Mike Summers

Michael Victor Summers OBE (born 1952) is a Falkland Islands politician who served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly for the Stanley constituency from 2011 to 2017.[1] He was previously a Member of the Legislative Council from 1996–2009.[2]

The Honourable

Mike Summers

OBE
Mike Summers OBE in 2003
Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly
for Stanley
In office
23 June 2011 – 9 November 2017
Preceded byGlenn Ross
Succeeded byMark Pollard
Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Council
for Stanley
In office
17 October 1996 – 5 November 2009
Preceded byJohn Cheek
Succeeded byGavin Short
Personal details
Born1952 (age 67–68)
Stanley, Falkland Islands
NationalityBritish
Political partyNonpartisan
Spouse(s)Jacqueline
Alma materMiddlesex University

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 Shaftesbury Grammar School, 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 Chilean airline LAN, which remains the only commercial airline to fly to the islands.[2]

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.[3]

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.[1] In April 2017, Mike Summers was the only member to vote against same-sex marriage, but did vote in favour of civil partnerships.[4]

He won re-election in 2013 but stepped down from the assembly at the 2017 general election.

In September 2019 Summers was elected Chair of the Falkland Islands Chamber of Commerce Board following the 2019 Annual General Meeting.[5]

References
  1. "Summers wins Falklands MLA seat". MercoPress. 24 June 2011. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  2. "Mike Summers bio". Falkland Islands Government. falklands.gov.fk. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  3. Brock, J. (6 November 2009). "Falklands Election – Stanley Constituency Upset". South Atlantic Remote Territories Media Association. Retrieved 25 June 2011.
  4. "Falklands plans to celebrate same sex marriage bill next April 27". MercoPress. 12 April 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  5. "Falklands' Chamber of Commerce Board elects Mike Summers as Chair". MercoPress. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
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