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The Falkland Islands 2 FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC WORKSHOP 2019 FINAL REPORT JUNE 2019 CONTENTS SUMMARY 1 THE FALKLAND ISLANDS 2 FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC SUMMARY 2 CHALLENGES FACING FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC 3 NEXT STEPS 6 IMPACT, OUTCOMES AND OUTPUTS 8 RESULTS OF THE WORKSHOP 8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 9 PROGRAMME 10 UK DELEGATION BIOGRAPHIES 14 CPA UK STAFF BIOGRAPHIES 15 REPORT FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC WORKSHOP 1 SUMMARY PAC. This workshop brought together a variety of experts from across the UK and As part of a consortium with the National its Crown Dependencies who delivered Audit Office (NAO) and the Government a three-day programme of work. The Internal Audit Agency (GIAA), CPA UK is workshop involved meetings, practical coordinating a four-year project, focusing sessions and peer to peer dialogues, on the oversight of public finances. Public designed to create an atmosphere for Accounts Committees (PACs) across all UK insightful discussions. Overseas Territories - together with Internal and External Audit - are receiving support in CPA UK also facilitated knowledge sharing the work they currently undertake. As part between various stakeholders across the of this project, CPA UK is working alongside Falkland Islands, including Government PACs to enhance their skills and confidence departments, Members of the Legislative in the scrutiny of public spending. One way Assembly and the Falkland Islands media. in which this happens is through the delivery of PAC focused workshops. This report outlines the current challenges facing the Falkland Islands PAC and how CPA UK sent a small delegation to the the workshop aimed to overcome some of Falkland Islands from 11-13 June to deliver these issues as well as what the Committee a comprehensive workshop designed to will be doing going forward. increase the skills and processes of the members and clerk of the Falkland Islands The Falkland Islands PAC, UK delegation and CPA UK staff THE FALKLAND ISLANDS FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC SUMMARY The Falkland Islands is one of the most unique places in the world. As an archipelago positioned The Falkland Islands PAC comprises of five in the South Atlantic, remoteness is at the core members, two of which are Members of the of its existence. There are over 700 islands that Legislative Assembly and three who are lay make up the Falklands, however the majority members. Lay members are volunteers from the of residents live in the capital, Stanley, which is community who are appointed by the Governor located on the largest island, East Falkland. With in accordance with the Constitution. They do not a popuation of just over 3,000, community ties receive remunerations or expenses for this role. are an important feature of island life. This year, the PAC has secured funding for a full As a self-governing UK Overseas Territory, the time clerk for the first time in the history of the Falklands are responsible, under their 2009 Committee, which should help the Committee Constitution, for internal matters with the UK with fulfilling their role. maintaining responsibility for foreign affairs and defence. The UK currently funds and operates The Committee is ruled by Section 81 of the a large military base on the Falklands, which is Falkland Islands Constitution, which outlines continually manned by over 1,000 uniformed its powers and responsibilities. The PAC is officers. appointed under the Constitution to: ‘Examine and report on all public accounts and audit reports Since the 1990s, the Falklands has been a self that are required to be laid before the Legislative sustaining economy with the fishing industry Assembly and shall have such other functions, and being the largest contributor. 60% of all Spain’s shall operate under such procedures as may be calamari comes from the Falklands. The tourism prescribed by or under an Ordinance’. industry in the Falklands has grown rapidly over the last two decades and is now the second largest contributor to its economy. This has highlighted the need for an increase in seasonal labour and some arguing for increased immigration to the islands. The 1982 Falklands War has dominated the recent history of the Falkland Islands. Argentina invaded in early April and after a ten week period of hostility, the UK regained sovereignty. As a result of the war, hundreds of soldiers and three civilians died as well as numerous recorded injuries. Tensions still remain high between the Falkland Islands and Argentina, but relations have improved in recent years. A key factor that could affect the future of the Falklands is the exploration and discovery of hydrocarbons. Oil and gas companies were granted permission to begin explorations in the 1990s and this has continued through the following decades. The extraction of the hydrocarbons found could lead to a large increase of income for the territory and could potentially see a change to the way islanders currently live. Constable John Le Bailly, Jersey PAC Member addressing the Committee REPORT FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC WORKSHOP 3 CHALLENGES FACING FALKLAND ISLANDS PAC RAISING THE PROFILE OF THE PAC An issue that the PAC highlighted was the lack of public engagement with the Committee’s work. A recent open evidence session that took place in early 2019 had no members of the public or media present to observe. The Committee felt that this was a barrier to them conducting their duties properly and felt that raising the profile of the PAC was of vital importance. As well as there being limited public interaction with the PAC’s work they also needs to attract new lay members to serve on the Committee. The Falkland Islands PAC is one of a small number of PACs across the UK Overseas Territories that rely on the involvement of the lay members. Attracting lay members can be difficult for any PAC, but with a small population this problem can be magnified. Alongside a smaller pool of potential members, the lack of awareness of the role of the PAC by the general public has an effect The Falkland Islands Television Service filming the media on the number of people interested in being a lay briefing member. If citizens are not aware of the PAC, its role and the benefit of the committee, they will be less likely to want to become a lay member. for a variety of their work. This is a key step in This lack of awareness can also have an effect being able to engage further with the public, as on the Committee’s ability to attract those with planning is vital when reaching out and growing the technical skills and willingness to become an the PAC’s audience. effective PAC member. A large part of a communications strategy is Day 2 of the workshop focused on increasing the exploring the channels available that enable committee’s knowledge and skill in being able you to reach out to the public and this was an to engage with the public, through a variety of area that the workshop focused on. The two key communications focused training. The aim of this channels for the Falklands PAC are the traditional was to continue to raise the profile of the PAC media and social media, notably Facebook. In long after the workshop completed. order to maximise these avenues, the workshop sought to increase the Committee’s confidence in The first step to achieving this change in the utilising these channels to their advantage. long-term was to equip the Committee with the knowledge to devise and use a communications There are currently three major news outlets strategy and so delegates were introduced in the Falkland Islands and the PAC wanted to to the OASIS framework. This framework is a ensure they developed the relationship between tool used by the UK Government to ensure them and the Committee. The limited media communications are tailored and consistent outlets have stretched resources and therefore and it simply outlines the steps to creating a it is even more important for the PAC to ensure communications strategy for a variety of needs, their communications are targeted and of a high including releasing a committee report. Adapting quality, as well as building and maintaining a House of Commons committee templates, the good relationship with them. To achieve this, the Falklands PAC now has the tools to plan and Committee delivered their first ever media briefing. execute well thought out communications plans This was broadcast on the local television station and was reported on in the local newspapers. The “The workshop will radically change media briefing was led by the Committee and clerk the effectiveness and knowledge of with the focus being on explaining the role and remit of the PAC to the general public. This was the Falklands PAC” highly successful and can hopefully be used as a Hon Mark Pollard MLA platform for using the media in the future as a tool to better engage with the public. Facebook page, which will create a streamlined and coordinated approach. The Committee will be releasing their latest report in the coming months and this will be the Throughout the workshop, the emphasis was first opportunity for the Committee to utilise the on building the confidence of the members to local media in increasing their readership. be able to engage with the public. Often, a small population size can have a negative impact on In the Falklands, Facebook is the most widely committee public engagement, but it can also used social media platform, with the majority provide members with the unique ability to be of the public using it to get up to date news and able to reach a large percentage of their general information. Because of this, the PAC decided to public. By building the relationship with the set up a Facebook page prior to the workshop.
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