CAPITAL PROGRAMME

St Helena Government’s Capital Programme – which supports delivery of the Island’s priority infrastructure requirements – has realised significant benefits for the Island, with budgetary support from the European Union (EU) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

DFID’s contribution to the Capital Programme

 DFID has provided £16.5 million from their capital resource between 2014 and 2017 for essential infrastructure projects needed to support Airport Certification and safe operation, improve water and electricity supply, and upgrade critical health & social care facilities.

Over the last two years there have been a significant number of positive developments on St Helena supported through the DFID funded Capital Programme. This includes but is not limited to:

• Major improvements to the Island’s hospital – including the purchase of a CT scanner and radiology equipment, installation of a lift, and relocating and fitting out of a new operating theatre
• Construction of five additional sheltered accommodation units at Cape Villa, along with the refurbishment of the seven existing units
• Completion of Ebony View (lower level) and the relocation of the Children’s Safeguarding Services (upper level) from Brick House
• Refurbishment of Barn View which included improved accessibility for disabled clients
• Refurbishment of Botanical Gardens’ flats, Parish Block flat and Harris’ Flats (Government Landlord houses)
• Rewiring of Pilling and St Paul’s Primary Schools
• Improvements to Horse Point landfill site (including the purchase of wheelie bins)
• Construction of the Island’s first solar farm
• Installation of additional wind turbines at Deadwood Plain
• Upgrading of raw water abstraction points in the Hutts Gate and Red Hill systems
• Construction of generator rooms in the Levelwood and Chubbs Spring areas
• Installation of clarifiers
• Enlargement of Harpers 3 reservoir

Notwithstanding the progress achieved, the status of some other complex projects has presented its challenges and following two successive ‘B’ scores in the DFID annual reviews, a Project Improvement Plan (PIP) has now been introduced to further improve project performance.

The objective of the PIP is to improve project performance and SHG’s capacity and systems to plan and execute public works.

Launched in May 2016, the PIP must be implemented by 31 October 2016. It comprises both programme related activities designed to improve the ‘enabling environment’ and activities relating to prioritised projects. The programme related activities are:

• Establishment of appropriate programme and project management, governance and accountability for the Capital Programme
• Establishment of a Major Project support service (provision of technical support i.e. quantity surveyors, engineers, project managers)
• Preparation of a three year plan and budget
• Completion of the financial statements for 2014/15 and 2015/16 along with completion of an asset register which includes the DFID supported assets

Those project related activities include:

• SHG needing to have a costed design and work schedule prepared for the Roads 2 programme – Field Road and Side Path Road
• SHG to have operational and site plans established and costed along with related equipment purchased for the Rupert’s development
• Connect Saint Helena Ltd (CSH) to have a design and costs and Environmental Impact Assessment completed and presented to Council for the Jamestown and HTH sewerage system
• The Hospital refurbishment project to be completed and fully operational
• The fire station site needs to be surveyed, and outline design completed along with costs and work plan established
• CSH  to complete water storage reservoirs at Harpers 3 and have a contract awarded for the construction of a reservoir at Hutts Gate (the first just recently completed)
• SHG to have a rockfall mitigation plan which focuses on priority areas developed and costed
• SHG to have an Operational and Maintenance strategy, plan and budget established for public roads and government property

SHG and CSH have already met a number of mid-point targets of the PIP and are committed to ensuring that all objectives are met by 31 October 2016.

SHG

17 August 2016