Category: Press Releases

WEDNESDAY 29 APRIL 2015

The first formal session (for 2015) of the Public Accounts Committee will take place on Wednesday 29 April at 9.30am in the Court House, Jamestown. The public is invited to attend.

The Order Paper for the meeting is as follows:

1. Chairman’s Address
2. St Helena Bulk Fuel Installation – Audited Financial Statements for Year Ended 31 March 2014
3. St Helena Fisheries Corporation – Audited Financial Statements for Year Ended 31 March 2014
4. St Helena National Trust – Audited Financial Statements for Year Ended 31 March 2014
5. Performance Audit Report 2014: Delivering Government Objectives

SHG

14 April 2015

The Cape Villa complex of sheltered housing units, near Plantation Square, has recently been refurbished to provide seven improved one-bedroom self contained units which are fully wheelchair accessible. In addition to these improvement works an extra six one-bedroom units have also been constructed.

This refurbishment activity is being funded through the DFID Capital Programme and residents of the new units will benefit from the same on-site support and facilities as existing residents – extending the availability of supported accommodation on St Helena.  The new facilities include two larger units designed for two people to live together providing, for the first time, sheltered accommodation for couples in need of extra support.

The design work has been led by Paul Scipio at ProArc, who has also project-managed the works on site, which have been carried out by Ambledale who, after spending just over 12 months on site, have completed the work on time and on budget.

New occupants are soon expected to move into their new homes to join the existing five residents at Cape Villa.

Director of Safeguarding, Greg Hall, said:

“It’s great to see what has been delivered at Cape Villa. The recent work here is a real achievement and something that people should take pride in.”

Manager of Cape Villa, Loretta Clifford, added:

“The new units are coming along very nicely and have all the necessary facilities for those in need. Sheltered accommodation provides independence, but also support for people in the community who need it, and we welcome the changes taking place at Cape Villa.

“The work hasn’t been too disruptive to the existing residents and they are delighted with the improvement work to their own homes.”

Two photos are attached to this release.

SHG

14 April 2015

At the recent Ministerial Forum held in the British Virgin Islands from 25-27 February 2015, SHG’s UK Representative, Mrs Kedell Worboys MBE, was unanimously elected as President of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA) Executive Committee.

Prior to her election as President, Kedell has served as Vice-President on the Executive Committee for two years.

As President, Kedell will have oversight of the OCTA’s objectives to:

• Provide a discussion forum for ideas and debates on subjects of shared interest
• Work for the mutual interest of the members
• Share specific information on subjects of shared interest benefiting all Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)
• Make recommendations when necessary to the Governments of all OCTs and Member States to which they belong concerning appropriate measures to be taken
• Develop effective working relations, as a group, with the institutions of the European Union, the group of African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and its secretariat and other relevant international, multinational and regional organisations
• Share successful experiences with members in areas of shared interest
• Defend the joint interests of members and represent these interests to institutions of the European Union and others.

Kedell commented on her new role:

“St Helena is one of the smallest OCTs and to take on the Presidency at this pivotal point in time is both a great responsibility and an honour. The profile of St Helena will be significantly raised and the increased contact with the EU benefits also the preparation of documentation to secure the funding allocated under the 11^th European Development Fund (EDF). I can also ensure that all OCTs, especially the smaller ones such as St Helena, are not left out of the decision making process and can access all funding mechanisms.”

Governor Capes warmly welcomed Kedell’s appointment:

“Kedell has accumulated much valuable experience that makes her a perfect fit for this role. Her understanding of the dynamics involved in the relationships between the OCTs and the EU will be of great benefit in meeting the challenges ahead.” 

This year is an important one for OCTA and OCTs. The EC agreed at the Forum that OCTA would be the Regional Authorising Officer for the Thematic Budget Line of the 11^th EDF. OCTA will also prepare a new Strategic Plan to enable the EC to extend the Technical Assistance project using unspent funds, and this will also form the basis on which activities are agreed and funding sourced. This will include a discussion on membership fees and a possible further project funded through the European Commission.

OCTA was founded in 2001 and formally constituted within Belgian law in 2002 – St Helena was a founding member. 22 OCTs are linked to the four Member States – the UK, France, Netherlands and Denmark are members of OCTA.

SHG

31 March 2015

The public is advised that with effect from Wednesday 1 April 2015, the Health and Social Services Directorate will be renamed as the Health Directorate. This follows the establishment of the new Safeguarding Directorate on 1 December 2014, which absorbed social services and safeguarding functions from the Health and Social Services Directorate.

The separation of Health and Social Services, although intrinsically linked, ensures that the right support, leadership and service delivery will be obtained from both functions.

The Safeguarding Directorate will focus purely on social services and safeguarding, whilst the Health Directorate will be able to devote its resources in a targeted way to the provision of healthcare on St Helena.

SHG

31 March 2015

SHG is pleased to announce that all recipients of Basic Island Pension (BIP) and Income Related Benefits (IRB) will receive an increase in their weekly allowance from 3 April 2015. This was agreed by Executive Council at its meeting today, Tuesday 31 March 2015.

The new rates will be paid from Thursday 9 April 2015, and result from a revision of the Minimum Income Standard used for the setting and up-grading of Basic Island Pension and Income Related Benefits.

From 3 April, BIP recipients currently receiving £53.53 will receive £56.80 per week. Those receiving £40.15 will receive £42.60 and those receiving £26.77 will receive £28.40.

From this date, IRB recipients will receive an increase in their weekly benefit from £51.64 to £54.90 and additional adult members of the household will be awarded £31.90.

Households receiving benefits under ‘Transitional Protection’ may not necessarily receive an increase in the current overall amount of benefits, as this will depend upon the amount of benefit they are transitionally protected by. These households will continue to receive the same amount of benefits as they did before the increase.

Corporate Finance will be distributing letters to all recipients of Basic Island Pension and Income Related Benefits informing them of their new weekly entitlement.

SHG would also encourage those who believe they may be entitled to IRB or BIP to contact the Benefits Team to discuss their enquiry further. The team can be contacted on 22605 or through its office on the 1st floor of the Post Office Building.

SHG

31 March 2015

Executive Council met today, Tuesday 31 March 2015, with six items on the Open Agenda.

The first item was to seek approval to publish a Bill for an Ordinance to amend the Legislative Council (Remuneration and Allowances) Ordinance 2010, to give effect to the recommendation made by the Independent Commission that was appointed to review the current remuneration paid to Members of Legislative Council. The Commission had recommended that Deputy Chairs of Council Committees should be paid an additional £500 per annum to compensate them for the extra duties they undertake.  Council agreed that the Bill should be published and presented to the next formal Legislative Council meeting with a view to this increase becoming effective from July 2015.

The second item was to seek approval for the introduction of a minimum five days paid annual leave and five days paid sick leave to be incorporated in the Employment Rights Regulations 2015, effective from 1 April 2015. This was approved by ExCo.

For the third item, Council agreed the lease arrangements for Bertrand’s Cottage to Enterprise St Helena. This will enable the hospitality training base currently at No. 2 Main Street to be transferred to potentially more appropriate accommodation. It will also allow for the refurbishment and maintenance of an established Grade 2 listed building. Works should be completed by February 2016.

Executive Council also agreed the recommendation of the Employment Rights Committee to increase the current minimum hourly wage of £2.30 to £2.60 for those over 18 years of age, and from £1.45 to £1.65 for those aged 16 and 17 years. This will become effective from 1 July 2015.

ExCo also agreed to increase the rate of Basic Island Pension and Income Related Benefits to the new Minimum Income Standard.  The basic level of IRB for a first householder will increase from £51.64 to £54.90 per week, and people on BIP with a full complement of years worked will see an increase from £53.53 to £56.80 per week.

An item on an amendment to the Extra-Statutory Concession 2014 for charities in respect of Withholding Tax will be dealt with directly between officials and the party concerned.

For the final item, Executive Council considered the Capital Expenditure Programme for 2015/16, acknowledging the contractual commitments and bringing forward £1.5 million from 2016/17, as agreed with DFID. Further discussion will be held on prioritisation of the remaining Capital Programme budget.

Under Any Other Business, and as agreed at a recent constituency meeting held at Half Tree Hollow, the new prison proposed at Half Tree Hollow was discussed. Executive Council confirmed its earlier decision for the project to go ahead and recommended that the Prison Liaison Officer facilitate ongoing engagement with residents, as previously agreed.

It was also noted that the Honourable Derek Thomas will depart the Island on 7 April 2015 to attend the Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association to be held in Malaysia, returning on 4 May 2015. Members wished him a successful conference.

On behalf of Legislative Council, Executive Council would like to wish the public a happy Easter period.

ExCo

31 March 2015

The Landscape and Ecology Mitigation Programme (LEMP) for the Airport development has re-discovered a population of St Helena’s endemic Tea Plants (Frankenia portulacifolia) in Fisher’s Valley. Some of the specimens in this population are larger than any currently known Tea Plants on the Island, reaching over 1.5m in height.

This handsome Tea Plant population is not mentioned in any of the current literary sources or species records, and no seed is known to have been collected from it before now. The Environmental Management Division’s Conservation Nursery at Scotland believes this population is one which George Benjamin knew of many years ago, but the knowledge was not recorded. It can be said that for the wider conservation community this population has thus been effectively re-discovered.

The St Helena Tea Plant is one of St Helena’s wonderful dry land endemics, with petite white flowers, tiny leaves and delicate branches. The species is currently listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, but that status is under re-consideration. Thus, the inclusion of this population in Island records is extremely important.

Tea plant populations are known in the dry coastal areas in both south-west and north-east St Helena.

LEMP Ecologist, Mikko Paajanen, commented:

“The Tea Plant population at Prosperous Bay Plain has naturally been affected by Airport construction activities so it is very positive to see this little known population in Fisher’s Valley doing so well. Seeds collected from six of the plants are already germinating in the LEMP’s Nursery in Half Tree Hollow. Plants produced will be used in the LEMP restoration activities.”

SHG

31 March 2015

Can I trade as a business on Good Friday or Easter Monday this year? 

The opening of businesses on Good Friday and Easter Monday is currently governed by the Public Holidays Ordinance, which states that on both of these days, offices, shops, workshops and factories are prohibited from opening.

However the Attorney General’s Chambers has confirmed that temporary market stalls, taxis and bus tours etc, do not fall within the definition of ‘offices, shops, workshops and factories’. Such businesses can operate as normal on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

SHG

30 March 2015

Dental Nursing Assistant, Mandy Fowler, has successfully completed a National Diploma in Dental Nursing, making her a Qualified Registered Dental Nurse.

Mandy has worked with the St Helena Dental Department since 2009 and has always been keen to improve her knowledge in dentistry and provide patients with better care. She began her National Diploma in April 2013 and completed the course on the 31January 2015 through distance learning.

The course comprised twenty-one modules representing different aspects of dental nursing, and a practical test which evaluated Mandy’s skills

during dental procedures. The practical section was completed at the Dental Clinic and consisted of 40 assessments. The final practical and written examination was completed in the UK, during eight weeks of work experience at Kings College in London.

Mandy commented:

“The highlight of the course, apart from achieving my Diploma, was travelling to the UK where I had the opportunity to observe dental procedures not carried out here on St Helena.

“I would like to thank my online tutor and our resident Dentist,  Wayne Badier, and Registered Dental Nurse, Charmaine Buckley, for all their help and assistance during my course. I would also like to thank SHG for sponsoring the diploma and giving me this opportunity.”

Having gained this qualification Mandy wishes to further extend her dental skills, and would like to study Oral Health Education in the future.

SHG

30 March 2015

Executive Council will meet tomorrow morning, Tuesday 31 March 2015, in the Council Chamber.

The meeting will be open to the public from 9.30am for the following Open Agenda items:

• Bill for an Ordinance to Amend the Legislative Council (Remuneration and Allowances) Ordinance, 2010, to adjust certain allowances and benefits to which Members of the Legislative Council are entitled
• Employment Rights Regulations, 2015
• Bertrand’s Cottage Leasehold Agreement with Enterprise St Helena
• Review of the Minimum Wage
• Increase of the Minimum Income Standard for the Up-rating of Income Related Benefits and Basic Island Pension
• Extra Statutory Concession for Charities in respect of Withholding Tax

Executive Council Members are: Lawson Henry, Wilson Duncan, Leslie Baldwin, Christine Scipio-O’Dean and Derek Thomas.

SHG

30 March 2015