Ascension : Ascension Island: Lack of Transperancy and Self Determination
Submitted by The Islander (Juanita Brock) 29.12.2005 (Article Archived on 12.01.2006)
Ascension't lack of Self Determination will make it more difficult for the Falklands to argue for it during the C-24 Meetings at the UN.
ASCENSION ISLAND: LACK OF TRANSPARENCY AND SELF DETERMINATION
An Editorial by J. Brock (SARTMA)
A lot has been written about the future of Ascension Island and it has left a very bitter taste in the mouths of people residing there. The scenario reminds me of those dark days of 2002, prior to Ascension Island being granted the right to have a Council. The then Governor Hollamby was accused in the UK Press of running a banana republic with an iron hand. Behind the scenes, however, things were different and Ascension began to run their own affairs.
There were several meetings in the Saints Club about right of abode, property rights and status holders. People began eyeing up properties they wanted to purchase and making business plans. Indeed there were business start-ups, like the “Tasty Tucker” and Ceddy’s Shop and there was a general climate of optimism, especially for people who were born on Ascension Island. There were some families with three generations living on the Island, who would have had the right to stay.
It all came to a screeching halt this year when H. E. the Governor Mr. Clancy released a statement from the Castle saying that for the time being there would be no right of abode, status holders and property rights. This was a set-back that, unfortunately, was reported in outside media first and not in the Island’s own on-line newspaper. Finally, after the UK press got involved, press releases and letters trickled through to the website’s pages. I think it would have been better to have the news come from Ascension Island’s media rather than the way it happened.
Indeed, I had written a month ago for a response to some questions about the meeting that was held on ASI in November but haven’t heard from the Island yet. The Ostrich approach only tends to frustrate people who not only care about the Island but also are concerned about the people who live there. Could it have been a recent lack of confidence that resulted in low voter turn-out for the last election? I wonder also if it has sent the wrong message to outsiders who wouldn’t do the Island any good.
Before the conspiracy theories about Ascension Island becoming another Diego Garcea become too prevalent, I think more transparency is needed.
In his Christmas message to the Falklands the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Tony Blair MP reiterated that the people of the Islands had the right to self determination. The UN makes that right paramount. St. Helena, for example, has the right to self determination. Tristan da Cunha, with one third the population of Ascension has the right to self determination. It makes it difficult for the Falklands to argue our case for self determination at the UN before the Committee of 24 if one of the Overseas Territories is being denied it.
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