Category: News

St Helena Government today announced that the contracts for the current public bus service provided by Joshua’s Taxis, Colin’s Garage, and Isaac’s Contractors have been extended for an additional three months, effective from Sunday 1 September to Saturday 30 November 2024.

Following discussions with the bus service providers earlier this year, an initial agreement was reached to continue certain bus routes for a period of six months. As this period nears its conclusion on Saturday 31 August, the service providers have agreed to extend their contracts to ensure uninterrupted public bus services for residents and visitors.

Fares will remain the same as currently published for this extended trial period of operations.  Customers are asked to ensure that they are issued with a ticket when paying their fares.

Copies of the timetables for all routes are available on the SHG website via https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/publicservices/publictransportservice/?highlight=bus%20timetable

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A reception was held last Thursday 22 August 2024 at Plantation House to celebrate education and the opportunities it unlocks. The event acknowledged beneficiaries of the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship programmes and featured a valuable address by His Excellency Governor Nigel Phillips CBE.  Both Commonwealth and Chevening Alumni were able to share their educational experiences and journey toward higher education with the latest cohort of sixth formers of the Prince Andrew School (PAS) and current undergrad scholars.

The evening offered special congratulations to Martina Peters for her achievement in securing a Chevening Scholarship. Martina successfully secured a place at the University of Exeter, to pursue a Master of Science in Conservation and Biodiversity.  Her academic journey will begin in late September 2024.

While Martina was the sole Chevening applicant from St Helena this year, the Overseas Territories (OTs) celebrated a collective success with 12 scholarships awarded across Anguilla, Montserrat, and the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI).

Chevening Scholarship Applications

The application window for the next round of Chevening Scholarships is currently open. Applications close on Tuesday 5 November 2024, and successful applicants will begin their UK studies in September/October next year.

For more information on eligibility criteria and the application process, visit www.chevening.org. Alternatively, please contact Kerry Lane, Chevening Officer in the Governor’s Office, at Kerry.Lane@fcdo.gov.uk, or by telephone on 22308 for guidance.

Commonwealth Scholarship Applications

Applications for the Commonwealth Scholarships will open on 10 September 2024 and will close on 15 October 2024.  To find out more on Commonwealth Scholarships visit Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships – Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (fcdo.gov.uk), or contact Angela Benjamin, Head of Life Long Learning, at Angela.Benjamin@sainthelena.gov.sh, or by telephone on 22607.

Both Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships offer fully funded post graduate study in the UK and supports individuals with outstanding talent and high aspirations to become leaders and innovators, and to enact positive change on return to their home countries. 

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The Environment, Natural Resources and Planning Portfolio’s Marine and Fisheries Conservation Section is launching a community survey with the aim of collecting information on how the island’s community views the Marine Protected Area (MPA) and its associated management.

The St Helena Marine Management Plan 2023 – 2028 outlines the management measures needed to conserve, protect and restore the rich biodiversity and unique natural ecosystems of St Helena’s marine environment and sustainably manage its natural resources now and for future generations. To understand whether the Marine Management Plan is working, St Helena Government (SHG) monitors the status of the key values of the MPA. This includes the MPA’s social, cultural and economic values. This questionnaire forms part of this long-term monitoring programme. It aims to help SHG understand how the MPA is currently used and what benefits it brings to the local community.

To ensure there is no sample bias, participants have been selected through a random sampling process using the phone book and surveys will be undertaken over the telephone. Participants must be over the age of 18. Your participation in this questionnaire is entirely voluntary but we encourage you to share your views.

We will treat the information you provide as confidential. Data will be aggregated and will not identify you as a participant of the survey. Any report of this research will not include your name or any other individual information which could identify you. This will help us to assess whether the management measures within the Marine Management Plan are working. SHG may revise management actions if the long-term monitoring shows that they are not working effectively.

It is anticipated that this survey will start tomorrow, 30 August 2024, and run over the course of three weeks.

If you would like any more information, please contact Kirsty Jones by telephone on +290 25966 or via email through kirsty.jones@sainthelena.gov.sh.

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Prince Andrew School is delighted to announce the strong results achieved in this year’s public examinations, reflecting our ongoing commitment to inclusive education and customised academic pathways designed to meet diverse student interests and aspirations. This year’s examination outcomes showcase our students’ successes across 32 distinct qualifications spanning Entry Level, Level 1, Level 2 (GCSE), and Level 3 (A Level) stages.

We are particularly proud to report that our male students exceeded their predicted grades in English by 2.5%, while our female students surpassed theirs by an impressive 6%. Over half of all grades awarded were within the A* to C range or its equivalent, highlighting the achievements of our student body.

Headteacher Phil Toal remarked,

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all our staff for their unwavering dedication and to congratulate our students on their remarkable achievements The support provided by our Learning Support and Pastoral teams ensures that students have the opportunity to thrive, while our students’ inherent curiosity and mutual support enhance the learning environment.”

“Our results represent the culmination of years of educational endeavor, and I extend my appreciation to the surrounding schools that have laid the groundwork for these successes. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to our parents and carers for their steadfast support of our learners. To our students, remember that your results are just one aspect of your journey. Kindness and compassion far outweigh grades in their importance. Success manifests in various forms, and for some, simply attending school despite life’s challenges is an achievement to be celebrated. I am confident that you all have bright and promising futures ahead of you. Good luck as you embark on your diverse and exciting paths. You are exceptional, inspiring, and talented individuals, and we are incredibly proud of each and every one of you.”

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On Friday 23 August 2024, former Prince Andrew School (PAS) Year 11, 12, and 13 students received their GCSE and A-Level test results. The eagerly awaited results were presented to students during a special ceremony held in the PAS hall.

Parents, guardians, teachers, and representatives from the St Helena Government (SHG), Bank of St Helena (BOSH) and Solomon & Company (St. Helena) Plc attended the event. Following the results presentation, students had the opportunity to explore their next steps with representatives from Career Access St Helena, Solomon & Company, BOSH, SHG Central Human Resources and the Exams Officer.

Discussions included the Sixth Form Program, Apprenticeship Scheme, potential careers, current job vacancies, and exam resits or remarks. Additionally, students could discuss their academic future with teachers regarding the Sixth Form academic route.

Deputy Head of Curriculum, Isabel Andrews, commented:

“I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to every student on their remarkable achievements. Take immense pride in your accomplishments, as they are a testament to your hard work and dedication. Use these successes as a springboard for your future endeavours, whether that means pursuing further education, combining work and study, or entering the workforce.”

“A special thank you to everyone who played a vital role in helping our students reach this point. We are grateful to the faculty and staff at Prince Andrew School for their unwavering commitment to supporting students’ academic success. Mrs Kerry Peters, our Exams Officer, deserves particular recognition for her invaluable contributions to the exam administration process. And of course, we cannot thank enough the parents, guardians, and carers for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout this journey. We extend our best wishes to our students as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.”

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The General Hospital has extended its sincere thanks to the Cancer Support and Awareness Charity for their generous donation of video conferencing equipment for the chemotherapy unit and specialist consulting room. This valuable equipment will transform cancer care on the island by enabling real-time consultations with overseas medical experts.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the critical need for telemedicine, and St Helena has benefited immensely from this advancement. The new video conferencing system will facilitate more open and effective communication between local clinicians and specialists, leading to improved diagnosis, treatment plans, and patient outcomes.

By bringing experts almost directly to the bedside, the hospital can offer patients quicker access to specialised care, reducing the need for lengthy and stressful trips overseas. Additionally, the system will streamline the diagnostic process, potentially saving lives through early detection.

The General Hospital is confident that this donation will significantly enhance the quality of life for cancer patients and their families while reducing the burden on the healthcare system.

Minister Martin Henry commented:

“I express my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support the Cancer Support and Awareness Charity has given to both the Health service and members of the community over many years. The donation of video conferencing equipment to our chemotherapy unit is a further milestone in our journey towards advancing telemedicine on the island. This technology allows us to connect with oncologists beyond our shores improving the care we can provide to our patients.”

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There is currently international concern about the spread of the infectious disease mpox (caused by the monkeypox virus). The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a public health emergency, following a significant increase in the number of cases of the disease in Central Africa, particularly in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Cases have also been reported from countries bordering DRC, and a single case has been detected in Sweden in a patient who had recently visited DRC. This outbreak is being caused by a new strain of the monkeypox virus (called clade 1b) which appears to be more infectious than the strain which caused a worldwide epidemic in 2022. There have so far been no reports of clade 1b mpox in southern Africa, and at present this outbreak is unlikely to directly affect St Helena.

There is coincidentally a smaller outbreak of mpox in South Africa caused by the clade 2b strain of monkeypox virus. The World Health Organisation reports that almost all the mpox patients in South Africa self-identify as men who have sex with men (MSM), and all caught the infection through sexual contact. The number of cases is small, and again this outbreak does not currently pose a significant threat to St Helena.

The Health Directorate is monitoring the situation daily, and if the threat to St Helena increases we will issue further guidance.

#StHelena #HealthandSocialCare #MPoxUpdate

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