Latest Posts

Councillors will this week hold the last of their Constituency Meetings for September 2015. Topics for discussion will be Safeguarding, Opening Hours for businesses on Sundays, Public and Bank Holidays, and the 2016 St Helena Population and Housing Census.

All meetings will start at 7.30pm. The schedule for the remaining meetings is as follows:

Constituency	Date	Chair
Jamestown Community Centre	Tuesday, 15 September	Councillor Henry
Blue Hill Community Centre	Wednesday, 16 September	Councillor Ward Pearce

 

SHG

14 September 2015

MAJOR INCIDENT EXERCISES

As part of the accreditation process for St Helena Airport a number of emergency response exercises will be carried out during October and November 2015. These are important exercises for the Airport and the St Helena Emergency Services – both for the accreditation process and to ensure that emergency plans are tested and exercised as part of the Island’s Major Incident Response Plan.

The exercises will vary in scale, with some having no impact on the wider Island, whilst others are larger in scale to simulate a major incident on St Helena.

The exercises will take place on the following dates and further information will be issued nearer these times:

 

• Exercise 1                            Wednesday 14 October 2015    
• Exercise 2                            Thursday 15 October 2015        
• Exercise 3                            Thursday 22 October 2015       
• Exercise 4                            Wednesday 4 November 2015  

 

The exercises being carried out on 22 October and 4 November are larger in scale and will require a large number of volunteers to assist as role actors, general helpers and safety marshals.

All volunteers must be over the age of 18 years. If you wish to volunteer for any of these dates – please contact the Emergency Planning Manager, Ian Johnson via email ian.johnson@sainthelena.gov.sh

Chief of Police Trevor Botting said:

“These exercises are critical to Airport accreditation and testing of our emergency plans under the Major Incident Response Plan. We would be grateful to hear from anyone who might be able to assist as a volunteer for the exercises and would ask that you contact Ian Johnson to register your interest.”

Airport Manager Nigel Spackman added:

“This is an excellent opportunity for the St Helena community to contribute to the development and final certification of the Airport.  Participants can be proud of the fact that they were part of the process to enable the Airport to become fully operational and also to gain a better understanding on how the Airport operates and integrates with the SHG Emergency Services.”

SHG

11 September 2015

On Friday 4 September 2015 Basil Read was granted temporary use of the St Helena Airport runway by Air Support Safety International (ASSI).  This heralds an historic milestone next week when a Beechcraft King Air 200 aircraft is due to land at the Airport to carry out a series of calibration flights. This will be the first ever plane to land on St Helena.

ASSI Senior Aerodrome Inspector, Justin Rothwell, carried out an assessment of the Airport infrastructure and safety procedures.  As a result, an exemption was granted until 30 September 2015 to enable the calibration flights to go ahead.

The aircraft is due to arrive between Sunday 13 and Thursday 17 September 2015, dependent upon suitable weather and other factors. The precise date and time of arrival is therefore still to be determined, but every effort will be made to inform the public as early as possible.

The calibration tests will be undertaken by Flight Calibration Services Limited (FCSL) who will travel to St Helena on the aircraft leased from TAB in South Africa.  The aircraft will fly from Lanseria Airport in Johannesburg, to Namibia, then to Angola and on to St Helena, taking approximately four hours for the final leg of the journey to the Island.

The aircraft will likely arrive between mid-morning and early afternoon.  We expect that it will approach the northern end of the runway (i.e. from the direction of The Barn) and that it will carry out an initial low-level pass of the runway before coming in to land.

Although it is expected that the first flight to land at St Helena Airport will generate a huge amount of public interest, the public should be aware that this will not be the only chance to see this aircraft.  It will remain on the Island for around a week, undertaking several flights each day (weather permitting).

Vantage Points and Vehicles

The public is advised that there is no access to the Airport Site. Instead, Basil Read, working closely with the St Helena Police Service, has identified various public vantage points where people will be able to get a good view of the aircraft. Other vantage points, such as Woody Ridge, will be available – but there will be no traffic management available at those places. The public is therefore asked to take extra care when driving to and parking at other vantage points on the Island.

The public are strongly encouraged to car share where possible, and to be mindful of their personal safety, particularly when on foot. People should drive and park sensibly and be aware of their surroundings.

Basil Read has granted permission for part of the Access Road, normally closed to the public, to be used as part of a one way system on the day to alleviate congestion. To approach the vantage points below, vehicles will be allowed through Longwood Gate and through to Bottom Woods. To return, vehicles will be directed past Reggie’s Takeaway at Bottom Woods, along the Access Road, through to Foxy’s Garage at Deadwood and then back to Longwood Gate (See attached map).

The entrance to Fisher’s Valley will be closed to all traffic other than residents.

Bradley’s Camp/Garage Area

 

• The Airport site will remain off-limits to the general public.  A barricade will be in place just before the turning to Bradley’s Camp to mark the area that is out of bounds.
• A viewing area before the barricade will be available on a first-come-first-served basis.

 

Millennium Forest

• A good view will also be available from the Millennium Forest. For a small donation to the St Helena National Trust, there will be limited parking available to the public.  National Trust Staff will be on hand to assist with parking and marshalling of people at the site.

 Access Road

•  Exceptionally, parking will be allowed on this day on the left hand side of the Access Road from the area of Reggie’s Takeaway at Bottom Woods to the barricade at Bradley’s. Vehicles should be parked sensibly so that access can be maintained to the Airport and to the Waste Management Facility at Horse Point.

 Horse Point

 

• Horse Point on the day will only be accessible on foot – this is to protect Wirebird nests and other endemic species from accidental d A barrier to vehicles will be in place along the track that leads to Horse Point, just past the Waste Management Facility.
• The public should be mindful that Horse Point is an environmentally sensitive area and are urged to take care when moving around that area.

Further updates, particularly on the timing of the first flight, will be provided in due course. Interested members of the public are asked to listen out for regular radio news updates, beginning on Sunday 13 September.

Enquiries about the practical arrangements on the day the plane arrives should be directed to the Police on tel: 22626.

SHG

9 September 2015

 

On 1 September 2015 SHG announced via a press release that St Helena will be updating its food safety legislation.

 

The full legislation comprises the Food Safety Ordinance and Subsidiary Regulations:

 

1. Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations –  a set of general requirements applying to all the food businesses and food premises on the Island
2. Food Safety (Products of Animal Origin) Regulations –  product specific regulations applying in addition to the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations in premises where extra controls are needed such as those manufacturing or processing products of animal origin for sale to other businesses or for export.

The public and stakeholders will be consulted on the proposed new legislation in the coming months. Leading up to the consultation, proposed changes to the legislation will be published in the local newspapers and discussed on radio to ensure the public is informed of the changes and how they might be affected.

This first article aims to provide a summary of the proposed new Food Safety Ordinance.

Summary 

A new Food Safety Ordinance will contain the powers of the state and of the officers delivering food controls along with offences and defences. The Ordinance will also include the power to make regulations.

In addition, there will be a code of practice for procedures such as inspection reports, monitoring, outbreak investigations etc.

The new regulations will replace some of the existing regulations made under section 19 of the Public Health Ordinance. The new Ordinance would amend the existing Public Health Ordinance, removing, for example, the power to inspect and seize non compliant food (section 54) and the requirement on Bake House operators to limewash annually (or equivalent) (section 18).

The advantage of this approach will be to streamline the legislation. Requirements relating to specific products and premises would be consolidated and collected into one place. It will also allow for any repeats or inconsistencies to be clarified.

Putting procedures into a code of practice makes the delivery of controls more flexible and responsive – as it is not necessary to alter legislation when a change of procedure is needed. It can also be used for guidance and to provide templates for forms and enforcement notices.

THE FOOD SAFETY ORDINANCE

This is the main Ordinance covering food safety. Where possible and appropriate, the original wording from existing St Helena food legislation has been retained. The following explanatory notes give some of the justification and reasoning behind the structure and wording of the new draft Food Safety Ordinance.

Interpretation (Part 1)

The definitions from existing St Helena legislation have been collated and expanded to include definitions of words used elsewhere in the legislation.

 

• Food – the definition of food is a simplified one.
• Food Business Operator – has been used instead of owner or proprietor because it means that the person in charge of the business at the time of inspection or incident can be held responsible in the event of ownership being unclear. It includes managers and employees as well as those with an ownership. It will still allow enforcement if the owner is not on St Helena.
• Placing on the market – has been included as it allows the safety requirements to apply throughout the food chain when transfer of food occurs or when food is being processed. The requirements are not limited to occasions when a sale can be demonstrated.
• Bake Houses – have been defined as places where products are made for sale, thereby including private homes making cakes and other baked goods for retail or wholesale.
• Meaning of Sale – this extends the meaning of sale to food that is supplied in the course of a business, for example given as a prize or supplied during a stay in hospital.
• Presumption that food is intended for human consumption – This section specifies that food found on a food business will be presumed to be intended for human consumption unless otherwise marked or specified.

 

Implementation (Part 2)

Enforcement

 

• The legislation refers to the Regulatory Authority as being the authority responsible for the implementation of the Ordinance and its regulations. This is defined as the Public Health Board, as in the Fish and Fish Products Ordinance. The Board is now identified as the enforcement authority for the entire food safety legislation. Any prosecution should be taken in the name of the Regulatory Authority.
• The Ordinance specifies that the Regulatory Authority SHALL enforce and execute the provisions, thereby laying a duty on the Authority.

 

Authorised Officers and the Food Authority

Authorised officers will carry out duties on behalf of St Helena Government, specifically in the name of the Food Authority. Officers acting on behalf of the Food Authority will be appointed by the Governor and will have specific powers.

 

• Details of the duties of the Food Authority – for example how to inspect fresh meat or imported foods are contained in the proposed annexes to the Ordinance.
• The Food Authority is usually defined as the authority responsible for the delivery of official controls, i.e. whoever employs the authorised officers. It is proposed to name the Health Directorate as the Food Authority and the Public Health Board as the Regulatory Authority.
• The Food Authority has the responsibility for the delivery of official controls, i.e. ensuring that checks are carried out on Food Business Operators to assess their compliance. The Regulatory Authority has the responsibility for enforcing the provisions of the legislation.
• Any enforcement action will be taken in the name of the Regulatory Authority, not in the name of the officer personally. But, the action will be taken upon the recommendation of the authorised officer and may be implemented by him or her.
• Authorised officers acting on behalf of the Food Authority should not be held personally liable for their actions.

Power to Make Regulations

 

• The power to make regulations under the Ordinance rests with the Governor in Council. The subjects covered by the Ordinance take into consideration the potential expansion of the food industry on St Helena. By making regulations under the Ordinance all the relevant provisions, including definitions, powers, offences, defences and administration, apply to the regulations.
• The power to make regulations which require payment by the Food Business Operator for delivery of controls has been included to accommodate the possibility of cost recovery.
• The power to make regulations requiring the display of documents in a food premises has been included to allow the option for premises to be required to display any food hygiene rating which might be developed.

 

Offences (Part 3), Defences (Part 4), Enforcement (Part 5) and Administration (Part 6) will be summarised in next week’s article. 

SHG

9 September 2015

 

At the Executive Council Meeting on 25 August 2015, a new policy was approved – the Better Life Allowance.  This new policy forms part of the Sainsbury Review recommendations covered in the 2014 Budget Speech.

Importantly, this new allowance no longer forms part of the Island’s poverty assessment – and is therefore paid over and above other benefits.

The Better Life Allowance replaces the old disability pension and is designed to

cover additional costs that disability can often incur.  Individuals will be independently assessed on their disability and graded against a set of criteria.

The following four new ratings for allowances came into force on 1 September 2015:

 

• Low, £10
• Moderate, £15
• High, £35
• Severe, £60

All residents who are either on the disability register or receive the old pension have now been assessed and the new policy has been explained to them.

SHG

9 September 2015

As part of the Island’s Emergency Response plans the emergency planning team would like to compile a list of people who can converse in another language and who would be willing to assist should there be an incident involving overseas visitors who have a limited understanding of English.

If you would be willing to go on such a list please contact the Emergency Planning Manager, Ian Johnson on email ian.johnson@sainthelena.gov.sh  or tel: 25052 with your name, contact details and the languages you speak.

SHG

8 September 2015

 

During August 2015 the Statistics Office ran a public consultation to gather views and suggestions on topics for the 2016 Census Questionnaire. This consultation included newspaper articles, radio phone-ins, constituency meetings and poster campaigns – to engage the St Helena and overseas communities and encourage them to have their say.

The Statistics Office is pleased to report that during the four weeks of consultation a variety of helpful and productive comments were received from Saints both here and overseas. These comments highlighted points that needed clarifying, identified questions which people would like to see incorporated, as well as questions that were felt to be no longer relevant or useful.

One concern arising from this consultation centered on confidentiality and data security. The Statistics Office takes confidentiality and data protection very seriously and can assure the public that throughout the data handling process every possible measure will be taken to safeguard all data collected.

There was also a perception that some of the questions are quite ‘nosy’. But all questions that are asked on the Census form are asked for a reason – it is important information which cannot be reliably gathered from any other source. The Census will collect essential information which will inform planning and effective decision making on St Helena for many years to come, and it is vital that you take part. No-one will ever be able to pick out sensitive information about you or your household from the data published.

The next steps will be to look at the comments collected, taking into account UN principles and relevance to the St Helena community. After this, a draft of the proposed 2016 Census Questionnaire will be ready for piloting in November, when the Statistics Office will be asking a number of people to try out the questionnaire to make sure it ‘works’. We need to ensure that the questions are worded correctly, that they make sense and that people are happy to provide the information that is asked for. This is an important stage of the Census process and it is hoped that those who are invited to participate in the pilot give their full support.

The Statistics team would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who contributed and shared their views during the consultation period.

Although the formal consultation has ended, the Statistics team is still interested in any further comments people might have. You can get in touch via email statistics@sainthelena.gov.sh, tel: 22138 or just pop into the Castle for an informal chat.

Remember  – We count because YOU count!

SHG

8 September 2015

 

As part of the developments in the way the Emergency Services respond to emergencies, new tabards have been purchased to designate the Incident Commander for the Police, for the Fire and Rescue Service and for the Heath Directorate. These tabards will be worn by the senior official from each of the emergency services for identification purposes.

Chief of Police, Trevor Botting said:

“A visible command of incidents across the Island is key to ensuring an effective response and management of emergencies and incidents. These tabards will allow an easy identification of the lead officer from each of the emergency responders.

“Members of the community will now see these tabards in use as they will be used for a range of incidents such as road collisions, fires and other emergencies that require a response from more than one agency.”

Trevor Botting, Chief of Police

SHG

8 September 2015

Acting Financial Secretary Dax Richards departed the Island on Saturday 5 September 2015 on overseas leave and training.

The duties of Financial Secretary will now be undertaken by Nicholas Yon, Head of Accounting Services, until the return of the substantive post holder, Colin Owen, on 17 September 2015.

Nicholas this morning took the prescribed Oaths of Office in the presence of HE Governor Capes at the Castle (photo attached).

SHG

7 September 2015

There has been a lot of information in the press lately about the use of cannabis on the Island, so I thought that I would put forward some information from a health perspective.  My aim is to make this a balanced message based on the research available, to show that whilst cannabis is by no means one of the most dangerous illegal drugs around, it is certainly not risk free.

Cannabis (also known as Marijuana, Weed or Grass)  

How cannabis makes you feel

The effects of cannabis vary from person to person:

• Some people may feel chilled out, relaxed and happy
• Others get the giggles or become more talkative
• Hunger pangs are common – sometimes known as ‘getting the munchies’
• You may become more aware of your senses – colours may look more intense and music may sound better
• It’s common to feel as though time is slowing down

Cannabis can have other effects too:

• It makes some people feel faint and/or sick – this is sometimes known as a ‘whitey’
• It can make you feel sleepy and lethargic
• Some people find it affects their memory, making it harder to remember things
• It makes some people feel confused, anxious or paranoid, and some experience panic attacks and hallucinations. These effects are particularly common with stronger forms of cannabis, such as skunk and sinsemilla

If you use cannabis regularly it can make you demotivated and uninterested in other things going on in your life, such as education or work. Long-term use can affect your ability to learn and to concentrate.

Can you get addicted to cannabis?

In the past cannabis wasn’t thought to be addictive. However, research has shown that it can be addictive, particularly if you have been using it regularly for quite a while. About 10% of regular cannabis users are thought to be dependent.

As with other addictive drugs such as cocaine and heroin, you can develop a tolerance to it. This means you have to have more and more to get the same effects. If you stop taking it, you can experience withdrawal symptoms, such as cravings, difficulty sleeping, mood swings and irritability.

If you regularly smoke cannabis with tobacco, you’re likely to get addicted to nicotine and may develop tobacco-related illnesses, such as cancer and coronary heart disease. If you cut down or give up, you will experience withdrawal from nicotine as well as cannabis.

Risks associated with cannabis

Recent research has helped us better understand the health risks from using cannabis. We know that:

• Cannabis affects your ability to drive – This is one of the reasons why drug driving, like drink driving, is illegal. One French study found that drivers who had been using cannabis were more than twice as likely to cause a fatal car crash. And you can still be unfit to drive the day after smoking cannabis.
• If you smoke it, cannabis can be harmful to your lungs – Like tobacco, it contains cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens) that increase your risk of lung cancer. It can also make asthma worse, and cause wheezing in people without asthma. If you mix cannabis with tobacco and smoke it, the risks to your lungs are higher.

• Cannabis can harm your mental health – Cannabis plants produce a group of chemicals called cannabinoids, which produce mental and physical effects when consumed. Regular use is associated with an increased risk of developing a psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia. A psychotic illness is one where you experience hallucinations (when you see things that aren’t really there) and delusions (when you believe things that aren’t really true). Your risk of developing a psychotic illness is higher if you start using cannabis in your teens and if you have a family history of mental illness. Cannabis use has also been shown to increase the risk of a relapse in people who have schizophrenia, and could make existing symptoms worse.

• Cannabis may affect your fertility – Research done in animals suggests that cannabis can disrupt sperm production in males and ovulation in females.
• If you are pregnant, cannabis may harm your unborn baby – Research suggests that using cannabis during pregnancy could affect your baby’s brain development. Regularly smoking cannabis with tobacco is associated with an increased risk of your baby being born small or premature.

Does my age affect my risks?

The risks linked to using cannabis do seem to be higher for people who use it regularly from an early age, including the risk of developing a mental illness. It’s not clear why the risks are higher for people who start using cannabis when young but it may be linked to the fact that, during the teenage years, the brain is still forming its connections and cannabis interferes with this process.

We will also be looking at the use of cannabis on our regular radio shows so do phone in with any comments or questions and we will try our best to answer them.

Marian Kanes

Health Promotion Trainer

SHG

7 September 2015