News « St Helena

St Helena continues to support the Royal British Legion’s work through the Poppy Appeal. The Poppy Appeal is the Legion’s largest fundraising campaign remembering the fallen and the future of the living. The Royal British Legion provides lifelong support for the Armed Forces community – serving men and women, veterans and their families.

The poppy is a powerful symbol – today the poppies are mainly worn to commemorate the sacrifices of our Armed Forces and to show support to those still serving today along with their loved ones. The remembrance poppy is especially prominent in the UK and on St Helena in the weeks leading up to Remembrance Sunday.

On St Helena the Poppy Appeal, led by Mike Durnford, will be raising funds through the distribution of various poppy apparel including wristbands, lapel pins, water bottles, badges, bendy rulers, bracelets and standard poppies.

Uniformed contingents and volunteers will be operating from a Poppy Appeal gazebo as follows:

Date	Location	Time
Saturday, 3 November	St Helena Airport	10am – 2pm
Monday, 5 November	Sea Front, Jamestown	9am – 12noon
Saturday, 10 November	Mule Yard, Jamestown	9am – 12noon

The public is encouraged to support the appeal and wear their poppies with pride in advance of Remembrance Sunday.

Any serving or former members of the HM Armed Forces willing to volunteer their support on any of the above days can contact Mike Durnford on tel: 24724 or via email: mike-durnford@enrd.gov.sh

SHG would also like to hear from any serving or former members of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Merchant Navy interested in laying wreaths at the Cenotaph or at future national events. Expressions of interest should be made to Connie Johnson at the Castle on tel: 22470 or via e-mail: connie.johnson@sainthelena.gov.sh

The Remembrance Sunday Service will be held at the Cenotaph on Sunday, 11 November 2018 starting at 10.55am. Join us this year as we mark the end of the WW1 centenary by saying thank you to all who served, sacrificed and changed our world.

#StHelena #PoppyAppeal #RemembranceSunday

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SHG

24 October 2018

The St Helena Police will be carrying out firearms training at the Police range at Cox’s Battery on Friday, 26 October 2018, from 9am to 3pm.

Red flags, signs, and barriers will be in place. Walkers in the Cox’s Battery area should not approach the range area as live firing will be in progress.

For further information, please contact Support Officer – Firearms and Procurement, Garry Henry, on tel: 22626 or 62441 or via email gary.henry@sainthelena.gov.sh.

#StHelena #StHelenaPolice #FireArmsTraining

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SHG
24 October 2018

The Environment & Natural Resources Committee (ENRC) has agreed to introduce charging for waste management services in line with the ‘Polluter Pays Principle’.

The ‘Polluter Pays Principle’ aims to reduce volumes of waste and create a more sustainable waste management service through charging for the collection and disposal of waste. This in turn provides incentives for waste minimisation, reuse and recycling and supports the National Goal ‘Altogether Greener’ in the St Helena Island Ten Year Plan (2017 – 2027).

A charging scheme is applicable to commercial customers only and will commence on Tuesday, 1January 2019.

Charging rates for commercial refuse collection and disposal are as follows:

Waste Management Services will monitor the emptying of bins. Bins found to be overfilled (whereby the lid does not close properly) or waste for collection is placed on the ground next to the bin may be subject to an additional charge.

Customers who wish to discuss reducing their bin quantity or frequency of emptying, or ways to minimise or recycle waste, are asked to contact Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford on tel: 24724 or e-mail mike-durnford@enrd.gov.sh by Friday, 30November 2018 in order to calculate accurate billing.

#StHelena #WMS #ENRC

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SHG

23 October 2018

FRIDAY, 26 OCTOBER 2018

A formal meeting of Legislative Council will take place on Friday, 26 October 2018, at 10am, in the Council Chamber. This is the first sitting of the eighth meeting of Legislative Council and will be broadcast live via SAMS Radio 1.

The Order Paper includes ten Sessional Papers.

There are also six Motions, three of which relates to the Charities (Amendment) Bill 2018, the Legislative Council (Remuneration and Allowances) (Amendment) Bill 2018, and the Public Finance (Amendment) Bill 2018.

The meeting will conclude with the customary Adjournment Debate, giving each Elected Member the opportunity to raise various Island issues.

A copy of the Order Paper can be viewed on the SHG Website at: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/order-papers/

#StHelena #LegislativeCouncil #FormalLegCo #OrderPaper

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SHG
23 October 2018

POLICE APPEAL FOR INFORMATION

St Helena Police are carrying out investigations into the offence of Tampering with a Motor Vehicle, where wheel nuts were deliberately loosened on a white Toyota Hi-Lux on Monday, 15 October 2018.

This is believed to have occurred whilst the vehicle was parked near the Jamestown Swimming Pool between 9am and 11am.

Police are appealing to the public for any information relating to this incident, specifically if anyone saw anyone acting suspiciously in this area around the time of the offence.

If any member of the public has any information in relation to this matter, please contact the St Helena Police on tel: 22626.

Sergeant, Mick Hawken, said:

“Thankfully on this occasion nobody was hurt, but this type of incident can lead to serious damage being caused to a vehicle and has the potential to cause serious injury to those in the vehicle at the time as well as passersby.

“This type of crime is inexcusable and we shall be conducting extra patrols in the area.

“If anyone knows anything about this incident, please get in touch with us as soon as possible.”

#StHelena #StHelenaPolice #AppealForInformation #TamperingWithaMotorVehicle

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SHG
23 October 2018

The Supreme Court of St Helena was formally opened on Monday, 22 October 2018.

The official opening of the Supreme Court commenced as His Lordship, the Chief Justice, Charles Ekins Esq, entered the Courthouse accompanied by the Sheriff of St Helena, Mrs Ethel Yon OBE, Bishop Elect, Dale Bowers and Chief Magistrate, Nicholas Aldridge. Lawyers, Justices of the Peace, officials, and members of the public were also in attendance.

Attorney General, Sara O’Donnell, welcomed the Lord Chief Justice and introduced new members to the Supreme Court including the Solicitor General and the Public Solicitor and welcomed back Andrew Jackson. The Attorney General went onto acknowledge the valuable contribution to the administration of justice made by members of her Chambers, the Public Solicitors Office, the Lay Advocates, the Probation Service and the Court staff.

In her speech, the Attorney General said:

“This is the first occasion that I address this court as Attorney General and it is indeed an honour that I do so. I have taken an oath that I will well and truly serve HM Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successor, in the office of Attorney General and member of Legislative Council. I do and I will continue to undertake my duties with regards to my oath seriously and I wish to serve St Helena to the very best of my ability and skill and to uphold the Constitution and the laws of this Territory.”

This was followed by an address from the Chief Justice, who said:

“When I was first appointed as Chief Justice, and in terms of qualifying staff, the Attorney General’s Chambers comprised of the Attorney General and one Crown Council. The Public Solicitor’s Office comprised of the Public Solicitor. I think that I’m right in saying that one doesn’t have to look very much further back into history to a time when, other than the Attorney General, Lawyers were banned altogether on St Helena. Happily the emphasis that we place now on the concept of justice, and the rights of the individual, requires a less simplistic approach. The comparative sophistication of the operations that you, Attorney General and Public Solicitor, are responsible for, reflect the very many positive ways in which St Helena has developed even in as little as eleven years. Collectively the Supreme Court, the Magistrate Court, the Attorney General’s Chambers each has a responsibility for advancing above all the interest of justice for the community of St Helena and I am confident that this is a goal that which we will all continue to achieve.”

Civil and Criminal cases will be heard by the Supreme Court until Friday, 2 November 2018.

#StHelena #ChiefJustice #SupremeCourt #FormalOpening

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SHG

23 October 2018

French Consul, Michael Dancoisne-Martineau, was recently presented with an honorary Member of the British Empire (MBE) award by Her Excellency, Governor Lisa Honan, for his services to the promotion of Tourism on St Helena.

Michel has been on the Island for more than 30 years, during which time he has dedicated his services to the conservation of the Napoleonic Heritage on St Helena and promoted St Helena as a destination to the outside world. He is the Director and Curator of the French Properties and has worked tirelessly to ensure that they are maintained to a world-class standard.

The restoration of furniture culminated last year in an International Exhibition, entitled ‘Napoleon on St Helena’ and was held in Paris. The event was a resounding success, attracting thousands of visitors and stimulating huge interest in St Helena as a visitor destination.

Michel has written several books about the Island, both on the Napoleonic period and the Island itself. He has served on a number of voluntary organisations and charities like the Arts and Crafts Association, the St Helena National Trust (SHNT), and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), to name but a few.

Michel has shared his love for art by contributing to locally organised art exhibitions, and on one occasion, organised an exhibition of his own personal collections of sculptures.

Governor Lisa said:

“It is in recognition of all these valuable services that Her Majesty, The Queen, has appointed Michel to be an honorary Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.

“It was with great pleasure that, on Her Majesty’s behalf, I presented Michel with the badge of the Order. Congratulations.”

#StHelena #HonourAward #MBE

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SHG
23 October 2018

The 10th Statistical Bulletin of 2018 has been released, showing numbers of arrivals, departures, and the total population between 2010 and 2018.

A year after the commercial air service commenced on 14 October 2017, we have seen a recent record for arrivals, with more than 5,200 people arriving between October 2017 and September 2018 by both sea and air, excluding day visitors from cruise ships; an amount larger than the total current population on St Helena. In the first year of operation, including the flights in the first two weeks of October 2018, more than 3,500 people arrived by air.

St Helena is a developing holiday destination: around half of all those arriving by air came to the Island for a holiday, and just under half of those were St Helenians visiting family and friends. Between October last year and September this year, around 1,650 passengers arrived by air for a holiday. This is an increase of 725 compared to the 925 passengers arriving for a holiday on the RMS in the same period the year before.

There is a clear seasonal pattern of arrivals, peaking around the Christmas months of December and January, though it is less pronounced for air arrivals compared to arrivals by ship. The average length of stay of a tourist (excluding holidaying St Helenians) is around a week, with St Helenians visiting for longer – around a month.

Chair of the Economic Development Committee, Lawson Henry, said

“I am pleased to see that we have had an increase in visitors in the first year of commercial air service, this is good news for the Island. We now need to build on this good first year and, importantly, listen and act upon the information we gather from what the market is telling us. Well done to all those involved!”

SHG Government Economist, Nicole Shamier, said

“The number of visitors to St Helena has risen significantly this year, and this is great news for the Island. The business case prediction of around 30,000 visitor arrivals was never meant to occur in year one. The growth was always predicted to be gradual over the next 25 years. The 1,650 holidaymakers we have seen this year aligns well with the business case prediction of holidaymakers arriving in the first year of the commercial air service. Thanks to the Visitor Questionnaire filled out within the departures lounge, we have also learnt that the average spend per visitor, per night, has been around £140 and, on average, 40% of this has been spent on accommodation.”

Director of Tourism, Helena Bennett, said:

“With St Helena’s tourism industry struggling to cope during the winter months due to the low take up of bed nights, it is reassuring to see numbers of both tourists and visiting St Helenians on the increase, and we anticipate that these numbers will continue to rise. Thanks to the hard working staff of the Tourist Office, the data collected is increasing and we can use this information to better understand how we, as an Island, are developing our industry.”

The full Statistical Bulletin can be viewed on the SHG Website via: http://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/statistics-reports-and-publications/.

#StHelena #Tourism #NumbersOnTheRise #RecordHigh #CommercialAirService #Stats #SEDP

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SHG
22 October 2018

The public is reminded that Chevening Scholarship applications for 2019/20 will close in less than a month, on Tuesday, 6 November 2018. These Scholarships offer financial support to study for a Master’s Degree at any UK university and are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential who also have strong academic backgrounds.

There are more than 1,500 Chevening Scholarships on offer globally for the 2019/20 academic cycle. These scholarships represent a significant investment from the UK Government. Those who are selected for a Chevening Scholarship become recognised as leaders belonging to a global network of influencers. They are empowered with a strong sense of pride and responsibility.

For further information on the eligibility criteria and award specifications please visit www.chevening.org/faqs or contact Manager of the Governor’s Office, Sandra Sim, on tel: 22308 or e-mail: sandra.sim@sainthelena.gov.sh.

Eligible persons who meet the criteria can apply for a Chevening Scholarship via www.chevening.org/apply.

More information is available at www.chevening.org.

SHG

22 October 2018

On Wednesday evening, 17 October 2018, Her Excellency, Governor Lisa Honan, held a reception at Plantation House to honour the visit of His Excellency, Christophe Farnaud, Ambassador of France to South Africa.

The reception began at 6.30pm and gave invited guests the chance to engage with the Ambassador, and to speak about the connections between France and St Helena and the heritage they share.

Governor Lisa reflected on the first year of commercial flights and the benefits to tourism. The Governor, in speaking about the obvious links and Napoleonic heritage, took the opportunity to remind guest present that tourism is everybody’s business.

She stated:

“Tourism is absolutely central to the future of this Island and the people living on it, the key is we all need to engage with the tourism effort that is already taking place.”

The Ambassador of France to South Africa arrived on Saturday, 13 October, and is due to depart St Helena on Saturday, 20 October 2018.