Good public services are vital for an inclusive economy, a fair society and for people to live fulfilling lives. In the St Helena Government, our vision is to make St Helena a great place to live, learn, work, visit and invest and our mission is to improve the lives of all within our community and help the Island thrive.
The new structure for St Helena Government Public Services (SHGPS), which came into effect from 1 April 2021, is designed to equip the organisation to deal with present and future challenges, and to provide services which help to create a solid foundation for a fair economy and society which is able to make the most of potential opportunities.
This responsibility lies with five portfolios and a Central Support Service:
- Health and Social Care
- Education, Skills and Employment
- Environment, Natural Resources and Planning
- Safety, Security and Home Affairs
- Economic Development
- Central Support Service
The Health and Social Care Portfolio has overall responsibility for the Island’s health and social care through key services including Medical, Nursing and Community Care, Pharmacy and Laboratory and Dental. Health and Social Care also work with key agencies – Police, Education and Housing – to promote the wellbeing and safety of vulnerable children and adults in the St Helena community.
The Education, Skills and Employment Portfolio strives to provide an inclusive world-class education system with varied and flexible pathways for all to achieve, and which embraces St Helena’s culture and is tailored to its needs and future development. This Portfolio has begun establishing a new service, Career Access St Helena (CASH), which centralises all employment-related resources to support St Helena residents at every stage of their career.
The Environment, Natural Resources and Planning Portfolio’s responsibilities include environment, agriculture, fisheries, forestry and planning and building control – all of which work towards protecting and enhancing our natural environment – with policy responsibility for water and energy. This Portfolio is committed to sustainable and accountable growth of our natural capital.
The Safety, Security and Home Affairs Portfolio provides safety and security to St Helena and those who live, work and visit on the Island. This Portfolio is diverse and comprises the Police, Immigration, Customs, Port Control/Harbour and Maritime Authority, Fire and Rescue, Sea Rescue, Prison and Search and Rescue Services, Emergency Planning and Licensing.
The Treasury, Infrastructure and Sustainable Development Portfolio incorporates Corporate Finance and Company Registry. The Portfolio also comprises Infrastructure and Transport which includes Rockfall, Roads and Building Maintenance; Property, Housing, Lands Registration, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Project Management (PMO). The Sustainable Development team is responsible for Civil Aviation, Export, Trade and Investment and Marketing to deliver the Island’s economic/sustainable development activities.
The Central Support Service is predominantly made up of Policy and Planning, Corporate HR, Administration, and Transport Services. This Service is involved in all aspects of St Helena Government and underpins, leads and empowers operational delivery and strategic direction.
We thank you for your patience as the St Helena Government website is being updated to reflect a new portfolio structure.