Written for the July 30 edition of Penguin News. Associated editorial at end.

A public meeting was held at the Chamber of Commerce on July 26 regarding the concern of Latin American residents of the Falklands who have been unable to return home since the closure of the two South American air-links in March of 2020 - other than a repatriation flight held in July 2020.

Roughly 80 residents attended, raising concerns to the seven MLAs, Chief Executive and Director of Development & Commercial Services, who were in attendance to represent FIG. A translator was present to aid in communication.

The meeting began with Chief Executive Andy Keeling explaining that the recent decision to not resume the LATAM flights to either Chile or Brazil was because “LATAM were not ready to restart flights” and that “nor were FIG” - as it had to be agreed by both parties to resume flights.

Chief among concerns for the attendees was a situation which they found themselves in due to passports expiring over the period where LATAM flights were not operational.

Due to passports expiring South American residents are unable to travel to the UK, as they lack the proper documentation, and without a direct flight to Latin America are unable to travel to their home states to get a new passport made.

Asked how many people, just at the meeting, this was currently affecting - roughly 20 attendees raised their hands.

MLA Leona Roberts stated this issue had been raised to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to communicate to the Chilean Government, but a solution had yet to be found.

An example of a solution offered to the Government of Chile was to appoint a consul in the Falklands to check paperwork and allow the application for travel documents locally. It was said by MLA Roberts that this had “made no progress.”

It was noted that a similar issue took place for Filipino residents of the Falklands and that following contact with the Filipino Government a solution was able to be found, illustrating that a solution was possible when engaged with by the home state.

An additional concern stemming from the lack of travel documentation for some residents was uncertainty about what might happen in an emergency situation.

It was noted by MLAs that such an occasion had recently occurred, in which a single-use emergency travel document was issued to the individual to allow them to travel overseas to get medical treatment.

“We want to be here, we live here for a reason” one attendee said, asserting that the desire to go home and get travel documentation was so there was an option to come and go as needed.

The options for a future flight, aside from the LATAM links, were discussed. It was noted by MLA Roberts that the repatriation flight in July 2020 had only been possible as it was a strictly humanitarian flight, and that no commercial use was allowed in the getting of permissions. It was noted that permissions would also be needed from Argentina for any charter flight between the Falklands and South America.

Subsidising flights to South America was also raised for those who had travel documentation but could not afford the significant expense of flying to the UK and then back south. It was said by MLAs that this would be complex and could be “problematic.”

A main contact for FIG to speak to about this issue in the South American community was established so the number of people the issue was affecting could be ascertained and the case for finding a solution could be better made to home states.

The next review of whether or not to resume the LATAM link will take place in November, MLAs said, and at that stage they would raise the concerns of those at the meeting, including the suggestion for flights being every two weeks, or monthly, instead of a full resumption. It was added by MLAs that reviews take place at the allotted times for time required to reestablish flights.

Editorial

Attending the public meeting on July 26, and hearing discussion about it since, I’ve seen a broad range of emotions expressed.

Hearing the statement of “we want to be here” from one woman at the meeting struck me at the time, especially when it was followed up by another attendee of the meeting later saying “our country doesn’t give a s**t about us” and that “they don’t really care about the people in Chile,” let alone the Chileans overseas. This was met with a kind of rueful laugh of agreement when translated back to the rest of those attending.

I’ve seen and heard discussion since which has indicated that some people believe these flights to South America are nothing but a holiday link. Sure, for some Islanders it might be just that. An opportunity to go to Santiago, do a bit of clubbing in Bellavista; travel north to Copiapó and take a trip the Laguna Verde; go see the cellars of the Casillero del Diablo we see in the shops in its home of Pirque. And if this was all that the flight was for, it would be irresponsible to consider travel.

But if your home is in South America then those flights are meeting a newborn relative, attending the funeral of someone lost during the pandemic, or even just knowing that you can see your family should they need you. At this stage we’ve probably all made a decision to miss something we would have liked to have done because of the pandemic, but that’s a very different experience to having that decision made for you - either because you lack the documents to be able to leave the country, or because paying to fly all the way to the UK and then back down to South America is too much to achieve after what has been a financially difficult year for many.

It doesn’t take much to have a little sympathy for this experience, so I’d encourage taking the time to think about what it would feel like to have the option taken from you before making swift judgements or statements about resuming the flight being pointless or irresponsible. I don’t doubt that FIG is working on solutions, the fact alone that a solution was found for the Filipino community in the Islands when this issue reared its head for them illustrates that FIG is making efforts to support the many different nationalities who live in the Islands, but it can’t be any easier to know it’s your own country that won’t make the effort to bring you home.