Est.

2005

VOLUME XVI ISSUE 6, 15th JANUARY 2021, PRICE £1

All the Latest

Covid-19 Information
and News

Oxford Scientists:
How we developed our
COVID-19 vaccine in
record time
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A
POSITIVE CASE OF COVID-19
IN HOME QUARANTINE?

MV HELENA PASSENGER TRAVEL

FEBRUARY REPATRIATION FLIGHT

The key to Napoleon's prison

bedroom is going under the
hammer after it was unearthed
in a trunk in Scotland.
Questions in the House

Falkland Islands
Frustrated Over
Brexit Deal
 The World is Changing –
Can St Helena Change to Reap the Benefit?
Discussion article by Mike Olsson
This is the first article in a series of at least three highlighting
St Helena’s possibilities to benefit from a changing world.

It might appear strange to talk about progress and possibili-

ties in the midst of the world’s worst pandemic in a century
when millions of people have succumbed to the dreadful Covid-
19 virus. So far, St Helena has escaped the worst effects of
the virus but still we see a dwindling economy and in many
cases relative hardship. The local workforce which we tried
to attract home with anticipated wealth from tourism and re-
lated activities never came. Actually the momentum stalled
already before the Covid-19 outbreak but the travel restric- Would you rather live here than in St Helena?
tions around the world made it even worse. St Helena’s ‘tree- new type of tourism will evolve. Maybe hundreds of millions of
legged stool’, tourism, fishing and agriculture, has become people around the world have been used to working from home
legless and it is difficult to see any real possibility of success and are perfectly happy to do so. Most northern Europeans
with the current path. and other people living in places where the climate ore other
circumstances make it uncomfortable and inconvenient at
We have to believe that the pandemic will be contained in the home are looking for a better place to live. They can continue
not too distant future and the world can resume some kind of to work from home but the living conditions and the climate is
normality. much better than where they are living now.

One interesting point, which most people agree to, is that the It is time to prepare for residential tourism as an imperative
world around us will never go back to what we are used to. part of St Helena’s economic Development. Residential tour-
The way of life enforced upon us from the pandemic will re- ism is a concept involving the tourists to live and work on the
main for the future. We might see some recovery in tourism Island for the whole year or part of the year. Many of them will
trade in a few years’ time but it will not go back to what it still be working from their home on St Helena, running their
once was, at least not for decades. These days, in times of overseas businesses or employment in a more enjoyable
lock-down in many countries people have been accustomed environment. It is important to emphasise that a concept for
with working from home and participate in many activities residential tourism for St Helena is not directed towards a
virtually rather than physically. Many people see benefit in superrich elite, they can find many other places to go, but to
their new lifestyle and enjoy working from home, avoiding the professionals and business people in many different occupa-
dreadful commuting, clock-watching, crowds and queues. tions. It might also appeal to retired people looking for a bit of
sunshine. There people are, by St Helenian standards, wealthy
In short, it does not matter all that much where you physi- but not necessarily multimillionaires or billionaires.
cally are on the planet anymore. It does not matter when you
are talking over Zoom, Whatsapp or Skype if the person you I bet that this concept might look scary to many but we will
are talking to is next door on the other side of the planet. try to explain the benefits and risks with this form of tourism
This is a reality for most western people and this reality has in the coming two or three weeks. More next week.
been enforced by the pandemic and it here to stay.
JAMESTOWN COMMUNITY CENTRE
What has this to do with St Helena, you might ask. St Helena’s SKITTLES SEASON – 2020/21
biggest limitation to economic growth has always been its RESULTS
remoteness and it minute local market for goods and serv- DATE: 4Th. January:
Strugglers - 464 Bt Young Alcoholics - 457
ices. This limitation has now to a great extent disappeared, >ĂĚLJ͛Ɛ,^Đ. Sally Hickling 59 Anisa Moyce 53
or at least eroded. 'ĞŶƚ͛Ɛ,^Đ. Stuart Isaac 63 Kyle Yon 58
Wayne Crowie 58
Lady͛s H Sp. E. Newman-Yon 11
Soon, within a few months, the Equiano cable will be landed 'ĞŶƚ͛Ɛ,^Ɖ. Kyle Yon 11
in Rupert’s Bay. If the Island plays its cards right St Helena
can provide one of the fastest and cheapest broadband con- DATE: 6th. January:
Parttimers - 515 Bt Never Readys - 482
nections in the world. This will be our super highway to the >ĂĚLJ͛Ɛ,^Đ. Stacey Williams 61
outside world. 'ĞŶƚ͛Ɛ,^Đ. Denny Leo 71 Fabian Peters 64
Looking at this short outline of how the world outside St Helena >ĂĚLJ͛Ɛ,^Ɖ͘ Stacey Williams 13
is changing at the same time as we are provided with the 'ĞŶƚ͛Ɛ,^Ɖ͘ David Reynolds 13 Fabian Peters 16
tools to compete on a global market.
Upcoming fixtures:
Monday, 18th. January: Parttimers v Strugglers
As mentioned earlier, it is unlikely that the classic form of Wednesday, 20th. January: Super Shots v Young Alcoholics
tourism industry will come back to its former prosperity, a Tables and First Leg Standings next week

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 2
 From the House of Parliament
Vince Thompson
Questions in the House
From January last year to this month so far British MPs or
Members of the House of Lords have found issues about St
Helena important enough to raise as questions to ministers
on seventeen occasions. Many of the questions have been
about pandemic preparedness in St Helena and UK funding
provision to implement the precautionary measures. In the
House of Lords one member wanted to know how the appli-
cation for World Heritage Status was progressing. St Helena
was one of ten locations listed in the question. The answer
Lord Blencathra received told him that locations not men-
tioned in the answer to the question may “have determined
that they do not intend to move forward with the development
of a nomination at this stage”. St Helena was one of the
locations not specifically mentioned in the minister’s response.
St Helena made an application for World Heritage Status ex-
actly nine years ago and is still deciding whether or not “to
move forward with the development” as the UK minister deli-
cately puts it.
There were also a couple of questions about the Blue Belt
programme which automatically included St Helena. The
answers to questions like this often include some proud and
patriotic boasts. The UK and the British Overseas Territories
have more than 4 million square kilometres of marine pro-
tected area it was proudly stated. The French Territories have
11 million square kilometres, but we will pass over that one.
The response to this question finished with “The next phase
of the Blue Belt programme, subject to the comprehensive
Spending Review, will seek to expand engagement, and pro-
vide broader support for all Territories to protect their marine
environment, while further developing sustainable marine
economies.” This question was asked in June last year. The
Spending Review was published in November. In November
the RSPCA commented, “We were surprised the settlement
was silent about the future of the Blue Belt programme espe-
cially given the Prime Minister’s desire to furnish his interna-
tional leadership credentials on the ambition for 30% of sea
to be protected by 2030.” Prior to the Spending Review the
UK Government website told us, “The programme was sup-
ported by nearly £20 million CSSF funding from 2016 to 2020;
and has been extended to 2021 with additional funding of £7
million.” What happens between 2022 and 2030 appears to
be as much up in the air as The Helena’s application for World
Heritage status. By the way, St Helena’s Blue Belt Manager,
Elisabeth Clingham, had a blog on this Island’s Blue Belt
posted earlier this month on the UK Government website;-
see https://marinedevelopments.blog.gov.uk/2021/01/06/spot-
light-on-st-helena/.
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
As for other questions; it’s not possible to know how many
Saints are in the Armed Forces because the computer does
not give the information in that way. The best that can be got
is there are between five and ten recruits from the Overseas
Territories. One juicy looking answer to another question
stated a firearms export licence for St Helena was revoked.
The juice dried up when the reason it was revoked was given
as ‘issued in error’.
One snotty-nosed MP asked a few questions about how many
Overseas Territory students receive higher education in the
UK, what advantage does the UK get from this and could the
Overseas Territory students pay the same rate as other over-
seas students? The replies to these questions always started
with, “The government fully recognises the important contri-
bution that international students make to the UK’s higher
education sector, including those from the British Overseas
Territories, both economically and culturally.” If that was not
enough as a put-down the answers to Mr Snot Nose MPs
questions always continued with, “We have set out our ambi-
tion to increase the number of international higher education
students hosted in the UK to 600,000 per year by 2030, within
the International Education Strategy.”
More interestingly, the response to Snot Nose included a
table giving the number of students from each of the Over-
seas Territories who were studying at higher education es-
tablishments in 2018-19.
May all your troubles last as
Domicile 2018/19
long as your resolutions
Anguilla
Bermuda
55
500
British Virgin Islands 180
Cayman Islands 315
Falkland Islands 50
Gibraltar 900
Montserrat 15
Pitcairn Islands 0
St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha 25
Turks and Caicos Islands 95
British Overseas Territories Total 2,130
The number from St Helena is good. The population of Anguilla
is more than three times St Helena’s but the number of fur-
ther education students from Anguilla in the UK is only twice
as many. The population of Montserrat is a few hundred
more than St Helena but they managed to send only 15 stu-
dents to the UK to further their education.
To kick off this year, Lord Jones of Cheltenham tabled a ques-
tion this week about Brexit (The Trade and Co-operation
Agreement) and fishing in the South Atlantic. His question
reads as follows:-
“To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the departure
of the UK from the EU, what assessment they have made of
the impact on exports to the EU of (1) fish from St Helena, (2)
crayfish from Tristan da Cunha, and (3) squid and meat from
the Falkland Islands.”
Due for answer in 14 days (by 28 January 2021), we’ll keep
you posted.
3

Space permitting there should be an article in this edition
written by two Oxford scientists who are closely involved with
the development of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. It is a
bit technical in parts but the prospects for this vaccine are
good. The Oxford University research team were certainly in
the right place at the right time with the right research ready
and waiting. When a vaccine for Covid-19 was called for, The
Oxford University team had already been working on and test-
ing an important part of the vaccine development for ten years.
They hit the ground running because they had been testing
that part of the vaccine which triggers the immune system to
destroy the Covid-19 bug (called SARS-CoV-2) on other dis-
eases.
In a press release issued by Oxford University it is explained
the Oxford vaccine is made from a weakened version of the
common cold virus which is genetically changed to make it
impossible to grow in humans. The press release continues
by describing the vaccine as stable, easily manufactured,
transported and stored at domestic fridge temperatures. All
of this means it can be rapidly and widely distributed.
AstraZeneca has international agreements in place to supply
three billion doses of the vaccine through supply agreements
and partner networks.
Oxford University and AstraZeneca are committed to provide
the vaccine on a not-for-profit basis while the pandemic con-
tinues. Beyond that, low and middle income countries will
still buy the vaccine at cost price.
The Oxford vaccine, like Pfizer, Moderna and others are all
applying for Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) from regu-
latory authorities. Full authorisation usually takes years; the
fastest full approval was for mumps in the 1960s, which took
four-and-a-half years. Nobody wants to wait that long for a
vaccine to protect us from Covid-19. EUAs are a standard
approach used by regulatory authorities when vaccines or
medicines are justifiably needed as soon as possible.
Reports suggest that the regulatory authorities in the UK,
Europe and the US assess vaccines and medicines under
emergency conditions in much the same way and on the ba-
sis of the same information supplied by pharmaceutical com-
panies. It is suggested that the UK was able to issue a EUA
before Europe and the US because the Medicines and
Healthcare Authority (MHRA), the UK regulator, checked and
assessed the Oxford vaccine at critical stages of its develop-
ment. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United
States did not do that which meant the assessment took
longer. The certification process used in the US (as opposed
to the investigatory process) is described as being more bu-
reaucratic than the UK’s MHRA because more organisations
want to be involved in giving the final stamp of approval.
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
Tel: [+290] 22327
Email: independent@helanta.co.sh
http: www.saint.fm
The UK’s regulatory authority has a reputation for being more
efficient and responsive than its counterparts in other coun-
tries or regions. Prof Clive Page, President-Elect of the
British Pharmacological Society (BPS), said: “News of
regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine (by the MHRA) is
a real moment of hope for a way through the pandemic. It is
a testament to the UK’s long-standing leadership in medi-
cines regulation and safety that the UK was able to prioritise
this assessment and progress it so quickly. It’s important to
note that in this case, speed was the result of focused and
sustained effort in research, development and regulation – no
safety shortcuts were taken. As is standard with any new
therapeutic, the regulators will continue to monitor the vac-
cine as it is rolled out in the coming days, weeks and months.”
The relief that a vaccine against Covid-19 had been approved
was widespread among highly placed, and qualified, admin-
istrators in the UK medical world. Prof Fiona Watt, Execu-
tive Chair, UK Medical Research Council (MRC) an-
nounced, “This is great news – the MHRA is to be congratu-
lated on moving so swiftly to approve the vaccine for public
benefit”.
In Europe and the United States regulators made guarded
statements about the UK being the first country to give ap-
proval to a Covid-19 vaccine. Their less than fulsome wel-
come when they received the news has been interpreted as
being a little petulant because their systems and processes
can be seen as overly cumbersome. Developments since
the MHRA announcement at the end of December show sup-
port and confidence in the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The
Serum Institute in India is ready with the Oxford vaccine and
a pharmaceutical company in Australia is producing hundreds
of thousands of the Oxford vaccine before a formal EUA is
issued in that country.
In St Helena we may have only 100 doses of the Oxford vac-
cine at the moment, but we are well ahead of most countries
in the world.
Vince
4
 St Helena adds three more to the two million known species
in the world
There are around two million scientifically identified species
in the world. The number of species still unknown to mankind
could take the total up to 100 million; but that is a guess,
nobody knows. Three species of newly discovered micro-
moth which feed on fungus and are probably flightless were
found at Horse Point and around Gregory’s Battery. The St
Helena National Trust obtained funding from the Darwin Initia-
tive for the ‘search, find and identify’ project. The Trust ben-
efited from the valuable assistance of Timm Karisch of the
Museum of Natural History and Prehistory in Dessau-Roßlau,
Germany who led the project with help from a team of St
Helena National Trust bug specialists. Timm has also made
new discoveries on Ascension.

Other discoveries included one known species of moth in St

Helena has, in fact, two variations, making three species rather
than one. All three species have a smallish characteristic
gold mark in the centre of their otherwise generally brown-
mottled wings. During the project other Lepidoptera (moths
and butterflies) which have not been seen for many years The Elachistatrifasciata moth - only found on Diana’s
were sighted. One small and beautiful moth Peak, if you’re very lucky
(Elachistatrifasciata) which was first seen in 1875 was redis-
covered but only one was found. In 1875 thirty specimens
were collected.

We hear many reports about the rate of extinctions and en-

dangered status of species from elephants and bone sharks
to the smallest creepy-crawlies. While the high number of
reports of species becoming extinct is alarming the extinc-
tion rate is impossible to quantify when there is no reliable
evidence of the actual number of species feeding off this planet.
It is calculated the rate of extinction is between 1,000 and
10,000 times higher than what has been called the natural
extinction rate. This term is used to describe the rate of ex-
tinction if man was not on this planet to make matters worse.
Putting numbers to percentages and rates is equally difficult.
On the basis of around two million species being known to
mankind, it is thought between 200 and 2,000 become ex-
tinct every year. Bearing in mind that mankind does not know Due to the growing illegal trade of the Roti Island
all the species in the world, the more realistic total for spe- snake-necked turtle, the species – endemic to eastern
cies extinction is probably between 10,000 and 100,000 every Indonesia – is close to extinction.
year.

SPECIALS ON ALCOHOL & BEER – PHILIP JOHN’S SHOP

HARRIER WHISKY 750ml £19.50 CASTLE LITE Bottle & Can £32.00 per case
OLD BROWN SHERRY 750ml £7.50 WINDHOEK BOTTLE £32.00 per case

SCOTTISH LEADER 750ml £22.00

SPICE RUM 750ml £22.00
SMIRNOFF VODKA 750ml £22.00
FIRST WATCH WHISKY 750ml £22.00
GORDONS GIN 750ml £22.00
TEACHERS WHISKY 1 ltr £22.00
KWV BRANDY 750ml £22.00
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 5
 Oxford scientists: how we developed our COVID-19 vaccine in
record time
Authors - Tonia Thomas, Vaccine Knowledge Project Manager, University of Oxford
Rachel Colin-Jones, Visiting Academic, Centre for Clinical Vaccinology and Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford
The pandemic is only a year old, but we already have multi-
ple vaccines available to fight COVID-19 – including the vac-
cine developed by the team we’re part of at the University of
Oxford.
With our partner AstraZeneca, we have submitted both
interim efficacy data and safety data for the vaccine to regu-
lators across the world for independent scrutiny and approval.
So far the vaccine has been approved for emergency use in
the UK, India, Morocco, Argentina and El Salvador.
As well as being great news for getting us back to normal,
this represents a phenomenal scientific achievement. Typi-
cally, developing a vaccine takes decades – but we have sev-
eral available for COVID-19 after just 12 months. Here’s how
we managed this for the Oxford vaccine.
A head-start on development
Our vaccine works by delivering the genetic sequence of the
SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the body’s cells (the spike pro-
teins are the distinctive structures that “crown” the
coronavirus’s surface). The body’s cells read this genetic code
and start producing copies of the spike protein, and the im-
mune system then mounts a response against these pro-
teins and remembers them. This means that if SARS-CoV-2
later enters the body, its spike proteins will immediately flag
it to the immune system for destruction.
This may sound complicated, but when the pandemic ar-
rived, we had a head start, as we had already developed a
delivery method – or “platform” – for our vaccine and had been
testing it for other diseases for almost ten years. Known as
the ChAdOx1 viral vector technology, this platform was cre-
ated by modifying a harmless adenovirus that causes the
common cold in chimpanzees.
ChAdOx1 was chosen as it can generate a strong immune
response and is not a replicating virus, so cannot cause an
infection. It had already been used safely in thousands of
subjects in clinical trials of vaccines
for other diseases including Middle Eastern respiratory
syndrome (Mers), which is caused by another type of
coronavirus.
Our ongoing research into ChAdOx1 was part of preparing
for ”Disease X”, one of eight diseases prioritised for research
by the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the risk they
pose to public health. COVID-19 has since been added to
this list.
Disease X is a placeholder name that highlights that the next
serious epidemic could be caused by a pathogen as yet un-
known to scientists, which is what happened with the
coronavirus.
Once researchers in China had mapped the genetic sequence
of the coronavirus, we were able to quickly produce our
COVID-19 vaccine by combining the ChAdOx1 vector with
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
the genetic sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
The preparation for Disease X ultimately allowed our research
team to move straight into testing our vaccine in animals in
early 2020, and then to combine the data from these tests with
data we had already gathered in previous trials using ChAdOx1,
to show that what we were developing worked.
Making human trials more efficient
With good data from our animal studies, we were ready to
move onto clinical trials – essentially a series of tests to show
that a treatment is safe and effective in humans.
Vaccine trials are typically split into three phases. Phase 1
assesses the safety of a vaccine and how well it is tolerated,
as well as the immune response. Phase 2 involves testing on
a larger, more diverse group of people and is used to identify
the optimal dose and schedule.
Phase 3 then aims to test the safety and efficacy of a vaccine
in a large group of people, often in multiple locations. This is
usually assessed by monitoring how many cases of the dis-
ease are seen in a group that gets the vaccine versus a group
that doesn’t.
Ordinarily, the different trial phases are run separately, often
with time between them for preparing protocols and funding
applications, then seeking ethical and regulatory approvals.
But for our vaccine, we undertook combined phase 1 and 2
and phase 2 and 3 trials to speed up the development proc-
ess. This doesn’t mean that any of the required steps were
missed out, but rather that we could launch the next stage of
the trial as soon as we had collected enough data from the
previous phase and had it reviewed by the independent Data
Safety Monitoring Board.
Moving quickly but safely
Some people have questioned the speed of vaccine develop-
ment during the pandemic. However, the Oxford COVID-19
vaccine trial – which is still ongoing – is undergoing the same
intense scrutiny as other vaccine trials.
Throughout, all participants are being closely monitored, and
a report is made about anyone who has a medically signifi-
cant illness or is hospitalised, for whatever cause, even a bro-
ken leg. If any of these events is thought to be possibly re-
lated to the vaccine, an independent review takes place to
carefully assess the medical information. While this happens,
vaccinations are paused. They’re then restarted once the re-
view is complete and it is considered safe to continue.
All told, the vaccine will have been tested on almost five times
as many volunteers as is usually required for licensing a vac-
cine. By the end of the trials we’re running, 24,000 people will
have taken part in four countries and another 30,000 in trials
run by our partners. Testing in different populations is crucial,
as any vaccine developed for COVID-19 is likely to be de-
ployed to a large number of people worldwide.
6
 Trans Atlantic rower passes St Helena

Zirk Botha cresting a swell in ‘Rotel’ his self-righting

rowing boat
On hundred days of rowing 3,800 nautical miles across the
South Atlantic from Cape Town to Rio de Janeiro without
assistance is what faced Zirk Botha on 19th December when
as he passed Robben Island at the start of his Row2Rio
project. Using a similar route and weather window as the
Cape to Rio yacht race Botha is sponsored by Juwi, a re-
newable energy company. He passed St Helena on Mon-
day, Day 24 of his campaign to raise awareness of environ-
59 year old Zirk Botha – with well developed biceps
ment and sustainable development issues. Calculating he is
about one week ahead of his planned schedule, Botha com-
pleted 1,350 nautical miles as he passed St Helena.
The boat is constructed like a life boat to self-right, meaning
the boat will roll back upwards in case the boat is tipped in
extreme weather. The boat is 6.5 m long, with a 1.62 m beam
and weighs about 550 kg, including all equipment, spares and
food loaded. The boat is powered by two 12 V batteries con-
nected in parallel with a combined 200 aH (amp hour) capac-
ity. Solar panels recharge the batteries and there is in the
boat a desalinator, high frequency radio with GPS, automatic
identification, satellite phone and digital selective calling.

The key to Napoleon's prison bedroom is going under the hammer

after it was unearthed in a trunk in Scotland.
The key to Napoleon's prison bedroom is going under the
hammer after it was unearthed in a trunk in Scotland. The
French Emperor died in exile, as a prisoner of the British, in
Longwood, St Helena.

Napoleon was exiled to the island after his defeat at Waterloo

and was there until his death in 1821. Charles Richard Fox, a
"military man", was on St Helena and brought the key back
home. He gave it to his mother, Baroness Holland, a "superfan"
of the French former ruler, who sent Napoleon books and
sweetmeats. Her descendants have unpacked the key from a
trunk and are now auctioning the item.
David Macdonald, Sotheby's senior specialist, English Furni-
ture, said: "We see things associated with Napoleon all the
time, important pictures or furniture from one of his amazing
houses or homes. "But there's something about a key which,
particularly as it comes from where he was incarcerated, is
quite powerful, especially as it's the key to the room where he
died." He said: "We found it in an envelope in a trunk in a
house in Scotland. The family who had it, always knew it was
around but it was tucked away... "It's something otherworldly....
It was as powerful and potent an object then as it is today."
The prison, while not "as lavish as the great palaces of state
that Napoleon was used to in France," was "very smart and
very fashionably decorated" and built by the British for the
prisoner. "It wasn't a prison cell by any means. He was a
respected foe," Macdonald said.
The key will go under the hammer at Sotheby's together with
a piece of ageing yellow paper inscribed with Fox's note: "Key
of the room at Longwood, in which Napoleon died". Fox writes
that he took the key out of the lock himself on September 6,
1822, when he visited following Napoleon's death. Another
item is inscribed 'Bit of the paper, close to the spot where
Napoleon's bed, in which he died, stood."
The key is expected to fetch £5,000 at Sotheby's in London,
and is being offered as part of the Royal & Noble online sale
which closes for bidding on January 14.

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 7
 Using Smartphone technology to detect water leaks
The report from the Utilities Regulator, published last week in
the Independent included an agreement between the Regula-
tor and Connect St Helena that leakages and burst pipes in
the water distribution system should reduce by 35% over the
next 5 to 7 years. Leaks in water distribution systems are
common to every water utility company. In the UK its esti-
mated 660 MILLION gallons are lost EVERY DAY.

The answer, a recent report claims, is technology, and lots of

it. The UK water company that treats and distributes water in
the north-west of England has already installed 42,000 sen-
sors to identify leaks and plans to install 102,000 more. The
sensors use accelerometers, the same technology that de-
tects movement on smartphones. The UK utilities regulator
is pressing UK water companies to reduce the volume of wa-
ter lost through leakage. In the UK there is growing pressure
for leaks to be reduced by 16% over the next five years.
Sensors can identify the noise made by a water leak
A range of technologies are being used by the various water waterlines which are all buried well below ground level.
companies in the UK. Leaks can be detected by the noise
they make as well as by movement. Sensors called acoustic St Helena’s water pipe network is mostly lying on the ground
loggers are starting to be used by some utility companies. where the sun accelerates deterioration of the pipes and tem-
Another clever development is using ‘narrow band internet of perature changes loosen the pipe connections. While some
things (NB-IoT) as a means of transmitting signals from thou- main pipelines have been buried, burying the entire network
sands of remote sensors using a small slice of bandwidth. would be a massive and expensive job. In theory, fitting sen-
This helps to preserve the batteries with the pipe sensors sors to detect leaks should be much easier in St Helena com-
which are meant to last for years. Replacing the batteries pared to the UK but getting the funding to buy, install and
would be a major exercise in excavation to gain access to the monitor the sensors is probably the biggest job of all.

ROAD CLOSURE IN JAMESTOWN

The Highways Authority have given approval for the road from the Rose & Crown shop to Ladder
Hill Corner to be closed to vehicular traffic 24 hours per day effective from 1pm on Saturday, 16
January to Sunday, 31 January 2021.
Persons who normally park along this road are kindly asked to remove their vehicles before
1pm on Saturday, 16 January 2021. Access by foot will be maintained for residents in the area.
This road closure will allow Connect Saint Helena to replace the water mains in that area.
The public are asked to be vigilant and follow any instructions given by staff or signage when
walking or driving pass the work area as plant and equipment will be in use. Connect has also
been given permission to use Duke of Edinburgh playground as a laydown area for materials
for this project.
Connect Saint Helena Ltd thanks the public for their cooperation during this road closure.
14 January 2021

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 8
 You Can Vote on Your Future Next Month
Vince Thompson
It is crunch time at today’s Legislative Council. At last the
councillors are making a decision on giving you the opportu-
nity to vote on how you prefer to be governed. It is expected
the proposal for a consultative poll will be supported by the
majority of councillors and the arrangements made for a poll
will go-ahead next month. No date in February has yet been
publicised; there will be just five or six weeks to organise the
consultative poll.
A main part or the organising will be the special arrange-
ments for voting in the consultative poll. The report to Legis-
lative Council explains, those named in the July 2020 update
of the Register of Electors will be able to vote together with:-
1. others who have applied to have their name added to
that Register since its publication
2. applications that have been publicised in an Extraordi-
nary Government Gazette Notice
3. people who have St Helenian status or be ordinarily
resident in St Helena and aged 17 years of age or over but
choose not to be on the voting register can apply to be added
to a supplementary list which will be used only for the con-
sultative poll
4. eligible persons who are temporarily absent from St
Helena for employment purposes in the Falklands or Ascen-
sion Island will be required to nominate a Proxy in St Helena
to vote on their behalf
The question asked in the Consultative Poll
The question is in two separate halves. The first question is
straightforward:-
Do you want the current system of governance to be changed?
The answer to this is a simple Yes or No.
It is intended that all voters answer the second question, even
if the answer to the first question was no. The second ques-
tion is in two parts:-
If the public will is for a change to the current system of gov-
ernance, should the governance system be changed to:
(i) a revised committee system of governance? or
(ii) a ministerial system of governance?
For those who intend to vote Yes to the first question and
want change, progression to the second question is logical
and natural.
For those who vote No to the first question voting for one of
the options for change will seem contradictory. It seems the
our Elected Representatives want those who do not want
change to give a preference which will be taken into account
if the majority of voters say Yes to the first question and are
in favour of a different system of government. It appears to be
a version of the Single Transferable Vote or STV. The STV
voting system is complicated, even confusing, but complica-
tions and confusion is what we have come to expect from our
present system of government.
Where It All Began
In May 2019, the Governor discussed possible changes to
the system of governance with Informal (?) Legislative Coun-
cil. After discussions and requests for assistance with DFID
the story started on 18th September 2019 as far as the public
is concerned when the Governor issued an announcement
with the heading, “An Open Question: How do we want to
govern ourselves? It was pointed out, “the present system of
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
government means no one within the body of elected council-
lors is explicitly accountable for the performance of any part
of government.” The next stage was Dr Jeremy Sarkin com-
ing to St Helena on 21st September to lead discussions at
public meetings and gather views on how to improve our “less-
than-ideal, some have said disjointed, way of making deci-
sions and operating the public services”. Dr Sarkin published
his preliminary report and returned to St Helena for a second
round of discussions and information gathering. Sarkin’s ver-
dict was, “there is an overwhelming desire for change”. The
change he proposed was to either try to improve the commit-
tee system we now have or to switch to a more accountable,
more responsive and more decisive ministerial system.
Dr Sarkin, having finished his work, retreated into the back-
ground as our Elected Representatives considered how the
system of government might be reformed. The first step was
to set up a Governance Commission made up of people who
were not in government but were thought to know something
about how the St Helena Government is organised and the
ways in which it does or does not run smoothly. Between
May and July 2020 the Governance Commission held another
round of public meetings, held discussion forums upon re-
quest with people in their workplaces, took part in radio dis-
cussions and received written comments. At the end of all
this a report was submitted to Legislative Council in August
last year giving views on how both a revised committee sys-
tem and a ministerial system could be applied in St Helena.
The Governance Commission was not asked to choose one
system in preference to the other.
In October last year, after considering the report from the Gov-
ernance Commission, Legislative Council decided to set up a
Progress Committee. The Progress Committee was to final-
ise the details of how a revised committee system or ministe-
rial system will work, set in motion the drafting of constitu-
tional amendments which will be necessary, consider how
the question in a referendum or consultative poll would be
phrased, consider what financial resources might be neces-
sary to make the consultative poll and the changes to govern-
ment possible and liaise with the Foreign, Commonwealth
and Development Office on the proposed changes. The
Progress Committee agreed with the Governance Commis-
sion that no extra costs should be necessary. The report to
today’s Legislative Council states, “Discussions in the
Progress Committee substantially agreed with the changes
to the present governance arrangements suggested previously
by the Governance Commission.”
All of that led to the decision being asked for today at Legisla-
tive Council;-
A consultative poll to be taken in February 2021 with two ques-
tions appearing on the ballot paper as follows:-
(a) Do you want the current system of governance to be
changed?
And
(b) If the public will is for a change to the current system of
governance, should the governance system be changed to:
(i) a revised committee system of governance? or
(ii) a ministerial system of governance?
9

Your
Opinion
Counts
Dear Editor,
I would like to begin this letter by say-
ing that the contents does not have an
reflection on the part that Her Majesty
the Queen and the part she plays in
awarding honours, as her Majesty has
fond memories of her visit to the island
in 1947 and apparently makes mention
of such when people from the island
have had the privilege to be in her com-
pany. Her Majesty is much loved and
respected by us all. In any case nomi-
nations originate from here.
I am positive that all of us St Helenians
were very pleased with the announce-
ment of the award of the honour that
was given to Captain Adam Williams our
very own home bred St Helenian, in this
New Year’s honours list as a member
of the Most Excellent Order of the Brit-
ish Empire. The citation in the award
referred to his involvement for services
to the island during Covidvirus Pandemic
that is playing havoc in the world today.
Nevertheless, we see it in another re-
spect whereby he has earned it by his
life of commitment to the island from a
very early age - his career as a master
mariner serving on the RMS St Helena
and succeeding as Captain when the
late Rodney Young MBE passed on.
Adam’s heart has always been in his
home and supported the various chari-
ties when in desperate need of funding,
especially the youth organisations. He
earned this award and we through your
paper send him our heartily congratula-
tions and to say how proud we are of
his achievements throughout his career
thus far and to wish him well for the fu-
ture.
Having mentioned the New Year’s Hon-
ours List, it would be remiss not to
mention the other award of the British
Empire Medal that was made in St
Helena association with the Covid
Pandemis. In the United Kingdom a lot
of people working in the front services
associated with the virus, providing serv-
ices and caring for vulnerable people
were also recognised. However here on
the island we were amazed that an award
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
of the British Empire Medal was given
for services for the renovations carried
out at Bradley’s quarantine station. Like
many others, I question the reasoning
for this. Though there were aspects of
good work done, there were also seri-
ous problems that would not have oc-
curred if the project had been managed
efficiently. Contractors and other people
employed on the conversion of Bradleys
were very well paid The substantial
amount of DFID funding for the project
one has to admit was quite substantial
so there was no excuse for shoddy
work. Good supervision and planning
is the essence that is needed for such a
project.
With all due respect the public should
be told of the procedures, criteria for
nominations and the organisation in-
volved locally for processing Awards in
determining recommendations to FCO
as well as for the local awards . This
will no doubt go along way of demon-
strating fairness.
This hiatus has brought to surface after
years of concern that there is a serious
imbalance in the way nominations are
selected and who should be awarded in
recognition for meeting the criteria and
submitted for local and FOC awards.
There have been instances whereby
those who deserved recognition were not
rewarded, and those whose face fits did.
Last year a lady who was honoured in
last year’s Queens Birthday Honours List
was also awarded a BEM for her devo-
tion to the island in educating our chil-
dren, who over the past 50 years has
diligently spent days, months and years
in research work preserving and record-
ing our island’s history and was greatly
involved with the Heritage Society and
the National Trust. Put this alongside of
latest award of the same honour, what
does this tell us?
There is an old island saying that goes
like this “to get recognised it is not what
you know but who you know” and an-
other which says “the more you do the
less you get”. Not wanting to be sinis-
ter, these old island saying are not to
be sneezed at, because there are some
truth in them. I hope this letter will bring
the points raised to readers both here
and overseas challenging how things are
done, more so it demonstrates that those
who have earned either get short changed
or gets left out.
Yours sincerely
Mona Lisa
Editor’s Note
The ‘old island sayings’ referred to in this
letter are commonly used across the
English speaking world. People are
more alike than we sometimes think.
Comments on improving the Honours
System often surface in the UK media;
“Lord Speaker ‘fuming’ over Boris
Johnson’s honours lists” was one head-
line after the 2021 New Years Honours
list was published. “Johnson has been
stuffing the House with donors - not to
mention a relative and the odd oligarch”
is what the Speaker in the House of
Lords was fuming about.
Dear Editor,
THE CON STITUENT
Statement to the Adjournment
Debate – Formal LegCo – 15th
January 2021
Mr Speaker,
Constituents have voiced serious con-
cerns reflecting a lack of public confi-
dence in the ability of their twelve elected
representatives to collectively work in the
best interests of the island at Council
level.
Through democratic process, the Elec-
torate voted twelve representatives on
to Council to work in the island’s best
interests.
Collectively, the twelve elected repre-
sentatives selected the five colleagues
to serve on the Executive Council
(ExCo).
Having observed the factors that led up
to the motion, tabled at the last formal
Legislative Council meeting, relating to
the dissolution of Executive Council, we
can understand the constituents’ con-
cerns.
With this in mind, all twelve elected rep-
resentatives may want to reflect and
consider the advantages and importance
of the “meeting of minds” approach, in
Council forums, to find common ground,
for the common good, and thereby
achieve the best possible outcomes for
the local community, before attempting
to dismantle local Council.
All twelve elected representatives have
the community’s best interests at heart,
and thereby the loyalty of each individual
elected representative to the electorate
10
Your
Opinion
Counts
is not in question. However, what is
being questioned is the apparent inabil-
ity of all twelve elected representatives
to first exhaust all meaningful avenues
of communication and work more col-
lectively, through positive debate, in
Council forums, particularly on matters
relating to major items such as Covid-
19 and the protection of the local popu-
lation.
Constitutionally, the five ExCo elected
members make up the principal deci-
sion-making body of local government;
accordingly, ExCo stands to be scruti-
nised and held accountable for the de-
cisions that are taken. However, col-
lective preliminary caucusing, by all
twelve elected members, can make a
positive contribution to executive con-
siderations and deliberations leading up
to the ExCo decision making process.
More than ever, this challenging period
in time for the people of St Helena re-
quires a sustained “meeting of minds”
approach at Council level.
Speaker and Deputy Speaker, during
this very challenging and difficult period
in time, I request that you encourage
the people’s elected representatives to
work together, in Council forums, to
solve complex disagreements between
elected members. In this way we can
constructively work through our differ-
ences of opinions, at Council level, in
the best interests of the island.
In the interests of restoring public confi-
dence, you may want to convene an in-
formal Legislative Council meeting and
focus on the following proposed agenda
item: Utilise a “Meeting of minds”
approach at Council level to include
constructive and healthy dialogue
and debates to help secure success-
ful outcomes.
Cllr Cyril Leo
Dear Editor,
We write in strong support of the letter
submitted by Julie Thomas in last week’s
Independent. We are some of the local
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
fishermen who Johann-Marais
Bezuidenhout of PQ Trading refused to
meet with on his recent visit to the is-
land. We have officially contacted Ex-
ecutive Council to make them aware of
what has transpired but to date, no re-
sponse whatsoever has been received.
Being told by Mr Bezuidenhout that we
had missed a deadline to express an
interest and this is why we must now
fish in our private capacity was disturb-
ing as there was no indication that this
was only a short term decision on his
part.
The interim measure imposed by SHG
at the beginning of last year was only
supposed to last for 3-6 months, yet here
we are at the beginning of 2021 and the
interim measure is still in place. Clearly
things have not gone to schedule for
SHG and their partner PQ Trading; ob-
stacles have obviously been encoun-
tered. Let’s not blame Covid-19 for all of
the delays, the major debacle surround-
ing the yellowfin tuna Total Allowable
Catch is a home grown problem of
putting the cart before the horse. We
were given an indication by SHG of how
this quota was going to be shared and
quite frankly, what was going to be left
for the three proposed PQ Trading ves-
sels was - a joke. This issue could have
resulted in the PQ Trading proposal dy-
ing an early death and we have been
advised that even Mr Bezuidenhout con-
ceded this to multiple audiences during
his December visit. The point being
made here is that local fishermen who
resisted expressing an interest for legiti-
mate reasons should not be penalised
when SHG have had to extend
timeframes in other areas in relation to
this investment process.
It would be interesting to know just how
SHG has now overcome the problem of
having just 26t of yellowfin tuna to offer
Mr Bezuidenhout and his three offshore
fishing vessels.
As correctly indicated by Mrs Thomas,
we did not formally express an interest
in PQ Trading’s proposed Co-Op by the
given deadline because we weren’t be-
ing provided with substantive, consist-
ent information on which to base our
decision and as previously stated, the
viability of the proposal was uncertain to
say the least. We have seen our fair
share of failures within our sector and
so we decided that acting diligently was
the best course of action to ensure that
another costly mistake is not on the
cards. Please note that whenever some-
thing goes wrong within the fishery, it is
never Councillors or their SHG advisors
who suffer financially, it’s always fisher-
men and our families.
The decision regarding PQ Trading is
imminent and based on what Mr
Bezuidenhout has allegedly stated in
December 2020 about returning home
to prepare three fishing vessels for St
Helena, one can envisage ExCo only
going in one direction. What this will
mean for those of us who have been
confined to fishing in our “private capac-
ity” is unknown because no details what-
soever has been provided even though
we have officially asked.
We are local fishermen who have dedi-
cated our lives to the island’s commer-
cial fishing sector. We take great pride
in supplying our fellow islanders with fish
that can be bought at affordable prices
and wish to continue this service for as
long as we possibly can. We shouldn’t
be in a position where we know next to
nothing about what our future holds just
because we were not prepared to align
with someone else’s blurred vision.
SHG are keen to turn the status of the
fishery around and if truth be told, we
are completely supportive of this. How-
ever, we should not be expected to take
a leap of faith out of desperation just
because there appears to be little other
options. Information is power and one
would think that our government would
want to ensure that we are empowered
so as to remain key players in the fu-
ture of the sector.
We live in hope that the veil of darkness
will be lifted sooner rather than later, but
most certainly before a final decision is
taken by Executive Council, if we are to
believe the promise made by these very
same Councillors during recent constitu-
ency meetings and radio interviews.
They have repeatedly stated that the
decisions taken will be made in the best
interest of St Helena, so if this is the
case, this should include all local fish-
ermen and the families we support.
Local Fishermen
Dear Sir,
I would be very grateful if you would pub-
lish the following in the letters columns
of your newspaper.
Continued on NEXT PAGE
11
Your
Opinion
Counts
I am trying to get some information about
my late father’s time in St Helena dur-
ing World War II. I am not sure of the
dates but it was certainly during the war
when he was stationed there with the
Royal Navy at the Signal Station.
I did get a few snippets of information
from him, mainly his involvement in ar-
ranging concerts and other social ac-
tivities, but not much else.
Of more importance is that, during his
time there he had a liaison with a local
woman and there was a son who would
be a half-brother of mine. Both my par-
ents are deceased and it is very likely
that this woman is too.
I am not trying to trace her son or any-
thing like that, I just want to fill in some
gaps. My father’s name was James
Brown and I can tell you that the wom-
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
an’s name was Isa Thomas and the son
was named George.
The year of his birth was between 1940
and 1945, probably in the latter years of
that period. I do not know the ship that
my father was on, although there was a
ship called the “South Africa” I think that
may be connected.
This is something well known in our fam-
ily but, apart from what I have told you,
we know nothing else. I would be very
grateful if you could point me in the di-
rection of where I should try to get more
information, or if there are records that
you have access to that would help.
I have had a search carried out by the
Governor’s Office but that, unfortunately
has drawn a blank. If anyone has infor-
mation that would be useful, please con-
tact me at
kennybrownviking@talktalk.net
Sincerely, Kenny Brown
The Editor,
Some weeks ago SHG announced it was
returning to a 5 committee system of
government.
No explanation was given for this move
considering new elections is just around
the corner.
This will release 3 members of their
chairmanship back to their rightful du-
ties—scrutinizing, holding the executive
to account, and most of all doing an im-
pact study of passed and proposed leg-
islation and its effect on we the public—
a democratic deficit for the last ten years.
Some of these chairman’s were of the
impression that they were a part of Exco
and express their concern at not been
involved in negotiations with DIFID offi-
cials.
Chairman’s of these so-called break-
away departments although having allo-
cated funding are late spending, in which
case the substantive department can
claw back monies should they overspend
in other areas. Any excess at the end of
the financial year only serves to top up
the Consolidated Fund.
Should a Ministerial system of govern-
ment be too futuristic for a community
of this size and we stay with what we
have (SHG has not published what the
enhancement or revised committee sys-
tem will be) we will probably go back to
where we was ten years ago—so noth-
ing will change.
Lionel Williams
12
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The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 13
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The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 15
 Are you someone who genuinely cares about helping others achieve their best?
Would you like to be part of delivering a highly interactive and comprehensive leadership development programme?

We are looking for individuals to be trained to deliver our Core Leadership Development Programme.
The St Helena Public Service will be offering a Core Leadership Development Programme for Supervisors and Managers throughout 2021. We are looking for individuals who can help take
this programme forward as trained Trainers, with the help of UK training provider Civil Service College Limited.

Civil Service College will be (remotely) working in partnership with on-island Trainers to deliver the leadership course, that will be tailored around our organisation and the needs of our staff.
Civil Service College has a reputation for excellence, boasting high calibre Trainers with an array of experience across public, private and third sectors, delivering services worldwide. The
College is a trusted supplier to many UK HMG departments and public agencies from the Home Office, FCO and DFID to the NHS, Civil Service Commission and College of Policing.

You will need to be available to attend a 2 week Train the Trainer programme with the Civil Service College Trainers to co-deliver and eventually deliver the courses. This is not a full time role
and there is flexibility to allow you to do this around your current responsibilities or employment. Training delivery will be on weekdays but you may only be required for 1-2 days per month.

We are looking for individuals with experience in facilitation, teaching, coaching, mentoring or leadership and with excellent emotional intelligence, communication skills, organisation skills
and enthusiasm for learning.

An hourly instructor rate of £6.19 will be paid for all training delivered. You will receive a certificate of completion from the Civil Service College.

If you have flexibility in your current role, are looking for a challenge and want to make a difference - please get in touch!

ĞĂƉĂƌƚŽĨǁŚĂƚŵĂŬĞƐ^ƚ,ĞůĞŶĂĂŐƌĞĂƚƉůĂĐĞƚŽůŝǀĞ͕ůĞĂƌŶ͕ǁŽƌŬ͕ǀŝƐŝƚĂŶĚŝŶǀĞƐƚ͘

Interested persons should contact:

Director of HR and Organisational Development Lindsay Shankland on lindsay.shankland@sainthelena.gov.sh , or Organisational Development Manager Laura Stroud on laura.stroud@sainthelena.gov.sh or
call 22470 by no later than Friday 22nd January 2021.

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CREATIVE SAINT HELENA SCRIPTWRITING COMPETITION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

AGE BETWEEN 10 AND 16

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FDOORUPHVVDJHDW&UHDWLYH6DLQW+HOHQD)DFHERRNSDJH*22'/8&.

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 16
 Covid-19 Information and News
WHAT IS THE OXFORD ASTRAZENECA VACCINE AND HOW DOES IT WORK?
The Oxford AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine has been
developed by Oxford University in the UK. It is in-
tended to vaccinate and protect persons aged 18
years or over from coronavirus (SARS CoV 2) which
causes COVID-19.
St Helena has just received 100 AZ vaccines from
the UK Government, with the intention that they will
be given to the Islands frontline workers. Frontline
workers are defined as those at most risk of expo-
sure. In St Helena’s case this would be those per-
sons involved in managing arrivals to the Island (at
the point of arrival and through the 14 day quaran-
tine period) and those persons who would provide
patient care if there was to be a positive case of
COVID-19.
The first round of vaccinations for frontline workers
is due to be completed by the end of January 2021
and will comprise of giving the majority of frontline
workers their first dose of the vaccine, while those
at the top of the priority list will receive both their
first and second doses. Beyond this, SHG is in the
process of planning and implementing a vaccina-
tion programme for the Island during 2021, dead-
lines for this will be dependent on the timing of de-
livery of further vaccines.
How is it made?
The vaccine is made from a weakened version of
a common cold virus (known as an adenovirus). It
has been modified to act more like coronavirus
however it cannot cause the actual illness. It is then
formulated to be able to be injected into the human
body.
How does it work?
The vaccination is done by having two doses of the
vaccine injected, usually in the upper arm. The sec-
ond dose can be given between 3-12 weeks after
the first has been administered. The vaccine works
by stimulating the body’s immune system, causing
the body to react to the vaccine by producing its
own antibodies. These antibodies then fight against
the virus, should you be exposed to it. It takes a
while for the body to start producing these antibod-
ies, so you will not start to be protected until sev-
eral days to two weeks after receiving the first dose.
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
After the second dose your body will continue to
strengthen its immunisation against the virus. You
will only receive the full effective protection of the
vaccine after having the both doses.
Protection after vaccination
There is still not sufficient medical evidence to sug-
gest that you will not be able to contract COVID-19
after vaccination. You may still be able to contract
COVID-19, have no symptoms or illness due to be-
ing vaccinated, but still spread the virus amongst
family, friends or colleagues who may be at higher
risk or have not been vaccinated. Therefore you will
need to continue to take sensible precautions such
as maintaining hand washing and respecting quar-
antine rules during the time between injections and
even after being fully vaccinated.
How safe is it?
Any vaccines approved for use in the UK will have
met strict standards of safety, quality and effective-
ness set out by the Medicines and Healthcare Prod-
ucts Regulatory Agency (MHRA). Any coronavirus
vaccine that is approved must go through all the clini-
cal trials and safety checks that other licensed medi-
cines go through. The MHRA follows international
standards of safety.
The vaccine will offer millions around the world the
ability to return to some kind of a normal. It does not
mean that COVID-19 will disappear but it is a start
to moving forward and repairing the devastation that
this disease has caused in the last year to commu-
nities and economies around the world. St Helena
remains COVID-19 free and by vaccinating key
workers, we are reinforcing our ability to combat this
disease.
More information and details on the vaccine and de-
velopments on the vaccination programme will be
given over the coming weeks.
#StHelena #COVID-19 #OxfordAstraZenecaVaccine
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt
SHG
13 January 2021
17
 Covid-19 Information and News
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A POSITIVE CASE OF COVID-19
IN HOME QUARANTINE?
HEALTH’S PLAN OF ACTION
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the Incident
Executive Group (IEG) have regularly prepared,
implemented and reviewed plans and procedures
for St Helena’s defence against the virus. Here
we look at the Health Directorate’s plan of action
should a positive case of COVID-19 present dur-
ing home quarantine on St Helena.
Arrangements remain in place for mandatory test-
ing before departure for St Helena, testing on
arrival, and at the end of the mandatory 14 days
of quarantine. Every effort is being taken to en-
sure, should an arrival to the Island test positive
for COVID-19, that this is contained in quaran-
tine.
Illness or symptoms to be reported
If a person in home quarantine falls ill or presents
symptoms, it is important that this is communi-
cated to the Health Directorate. This could be
done through their daily telephonic check in, or
through contacting the General Hospital and
speaking to the Doctor on duty. In milder cases,
assessments can often be made through a se-
ries of questions conducted via telephone.
In more serious cases however, for example if
the person has difficulty breathing, it might be
necessary to call 911 and to have health profes-
sionals attend the person at home. When call-
ing 911, the person should advise the operator
that they are in quarantine. In any case, the
ambulance crew will carry appropriate Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE) which they will don
before entering the home under quarantine.
The doctor involved in assessing the case will
consult with the Senior Medical Officer on the
next steps. The Senior Medical Officer will have
the ultimate decision on how to manage that
case.
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
What if someone does not present
symptoms?
It is possible for someone to have contracted
COVID-19 but to be free from any symptoms.
This means that they are asymptomatic but they
are able to infect others. If an asymptomatic
person is identified prior to travel, they will be
denied access to the repatriation flight.
In the case of an asymptomatic patient being
identified at the end of quarantine, they and their
family in quarantine with them, who would have
travelled with them, will not be released from quar-
antine. A different testing regime is in place for
this scenario. The whole of the household will
remain in quarantine until each person has two
negative test results, done 48 hours apart.
Positive mild symptomatic or asymptomatic
cases could continue to isolate at home
A person that tests positive for COVID-19, could
complete their quarantine at home if they are in
quarantine alone and if their symptoms are mild
(or they have no symptoms). They will be re-
motely monitored for deterioration by health pro-
fessionals.
A person who tests positive for COVID-19 and
who is quarantining with others in the house-
hold, but is well enough to remain at home would
be advised to Isolate themselves from the rest
of the household, have NO physical contact with
any other person(s) within the household and to
maintain good and regular disinfection of sur-
faces.
During the Home Quarantine property assess-
ments, the Health Directorate ensures that homes
used for quarantine provide the physical capac-
ity to isolate a symptomatic patient from the rest
of the household.
18
 Covid-19 Information and News
WHAT HAPPENS IF THERE IS A POSITIVE CASE OF COVID-19
IN HOME QUARANTINE?
HEALTH’S PLAN OF ACTION
If this kind of isolation from the rest of the house-
hold was not possible the person would be moved
to the Bradleys Hospital facility.
Positive serious symptomatic cases
transported to Bradleys Hospital facility
immediately
In the case of a person who has tested positive
for COVID-19 and who is experiencing serious
symptoms:
· The person will be immediately transported
by medical staff to Bradley’s Hospital
facility for medical attention
· Protocols are in place for the use of PPE
for each stage of the journey from the
person’s home to Bradleys Hospital facility
· Further protocols are in place for providing
care at Bradleys Hospital facility.
· The patient would then remain at Bradley’s
facility until fully recovered and confirmed
negative for COVID-19
Contact Tracing
In the event that a person tests positive for
COVID-19, it is then necessary to assess their
most recent contacts. Contact tracing is a proc-
ess that allows officials to determine whether oth-
ers have potentially been exposed to COVID-
19. On St Helena this process is managed by
the Police Directorate in collaboration with the
Health Directorate.
A close contact is identified as someone who
has been within 1m of the person that has tested
positive for COVID-19 for a sustained period of
time (15 minutes or more).
If a contact is identified, it will be necessary for
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
that contact to be tested for COVID-19. The
Health Directorate will require the individual to
isolate until confirmed negative for COVID-19.
Medical staff to quarantine
All medical staff involved in delivering care at
Bradleys Hospital facility will wear PPE and ad-
here to the guidelines in place. Those in con-
stant contact with patients would be classified as
contacts and would therefore have to quarantine
at Bradleys.
Every effort continues to be made to reduce the
risk of COVID-19 reaching St Helena through
the testing regime and quarantine measures.
However, should a positive case arise, protocols
are in place to manage this and to minimise the
risk of community spread.
Members of the public are encouraged to re-
spect those persons in home quarantine, but to
report any concerns of a suspected breach of
quarantine to the St Helena Police.
#StHelena #COVID-19 #HomeQuarantine
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt
SHG
12 January 2021
19
 Covid-19 Information and News
TITAN AIRWAYS FEBRUARY REPATRIATION FLIGHT
A repatriation flight to St Helena, operated by Titan Airways, is scheduled for February 2021.

The route will remain the same as the last Titan Airways flights, departing from London Stansted and flying direct to St Helena
with a technical stop in Accra. The aircraft will then overnight on St Helena before operating a shuttle service to/from Ascen-
sion Island. On completion of the shuttle service and a second overnight stop on St Helena the aircraft will fly back to
Stansted via Accra.
The provisional flight schedule is as follows:
Date Flight No Departure Time LOCAL/UTC Departure Airport Arrival Airport Arrival Time LOCAL/UTC
26/02/21 ZT7241 0015 UTC0015 Local London Stansted EGSS / STN Accra DGAA / ACC
0715 UTC0715 Local
26/02/21 ZT7241 0800 UTC 0800 Local Accra DGAA / ACC St Helena FHSH / HLE
1210 UTC1210 Local
27/02/21 ZT7242 0750 UTC0750 Local St Helena FHSH / HLE Ascension Island FHAW / ASI
1000 UTC1000 Local
27/02/21 ZT7242 1125 UTC1125 Local Ascension Island FHAW / ASI St Helena FHSH / HLE
1335 UTC1335 Local
28/02/21 ZT7243 0800 UTC0800 Local St Helena FHSH / HLE Accra DGAA / ACC
1200 UTC1200 Local
28/02/21 ZT7243 1245 UTC1245 Local Accra DGAA / ACC London Stansted EGSS / STN
1955 UTC1955 Local
Travel Requests
Travel requests for the February repatriation flight can be submitted now. Availability of both inbound and outbound seats on
this flight will continue to be assigned on a priority basis.

Travel requests should be submitted by 9am on 1 February 2021 to the St Helena Tourist Office via
email: christina.plato@tourism.co.sh or tel: (290) 22158. For those based on Ascension Island, or wishing to travel to or from
Ascension Island, please contact the Shipping and Travel Office via email: flight.bookings@ascension.gov.ac.
Customers wishing to request commercial or governmental airfreight for carriage on the February flight are advised to use an
appropriate freight forwarding agent to make the necessary arrangements.
#StHelena #RepatriationFlight #TitanAirways
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt/
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt
SHG
13 January 2021

ST HELENA TO RECEIVE 100 OXFORD ASTRAZENECA VACCINES ON

JANUARY’S FLIGHT
The UK Government has agreed with St Helena Government the supply and delivery of 100 Oxford AstraZeneca
(AZ) Vaccines on the repatriation flight arriving today, Monday 11 January 2021.

These initial vaccines will be rolled out on-Island to key health workers and frontline staff as agreed by the
Incident Executive Group (IEG) on 31 December 2020. This is due to these workers being at the highest risk of
potential infection of COVID-19.

This delivery of vaccines is the first stage of a national COVID-19 Vaccine Programme. The Health Directorate
is developing the policy to underpin the roll-out of further AZ Vaccines that will be provided by the UK Govern-
ment in the coming months.

Further information with regards to the vaccine and how it works, as well as the vaccination programme on-
Island, will be communicated to the public in due course.

#StHelena #COVID-19 #AztraZenecaVaccine #KeyHealthWorkers

https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt /
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt
SHG, 11 January 2021

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 20
 Covid-19 Information and News
MV HELENA PASSENGER TRAVEL
The COVID-19 situation in South Africa is being constantly monitored by AW Ship Management and our agents,
who are also in contact with appropriate government agencies.

South Africa has seen a marked increase in infections and has moved from Level 1 to Level 3 restrictions, with
some fairly extensive restrictions imposed. There is the distinct possibility that these restrictions will increase
further. Along with the UK a new strain of COVID-19 is present throughout South Africa, and it appears that this
strain has a higher infection rate and as such we must act to secure the safety of our crew and the service.

AW Ship Management have therefore taken the decision that bookings on the MV Helena for passengers wish-
ing to travel from Cape Town to St Helena will be put on hold from Voyage 37. Any passengers that have made
a booking with a deposit will have this refunded to them in full.

The MV Helena will still be able to carry passengers between the islands as well as from St Helena to Cape
Town. All passengers joining the MV Helena will however be
required to complete a COVID-19 test prior to embarkation.

AW Ship Management apologises for the inconvenience

this will cause. It is known that during this pandemic having
a transport option in and out of South Africa has been highly
beneficial, but we must ensure the safety of our crew and
reduce the risk to them wherever possible.

PASSENGERS TEST NEGATIVE

AFTER COVID-19 RE-TEST
The Health Directorate can now confirm that the two
passengers who tested positive for COVID-19 upon
arrival to South Africa, on the MV Helena, have both
returned a negative result following a re-test.
On average, a third of
There is a high degree of confidence within the Health
Directorate that the original test results on 31 De- household water
cember 2020 were false positives. A false positive is
when someone who does not have coronavirus re- consumption gets flushed
turns a positive result. This can happen in some cases
and in such situations a second test is used to con- straight down the loo. If
firm or negate a false positive result.
you are installing a new
The public are reassured that there are still no sus-
pected cases of COVID-19 on St Helena and the toilet, consider a “low
processes put in place by SHG, including mandatory
testing prior to departure and upon arrival to St Helena
flush” one.
as well as 14 days of quarantine, ensures that the
risk of community spread is kept extremely low. This type use 5 or 10 litres
#StHelena #COVID-19 per flush instead of the
https://www.facebook.com/StHelenaGovt /
https://twitter.com/StHelenaGovt usual 15 -20 litres.
SHG
8 January 2021

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 21
 22
CLOSED SEASON FOR SPEARFISHING
1ST JANUARY 2020 TO 31ST MARCH 2021
DURING THIS PERIOD IT IS AN OFFENCE TO SPEARFISHING AT
$1<7,0(253/$&(,167+(/(1$·6:$7(56

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
The Spear Guns (Control) Ordinance states that during a closed season, no person shall have
a hand held spear or spear gun in their possession on or within twenty meters of any tidal
water or upon any beach or foreshore or while swimming or while in any vessel.
During this time most fish are at the spawning stage and it is therefore necessary to put
measures in place to allow marine life a chance to breed and to grow into sustainable
resources. The aim of the controlled season is not to stop people from enjoying the sea and
its life but to respect our oceans and its resources.
____________________________________________________
MARINE ENFORCEMENT SECTION. CUSTOMS BUILDING, JAMESTOWN.
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The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 23
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 24
 For a full job description and requirements of the
role please contact
Mrs Marianne Young-Crowie (SHAPE Manager) on
ϮϰϲϵϬor email SHAPE@helanta.co.sh

,ĂƐĂŶĞdžĐŝƚŝŶŐŽƉƉŽƌƚƵŶŝƚLJĨŽƌĂ
Please submit your application form to
WĂƌƚͲƚŝŵĞĂƌĞtŽƌŬĞƌ Miss Danielle Anthony
(Finance & Administration Manager) via email
Finance_AdminManager.SHAPE@helanta.co.sh
WƵƌƉŽƐĞŽĨZŽůĞ͗
ŶŽůĂƚĞƌƚŚĂŶϰƉŵŽŶ&ƌŝĚĂLJ͕Ϯϵ:ĂŶƵĂƌLJϮϬϮϭ͘
‡ To provide a service to high dependent clients encouraging participation in both small and
large activities that increase or reinforce daily living skills, encourage personal growth,
improve socialization and provide therapy through a variety of means e.g. arts and play.
We look forward to hearing from you!
‡Transporting of high dependent clients to and from SHAPE via SHAPE's wheelchair car in a
safe manner.

‡ To provide a service to high dependent disabled & vulnerable adults in their personal care;
supporting them with feeding, toileting, hygiene and mobility, whilst accessing SHAPE for
enrichment activities.

ZĞƐƉŽŶƐŝďůĞƚŽ^ŽĐŝĂůĂƌĞKĨĨŝĐĞƌ
ϯĂLJƐƉĞƌǁĞĞŬʹ ϴ͗ϯϬĂŵʹ ϰ͗ϬϬƉŵ͘

VACANCIES FOR MILLENNIUM FOREST CONSERVATION ASSISTANTS

The St Helena National Trust has been successful in securing short-term funding from the Darwin Initiative in the Covid-19
Rapid ZĞƐƉŽŶƐĞZŽƵŶĚĨŽƌ͞EĂƚŝǀĞWůĂŶƚƐĨŽƌŝŽĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͟. We are therefore looking to recruit 3 x Conservation Assistants
at the Millennium Forest, starting as soon as possible and ending on the 31 March 2021.

Applicants must ŚĂǀĞĂŶŝŶƚĞƌĞƐƚŝŶĐŽŶƐĞƌǀŝŶŐ^ƚ,ĞůĞŶĂ͛ƐǀĂůƵĂďůĞďŝŽĚŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJĂŶĚďĞǁŝůůŝŶŐƚŽůĞĂƌŶĂŶĚ͚ŐĞƚƐƚƵĐŬŝŶ͛͘

Experience of working with plant propagation, invasive species or ^ƚ,ĞůĞŶĂ͛ƐĞŶĚĞŵŝĐƐƉĞĐŝĞƐwill be strongly favoured.
The Trust is an independent non-governmental organisation driven by a passion for St Helena and our built, cultural, and
natural heritage. We have a strong emphasis on team-work and collaboration and believe that our staff are the greatest
asset that we have.
If you feel you could contribute to the Trust and would like to join a team passionate about seeing good things happen on
St Helena then we want to hear from you.
For further information on these posts please contact Martina Peters, Head of Conservation on 22307 or email
martina.peters@trust.org.sh.
A full job description can be obtained from Amanda Constantine at the Trust office, Broadway House, Jamestown.
Alternatively email amanda.constantine@trust.org.sh or call 22190. Applications should be in the form of a CV and cover
letter indicating how you meet the requirements of the job description.
CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Monday, 18 JANUARY @ 16:00





The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 25
 AN END OF AN ERA – CHERYL & ROBERT
With 97 years between us on Ascension Island it’s time for
us to leave this beautiful island behind us, the place I called
“home” for 51 years 3 months and 46 years 9 months for
Robert.
Robert came to Ascension April 1974 a month before he was
18 (I was only 12 years old!!) and worked for Cable & Wire-
less as a Carpenter for 4 years. In 1978-1984 he became
Charge-hand Carpenter for C&W. He was responsible for site
work, building/construction duties and keeping weekly record
of work progress etc…Ascension Island Services (AIS) took
over from C&W 1993 where Robert became Foreman Car-
penter until 1996. He became Works Supervisor 1996-2000.
September 2000-March 2001 Robert became Asst Works and
Service Manager in AIS. April 2001-2004 when the company
became Ascension Island Works & Service Agency (AIWSA)
Robert stepped up again this time as Operations
Manager….responsibilities were expanding that he had a work
force of 50 to supervise. Ascension Island Government Pub-
lic Works Dept took over from AIWSA in 2004 and Robert
became Works Superintendent. In 2006 he became redun-
dant and his role dropped back to Carpenter for 3 years where
he was responsible for the building of the new Terminal be-
side the Warehouse at the Pierhead. Ascension Island Gov-
ernment took over 2009 and Robert’s position soared up to
Repairs & Maintenance Team Leader (B&C) until 4th January
2021.
Robert leaves the island with his mark on many, many build-
ings. He was responsible for the refurbishing and new roof on
the Hospital, upgraded all CSO accommodation, replace ceil-
ing in main building at CSO, and the supervision and work on
all concrete, ducting and earth system at the Ariane Site to
name just a few. He converted the Warehouse into the new
Terminal. Also he carried out asbestos work in Encompass
(Merlin at that time) and the Residency and various other
places, just to name a few. He also planned and organised
the Construction of all the antenna bases for the mobile sys-
tem for SURE and various other antenna bases. His job was
everything to him. Outside of work he helped his Works
Manager the late Ernie Riddiough to build the stage and props
at the Georgetown Cinema for the Dramatic Society shows.
Always helped Johnny Hobson the former Scout Master to
build props for the Gang Shows etc…..He dealt with all the
deaths on the island. The hospital will call during the night or
early hours saying there’s been a death. The Director doesn’t
get the call but Robert did. He jumps out of bed, calls the
various men who assist him. He puts the coffin together,
places the body inside with the help of his men, sees that
everything is to perfection at the Chapel of Rest, and returns
home gets a shower like it’s another day at the office. I’m left
shaking from the phone call feeling unsettled because a death
doesn’t happen often on Ascension. Robert has dealt with
deaths with family and friends on the island, very hard to do
but he didn’t complain or refuse….it was his job. He helped
sort odd jobs in the church, The Vicarage and Children’s Church
Hall fixing this and that, making speaker stands for the church,
securing the Crucifix above the main door and much, much
more. With his help free of charge the church saved a lot of
their funds. He also made Inlay of views of the island in trays,
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
nest of tables, clocks etc….for the ADF raffle and auction and
Girl Guides and Scouts fundraising events.
Robert loved playing football, cricket, snooker, billiards, softball,
and euchre. Just over a year ago he enjoyed his walks with
our late Bruno. He never liked dogs but this one changed his
mind. In 1985 he made his first Christmas float (on the AIG
trailer) for me and my friends. This carried on until about 8
years ago. He made the floats single-handledly supervised
by Yours Truly. Mario was 11 months and 2 weeks when we
had our first float. It used to be the only float travelling around
the island. No risk assessment but we did had a secured
fence and live music. I had chocolate selection boxes do-
nated from Richard James and Island Companies so we could
give EVERY child a “gift” at Christmas.
My turn……ahem……I arrived on Ascension October 1969 at
the age of 7 years old with my mum (Daphne), step-dad (Pe-
ter who was the Stevedore at the Pierhead) and my little brother
Carl who was 10 months old. One will know him as “Carl
Peters or the man who drives the water truck”. We arrived in
the late evening on the Good Hope Castle ship. In the morn-
ing it sure was a different sight to St. Helena. Ascension was
just dirt and clinker unlike the green grass back in St. Helena.
Been young we both adapted to Ascension life and made
loads of friends at Two Boats School. Many have left the
island but I still have Coral Williams, Patsy Ann Moyce, Kevin
Youde, Alex Crowie and Donny (Darlings) Thomas here on
the island.
The St. Helenians were taught to swim in the Turtle Ponds we
weren’t allowed in the Exiles pool this was strictly for Expats
only. We only swam here for our school’s annual swim gala
and then the pool was emptied straight away and we never
saw it again until another year. The Exiles Club and Two
Boats Club both were out of bounds for us Saints until late
70s when we all became one happy community.
I left school at 15 years old March 1977 and was lucky to be
a trainee typist and later Secretary (typed on Brother Type-
writer) in the Administrator’s Office which is now the Police
Office. I filed and typed the telegrams and Faxes and walked
sometimes 3 times a day to C&W PLC Office (now SURE) for
these to be sent abroad. We had 6 in our staff…..HH The
Administrator, Executive Officer, Cashier, 2 Savings Bank
26
 AN END OF AN ERA – CHERYL & ROBERT
Clerks and I. I stayed there until 1984 when I married and
Mario appeared!!! The Police Office consists of a Superin-
tendent, Sergeant and 5 Police Officers, Post Office were the
Post Master and Assistant. The Residency had a staff of
Cook, 2 Maids and Butler.
My first involvement in the community was singing in St.
Mary’s Church Choir at the age of 9 years old so this makes
me 49 years serving in this beautiful church. It’s my second
home. If one cannot find me at my house they would at the
church either cleaning or just singing hymns to my heart’s
content!! It lifts my day. I became Sidesperson, Church
Warden and Lay Minister at St. Mary’s and will sorely miss
serving there. I kept the vicarage garden fresh in the absence
of a priest, always chose hymns for each week’s service,
sort rotas for the brass cleaning and readers and when Dave
Wood was unavailable I will play the music, even ring the
church bell on Sundays, something I will definitely miss!
I became Miss. Ascension in 1980 and reigned for many years
I think it was 10 before another one was crowned. My role
was presenting trophies to golfers, footballers, skittlers, darts
players etc….opening shows and ADFs.
In 1994 I started Saturday Club (children aged from 5 to 15)
with Stephen James (former TBS Teacher) and when he left I
took this on singlehandedly with 20 kids!! Catherine Thomas
of Cable and Wireless came along with her young son Geraint
so I had another pair of eyes to help at certain times. I did
this for 11 years and enjoyed every single Saturday taking
the kiddies on walks, swimming at English Bay and Comfort-
less Cove and BBQs. Great adventures we
had exploring the island. I still have some of
the keen kiddies here today….Geordie Pe-
ters, Aaron Boot, Stephen Kimbo, Christiane,
Jerrylee Peters, Andreas Thomas, Ricco
Charles, Natasha Timm, our Mario, Ollie
O’Dean, Leroy Fowler to name a few!!!
I enrolled at Brownies and then Girl Guides
as a youngster and in 1995 I helped with
Brownies where I was called Tawny Owl. I
did this for a year and was then offered the
situation as Girl Guide Leader. This role I
did for 15 years with the help of sister Bessie,
Annis and daughter Kirsty. During my Guide
Leadership I took Girl Guides to the UK for 2
camps, one in 2002 and the other 2010.
Raising monies for this was a lot easier than
in today’s fundraising. We raised £23,500.00
to cover these camps. I organised shows,
dances, walks and coffee mornings to cover
this plus companies gave generously. Dur-
ing my Leadership in Guides I took the girls
on Krazy Kamp, abseiling (with the scouts),
adventurous walks, Easter Camps, overnight
hikes, camping on the beaches, survival
camps, litter picking around the island once
a month, mystery hike, mystery rides, bak-
ing cakes in the ground, cooking eggs and
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
sausages in milk carton on an open fire and indoor activities
all to gain their badges. Robert helped a lot with our Easter
camps making the camp liveable. Seeing my girls today
makes me proud of how Girlguiding made them matured into
beautiful strong minded women. I resigned from Guide Leader
in 2011 when my biological dad and Brother Ricky both died
10 days within one another back in St. Helena when we were
on holiday there. I felt life is too short and I must relax and
take care of myself.
On 17th July 2001 I received my MBE award for the voluntary
services I gave to the island from the age of 9 years old. I
was 39 when I received this award and continued to do my
good deed to the day I’m leaving. If I’d been paid for all I did
I’d be a very rich person going to St. Helena!!! I always helped
with the ADF as a Brownie and Girl Guide….going door to
door selling raffle tickets, helping at the stalls. Then later I
helped the former priest Fr. Keith James to organise the ADF’s
and when he left I took on the role to do this myself. I thor-
oughly enjoyed all this until I resigned last year after doing
this 21 times!!! It was hard work raising monies before and
during the ADF but all the hard work is always worth it when
at the end of the day you see you’ve made thousands to help
the church’s finances. Back in the day we made £20,000.00
per ADF, now if we make £5,000.00 we click our heels in
amazement. Times have really changed over the years. Fr.
Keith also introduced the Christingle Service to St. Mary’s
Church something else I first organised with him and contin-
ued to do so up to Dec 2019.
Other volunteer work I did were Assisting the Lower School
teachers in the class listening to the children
read, teaching them to swim at Two Boats Pool
and was a member on the school council. I
was a member on the committee for the
Georgetown shop and also at the Saints Club,
which has got me thinking I’m the longest
member at the Saints Club since the age of 7
years old. I’m visualising with a smile, me
going up to Santa to collect my gift!! Member-
ship of 51 years!!! I was always the leader to
get everyone motivated when there’s a spe-
cial event. On 4th July we did cheerleading in
front of about 15 floats from the Georgetown
Football Field thru Georgetown then hop on
the trailer to ride to the base, jump off and
lead the floats again thru the base to the VC
where the huge celebrations will begin with live
music, games etc….I love acting and singing
and was always chosen to take part in the
Dramatic Society concerts in the Georgetown
Cinema and sang in local bands.
My ambition was to be a hairdresser and my
first attempt in 1981 was on my baby sister
Tessa aged 3!!! It turned out so well that I had
phone calls every day…..£1 per cut!!!! My first
perm was practiced on brother Carl which came
out lovely and this is how my hairdressing
Continued on NEXT PAGE
27
 AN END OF AN ERA – CHERYL & ROBERT
develop. I had 210 clients and had barber shop at Two Boats,
Travellers Hill and the US Base between 1985 and 2008 then
downsized due to illnesses to just cuts in the garage at the
house. I do miss perming/colouring etc…although now no
more perming but Brazilian Blow Outs which I can do too!!!
Robert and I met on Ascension 1979, married at St. Mary’s
Church 29th September 1984 and our wedding reception was
the first to be held at Two Boats Club. Our 3 children Mario,
Kirsty and Corey were born at the Georgetown Hospital also
baptised at St. Mary’s Church and although they are all adults
they still see Ascension as their “home”. When anyone sees
the 3 of them involved in sports or at the gym they think ahhh
they’re following after their dad’s footsteps but it’s mine. No
wonder I had a new knee I was the sporty one. I loved playing
Rounders, softball, football (not friendly but proper league and
knock out mixed team matches), hockey, volleyball, badmin-
ton, walking, tennis, basketball, golf, swimming, climbing hills,
cycling, aerobics and just basically been very energetic. Oh
and annual tug-of-war at the Island Sports Day. We practice
pulling the US Base trailer!!!
August 2006 I was diagnosed with Breast cancer and stayed
in the UK for 10 months to have lumpectomy, lymph nodes
checked, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and Herceptin drug. In
December 2007 I had heart failure from the Herceptin drug.
My heart is still not 100% and I’m on medication for life, but
hey, I’m still here telling the tale and bubbly as ever. In 2007
Elizabeth Hill (former Administrator’s wife) wanted to raise
money for cancer awareness in St. Helena. We decided that
the Runway Dash would be a great idea and so I have contin-
ued to do this up to September 2019. This year I was in the
UK so could not organise it but am happy that the hospital
continued to do something similar to raise money for this
worthy cause and I hope it continues in my honour.
All it leaves me to say is we haven’t painted the lizard so who
knows we might pop by at Ascension for another Christmas
at some point. I know for sure Mario will be afraid to have us
at his home because he’ll think I’ll burn out his cooking gadg-
ets as I did once with my blender!!!!!
We leave Ascension with mixed emotions but our house is
waiting on us to live in it permanently and all our families are
waiting on us.
We are thankful that we had the opportunity to travel to the
UK and meet our first grand baby Aria Louise which made us
happy!
Thanks to Tania, Chris, Tammy and Darren for our invites,
Susie Gal for the surprise singing session I had at the club on
6th December and thanks for our farewell at the Saints Dinner
Dance on 9th January. With tables reserved and shown to our
seat we thought we were celebrities J Also thanks to Rob
and Jenny Pickering for taking the reins and hosting a Church
farewell bring and share party on 8th January at their home.
Not forgetting thanks to Winnie Bagley who gave me a mini-
ature Choir Pew for my gift something I always wanted if/
when I leave for good!!! You all will be truly blessed.
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
Our container is waiting on us back home…..so another head-
ache awaits us…..unpacking 97 years of memories and don’t
have a clue where it’s all going. I could not leave my hats and
costumes behind!! One box of hats took Robert and Mario 4
days to try to pack in the container it just would not slip in
until eventually I took out 1 hat and it slid thru the doorway of
the vehicle. The container is packed so tightly with even my
moped and vehicle inside that only the St. Helena number
plate on the vehicle is visible!!!!
We will miss Ascension as this has been our life and “home”.
The things I’ll miss are the hospital (we now will have to wait
for an appointment back home), St. Mary’s Church, the beaches
and pools, walks, Marley the dog, our family and friends so
basically EVERYTHING but we will settle ourselves into our
new life back home. God willing, our paths will cross again in
St. Helena and please do pop by Red Hill for a chat, cuppa
and a piece of cake or even for a quick haircut. You will be
made very welcome.
God Bless
It’s not “Goodbye” but “See you’ll later”
Cheryl & Robert
INVITATION TO TENDER
MANAGEMENT OF THE LAUNDRY SERVICES
Reference: CASC-0433-SHG
St Helena Government is seeking an Invitation to Ten-
der for the Management of the Laundry Service.
Full documentation and the specifications can be
found on the Saint Helena Government e-procure-
ment system which can be accessed via https://in-
tendhost.co.uk/sainthelena following registration on
the system.
User guides are available via the “Supplier Informa-
tion” tab to assist prospective suppliers registering
on the e-Procurement system.
Any questions in the interim should be addressed to
the Procurement Office for the attention of Deputy
Head of Procurement, Nicola Young, on
email: nicola.young@sainthelena.gov.sh.
The deadline for submissions is 12.00 GMT on
the Friday, 29 January 2021.
SHG 7 January
28
 Reality
Addie Thomas
“This above all: to thine own self be atrue, and it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
William Shakespeare (Hamlet)
As I held baby Rocco in my arms this past week, I wondered
at his tiny feet and hands. I’m not very good holding babies, I
don’t seem to have the ‘cradle and swing’. Congratulations to
Terri, Jordie and Ronin. Parenthood must be the hardest job
(if not the most enjoyable).
I’ve just finished reading the novel, “The Rains Came”, based
in India in 1937, incredible book. Just as one of the main
characters stood looking down at the innocence of a sleeping
young lady with much of life left to live, he pitied the journey
she would make through the world of ‘superficial’ amidst the
Indian Raj era. A dam gave way during the monsoon; the dam
had been designed by a man who used the wrong materials
whilst chancing his luck when taking up the posting, thus
creating an inevitable flaw, killing thousands. This man disap-
peared into the sunset (with his money) and left the disaster
in his wake, never brought to justice because of the ‘friends’
he had in high places or the wealth he had to ‘buy’ himself out
of trouble. (Pause and sigh).
When the dam broke, there were those who were considered
‘heathens’ who stayed behind in a country that they had ex-
ploited and came into their own, helping in hospitals as chol-
era, typhus and typhoid raged. Folks who had been social
animals, drinking more than their body weight in one week,
yet when called upon, they discarded their ‘old lives’ and found
purpose. It reminded me of the times we currently live in.
Whilst we see exploitation, we also see those selfless indi-
viduals who have paid the ultimate price in helping to bring
Covid-19 under control.
I asked a question in March 2020, “as a result of this disaster,
who would we be?” The people of Ranchipur saw the flood as
a washing away of all that had crept into society and tainted
reality (including the superstition and traditional practices which
were actually adding to diseases etc.). I wonder if we need to
wait for natural (or factory made) disasters before we see
changes which we would like to bring to our lives?
There was a very interesting discussion on BBC radio (Alan
Rusbridger) about journalism and the way it has changed. As
much as I wish to keep myself to myself on occasions, shar-
ing information has never been more important. Good, hon-
est, open information. How can we question and decide when
we shut ourselves off? Whilst some local information might
be a complete bore, when we come to build a house, we need
to know what the regulations are around certain permissions
(especially when we are on a tight budget). Those of us who
put information into the public domain have a responsibility to
ensure that it is as much balanced, as free of bias (as hu-
manly possible) and well researched. Anyone can be a con-
tributor but not everyone can be a trusted brand.
I am eternally grateful when people call up if I am on air or
stop to talk to me in the street about something or other. It
keeps my feet on the ground. I have however had to dissect
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
information carefully when the words spoken create in me a
feeling of inequality. There are many wonderful people who
were not born on this island who genuinely care for the island
and its population. Thank you. My Father was South African,
his Mother was South African. I can hardly claim to be a St
Helenian thoroughbred just because of my birth.
I don’t write this to provoke feelings of victimhood or resent-
ment. One of the things I find difficult to stomach is how we
still say, “yes sir / yes ma’am”. I reserve the right to use this
for elderly people (anyone above fifty ha ha ha – just kidding).
When do we use these words? As a jest? In hospitality? For
elderly people? When I was in NYC, people used this all the
time. What is the correct respectful etiquette so that feelings
of inferiority and superiority aren’t allowed to nurture mistakes
of the past? I suppose that’s where the island needs to re-
main accountable, resident or visitor. I will never be able to
see an ‘us and them’ because like someone said this week,
the world is a global village and we all belong. The path I am
on will not allow me to see any part of this world as forever
‘mine’. One day I will leave it all behind. Does it really matter
then?
Three cheers for Christian and Simon who came in to talk
about ‘masculinity in tears’. Having worked predominantly with
fellas for most of my young adult life I have seen and heard
enough to encourage either gender to feel and deal. Perhaps
one of the saddest moments I witnessed at work was a guy
being told that his daughter had been killed by a truck. I
watched from afar as the police broke the news….numb. I
saw the man about a month later and asked him how he was
coping and he said, “I’m ok”, but as I looked into his dark
eyes, they were like stone, nothing, blank, void of all emo-
tion. It seemed like every emotion was locked inside of him,
behind those dark expressionless eyes. I think of that guy
now and then and wonder, “Was he able to share his heart-
ache?”
What’s our reality? What’s the reality? Too often I have been
accused of being unsympathetic and far too positive. People
prefer me to be as negative and unhappy as they are (espe-
cially during these trying times abroad); instead of trying to
manage their minds and information from News and Social
Media they prefer to be angry. I don’t profess to wear rose-
tinted glasses. I am not a trained psychologist. I can only
speak what I deem as my reality which is to remember how
blessed I am.
Is the reality here on St Helena really as bad as our minds
say it is? Nothing wrong with feedback and accountability, I
try to remember that I have never had to run into an air raid
shelter, I have never been displaced by earthquakes or tsuna-
mis, I have never had to carry water on my head for miles, and
I have not lived in a village where diseases rage.
Have a super weekend ladies and gents….
29
 Armchair Supporters View
by Nick Stevens
Last weekend we had a break from Premier League Football
as the FA Cup 3rd round took centre stage. The FA Cup which
is the world oldest Cup competition started in November 1871
and the first winners ‘The Wanderers’ won the final in March
1872 they won the cup again the following year and 3 more
times in 1876,1877 and 1878 before dissolving in 1887.
The League started in 1888/1889 which was won by Preston
North End they also collected the FA Cup in 1889 becoming
the first team to do the double.
FA Cup Records and statistics
Most wins: 14:
Arsenal (1930, 1936, 1950, 1971, 1979, 1993, 1998, 2002,
2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020)
Most consecutive wins: 3, joint record:
Wanderers (1876, 1877, 1878)
Blackburn Rovers (1884, 1885, 1886)
Most appearances in a final: 21:
Arsenal (1927, 1930, 1932, 1936, 1950, 1952, 1971, 1972,
1978, 1979, 1980, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014,
2015, 2017, 2020)
Most Final appearances without ever winning: 4, Leicester
City (1949, 1961, 1963, 1969)
Most Final appearances without ever losing: 5, Wander-
ers (1872, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1878)
Most Final appearances without losing (streak): 7,
Tottenham Hotspur (1901, 1921, 1961, 1962, 1967, 1981,
1982), 7, Arsenal (2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020)
Longest gap between wins: 69 years, Portsmouth (1939–
2008)
Biggest win: 6 goals, joint record:
Bury 6–0 Derby County (1903)
Manchester City 6–0 Watford (2019)
Most goals in a final: 7:
Blackburn Rovers 6–1 Sheffield Wednesday (1890)
Blackpool 4–3 Bolton Wanderers (1953)
Most goals by a losing side: 3:
Bolton Wanderers: Lost 3–4 against Blackpool (1953)
West Ham United: Drew 3–3 but lost in a penalty shootout
against Liverpool (2006)
Most defeats in a final: 8, joint record:
Everton (1893, 1897, 1907, 1968, 1985, 1986, 1989, 2009)
Manchester United (1957, 1958, 1976, 1979, 1995, 2005, 2007,
2018)
The competition is open to any club down to Level 10 of the
English football league system which meets the eligibility cri-
teria. All clubs in the top four levels (the Premier League and
the three divisions of the Football League) are automatically
eligible. Clubs in the next six levels (non-league football) are
also eligible provided they have played in the FA Cup, FA Tro-
phy or FA Vase competitions in the previous season. Newly
formed clubs, such as F.C. United of Manchester in 2005–06
and also 2006–07, may not therefore play in the FA Cup in
their first season. All clubs entering the competition must also
have a suitable stadium.
It is very rare for top clubs to miss the competition, although it
can happen in exceptional circumstances. Manchester United
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
did not defend their title in 1999–2000, as they were already
in the inaugural Club World Championship. The club stated
that entering both tournaments would overload their fixture
schedule and make it more difficult to defend their Champi-
ons League and Premier League titles. The club claimed that
they did not want to devalue the FA Cup by fielding a weaker
side. The move benefited United as they received a two-week
break and won the 1999–2000 league title by an 18-point
margin, although they did not progress past the group stage
of the Club World Championship. The withdrawal from the FA
Cup, however, drew considerable criticism as this weakened
the tournament’s prestige and Sir Alex Ferguson later admit-
ted his regret regarding their handling of the situation.
Welsh sides that play in English leagues are eligible, although
since the creation of the League of Wales there are only five
clubs remaining: Cardiff City (the only non-English team to
win the tournament, in 1927), Swansea City, Newport County,
Wrexham, and Merthyr Town. In the early years other teams
from Wales, Ireland and Scotland also took part in the com-
petition, with Glasgow side Queen’s Park losing the final to
Blackburn Rovers in 1884 and 1885 before being barred from
entering by the Scottish Football Association. In the 2013–14
season the first Channel Island club entered the competition
when Guernsey F.C. competed.
The number of entrants has increased greatly in recent years.
In the 2004–05 season, 660 clubs entered the competition,
beating the long-standing record of 656 from the 1921–22
season. In 2005–06 this increased to 674 entrants, in 2006–
07 to 687, in 2007–08 to 731 clubs, and for the 2008–09 and
2009–10 competitions it reached 762.[10] The number has
varied slightly but remained roughly stable since then, with
759 clubs participating in 2010–11, a record 763 in 2011–12,
758 for 2012–13, 737 for 2013–14 and 736 for 2014–15. By
comparison, the other major English domestic cup, the League
Cup, involves only the 92 members of the Premier League
and Football League.
Wanderers first winners of the FA Cup
The biggest upset for this 3rd round was the 3-0 defeat for
Leeds against League Two side Crawley Town. Crawley sits
62 places below Premier League side Leeds.
30
 Armchair Supporters View
by Nick Stevens
Another notable result saw West Brom lose on penalties to
Blackpool.
The fourth round draw took place on Monday night and the
most exciting draw will see Manchester United host Liver-
pool. This will mean that these rivals will face each other in
consecutive weekends.

Pogba’s strike sent Manchester United top

Newcastle on a poor run of form having not registered a win in
6 Premier League matches and was also defeated in the FA
Cup by Arsenal.

Ole Solskjaer scoring the winner against Liverpool;

FA Cup 1999
On Tuesday and Wednesday some of the previously post-
pone matches in the English Premier League took place.

Paul Pogba put in his best performance in a Manchester United

shirt for a long time as United beat Burnley 1-0 in a hard
Captain Billy Sharpe penalty strike gave Sheffield
fought game to go top of the table.
United their first league win of the season
This the first time Manchester United has topped the table
after this amount of game since Sir Alex Ferguson left the
Everton moved to within a point of their Merseyside rivals Liv-
club in 2013.
erpool after they defeated Wolves 2-1.
Michael Keane came up with the winner; scoring with a header
Credit to Manager Ole Solskjaer who came in for a lot of criti-
13 minutes from time.
cism after a poor start to the season. Since the 1-0 loss to
On Wednesday night Manchester City moved up to 3rd place
Arsenal Manchester United has collected 29 points from a
with a 1 nil win against Brighton. Despite City recent good
possible 33.
form Brighton remains in the contest and the game was much
closer than expected.
This win for the Red Devils has come at the perfect time as
Tottenham Hotspur misses out on the chance to close the
we head to Anfield to play Liverpool in the top of the table
gap on the leaders after dropping points against Fulham. Harry
clash on Sunday afternoon. A win for United would put them
Kane gave Spurs the lead only for Ivan Cavaleiro to equalised
6 points clear of the champions.
for Fulham 16 minutes before time.
Can Manchester United win the league? Well they are possi-
Up and coming fixtures including the top of the table clash
ble in terms of ability behind Liverpool and Manchester City
between Liverpool and Manchester United; Sunday at 16.30
and these two will no doubt remain favourites to pick up the
SATURDAY 16TH JANUARY
title this year.
· 12:30 Wolverhampton Wanderers v West
However in this condense season where injuries and sick-
Bromwich Albion
ness could play a part, Manchester United have a bigger squad
· 15:00 Leeds United v Brighton & Hove Albion
and that could prove the difference come the end of the sea-
· 15:00 West Ham United v Burnley
son. Don’t bet against them picking up their 21st title.
· 17:30 Fulham v Chelsea
· 20:00 Leicester City Southampton
After 18 matches Sheffield United final registered a win in the
SUNDAY 17TH JANUARY
Premier League this season as they defeated Newcastle 1-0.
· 12:00 Aston Villa v Everton
Billy Sharpe scored a disputed penalty to give the Blades a
· 14:05 Sheffield United v Tottenham Hotspur
deserved win.
· 16:30 Liverpool v Manchester United
· 19:15 Manchester City v Crystal Palace
Sheffield United was certainly the better team creating nu-
MONDAY 18TH JANUARY
merous chances. Newcastle was reduce to 10 men just be-
· 20:00 Arsenal v Newcastle United
fore half time when Ryan Fraser was sent off.
Continued on NEXT PAGE

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 31
 Armchair Supporters View
by Nick Stevens
TUESDAY 19TH JANUARY Wednesdays’ Boot camp 4.30pm-5.30pm. Indoor games for
· 18:00 West Ham United v West Bromwich Albion New Horizons members 3.15 to 5.30pm
· 20:15 Leicester City v Chelsea Thursdays’ 5 aside Football New Horizons 5pm-7pm for 15
WEDNESDAY 20TH JANUARY years+
· 18:00 Leeds United v Southampton Fridays’ New Horizons club night 5.30pm-8.30pm
· 20:15 Fulham v Manchester United
· 20:15 Manchester City v Aston Villa Get fit St Helena Schedule:
THURSDAY 21ST JANUARY Mondays Box-Fit 11:30am to 12 noon
· 20:00 Liverpool v Burnley Tuesdays Circuits 11:30am to 12 noon
Wednesdays Box-Fit 11:30am to 12 noon.

We have decided to charge £1 per session for lunchtimes as

opposed to the £1.50.
What’s happening at
Normal Bootcamp sessions: Wednesdays at 4:30pm Satur-
New Horizons? days at 8am.

With holidays now over we return to our normal programme These Bootcamp sessions will remain at £1.50 per session.
this week. Tonight will be the first club night for New Hori- This Wednesday’s Boot Camp session saw 21 people in at-
zons. We will open at 5.30pm until 8.30pm. tendance. A great start for the New Year.

Monday 18th January will see our Primary School Pro-

gramme resume 3.15pm-5.30pm. For the first few months
all the sessions will take place at New Horizons. These
sessions will be a mixture of sport training plus indoor ac-
tivities. Primary school Football Training will resume in April
Tuesdays’ Basketball 4pm-6pm

From the St Helena Golf Club

Contributed by: SHGC

Golf Report for 10th January 2021

It was a beautiful, warm and sunny afternoon that attracted
27 golfers who teed off for the 18-hole stable ford competi-
tion. We even had two players taking part in their first Com-
petition on the Island Dr Nigel and Mr Sheldon Grobler. Wel-
come gentlemen. For those whose surname is Thomas, the
gods of golf were in their favor. It was a good day to be a
Thomas. Out of 27 players there were only two golfers with
that surname. When all scores were in Mr Norman Thomas
and Mr George Thomas tied at the top of the leaderboard
with 39 points each. On a countback George Thomas aka
Dover emerged top to win the first prize and Mr Norman Tho-
mas had to contend with the second prize. Coincidentally,
both played off 13 handicap and ended up with 12 handicap
each following their great performance. In the two-ball pool
category Larry Legg and Norman Thomas birdied the 5th and
Bramwell went for the big bird eagle 2 on the 9th hole. The
prizes were presented by the Captain Bramwell Lumukwana.

Next Saturday and Sunday 16th and 17th January 2021 after a
significant break from our golfing calendar The Captain’s Chal-
lenge cup is back. It will be a normal 36-hole Strokeplay
Competition and Not Cross-Country as initially scheduled.
Tee off 12:00. This event sponsored by the captain will be full
of prizes including for longest drive and nearest to pin. Regis-
tration closes on Friday 15th January at 15:00
Happy swinging….….…!

The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021 32
 The African Union considers St. Helena an occupied
African territory
The Director of the Centre for European Integration Studies
had an article lined up for publication in the wake of the Brexit
deal agreed between the European Union and the United King-
dom just before Christmas. The article was duly published
on the Globalist website just before the New Year. The Direc-
tor skims over the problems the British Overseas Territories
may face as a direct result of The UK leaving the European
Union. You may think St Helena is safe from the pressures
which are constantly present for territories such as the Falk-
lands and Gibraltar, but it seems the African Union (AU) con-
siders this Island to be “occupied” and should be African ter-
ritory.# The United Nations also classifies St Helena as be-
ing in West Africa.
It is questionable how important it is for the AU to have St
Helena liberated from its “occupation” and tenderly embraced
by the AU. The AU has an agenda which sets out where
Africa should be by 2063. Part of the agenda is the “Aspira-
tions”; there are seven of these. Aspiration Number Two deals
with decolonisation. The AU hopes that by 2063, “All rem-
nants of colonialism will have ended and all African territories
under occupation fully liberated. We shall take measures to
expeditiously end the unlawful occupation of the Chagos Ar-
chipelago, the Comorian Island of Mayotte and affirming the
right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.”
St Helena does not rate a mention as a priority for release
from colonial oppression; at least not before 2063.
The Director of the Centre for European Integration Studies,
Professor Ludger Kühnhardt, is based at Bonn University. He
has been the director for 23 years. In his article for the Globalist
he turns first to the Falklands when considering how the UK
leaving the EU leaves the Overseas Territories exposed. Now
the UK is not part of the European “club” Kühnhardt consid-
ers that France, Spain, Italy and Portugal might change their
stance and support “Argentina’s incessant claims of sover-
eignty over what Argentines call Malvinas”. Kühnhardt also
refers to China’s aggressive fishery expansion and the Falk-
landers need for a strong ally against these influences. His
implication being that the support of the UK is weakened be-
cause the country is not now part of the EU.
Kühnhardt then turns his attention to Gibraltar which is the
focus of similar unwanted attentions from Spain as Falklands
has from Argentina. However, Kühnhardt has nothing to say
about these similarities but takes a strategic view of the At-
lantic territories from Gibraltar to the Falklands in relation to
the growing strategic relevance of Antarctica and presumably,
in this case, the British Antarctic Territory. The strategic con-
nection between these British territories is not expanded upon;
rather it is left to the imagination of the reader. Kühnhardt
only points out that the UK will now have to stand on its own
and act on its own when facing any opposition to having sov-
ereignty over any of these five territories.
Diego Garcia and the Chagos Archipelago is obviously in-
cluded in the list of British Overseas Territories where leaving
the EU may be a cause of the UK having to loosen its grip.
Kühnhardt refers to claims being made by Mauritius as per-
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
sistently as Argentina’s claims over the Falklands. The great-
est and most recent pressures are the overwhelming defeat
for the UK at the International Court of Justice and the over-
whelming vote in the United Nations General Assembly in
favour of Mauritius and against the UK’s claims over the
Chagos Archipelago or British Indian Ocean Territory, call it
what you will. The diplomatic pressures are more likely to
increase rather than reduce and the UK may well find some
of its allies start to fall away; leaving the country in the splen-
did isolation; an isolation which half the Brits have always
wanted anyway.
Lastly, Kühnhardt turns his attention to Pitcairn in the Pa-
cific. It seems there are some political and diplomatic ob-
servers who are anticipating a time when the small and slowly
decreasing population of Pitcairn will reduce to zero. Though
not high on the list of priorities Pitcairn has strategic relevance
not only in terms of marine conservation; there are trans-
Pacific high speed fibre cables to be considered as well. If
the UK decides to relieve itself of an uninhabited Pitcairn of
the future, China and Russia are seen as being keen to fill
the political vacuum; an outcome which will not be welcomed
by nearby New Zealand or France with its neighbouring French
Pacific Islands.
UK agree a deal with Spain over
Gibraltar
Following on from the Brexit deal just before Christmas, Spain’s
Foreign Minister announced that Gibraltar will have the spon-
sorship of Spain to remain within the passport free zone of
the European Union, known as the Schengen Area. Move-
ment across the border between Gibraltar and Spain was al-
ways a major concern for Gibraltarians as Britain voted to
leave the EU. About 15,000 people live in Spain but work in
Gibraltar. Previous closures of the border by Spain have
brought great difficulties for Gibraltarians. The need to have
full immigrations and customs control after the Brexit deal
would cause major congestion and delay.
The Spanish Foreign Minister stated at a press conference,
“”We have reached an agreement in principle with the United
Kingdom that will lay the groundwork for a new relationship.”
It was made known that negotiations had been tough but, As
the UK Foreign Secretary announced. A “political framework”
had been agreed to form the basis of a separate treaty be-
tween the U.K. and the EU on Gibraltar. Gibraltar’s Chief
Minister Fabian Picardo said “This has been a difficult proc-
ess. We have been battling the tide of history, but with this
agreement in principle we hope to start to see the future come
into view. We are at the beginning of the creation of an area of
shared prosperity.”
#The Director of the Centre for European Integration Studies
has been contacted for more information on the African Un-
ion’s position on St Helena but is out of the office until today
33
 Falkland Islands admits disappointment and frustration
with Brexit deal
Penguin News
Falkland Islands European Union exports are now subject to
tariffs due to the UK not obtaining an agreement on behalf of
the Falklands in relation to Brexit. On Wednesday, Legisla-
tive Assembly members released an opinion piece that ex-
pressed disappointment and frustration.
Falklands exports fish and meat to the EU and now antici-
pates tariffs of between 6 and 18% on seafood exports and
an average tariff of 42% for meat exports to EU.
The release begins: “Firstly, it is important to put on record
how disappointed and frustrated we are that the deal between
the UK and the EU makes no provision for the Falkland Is-
lands or the other Overseas Territories (OTs); as a result our
EU exports are now subject to tariffs.”
The piece goes on to set out how MLAs have represented the
interests of the fishing and farming sectors over the last four
years “and what we will do now.”
It notes: “As an OT, we were never in a position to negotiate
directly on our own behalf. Therefore, our first challenge was
to get UK government officials to understand the impact that
a no-deal Brexit would have on the Falkland Islands. We
achieved this by engaging with local stakeholders and through
the publication of three reports which we shared with the UK
government.
In 2018 FCDO officials visited the Islands
Following this, officials from the FCDO (Foreign and Com-
monwealth Development Office) came to visit the Islands in
2018 and held meetings with Falkland Islands Fishing Com-
panies Association (FIFCA), Falkland Islands Meat Company
(FIMCO) South Atlantic Environmental Research Institution
(SAERI) Falklands Land Holdings (FLH) and Falklands Con-
servation, among others.”
It goes on to say additionally they sought to build wider sup-
port with members of the House of Commons and Lords, the
European Parliament and the British public.
“This included securing coverage on the BBC, in all the UK
national newspapers, and a number of European news out-
lets. We wrote letters to every MP and Peer and held meet-
ings with as many politicians as possible, including providing
evidence to select committees in the House of Commons
and Lords. A joint delegation to Brussels was also organized
with FIFCA and meetings were held with UK, Irish, and Span-
ish MEPs.
“For two consecutive years, the FIG exhibition stand at both
the Labour and Conservative party conferences focussed on
Brexit and its impact on the Falklands.
MLAs and officials also raised our concerns in countless
meetings with FCDO officials, with our Minister, and at Joint
Ministerial Councils. In addition to all of the above, through
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
EU is the destination for close to 90% of the Falkland
Islands’ exports of fishery products, measured by
weight, according to 2018 data.
our membership of the UK Overseas Territories Association
and the Overseas Countries and Territories Association, we
worked collectively to set out the Brexit impact on OTs as a
whole.”
So, what did all this achieve?
MEPs adopted a resolution for recognition of
OTs in the final deal
MLA say their engagement with MEPs resulted in the Euro-
pean Parliament adopting a resolution calling for a recogni-
tion of the Overseas Territories in any final deal. The UK gov-
ernment also concluded that, from a trade perspective, the
Falkland Islands would be the most negatively impacted OT
in the event that a deal could not be secured. The UK govern-
ment raised the OTs in its main negotiations and, when the
EU failed to engage, they narrowed their ask to the Falkland
Islands and Tristan da Cunha.
Eventually, EU negotiators made it clear that they did not
have a mandate to negotiate on behalf of their own overseas
countries and territories, and were therefore unwilling to dis-
cuss UKOTs.
According to the opinion piece, despite this setback the Falk-
lands government continued to explore alternatives and the
Falkland Islands Government Office in
London was in regular contact with officials in London (FIGO)
and the UK Embassy in Madrid; MLAs and officials in Stanley
also had weekly telephone conferences with the FCDO.
Throughout all of this FIGO continued to organize meetings
with politicians and MLAs met with many MPs and peers
from across the political spectrum, all of whom were willing to
engage on the Falklands’ behalf.
MLAs praised Ian Ascough and his team at
the FCDO in London
The paper notes: “Special mention should also be made to
34
 Falkland Islands admits disappointment and frustration
with Brexit deal
Penguin News
Ian Ascough and his team at the FCDO in London who also
intervened on behalf of the Islands and worked tirelessly to
help us make our case.”
“With time running out, we developed a five-stage plan with an
emphasis on the Prime Minister making a personal interven-
tion to the EU on our behalf. We communicated this plan to
the UK Government and a number of meetings were held with
key UK politicians, all of whom encouraged the Prime Minis-
ter to intervene on behalf of the Falklands.
We even secured a question at the Prime Minister’s Question
Time just before the Prime Minister set off to meet with the
President of the European Commission.”
It was all in vain however, according to the opinion piece: “Un-
fortunately, despite our best and sustained efforts, the UK
Government was unable to secure an agreement on our be-
half.
We would like to put on record our thanks to FIG officials, to
EFFICIENT USE OF RECYCLING AND STREET LITTER BINS
SHG
St Helena previously embarked on an extensive recycling pro-
gram, actively recycling glass, plastics and aluminium drink
cans for the benefit of the environment.
Glass and aluminium drink cans (ADC) disposed of in the
Olympic Bins (the side that reads ‘Altogether We Recycle’),
located across the Island, are collected and delivered to the
Public Recycling Facility at Horse Point Landfill Site (HPLS)
for recycling.
Larger quantities of glass and ADC wastes can be recycled
by disposing of in red wheelie bins for glass and blue wheelie
bins for ADC. These wheelie bins are located at bars, com-
munity centres and other areas (as mini recycling hubs). The
public can also dispose of these recyclable wastes directly
into the Public Recycling Facility at HPLS (open 24/7).
The light grey wheelie bins, previously located for plastic waste,
are being reclaimed by WMS and repurposed as loaned home
quarantine bins as part of the COVID-19 prevent strategy. As
such, these bins are temporarily unavailable for plastic recy-
cling. Members of the public wishing to recycle their plastic
should contact SHAPE directly on tel: 24143.
To maximise recycling efforts the public are requested not to
contaminate Olympic Bins (recyclable side) or red/blue
wheelie bins with non-recyclable wastes such as food con-
tainers. Contamination of recyclable waste creates a costly
cleaning process before recycling that could otherwise be
avoided through considerate disposal of non-recyclable wastes
e.g. into the side of Olympic Bins that reads ‘Please Do Not
Litter’ or disposed into brown wheelie bins with ‘Please Do
Not Litter’ signs attached. Recycling bins persistently con-
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
the many UK politicians who championed our cause, and to
FIFCA and FIMCo. Despite the challenging situation we find
ourselves in, it is heartening to know that we have so many
supporters who are willing to go out of their way to help us.”
So, where does the Falklands go from here?
According to the piece, “we will not be giving up. We do not
accept that tariffs on our exports to the EU should be the new
status quo. Our priority now is to ensure that no stone is left
unturned in securing the removal of these tariffs at the earliest
opportunity and we have already begun to engage with the UK
Government to make this case.”
In anticipation of events, the Falkland Islands Fisheries Asso-
ciation released a statement last December 12 warning that
the impacts of the agreement announced “will be felt across
the industry immediately and will have an instant impact on
the overall profitability of all Falkland Islands Fishing Compa-
nies.”
taminated will be relocated.
The public are reminded that under Section 78(3) of the Envi-
ronmental Protection Ordinance: ‘A person who wilfully or reck-
lessly removes or otherwise interferes with a litter bin com-
mits an offence’. The penalty is a fine of £1000.
Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, commented:
“Recycling is the optimum solution for St Helena to efficiently
manage its waste. The more waste we recycle, the longer
HPLS will last as landfilling is reduced. I encourage the public
to recycle as much glass and ADC as possible when dispos-
ing of waste into either the Olympic Bins or the red and blue
wheelie bins. Regrettably the content of overly contaminated
recycling bins will be landfilled, which defeats the objective of
recycling.”
Waste Management Services Supervisor, Anthony Henry,
added:
“We would like to thank the Sandy Bay Community for
proactively recycling glass and ADC in an efficient manner.
The recycling bins located
adjacent to the bus shel-
ter in Sandy Bay are never
contaminated, as such
their content is collected
weekly and delivered to
HPLS for recycling. This
is a good example of effi-
cient use of recycling
bins.”
Contaminated Bin
35

DKKE^,/E^
EdZd/EDEdd,/^
^dhZzE/',d
E:Kzd,^KhE^K&:<:d
DKKE^,/E^&ZKDϵWD
ST HELENA POLICE REPORT
21 DECEMBER 2020 – 3 JANUARY 2021
During the two-week period of Monday, 21 December 2020, to
Sunday, 3 January 2021, St Helena Police dealt with a total of
79 reports, resulting in one arrest.
One person was arrested for a Sexual Offence. They were
interviewed and bailed to return to Police Headquarters pend-
ing further investigations.
Two reports of Theft were made and are being investigated.
Other reports included an allegation of harassment, alarm or
distress, whereby one person was given a harassment warn-
ing, and a child missing from home, whereby the child was
located and returned home.
Seven minor Road Traffic Collisions were reported and seven
Road Traffic Offences were identified and dealt with.
Police received a number of reports of vehicles doing ‘dough-
nuts’ at the Jamestown Wharf. The public are advised that
this is not an accepted cultural act. Drivers as well as pedes-
trians are put at risk when these acts are carried out. Those
Is the Ship Bringing Unwanted Animals?
Over the years we have heard rumours about ships bringing
unwanted animals and plants to the Island. When it comes to
plants this has been confirmed. Many if the invasive species
The St Helena Independent Volume XVI, Issue 6, Friday 15th January 2021
PUBLIC COMMUNICATIONS
NETWORKS AND SERVICES
LICENCE
Reference: CS-0436-SHG
St Helena Government (SHG) has released their ten-
der for the Public Communications Networks and Serv-
ices Licence.
Full documentation and the specifications can be found
on the SHG e-procurement system which can be
accessed via: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/sainthelena fol-
lowing registration on the system.
User guides are available via the ‘Supplier Information’
tab to assist prospective suppliers registering on the
e-procurement system.
Any questions in the interim should be addressed to
the Procurement Office for the attention of Deputy Head
of Procurement, Nicola Young via
email: nicola.young@sainthelena.gov.sh.
The deadline for submissions is 12 noon (GMT)
on Friday, 26 February 2021.
SHG
29 December 2020
responsible are strongly advised to refrain from doing these
dangerous acts. The area in question is defined as part of the
highway.
Police also carried out community engagement in addition to
engaging actively with the many festive events throughout the
holiday period. Thanks goes to all the organisers for the events,
which were managed well. Further thanks goes out to
partnering agencies who supported the Police throughout the
year.
St Helena Police would like to wish our community a Happy
New Year. Until next week - Stay Safe!
of plants invading our Island have most probably arrived in the
cargo of ships, deliberately or by accident. A few unfamiliar
animals have also been spotted by eagle-eyed residents over
the years. The latest one was the ‘Monk Cat’ a few years
ago. This was allegedly a large cat species which much have
arrived in connection with the airport construction. There were
dozens of spottings of this creature from around the Island.
We wonder what happened to it – nothing more was seen or
heard after a few months of frequent reports.
Since Christmas we have heard about a bat escaping from a
container brought to the Island in a container on the MV Helena
December sailing from Cape Town. People have apparently
seen it in Jamestown and at Ladder Hill. One report sug-
gested that the poor bat was flying about in Jamestown dur-
ing the Festival of Lights.
Nobody has given us any detailed identification of the little
animal but the story might be plausible – at least to some.
36