Mike Summers
Encyclopedia
Michael Victor Summers OBE (born 1952) is a Falkland Islands politician who has served as a Member
of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency
since he won a by-election
in 2011. He was previously a Member of the Legislative Council from 1996-2009.
Summers was born in Stanley
and grew up in Port Howard
. He moved to the UK at the age of eleven after winning a government scholarship to a Dorset
boarding school. He went on to read business studies
at Middlesex University
. After university, Summers worked for various construction and engineering companies all round the world, before returning to the Falklands in 1989 when he became General Manager of the Falkland Islands Development Corporation. During his time as General Manager, Summers negotiated the air link between the Falklands and mainland South America
with the Chile
an airline LAN
, which remains the only commercial airline to fly to the islands.
Summers resigned as General Manager in 1996 to pursue a political career. Later that year he was elected in a by-election
to the Legislative Council
(which was reconstituted as the Legislative Assembly in the 2009 constitution). Summers was re-elected in 1997, 2001
and 2005
, but he lost his seat in the 2009 general election
.
In 2011, Summers returned to the Legislative Assembly after winning a by-election to fill the seat left vacant by Glenn Ross
. At the time of the election, Summers was in the Isle of Wight
for the 2011 Island Games
in his role as Team Leader of the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association.
Member of the Legislative Assembly
A Member of the Legislative Assembly or a Member of the Legislature , is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction....
of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...
since he won a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 2011. He was previously a Member of the Legislative Council from 1996-2009.
Summers was born in Stanley
Stanley, Falkland Islands
Stanley is the capital and only true cityin the Falkland Islands. It is located on the isle of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands. At the 2006 census, the city had a population of 2,115...
and grew up in Port Howard
Port Howard
Port Howard is the largest settlement on West Falkland . it is in the east of the island, on an inlet of Falkland Sound...
. He moved to the UK at the age of eleven after winning a government scholarship to a Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
boarding school. He went on to read business studies
Business studies
Business studies is an academic subject taught at higher level in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom, as well as at university level in many countries...
at Middlesex University
Middlesex University
Middlesex University is a university in north London, England. It is located in the historic county boundaries of Middlesex from which it takes its name. It is one of the post-1992 universities and is a member of Million+ working group...
. After university, Summers worked for various construction and engineering companies all round the world, before returning to the Falklands in 1989 when he became General Manager of the Falkland Islands Development Corporation. During his time as General Manager, Summers negotiated the air link between the Falklands and mainland South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
with the Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an airline LAN
LAN Airlines
LAN Airlines S.A. is an airline based in Santiago, Chile. LAN is currently positioned amongst the largest airlines in Latin America, serving Latin America, United States, the Caribbean, Oceania, and Europe. It is a member of the Oneworld airline alliance...
, which remains the only commercial airline to fly to the islands.
Summers resigned as General Manager in 1996 to pursue a political career. Later that year he was elected in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council 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,...
(which was reconstituted as the Legislative Assembly in the 2009 constitution). Summers was re-elected in 1997, 2001
Falkland Islands general election, 2001
The Falkland Islands general election of 2001 was held on Thursday 22 November 2001 to elect members to the Legislative Council. The election took place on the same day as the referendum on merging Stanley and the Camp into a single electoral constituency elected by proportional representation...
and 2005
Falkland Islands general election, 2005
The Falkland Islands general election of 2005 was held on Thursday 17 November 2005 to elect members to the Legislative Council. It would be the last general election in the Falkland Islands before the new constitution came into force, which replaced the Legislative Council with the Legislative...
, but he lost his seat in the 2009 general election
Falkland Islands general election, 2009
The Falkland Islands general election of 2009 was held on Thursday 5 November 2009 to elect members to the Legislative Assembly. It was the first general election in the Falkland Islands since the new constitution came into force on 1 January 2009, which replaced the old Legislative Council with...
.
In 2011, Summers returned to the Legislative Assembly after winning a by-election to fill the seat left vacant by Glenn Ross
Glenn Ross (politician)
Glenn Ross is a Falkland Islands engineer and politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency from the 2009 general election until his resignation in 2011....
. At the time of the election, Summers was in the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
for the 2011 Island Games
2011 Island Games
The XIV Island Games was a major international multi-sport event held from June 25 to July 1, 2011, in the Isle of Wight, England. A total of 2,306 athletes from 24 islands competed in 15 sports and 190 events...
in his role as Team Leader of the Falkland Islands Overseas Games Association.