St Helena : Business News from St. Helena (04/06/05)
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 06.04.2005 (Article Archived on 27.04.2005)
Arriving on the RMS St Helena tomorrow will be Consultant Frank Milsop from, Community Opportunities for Participation in Enterprise, COPE Limited. He will be staying on the Island for one week.
Garron Yon tells us more.
BUSINESS NEWS FROM ST. HELENA (04/06/05)
These Items Can Be Found in St. Helena Herald
COPE
Arriving on the RMS St Helena tomorrow will be Consultant Frank Milsop from, Community Opportunities for Participation in Enterprise, COPE Limited. He will be staying on the Island for one week.
The purpose of his visit is to explore the feasibility and financial viability of establishing a social enterprise on St Helena. Such an enterprise would allow for the employment of adults with disabilities, as well as the long-term unemployed.
While on the Island, Frank will meet with relevant stakeholders including personnel from the Public Health and Social Services Department, the Development and Economic Planning Department, the Education Department, The Employment and Social Security Department, SHDA, the Chamber of Commerce, Legislative Council and others.
COPE supports adults with learning difficulties and helps them to participate in productive community enterprises. These enterprises enable persons with difficulties to realise their full potential as members of the community.
COPE has said that everyone regardless of disability should have the opportunity to work if they so wish and given the right conditions, all adults have potential to contribute to the local economy.
Currently there is no mechanism on St Helena for training, supporting and employing adults with learning and physical disabilities and figures indicate that between 60 and 70 people on the Island, under the age of 60, could benefit from having such a programme in place as could the long-term unemployed.
The visit is being funded by DFID.
Also arriving on the RMS St Helena will be Gynaecologist Dr Vincent Argent.
Public Relations/Information Office; Office of the Chief Secretary, 31 March 2005
Cruise Ships for April 2005
The Professor Multanovskiy brought 52 passengers and 20 crew to the Island at the beginning of April on its exploration cruise. The vessel stayed in James Bay for two and a half days. However this will be the smallest cruise ship for this month as three larger vessels will be dropping anchor in James Bay.
Rhapsody - 11 to 12 April
The Rhapsody is due to arrive on 11 April at 10am and depart the following day at 5pm. 450 passengers are on board, out of which 170 are on a special Napoleonic Cruise which is being arranged by Michel Martineau. In addition, the vessel is able to carry 344 crew members. The Rhapsody will travel to St Helena from Walvis Bay.
Saga Rose - 13 April
The Saga Rose has visited St Helena in the past and will call at the Island on 13 April from 1pm to 6pm. At the moment the Saga Rose has 350 passengers on board but this figure could change once she arrives at Cape Town. This will be confirmed later. She has a crew capacity of 350 and will be travelling from Walvis Bay.
MS Prinsendam - 19 April
The MS Prinsendam will also travel from Walvis Bay, and in addition to calling at St Helena, the vessel will call at Ascension. Following this year’s visit, the MS Prinsendam is planned to call at St Helena during the latter part of next year. The MS Prinsendam will visit the Island from 10am until 6pm and whilst details of the numbers travelling to St Helena have not yet been confirmed the vessel has a capacity to carry 794 passengers and 443 crew.
The cruise season usually ends in April each year as we move into our winter months.
Staff from the Tourist Office will greet visitors at the Wharf, and a marquee will be set up for persons wishing to sell arts, crafts and souvenirs. The Post Office will have a philatelic stall at the Wharf, and Postmistress Beverley Francis said they have also offered to go on board all vessels to sell stamps, first day covers and other philatelic products.
Public Relations/Information Office; Office of the Chief Secretary, 6 April 2005
Printing Office now at Scott’s Mill
The Printing Office has now moved to its new location at Scott’s Mill. The business, “Printech St Helena” will take over from the former Government Printing Office as a joint venture with SHG with effect from tomorrow 1 April 2005. Printech St Helena will be managed by the investors Jurgen and Johanna Wolf and a Board has also been appointed comprising the investors as well as Desmond Wade, Chief Finance Officer, and Gillian Francis, Assistant Secretary who will represent SHG. The Board will be responsible for monitoring the operation, including its financial standing.
Jurgen and Johanna arrived at St Helena on 9 March and since their arrival they, together with Printing Office Staff, have been busy moving equipment from Ladder Hill to Scott’s Mill as well as unpacking the equipment they brought from Namibia. Jurgen said that while all of the equipment has not yet been installed at Scott’s Mill, they are now operating from these premises.
He added that in about two weeks from now, Printech St Helena will be holding an open day to show what services are on offer. In addition these services will be announced. Earlier today, Assistant Secretary Gillian Francis said: “It is pleasing to know that Printech St Helena has finally come to fruition and that the joint venture will be able to offer more than what the Government Printing Office currently offers. I trust that the Joint Venture will be successful.” Members of the public can contact Printec St Helena on telephone 3310 or email printech@helanta.sh
Public Relations/Information Office; Office of the Chief Secretary, 31 March 2005
FCO awards Funds to St Helena
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has just awarded St Helena Good Government Funding to the value of £28,000. The funding has been awarded to the St Helena Dive Club, the Police Force, and the Legal Lands and Planning Department.
A fair portion of the money will go towards replacing sea rescue diving equipment. The St Helena Dive Club is contracted to the Fire and Sea Rescue Section of the St Helena Police Force to assist with operations as and when required. For this, dive equipment is needed and it is important that this is always in pristine state so that the dive team can just pick it up and carry it out to the sea rescue. This is because time does not allow for them to be carrying out equipment checks before carrying out the rescue operation. Therefore, the Dive Club always want to have equipment that is in first class condition. As well as having the sub aqua safety equipment replaced, funding will also allow for the purchase of a flotation stretcher, VHF radios with waterproof cases, and life jackets. This contributes to the Strategic Objective Develop a Healthy Community in a Safe Environment. In commenting on the approval of the funds, Larry Thomas, Chairman of the St Helena Dive Club said: “The Dive Club cannot afford the equipment. We are really happy that the funds have been approved as the equipment we have now is starting to deteriorate a bit and it is essential to have.”
For Legal, Lands and Planning, two pieces of equipment will be purchased. The first will be a transcribing machine for use in court proceedings as the current machine is more than ten years old and needs to be replaced. The second will be a speakerphone, as this will allow the Supreme Court to make use of telephone conferencing. Speaking on behalf of the Department, Legal Officer Judy Lawrence said: “We are very pleased to have been granted the funds to purchase the equipment. It will enable us to do our work more effectively.” The equipment will contribute to St Helena’s Strategic Objective Continue to Develop and Establish the Democratic and Human Rights and Self-Determination of the People of St Helena.
The Police Department has had money approved so that they can purchase equipment and make some changes at the Prison.
Chief of Police Derek Thomas is pleased with the approval of the funds and said “ The specialist equipment will allow the police to be equipped with personal protective equipment, in support of the safe handling and treatment of persons dealt with by the police” while “protecting and complying with their basic human rights.” Equipment will include speed cuffs, protective batons, and high visibility jackets. Derek added “The funding for the prison will develop and improve the prison service by allowing essential security issues to be addressed within the prison.”
With their funding the Police Department will contribute to the Island’s strategic objectives Develop a Healthy Community in a Safe Environment, and the objective Continue to Develop and Establish the Democratic and Human Rights and Self-Determination of the people of St Helena.
Public Relations/Information Office; Office of the Chief Secretary, 6 April 2005
Public Service Association
Heads of Department met at the Teacher Education Centre at 4pm yesterday afternoon to finalise the draft Constitution for the proposed Public Service Association and to discuss next steps.
Following a few minor amendments it was agreed that the Constitution should be formally adopted at the next Heads of Department meeting which is due to take place on Friday, 15 April.
At this Heads of Department meeting, ideas will also be presented on how the Association should be launched.
Heads of Department have been discussing the introduction of a Public Service Association for many months and SHG employees have been involved and invited to submit comments. The Constitution was drafted by Senior Legal Officer, Alan Nicholls, and in speaking about the results of yesterdays meeting he said “It has taken a long time to get to this stage, however it is very pleasing to know that the whole question of the Constitution has now been finalised. I hope that every employee of the public service will see fit to become a member of the Association in due course”.
The Association will be similar to a workers’ union and will be the first of its kind to serve members of the public service, which would effectively be SHG employees. While no one will be compelled to join, all SHG employees will be given the opportunity to do so.
The Association will operate independently of Government and will be funded by annual subscription fees of £5 per person, which may be paid by weekly or monthly deductions from wages.
Alan is now in the process of preparing a reader friendly leaflet which will explain the Constitution to SHG employees and highlight the benefits of becoming a full member.
Public Relations/Information Office; Office of the Chief Secretary, 6 April 2005
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