Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands

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Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands
Unicameral
History
Founded13 November 1845 (1845-11-13)
Disbanded1 January 2009 (2009-01-01)
Preceded by Privy Council of the United Kingdom
Succeeded by Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands
Leadership
Presiding officer
Governor (1845-2002)
Speaker (2002-2009)
Elections
First election
 February 1949
Last election
 17 November 2005
Meeting place
Gilbert-House.jpg
Gilbert House, Stanley, Falkland Islands

The Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands (sometimes referred to as LEGCO) [1] was the unicameral legislature of the Falkland Islands from 13 November 1845 until 1 January 2009. The new constitution came into force in 2009 and replaced the Legislative Council with the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands.

Contents

History

Immediately following the United Kingdom's re-establishment of rule over the Falklands in 1833, the islands were under military law by Naval Administrators appointed by the Admiralty. [2] In the early 1840s, colonists from the UK began to settle on the islands which led Lord Stanley, Secretary of State for the Colonies, to seek authorisation from Parliament to establish a legislative power on the Falklands. [3]

On 13 November 1845 Richard Moody, the first Governor of the Falkland Islands, formally inaugurated the Legislative Council in the newly founded town of Stanley. An Executive Council having been inaugurated on 2 April 1845. Suffrage was limited, with much of the membership of the Legislative Council being appointed by the Governor. [2]

There were only minor changes made to the Legislative Council over the next century, but in 1948 the Privy Council passed the Falkland Islands (Legislative Council) Order 1948, which introduced universal suffrage to the islands by creating a new Legislative Council consisting of the Governor, acting as Presiding officer, two ex officio officers (the Chief Secretary and the Financial Secretary), four appointed members and four elected members. [4] The new constitution came into force on 4 March 1949, with the first election taking place the same year. [5] In 1964 the number of appointed members was reduced to two and in 1977 the remaining appointed members were replaced by two additional elected members, giving the elected members a majority of the seats. [6]

The Argentine military junta invaded the Falklands on 2 April 1982, starting the Falklands War. During their military occupation of the islands, the Argentine government shut-down the Legislative Council and deported several of its elected members (most notably Bill Luxton and his family), describing them as potential troublemakers. [7] British forces liberated the Falkland Islanders from Argentine occupation on 14 June 1982, with civilian rule being restored on 25 June with the return of Governor Rex Hunt. [8]

On 18 April 1985 the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 1985 came into force which increased the number elected members of the Council to eight and in 1997 the constitution was amended with regard to voters rights. In 2002 the Falkland Islands became a British Overseas Territory and the Governor was replaced as Presiding officer by the newly created office of Speaker of the Legislative Council. A new constitution came into force on 1 January 2009, which replaced the Legislative Council with the more powerful Legislative Assembly. [9]

Powers and composition

Under the 1985 constitution, the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council, could make laws for "the peace, order and good government of the Falkland Islands". The Legislative Council consisted of eight elected members (five from Stanley and three from Camp) and two ex officio members (the Chief Executive and the Financial Secretary). Elections to the Legislative Council had to take place at least once every four years. [10]

Related Research Articles

Politics of the Falkland Islands

The politics of the Falkland Islands takes place in a framework of a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary representative democratic dependency as set out by the constitution, whereby the Governor exercises the duties of head of state in the absence of the monarch and the Chief Executive acts as the head of government, with an elected Legislative Assembly to propose new laws and hold the executive to account.

Stanley, Falkland Islands Chief port and town of the Falkland Islands

Stanley is the capital of the Falkland Islands. It is located on the island of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2016 census, the town had a population of 2,460. The entire population of the Falkland Islands was 3,398 on Census Day on 9 October 2016.

Governor of the Falkland Islands

The Governor of the Falkland Islands is the representative of the British Crown in the Falkland Islands, acting "in Her Majesty's name and on Her Majesty's behalf" as the islands' de facto head of state in the absence of the British monarch. The role and powers of the Governor are set out in Chapter II of the Falkland Islands Constitution. The Governor in office resides at Government House, which serves as the official residence.

Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands

The Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands is the unicameral legislature of the British Overseas Territory of the Falkland Islands. The Legislative Assembly replaced the Legislative Council when the new Constitution of the Falklands came into force in 2009 and laid out the composition, powers and procedures of the islands' legislature.

Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands

The Chief Executive of the Falklands Islands is head of the public service responsible for the efficient and effective management of the Falkland Islands Government. The appointment, role and powers of the Chief Executive are set out in the Constitution of the Falkland Islands.

Outline of the Falkland Islands Overview of and topical guide to the Falkland Islands

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to the Falkland Islands:

Executive Council of the Falkland Islands

The Executive Council of the Falkland Islands is the policy making body of the Government of the Falkland Islands, exercising executive power by advising the Governor. It has an equivalent role to that of the Privy Council in the United Kingdom. The first Executive Council for the Falklands was inaugurated on 2 April 1845 by Governor Richard Moody.

Constitution of the Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands Constitution is a predominantly codified constitution documented primarily within the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 2008, a statutory instrument of the United Kingdom. The Constitution, in its present form, was made on 5 November 2008 by Queen Elizabeth II in a meeting of the Privy Council at Buckingham Palace. It was laid before Parliament on 12 November 2008 and came into force on 1 January 2009, replacing the 1985 constitution.

Director of Finance of the Falkland Islands

The Director of Finance of the Falkland Islands is the government officer responsible for economic and financial matters in the Falkland Islands. The role and powers of the Director of Finance are set out in Chapter VI of the Falkland Islands Constitution. The position replaced the office of Financial Secretary in 2009 when the new Constitution came into effect.

2013 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 2013 was held on Thursday 7 November 2013 to elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly through universal suffrage using block voting, with each Stanley constituent having up to 5 votes and each Camp constituent having up to 3 votes. A total of 1,046 ballots were cast in Stanley, representing a turn-out of 75.4%, and 242 ballots in Camp, representing a turn-out of 85.5%. As no political parties are active in the Falklands, all the candidates stood as Independents. The Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands, Keith Padgett, acted as returning officer. It was the second election since the new Constitution came into force replacing the Legislative Council with the Legislative Assembly.

2017 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 2017 was held on Thursday 9 November 2017 to elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly through universal suffrage using block voting, with each Stanley constituent having up to 5 votes and each Camp constituent having up to 3 votes. Voter turnout was 80% in Stanley and 86% in Camp.

The Cabinet of the Turks and Caicos Islands comprises the ministers who advise the Governor on government affairs. It was known as the Executive Council under the 1988 Constitution, and was given its current name in the 2006 Constitution. The Cabinet was disbanded in 2009 when self-government in the Turks and Caicos Islands was suspended. It was reconstituted after the 2012 election.

Cabinet of the British Virgin Islands

The Cabinet of the British Virgin Islands is the collective decision-making body of the British Virgin Islands government. It is composed of the Premier, four other Ministers of Government, and the Attorney General as an ex officio, non-voting, member. The Governor attends and presides over meetings of Cabinet where possible. The Cabinet has responsibility for the formulation of policy, including directing the implementation of such policy, insofar as it relates to every aspect of government, except those matters for which are reserved to the Governor under the Constitution. The Cabinet is collectively responsible to the House of Assembly for such policies and their implementation.

Stanley (constituency)

Stanley is a constituency of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands which has been in existence since the first elections in the Falklands in 1949. The constituency of Stanley consists of the area that lies within 3.5 miles of the spire of Christ Church Cathedral. This covers the city of Stanley, which is the largest settlement in the Falklands representing almost 75% of the total population of the islands. Stanley is one of two constituencies in the Falklands, the other being Camp.

Camp (constituency)

Camp is a constituency of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands which has been in existence since 1977. The constituency of Camp consists of all parts of the territory which lie more than 3.5 miles from the spire of Christ Church Cathedral, Stanley. It takes its name from the term "Camp", which refers to the territory outside the city of Stanley and RAF Mount Pleasant. Camp is one of two constituencies in the Falklands, the other being Stanley.

1977 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 1977 was held on Thursday 6 October 1977 to elect members to the Legislative Council. Six Councillors were elected through universal suffrage, one from each constituency.

1985 Falkland Islands general election

The Falkland Islands general election of 1985 was held on Thursday 3 October 1985 to elect members to the Legislative Council. Eight Councillors were elected through universal suffrage using block voting, four from each constituency.

Next Falkland Islands general election

The Next Falkland Islands general election will elect all eight members of the Legislative Assembly through universal suffrage using block voting, with the Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands acting as returning officer. It will be the fourth election since the new Constitution came into force replacing the Legislative Council with the Legislative Assembly.

Norma Edwards OBE is a Falkland Islands politician. She served for two decades on the Falkland Islands Legislative Council and has been described as a "noted hard-liner" in opposition to Argentine control of the islands.

References

  1. ↑ "First LEGCO meeting of the new year". MercoPress. 24 January 2001. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  2. 1 2 Elliot, Jeffrey M. (1983). Tempest in a Teapot: The Falkland Islands War. ISBN   9780893701673 . Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  3. ↑ Lorton, Roger. "Falkland Islands: South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands - The History" (PDF). Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  4. ↑ "The Falkland Islands – History & Timeline". Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  5. ↑ Headland, Robert K (1989). Chronological List of Antarctic Expeditions and Related Historical Events. ISBN   9780521309035 . Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Laver, Roberto (February 2001). The Falklands/Malvinas Case: Breaking the Deadlock in the Anglo-Argentine Sovereignty Dispute. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. ISBN   9789041115348 . Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  7. ↑ "Weeping Falklanders Beg To Go Back Home". The Modesto Bee. Associated Press. 16 April 1982. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  8. ↑ "Hunt Returns to Falklands". The Glasgow Herald . Associated Press. 25 June 1982. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "New Falklands constitution agreed". BBC News . 6 November 2008. Retrieved 27 October 2013.
  10. ↑ "Official text of the Falkland Islands Constitution Order 1985 (as amended by the Falkland Islands Constitution (Amendment) Order 1997)" (PDF). worldstatesmen.org. 18 April 1985. Retrieved 7 June 2010.
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