisdiction in any respect within the Falkland Islands Conservation Zone is unacceptable. That goes without saying. We have already taken this up with Argentine officials and indications are that this is not going to lead to anything but certainly, the British embassy in Buenos Aires will be keeping a very close eye on the situation.
FINN: Ditto for the 3% tax on any commercial extraction of hydrocarbons in the North Falkland Basin?
HP: Exactly the same applies to the Argentine Government trying to impose any taxation or intervention on the extraction of hydrocarbons or any other minerals in areas within the jurisdiction of the Islands.
In this first interview with H. E. the Governor Mr. Pearce, FINN has been frugal with the questions. It’s early days yet and Howard Pearce’s schedule is still in high gear. As situations arise, there will be more in-depth interviews, so watch this space.
