14 July 2015
St Helena’s first State of the Island report has today been published by the Corporate Policy & Planning Unit of SHG. The report provides a balanced view of the key issues and challenges facing St Helena using statistics an analysis, and including international comparisons where appropriate.
Ian Smyth, Government Economist said:
“The State of the Island report seeks to be a single source of information on St Helena. We need one reliable, comprehensive source for background information on the Island. We have tried to present a balanced overview of the Island, within the framework of SHG’s National Goals.
“This should help residents, businesses and other key stakeholders understand the context within which St Helena is developing and in challenging SHG on the objectives and priorities it chooses to pursue.”
The State of the Island report was originally produced as part of a portfolio of evidence submitted to the Department for International Development (DfID) as part of the last Budgetary Aid Mission (BAM) negotiations.
Updates will be published annually, including any new data or analysis which will improve insights in the report.
Paula McLeod, St Helena Statistician, added:
“We have put a lot of effort into pulling together relevant data and analysis with appropriate commentary – and the end result is a report which is easy to read and informative. It should provide anyone with an interest in St Helena with a clear overview of the issues at hand and how we are progressing towards our National goals.
“This has been very much a collaborative effort throughout SHG, with all Directors feeding in information from their respective areas. The insight and overview of our Economist Ian Smyth will ensure that we remain mindful of our strategic priorities and goals. The end result is a highly practical document that will become a regular reference point within various areas of St Helena Government.”
The State of the Island report is available for download from the St Helena Government website on https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/State-of-the-Island-2015.pdf and hard copies are available in the Public Library and Customer Service Centre. Any feedback or questions on the report should be sent to the Statistics Office, E-mail: statistics@sainthelena.gov.sh, Telephone: (+290) 22138.
SHG
14 July 2015