NEXT week the Falkland Islands newspaper Penguin News will increase its cover price to £2.50. It’s not a decision I’ve taken lightly, but is one I believe is necessary. For the past two years the newspaper has received a relatively small but quite important subvention through the Falkland Islands Government’s funding of the Media Trust. Following this year’s budget, that subvention to the Media Trust was reduced, as were the allocations made to other organisations and government departments.The latest allocation was intended solely for Falklands Radio. The Media Trust nevertheless offered, generously and fairly, to share a small proportion of that funding with Penguin News.I have decided that we will not accept that offer.Instead, Penguin News will stand on its own feet. The increase in the cover price (there has been no increase for 8 years incidentally) is intended to replace that income and maintain the newspaper’s financial independence. It...

A NEW mobile banking app being launched by Standard Chartered (SC) will be a “game changer” for the Falkland Islands, SC Chief Executive Sarfraz Rao tells Penguin News.The ability to undertake moblie banking in the Falklands has been long awaited, something Mr Rao acknowledged, “the Islands present unique banking and infrastructure considerations, so we wanted to ensure that the app… is fit for purpose meaning that it meets the highest standards possible in terms of security, resilience, as well as customer experience.“From that standpoint it is not about how long it has taken, it is more about now that the app has been delivered what does it entail.“It is modern and it is secure and that is what our Falklands banking customers have been wanting and they deserve it as well.”The app, for now, will only be available to personal banking customers and will “essentially give a bank in their...

MEMBERS of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly have written an open letter to FIFA calling on disciplinary action following Argentine football players displaying a political flag.At the conclusion of the England Argentina World Cup semi final game, a number of Argentine players held up a flag stating “Las Malvinas Son Argentinas” which the Falkland Islands Government have denounced as “insensitive.”A press statement from FIG was clear: “It is the avowed policy of the Falkland Islands Government that we do not wish to see politics being brought into sport.“Nor do we wish the Islands and their people to be used as a political football in every conversation about England and Argentina. We welcome the UK Government’s supportive statement this morning.”The MLAs sent a letter to the football governing body on Thursday morning pointing out the prohibition of political messaging in their own rules, and to reaffirm to the clear democratic will...

Two Canadian consultants invited to the Falkland Islands by Unity Marine outlined their experience of salmon farming, fish health and environmental regulation at a public meeting on Monday evening. The meeting is part of the consultation on potential large-scale fish farming. Speaking on behalf of Unity Marine, Fortuna General Manager Darren Christie said the consultation concerned the principle of salmon farming rather than a specific development application. The first speaker, veterinary fish pathologist Dr Gary Marty, said much of his work involved diagnosing disease in farmed fish and examining whether pathogens associated with salmon farms affected wild salmon populations. He presented figures for Fraser River sockeye salmon in British Columbia, comparing  the number of spawning fish over successive 30-year periods before and during the development of salmon farming. He said the total number of spawners had increased during the 30 years in which salmon farms operated along the migration route...

WORK on Marine Managed Areas (MMAs) in the Falkland Islands has been paused “until we find out what happens at the end of the consultation phase for the salmon” MLA Michael Goss has confirmed to Penguin News.A draft policy on MMAs had been put together and was approved for consultation in September 2025. However this consultation has not yet been run.Going into more detail about why the work on MMAs has been paused MLA Goss explained, “the biggest issue is that a fair amount of the areas identified [for MMAs] could potentially have a knock on point in regards to salmon farming as well. The two things are in a very strange way intrinsically linked but obviously completely separate.”MLA Goss added that the MMA work is “in effect ready to proceed in its current format, but the stumbling block is the current consultation phase that we are currently going through.”Penguin...

THE Falkland Islands have been on the agenda in the UK House of Commons this week, after geo-political rows have surrounded the Islands.Comments made by US president Donald Trump suggesting US support for UK sovereignty of the Islands was being reviewed emboldened his ally, Argentine president Javier Milei to make a speech last Thursday.In reiterating what Argentina refer to as their claim over the Islands, Milei announced plans to sanction oil companies with drilling interests in the Sea Lion project. Following this speech the Argentine government has since said it will file criminal charges against Navitas Petroleum.MLAs responded to these developments with a statement: “our future is a matter for the people who live here to decide. That is a right grounded in international law, and it is not altered by the statements of any other government.“Statements like the ones made this week are not new to us. Our long-established...

IF circumstances weren’t the way they were I’d feel quite sorry for Argentines. Imagine believing you were the coolest people in South America and then having Javier Milei for a president.I usually try not to fall into the trap of insulting their heads of state, although admittedly there was once an iconic incident, but it must be deeply humiliating for such proud people to watch their president offer himself as a kindred spirit to Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu, when this is the guy you actually voted for.OK, so I don’t suppose I’ve ever had great things to say about successive leaders of our neighbouring country. It would be difficult when their main aim has been to cause varying degrees of difficulty for the people of these Islands.But at the same time I’ve followed their careers to an extent and noted achievements, whether improvements in incomes, pensions and living standards,...

THE UK Government has issued guidance on doing business with the Falkland Islands amid threats of sanctions from Argentina.The guidance, which the Legislative Assembly say they “welcome”, states that Argentina has “no right to exercise jurisdiction over the Falkland Islands or to apply its domestic law within the Islands, nor towards any companies or individuals participating in business in or connected with the Islands.”It continues that previous measures introduced by Argentina have not prevented Falkland Islanders from developing a successful economy, “such measures have been in place for many years, and throughout that period the Islands’ economy has continued to grow.”The document sets out the UK’s position over the Falkland Islands and explains that FIG is responsible for regulating economic activity within the Islands, but the UK Government “supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources, including hydrocarbons, for their own economic benefit.” Decisions about which...

AN official opening will be held at the National Sports Complex in mid November in the Falkland Islands it has been confirmed by the National Sports Council (NSC) Chair Mike Summers. Speaking to Penguin News this week Mr Summers said the NSC and the government are planning the handover in October and it has been agreed among the parties that the Stanley Leisure Centre will begin taking bookings from November 1. Commercial donors to the project are to be invited on September 24 to see how their money has been invested for the benefit of the community. Members of the media have also been invited. Commercial donors comprise Beauchene Fishing Company Ltd, Argos Group, Fortuna Ltd, Pioneer Illex Ltd, Consolidated Fisheries Ltd, Bold Ventures Ltd, Stanley Services Ltd, one anonymous, Dragon Fishing Ltd, Seafish (Chandlery) Ltd and Byron Marine. The combined donation exceeds £1million. RPT

THE “uncommanded” opening of an exterior hatch on the Argos Georgia in July 2024, led to an “uncontrolled ingress of water” and the foundering of the vessel, a report into the incident has concluded. 13 crew members tragically lost their lives.The Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) has published its findings from their investigation some 26 months after the vessel capsized and sank around 190nm east of the Falkland Islands.The report draws a number of conclusions, firstly that the “previously closed” line hauling hatch on the starboard side of the ship “opened uncommanded and unexpectedly at the time of the accident” which caused the flooding onboard. Floodwater progressed through the vessel via open doors.The vessel listed to starboard before it lost propulsion and the crew abandoned ship. It sank later that evening.The report described the deteriorating situation onboard the Argos Georgia in detail, as well as the actions the crew took....