Governor Hollamby has announced that St Helena has been successful in securing over £150,000 from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as monies have been approved for a number of bids.

£93,522 will be received from F.C.O. Good Government Funds, £37,267.50 from the F.C.O. Environment Fund and £35,000 from the F.C.O. Human Rights Programme Fund. The funding will allow for the following projects to take place:

The St Helena Fire and Rescue Service plays a vital role on St Helena, and it was felt that in order for them to continue to provide an emergency fire and rescue service and ensure high quality of public safety, proper personal protective equipment would be necessary. The new equipment will provide adequate protection for fire fighters. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Chief of Police, Derek Thomas said: "This equipment will be of extreme benefit to the service and it will bring them in line with British standards and add to the morale of fire fighters when they are responding to incidents as they will know that they have the proper equipment for their own safety and the safety of other persons."

In view of the major cliff stabilisation work that will take place as part of the Wharf Improvement Project, and the number of controlled rockfall operations above Ruperts and Jamestown that are having to be undertaken a bid has been approved for rockfall protection/risk assessment training.

As a result of this project, 12 SHG employees will be trained and in turn, they will be able to provide some training to other persons. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Chief Development Officer, Dr Corinda Essex said: "The training will enable local staff to play a key part in the cliff stabilisation activities when the Wharf Improvement Project is approved and will also increase their knowledge of different approaches and rock protection issues. This will be very beneficial to the skilled and dedicated Public Works and Services Department team."

The Governor’s Delegated Fund is a part of the Good Government Funds that provides funding for the Governor to allocate to small bids which can be approved on the Island by His Excellency without having to be forwarded to the FCO. Bids are currently being called for from Heads of Department and Non Government Organisations.

The Assistant Superintendent of Police was appointed Chief of Police in June 2001. Since the St Helena Police Force was unable to identify a local Assistant Superintendent of Police to fill this important post, an expatriate officer is filling the post. The funding will enable the officer to remain in post for the final year. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Chief of Police, Derek Thomas said: "This post has been extremely useful to the continued development of the police service. It has allowed sufficient time for a local counterpart to be identified. On the return of the Assistant Superintendent of Police from overseas leave the local counterpart will work closely alongside of him for the final year with a view of taking over the post on a permanent basis in April 2004."

Prosperous Bay Plain is the home of 14 percent of the Island’s endemic invertebrate species. Funding will now allow for two invertebrate specialists to visit the Island to lead project fieldwork and to train local staff in invertebrate survey and identification techniques. Data collected will form part of a comprehensive survey of St Helena’s flora and fauna and will provide information for an ecological impact assessment of the proposed site for the airport. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Environmental Coordinator, Isabel Peters said: "It is very pleasing that this project was successful in securing funding as it will contribute a lot to our baseline data for the invertebrate fauna on St Helena as a whole.  Such data is sadly lacking at the moment.  The fact that the project was recognised by the FCO as being very important in the Airport planning process is also an indication that they are keen to see developments conducted in an environmentally sensitive way."

For many years whales and dolphins have been spotted in St Helena’s waters. Funding has now been approved to allow the Fisheries section of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Department to set up a basic monitoring scheme for these cetaceans.

Local personnel will receive the necessary training and a specialist will visit the Island early June. In addition to being able to monitor these cetaceans, the project will also provide personnel at A&NRD with much needed data. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Marine Scientific Officer, Emma Bennett said: "The marine environment around St Helena is very poorly documented. Numerous monitoring schemes need to be set up, and as cetaceans are highly visible they were seen as the key place to start. This funding will enable an essential monitoring scheme to be set up and can then lead to further schemes."

The St Helena National Trust has been set up for just on a year, and funding continues on this three year project. This will allow the Trust to continue to raise local awareness of the environment and issues associated with it both locally and overseas. As a result the Trust will be able to influence environmental policy and practices, attract tourists who are interested in visiting National Trust projects and provide educational and leisure resources. Commenting on the funding, Director of the St Helena National Trust, Barbara George said: "We are delighted to have the support of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to set up the St Helena National Trust, and will continue to work at helping people to be more aware of their precious heritage. Money will always be needed, beyond the project, to maintain this heritage and we encourage people to join the St Helena National Trust."

HM Prison is the only prison on St Helena, and has been operating as a prison for many years. Funding will now allow for a reform of HM Prison to take place. As a result, necessary changes to policies, procedures and practices will be implemented especially for cases relating to children and rehabilitation. In addition necessary changes to the structure will take place and new equipment and facilities will be sought. Staff will also receive training. As a result, St Helena will have a more independent and human rights focussed prison service. Commenting on the approval of the funding, Chief of Police, Derek Thomas said: "This funding will provide much needed development to the prison service in terms of staff training needs in specialist areas. It will also provide for proper provision for the safety and treatment of youths who have to be held in police detention from time to time."

All bids are currently being processed.

28 May 2003