Month: February 2016

Saint Helena Government announces bi-monthly shipping service to St Helena and Cape Town

On 19 February, SHG announced the conclusion of a shipping contract with AW Ship Management Ltd.  AWSM will provide a sea freight service between Ascension and Cape Town via St Helena every two months.  As per the RMS, the service will be able to ship cars, sea containers, personal belongings and freezer goods. Pricing information will be released shortly but is expected to show a modest increase over the subsidised RMS service. A few berths will also be available on each voyage between the islands.  However, the principal means for transporting people between the islands will be a monthly air service with Comair.

Commenting on the agreement the Administrator, Marc Holland, said: ‘This is good news for the many people on Ascension who rely mainly on imports from South Africa and St Helena.  It provides welcome security to Saints working on Ascension that they will be able to ship their belongings home.   I will do another round of public meetings in the first week of March to answer any questions and to provide an update on the negotiations now underway with Comair on the details of the air link service.  I am grateful to the Governor and Councillors on St Helena for supporting the many months of hard and complex work by SHG officials to ensure that a sea freight service will operate between the two islands when the RMS service ends.

Governor Mark Capes said: ‘This important agreement with AWSM is the product of many months of demanding work and I warmly congratulate all concerned in bringing the negotiations to a satisfactory conclusion.  I know that it will be especially welcome news for Saints on Ascension who were understandably anxious to know that a freight service would be in place when the RMS service ends later this year.  The interests of the Saint community on Ascension are never far from the minds of their family and friends in SHG and in the private sector here on St Helena.  As in other areas of activity of mutual concern, this agreement is testimony to that and to the close cooperation between AIG and SHG.’

The full press release from SHG can be found on the SHG website.

AIG, 22 February

Month: February 2016

Children’s playground gets a revamp

Article by Nicola Dillon; Photos by Colin Duncan

playground 1

After months of planning and preparation work, the Ascension Island Government was pleased to officially open the Children’s Park on Tuesday, 2 February.

Ginny Ferson, Deputy Governor of Bermuda and the UK Senior Officer responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Wass Inquiry Report recommendations, had the pleasure of cutting the ribbon and declaring the park officially open.

Beforehand the Administrator, Marc Holland, spoke a few words describing the background to the playground renovation, which was one of the projects which were fostered under the umbrella of the Bicentenary year celebrations.   The project began as a £85K bid from the Development Fund in the last Appropriation Ordinance and was intended to upgrade the children’s playground to bring the facility up to required safety standards and to replace the old play equipment with new equipment.

At this stage the Administrator handed over to Councillor Nicholas John who became the Island Council champion for the park.  Councillor John had been involved in the project from start to finish and he was instrumental in the design, project management and procurement of equipment for the playground.

Councillor John said that there had been great teamwork across AIG and the island generally in the project.  The core project team was supported by various AIG teams as required.  He said that it had been a privilege and an honour to work alongside the team on the project.  The project had been approached with humour and good spirit as well as a serious amount of thought, hard graft and dedication.  The end result was a playground that not only enticed and accommodated all ages of children and their parents, but kept within budget, was aesthetically pleasing and conformed to British Safety Standards.

Particular mention was made of team leader, Nicky Herne, who took ownership of the project and invested a huge amount of personal time and effort to ensure its success.  Councillor John said that Nicky demonstrated once more his infallible attention to detail and desire for perfection and quality.  The project, said Councillor John, depended on Nicky’s trade craft and managerial ability.

playground 3

playground 4 playground 2

Councillor John gave thanks to the following:

  • IDL, Southern Pole Services and Redhall Engineering who donated concreting materials
  • Berard Dupres and Babcock for sponsoring a proportion of the water used by the water feature
  • Steve Brown who was responsible for deploying the workforce in support of the project
  • The AIG Fire department who washed the apparatus in readiness for the Christmas Eve celebrations
  • Shalane Thomas who was responsible for the financial aspect of the project and kept the budget on track
  • Nicky Benjamin and the excavation team for preparing the grounds. Special mention was made of Martin Henry and Kevin Wade for their support throughout the installation.  Councillor John commented that nothing was too much trouble for them!
  • Roy Francis and Raymond Andrews for construction work. Councillor John explained that there was a lot of work hidden underground which was crucial to the safety of the structures.  He thanked Roy and Raymond for their hard work and commitment to deliver the project as soon as possible.
  • Patrick (Toby) Brooks, Mario Williams and Nathan Thomas for the electrical installation
  • Adrian Williams and Roy Thomas who carried out the plumbing works
  • Darren Benjamin who was invaluable in assembling the apparatus and lending support for the construction work
  • The following staff members were also part of the project team: Gareth Henry, Glen Lawrence, Steven O’Connor, Cormac Crowie and Gerald March

All are to be congratulated on their fine achievement!

 

Month: February 2016

Wildlife of the UK Overseas Territories event to be held in London

 

Britain's Treasure Islands Title (2)

Join explorer and filmmaker Stewart McPherson for an evening’s intrepid journey across all of Britain’s overseas lands. Travel with him from the equator to the South Pole, from lush tropical atolls in coral seas to active volcanoes and windswept Antarctic islands.

When: Thursday March 24th 6:45pm-10:00pm
Where: Royal Geographical Society, 1 Kensington Gore, London SW7 2AR, United Kingdom

Tickets are £10 (£8 concessions)
Available at yapsody.com
Please send enquiries to cwensink@ukotcf.org

The UK Overseas Territories are Britain’s most remote outposts. Scattered across all Seven Seas, they cover an area seven times the size of the British Isles. They are home to 350,000 British subjects, thousands of unique species and many of the greatest wildlife spectacles on earth…
Yet few know that the territories even exist or remain part of the United Kingdom today … even fewer appreciate these islands’ natural and cultural treasures.
Stewart will recount stories and highlights from filming a 4-part documentary series (broadcast on the BBC and across the world).

Land crabs spawning

Green turtle

Episode 1 (15)

He will reveal the territories’ most amazing wildlife spectacles; from some of the biggest penguin, turtle and seal colonies to the most pristine coral reefs on the planet. And their fascinating human history; from the world’s most remote settlements, to the mutiny on the Bounty to the imprisonment of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Along the way, Stewart will share some of the trials of his three year, 70,000 km journey on RAF military flights, one of the last working Royal Mail ships, trawlers, freighters, ice breakers and private charter yachts.

Guest speakers from across the territories share their insights on these incredible islands and the globally important wildlife that they harbour.
Come for a unique evening to discover an incredible secret side of the United Kingdom. One that you never knew existed!

Green Mountain 2

Episode 1 (11)

Green Mountain 1

This event is organised in association with the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum. All ticket proceeds will go towards protecting and promoting the territories.