Falkland Islanders vote to stay British

cnn ^ | March 12, 2013 | Dana Ford, Catherine E. Shoichet and Laura Smith-Spark,

[JoeProBono]

Residents of the Falkland Islands voted overwhelmingly to remain a British Overseas Territory, an official said late Monday. The question put to voters was: "Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?" More than 99% of voters said yes, according to Darren Christie, public relations manager for the Falklands Islands government.

Just three people voted no. Turnout was 92%.

"Speaks for itself, I think," Christie said about the vote. Monday marked the final day of a two-day referendum on the disputed Falkland Islands, which Argentinians call Las Malvinas. "My vote is yes. ... I believe we are like other people in the world, and we are entitled to determine our own future. ... I think it's dreadful that someone like Argentina should be trying to deny us that," Sharon Halford, a member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly, said before results were announced. "They obviously don't care what their own people think, but worldwide, everybody has the right to determine their own future and why should we not be the same?"

[JoeProBono]

[JoeProBono]

[mosesdapoet]

You know that was an honest count not like those precincts in Philly.

The land is tree less, hilly and quite windy. Trees once upon a time grew there and they have a small stand of Sitka spruce which was introduced and carefully tended by a sheep rancher in Hill Cove. The Falklands are known for their excellent quality of soft wool.As far as reforestation goes Seems that sheep gaze so closely seedlings didn’t have much of a chance to grow. Like Scotland the terrain is moorish and peat is pleantifull. Probably would be a good place to start a brewery because the ground water is similar.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"More than 99% of voters said yes"

Well, that's a bitchslap to Argentina. Keep your cotton-pickin' hands off the Falklands, Cristina Peron.

[Vinnie]

It will be interesting to see whether the Beezle admin. recognizes the ‘will of the people’ concerning the Falklands.
They’ve been wish-washy til now, IIRC.

I’ll bet they side w/ Argentina or at least stay noncommittal.

[moose07]

[Gay State Conservative]

You can bet your bottom peso that the UN will vote...probably soon...on this and the vote will be 155 to 10 in favor of the Banana Republic of Argentina.They say there's a lot of oil in those waters and if that proves true Argentina *will* seize the islands again.And this time,a dramatically weakened Britain will know that there's nothing they can do about it.