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The St Helena Government (SHG) would like to advise the public that they are aware of an incident involving a local vessel, The Newcastle, which sank in James Bay early this morning.
There were no injuries reported, all debris has been recovered, and there was minimal pollution.
The matter is currently under investigation by the Royal St Helena Police Service and Port Control. As this is a live investigation, SHG will be unable to provide further comment at this time.
#StHelena #PortControl #RSHP
The Environmental Natural Resources and Planning Portfolio wishes to advise Tenants that licences for their agriculture assets for the period 2026-2027 will be available for signing from Monday 27 April to Friday 29 May 2026 from 09:00 to 15:30.
No licences will be sent out, therefore all Tenants must visit the ENRP Office at Scotland to sign their licence.
For further information, please contact the Farmers Support staff on telephone 24724 or email martina.leo@sainthelena.gov.sh or frederick.green@sainthelena.gov.sh
The public is advised that the Health and Social Care Directorate has received a small number of reports of minor health issues that have been associated with the consumption of certain fish products.
Reports indicate that certain individuals have experienced symptoms of facial flushing, headaches and diarrhoea within approximately 10-60 minutes following the consumption of tuna, with tuna mince being commonly implicated in the reported cases.
The likely cause of these symptoms is scombroid fish poisoning, also known as histamine fish poisoning. Scombroid fish poisoning may occur 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.
The number of reported cases is fewer than twenty. Scombroid fish poisoning is not life-threatening and usually settles on its own within 4–6 hours. Oral antihistamines may help to alleviate symptoms.
Initial investigations and inspections conducted by Environmental Health and Public Health have identified that tuna mince processed by the Saints Tuna Corporation (STC) in March 2026 may be one possible source of the scombroid fish poisoning. STC have been instructed to recall all tuna mince processed during the period between 12 March 2026 and 27 March 2026, which represents a wider range of processing dates than those reported to the health authorities as a precautionary measure.
Further investigations and inspections across the fishing industry are ongoing, including laboratory testing to confirm the presence of elevated levels of histamine within certain fish products.
In the meantime, the public are requested to:
- avoid consuming products or meals containing tuna mince until further notice;
- seek immediate medical care if developing difficulty breathing, blurred vision, tongue swelling or fainting episodes after eating tuna;
- report any adverse reactions after eating tuna (including in the past 3 months) to Environmental Health at eh.office@sainthelena.gov.sh; and
- return any tuna mince products with labelling to prove that it was processed by STC between 12 March and 27 March 2026 to the place of purchase for issuance of a refund. Retailers will return products to STC for reimbursement.
A further update will be issued by Wednesday 29April when the majority of investigations and inspections will have concluded.
#StHelena #HistamineFishPoisoning #Investigation
Deputy Head of Maritime, Terri Clingham, has successfully completed a Level 7 Postgraduate Certificate in Safety and Accident Investigation at Cranfield University. This qualification, funded by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency UK through the UK Government, is delivered at Master’s degree level within the UK qualifications framework and is internationally recognised for its focus on improving safety across high-risk industries. Terri will formally graduate in June 2026, marking an important milestone in her professional development.
The programme provides advanced training in systemic accident investigation, equipping professionals with the skills to analyse complex incidents and identify underlying causes beyond immediate technical failures. It reflects global best practice in safety investigation and supports the development of independent, evidence-based approaches to learning from incidents.
Key areas of study include:
- Human factors and organisational influences in accidents
- Advanced investigation methodologies and analytical techniques
- Evidence gathering, analysis, and reporting
- Understanding how systems, processes, and decision-making contribute to incidents
- Promoting a no-blame, learning-focused safety culture
This achievement represents a significant investment in professional capability and strengthens the ability to support robust governance, risk management, and safety improvement across a wide range of operational environments.
Terri extends sincere thanks to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency UK for their support in funding both the programme and associated travel, enabling the successful completion of this qualification.
Terri Clingham
#StHelena #PostGradAchievement #SafetyandAccidentInvestigation
ANRD wishes to advise the public that the following assets are available for licensing from May 2026:
Arable land at
Ropery Field 0.30acres LWN pt of 176
Arable land at
Mulberry Gut 0.40acres LWN pt of 491
Arable land at
Willowdene 0.24acres LWN pt of 491
Arable Land
At Piccolo Hill 0.40acres LWN pt of 365
Application forms can be collected from the Reception at ENRP Office or by contacting the Farmers Support Officer, Mr Fred Green on tel: 24724 or via email Frederick.green@sainthelena.gov.sh or the Farmers Support Assistant, Martina Leo on tel: 24724, or via email martina.leo@sainthelena.gov.sh respectively.
Closing date for applications is 16:00 on 08 May 2026.
The Roads Section are pleased to announce the completion of its major resurfacing programme, delivering 9km of upgraded road, most being primary roads across the island. The project reached its target on Thursday, 26 March 2026.
Approved by the Project Steering Committee on 15 May 2025, the programme began with the procurement of materials, with the first shipment of bitumen arriving at the end of June 2025.
Although initial progress was delayed due to unsuitable bitumen being supplied, work formally commenced on 4 August 2025.
Key project figures include:
| Litres of Bitumen | 150,000 |
| Crusher dust yards | 1,000+ |
| Days worked | 103 |
| Days lost due to rain, cruise ships or any other requests | 16 |
| Total meters resurfaced (full width) | 9030 |
| Average meters done per month | 1129 |
| Average meters done per day (half widths) | 175 |
It is anticipated that these improvements will remain maintenance-free for the next 7 to 12 years, enabling future recurrent funding to be directed towards other priority areas.
The Roads Section extends their sincere thanks to everyone who contributed to the successful delivery of this project. The public are also thanked for their continued patience and understanding throughout the works.
Photos:
Roads Team Working on Longwood Road
Button-Up Corner Road
#StHelena #RoadsSection #FCDO
The MV Hondius is scheduled to arrive and anchor at James Bay on Wednesday, 22 April 2026 at 17:00. The vessel is expected to remain in port until the evening of Friday, 24th April, when it will depart for its next destination.
During this time, the Jamestown Wharf will remain fully accessible, and the vessel will be embarking and disembarking crew and passengers during its stay.
A small quantity of cargo is expected to be discharged, which will require a short-term restriction at Ruperts Jetty while operations are carried out.
The public are thanked in advance for their understanding and cooperation during this brief restriction.
The Highway Authority has approved the closure of the road from Blue Hill Junction to the bus shelter on Monday, 27 April 2026, between 09:00 and 15:00.
This closure is necessary to allow the Forestry Section to undertake tree-felling works at Toby’s Ledge.
Access will be permitted only to emergency services and residents entering or leaving the Blue Hill area during this period.
The British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) agreement between SHG and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UKG) was due to expire on Wednesday, 15 April 2026. St Helena Government (SHG) confirms that a formal request from UKG seeking to extend the agreement was received close to the expiry date. After careful consideration, Ministers have agreed a one-month extension with the UKG under the existing terms, to provide sufficient time for further engagement and consideration of any future possible agreement.
Ministers wish to be clear that:
• No decision has been taken at this time.
• No new commitments have been entered into, and
• Any future agreement must serve the interests of St Helena.
Ministers recognise that matters relating to BIOT are of significant national interest and that Ministers, Councillors and the public place great importance on transparency and accountability.
While some aspects of the discussions must remain confidential at this stage to protect St Helena’s negotiating position, SHG is committed to providing meaningful updates as discussions progress and to ensuring that any substantive proposal is subject to appropriate consideration before a decision is made.
A further public update will be provided once Ministers are in a position to outline the way forward.
#StHelena #BIOT
A meeting of Executive Council (ExCo) was held 13 April 2026.
The agenda for the meeting was as follows:
| CLOSED AGENDA 1. Declaration of Interest 2. Civil Litigation (Cost) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and Civil Litigation (Costs) Notice, 2026 (ExCo Memo 15/2026) 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:
- Declaration of Interest
Minister Andrew Turner declared his conflict of interest for agenda item 2for two reasons and absented himself from the meeting.
- Civil Litigation (Cost) (Amendment) Bill, 2026 and Civil Litigation (Costs) Notice, 2026 (ExCo Memo 15/2026)
Executive Council approved the amendments to the Civil Litigation (Costs) Ordinance 2025. The amendments will be published for public consultation before being brought to the next Legislative Council Meeting for consideration and approval.
The proposed amendments are intended to strengthen fairness and improve access to justice. A key element of the proposal is the introduction of provisions relating to ATE insurance. These changes would allow the courts to include some or all of the cost of ATE insurance premiums in cost awards for medical negligence and personal injury claims. This is intended to reduce the financial risk for individuals pursuing legitimate claims and ensure that access to justice is not limited by personal financial circumstances.
Executive Council also approved the Civil Litigation (Costs) Notice, 2026 to be effective immediately.
These amendments aim to provide greater clarity and transparency around recoverable legal costs. It sets out when the cost of initial legal advice may be recovered, helping individuals better understand their position from the outset. The 2026 Notice links the appropriate national rates applied in England and Wales which may be amended from time to time.