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Executive Council met today, Tuesday 1 October 2019, to discuss two items on the Open Agenda.

Council approves increase in the Minimum Income Standard (MIS)

Councillor Green supported by the Deputy Financial Secretary and Statistician presented this paper to Elected Members.

Council was asked to consider and advise whether the MIS should be increased in line with the current policy which would subsequently trigger an increase to £71.50 for Income Related Benefits (IRB) recipients and £74.00 for Basic Island Pension (BIP) recipients. This represents an increase of 65.1% and 64.4% respectively since the Social Security Ordinance 2010 and Social Security Regulations were brought into force on 1 April 2011.

Council was also asked whether the Social Security (Amendment No.2) Regulations 2019 should be approved and brought into force on 4 October 2019.

The MIS is the mechanism by which the rates of IRB and BIP are determined using a set and agreed basket of goods and services determined to be the minimum requirement for an individual based on international standards.

The MIS basket includes the following goods and services: Food and drink (based on healthy diet international guidelines), Utilities, Telecommunications, Clothing, Shoes, Essential items (e.g. cups, washing up liquid, etc), Toiletries and Bus fares.

The prices of these goods and services are reviewed every six months to determine whether an increase in the MIS and rates of IRB and BIP are required. Following price collection work by the Statistics Office for the MIS basket carried out in July/August 2019 it was recommended that there be a 2.1% increase in the MIS of £1.50 per week.

Currently 160 households on St Helena receive IRB and 770 people are in receipt of BIP. The uplift is estimated to cost approximately £35,000 based on current households and individuals receiving benefits plus an element of contingency.

While Council agreed that increasing the MIS ensures that the most vulnerable in society are being protected and also helps to reduce inequality, Members also noted that current market prices are volatile and this increase could be viewed as very small.

Members noted that leisure activities were not included in the MIS basket and also raised concerns about the composition of the basket bearing in mind St Helena’s current economic climate.

Members acknowledged that the food part of the basket was reviewed only two years ago based on advice from the dietician using a locally-relevant healthy basket.  However following much discussion and debate it was agreed that other elements of the basket should be reviewed.

Taking this into account and noting that this was a positive process that happens twice a year, Council was content to approve the uplift in the MIS.

The first payments will be made from Thursday, 3 October 2019. A separate press release will be issued shortly and recipients and households in receipt of benefits will also be directly informed of how the IRB and BIP will affect them.

Council endorses the publication of Investor Prospectus

An updated Investor Prospectus has been developed by Enterprise St Helena in partnership with SHG which highlights the key message that ‘St Helena is on a journey towards becoming a globally-connected green and blue Island destination with a vibrant tourism and digital-driven economy.’

The core objective of the Investor Prospectus will be to promote investment opportunities and in doing so attract appetite for equitable investments necessary to support the relevant growth industries of the Sustainable Economic Development Plan (SEDP).

The updated Prospectus is different to the previous one in that it promotes opportunities and incentives rather than focusing on Crown land and property. It is also a ‘live’ document which allows modifications as and when necessary and is more digitally aligned to enable better capturing of data. It was noted that around 80% of investors are resident on St Helena and the planned launch of the document has been developed with that in mind. Members were keen to place on record that the Prospectus should target the Diaspora and attract working age skilled Islanders back.

Council was asked to endorse the publication of the Investor Prospectus to enable the inclusion of:

1. The opportunities described, and
2. The Strategic Assets described; St Helena Government assets/properties and state-owned entities

Members noted that a number of SHG properties could be put to much better use and be brought ‘back to life’ but were concerned about who would manage their disposal. Members were reassured that as per the Land Disposal Policy any significant asset over one acre or which is a grade 1, 2 or 3 listed building would come back to ExCo for approval. It was also agreed that other options other than sale of strategic assets would be considered for example part sale and lease.

The Prospectus was seen as a positive drive towards investment and economic growth and can only add value to what we are already trying to achieve.

The Prospectus is about inclusivity and it was felt that Saints should be able to access funds if they have a viable interest in the investment opportunities available.

The Prospectus will be launched locally via a community event so Islanders can easily access the document. Following the launch relevant workshops will be held with the business community to maintain momentum.

It was also felt strongly that there needed to be a way to facilitate partnership/private sector opportunities and this would be taken forward with the Investment Enabling Group and the Investor Prospectus updated accordingly. Should anyone feel that they have a business opportunity which they are looking for a partner for, please contact Martin George via: martin.george@esh.co.sh.

Members endorsed the Prospectus to be finalised to take to the local and international market.

ExCo

1 October 2019

Acting Deputy Airport Contracts Manager, Tessa Roberts (see photo attached), has successfully completed the Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP). This is an internationally recognised qualification accredited by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the Airports Council International (ACI).

The Global ACI-ICAO Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP) is self-paced with choices from courses that best suit the individual’s role and must be completed within a three year period.

Tessa graduated with an AMPAP Associate Diploma in 2018 and in August 2019 successfully completed all courses that allows her to graduate with the full International Airport Professional (IAP) designation.

The Programme consisted of mandatory and elective courses. Tessa successfully completed: ‘Air Transport System’, ‘Airport Operations, Safety and Security’, Airport Planning, Development and Environmental Management’, ‘Airport Commercial and Financial Management’, ‘Airport Revenue Management’ and ‘Aerodrome Certification’.

Each of the courses is directly relevant to Tessa’s role within the SHG Airport Directorate. The Directorate is SHG’s lead on all civil aviation matters, including the contract with St Helena Airport Limited (SHAL) for the operation of St Helena Airport; the contract with SA Airlink for provision of the air service; the contract with the UK Met Office for Met forecasting services for St Helena Airport; and the contract with Penspen for fuel management services.

Tessa commented:

“I am honoured to have been part of this programme and look forward to advancing my studies in Aviation.

“I would like to thank SHG, colleagues, family and friends for all their support throughout.”

Airport Contracts Manager, Alan Shaw, added:

“This is a major achievement that comes as a result of very hard work and dedication by Tessa. While there is still a way to go, Tessa’s achievement takes us another positive step towards St Helena becoming self-sufficient in the aviation skills it needs. I’m very proud of Tessa and know as we continue to move forward I can depend on her enthusiasm and dedication. Very well done Tessa.”

Tessa has held various roles in SHG over the past 10 years and commenced work in the Airport Directorate in 2013 on Phase 1 Construction of the Airport Project. In 2017, Tessa moved to Phase 2 Airport Operations.

#StHelena #Airport #AirAccess #SaintSuccess #Congratulations

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SHG
1 October 2019

The final round of the Children & Adults Social Care Directorate’s CARE: Caring And Respecting Everyone Campaign took place in the main hall at the Princess Royal Community Care Centre (CCC) on Friday, 20 September 2019.

During the event interested persons were able to speak to Directorate staff to learn more about working in Social Care, and were given the opportunity to explore a typical day in the life of a Carer and Support Worker. Interviews for jobs across the Directorate took place on the same day.

Across all three most recent campaigns, a total of 38 interviews took place and 23 persons were offered a job and are now employed with the Children & Adults Social Care Directorate.

Quality Assurance & Policy Lead, Gavin ‘Jack’ Thomas, commented:

“Over the last year, we have been running a number of recruitment events, initially across the Island and more recently, at the CCC only. We have taken a different approach in forging links and reaching out to the general public through the CARE Campaign. This approach including roadshows and open-door events has proven to be very successful. We have achieved our objectives which were to break down barriers, provide clarity about working in social care through informal discussions, encourage prospective employees to embark on new challenges, and embrace the opportunities and rewards of working with vulnerable people.

“On behalf of the Director, Tracy Poole-Nandy, we take this opportunity of thanking everyone for their involvement and everyone who have attended our recruitment events to date. We will be holding another round of CARE: Caring And Respecting Everyone Campaign events in the near future.”

#StHelena # Children&Adults #SocialCare #CARE #CCC

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SHG

27 September 2019

Thursday, 26 September 2019, was World Maritime Day. World Maritime Day is used as a way to highlight the importance of shipping safety, maritime security and the marine environment, and to emphasise a particular aspect of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) work.

In recognition of the day, we hear from two members of St Helena Port Control:

Harbour Master

St Helena’s Harbour Master is Steve Kirk. Steve’s main roles are to ensure the health, safety and security of the Jamestown Wharf and Rupert’s Jetty and to maintain a clean and safe environment for all that use the wharf and ocean.

Logistics Coordinator

The Logistics Coordinator is Gene Henry. Gene uses both the SHG cranes and stacker as part of his role. Often Gene will use the crane to lift locally owned boats and yachts. Gene is also responsible for making sure that all empty containers are ready for loading once the MV Helena has offloaded cargo.

Collectively both Steve’s and Gene’s roles include boat inspections/MOTs, licencing local boats, inspecting lifting slings and chains, liaising with all stakeholders/general public and wharf users and making sure that the wharf is used in a safe manner, also keeping the wharf clean and tidy.

Harbour Master, Steve Kirk, said:

“Here on St Helena it is no different from any other port except we have many users of the wharf in Jamestown and Rupert’s which at times can prove to be very challenging but also very rewarding. Both the ports of Jamestown and Rupert’s are there to be enjoyed by all of us. Port Control’s role is to ensure it is done in the correct and safe/secure manner.”

#StHelena #PortControl #WorldMaritimeDay #Maritime #UN

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SHG

27 September 2019

 

The monthly meetings of the Highways Authority and the Environment & Natural Resources Committee (ENRC) took place on Thursday, 19 September 2019.

At the Highways Authority meeting a warm welcome was extended to new Police Chief Inspector David Price.

Issues discussed included parking in Jamestown, which included parking on double yellow lines, illegal use of the disabled parking spaces, the limited parking area available and speeding. It was suggested that these items should be addressed through the regular Police radio programme with additional Community Beat support.

Road Traffic Signage was discussed, especially for the outer districts, and it was agreed that a site visit will be arranged shortly to view areas of concern. The Jamestown Parking Working Group together with the Senior Design Draughtsman are finalising the information collected from the walkthroughs of Upper Jamestown and it is envisaged that a draft plan of the parking arrangements for this area will be presented to the Committee within the next few weeks.

During the ENRC meeting the Roads Manager tabled a proposal to widen two areas of the Island’s road Infrastructure. The areas recommended for works at this time are in the vicinity of Gray’s Cottage, Vaughans, and the Blue Hill Road from the junction with Thompson’s Wood Road and Red Hill, to include Toby’s Ledge. Works are anticipated to begin shortly once the arrangements are finalised. The public will be informed when this work will commence.

The Acting Director of Environment, Natural Resources and Planning and the Invasive Plants Specialist provided an update on the Darwin Invasive Plant (IP) Project. The Committee was informed that this project is nearing completion and funding providers have agreed to extend the project until March 2020. This will allow the Invasive Plants Specialist to continue her work including integrating project IP trials results with farmers and land holders to provide them with as much information and methods to control the invasive plants which are a threat to their pasture lands. It was also noted that during this project some 17 members of staff from the Agriculture & Natural Resources Division, Roads Section and Saint Helena National Trust (SHNT) have been trained in the safe use of herbicides and three are now qualified trainers. James Fantom of the SHNT who is a project partner, also spent two weeks in South Africa on an additional invasive plant management course.

The Senior Design Draughtsman together with the Crown Estates Officer provided a progress report on plans to make available to the public, crown land for house building plots including some for new Government Landlord Housing. It was noted that the application for approval of homes to be built on the southwest Comprehensive Development Area at Bottom Woods has been submitted to the Planning Office. This proposal will make available 28 plots for house building and other associated works; to include the sale of plots for first time home builders, the sale of market value plots and some for the construction of Government Landlord Housing.

The Committee also discussed in length suggested locations for the recently procured replica fountain for Jamestown. It was agreed that the fountain should be erected on the pavement in front of the Canister.  This will be actioned when Enterprise St Helena undertakes the upgrading of this area.

#StHelena #ENRC #HighwaysAuthority #MeetingSummary

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SHG

26 September 2019

Despite St Helena’s water consumption levels on 20 and 21 September being less than 1000 cubic metres – the consumption rate required to sustain a safe level of stored water on the Island – during the past week, consumption rates have increased by around 6.2%. This rate cannot continue if we are to maintain our water supply.

Recent rainfall has not been enough to drastically increase reservoir levels. The ground is still dry which means that the majority of rain water is being absorbed by the ground leaving little surface water to enter the reservoirs. At least two weeks of continuous rainfall is needed to reach safe stored water levels. With unpredicted weather patterns and no significant rainfall forecast, it is therefore very important that we keep our water consumption to essential use only.

The raw water catchment at Osbornes in St Paul’s remains completely dry and there has not been any surface runoff in this area since March 2019. This water catchment was one of the main sources of surface water for the Red Hill Treatment Plant.

Connect Saint Helena (CSH) continues to pump water from Chubb’s Spring and Hutt’s Gate to Red Hill to replenish stocks in this area.

Remember, we are currently under an Island-wide hosepipe ban. If you see anyone using water irresponsibly or notice a burst pipe or leak, then please inform CSH immediately.

Every drop counts, every action counts – save water now to be safe later

#StHelena #WaterShortage #EveryDropCounts

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St Helena Resilience Forum

25 September 2019

As part of wider objectives to be more open and transparent, at the last meeting of the Land Development Control Authority (LDCA) the decision was taken that, in addition to open meeting agendas and minutes, reports on all development applications will also be available online for the public to review five days prior to each meeting being held.

The meetings of the LDCA are held on the first Wednesday of each month and the agenda and reports will be available on the new Land Development and Control Authority Page of the SHG website by close of business on the Friday before the meeting. The next meeting of the Land Development Control Authority is on Wednesday, 2 October, and documentation for this meeting will be published online by mid-afternoon on Friday, 27 September 2019.

LDCA Board Members said:

“We have been very keen for some time in making our meeting and decision making more open and transparent and we are now very pleased that we will make all reports on the development applications available for the public to review in advance of the future meeting.

“This is a big step forward for openness and transparency in decision making on future development proposals on the Island. We know that Planning Officers are under considerable pressure already to meet the tight deadlines for reports for these monthly meetings but we are sure that they will continue to meet the challenge to ensure that we make the reports available so that the public is better informed in how development proposals are reported.”

In future, all Development Applications received by the Planning and Building Control Service will also be published on the LDCA webpage each Friday afternoon. The Service will continue to publish these in the local newspapers as well as via site notices that are erected on and close to the development application sites.

#StHelena #LDCA #PlanningandBuildingControl 

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SHG

24 September 2019

It is a question about the way we want our elected representatives to tackle the issues and opportunities that in some way affect each and every one of us on St Helena.

The issue of how to govern ourselves has recently moved up the agenda. Many will recall the Island has toyed with governance reform a couple of times before but they came to nothing. Since I arrived, I have heard numerous views, publicly and privately, on the weaknesses in our system of government. Councillors, businesses, administrators, community leaders and many of the people I meet in the streets have told me the present approach of committees, working groups, LegCo and ExCo all involved in trying to sort out policies and laws is confusing and too often tediously slow.

Above all, the present system of government means no one within the body of elected councillors is explicitly accountable for the performance of any part of government. Likewise, the public service, ambiguously called the St Helena Government, does not work directly for any particular councillor but instead tries to address queries and demands made by different elected representatives.

The result, in spite of the best efforts of dedicated councillors and public servants, leads to a less-than-ideal, some have said disjointed, way of making decisions and operating the public services. Consequently, I observe a widely held realisation that as an Island firmly looking to the future we perhaps should not go on the way we have in the past.

In the Constitution, as Governor I am responsible for good governance on St Helena. It is a concept I am sure we can all support. But, what is it? One handy definition is: ‘the effective and responsible management of [a territory] which includes considering society’s needs in the decisions it makes.’ Aptly, government should seek to govern in a way that is accountable, decisive and understanding, though being good at governing means making some decisions that will not be popular.

So, in thinking about transitioning to a new system we should look at how we can increase personal accountability and authority amongst councillors and enable the SHG administration to work more directly with them. After approving with LegCo in late May, I sought help from DFID and they have agreed to start a process involving councillors, public and organisations across the Island to seek views on if, and what, type of political and governance reforms we want at the heart of our government. If it is more accountability, how best to satisfy your expectations on what you want to see? If it is faster decision-making, what do you want to see streamlined and improved? If it is greater clarity about who is responsible for what amongst the various parts of government, what are your preferences?

Dr Jeremy Sarkin will come to St Helena on 21 September for his first visit to facilitate a debate and gather your ideas on the present Committee-based system. He will not be setting out any specific method of governance. What he will do is explore with us our understanding and appetite for alternative systems, e.g. ministerial, executive councillors, redefine LegCo and ExCo, Chief Islander, restructuring SHG directorates to have clearer political leadership, or just about any other possibility Dr Sarkin can raise from his long experience around the world. It will then be for St Helena to decide if a change in governance arrangement will be for the better, probably via a referendum and an amendment to the Constitution.

Let’s set aside likes and dislikes, nostalgia and doubt. This is an opportunity to decide if we want to move beyond our present structure. To reshape an accountable system of governance. I sincerely hope everyone, media, communities, business organisations, youth groups, student council and all those who attend future public meetings, take part in defining the best option for your future. Anything is do-able if we want it.

An opportunity is being arranged for the public to meet Dr Sarkin on Wednesday, 25 September, at 6pm at the Harford Community Centre. Other meetings are being planned in October. Ideas and suggestions are also welcome in writing and can be sent to the Governor’s Office via email: William.Spooner@fco.gov.uk.

 Governor Dr Philip Rushbrook

18 September 2019

HE Governor Dr Philip Rushbrook will be on overseas leave between Saturday, 21 September, and Saturday, 5 October 2019.

During HE’s absence, Head of the Governor’s Office, Greg Gibson, will be Acting Governor.

#StHelena #Governor #OverseasLeave #FCO #HOGO

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 SHG

18 September 2019

St Helena’s water consumption levels on 11 and 13 September were less than 1000 cubic metres – the consumption rate required to sustain a safe level of stored water on the Island.

The Island’s reservoir levels have increased by a very small percentage over the last week, but this is primarily due to the public significantly reducing their consumption rates. The public is commended for their efforts to reduce consumption.

Despite some recent rainfall, the surface water runoff entering the reservoirs remains very low and will not be enough to maintain a safe volume of stored water if consumption rates increase. It is therefore very important that we continue to cut down our water usage to essential use only.

Isolated showers are forecast for the coming days, but this will not be enough to see the desired effects on the reservoir levels. At least two weeks of continuous meaningful rainfall is needed to make a positive difference in reservoir levels.

Connect Saint Helena (CSH) continues to pump water from Chubb’s Spring and Hutt’s Gate to Red Hill to replenish stocks in this area.

Remember, we are currently under an Island-wide hosepipe ban. If you see anyone using water irresponsibly or notice a burst pipe or leak, then please inform CSH immediately.

Please see the following leaflet from CSH on water saving tips: Water Saving Leaflet

 Every drop counts, every action counts – save water now to be safe later.

#StHelena #WaterShortage #EveryDropCounts  

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St Helena Resilience Forum

17 September 2019