7 May 2019
Her Excellency Governor Lisa Honan (see photo attached) and Mr Dave Honan departed St Helena on Saturday, 4 May 2019, at the end of HE’s three-year term in office. Members of the public were able to bid farewell to Governor Lisa in the Governor’s Office on Thursday, 2 May.
In April, various receptions were held where colleagues and the public wished the Governor and Mr Honan well and where Governor Lisa took the opportunity to thank everyone for their support.
On Wednesday, 17 April 2019, St Helena Government held a reception at Rosie’s, Ladder Hill, where Chief Secretary Susan O’Bey and Councillor Tony Green commented on Governor Lisa’s achievements during her term in office. Gifts were also presented to the Governor.
Chief Secretary Susan O’Bey said:
“Governor Lisa arrived as the 68th Governor for the Island and broke a tradition of a few hundred years by being the first female to take on this role. She was responsible for a few other firsts on St Helena too.”
Susan then went on to remark on some of these firsts including Governor Lisa’s effort in bringing government closer to its people and being a visible Governor, wanting more Saints to take up roles currently being filled by people abroad, and her commitment to making tourism work for the benefit of all Saints.
In HE’s farewell statement to the Island and a letter posted on her Facebook page, Governor Lisa said:
“Three years has come round really quickly for me as the Governor of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. A lot has happened in those three years. The ones that first come to my mind are the big changes, such as the air service starting to St Helena and Ascension, the RMS sailing for her last time, managing to get the funding for a fibre optic cable to St Helena, opening the SHG-funded hotel, deciding that St Helena will run its electricity entirely from wind and sun within the next few years, and agreeing a Marine Protected Area for St Helena and Ascension. On Tristan da Cunha a new health facility was also finished.”
Governor Lisa also mentioned what has been achieved over the last three years during her time in office, including:
- More openness and transparency of SHG business through more open meetings and real time reporting, more papers published online, Councillors’ ‘Oath of Confidentiality’ overturned, more public engagement through Social Media and more access to the Governor including through a Facebook page
- Start of the first scheduled commercial air service to St Helena on 14 October 2017
- Seamless transition of airport operations from Basil Read to St Helena Airport Limited
- Family Refuge opened and protection orders for women affected by domestic violence introduced
- Voting age lowered to 17 years
- Island’s marine resource protected forever in law along with strict environmental legislation to protect biodiversity
- First same sex marriage following passage of legislation; weddings also permitted anywhere on the Island
- Funding secured for fibre optic internet cable which will massively improve connectivity.
St Helena Government extends well wishes to Governor Lisa and Mr Honan in their future endeavours. Governor Designate Dr Philip Rushbrook and Mrs Rushbrook will arrive on Saturday, 11 May 2019. Ahead of the Governor Designate’s arrival, Louise MacMorran will be Acting Governor.
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SHG
7 May 2019