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The MT TALISKER is scheduled to arrive at James Bay on Tuesday, 31March at 13:00. Weather permitting, the vessel will berth alongside Rupert’s Jetty where bunkering operations will commence.
During this time, Rupert’s Cargo Management Facility, the beach, Jetty, and Rupert’s Bay will be under Access Level 3, meaning these areas will be restricted to authorised personnel only.
Access will remain restricted until all bunkering operations are completed and the vessel has departed.
Once the vessel leaves, restrictions will be reduced to Access Level 1 whereby vehicular access is allowed through the Facility.
St Helena Port Control thanks the public for their cooperation and understanding.
St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to advise that the Playgrounds Project on Longwood Green, funded by the UK Government through the Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP), is progressing well and is anticipated that the majority of the facilities will be ready for use by Maundy Thursday, 02 April 2026.
In addition to the existing equipment, the playground will include a junior slide set, motorbike and donkey springers, a swing fitted with a team seat, a separate swing fitted with a cradle seat (for infants), and a children’s timber fitness trail.
Some of the family friendly facilities such as shade gazebos, concrete picnic bench sets and wooden seats will also be installed.
Please note: the large timber climbing frame (next to the fitness trail) will not be available for use from Maundy Thursday, a soft surface has to be installed beneath and around it, which is planned for later in of April/May. This equipment will be fenced off and should not be used.
AC’s Multi-skill Contractors, the contractor selected for playgrounds installation, and His Majesty’s Prison (HMP) residents, are diligently working towards the playground being ready for use by Maundy Thursday.
The public will be updated further when all works on the playground at Longwood Green is completely finished and use of the large timber climbing frame is permitted.
The playground being developed at Half Tree Hollow remains a construction area, with no equipment installed, albeit significant ground works have been completed. This area should not be used until announced that the playground is ready for use, which is likely to be in May.
To ensure these facilities stay in top condition for years to come, we kindly ask for your help in looking after them.
Photos
Donkey and Motorbike Springers
Junior slide set
Shade Gazebos
Pictured is Arnold Crowie, Director of AC’s Multi-skill Contractors, with a new playground sign.
Children’s timber fitness trail
Residents of the HMP Prison working on the project
#StHelena #PlaygroundsProject #LongwoodGreen
The Roads Section has successfully resurfaced 9km of roadway as part of the current maintenance programme. However, resurfacing between Five Bar Gate and Button-up Corner remains incomplete. Work was scheduled to continue last Friday and be completed this week on Monday and Tuesday, but unfavourable weather conditions have prevented progress. Slurry works cannot be carried out today, and the weather forecast for the coming days presents further risks that will not be taken.
As a result, there will be no road closures between Briar’s Junction and Button-up Corner for the remainder of this week.
Slurry works are now planned to take place from Wednesday, 8 April to Friday, 10 April with daytime road closures from 09:00-15:00 on these dates.
The public are thanked for their continued support, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Judge Richard Wright KC was officially sworn in today, 30 March 2026, as the Chief Justice of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. This follows the previous announcement regarding his formal appointment to the role.
Judge Wright succeeds Judge Rupert Jones, who has presided over the territory’s judiciary since 1 January 2022.
The Governor on behalf of the three governments of the territory stated:
“I wish to thank Judge Jones for his service to the territory. I wish him well in his future endeavours.”
Photo
Judge Richard Wright KC
#StHelena #ChiefJustice
The public are advised that the MV Hondius is due to arrive at St Helena from Tristan da Cunha on Wednesday 22 April 2025.
Individuals expecting to receive potatoes from Tristan da Cunha are reminded that a valid import licence is required. To ensure your potatoes can be offloaded, please make sure you have a valid license ready upon arrival. We cannot offload any shipments for persons without proper licensing.
Application forms for these licences are available from the Biosecurity Section at Scotland. To obtain an application form or for any related enquiries, please contact Biosecurity Assistant, Tania Maggott, by telephone on 24724 or via email through tania.maggott@sainthelena.gov.sh. Applications for import licences will close on Thursday 02 April 2026 at 16:00. No applications will be accepted after this deadline.
Payment of £10 for each licence required can be made to the Bank of St Helena using account number 61000003 or at the Customer Services Centre at the Post Office. Please quote “Fresh Produce Import Licence”. The cost code for payment will be 26-2632-014-00450 if being paid at the Customer Services Centre.
Applicants are reminded that proof of payment is required before a licence can be issued.
A meeting of Executive Council (ExCo) was held on 24 March 2026.
The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
| CLOSED AGENDA 1. Declaration of Interest 2. Confirmation of Minutes of the Executive Council Meeting held on 20 February 2026 3. Matters Arising from Minutes of 20 February 2026 4. Confirmation of Minutes of the Executive Council Meeting held on 24 February 2026 5. Matters Arising from Minutes of 24 February 2026 6. Confirmation of Minutes of the Executive Council Meeting held on 06 March 2026 7. Matters Arising from Minutes of 06 March 2026 8. Proposed Minimum Wage 2026/27 (ExCo Memo 10/2026) 9. Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2026 (ExCo Memo 11/2026) 10. Customs Duty Changes 2026 – Diesel Exemption (ExCo Memo 12/2026) 11. SHG Financial Statements, 2024/25 (ExCo Memo 13/2026) 12. Bank of St Helena (BOSH) Dividend, 2025 (ExCo Memo 14/2026) 13. Ministerial Updates on significant issues NB Items marked (*) are commercially sensitive and depending on the subject matter, might not be referred to in the top lines. |
The following items were considered:
2 – 7. Confirmation of Minutes and Matters Arising from the Minutes
Executive Council confirmed and signed off the minutes of the meetings held on 20 February, 24 February and 06 March 2026.
8. Proposed Minimum Wage 2026/27 (ExCo Memo 10/2026)
Executive Council approved the recommendation of the Employment Rights Committee for the Minimum Wage (MW) to be increased to £4.85 per hour (Option 3 in consultation materials). This option was considered the most balanced outcome following consultation with both employers and employees.
In this and previous consultations, there has been a message that increases to the minimum wage are needed to ensure that the lowest paying full-time job on St Helena is sufficient to achieve a socially acceptable standard of living. This is supported by the Minimum Income Standard (MIS), which has repeatedly found that the earnings required to sustain a socially acceptable standard of living exceed the current level of the minimum wage.
Members had a lengthy discussion covering the positive and negative impacts of raising the minimum wage with a focus on the range of businesses that are considered to be most impacted and the limit to the size of a wage increase a business can absorb.
Executive Council requested that the necessary notification to employers be issued by 1 April 2026, ahead of the increase taking effect on 1 July 2026.
9. Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2026 (ExCo Memo 11/2026)
Executive Council deferred a decision on the draft Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2026, pending further amendments to be made. As this is ongoing, the Select Committees (Establishment) Order, 2022 (as amended by the Select Committees (Establishment) (Amendment) Order 2022) is still in effect.
10. Customs Duty Changes 2026 – Diesel Exemption (ExCo Memo 12/2026)
Executive Council considered and gave approval for the Diesel Duty Exemption (as currently provided for in the Customs Duty (Diesel Fuel) Exemption Order 2025) to be further extended until 31 March 2028.
11. SHG Financial Statements, 2024/25 (ExCo Memo 13/2026)
Executive Council approved that the St Helena Government Entity Financial Statements for the 2024/25 financial year be signed off by the Financial Secretary, together with the Chief Auditor’s Management Letter, in order for the Audit Opinion to be issued. Council also agreed that the Financial Secretary should provide the required written representations to the Chief Auditor as set out in the Letter of Representation.
Executive Council noted that the Chief Auditor will issue a Qualified Opinion on the completed 2024/25 Financial Statements.
Thanks were recorded to the teams in SHG Treasury and Audit St Helena for their work in completing the financial statements. Special thanks were extended to the Chief Auditor, as this meeting marked his final attendance at Executive Council. Council wished him every success in his future endeavours.
12. Bank of St Helena (BOSH) Dividend, 2025 (ExCo Memo 14/2026)
Executive Council agreed to take a dividend from the 2024/25 profits of 10% of profit after tax as allowed for in the BOSH’s own dividend policy.
The Chief Minister thanked Ministers for their robust discussion on achieving the right balance between SHG’s rights as sole shareholder and responsible stewardship of the Bank.
13. Ministerial Updates on significant issues
Executive Council discussed updates on:
- The receipt of funds from the FCDO following an amendment to the 2025/6 budget to make provision of the purchase of the two Oshkosh fire tenders.
- Minister for Safety Security & Home Affairs advised of the visit of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA).
- Chief Minister confirmed she was meeting with Minister Stephen Doughty that afternoon. Key focal points for discussion include: progress on the budgetary aid settlement and capital programme budget, known as Economic Development Investment Programme (EDIP), contingent liabilities and bank loan and pensions uplift for eligible pensioners.
#StHelena #ExCo #Toplines
Executive Council approved an uplift to the minimum wage at their meeting of 24 March 2026.
This change will take effect from 01 July 2026, and will raise the minimum wage as follows:
- for persons aged 18 yrs and over: from £4.50 to £4.85 per hour
- for persons aged 16 or 17 yrs: from £3.55 to £3.83 per hour
The approval of this increase supports the objective of establishing a more ambitious minimum wage which benefits workers while providing adequate time for businesses to plan and adapt.
In determining the increase, consideration was given to current cost of living pressures on both employees and employers. It was noted that a balance must be struck; the Minimum Wage Policy recognises there are limits to what businesses can absorb in a single year, while also acknowledging the need to continue raising minimum income levels on St Helena to help encourage residents to remain in employment on-island.
This year’s increase follows consultations with employers, employees, and other relevant stakeholders, including the Chamber of Commerce.
Since its inception in 2013, the minimum wage has risen:
- for persons aged 18 yrs and over: from £2.30 to £4.85
- for persons aged 16 or 17 yrs: from £1.45 to £3.83
#StHelena #ExCo #MinimumWage
www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
The St Helena Government (SHG) is pleased to announce that the “St Helena – A Breath of Fresh Air” destination logo has now been formally registered in the UK and locally.
The logo forms part of the Celebrating St Helena destination brand, managed by St Helena Government (SHG) and used by Tourism and Investment to share the island with the wider world. It expresses what makes St Helena distinctive as a place to live, learn, work, visit and invest.
The foundations of the brand are set out in the Celebrating St Helena booklet, which captures the community-defined identity of the island and the values that shape how St Helena is presented. The booklet can be viewed here:
https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/celebrating-st-helena-brand-booklet-2024-downsized/.
Registration means the logo is now legally protected. This helps ensure the brand is used consistently and with care, protecting the identity of St Helena, and helping build confidence among people discovering St Helena for the first time.
The updated version of the logo, which includes the ® symbol, will be introduced gradually across marketing materials. Digital platforms will be updated first, with printed materials transitioning over time as they are refreshed.
Over time, the registered version of the logo will be introduced through a structured licensing arrangement. This work also supports the development of brand accreditation pathways. These will recognise businesses and services that reflect the values and standards of the destination brand.
Existing informal use of the logo will continue while these frameworks are developed.
This milestone reflects a shared commitment to protecting and celebrating what makes St Helena special, so that the qualities valued today remain strong and recognisable for future generations.
Photo
#StHelena #RegisteredDestinationLogo
The Health and Social Care Portfolio wishes to inform the public that there will be a temporary reduction in dental service provision from Saturday 4 April to Sunday 26 April 2026. This reduction in service is due to the absence of a dentist on island during this period.
Patients experiencing dental pain, discomfort or urgent concerns are advised to contact the Dental Clinic during normal working hours (Monday to Friday, 08:30 – 16:00) via direct telephone number 25387. All cases will be triaged, and patients will be assessed and advised on the most appropriate course of action. This may include pain management and temporary treatment where necessary. Routine dental treatment and non-urgent procedures will be limited to services provided by the Dental Therapist.
We kindly ask for the public’s understanding and cooperation during this period. Every effort is being made to minimise disruption and to resume full service as soon as possible.
The Roads Section are pleased to advise the public that all works on the final phase of the current Road Resurfacing Project remain on track for completion by the end of March.
Please note that the current daytime road closure, in place on weekdays from 09:00 – 15:00 between Briars Junction and Button-up Corner, will remain in effect until Tuesday, 31 March at the latest.
Although the planned project works will be completed on schedule, the Roads Section has some remaining material and will therefore proceed with additional planned works. These works do not form part of the current Road Resurfacing Project.
Upcoming additional works over the coming months are expected to include improvements on:
•W-Road
•Knollcombes Road
•White Gate to Bates Branch
•Jamestown Roads (subject to funding availability)
•
Further public announcements, including details of any required road closures for these additional works, will be issued in due course