Sandra Osborne MP in the Falklands
Local MP and Defence Select Committee member Sandra Osborne recently visited the Falkland Islands, seeing for herself the base of service personnel there and meeting the islanders. Here is her description of the visit.
We travelled in what they call "the air bridge", but it’s basically an Airbus operated by Titan Airways. It's a chartered flight used for MoD personnel and the Islanders.
From Brize Norton you fly to Ascension Island. It’s an eight-and-a-half-hour flight, you refuel there and then you go on down to the Falkland Islands. Over 20 hours in total.
As an overseas territory we support them with their health service. They have a hospital in Stanley but if you require specialist treatments, cancer, children’s medicines, they come back to the UK. So there are a number of seats put aside on these flights for the islanders.
At this time of the year it’s the Falklands' summer, and even if it’s cloudy it is very easy to get sunburned.
What we found were hills, open countryside, sheep and stunning bays.
But the beautiful landscape hides a dark legacy of the Falklands War with Argentina – the land mines. Some of the bays like Yorke Bay, just outside Stanley have big warning signs up and are out of bounds.
The debate on the ownership of the islands has flared up again with Argentina seeing it as a matter of negotiation between them and the UK. The truth is that it is a three way dialogue with the islanders’ voice needing to be listened to (there are 4,000 islanders). The hard reality is that 90% of the islanders want the status quo to remain, and that impasse isn't likely to go away.
UK governments have consistently said that if any of our overseas territories wish to go to independence, provided they meet the government requirements, they would not stand in their way. The UK policy has always been for self determination.
We visited HMS Clyde – a protection vessel. One of its primary roles is to make sure there is no illegal fishing. It also acts as a patrol vessel between South Georgia and the Falklands. They were sailing to South Georgia on a regular visit. We then spent some time with the Typhoons, search and rescue, Hercules as well.
We also spent time with the families, seeing what their accommodation was like. We mustn’t forget that there are 35-40 families of service personnel living for up to 2 years there. One of the great challenges the primary school has on the base is to educate these children while being mindful that they are going to have to leave their friends and go back to the U.K when their parents’ tour comes to an end.
There was a conscious decision made to put the base 35 miles away from Stanley, specifically so Stanley didn’t turn into an army town. There is a convenience shop on the base selling Waitrose and Iceland products but with the original prices covered up. For example a small packet of Weetabix is £4.20.
We spent a day in Stanley. We met the Governor, the Chamber of Commerce and the elected representatives. Discussion included the issue of hydrocarbons and gas. It is fairly well-known that there have been some promising findings there. How do we help the Falkland islanders tap those valuable reserves? They don’t have the capability in-house to manage extensive oil and gas fields and will need help to ensure the fields are properly licensed and that they are not exploited by the multinational companies.
We visited the cemetery at San Carlos in Ajax Bay and took the opportunity to lay wreathes at the Stanley war memorial. There was a human cost to the conflict of over 250 UK personnel who lost their lives and 650 Argentineans.
The main purpose for the Defence Committee visit was to reach a better understanding of what goes on there- the deployment of service personnel and the welfare of their families. However it was also fitting we should be there as the 30th anniversary of the war approached.
Sandra Osborne MP
Local MP and Defence Select Committee member Sandra Osborne recently visited the Falkland Islands, seeing for herself the base of service personnel there and meeting the islanders. Here is her description of the visit.
We travelled in what they call "the air bridge", but it’s basically an Airbus operated by Titan Airways. It's a chartered flight used for MoD personnel and the Islanders.
From Brize Norton you fly to Ascension Island. It’s an eight-and-a-half-hour flight, you refuel there and then you go on down to the Falkland Islands. Over 20 hours in total.
As an overseas territory we support them with their health service. They have a hospital in Stanley but if you require specialist treatments, cancer, children’s medicines, they come back to the UK. So there are a number of seats put aside on these flights for the islanders.
At this time of the year it’s the Falklands' summer, and even if it’s cloudy it is very easy to get sunburned.
What we found were hills, open countryside, sheep and stunning bays.
But the beautiful landscape hides a dark legacy of the Falklands War with Argentina – the land mines. Some of the bays like Yorke Bay, just outside Stanley have big warning signs up and are out of bounds.
The debate on the ownership of the islands has flared up again with Argentina seeing it as a matter of negotiation between them and the UK. The truth is that it is a three way dialogue with the islanders’ voice needing to be listened to (there are 4,000 islanders). The hard reality is that 90% of the islanders want the status quo to remain, and that impasse isn't likely to go away.
UK governments have consistently said that if any of our overseas territories wish to go to independence, provided they meet the government requirements, they would not stand in their way. The UK policy has always been for self determination.
We visited HMS Clyde – a protection vessel. One of its primary roles is to make sure there is no illegal fishing. It also acts as a patrol vessel between South Georgia and the Falklands. They were sailing to South Georgia on a regular visit. We then spent some time with the Typhoons, search and rescue, Hercules as well.
We also spent time with the families, seeing what their accommodation was like. We mustn’t forget that there are 35-40 families of service personnel living for up to 2 years there. One of the great challenges the primary school has on the base is to educate these children while being mindful that they are going to have to leave their friends and go back to the U.K when their parents’ tour comes to an end.
There was a conscious decision made to put the base 35 miles away from Stanley, specifically so Stanley didn’t turn into an army town. There is a convenience shop on the base selling Waitrose and Iceland products but with the original prices covered up. For example a small packet of Weetabix is £4.20.
We spent a day in Stanley. We met the Governor, the Chamber of Commerce and the elected representatives. Discussion included the issue of hydrocarbons and gas. It is fairly well-known that there have been some promising findings there. How do we help the Falkland islanders tap those valuable reserves? They don’t have the capability in-house to manage extensive oil and gas fields and will need help to ensure the fields are properly licensed and that they are not exploited by the multinational companies.
We visited the cemetery at San Carlos in Ajax Bay and took the opportunity to lay wreathes at the Stanley war memorial. There was a human cost to the conflict of over 250 UK personnel who lost their lives and 650 Argentineans.
The main purpose for the Defence Committee visit was to reach a better understanding of what goes on there- the deployment of service personnel and the welfare of their families. However it was also fitting we should be there as the 30th anniversary of the war approached.
Sandra Osborne MP