S.Atlantic : St Helena Executive Council Meeting; held Tuesday 13th November 2007
Submitted by SARTMA.com (Juanita Brock) 22.11.2007 (Article Archived on 06.12.2007)

By Cyril Gunnell updates us on what happened during the latest meeting of St. Helena's Executive Council.

Executive Council Meeting; held Tuesday 13th November 2007

By Cyril Gunnell

A meeting of the Executive Council took place yesterday in the Council Chamber at the Castle, Jamestown starting at 9.30am. His Excellency Governor Andrew Gurr inaugurated on Sunday 11th November 2007 chaired his first Executive Council meeting in St Helena. There were three items on the open agenda:

Register of Electors 2008

The Chief Secretary presenting the paper said the Elections Ordinance provides for a new Register of Electors, or alternatively the previous Register can be updated. A new Register of Electors would cost £2000, updating the current one would cost £1000. There was no need for public consultation. It would be nice, it was said, to have a brand new Register of Electors but there would be the danger of people not being interested in putting their names forward, and consequently a new Register would be much smaller.  It was agreed that the current Register of Electors should be updated.

Land Disposal Policy

The Attorney General presenting this paper reminded members that the draft policy had been discussed twice in Executive Council and amendments to the draft have been made. Also the draft has been discussed by non Executive Councillors.

The Attorney General hoped the revised draft could be printed and published for 14 days public consultation, then brought back to Executive Council for final consideration and the policy coming into force from the 1st December 2007 or early in January 2008 if the 1st December commencement date could not be met.

The method of public consultation received considerable debate: constituency meetings are poorly attended, what can be gauged from such meetings; should there be one public meeting; perhaps it would be better for a discussion on the radio. The Governor felt strongly about how public consultation is conducted, does it have to be concluded at such speed he said, and is 14 days reasonable. During debate the Attorney General said that Legislative Councillors had asked for a review of the prices for land, but “We” have decided that the land prices are fair.

It was finally agreed that the Land Disposal Policy draft should be printed and sent out for public consultation and thereafter brought back to Executive Council for final consideration.  The method of consultation would be discussed after the meeting.

Land Planning and Development Control Bill 2007

The Attorney General said there have been considerable discussions, various amendments have been incorporated, and the Bill is now at a stage where it could be sent out for public consultation.

It was agreed that the Land Planning and Development Control Bill 2007 should be printed for public consultation and thereafter brought back to Executive Council for final consideration.