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Candidate Brief

Crown Counsel(Civil and Safeguarding)

Candidate Brief May 2017Crown Counsel (Civil and Safeguarding), Falkland Islands Government

ContentsWelcome Letter...................................................................................................................................................................3About the Falkland Islands Government.............................................................................................................4Structure of the Government......................................................................................................................................5The Government Legal Services Directorate....................................................................................................7LEGAL SERVICES................................................................................................................................................................. 9

1. Overview..................................................................................................................................................9 2. Key drivers...........................................................................................................................................10 3.1 General legal service.....................................................................................................................10 3.2 Prosecution service.......................................................................................................................11 3.3 Legislative service..........................................................................................................................11

The Court System............................................................................................................................................................11Laws of the Falkland Islands....................................................................................................................................12THE POST - JOB DESCRIPTION.................................................................................................................................13The Package....................................................................................................................................................................... 17Duration of appointment........................................................................................................................................... 17Timetable for recruitment and selection process.......................................................................................19How to Apply..................................................................................................................................................................... 19

Standard Pre-Employment Checks.......................................................................................................20 References.......................................................................................................................................................20 Professional membership/Qualification Checks/Verification of Identity..........................20 Pre-Employment Health Assessment..................................................................................................20 Education for dependants........................................................................................................................21

Appendix 1………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….21

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Welcome Letter

Dear Candidate

Thank you for your interest in this post. The Falkland Islands is a hugely enjoyable place to work and live. Your time in the Islands will coincide with an exciting time of change as the Islands continue to develop access to natural and mineral resources, tourism and economic development.

The expertise and dedication of the legal team is a key element of meeting all these challenges and I am sure you will find these Islands a rewarding, career enhancing, and interesting place to work.

Wishing you the very best in your application.

Yours sincerely

Barry Rowland

Chief Executive

Falkland Islands Government

Thank you for your interest in the post of Crown Counsel for the Falkland Islands Government. This is an exciting opportunity in an unparalleled location! The Islands themselves have a land mass of around two thirds the size of Wales and are set in an area of outstanding natural beauty in the South Atlantic.

We are a small community with a very British way of life and we enjoy the benefits of good services, full employment, an incredible natural environment, unspoiled landscapes and a vibrant community lifestyle.

We expect you to take the time to understand, and to contribute to, our great culture and enjoy our way of life. In turn, we can promise you a once in a lifetime experience.

If you have sense of adventure, coupled, with a clear track record of successful service delivery in a legal role, and are not afraid to roll up your sleeves as part of a small team, then we would like to share the excitement of this post and these Islands with you.

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About the Falkland Islands GovernmentThe Falkland Islands are a UK Overseas Territory where executive authority remains vested in Her Majesty the Queen. This authority is exercised by HM’s Governor on her behalf. The Governor is advised by an Executive Council, comprising of three elected Members of the Legislature, the Chief Executive and the Financial Secretary. This forum is also attended by the Islands Attorney General and the Commander British Forces South Atlantic. Executive Council follows a UK Cabinet model, with meetings that are held in private (usually fortnightly).

The passage of legislation, votes for expenditure, and the annual budget including taxation levels are resolved by the Legislative Assembly. This comprises of eight elected Members (three from Camp1 and five from Stanley2), the Chief Executive and the Financial Secretary. The Commander British Forces and Attorney General attend Legislative Assembly and are permitted to speak at it in matters related to their roles. The Assembly itself is presided over by a ‘Speaker’ who is elected by the Members of the Assembly. It currently meets monthly and the proceedings follow a UK Parliamentary model, except that the Chief Executive and Financial Secretary do not vote on legislation.

All eight elected Members are independent of political parties and each carry portfolios of services which cover a wide array of diverse activities including Treasury and Taxation, the Public Accounts Committee and Trade and Industry, all the way through to Health and Medical Services and child protection.

A wider network of ‘Committees’ that exist, (somewhere around 20) and they generally include at least two elected Members and a mix of civil servants and lay members. The Standing Finance Committee for example considers and monitors the budget and includes all eight members. Such committees now meet in public under rules mirroring the UK’s Local Government (Access to Information) Act, as does the Falkland Islands Safeguarding Children Board. The intention is to speed up decision making processes and strengthen transparency, accountability and scrutiny.

The above is all set against the background of the ‘The Islands Plan’. This Plan has been established to encapsulate the high level strategic aspirations agreed as being key to progress the sustainable, economic, social and political development of the Falkland Islands for the benefit of all residents. Elected Members’ top priorities under the Plan are currently: self-determination and good governance; economic development; population and workforce; transport and communications; education and training; Health and Social Care; Infrastructure; Safety and Security; Community, Culture and protecting the environment.

1 Camp – the countryside is known as Camp2 Stanley – the capital of the Islands

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Structure of the Government

As can be seen from above, Government departments in the Islands mirror the entire range of not only UK civil service departments, but also those services which are often provided by local government and NGO’s elsewhere.

Directors of the departments meet regularly in a forum known as CMT (Corporate Management Team), chaired by the Chief Executive to consider corporate policy and strategy.

The business of Government itself is delivered by a core professional Public Service of circa 600 permanent and temporary employees (at any one time, of which approximately 100 are officers on contract from outside the Falkland Islands i.e. they have been recruited from locations such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada).

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Government FinancesThe most recent operating expenditure and revenue budget estimates for the Government are detailed in the following graphs:

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The Government Law and Regulation DirectorateIntroduction

As Attorney General it is my pleasure to be leading this Directorate. The Falkland Islands provides an extremely challenging environment for any lawyer. We are a small directorate right at the centre of Government. There is never a dull day and the range of work that we all do is extremely varied. Not only will you handle civil litigation, care proceedings and perform your own court advocacy, you will also work closely with Government client departments to advise on individual cases and to improve practice. You will also have the opportunity to become involved in a range of other areas of legal work.

We have recently updated our children law and regulations and our safeguarding procedures. We have supported the Falkland Islands Safeguarding Children Board in its pro-active response to the recommendations of two Child Safety Reviews. You will be able to influence and assist Government in keys aspects of policy formation with a view to further amendments to civil and family law reviews and practice relating to children, families and vulnerable people. You will be expected to guide and train in a multi-agency setting within Government departments which will also include the private and voluntary sectors.

Civil legal advice and litigation is an expanding area in the Falkland Islands and the increasing economic activity is leading to a demand for an individual to review the civil litigation in Government to improve efficiency and client satisfaction.

Being a lawyer in a British Overseas Territory makes you part of a very small international group of lawyers. What we do not only has direct impact on our local population, but it also reflects on the UK’s reputation for the standard of British justice and safeguarding amongst the overseas territories and around the world. The Falkland Islands are recognised as a major contributor to inter-territorial action to improve safeguarding standards and you will be regarded as a safeguarding specialist who can further contribute to this work.

This is an exciting job with a real opportunity to make a personal impact and lasting change. This is an important time for the Falkland Islands as the prospect of hydrocarbons development brings with it the possibility of population growth and new sectors of the economy.

We are a small team. You will have the ability to lead in your own areas of law, whilst contributing more widely. I hope you will be attracted to the role.

With best wishes,

Attorney General of the Falkland Islands

Attorney General of South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands

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Central

Administration

Office

GSGSSI*

Legislative

Drafting

Prosecution

General Legal

Legal Services

Civil Aviati

on

Monopoly

Regulati

on

General Regulati

on

Regulation

Registry

Elections

Registry

AG


The Directorate has three services led by two service heads. These services are significant to the achievement of the Government’s ambitions. Through the Registry we provide a vital service to the community, local companies and co-operatives. We ensure elections are fair and the will of people can be freely expressed. In Regulation we ensure the people of the Falkland Islands are protected by regulating Civil Aviation, with an expanding remit into monopoly and general regulation. In Legal Services we support Government to turn policy into legislation; we direct and conduct public prosecutions, act for the Government in all legal proceedings and provide all legal advice. We also support development and delivery of government initiatives by being a sound source of legal advice.

Recognising the variety of all these roles, and the need to achieve best value with limited resources, it is important that we operate as a single unit. Our central administrative team facilitate this efficiency and joint working as well as delivering vital services as official publisher of the Falkland Islands Gazette, providing support to Government land administration, and providing public notarial services.

Our Structure:

* GSGSSI is the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

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Our Mission

To serve the people of the Falkland Islands by:

being trusted advisors to the Governor and colleagues in the Falkland Islands Government to support the achievement of objectives set by Members of the Legislative Assembly in the Islands Plan

supporting policy objectives by drafting legislation which gives effect to those policy objectives in conformity with the Constitution and international obligations

prosecuting crime and bringing actions on behalf of the Crown robustly and impartially - bringing offenders to justice, supporting the reduction of crime and promoting public confidence in the rule of law

promoting good governance and decision making by the Falkland Islands Government

maintaining national and international confidence in electoral and registry practices

ensuring aviation safety, and fair and effective regulation of monopolies so as to avoid abuse of that position to the detriment of the people of the Falkland Islands.

Our Vision

To be the best Legal, Registry and Regulation service in any British Overseas Territory, given our size and available resources and to be recognised as such by ourselves, the people of the Falkland Islands and international spectators.

Our values and behaviours

In the delivery of everything we do on a day to day basis, everyone in the directorate is committed to the behavioural standards of:

Integrity – we will do the right thing especially when it is the hard thing Courtesy – we will treat people courteously and will expect the same treatment from others Respect – we will respect ourselves and show respect for other and their needs and views

and will expect the same treatment from others Professionalism – we will always seek to do things to the highest professional standard and

seek to continually improve

These values will underpin the way our services our delivered.

LEGAL SERVICES1. Overview

The Legal Services team provide the following services to the Governments of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands:-

legal and regulatory advice and representation (including advice on international law and convention obligations)

prosecutions

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provision of a modern legislative framework

The Legal Services business plan commits to:-

provide the highest quality, cost effective, legal services that meet the needs of the Falkland Islands Government and the Governor, and command the confidence of the judiciary and the public which are deliverable with the resources available

deliver the prosecution service through the consistent, fair and independent review of cases, and through their fair and thorough presentation at court

achieve realistic targets set for the legislative drafting programme

review and modernise laws

provide these services with the highest standards of integrity

develop our staff for the benefit of their own careers and in the interests of FIG

operate using appropriate systems for workload management, client care, and electronic legal research.

2. Key drivers

We are central to the effective working of government and are involved in all levels of decision making. We attend Legislative Assembly, Executive Council, Corporate Management Team, and many other inter-departmental committees and working groups. Our advice has regard to the Constitution, the laws of the Falkland Islands and our international obligations.

Internally we are driven by the policy ambitions of the Members of the Legislative Assembly, by legal work essential to the continuing provision of services by the FIG and by our role in helping to promote good governance.

Externally we are driven by changing economic and social circumstances, the actions of the population of the Falkland Islands and the FIG’s response to current issues.

3. Services

The main services we provide are:-

3.1 General legal serviceWe aim to provide a high quality legal service to the Falkland Islands Government and, through that, to the community as a whole. The service is critical to the successful implementation of the policies that the Government seeks to deliver.

The service includes a role in the management of Government lands, with the legal services team currently administering the Government Lands Committee. In addition it covers all the contentious and non-contentious civil work of the department. There are two civil posts, the first is primarily dealing with non-contentious work, land, contractual and advice, the second deals with safeguarding and civil litigation.

3.2 Prosecution service

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We review cases investigated by the Royal Falkland Islands Police Force, but also by other departments such as Customs and Immigration, Fisheries and Environmental Planning. We carefully analyse each case to determine whether the evidential and public interest tests are satisfied, suggest any further investigation if appropriate, advise on charges, and prosecute all cases in the Summary Court, Magistrate’s Court, and Supreme Court of the Falkland Islands.

3.3 Legislative serviceWe are responsible for the drafting of all laws (Bills and subsidiary legislation), although it may be outsourced to external drafters where appropriate (e.g. complex tax legislation may be more appropriately drafted externally). We manage the legislative drafting programme which is formulated each year based on MLAs’ priorities, as approved by Executive Council.

There is also a fundamental need to carry out work to ensure that we have a set of laws that are clear in their application, accurate and publicly available (the Revised Laws project). This is a huge task and will require significant resources to address. A Law Commissioner is now in place to drive forward a project which should result in the on-line publication of a revised consolidation of the laws of the Falkland Islands within approximately two years. Consideration will then need to be given to the continued revision of the laws.

The Court SystemThe court structure consists of the following legal tiers:

Summary CourtMagistrate’s CourtSupreme CourtCourt of AppealJudicial Committee of the Privy Council

The Summary Court consists of one or more Justices of the Peace (in practice, there are usually three). It has jurisdiction roughly equivalent to that of a Magistrate’s court in England.

The Magistrate’s Court is the most commonly used court in the Islands and is presided over by a resident Senior Magistrate. The Court has jurisdiction in criminal matters to deal with all offences except those which are triable only on indictment. However, indictable-only offences are much more limited in scope than is the case in England. There are no “either way offences”, and many offences, which in England would be triable only on indictment, are tried in the Islands in the Magistrate’s Court. The Senior Magistrate has sentencing powers similar to those of the English Crown Court.

The Supreme Court is presided over by the Chief Justice who is resident in the UK and visits the Islands when necessary. The Senior Magistrate also occasionally sits as an acting judge in this Court, which deals with indictable criminal offences and a variety of civil matters including matrimonial causes. The Supreme Court also has appellate jurisdiction in relation to the Summary Court and the Magistrate’s Court. Appeals from it lie to the Court of Appeal, and from there to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

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Laws of the Falkland Islands‘Ordinances’ are made by the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly and are our principal sources of law. Such Ordinances are supplemented by local orders and regulations. However, English Acts can also apply to the law of the Falkland Islands either directly or indirectly.

A consolidation of Falkland Islands laws can be found in the publication ‘The Revised Laws of the Falkland Islands’ (first published in 1993). The Revised Laws project is shortly to get underway to consolidate and republish the Laws of the Falkland Islands.

The Revised Laws themselves are divided into ‘Titles’, each of which contains three sections. The front page of each Title will indicate the date to which it is current (if there is no date, the Title will not have been updated since 1993).

The first Title holds the Falkland Islands laws (the Ordinances), and their subsidiary legislation which is included in full. The second Title outlines English laws which apply to the Falkland Islands (or “Imperial enactments” as they are known). The relevant subsidiary legislation is listed as well. Lastly the Title headed ‘Disapplied Imperial Enactments’ where English Acts which no longer apply to the Falkland Islands are listed.

For an understanding of the principles of how English legislation impacts upon the laws of the Falkland Islands, regard should be taken to Part X of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance 1977 (Revised Laws, Volume 6, Title 67.2). The provisions are complex and the applicability of English law can sometimes be difficult to establish.

Of particular significance in this Title is section 78 of the Interpretation and General Clauses Ordinance. Whilst the Ordinance provides for automatic updating of English law which applies indirectly in the Falkland Islands, there is a cut-off date for this application which is effective from 31 July 2004. This means that most English Acts, or amending Acts, beyond that date will not apply to the law of the Falkland Islands.

These Revised Laws are a very useful starting point for establishing the current laws of the Falkland Islands, but obviously should be treated with care due to the fact that they do not reflect up-to-date laws.

One of the key aims of the Legal Services team is to address this situation by setting up an on-line publication of a new law revision and consolidation. This objective is being taken forward by the Law Commissioner and you will be asked to contribute to this national project.

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THE POST - JOB DESCRIPTIONThe post of Crown Counsel (Civil and Safeguarding) is responsible for civil litigation and safeguarding proceedings on behalf of the Falkland Islands Government. The volume of work is manageable within the role and requires a high level of competence in civil litigation and safeguarding proceedings. The Government has a firm and widely declared commitment to upholding the best international standards of safeguarding. Equally the role requires good general advocacy skills. Candidates must show a willingness to expand their expertise to other areas of law to assist with general legal work within the small team.

JOB DETAILS

Job Title: Crown Counsel (Civil and Safeguarding)

Grade: B (Starting salary £ 39,032 - £52,795 dependent on qualifications and experience)

Reports to: Head of Legal Services

JOB PURPOSE

To assist the Attorney General in the provision of an effective and efficient legal service to the Government of the Falkland Islands and the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

JOB FACTS AND FIGURES

The Legal Services team (including the Attorney General) consists of seven lawyers and is supported by five administrative staff.

MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. You will work with the social services team in the area of safeguarding and will bring proceedings on behalf of the Crown as necessary as requested by the Head of Legal Services and the Attorney General, who, together with this post, provide most of the general legal advice to the Falkland Islands Government and the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

2. You will manage a substantial and varied personal workload with some (but limited) supervision. You will need to be prepared to work across the Legal Services team, working with and supporting (and sometimes substituting for) the other specialists in, criminal prosecution, land, contract law and legislative drafting.

3. You will appear as advocate representing the Government before the Falkland Islands Courts in civil and safeguarding proceedings and instruct counsel when appropriate, though the expectation is for you to conduct all but the most complex cases.

4. You will support the training and development of any trainees or work placement students.

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MAIN ACCOUNTABILITIES CONTINUED

5. With the Head of Legal Services, you will be the lead officer for safeguarding and civil litigation and work with other law enforcement and regulatory sectors of Government to support the rule of law.

6. You will lead delivery on all civil and safeguarding work on behalf of the Government, undertaking much of the work personally but with support from secretarial staff.

7. You will represent the Government in legal proceedings including contested trials.

8. You will provide timely and accurate advice of a high standard to the Government of the Falkland Islands (and the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands when required) on a wide range of subjects, mainly on civil litigation and children and adult social care matters but to include advice to the Royal Falkland Islands Police when necessary regarding criminal cases.

You will represent the Attorney General on Government committees and working groups to:

(a) provide appropriate legal advice as required; and

(b) contribute to the formulation of Government policy, in particular in relation to safeguarding.

The job description is not an exclusive or exhaustive definition of your duties. You shall undertake such additional or other duties as may reasonably be required by FIG commensurate with your role and grade.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The post-holder must be prepared to quickly acquire a good working knowledge of the Law of the Falkland Islands (including the Constitution, and other relevant UK legislation as it applies to the Falkland Islands), and to familiarise themselves with the functions of the Falkland Islands Government. Whilst both the law and court systems are based on English law and the English court systems, there are many unique elements which the job-holder will be required to grasp at an early stage.

Although this is primarily a civil and safeguarding role, the nature of the team means that the post-holder must be prepared to assist with the provision of legal advice and representation in areas of law with which they are not familiar.

There is no direct line management required, but the post-holder will assist in the supervision and development of any paralegal who may be in post and of support staff.

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PERSON SPECIFICATIONCriteria Essential/

DesirableAssessment

Education and Qualifications

Educated to Degree standard (or equivalent);

Admitted as a solicitor or called as a barrister in a Commonwealth country or the Republic of Ireland;

Essential

Essential

App

App

Experience/Evidence of:

• At least two years post-qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister with experience in child protection

Clearly evidenced ability to conduct a broad range of civil litigation

• Very good legal research skills and an ability to self-teach in a new area of law

• Ability to interpret and apply legislation and precedent

• Excellent analytical, reasoning, and decision making skills

• Good levels of advocacy skills

• A high level of oral and written communication skills, in particular the ability to distil and explain complexities in non-legal language when necessary

Ability to establish credibility and earn respect of others through depth of knowledge (including relevant professionals, Members of the Legislative Assembly and the general public)

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

App

App

App/Int/Ref

Int/Ref

Int/Ref

Int/Ref

App/Int/Ref

App

Experience/Evidence of continued:

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Highly organised with excellent case management, administrative and time management skills

Ability to work under pressure to strict deadlines, whilst maintaining accuracy and ensuring excellent attention to detail

Excellent interpersonal skills

At least five years post-qualification experience as a solicitor or barrister in a civil litigation and safeguarding role

Public sector experience (at a local or national level)

• Experience in a British overseas territory

Experience in another area of law outside of your specialism: Land Commercial and contracts Criminal prosecution

Essential

Essential

Essential

Desirable

Desirable

Desirable

Desirable

App/Int/Ref

App/Int/Ref

Int

App

App

App

App/Int

Personal Attributes:

Proactive with considerable initiative, self-motivation and ability to work in a small team to achieve its objectives

Ability to meet tight deadlines and cope with heavy workloads, whilst maintaining accuracy

Ability to deal with difficult situations whilst remaining calm and self-controlled

Sound judgement

Understanding of Governance and lawful decision making

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Essential

Int/Ref

Int/Ref

Int/Ref

Int

Int

Personal Attributes continued:

Excellent influencer Essential Int

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Committed to the need for absolute confidentiality

Open minded in approaching new challenges

Ability to work flexibly and undertake additional hours and to travel within and outside of the Falkland Islands as and when required

Essential

Essential

Essential

Int/Ref

Int/Ref

Int

*Method of assessment: App - Using information provided on the application form Int - Selection interview Pres - Presentation relevant to the post Ref - Reference

The PackageDuration of appointment

The appointment will be fixed-term for two years. It may be extended by mutual agreement with FIG but this cannot be guaranteed.

Salary package

The salary range commences at £39,032 per annum. Salary on appointment will depend on qualifications and experience. Additionally the successful applicant will be eligible for a 25% gratuity payment, based on basic salary earned, upon satisfactory completion of the contract. The salary and gratuity are subject to Falkland Islands taxation which is substantially lower than in the UK.

Taxation

The Islands current tax rates are as follows:

Personal Allowance £15,000 pa (first £12,000 of chargeable income taxed at 21% with the remainder being taxed at 26%)

Medical Service Tax (Employee contribution) 1% on any earnings over £60k p.a

Relocation

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If relocating from UK/Europe there is a relocation grant of £2,000 for those coming to post unaccompanied or £2,500 if accompanied by a spouse/partner (an additional £100 is awarded for each dependent child that accompanies the individual to post). If relocating from elsewhere in the world the grant is £3,000 for those who are unaccompanied or £3,500 if accompanied by a spouse/partner (plus £200 per dependent child coming to post).

Flights

Employees on contracts of 2 years are eligible for a mid-appointment paid concessionary return flight between the Falkland Islands and the country of recruitment for themselves and each member of their dependant family who accompany them to post. Alternatively, the value of this concession can be used for holiday travel to the destination of your choice.

Pension provision

Retirement Pension SchemeIf you are between the ages of 17 and 64, subject to Falkland Islands Taxation and earning more than the weekly threshold you are required by law to pay weekly contributions towards the Retirement Pension Scheme. For those in employment 50% of the weekly contribution will be paid by the employee and 50% by the employer. To be eligible for a partial pension 250 weekly contributions must be made. Note - your initial contract of employment is usually for only 2 years.

Falkland Islands Pension SchemeThere is an option for you as an employee to make voluntary contributions to the Falkland Islands Pension Scheme (note – no employer contributions will be made) with potential to transfer in funds from a recognised UK pension (residency criteria and UK pension scheme and FIPS criteria may apply). Responsibility for confirming eligibility of transfer sits with the employee. Please note that the Falklands Islands Pension Scheme is not currently recognised by HM Revenue & Customs.

Education allowance

Education up to age 16 is provided free at schools in Stanley. If your dependent children are 16-18 and undertaking GCSE’s/A Levels (or equivalent), provision of post-16 education may be made available at a residential college in the UK. These boarding school fees will be met by Government subject to a maximum of £8,200 per annum per child. Holiday visit flights will be provided for children attending boarding school (two per year). This allowance does not apply to any dependents undertaking any other category of studies.

Access to medical/dental services

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Overseas staff will have access to the Falkland Islands Health Service. Most services, including prescriptions, are currently free to residents of the Falkland Islands. However, charges are made for some items and the service reserves the right to alter the charges for medical services. At present charges are made for spectacles, dentures and cosmetic dentistry such as crowns and bridges. The charges are variable based on the cost of the materials including freight.

Housing

The Government maintains a housing stock from which it will make a house available to rent. Typical monthly rental ranges from £250 for a one bedroom maisonette property to around £800 for a 4 bed detached house. Private sector accommodation is also available, although this can be limited and may be more expensive.

Timetable for recruitment and selection processStage DateClosing Date for applications 30th June 2017Short-listing 14th July 2017First stage interviews to be held in London or via Skype

if required – 24th-28th July

How to ApplyAn FIG application form should be completed and submitted alongside a covering letter outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria outlined in the job description and the reasons for your interest in the role.

You may attach a CV if you wish, but shortlisting will be done on the basis of information contained in the application form and covering letter. Please include your full contact details, including daytime and evening telephone numbers, and skype contact.

Application forms and further information about working in the Falkland Islands can be obtained by email at [email protected]

To arrange an informal discussion with the Head of Legal Services about the post, please email [email protected]

Completed forms and accompanying cover letters can be submitted by email to [email protected]

Standard Pre-Employment ChecksAll candidates should note that FIG carries out the following pre-employment checks prior to appointing someone to a post. Any offer of employment made will therefore be

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mailto:[email protected]




made on a conditional basis until such checks are completed (where checks are found to be unsatisfactory FIG reserves the right to withdraw any offer of employment).

References

All appointments are subject to a minimum of two satisfactory references being received. Please be specific when providing addresses/contact details for your referees. One of the references must be from your present employer or, if not currently employed, the most recent employer.

Professional membership/Qualification Checks/Verification of Identity

Checks will be carried out to confirm any qualifications/professional memberships which are listed as ‘Essential’ in the Person Specification at the interview stage.

Applicants relying on qualifications regarded as equivalent are responsible for providing evidence as to how their qualifications meet the required standard. If equivalence is not immediately clear, no enquiries will be made by FIG and the candidate's application may not proceed as a result. FIG reserves the right to make the final determination on the recognition of any equivalency.

You will also be required to produce original documents to verify your identity at interview, one of which must be photographic identification.

Pre-Employment Health Assessment

The Falkland Islands has good primary and secondary health care but, because of its geographical remoteness and size, it is not able to offer the full range of services that might be expected of a hospital of a similar size with more readily accessible resources.

Successful candidates will be required to undertake a pre-employment health assessment for immigration purposes to obtain a work permit. The medical will normally be arranged with your own GP unless FIG instruct otherwise. Such medicals will also be required for any dependents that are due to accompany you to post.

It is important to note that if you have complex medical needs or may need ongoing medical support that is not practically/physically available on the Island or is considered as being economically unviable to provide, it is unlikely that you would meet the health standards required to obtain a Work Permit for the Falkland Islands. If any of your dependents also have such needs they may not be able to accompany you to post as dependents on your Work Permit.

They would not however be prohibited from visiting the Islands, but this could only normally be done through means of a Visitors permit. For more information on any related Immigration issues you can contact the Customs and Immigration Department on 00500 27340.

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Education for dependants

If your dependants have complex special educational needs or if they are not able to access all aspects of the school curriculum in English without language support, this will be considered as part of the immigration process. While some support may be available, each case has to be considered on its merits based on the capacity available within the particular year group in the relevant school.

For more information on the Falkland Islands, please visit: http://www.falklands.gov.fk

Appendix 1

General Facts about the Falkland Islands21

http://www.falklands.gov.fk/


The Falkland Islands Government website is: http://www.falklands.gov.fk

The People

The Islands have an ordinarily resident population of almost 3000 people. Over 2000 live in Stanley which is the southernmost capital in the world. The remainder of the population live in the countryside or “Camp” as it is referred to locally. The population itself is predominantly of British birth or descent and many can trace their family on the Islands back to the mid-nineteenth century. In addition there is a permanent military garrison at Mount Pleasant airfield (MPA), some 35 miles west of Stanley, comprising around 1400 military personnel and 400 civilian workforce and dependants. The growth of the non-military population is highlighted in the graph below:

The Economy

As the following graph shows, the Islands’ economy is one which is continuing to grow at a time when many other larger, better resourced country’s economies GDP’s have been static or even regressed.

The Islands GDP up to 2012 is demonstrated in the chart below:

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http://www.falklands.gov.fk/


200720082009201020112012201320140.0

20.0

40.0

60.0

80.0

100.0

120.0

140.0

160.0

Constant 2012 prices GDP index

Constant 2012 prices GDP index

Indexed Falkland Islands gross domestic product growth (2007=100)

The main economic driver since the late 1980’s has been commercial fishing, with the establishment of a controlled conservation zone in 1987, now at 200 nautical miles from the coastal baseline. Fishing vessels in the zone catch around 200,000 tonnes each year, principally Illex and Loligo squid. Revenues to Government are between £10 million and £20 million per year from licence or quota fees, as illustrated in the following table. In some recent seasons there have been downturns in catches, but the existence of the Government’s substantial cash reserves has proved valuable in smoothing economic fluctuation. The commercial fishing industry remains a buoyant sector today and revenue from the fishery is the main income source for the Government, though oil exploration activities have also boosted GDP in recent years. The below graph highlights the Government’s revenue stream.

New business opportunities also include increasing tourism (currently earning around £6m million per annum), aquaculture, and hydrocarbons. Wells drilled in 1997 found evidence of a potentially significant oil field and a round of exploration commenced in late 2009, (and is currently ongoing). One major discovery has been made, alongside two minor ones and it is hoped this will be developed in conjunction with the ‘Sea Lion’ oil

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field. In addition, there have been two gas discoveries, although more exploration work will be required in order to fully understand the extent and nature of the finds.

Small businesses have also been helped to establish and grow by the Falkland Islands Development Corporation. It has facilitated over a 145 business start ups, and over 1400 projects. Further information about the Corporation is available at: http://www.fidc.co.fk

Tourism

Air connections to the Islands include two flights a week by Ministry of Defence Chartered Airline from Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, and a weekly LAN Chile flight service connection to South America. The Islands are keen to develop these connections.

During the summer months the islands’ are visited by an ever increasing number of cruise ships. We can receive anything up to 50,000 cruise ships tourists per year.

The recorded number of cruise ship passengers since 2008/9 are shown in the following table:

More information on the Islands and tourism in general can be found on the following link: http://www.falklandislands.com

Geography/Climate

The Falkland Islands are located in the South Atlantic on the same latitude as London lies north. They comprise of two main Islands (East and West Falkland) and some 700 smaller islands, set 400 miles from the South American mainland and 8000 miles from the UK.

The maps below show where the Islands lie in relation to South America and give an overview of the Islands themselves and their main settlements.

Map 1. The Islands and their position

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Map 2. The Islands and their main settlements

The temperature varies between a maximum of 24˚C in January down to a minimum of minus 5˚C in July/ August. Rainfall is generally low, winters are not as severe as the UK and the Islands enjoy more sunshine per annum than the south of England.

The countryside is comparatively bare of forestry, but it has its own unique flora and fauna. In geographical terms the Islands have a fascinating history that has resulted in some striking natural features such as the impressive rock formations known as ‘stone runs’, but which are actually rivers of angular quartzite. Bird and marine mammal wildlife also abound.

The Islands are home to vast colonies of penguins and albatross, as well as over 200 species of other birds. They are popular breeding grounds for sea lions, elephant and fur seals and over 15 species of whales and dolphins.

The protection of this unspoiled environment is a high priority in the Islands Plan and the Government spends around £1.5m per annum in environmental research with university partners from Imperial College London, Queens University Belfast, British Geological

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Survey and an independent local trust, Falklands Conservation. More details on Falklands Conservation can be found on www. falklandsconservation .com

The South Atlantic Environment Research Institute (SAERI) has also been set up to encourage growth in the level of research undertaken in the Islands and to develop the location as an international research platform. Further information on SAERI can be found on their website: www.south-atlantic-research.org

Islands Living – key factsCurrency & Banking: The currency of the Falkland Islands is the Falkland Islands Pound (FKP) which has the same value as Sterling when used in the Falkland Islands. British pounds are legal tender throughout the Islands and dollars are also accepted in some locations. The Falkland Islands Pound cannot be exchanged outside of the Islands but Bank of England notes are accepted. Standard Chartered Bank is the only commercial bank on the Islands and new accounts can be set up for salary payments and transfers to and from UK banks.

Electricity: The electrical current is 220/240 volts, 50 Hz. Standard British appliance plugs work in the Falklands.

Telecommunications: Sure South Atlantic provide telecommunication services in the Falkland Islands. This includes telephone and internet services. Being on a remote island means reliance on a satellite link so internet speeds are slower in comparison to UK fibre optic, and more expensive. A monthly internet package allowing 9000mb of data will cost £75. Further information can be obtained from their website at www.sure.co.fk

Shopping: Stanley has two supermarkets and a number of smaller convenience stores. These are stocked with a good selection of imported goods (canned, frozen and other packaged foods). Supplies of fruits and vegetables are grown locally and also imported from South America. These in particular can be in limited supply and more expensive than the UK. Fresh local produce such as beef/lamb is readily available and of good quality.

Eating out: Stanley has two good quality restaurants serving a range of local food. There is also a diner and some of the local pubs provide bar meals.

Falkland menus feature locally grown produce such as lamb, beef and vegetables, as well as seafood caught both inshore and offshore. Strong links with Chile mean that a range of excellent wines are also available from South America.

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http://www.sure.co.fk/

http://www.south-atlantic-research.org/

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