One of our faithful US members has just renewed his subscription and ordered one of the new lapel badges - this will be the first badge to wing its way across the pond to the US. He will know that it is on its way as he tells me that he has been reading this blog which is reassuring as sometimes you wonder if anyone reads it although the statistics say that there are more hits from the US than the UK! So thank you - you will know who you are. The package was posted today.

It is good to know that we have supporters in both the USA and Canada. The visit to the Falkland Islands by US Congressman Jim Sessenbrenner a few weeks ago was encouraging - he thought he was the first sitting member of the US Congress to visit the Islands and hoped that he would not be the last. When he addressed the Legislative Council in Stanley he said that the United States has always stood for the principle of self determination saying "we let the British Crown know that about 230 years ago and we haven't changed our viewpoint that the people should be allowed to direct able to choose their system of government and make whatever alliances and determinations that are necessary" Let us hope he takes his experiences back to Congress and convinces a few other members of the importance of self determination to the Falkland Islanders.

Michael Probin brought ten copies of Lisa Watson's book back from the Falkland Islands. Lisa was just eleven years old when the Argentine troops invaded Stanley in 1982 and this 40 page booklet describes her evacuation from Stanley to her parents farm at Long Island Farm and the various adventures that followed. Initially written for young Falkland Islanders to learn something of what it was like to be a child during the conflict it will be of interest to children in the UK and elsewhere. 

Priced at £10, copies are available from me although it may be some time before we get any further copies - just seven left (19/3)



The Newsletter is going through the proof reading stage but has yet to go to the printer so it looks as if the publication date of 1st April will slip a bit this year. One problem is the visit to Kew which takes place on Wednesday 25th April but bookings have to be in by 3rd April so most members wont know about the event until too late. As it is a follow up to last years visit to Wakehust Place we have tried to contact all who came to that event and we have 18 booked so far.

Our meeting with MLA Barry Elsby went well and we had an interesting exchange of views. It was good to hear that the MLA's regard the FIA as a worthwhile organisation.

Several calls from the press all looking for a fresh angle on a relatively simple problem - Argentina wants to take over the Falkland Islands and the other South Atlantic Islands right down into Antarctica and the Falkland Islanders do not want to be part of Argentina but remain an Overseas Territory of the UK. The rest of the South Atlantic Islands are in possession of the UK with a good title so far as we can see.

Discussions would seem pointless for, although there are many aspects that could be discussed - fisheries, tourism, travel, even oil exploration, Argentina only wants to discuss one thing - when are we going to give the Islands back to them - end of.

Lots of new books coming out - mainly related to the 1982 conflict. The Silent Listener by D J Thorp is a good read about the role of electronic warfare units in the conflict.