St Helena : Business News from St. Helena (05/05/06)
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 04.05.2006 (Article Archived on 18.05.2006)
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BUSINESS NEWS FROM ST. HELENA
Geoff Benjamin is no stranger to the Falklands.
Medical Laboratory Goes High-Tech
The Medical Laboratory at the Hospital has become more high-tech with staff members using a computerised biochemistry analyser to conduct medical tests.
The machine was purchased from Cape Town last year after Geoffrey Benjamin, Senior Biomedical Scientist, recommended that the department should invest in the equipment.
The machine comprises a large unit that processes the tests, and a computer screen which produces the results and operates as a touch pad to make selections. It stores all of its data allowing easy access to information on test results at the touch of a button.
The analyser has been in use for several months and has proved to be extremely useful as it is able to carry out biochemistry tests that were previously sent to Cape Town. Having the machine on Island means that results are known more quickly, the tests are cheaper than sending them overseas, and cheaper than tests that were carried out on Island using older machines.
The computerised biochemistry analyser goes a long way in terms of improving public health on St Helena because it can carry out all of the routine tests (e.g liver, heart, kidney function etc) which were done manually before, plus an extended range of new tests. In the last three months the machine has processed around 2000 tests.
Unlike other machines in the Lab, the new one is able to carry out many tests at the one time using a single sample. It can test up to 40 samples at the one time and in terms of speed it is much quicker as it can process in an hour what the previous machines took most of the day to do. Geoffrey said that if someone has to go into the operating theatre, the Lab could carry out all of the necessary tests within half an hour so that the operation can go ahead.
As well as testing for certain health conditions, the machine can also monitor various drugs in peoples systems. Geoffrey said this is useful as some people are placed on treatment which has to be monitored so that the dosage can be altered accordingly. Unlike previous machines the analyser is also able to test alcohol levels.
By carrying out tests that were previously done manually the analyser saves a lot of time and allows staff to focus on other important tasks. It also makes the process safer for staff as the analyser is fully automated and carries out all of the tests without anyone coming into contact with chemicals, or contaminated waste.
The analyser is checked every morning to ensure that it is reading accurately and staff at the lab have received training from the company which manufactured the machine, so that they will be able to fix it if a fault is detected.
The machine software will not become outdated because it is able to receive updates by computer disk. At no additional cost, the Lab receives a new disk every month and by simply placing this into the machine, it is able to update existing parameters and add new tests.
Acting Chief Administrative Health and Social Services Officer, Helen Lawrence said: “We are immensely pleased with the performance of the machine. It has greatly improved the service that we provide.”
Public Relations/Information Office
Office of the Chief Secretary
28 April 2006
Press Release
Phil Hurst and Unemployment
At last Friday’s Heads of Department Meeting, Phil Hurst, Training Consultant for Long Term Unemployment, spoke about his findings and the work he is doing to get unemployed people into full time jobs.
The aim of the Return to Work Scheme is to get unemployed people back into full time employment through training and work experience and Phil is on Island to assess the training requirements of the unemployed so that he can design training modules to help them. He arrived at St Helena on 13 January 2006 and his visit is being funded by the United Nations Development Program.
At the meeting he explained that St Helena has around 96 unemployed people which equates to an unemployment rate of 4 per cent. This, he said, is considered low particularly in comparison with many countries in the European Union. However most have been unemployed for 10 to 15 years which is uncommon in other parts of the world.
This brings problems with some thinking they will not be able to find a job, and others having lost skills by doing community work for so long.
One of the barriers to employment is that the unemployed lack the necessary training and experience required by employers. However this is being addressed. Phil also highlighted that some people felt they were unemployable simply because they are on the Community Work Scheme and it is hoped that this perception of the Scheme will change.
The Department encourages people to take advantage of the training provided and training has commenced with the unemployed attending courses on how to apply for a job and how to attend an interview. It is hoped that this will allow them to show interviewing panels that they are contenders for vacancies. Some have applied for jobs already and are waiting to hear whether they were successful. Phil felt that this session was particularly useful because, as well as equipping people with important skills, it has also improved confidence.
Staff at the Employment and Social Security Department will also receive training so that they will be able to help the unemployed return to full time employment.
In addition Phil is delivering training to persons within Government Departments and the private sector.
The Department has talked about establishing a Job Shop for a long time and this is also happening. Phil considers this to be a step in the right direction and a priority for the department to have it open soon. Already a room has been identified within the Department and it is hoped that the shop will open at the end of May 2006. An important purpose of the shop is to have one place where anyone can go to get information on all of the job opportunities St Helena has to offer. Another purpose of the job shop is to provide staff and resources for career exploration and vocational counselling.
As well as being of use to those who are on the Community Work Scheme, the Job Shop will also benefit St Helenians returning to the Island if they are looking for work. This is common practice in the UK and the hope is that all members of the public who are seeking employment will use it.
Employers both in Government and the Private Sector will be able to send details of their vacancies to the Employment and Social Security Department and these will be placed in the Job Shop.
Phil concluded by saying that his work will come to an end in May of this year. However a second trainer will be visiting the Island to continue working with the unemployed for a ten-month period. Phil is positive about the scheme and in commenting generally he said: “I see nothing but opportunity and potentially prosperous times for this Island.”
Public Relations/Information Office
Office of the Chief Secretary
28 April 2006
Letter to the Media
Questions are being raised about appeals against decisions of the Immigration Control Board which I determined in February.
On my return to St Helena I commented on this matter in general terms in a radio interview and also met the Members of the Immigration Control Board who had resigned. The latter was helpful in looking at ways of improving the consideration of applications and improvements have been implemented.
I thought that it was understood that I could not go into detail about my decision not least because the personal details of applicants were involved. Similarly, the Chair and Secretary of the Board have quite rightly refrained from comment because the deliberations of the Immigration Control Board (ICB) are conducted in confidence. However, I feel that without breaching confidences I can add to my earlier remarks not least because the integrity of myself and those who continue to serve the Board is being called into question.
In operating my appeal role which I do as Governor and not as Governor in Council (ie advised by the Executive Council) I was presented with the following:-
- policy guidance issued by Governor in Council to the Immigration Control Board in November 1999
- work permit applications from the appellants
- advertisements relating to these work permits
- objections following the advertisements
- letters from the Immigration Control Board to the applicants turning down the permits
- representations from the Public Solicitor on behalf of the appellants
- copy of confirmed minutes of Immigration Control Board meeting held on 21 December 2005
- copy of unconfirmed minutes of Immigration Control Board meeting on 11 January 2006
Attention has focussed on these last 2 sets of minutes. The crucial facts are that the minutes of 21 December which were signed as an accurate record on 11 January were confirmed and it is this set of minutes which records the Board’s consideration of the 4 applications for work permits which subsequently became the subject of appeals. (So by the time of my decision in February I was dealing with the agreed record of the ICB at which decisions had been taken on the 4 applications and which had informed the letters of refusal to the applicants). The unconfirmed minutes of the meeting of 11 January added to the Board Members’ reasoning for refusal of the work permit applications. However, I considered that my main focus in this aspect had to be on the confirmed minutes of the meeting of 21 December which had preceded the issue of the Immigration Control Board’s decisions.
I hope that the above clears up the process involved. I do not propose to go into the content of my deliberations as the appeal ‘body’ but it is very relevant to note that the policy guidance to the Immigration Control Board states that “competition and choice are important elements in an economy and a work permit shall not be automatically refused on grounds that there is already someone with skills in a particular field”.
Michael Clancy
Governor
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