On Thursday of last week, Members of Legislative Council assembled at the Council Chambers to discuss a number of sensitive issues relating to air access. These issues covered a wide range of matters and looked at items such as business development and immigration.

HE Governor Hollamby reminded members of the current situation with regard to air access and said that the key issue was to develop a framework, which would show what issues St Helena considered important. He went on to say that, having attended a number of meetings on the much talked about subject, it was now time for Councillors to decide what the public, and they themselves as Councillors, considered to be sensitive. "The last thing we want to do is to delay unnecessarily" he said, although he added that SHG has to get the matter right. He went on to say that in terms of potential developers/inward investors, St Helena needs to find out what interest is out there.

Chief Secretary John Styles then asked members to review the already prepared list to decide whether any important sensitive issues had not been included. Councillors divided into three groups with the Honourable Speaker joining group one, and soon a low murmur had developed within the Council Chamber and on the outside landing where group three was at work. A few additional issues were picked up and added to the list with Councillors agreeing to points raised by fellow members.

Following this they were faced with what the Chief Secretary described as the "more difficult" task. 35 items had been placed on the list and these needed to be put into an order of importance. The Chief Secretary emphasised that all of the points were "important" but these issues needed to be put in priority order.

Some of the issues had positive implications, others negative and others both positive and negative. All had been raised by members of the public during the consultation period earlier this year and some had been added by the SHG. SHG feels that anyone interested in developing an airport on St Helena needs to be well aware of these issues.

Each councillor put forward their own prioritised list and on Monday of this week the Air Access Consultative Group, which comprises of the Chief Secretary and the Honourable Councillors Benjamin, George and Francis assessed the results.

Overall the Councillors raised many important issues and the workshop stimulated a healthy debate.

A member of Legislative Council commented: "It was beneficial, good, the way forward. It’s a long way to go but at least we are moving in the right direction."

Councillors met again on Wednesday of this week to have a look at the prioritised issues and after a short discussion the issues were agreed. These will now be sent to the Department for International Development (DfID) and this will help them to form the prospectus. The next step will be for the prospectus, which will be subject to further review by LegCo, to be put into the international market place and expressions of interest invited.

Chief Secretary John Styles said: "Members have worked hard to identify these issues and have been very careful to reflect all the views expressed to them by the people of the Island. The message to the world is a positive one. ‘We want air access and we want a healthy economy. But we also want you to take account of our concerns. Proposals from developers who have regard to these concerns and aspirations will stand the best chance of succeeding.’"

Public Relations/Information Office
Office of the Chief Secretary
30 October 2002