Category: News

All SHG Portfolios and services will close on 25 and 26 December 2023 and on 1 January 2024. The following table provides details of opening hours between the 22 and 29 December 2023. Normal business will resume on 2 January 2024.

Unless otherwise stated, the following Services will close at 4pm on 22 December 2023

SHG Portfolio	Service	Details
Central Support Service	The Archives
	Judicial Services
Treasury	Income Tax Office
	Social Security Office
Economic Development	Civil Aviation	On-call for emergencies only. Please call: 51461 or 51936
	Housing Section	On-call services will be provided for emergency repairs only
	Land Registry Office
Education, Skills & Employment	St Helena Research Institute
	Careers Access
	Administration	Enquiries can be made to Angela Benjamin on 24544 or 62331
	Public Library	Closed from 1pm on 23 December 2023 until 2 January 2024
	All Schools	Closed from 18 December 2023 until 15 January 2024
Environment, Natural Resources & Planning	Planning Office
	Scotland Office
	Veterinary Service	On-call for emergencies. Please call: 62039 or 26162
	Forestry Service	On-call for emergencies. Please call: 65394 or 24202
	Waste Management	Enquiries can be made to the Waste Management Services Supervisor on mobile: 66380 (AM only)
	Marine Centre	Closed from 4pm on 19 December 2023 to 2January 2024
	Marine Enforcement	Closed from 1pm on 23 December 2023. Please call: 64642 for enquiries outside of opening normal opening hours
Health & Social Care	Environmental Health Service	Staff on-call can be contacted via the Hospital Switchboard on tel: 22500
	Administration	Staff on-call can be contacted via the Hospital Switchboard on tel: 22500
Safety Security and Home Affairs	Port Control	The Harbour Master can be contacted in an emergency on VHF channel 14/16 or mobile numbers: 67383 or 61827 or tel: 24817 or via the Police Control Room on tel: 22626
	Immigration Office	Any queries can be directed to Coleman’s House on tel: 22626
	HM Customs	Closed from 4pm on 23 December. An Officer will be on-call during this time.
	Prison Services	HM Prison remains operational over the festive period, however there will be no social visits on 25 and 26 December 2023 and 1 January 2024
	Royal St Helena Police and Fire Service	Services will operate as normal. For any emergencies call telephone number 999, for non-emergencies call 22626

The following Services will operate the 27, 28 and 29 December 2023

SHG Portfolio	Service	Details
Central Support Service	The Castle Reception	8.30am–12noon
Economic Development	Tourist Office	8.30am–12noon
Health &Social Care	Mental Health Services	8.30am–4pm
	Dental Department	8.30am–10am (Emergencies Only)
	Community Nursing	27, 28 and 29 December – Jamestown Outpatient Clinic -8.30am–12noon
		27 December – Longwood Clinic – 9am–12noon
		28 December – Levelwood Clinic – 9am–12noon
		29December – Half Tree Hollow Clinic – 9am–12noon
	Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy	8.30am–4pm
	Pharmacy Services	27, 28 and 29 December – Jamestown – 8.30am–12noon
		27 December – Longwood Clinic – 10am–12noon
		28December – Levelwood Clinic – 10am–12noon
		29December – Half Tree Hollow Clinic – 10am–12noon
	Laboratory	8.30am–12noon
	Doctors Clinics	27, 28 and 29 December – Jamestown Outpatient Clinic – 9am–12noon
		27 December – Longwood Clinic
		28 December – Levelwood Clinic
		29 December – Half Tree Hollow Clinic
		Note: The Medical Records Office/Appointments will be open from 8.30am to 12noon on each of these days
	Children’s Social Care, Adult’s Social Care and Probation Services	8.30am–4pm
Safety Security and Home Affairs	Emergency Planning and Sea Rescue Service	8am–12noon
Treasury	Post & Customer Service Centre	The Post & Customer Service Centre will open from 8.45am–12noon on 23, 27, 28 and 30 December

In November 2022, SHG announced that St Helena would receive funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s bespoke 2022/2023: Improving Essential Equipment in Overseas Territories’ Programme.

St Helena was allocated up to £1,800,000 for the purchase of equipment of critical importance to the Island, in areas including healthcare, emergency services, port operations, road maintenance and the airport.

Focus on the former Treasury, Infrastructure & Sustainable Development Portfolio

£267,687.70 was allocated to what was then the Treasury, Infrastructure & Sustainable Development Portfolio. This was used to purchase a Minimac Slurry Paver from VSS Macropaver for the Roads Section.

This was as a result of successful bitumen slurry trials over the past five years, where bitumen slurry was found to be a suitable surface dressing for the Island’s roads. The Minimac is a self-propelled, hand built specialist machine, specifically designed and built to mix different types of slurry. The machine mixes the ingredients of the slurry automatically and delivers consistent mixes every time. The mixed slurry is discharged inside a special slurry box and spread through the box with a set of augers. The mix in the box is dragged behind the machine as it moves forward and places the slurry evenly over the width of the box.

The Minimac arrived on-Island on Voyage 5 of the Maria Da Paz and was commissioned by a service technician from the supplier during the week of 11 to 18 November 2023. During the week of commissioning, training was also given to the operators and maintenance staff of the road section and vehicle fleet section.

A slurry mix contains crusher dust, bitumen, water and a small percentage of cement. The procurement of this machine will assist the roads team to effectively maintain roads on St Helena. Not only will this improve the quality of the roads around the Island, but it will also reduce future maintenance requirements, meaning that SHG is able to operate more effectively in terms of how it deploys its resources.                                                                                                               

Director of the Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio, Alex Mitham, commented:

“While the slurry paver was procured before the Roads Section moved over to Safety, Security & Home Affairs, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Deon and his team for the months of research to identify the right equipment for St Helena.

“The Minimac is not going to suddenly address all the issues with the roads – but it should be the first step in helping address the maintenance concerns and quality of the road surfaces. As ever though, I would like to thank the FCDO for funding the equipment. We may not be following the yellow brick road, but at the very least it should be an improved road.”

Photos

#StHelena #FCDO #ImprovingEssentialEquipment #Macropaver

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SHG

11 December 2023

In November 2022, SHG announced that St Helena would receive funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s bespoke 2022/2023: Improving Essential Equipment in Overseas Territories’ Programme.

St Helena was allocated up to £1,800,000 for the purchase of equipment of critical importance to the Island, in areas including healthcare, emergency services, port operations, road maintenance and the airport.

Focus on the Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio

£649,171.73 was allocated to the Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio. This was used to purchase six marine outboard engines (plus accessories and training) for the Sea Rescue Service, and a Reach Stacker for Port Control.

Reach Stacker

£557,205.43 was allocated to Port Control to purchase a KALMAR ECO Reach Stacker. This reach stacker has been commissioned and will be used to improve and future proof cargo operations at Rupert’s new Cargo Facility once operational. The new reach stacker will operate alongside of the existing stacker between the port and container storage area, enabling containers to be stacked five high if needed.

Marine Outboard Engines

£91,966.30 was allocated to the Sea Rescue Service to purchase three 150hp 4 stroke standard rotation engines, and three 150hp 4 stroke counter rotation engines, along with tools and accessories. These engines are more fuel efficient (around 65%) providing long term savings for the government. 

Two of these engines have been fitted on the Sea Rescue vessel Ocean Rider. Ocean Rider is one of the 8.5 metre Gemini fast response vessels. These are a critical element of the Sea Rescue Service, which is essential for response to maritime incidents around the Island as well as for St Helena Airport to continue to operate under its license terms. Two of the remaining engines will be installed on the other 8.5 meter Gemini fast response vessel, Sea Lion, in the coming weeks. The final two will be used as the redundancy system for the four that will be online.

In addition to the purchase of the equipment, staff also received training in South Africa for their installation and maintenance.

Director of the Safety, Security & Home Affairs Portfolio, Alex Mitham, commented:

“We would like to extend our gratitude to Richard James International Ltd for all their invaluable support in ensuring the equipment was purchased and arrived safely to St Helena. Our special thanks as well to Kalmar Global for securing the stacker and providing expert technical assistance in rebuilding the machine when it arrived in St Helena. We believe this to now be the remotest Kalmar stacker in the world!”

“Our appreciation goes out to Gemini as well for the vital Sea Rescue engines which will future proof the Sea Rescue Service and its ability to respond to maritime incidents for another 10 years. And last but certainly not least, thanks go to the FCDO for actually providing the funding in the first place. None of this would have been able to happen without the kind generosity of the UK Government.”

Photos

#StHelena #FCDO #ImprovingEssentialEquipment #ReachStacker #Engines

SHG

11 December 2023

The Smokefree St Helena team, along with the Mental Health team, will be running a ‘Healthier Me, Healthier You’ campaign in January 2024. ‘Healthier Me, Healthier You’ combines two important campaigns, ‘Dry January’ and ‘New Year, New You’.  This campaign aims to encourage individuals to take achievable actions to being healthier in 2024. It will raise awareness on the harms of tobacco smoking and regular alcohol consumption, and make available support to those wanting to quit smoking or who are participating in ‘Dry January’.

It’s never too late to make positive changes, keeping yourself healthy is important in reducing the risks of chronic illnesses.

‘Dry January’ 2024

In 2022 a Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) was conducted for St Helena. This identified that alcohol was regularly consumed above NHS recommendations and normalised through community events and social gatherings. Alcohol contributes to a large number chronic diseases and illness in our community. It is also responsible for a large number of social services and police work on St Helena.

There is no safe level of alcohol consumption but it is recommended by NHS Better Health to not consume more than 14 units per week. Sticking to these guide lines lowers your risk of harming your health.

‘Dry January’ is a public health initiative launched in 2013 by Alcohol Change UK. The idea is for anyone who feels they drink too much or too often to slow things down. It is also for anyone looking to start the year on a refreshed, healthier note. Participants challenge themselves to quit drinking alcohol for a period of 31 days. In 2023, an estimated 9 million people were planning to take part in the ‘Dry January’ challenge.

Reducing alcohol intake is one of the best things you can do for yourself. By taking control of alcohol, you can:

• Save money
• Improve health
• Improve memory
• Have more energy
• Sleep better
• Reduce anxiety
• Improve mood
• Have better relationships

Get support to help with alcohol reduction

Although ‘Dry January’ is safe for most people, it isn’t right for anyone who is alcohol dependent. If you are experiencing negative physical symptoms when you stop drinking, you should seek medical help urgently from a doctor or a member of the Mental Health team.

Our local Mental Health Service is the focal point for alcohol treatment. They offer different treatments based on your personal needs. Receiving this support gives you the best chance of reducing your alcohol intake.

If you would like more information about alcohol consumption and tips on cutting down, then please contact the Mental Health team or Health Promotion team using the below information:

• Telephone:  22500  Ext 2044 (Mental Health team)

                                Ext 2098 (Health Promotion team)

Alternatively visit www.alcoholchange.org.uk for more information.

If you are participating in the challenge, please inform the Health Promotion team so they can track your journey.

‘New Year, New You’

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and illness worldwide. In 2021, 22.2% of adults aged 18 and up on St Helena reported themselves as smokers.

‘New year, New you’ focuses on supporting smokers whose New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking, to stay committed to their goals. Smokefree St Helena will be offering Behavioural Change Support (BCS) and Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) to help support anyone who wants to make the change this New Year.

Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and it gives you the most out of your favourite activities. You’ll also experience benefits such as:

• Your sense of taste will increase and you will enjoy the taste of food more
• Your breathing and general fitness will improve
• The appearance of your skin and teeth will improve
• Your fertility levels will improve, along with your chances of having a healthy pregnancy and baby
• You’ll experience less stress and lower anxiety
• You will have better physical performance, more endurance and better overall health

You can get free support to quit from Smokefree St Helena to help you quit smoking. When using BCS and NRT as a combination you are three times more likely to quit and stay quit.

If you are interested in stopping smoking with support from Smokefree St Helena, or if you would like more information about the service then contact them using the below information:

• E-mail: smokefree@sainthelena.gov.sh
• Telephone: 25863

#StHelena #SmokeFreeStHelena #DryJanuary

SHG

7 December 2023

Earlier this year St Helena Government notified the public that using terminals, such as Starlink, for the purposes of internet connectivity is in contravention of the exclusivity of current telecommunications licensing arrangements made under section 3(4) of the Telecommunications Ordinance 1989.

SHG recognises the importance to the public and businesses of fast, affordable and reliable internet. In July, SHG committed to providing the wider public with access to the fibre optic cable ahead of the scheduled January 2024 switchover. Since 01 October 2023 the domestic Island network has been connected to the Equiano cable, extending a number of benefits to the community. This has resulted in significant improvements to the telecommunications service provided by Sure South Atlantic (Sure), improving the offering to their customers in terms of both cost and scope of service provided. It has opened new possibilities for the community in how we interact with each other, the outside world and conduct business, with the benefits of this already being felt.

A grace period was provided to allow persons using unlicensed apparatus the opportunity to make alternative arrangements.

Since then, new Regulations have been drafted under the Telecommunications Ordinance 1989 and approved by the Executive Council. Whilst it has always been an offence to use certain telecommunications equipment without a licence, the new Regulations provide SHG with appropriate powers to enforce this.

Given the significant improvements in internet services since 01 October 2023, in both price and offering, we are pleased to note that voluntary compliance with the rules and regulations in place has been encouraging.

However, measures to enforce licensing provisions will be deployed if non-compliance is observed. This could result in confiscation of equipment and prosecution of individuals. Anyone that might be using unlicensed apparatus is therefore encouraged to cease use of such apparatus.

We are grateful for continued compliance with the provisions of the law, and wish to avoid needing to deploy enforcement measures where possible.

#StHelena #Telecoms

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SHG

06 December 2023

Today, St Helena Government and Wavysail are delighted to announce that St Helena Island has become an official partner of the Wavysail Open Oceans Fund.

This will enable two fully funded places on Wavysail Ocean Sailing Adventures to be made available to ‘Saints’, or people closely connected to the Island, over the next few months.

St Helena is deeply connected to its ocean, and to its ocean-based heritage, including sailing. Wavysail has been frequenting St Helena for a number of years, and this new partnership encourages inclusive yachting specifically for St Helena’s community.

The Wavysail Open Oceans Fund provides fully funded grants to people who would otherwise not have the means, or the confidence, to join an ocean adventure. The aim is to make sailing more inclusive, and to encourage anyone with an adventurous spirit to experience the magic of the wild, open ocean.

The first recipient of the St Helena Open Oceans Fund will join Wavysail’s January expedition, departing Jamestown on 11 February 2024. In the days before departure, they will get to meet the skipper and other crew members, and prepare for the trip ahead.

The recipient will then sail with Wavysail, as a regular member of the crew, under the care of Skipper Dave (Wavy) Immelman and first mate Heather Deary, both of whom are highly experienced sailors. This is a major ocean trip, so while some previous sailing experience would certainly be helpful, there are no minimum requirements in terms of previous sailing experience. Wavysail will advise of all kit to pack and provide all safety equipment needed.

The voyage will route west, deep into the South Atlantic, before turning south towards Tristan da Cunha, then finally looping back towards Cape Town with arrival in Cape Town by 28 February 2024. A truly epic voyage.

The recipient’s time on the yacht will be fully funded under the St Helena Open Oceans Fund. Also included is the option to stay for up to three nights in accommodation arranged and funded by Wavysail. The only costs to the recipient are getting to the departure point (Jamestown), getting back home from Cape Town, and any meals or expenses off of the boat. For this first January grant, if (and only if) the recipient is at the time resident in St Helena Island, the recipient’s Airlink flight home from Johannesburg to St Helena will also be funded.

You can nominate yourself, or somebody else who you feel would benefit from the experience. Nominations are open until 20 December 2023, and Wavysail will inform the successful recipient before 02 January 2023.

Apply for the St Helena Open Oceans Grant through https://bit.ly/3N83r66.

The grant is open to persons currently living on the island, as well as those who are part of St Helena’s diaspora. You must be 18 years old or over by the time of departure. You will be asked to note the applicant’s relationship to St Helena within the application form.

On the announcement of the partnership Andrew Cowen, co-founder of Wavysail, commented:

“We have been regular visitors to St Helena Island since we started Wavysail Ocean Sailing Adventures in 2019, and our yacht Aurora will be a familiar sight to many islanders. We have always loved the island, and already work closely with many local businesses as well as the St Helena Government. Therefore, this partnership is very special to us too – it is our way of giving something back to the community that has made us so welcome.”

More information about the Open Oceans Fund, including the full terms and conditions, can be found online at www.wavysail.com/OpenOceans. Alternatively you can contact Wavysail directly by email through info@wavysail.com.

SHG
01 December 2023