Dick Sawle is a Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly.

DESPITE our small population – less than 3,000 people live in the Falkland Islands – our

economy is thriving and opening up new and exciting business opportunities for all of our

neighbours, not least Brazil. The Falkland Islands is open for business.

Since the mid 1980s we have had a profitable, well managed and sustainable fishing industry,

the majority of which is owned and managed by Falkland Islanders. The fishing industry

presently makes up around 60% of our Gross Domestic Product with between 150 and 200

thousand tonnes of fish exported annually, mainly to Europe, the Far East and the USA. But

the Islands are about much more than fish. We also have a growing agriculture industry, with

a focus on meat products and wool.

With the development of an offshore oil and gas industry- both in terms of exploration and

production many business opportunities covering supply of equipment along with the

business opportunities in the support and service sector such as food supply, transport and

infrastructure development have opened up. Brazilian businesses are well aware of what the

hydrocarbons industry can offer in terms of trade and investment.

The Falklands have been fortunate to have a well managed and robust economy that has

withstood many of the pressures brought about in the present global recession. We are

economically self-sufficient and receive no financial assistance from the UK or other

international organisations. To attract investors the Falkland Islands Government is

developing tax incentives together with a simplified immigration policy designed to aid new

business. In addition, we aim to develop clear and unambiguous policies to support inward

investors and trading partners which will minimise risk and allow for profitable partnerships

which will benefit not only the Falkland Islands but all of those who wish to enter into

business with us.

Other opportunities are available, especially in the construction sector over the next five

years. The centrepiece of this will be the construction of a new port and new housing to

support a growing population.

The Falkland Islands is an attractive place to visit and to work, we are lucky enough to have

some of the world's most impressive wildlife right on our doorstep. The tourism industry is

an important contributor to our economy. On average more than 35,000 overseas visitors

arrive in the Islands each year on cruise vessels. The Falkland Islands Government has an

ambitious tourism development strategy which offers many opportunities in niche based

tourism- areas such as the provision of air links to the South American continent, and the

construction of hotels and tourist lodges throughout the Islands.

This is just a sample of the opportunities available to our South American neighbours. The

Falklands Chamber of Commerce represents the vast majority of existing businesses in the

Islands and would welcome contact from any businesses interested in exploring opportunities

in the Falklands in more detail.

For more information visit:-

http://www.falklands.gov.fk/ (Falkland Islands Government home page)

http://www.falklands.gov.fk/more-information/useful-contacts/ (links to websites of interest

such as oil, agriculture, tourism and the private business sector)