St Helena : Councillor Yon returns From Meetings Overseas
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 23.01.2004 (Article Archived on 06.02.2004)
Councillor Mervyn Yon has returned from meetings in London and Brussels. Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and a member of Executive Council, Mervyn has been a Councillor for the last seven years.
Councillor Yon returns From Meetings Overseas
Councillor Mervyn Yon has returned from meetings in London and Brussels. Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, and a member of Executive Council, Mervyn has been a Councillor for the last seven years.
Meeting in Brussels
Councillor Yon’s first meeting took place in Brussels from 2 to 5 December 2003. Here, he attended the annual European Union Overseas Countries and Territories Forum along with Councillor Cathy Hopkins, Chief Development Officer, Dr Corinda Essex, and SHG UK Representative, Kedell Worboys. This consisted of meetings to discuss technical issues with Commission officials, and the Overseas Countries and Territories Association Ministerial meeting in which delegates from the Overseas Countries and Territories prepared for the EU-OCT Forum which the EU Commissioner attended. Executive Council had nominated Councillor Yon to be Lead Councillor.
At the meeting, Councillor Yon took the opportunity to invite European Union Officials to the Island since St Helena has received funding from the EU and is hoping for further assistance in the future. He said: “St Helena would most warmly welcome a visit from a member or members of the European Community to enable them to have first hand knowledge of how European Union funding has been used over the years.”
On behalf of St Helena, Councillor Yon also signed a declaration referred to as the Administrative Resolution of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association 2003 Ministerial Declaration of Brussels. By signing, St Helena accepted the Overseas Countries and Territories Associations (OCTA) Strategic Plan. Councillor Yon said that some of the issues within the plan are of relevance to St Helena. These include tourism awareness programmes and other forms of technical assistance for accessing funds. OCTA has a budget of 12 million euros to implement its strategic plan and Councillor Yon said he really hopes that St Helena will benefit from this funding.
At the forum St Helena had a display stand with information about the Island and Councillor Yon considers this to have been a success, since the majority of brochures were taken away by other delegates.
Meeting in London
Councillor Yon then attended the Overseas Territories Consultative Council in London along with Governor Hollamby, who was only required to attend the first part of the meeting, and Councillor Cathy Hopkins and Kedell Worboys. Again Councillor Yon was Lead Councillor.
Progress towards implementing the commitments made in the 1999 White Paper was discussed and Councillor Yon expressed concern over the problems St Helena is experiencing, particularly as a result of people leaving the Island. He also spoke about what had not been achieved with regard to commitments made to the Overseas Territories in the White Paper.
Councillor Yon visited a number of departments including the Department for Transport and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, where delegates were able to discuss any issues which would be of benefit to their country. The main issue discussed at the department of Transport meeting was the steps Overseas Territories would need to take to comply with the Safety of Life at Sea Convention.
Councillor Yon then met with Ian Hendry and Michael Bradley from the FCO to discuss constitutional matters. The meeting focused mainly on what Councillor Hopkins hoped to achieve when she visited the British Virgin Island.
Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw attended the Overseas Territories Consultative Council, and spoke about constitutional matters. Councillor Yon said: “The Honourable Jack Straw made it quite clear that although constitutions are being reviewed and amended Governors will still have an important role to play in the good Governance of the Territories.”
The signing of the Joint FCO/DFID Overseas Territories Environment Programme took place on the third day with Councillor Yon signing on St Helena’s behalf. This programme replaces the Environment Fund for Overseas Territories and combines monies from the FCO and DFID for use by OT’s on environmental projects. The fund was launched by Bill Rammell, Foreign Office Minister, and Gareth Thomas, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development.
At the meeting, Councillor Yon also requested a ministerial visit to St Helena sometime this year, however, he was told that this could be difficult, but the matter would be looked into.
Visit to DFID
Following the main London Meeting, Councillor Yon, Councillor Hopkins and Kedell Worboys visited Gareth Thomas and other personnel at DFID where they discussed a number of matters including the breakwater, transhipment, the filling of key posts, and funding for the Island.
South Atlantic Working Group of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum
Councillor Yon was also invited to a meeting of the South Atlantic Working Group which is part of the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum where Kedell Worboys gave a short update on Air Access. The group also discussed St Helena’s invasive species (which included the whitewood, gorse (furze) and the wild mango). It was agreed that the South Atlantic Overseas Territories would try to put together a project to address the issues and submit it to the EC for funding under the regional projects. This was of particular interest to Councillor Yon, being Chairman of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee.
In commenting about the need for such meetings, Councillor Yon said “It’s very important to attend these conferences and I think St Helena can benefit a lot if the right approach is taken with regard to expressing the crises and needs of St Helena as and when the opportunity arises.”
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22 January 2004
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