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The St Helena Government is pleased to inform the public that the new lighting installation at Jacob’s Ladder has now been completed.
The lights will be switched on from this evening, 16 June 2026, providing enhanced visibility and showcasing one of the island’s most iconic landmarks.
The Ladder will reopen to the public from tomorrow, 17 June 2026. While some minor works are still to be completed, these will be carried out without impacting public access.
The public’s patience is appreciated, and thanks are extended to Solomon & Company for their role as contractors in delivering this project.
At a meeting of the Executive Council held on 10 March 2026, an increase to the minimum wage of 35p per hour for an adult 18+ and 28p for young persons aged 16 and 17 was approved.
This change will take effect from 01 July 2026 and will increase from £4.50 to £4.85 for persons over 18 years, and £3.55 to £3.63 for persons aged 16 or 17 years. This represents an annual increase of 7.8%. The approval of this increase is in line with raising living standards, benefitting workers and providing adequate time for businesses to plan and adapt.”
The principle informing the minimum wage is that of the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), which states that “minimum income is based on needs and not wants, but it provides more than what is just needed for survival. It supports social participation and recognises that choice is important, but also that choice cannot be unlimited”. Although the MIS varies for people based on their specific circumstances, the current MIS of at least £5.88 gross (before tax is paid) per hour for a family of four is dependent on the cost of housing, which includes costs to a family for renting accommodation or paying a housing loan, and car ownership.
In determining the increase, consideration was given to the current cost of living pressures on both employees and employers, and it was noted that a balance would need to be struck. The Minimum Wage Policy therefore recognises that there is a limit to the size of increases that businesses can absorb in a single year, whilst at the same time acknowledging the need to continue raising the minimum income level on St Helena to go some way in encouraging residents to remain in employment on St Helena.
This year’s increase follows consultations with employers, employees and other relevant stakeholders including the Chamber of Commerce.
The minimum wage will be reviewed again in early 2027 and will include public consultation to consider further uplifts for the period 2027/28.
Since its inception in 2013, the minimum wage has raised from £2.30 to £4.85 for persons over 18 years, and from £1.45 to £3.83 for persons aged 16 or 17 years. These increases equate to a 110% and 164% rise respectively.
#StHelena #MinimumWage #AltogetherWealthier
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The public are advised that from Thursday, 18 June, the paved area at Half Tree Hollow Playground will be an active construction site while MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) ends are installed. The playground equipment will remain accessible; however, the public are asked to stay clear of the construction area and follow all site signage until the work is complete.
This new facility has been delivered through investment under the Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP) Playgrounds Project, and the continued support and cooperation of the community is appreciated.
Photos:
The MUGA paved area and a similar design of the MUGA ends being installed
Strong south-easterly winds are forecast across the island from today, Monday 15 June until late Wednesday 17 June 2026 with a risk of these bringing some disruption.
The forecasted south-easterly winds may peak to occasional gusts of 40 KT in exposed areas such as Levelwood, Sandy Bay, Blue Hill and potentially Longwood.
Care should be taken if out walking or hiking, and it would be advisable to secure any loose items which may blow away, such as wheelie bins. Boat owners should ensure their vessels are securely tied to their moorings and motorists are also advised to look out for loose debris on roads.
The UK Government have announced the selection of Ms Belinda Lewis to be the next Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.
Ms Lewis said: “It is an honour to have been selected to serve the communities of St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha as Governor. My family and I are hugely looking forward to calling beautiful St Helena our home and I will be very keen to visit Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha – both remarkable environments in their own right”
Photo
Belinda Lewis
#StHelena #GovernorDesignate
The Tourist Office will be closed on Friday, 12 June from 10.30-16.00, due to Staff Training.
The Airport office will open on Saturday 13 June from 11:30 – 14:30, and the Tourist Office will be open on Sunday 14 June from 09:00-12:00,
Normal office hours to resume on Monday, 15 June from 08:30-16:00.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.
SHG
10 June 2026
The St Helena Government (SHG), in consultation with Gold Command and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), is pleased to officially announce the conclusion of the hantavirus Major Incident on St Helena
Successful Completion of Public Health Measures
All individuals who were identified as contacts and required to self-isolate have now successfully completed their mandatory 42-day isolation periods, following the revision of the isolation period guidance provided by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) down from 45 days. Public Health officials have confirmed that there are no active, suspected, or confirmed cases on the island, and there is no further risk to the public regarding this incident.
Sincere Thanks to Our Community and Partners
SHG and Gold Command wish to express their deepest gratitude to everyone who contributed to the safe and successful management of this rare event. A special thank you is extended to the individuals who underwent isolation, as well as the family members and householders who lived in close contact with them. Your immense patience, resilience, and strict adherence to public health measures, especially during a period of uncertainty and throughout our recent St Helena Day celebrations, were vital to ensuring the safety of our entire community.
Sincere thanks go to our Public Health and medical teams, Emergency Services, Sea Rescue, St Helena Airport, and border control staff. We also extend our gratitude to the UK Government and the UKHSA for their rapid deployment of specialist personnel, testing equipment, and logistical support.
Thank you to the community across St Helena, Ascension, and Tristan da Cunha for your calm approach, cooperation, and reliance on verified official information throughout this response.
Moving Forward
With all precautionary measures now concluded, the temporary hantavirus testing capability will be stood down and the deployed laboratory scientists will return to the UK with our gratitude for their support over the last four weeks. Our maritime tourism and border operations will continue to run as normal under our standard, robust international health regulations.
This concludes our formal updates regarding the hantavirus response.
#StHelena #PublicHealth #GoldCommand #CommunityResilience
SHG
8 June 2026
The St Helena Government (SHG) will next week, on Monday 8 June 2026, launch a survey asking the public for their views and perceptions on how the government communicates with the community.
SHG regularly reviews its public information and media output to ensure it meets the needs of the audience and stakeholders. By completing a survey form, either online or via hardcopy, you will be able to tell us how you view SHG communications in key areas such as accessibility, reliability, proactiveness, and how easy our updates are to understand.
The survey will also ask for specific feedback on the ways you get your government news, such as via local newspapers, radio, social media, or the SHG website, and where you feel improvements can be made to ensure information reaches everyone effectively.
Results from the survey will help SHG improve the current information service it provides, so please let us know what works well, what needs improvement, and how we can better keep you informed.
From Monday, the survey will be available online through https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/shgnewscomms or via the QR code below.
Hard copies will also be available from a number of shops and stores around the island, as well as the Post and Customer Services Centre, Public Library, the Tourist Office and the waiting area at the Hospital Outpatient Clinic.
To ensure everyone has a chance to participate, members of the Communications Hub Team will be out and about approaching members of the public to assist them in completing the survey. The team will be visiting care homes and will also be available in Jamestown on Thursdays.
Every piece of feedback is valuable and will directly shape how the government shares information with you in the future. We look forward to your participation and thank you in advance for taking the time to help us improve our services to the community.
QR Code
#StHelena #Communications #Survey
The public are advised that Environmental Health and Public Health have now concluded their investigations into the recent outbreak of scombroid fish poisoning, also known as histamine fish poisoning.
In total, 20 human cases of probable scombroid poisoning were reported. This is likely to be an underestimation due to unreported cases. None of these cases required hospitalisation and all made a prompt and full recovery.
The majority of reported cases were associated with the consumption of tuna mince.
Tuna mince processed by the Saints Tuna Corporation (STC) between 17 and 23 March was found to be one possible source of the poisoning. STC were instructed to recall all tuna mince processed between 12 and 27 March as a precautionary measure.
No further cases have been reported since this instruction.
Laboratory testing
Laboratory testing of multiple samples of the recalled tuna mince products demonstrated high levels of histamine, confirming the diagnosis of scombroid poisoning.
Testing of tuna mince processed by STC at later dates in mid-April showed histamine levels well within the safe limits for human consumption.
Cause of the outbreak
A thorough investigation of the food chain, including interviews and site inspections, did not identify a single point of failure but rather several areas for improvement across the entire food chain. Recommendations have been issued to the relevant industry stakeholders and follow-up visits are planned to ensure compliance.
An increased level of monitoring and laboratory testing of future batches, for both local market sales and export consignments, will be undertaken over the following months to ensure the ongoing safety of tuna products.
Advice to the public
There are now no ongoing concerns regarding the safety of tuna products in St Helena.
However, as is normal practice, the public are requested to report any adverse reactions after eating fish products to Environmental Health at eh.office.@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Food safety reminders
- Take chilled and frozen foods straight home for refrigeration or freezing.
- Use a cooler bag with ice packs when transporting refrigerated or frozen goods.
- Keep frozen and chilled items together during transport.
- Defrost frozen items in the refrigerator.
- Cook defrosted food promptly once thawed.
- Refrigerate or freeze leftovers promptly after cooking.
About histamine fish poisoning
Also known as scombroid poisoning, histamine fish poisoning occurs following the consumption of certain types of fish that have been improperly stored after capture, or during subsequent handling, processing, retail distribution or home preparation.
Symptoms usually occur within approximately 10–60 minutes and include facial flushing (redness), headache, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, stomach cramps and diarrhoea. It can also cause a sharp, metallic, or peppery taste while eating the fish, along with a burning or tingling sensation on the tongue.
The condition is not life-threatening and usually settles on its own within 4–6 hours. Oral antihistamines can be taken to help treat the symptoms at home.
More serious symptoms such as difficulty breathing, blurred vision, tongue swelling or fainting are unlikely and suggest a different diagnosis, such as an allergic reaction. People experiencing these symptoms after consuming fish should seek immediate medical attention.
#StHelena #HistamineFishPoisoning #Investigation
St Helena Government (SHG) has published a Situational Analysis of the St Helena Fishing Industry, now available at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/situational-analysis-of-the-st-helena-fishing-industry/. The document intends to serve as the information base needed to support ongoing development of the island’s fisheries policies. The situational analysis was commissioned by Minister for Economic Development (ED) and Environment, Natural Resources and Planning (ENRP), Karl Thrower.
The report does not make recommendations. Its primary purpose is to support the next stage of the policy development process, which is direct consultation with the fishing community to help develop solutions for the sector.
SHG will soon be convening a series of workshops with representatives of the fisher’s associations, processors, and others with interest in the industry to develop policy options. Invitations to the first workshop will soon be sent out. Two workshops and a final meeting will be organised and held and hosted by SHG’s Head of Strategic Policy, after which fishers and public servants working in the marine environment will meet to discuss next steps. This opportunity will underpin future fisheries policy with the lived and experienced knowledge of fishers.
It is hoped to complete this part of the process by the end of June 2026.
The Situational Analysis is a working document which will be updated as the process develops.
#StHelena #SituationalAnalysis #Fishing Industry