Councillors will be holding a series of Constituency Meetings during August and September 2015. Topics for discussion will be Safeguarding, Opening Hours for businesses on Sundays, Public and Bank Holidays, and the 2016 St Helena Population and Housing Census.

All meetings will start at 7.30pm. The schedule for the upcoming meetings is as follows:

Constituency	Date	Chair
St Mary’s Church, The Briars	Wednesday, 19 August	Councillor George
St Michaels’s Church, Rupert’s	Wednesday, 19 August	Councillor Ellick
Harford Community Centre	Monday, 24 August	Councillor Dollery
HTH Clinic	Wednesday, 26 August	Councillor Scipio-O’Dean
Silver Hill Bar	Wednesday,  2 September	Councillor Thomas
Sandy Bay Community Centre	Wednesday, 9 September	Councillor Isaac
Jamestown Community Centre	Tuesday, 15 September	Councillor Henry
Blue Hill Community Centre	Wednesday, 16 September	Councillor Ward Pearce

 

SHG

18 August 2015

 

 

 

 

The Education & Employment Directorate is pleased to announce that the winner of the Jean Beadon Art Award for the Primary Sector for 2015 is Hanna Hickling of Harford Primary School (photo attached). Hanna is congratulated for her achievement and is wished every success as she continues to enhance and develop her artistic talents.

Judging was not an easy task and as a result there were joint winners for 2^nd and 3^rd places, and a number of children were Highly Commended.

Sharing 2^nd place were Kyla Joshua from St Paul’s Primary School and Chloe Young from Pilling Primary School.  In joint 3^rd place were Liana Crowie and Katerina Sovjakova from Pilling Primary School.

The following pupils were Highly Commended:

Demi O’Bey                         St Paul’s Primary School

Viktorie Mastna                   Pilling Primary School

Nesta Yon                            St Paul’s Primary School

Kristianne Benjamin          St Paul’s Primary School

Ronaldo Johnson               Pilling Primary School

Danica Ellick                        St Paul’s Primary School

 

This year judging was carried out by local artist Mrs Alice Phillips, Manager of the Arts & Crafts Shop in Jamestown and Miss Pamela Murray from Creative St Helena.  Unfortunately the third judge could not attend due to illness. Special thanks are extended to the judges.

The judges reported that the winning entries showed a high level of technical skills, originality and creativity and captured the personality and mood of the artists.  There was also imaginative use of materials and good use of colour and different types of media.  They praised all who took part in the competition saying that they could see that a lot of effort had been put into producing the art and the art folders.

All children were presented with their certificates and prizes during their schools’ End of Year prize presentations. Art Folders were on display for all to view during each school’s Open Day.

The late Mrs Jean Beadon was particularly interested in the work of young people, and through the Jean Beadon Trust, the encouragement and development of artistic talents still continues.  The Trust presents opportunities for schoolchildren in Year 6 of the Primary Schools and at Prince Andrew School – to win prizes for their art.

The Education Directorate is most grateful to the late Mrs Jean Beadon for giving the opportunity to continue to develop, enhance and encourage the artistic talents and skills of our schoolchildren here on the Island.

Thank you also to all Year 6 pupils for their participation and teachers for their support and coaching.

Notes for Editors

The criteria for the Jean Beadon Art Award competition in Primary Schools is as follows:

SUBJECTS:

STILL LIFE – PLANT, MAN MADE OR NATURAL FORMS (Shells, stones, animals etc)

LANDSCAPES AND SCENES

IMAGINATIVE

• Pupils are to choose two of the above areas and produce two complete collections of work for their chosen areas.
• Each complete collection of work will include three pieces of art (six pieces of art altogether will be produced). Included in these six pieces can be any outstanding work (relating to their chosen topic) produced in School Years 3 to 6.
• The complete collection can be produced in A3 or A4 size using any media chosen by the pupil.
• Pupils will be evaluated on each area chosen, in addition to an overall evaluation of the year’s work.
• Pupils are to design their own cover on the folder.
• Pupils will be required to complete an assessed piece of work of A3 size under exam conditions based on skills learnt, and insert this into their folder at the front.
• The duration of the exam should be three hours with a 15 minute break.
• Completed portfolios of all Year 6 pupils will be sent for judging.
• Two or three Judges (Artists) will be asked to judge the folders.
• Judging will be based on pupils’ ability to apply skills, techniques and use of different media, and not the subjects studied.
• The prize, valued at £40 will be given to the overall winner from the Jean Beadon Trust Fund.

 

SHG

17 August 2015

 

 

Following the successful re-openings of the Half Tree Hollow and Longwood Clinics, run by the Community Nurses, the Health Directorate is pleased to announce that the Levelwood Clinic will be re-opening to the public on Thursday 27 August 2015.

Community Nursing Officer, Christine Laskey, explains that the clinic will initially open once a month – on the last Thursday of the month – with the aim to increase to twice monthly in future. The Pharmacy bus will attend Levelwood Clinic on the same days.

Opening times for these Nurse-Led drop in clinics at Levelwood will be from 10am – 12.30pm on the following days:

Thursday 27 August 2015

Thursday 24 September 2015

Thursday 29 October 2015

Thursday 26 November 2015

Thursday 31 December 2015

Councillor Derek Thomas, Chairman of the Public Health Committee, commented:

“I am sure the re-opening of Levelwood Clinic will be much appreciated by the community in Levelwood. It will avoid them having to travel to Jamestown for repeat medical prescriptions and for minor medical ailments.”

SHG

17 August 2015

The Landscape and Ecology Mitigation Programme (LEMP) team reports that a number of important endemic plants have been stolen from the tree nursery at Piccolo Hill. This serious matter has been reported to the Police and is currently under investigation.

The public is reminded that plants at the nursery are being grown as part of the environmental mitigation for the Airport Project. The specific plants that have been stolen are for the Terminal forecourt area – where larger, more mature plants are needed, to create an area for the Island to showcase its endemic natural heritage for those arriving and departing the Airport. This will be part of our visitors’ first impression of St Helena as they walk out of the Terminal.

The theft of the plants has implications for the Airport Project. With the opening of the Airport just months away, it is not possible to grow replacement plants of the same size as those which have been stolen, and therefore smaller, younger plants will have to be used.

Endemic plants take several months and dedicated hard work to grow, from the initial collection of seeds, through potting out of germinated seedlings, to careful watering and weeding. It is very disappointing for people’s hard work to be treated with disrespect in this way.

The public is reminded that the tree nursery at Piccolo Hill is a place of work and is off-limits to the general public. Signs are in place and the public is asked to adhere to these.

For further information please contact LEMP Project Manager ,Ross Towers, at the Access Office, Jamestown, Tel: 22721.

A photo of the endemic Ebony is attached to this press release.

SHG

31 July 2015

2015 Quarter 2

The Quarterly Statistical News Bulletin for August 2015, covers the period April to June 2015 (Q2 2015) and contains updates for the Annual Rate of Inflation of the Retail Price Index, High-Level Economic Updates, Vehicles on St Helena, Estimated Population, Arrivals and Departures, feedback from the Statistics Office, User Satisfaction Survey and an update on the 2016 Census regarding the Questionnaire consultation.

Annual Inflation of the St Helena Retail Price Index (RPI) stood at 2.2 per cent in Quarter 2 2015 – a decrease in the annual rate of growth of 0.6 percent compared to the last quarter. The major upwards pressures are an increase in Fuel tariffs and also the overall price increase on Food items.  Overall price decreases in the Transport category create a significant downwards pressure, partially mitigating other price increases.

 

In the second calendar quarter of 2015, the number of people on Island averaged 4,614 and the average St Helenian population was 4,078. Compared to the same period in 2015, this represents a 4.2 per cent increase in total population.

In financial year 2014/15, an increase in passenger movements, both arrivals and departures, through St Helena was noted. This is primarily an increase in short term visitors, tourists and Saints resident overseas.

Feedback from the 2015 User Satisfaction Survey was encouraging – suggesting an increase in both the use of and demand for Official Statistics for St Helena.  The biggest perceived improvement over the last year has been in the accessibility of statistical outputs – the ease of finding, interpreting and making use of statistical information and data.

In addition to requests to improve the range of outputs, particularly indicators of social and economic wellbeing, the Statistics Office needs to focus on improving the timeliness of outputs – the speed at which information is released, and to continue to improve ease of access and practical use of these outputs.

Interested parties are asked to review the proposed topics for the Questionnaire to be used in the 2016 Population and Housing Census.  Please let us know if you have comments or suggestions of topics to be included or revised.  This consultation is being co-ordinated by Senior Statistics Assistant, Justine Joshua, who is on hand to answer any questions you might have.

This Statistical News Bulletin, along with other statistical reports, is available on the SHG website at: www.sainthelena.gov.sh/statistics

If you have requested a copy of this bulletin via email and have not yet received it, please contact the Statistics Office on 22138, or e-mail statistics@sainthelena.gov.sh

SHG

31 July 2015

The public is advised that the Constituency Meeting scheduled to take place at Blue Hill Community Centre on Monday 3 August 2015 has been postponed until September. This is due to the Farmers Association’s Annual General Meeting taking place on the same evening.

Further details will be issued when a new date for the Blue Hill Meeting has been set.

SHG

31 July 2015

The RMS St Helena did not enter Dry Dock in Cape Town yesterday afternoon as had been planned, due to high winds, which impacted most port operations.  As the weather has improved today, the RMS was due to move into the dry dock around 11.00hrs GMT.

This obviously represents a further delay in her Cape Town schedule, which will impact on her forward programme.  As the ship is now unlikely to come out of dry dock until Tuesday 4 August 2015 (in the evening), it is planned that she will embark passengers on Wednesday 5 August – two days later than originally programmed – then sail after loading cargo on Thursday 6 August.  The estimated date of arrival at St Helena is therefore Tuesday 11 August.

Passengers will be contacted about this delay and, where appropriate, hotel accommodation will be offered in Cape Town from Monday until embarkation on Wednesday.

AWSML will work on the RMS’s forward programme once a firm sailing time from Cape Town is set – and announce this information as soon as possible. Further amended arrangements for passengers may then need to be made, depending on  port call dates.

For further information at this stage, passengers can either contact their booking agent, or:

• Andrew Weir Ship Management (UK), tel : (0044) (0) 20 7575 6480, or e-mail: reservations@awsml.co.uk
• Andrew Weir Shipping (SA), tel: (0027) (0) 21 425 1165, or e-mail: sthelenaline@mweb.co.za
• Solomon and Co (St Helena), tel: (00290) 22523, or e-mail: reservations@solomons.co.sh
• Ascension Island Government, tel: (00247) 66244, or e-mail: travel@ascension.gov.ac

SHG

30 July 2015

During the interim period whilst the Sea Rescue Service is based at Jamestown Wharf, and while training takes place, the Harbour Master has granted the Service an exemption from the Harbour Ordinance regarding launching boats by crane with personnel onboard. This exemption also applies for exceptional conditions and during any emergency launching.

The current sea rescue training (13 July – 14 August) requires the crews to practice launching the boats by crane with two crew members in the boats. This provides crew members with the skills to launch when the ferry boat is not available, either due to the time of the launch or heavy seas.

Once the training period is complete it will be normal practice to launch the boats without crew members onboard and use the ferry boat to access the rescue boats in the water, apart from in the above-mentioned circumstances.

SHG

29 July 2015

The Horse Point landfill site will remain open to the public seven days a week, with staff operating at the site during normal working hours, Monday to Friday. The Public Recycling Facility is also open seven days a week.

The new opening and closing times of the landfill site, published on 29 June and due to commence this Saturday, 1 August, are revoked until further notice.

The proposed launch of this facility on Saturday 1 August 2015 has been delayed and invited persons and members of the public who were attending this event are advised to await a further announcement.

The Environmental Management Division thanks the public and apologises for any inconvenience caused.

SHG

29 July 2015

The RMS St Helena is expected to enter Dry Dock in Cape Town this afternoon, 29 July 2015, to commence the dry dock section of her refit period. This is later than planned due to the dry dock being occupied by an oil rig support vessel whose refit overran.

Certain refit work – which does not require the vessel to be out of the water – has been carried out whilst she has been alongside in Cape Town, but the RMS does now need a period in dry dock to carry out work on the hull.

It is hoped that this work can be carried out in time for the ship to embark passengers as scheduled on Monday afternoon (3 August 2015) – for a departure from Cape Town after loading cargo on Tuesday 4 August, one day later than scheduled. This would mean a likely arrival in St Helena on Sunday 9 August,  one day late.

This expected departure date will be reassessed once the RMS is in dry dock, and a further update will follow.

SHG

29 July 2015