Category: News

A Remembrance Day Flag Ceremony, to mark the moment in World War 1 when the guns fell silent on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month and to honour all who have served, was held at Plantation House today, Monday 11 November 2019.

His Excellency Governor Dr Philip Rushbrook gave a welcome speech, and Mrs Marjorie Harding (Ex-Army), HE Governor and Mr Jack Horner (Ex-Royal Navy) each read verses from the poem ‘For the Fallen’ by Robert Laurence Binyon.

The Right Reverend Lord Bishop of St Helena Dale Bowers invited those in attendance to pray, before observing a two-minute silence, signalled by the Last Post which was solemnly played by Mr Graeme Beckett. During the two-minute silence, the Governor’s Flag was lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect. This was followed by a reading of Siegfried Sassoon’s poem ‘Everyone Sang’ by Mr Stephen Biggs (Ex-Merchant Navy). The Ceremony concluded with a Blessing from Bishop Dale.

Ex-service personnel and Island representatives were then invited to stay for a short reception.

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#StHelena #FlagCeremony #RemembranceDay #WeWillRememberThem

SHG

11 November 2019

The annual Remembrance Sunday Divine Service, in honour of those who lost their lives or had been injured during active duty, was held at the Cenotaph in Jamestown on Sunday, 10 November 2019.

His Excellency, Governor Dr Philip Rushbrook, arrived at 10.55am, and the Right Reverend Lord Bishop of St Helena Dale Bowers invited the many in attendance to pray, before observing a two-minute silence, signalled by the Last Post.

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Wreaths were laid for the Territory by HE Governor Rushbrook, for the French Republic by Michel Dancoisne-Martineau, for the Royal Navy by Mr Jack Horner, for the Army by Mr Barry Stroud, for the Royal Air Force by Mr John Reid, for the Merchant Navy by Miss Mia Henry, for the St Helena Police Service by Mr Garry Henry, and for the St Helena Fire & Rescue and Sea Rescue Service by Mr Kyle Yon. Several schoolchildren also laid wreaths.

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Prayers were led by Canon Clive Duncan, Father David Musgrave, Major Priscilla Ziqubu and Deacon Edgar Crowie. During the Service, hymns were sung, including ‘O God, Our Help in Ages Past’, ‘The Lord’s My Shepherd’ and ‘O Valiant Hearts Who to Your Glory Came’.

The Act of Commitment was made and acts of peace were then offered. The Service concluded with the National Anthem and Blessing, followed by the traditional March-Past outside the Court House. 

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Alongside the service on-Island, St Helena Government’s UK Representative, Mrs Kedell Worboys MBE, along with Tristan da Cunha Government’s UK Representative, Mr Chris Carnegy, attended the UK’s Ceremony of Remembrance at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in London where a wreath was laid by Kedell on behalf of St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha

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#StHelena #RemembranceSundayService #WeWillRememberThem

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SHG
11 November 2019

Representatives of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories yesterday laid wreaths for the first time at the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph (Sunday 10 November 2019).

This year a representative from each of the three Crown Dependencies and representatives for the inhabited Overseas Territories laid their own wreaths in remembrance of their many contributions in both World Wars and other conflicts.

The Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories have previously been represented by the wreaths laid by Her Majesty The Queen and the Foreign Secretary respectively.

The change comes at an especially poignant time as this year marks the 100^th Anniversary of Remembrance Sunday and has also seen the addition of other new wreaths, including from Nepal to honour the Gurkhas, and by the Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary who laid wreaths on behalf of the Intelligence Agencies.

Governor Dr Philip Rushbrook commented:

“St Helenians (including those working on Ascension) and Tristanians are proud of their British heritage and there is no better way for this to be recognised than through their representatives laying a wreath at the Cenotaph in London. Many of our Islanders past and present have contributed to the British Armed Forces – on St Helena we can see some of their names on our own cenotaph in Jamestown. We also take this as an opportunity to pay tribute to the crew of the RMS St Helena who during the Falklands Campaign played their part, and St Helenians today serving in the Armed Forces.”

Governor’s Office, St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

11 November 2019

TUESDAY, 12 NOVEMBER 2019

Executive Council will meet on Tuesday, 12 November 2019, at 9.30am, in the Council Chamber, to discuss the following Open Agenda item:

• Currency (Amendment) Bill 2019

This paper (ExCo Memo) is available online at the following link: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/councils/executive-council/.

Members of the public who would like to view hard copies of the ExCo Memos should contact the Acting Clerk of Councils, Anita Legg, at the Castle on tel: 22470 or via email: Anita.Legg@sainthelena.gov.sh.   

Elected Members serving on Executive Council are Councillors Anthony Green, Lawson Henry, Clint Beard, Derek Thomas and Russell Yon.

Non-voting members of ExCo are Chief Secretary, Susan O’Bey, Financial Secretary, Dax Richards, and Acting Attorney General, Allen Cansick. 

#StHelena #ExCoMeeting

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SHG
8 November 2019

NOVEMBER 2019

His Lordship Chief Justice Charles Ekins Esq will arrive on St Helena on Saturday, 9 November 2019.

The formal opening of the St Helena Supreme Court will take place on Monday, 11 November 2019, at 9am. This Supreme Court Session will continue until Friday, 29 November, and the Chief Justice will depart St Helena on Saturday, 30November 2019. 

#StHelena #SupremeCourtSitting #ChiefJustice

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SHG
7 November 2019

The St Helena Police Directorate has today, Wednesday 6 November 2019, commenced works to install new life saving equipment and signs at Rupert’s Bay, Lemon Valley and James Bay.

This equipment is being installed for use by anyone in an emergency situation.

If you use this equipment, please report this to the Harbour Master on tel: 22287 or the Police Directorate on tel: 22626 so that it can be serviced.

It is an offence to tamper with or use this equipment unless in an emergency.

Guidance on how to correctly use this equipment can be found here.

#StHelena #EmergencyPlanning #PoliceDirectorate #LifeSavingEquipment

SHG

6 November 2019

The Governor, Dr Philip Rushbrook, is delighted to announce the appointment of Steve Townsend and Fiona Kilpatrick as the new joint Administrators of Tristan da Cunha (see photo attached). Steve and Fiona, who are married, will be filling the post on a job share basis. This approach has been adopted in other FCO postings in recent years. Fiona will be Tristan’s first substantive female Administrator and this will be the first time the post has been filled on a job share basis. They intend to take up the position in January and will replace Sean Burns, who with his wife Marina, will be moving to Ascension in March.  

Fiona Kilpatrick has worked in a number of British Government Departments since 1987, including the Departments for Work and Pensions; Education and Employment; and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  Much of her work has been on European Union and international employment and social security policy, but she also helped establish the UK Government’s Disability Confident campaign.  She has worked with various UN organisations on projects ranging from introducing health insurance in Ghana, to a programme to combat human trafficking in Bolivia and Argentina.  She has also worked at the Holy See in Rome.  She very much enjoys cooking, reading and watching films.  She grew up by the sea in Scotland, and is keenly anticipating a return to littoral life! 

Steve Townsend has been in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 1980, and has wide experience across the world.  He has served in Venezuela, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Spain (where he and Fiona met), Egypt, Bolivia and the Holy See.  In various roles in London, he has worked on desks covering Nigeria, Gibraltar, the evolution of soft power (including the British Council and the BBC World Service), and most recently he has been working in the Modern Slavery team in the Human Rights and Policy Unit.  In his spare time, he enjoys reading and doing quizzes – but expects that he will have to add a number of outdoors pursuits to that list! 

Steve and Fiona said:

“We are delighted to be appointed as joint Administrator to Tristan da Cunha, and are very much looking forward to meeting the whole community and working with the Island Council. This will be a unique experience for us, and will bring new challenges – and some that are very different from any we have had before; and we are very excited by the possibilities.”

Governor’s Office, St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

6 November 2019