Jane Cameron – truly “the special one”

The death of any person is difficult to bear for family and friends, more so, perhaps, if that death was caused by accident and our sympathies go out to all those in the Falklands for whom the festive season has been marred by bereavement.

After a typically spirited fight for life, following her involvement in an horrific road accident in Argentina, Jane Cameron left us on Boxing Day. I use the phrase “left us” advisedly because it seems that way to me.

There are some people whose untimely death affects not only family and friends, but seems to leave a hole in the very fabric of our small society. While I am too young to remember it personally, I am told that the loss of FIGAS pilot, Ian Campbell in the seventies left the whole country with a feeling of bereavement and while Jane’s activities were less high profile, I am sure that her absence will also be felt as deeply.

In other places there will deservedly be obituaries listing Jane’s many and varied contributions to the Falkland Islands. Here I would simply like to say that I cannot believe that we shall never again see her bouncing down Ross Road at the wheel of her little red car, nor ever again experience either her withering glare of disapproval or the sparkly-eyed warmth of her wicked grin. Forget such jumped-up self publicists as José Morinho; elegant, intellectual, fierce champion of Falklands traditions and people, avid consumer of TV soap operas, feared adversary of bureaucracy and loyal friend, for us in the Falklands Jane Cameron was truly “the special one”.