St Helena : FIRS Goes One to One with Andrew Gurr
Submitted by Saint Helena Herald (Juanita Brock) 08.10.2009 (Article Archived on 22.10.2009)
On today’s programme I will be talking to Governor of St Helena, Andrew Gurr. Andrew Gurr (AG) was previously the Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands Government for five years.
FIRS GOES ONE TO ONE WITH ANDREW GURR
A Report for FIRS by Stacey Bragger (SB) 06.10.09
SB: Welcome to “One to One.” On today’s programme I will be talking to Governor of St Helena, Andrew Gurr. Andrew Gurr (AG) was previously the Chief Executive of the Falkland Islands Government for five years. I will be discussing with him St Helena issues and how they differ from the Falklands. I began by asking him, now that he’s been in the position for two years, how has he found being Governor of St. Helena.
AG: Very interesting – very challenging – not like the Falklands clearly in many ways and yet in many ways very like the Falklands. I was actually retired when I agreed to take the job. And coming out of retirement I found it absolutely wonderful because I was bored stiff actually being retired. So being here is amazing and actually very enjoyable.
SB: What are the most challenging aspects of the job?
AG: Well, it’s the opposite actually to the Falklands in a sense in that of course we have not just no money – we have a sort of negative balance in our annual accounts and that really is the root of all of our problems because we are not as we are currently capable of sustaining ourselves. And, I mean, that must be obvious to everybody – many saints as people in the Falklands will know work in the Falklands, in Ascension and even in the UK. And, that is because the actual annual income here is around £4500.00 to £5000.00 per year, whereas, of course, in our fellow South Atlantic Islands it’s certainly 3 or 4 times that and in the UK, even more.
SB: With those particular challenges I imagine that it can be quite frustrating. Obviously one major project that’s on pause at the moment is the airport project. What’s the current situation with the airport on St Helena?
AG: It’s a saga that’s been going on a long time I think, in fact, in my job description it says that I am to manage the construction of an airport. So we hit different obstacles and hurdles before we hit the major pause – about 11 months ago now. That pause that the Labour Government or DFID put on us at that time was followed by a consultation. Now, when you take into account that we had our hands virtually poised over the contract to sign it – it was a bit late in the day – the consultations – but nevertheless we’ve gone through that process. And, the consultation, which asked everybody to think mainly which option they preferred – A – an airport now, B – a new ship or re-organisation once the old ship is clapped out or – C – delay everything. The report on that will be published, I understand, probably at the end of this month and the Government will make a statement before the end of the year as to which of the options they are going ahead with, although they made it very clear and of course the UK Government – they made it very clear at the beginning that the favoured option was delay. So even though I am certain most people want “A” I think most people are expecting “C” – you used the word frustration – I think if I had to choose one word to describe the situation with regard to the airport, frustration would most certainly be it.
SB: What is the general feeling on St Helena?
AG: I think they are used to it because an airport’s been talked about – some say – since the 1920s. It’s certainly been talked about seriously since my time in the Falklands because I can remember people coming down to see us in the Falklands when I was there in about ’96 or something because they were looking at some sort of linkage between the Falklands and St Helena in terms of airports so they are used to disappointments and they take it, I suppose rather stoically. And one of the problems is the more enthusiastic you get them, when you then get the disappointment the more disappointing it really is. I think the sequence of disappointments has made people so immune to it probably that if someone came from the UK and said St Helena would get an airport after all, they wouldn’t be believed.
SB: It’s coming up to an interesting time for St Helena – quite similar to the Falklands as a general election is scheduled for November. So I imagine that the airport is another major issue for the potential candidates?
AG: Well, oddly enough, I don’t think it is because I don’t think there would be too much disagreement about it. I think the election will be fought mainly on local issues – local wages – the relationship with DFID in London and that sort of thing rather than the airport as such because it’s certainly the way the politicians are taking the debate at the moment. And, I think everybody’s just waiting for the UK announcement but nobody’s really pronouncing on that.
SB: What comparison do you make between being Governor of St Helena and being the Chief Executive, as you were, of the Falkland Islands Government?
AG: I sometimes ponder that and it’s quite difficult. I think that here we have the unfortunate situation of a sort of black hole in the middle of the population that people between the ages of 20 and 40 have immigrated for whatever reason and so we have half the number of people in that age group. That tends to be the driver in the economy sort of young families working hard and earning money – soldering on, if you like and helping the economy. Now, in the Falklands there was not the shortage of people of that age group. If there was you’d get them in – probably from St Helena or from Chile. But here they just don’t exist. So there’s a gap that relates to both age and energy and skill. And that certainly is a big difference. And, of course the difference is that we are so dependent on the UK for funding that we have the on-going argument as to who makes the decisions. Now, DFID very kindly very often say we make the decisions and they allocate the money to us in agreement and we do certain things that are agreed with them. But they’ve only got to raise their little finger to question something you do and then, of course, the micro-managing issue from London then comes up. And so there is a constant tension in the relationship between the Island and its funders, if you like, in the UK, which is very well managed, I have to say, by the DFID Representative, Eddie Hill, on the Island. He’s an excellent interlocutor. But it’s still a tension that’s built into the relationship that just doesn’t exist in the Falklands because the Falklands have the immense benefit if the wealth that has come from fishing. And our fishing is really very, very small compared with the Falklands. And our Coffee is almost non-existent compared with anywhere. So we have no real earnings here that would enable us to get ourselves on to a proper government, proper management footing for our economy. And I miss that. I mean, in the Falklands one has the opportunity to actually do things in a way that one doesn’t here. But then the Governor’s role here is slightly different than the role in the Falklands - and probably every Governor’s role – I think there are only nine anyway – I think every one is different depending on the political maturity of the Island – and depending on the nature of the people.
SB: Sir, on the whole, is it an enjoyable position – being Governor of St Helena?
AG: Oh yes it’s immensely enjoyable – probably the best job in the world, actually, in spite of the constraints. It’s a very beautiful place. It has a very equitable climate and the views are lovely, the people are good natured and friendly. It’s a wonderful place. It just deserves better, I think from the rest of the world in the way that it’s treated.
SB: Do you still follow Falklands Issues from St Helena?
AG: Yes I do. I read the Penguin News from time to time, I get various news Items from the internet and we keep in touch with various friends in the Falklands – certainly Jean does. And oddly enough, before we came here I booked a holiday in the Falklands but was unable to take it up because we came here, so I keep that updated. So whether or not I get to the Falklands during my time here, I don’t know but I certainly intend to come down as soon as we can after we leave here because the Falklands have so much to offer in terms of wildlife and our friends there. I certainly want to see the Islands again. I always get into trouble, you know, because when I was here – about the first 6 months, I kept talking about the Islands and it’s actually the Island, whereas if I was in the Falklands again I probably would talk about the Island and, of course it’s the Islands. But that’s just an old man whose brain probably isn’t working as quickly as it might.
SB: Thank you very much for talking with me today.
AG: not at all, Stacey.
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