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In the lead up to the implementation of the Immigration (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, the St Helena Government (SHG) has identified that the Ordinance creates an unacceptable level of uncertainty. For example, a lack of clarity relating to Permission to Stay and Work Permits has caused concern that essential medical personnel entering for a short period would not be able to work on island as anticipated.
Accordingly, SHG has decided to revoke the Commencement Order date that was set at 01 October 2025.
This decision, approved during a special meeting of Executive Council on 23 September 2025, means that the existing Immigration Ordinance 2011 remains in full effect.
The delay in enactment will enable necessary refinements to be made to ensure that the legislation is fully aligned with the policy intent and adequately protects the community’s needs, thus providing the very best service to the public.
The amended legislation will be prioritised and come back to Legislative Council. We will provide further updates on the revised ordinance as this process moves forward.
#StHelena #ImmigrationOrdinance #Changes
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Nominations are now being invited for the following awards.
UK STATE AWARDS – 2026 BIRTHDAY HONOURS
Honours are awarded on merit for exceptional achievement or for any service carried out over and above what normally is expected. This can include making a difference to the community or in a specific field of work, innovation and entrepreneurship, improving life for people less able to help themselves and displaying moral courage. Where possible, nominations should place emphasis on voluntary services and the service must be recent. Nominees must not be made aware they are being put forward for an award.
To find out more about the different types of Honours Awards please visit: www.gov.uk/honours
CERTIFICATE AND BADGE OF HONOUR
This award is presented to public servants on behalf of St Helena Government for loyal and valuable service worthy of recognition or, in the case of other persons, for their loyal and meritorious conduct that has provided exceptional benefit to the people of St Helena. Nominees should be residents of St Helena, either being born on the Island or have been residing on St Helena for not less than ten years prior to the date of the award.
ACT OF BRAVERY AWARD
This award is presented to individuals who have shown a clear display of moral courage and bravery in adverse situations.
THE BADGE OF ST HELENA
This award is available to both St Helenians and non-St Helenians. It is of a higher status than the Certificate and Badge of Honour. The Badge of St Helena recognises exceptional service provided by individuals or organisations who make significant contribution to St Helena’s development or by supporting and/or enhancing social, cultural, economic, environmental improvement or the understanding of St Helena internationally.
FREEDOM OF THE CITY OF JAMESTOWN
This award is symbolic in nature and is the highest-level of local government award that can be conferred. It is awarded to both St Helenians and non-St Helenians whose achievements are significantly admirable and highly worthy of distinctive recognition. Those who receive this award will have made an outstanding contribution that is of huge national impact to St Helena and its citizens and will have served the best interests of the Island.
Nomination forms for all of the above awards, are available from Central Support Service at the Castle, Jamestown, or can be requested via email: linda.benjamin@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Completed forms should be returned to the Castle in a sealed envelope marked ‘Confidential’ addressed to ‘The Secretary, Honours and Awards Committee’, by Friday, 31 October 2025.
SHG
24 September 2025
Following the recent announcement of the Ministerial Team, the remaining seven Councillors have now confirmed district representation across the Island. This important step will help strengthen engagement between Councillors and the communities we serve.
We are pleased to announce the following district representatives:
| Councillor | District Represented | Contact Details |
| Cllr. Ronald Coleman | Levelwood | ronald.coleman@parliament.sh Tel No: + 290 24250 |
| Cllr. Derek Thomas | Half-Tree-Hollow | derek.thomas@parliament.sh Tel No: + 290 23647 (H) Mobile No: + 290 66907 (M) |
| Cllr. Robert Midwinter | St. Pauls | robert.midwinter@parliament.sh Mobile No: + 290 51500 |
| Cllr. Dr Corinda Essex | Jamestown | corinda.essex@parliament.sh Tel No: + 290 22038 |
| Cllr. Dennis Leo | Longwood | dennis.leo@parliament.sh Mobile No: + 290 67109 |
| Cllr. Julie Thomas | Alarm Forest | julie.thomas@parliament.sh Mobile No: + 290 61920 |
| Cllr. Clint Beard | Blue Hill & Sandy Bay | clint.beard@parliament.sh Tel No: + 290 22351 Mobile No: + 290 64837 |
While each Councillor has been assigned to a district, members of the public are welcome to contact any Councillor of their choice. However, we encourage you to build a relationship with your nominated representative to ensure continuity and strong local connections.
In the coming weeks, Councillors will also announce the areas of interest and working groups they will be championing. This will provide further clarity on how responsibilities are shared and how your representatives will advocate for community priorities.
Your Councillors remain committed to strengthening relationships with you, our constituents, engaging openly on issues that matter, and improving communication.
As Elected Members, it is our responsibility and privilege to represent you – the people of St Helena
Legislative Council
24 September 2025
Following the recent announcement regarding the opening of the new cargo facility at Rupert’s, we wish to remind the public that commercial vehicles from the facility will now be using Napoleon Street as a primary route into town.
This new traffic flow may lead to periods of congestion. We kindly request that all motorists exercise patience and adhere to the rules of the road to ensure safety and efficient passage for all users.
We will be closely monitoring traffic patterns on Napoleon Street, particularly on off-loading days. Depending on our observations, new traffic management procedures may be implemented to optimise flow and minimise disruption.
We thank the public for their understanding and co-operation.
St Helena Government (SHG) are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Andrew Duncan as the new Attorney General (AG).
Mr Duncan will arrive on the island this weekend and will be officially sworn into office on Thursday 2 October 2025.
SHG wishes to express its thanks to Mr Andrew Dawson for his services as the interim Attorney General.
#StHelena #AttorneyGeneral
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Effective Thursday, 18 September 2025, all Port Control, Customs and Immigration services will operate from the new cargo management facility at Rupert’s and will no longer be available from the Customs House in Jamestown.
The Customs and Immigration sections will merge into one department and will be contactable by telephone on (+290) 22287 or by email at cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Port Control will be contactable by telephone on (+ 290) 22750, on-call by mobile on(+290) 61827, via email at port.control@sainthelena.gov.sh and on VHF radio Channel 14.
What you need to know:
Package Collection: All packages will be collected from Liberation House (pictured below) in Rupert’s. Signage for the building will follow. For questions about your parcels, please contact your freight forwarder or consolidator in the first instance.
Pre-arrival Payments: To avoid delays, we encourage customers to email their waybills and invoices to cienquiries@sainthelena.gov.sh. You may also pay duty for arriving packages at the Post and Customer Service Centre or the Bank of St Helena before collecting from the Rupert’s cargo management facility.
Operating Hours: Current opening times will remain the same i.e.
Mondays and Fridays – Drop in from 09:00 to 15:00 (no appointment necessary)
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday – by appointment only (Call 22287 to book an appointment in advance)
The new Customs and Immigration department will be reviewing these hours to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the public and stakeholders. Any changes will be announced in due course.
During the relocation process and during cargo operations, there will be restricted access from the main security gate, which is adjacent to Liberation House, through to the jetty. Cargo operations are carried out from the time the ship arrives, through to the ship’s departure and includes distribution and collection of cargo by merchants, freight forwarders and consolidators. Appropriate safety and security arrangements will be in place. There will be different levels of security applied according to the nature of operations at that time and the parties involved.
Dates, times and levels of restricted access will be communicated to the public and stakeholders as is the normal procedure.
Photo
The blue warehouse building in the foreground is named ‘Liberation House’, with parking available to the public collecting goods
Chief Minister Rebecca Cairns-Wicks today announced the Ministers she has selected and the Public Service Portfolios allocated to them. They are:
- Safety, Security and Home Affairs Portfolio – Councillor Gillian Brooks
- Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio – Councillor Andrew Turner
- Environment, Natural Resources and Planning Portfolio and Economic Development Portfolio – Councillor Karl Thrower
- Health and Social Care Portfolio – Councillor Martin Henry
The Chief Minister will have responsibility for the Treasury and for Central Support Services.
The Chief Minister has recommended to the Governor that he makes these appointments. Pursuant to the Constitution the Governor will now formally make the appointments and Portfolio allocations.
Each Minister will exercise general direction and policy control over departments assigned to them subject to the policies of Government.
Chief Minister Rebecca Cairn-Wicks commented:
“I would like to extend my gratitude and congratulations to the new Ministers in taking on their new roles. We know that there are challenges ahead, but together as a team we will be ready to face them.
The team has been chosen with deep consideration and care.
Our priorities are clear: to listen, to work openly, and to take forward the policies and decisions that will help move the island forwards and build a strong and sustainable future for St Helena.
I have every confidence that the Ministerial team will bring energy, dedication, and integrity to their roles. We will be accountable to the public, guided by the values of fairness, transparency, and service. Our commitment is to put people first and to work together for the good of the island.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Honourable Members of Legislative Council for the generosity of your time, consideration and support as I step into the role of Chief Minister. I am heartened by discussion and debate and the commitment to working together, facilitating good communication and transparency in the decision-making process and I am committed to work with you in this way.”
The Chief Minister, four Ministers and the Attorney General form the Executive Council. The Executive Council with the Governor are the highest decision making body of the St Helena Government.
#StHelena #ChiefMinister #Ministers
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The Marine Section will be closed to the public from 08:30 to 16:00 on Thursday, 18 September 2025. This is due to staff conducting essential field work.
We will resume normal business hours at 08:30 on Friday, 19 September 2025. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.
Honourable Maureen Thompson and Honourable Connie Johnson have been elected as the new Speaker and Deputy Speaker respectively.
To be elected as Speaker a candidate is required to secure a total of seven votes. On the first day of voting, none of the candidates met this threshold and after five rounds of voting, there was a tie between the final two candidates. In accordance with Standing Order 5, Rule 25(b), the election for the Speaker was therefore deferred to the following day. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are both important roles and this provision allows Elected Members additional time to reflect on their decision, promoting a more thoughtful and deliberate outcome.
In a situation such as this, Standing Order 5 Rule 25(b) also requires that a fresh election be held. In other words, unless one or more of the six candidates who put themselves forward for election as Speaker withdraws, the election should start again with the same six candidates.
Accordingly on the second day, a fresh election was held for the Speaker, and the election for the Deputy Speaker was also conducted. This re-commencement of the election process ensures complete transparency and fairness for all candidates, reinforcing the democratic principles of the council.
The Honourable Maureen Thompson, Speaker, commented:
“I am honoured to be elected as Speaker and look forward to serving the Legislative Council and the people we represent with diligence and impartiality.”
The Honourable Connie Johnson, the newly elected Deputy Speaker, added,
“I am committed to supporting the Speaker and the work of the Legislative Council.”
The Legislative Council extends its congratulations to both Honourable Thompson and Honourable Johnson and looks forward to their leadership.
#StHelena #LegislativeCouncil
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St Helena Airport and Emergency Planning are seeking enthusiastic volunteers to participate in a major incident exercise to simulate an aircraft emergency.
The outdoor exercise will take place on Wednesday, 12 November 2025, from 08:00 to 13:30 at the St Helena Airport.
Volunteers are needed for the following roles:
- Role playing of injured passengers
- Distraught family members and other bystanders
Please be aware that this event may be emotionally and psychologically demanding for volunteers.
Lunch will be provided and transport on request.
Volunteers interested in this unique opportunity can contact Marc Fowler by telephone on 25180, or by email at marc.fowler@sthelenaairport.aero. Alternatively, contact Anel O’Bey on 25052 or email anel.obey@helanta.co.sh.
Advice relating to entry of the St Helena Airport and clothing requirements will be discussed when volunteers make contact.