A written summary provided by the candidate outlining their background, experience and priorities.
A Nation under Strain
Misdirected public spending, has spiralled >86% over eight years. Reserves are in unprecedented financial tension.
Our stark choices:
The good ship “Falklands” benefitted from hard-won lobbying for a unilateral fishing regime, and land ownership reform, triggering the foundations of a thriving, self-sustaining modern economy. Victories are failing:
Wrestling the helm “back to basics” constructed on sound judgment, fiscal discipline, and common sense is overdue. Essential services protection takes priority over optional spending.
A healthy Falklands rests on three pillars:
We cannot spend money we do not have.
Age may temper speed, but it strengthens judgment and resilience. We are grown up. Overlooking local expertise in favour of non-resident contractors and consultants fails to aid our economy, our valuable skills base, and undermines our confidence in the future.
The environment “where nature is in charge” remains apt for future generations. Climate change is altering our landscape and our fisheries resources; we cannot reverse this, but we can adapt. Land recovery programme initiatives require reinforcing. Carbon credit earning opportunities require urgent attention.
The Assembly’s first duty must pause, to examine thoroughly, prior political spend and under-budgeting, to understand the true financial and resources implications. Allocating portfolios is a later step. Checks and balances are weak; oversight is overdue. Planning tomorrow is only possible by understanding today.
I will propose a Strategic Plan for the next decade and legislation to:
The new port, new energy system, and the new waste system contracted trains have departed the station without full cost evaluation. Recurrent expenditure budgeting to service these projects are unknown. The catastrophic new port losses and under-budgeting on capital projects are unforgiveable.
A visionary step in 1987, transformed education opportunity through universal sixth-form and university access. Returning educated young people require assurance of employment, access to building plots, and pathways to home ownership.
Overhauling the public/private sector interface is overdue. The private sector drives the economy; the payments of taxes and fees to Government, deliver national reserves.
The UK taxpayer provides our daily security, which underpins our cherished principle of self-determination, and the Britishness we hold dear. As oil development advances, steady leadership and strategic thinking will aid discussions when invited to consider our security costs.
Our finances, fisheries, rural economy, environment, and our future prospects, are at risk. Utilising the next four years to trim spending and save, while wisely constructing strategic building blocks, will deliver our future. Oil development offers new opportunities, employment, learning skills, enhanced educational opportunities, and economic security.
Please vote wisely.
1. Pursue a responsible governance pathway of wrestling the helm “back to basics” constructed on sound judgment, fiscal discipline, and common sense long overdue to ensure essential services protection takes priority over optional spending.
2. Propose a Strategic Plan for the next decade and legislation to: Restore reserves dedicated to recurrent expenditure back to 2.5 times annual spend, protected by law without a legislative vote, and, Establish a Norwegian-style Sovereign Wealth Fund for future oil and gas royalties, ring-fenced and responsibly managed.
3. Push for overhauling the public/private sector interface: the private sector drives the economy; the payments of taxes and fees to Government, delivering national reserves.
The first 250 words of the candidate’s manifesto.
I am a born-and-raised Falkland Islander with family roots originating from London, Somerset, Norfolk and Norway. Married to my Chilean-born wife Barbara, and the proud father of two bilingual children who attend FICS. My life has been shaped by decades of voluntary and public service, retiring as London Representative, and including roles as MLA and Speaker of the Assembly.
Marine and environmental regime postgraduate studies triggered employment in the private sector under Byron Marine for the last 35 years, which enables me to gift free time to multiple charitable Trusts and Organisations.
Today, I stand for election once again because our country is at a financial crossroads.
A Nation under Strain
After two consecutive Assemblies and eight years of misdirected public spending, the Falkland Islands is in a state of unprecedented financial tension.
Recurrent expenditure has spiralled over 86% to the point where reserves—meant to safeguard our future—are falling below even the government’s own minimum policy level.
The last two budget presentations made this painfully clear, and the Penguin
News—thankfully—has highlighted the increasingly fragile state of our finances.
We face a stark choice:
cliff ahead
National spending is tied to recurrent, unsustainable costs, without the productivity, efficiency, or contract management to support it. This is not responsible governance. This…
Ten short questions. Ten 30 second answers. Candidates respond without preparation.
An extended interview exploring the candidate’s background, priorities and views. All candidates were given the same set of advance questions, with additional on the spot manifesto-specific questions asked during the interview. Each interview is limited to 15 minutes.
Disclaimer: All interviews were conducted on an equal basis and are presented in full, with minimal editorial intervention. Any edits made were limited solely to the removal of offensive language, to allow viewers to hear directly from each candidate in their own words. Some issues discussed in these interviews are currently subject to ongoing legal processes. Any references to legal or procedural matters reflect the candidates’ own views. FITV does not comment on, and does not seek to influence, ongoing legal proceedings. These interviews form part of FITV’s commitment to providing clear, accessible information to support informed voting ahead of polling day.
FITV was invited to film the candidate hustings hosted by the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce. Candidates were divided into four groups by constituency: one group representing Camp and three groups representing Stanley. As part of the event, members of the Chamber were invited to submit questions to be put to the candidate panels in advance, and Chamber members in attendance were also able to ask follow-up questions from the floor.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by candidates during the hustings recordings are their own and do not reflect those of FITV. The discussion may contain strong language. FITV does not endorse or support any individual candidate or political viewpoint and remains impartial in its coverage.
