A Currency Of Our Own

 

 

St Helena is a British Island but it does not have the British Pound as its currency. This hasn’t always been the case though; in fact the St Helena Currency was only released in 1976. At the time, all of the British currency was sent back to the UK and invested in UK gilts on behalf of the Currency Fund. St Helena had to get its own notes printed and it also had to mint its own coins, although Chief Finance Officer, Desmond Wade said that it does not cost a million pounds to print a million pounds. The production costs are much lower and the new currency only obtains its face value once it is backed and put into circulation.

 

The St Helena Pound is backed “pound for pound” by the Pound Sterling and is therefore on par with it. St Helena money would be worthless if not backed by the sterling that has been invested on behalf of the Currency Fund.

 

The question arises however as to why St Helena does not use British Currency. Desmond explained that by having its own currency, the Island’s British Sterling is being invested and this generates much needed revenue for the Island. Annually some £200,000 to £240,000 is transferred from the Currency Fund to general revenue and it is then used to assist with expenses associated with the provision of services on the Island.

 

Since the Island is making much needed revenue from having its own currency, there are no plans to change back to Sterling.

 

Later this year the Island will be receiving a new consignment of £10 and £20 notes. Desmond said that the reason for this is that the Currency Commissioners are in need of replacement notes due to limited stock remaining. The opportunity is also being taken to use a more updated portrait of Her Majesty the Queen and to reduce the size of these notes to the size of the £5. The current £10 and £20 notes will be withdrawn from circulation as and when they become soiled or damaged.

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

5 May 2004

 

 

 

16mm Films of St Helena

 

The St Helena Tourist Office is planning to show the Island some short films that were taken of St Helena around 1946 to 1948.

 

Recently, the Office received a DVD copy of two 16mm films from Jason Wroe in Wales. The films were taken by his great aunt Penelope Porter (nee Walker) who served on St Helena as the Secondary School Mistress up until 1949. She spent three years on the Island when she saw the start of Secondary School at Red Gate, teaching about 13 pupils and a group of student teachers in the first year. She later left for Canada to get married but at some time during her stay on the Island, she made the short films and she took these with her.

 

Penny passed away in 1996 at the age of 86 leaving a collection of 16mm, quite brittle films which Jason transferred first onto video and then onto DVD in order to maintain their quality. He has been in contact with the St Helena Tourist Office and decided to send a copy of the DVD to St Helena. He said that his great aunt “would be over the moon if she knew that her films are going back to St Helena to be watched again, possibly by people who may remember her.”

 

The Tourist Office is hoping to show the films on television for general interest and in hope that people will recognise Penny, and let them know so that they can pass this information on to her great nephew, as he is keen to know whether any of these people are still on the Island and if they might remember their teacher. Broadcast details will be announced later. The DVD includes shots of sports days and of children outside of Penny’s class. It is highly likely that people will remember the teacher from the Secondary School since Dorothy Evans has made mention of some of the pupils and student teachers in her book Schooling in the South Atlantic Islands 1661 – 1992 and some are still on the Island today.

 

 

 

Reference: Schooling in the South Atlantic Islands 1661 – 1992 by Dorothy Evans

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

5 May 2004

 

 

Brian Clarke MBE

 

A loyal employee who played an important role in the management of Government accounts, Brian Clarke MBE relinquished his role as Senior Accounts Advisor within the Finance Department on Friday 30 April 2004.

 

Brian started his working career with the St Helena Government in 1960 when he was employed as a clerk in the Secretariat. In April 1961 he moved to the Treasury as a clerk and he then progressed to Senior Accounts Clerk, and later as Accountant in 1979. Brian was then promoted to Senior Executive Officer in the Accounts Section and his post was re-graded and re-designated to Senior Accountant in 1989. Here he managed the operations of the Accounts Section, the Savings Bank, the Cash Office and the Currency Fund. He also dealt with all payments on behalf of the St Helena Government, and provided central control and support to departments on all financial matters. Brian was also responsible for ordering and issuing currency, managing and ensuring the safe keeping of cash reserves, and preparing all Government Annual Financial Accounts as well as being the Currency Fund Officer.

 

While he officially retired in February 2003, he remained with SHG as a Senior Accounts Advisor.

 

In speaking about Brian’s retirement, Desmond Wade, Chief Finance Officer said: “On behalf of the staff and myself, I would like to thank Brian for his hard work and dedication over the years and wish him well for the future.”

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

5 May 2004

 

 

 

 

Progress at Ruperts Beach

 

 

Quite a bit of progress has been made towards protecting the sea defence wall at Ruperts Beach.

 

Bill Scanes, Chief Engineer from the Public Works and Services Department said that problems came about due to the beach level having dropped considerably since the wall was built, exposing the seawall piling to the ravages of the ocean. Piling was dislodged in three places and the wall subsequently undermined. This resulted in January this year with soil at the back of the wall collapsing and being washed out to sea, at a location quite near to some of the tanks of the Bulk Fuel Farm. Employees from the Public Works and Services Department took emergency action to fill the cavity and secure the area. Since then, more works have taken place to reinforce the wall and protect it from further damage.

 

This has not been an easy task for the department since sea conditions have been quite unfavourable at times. Fortunately, conditions improved during the latter part of March which has allowed a considerable amount of work to be done.

 

So far, the department has placed large rocks in front and behind the sea defence wall to protect it from any further damage or subsidence. The rock armour extends approximately seven metres in front of the wall and across most of its width with the intention being to cover the whole width of the wall. Once this exercise is complete, concrete will be poured into the voids under the wall. The final stage will involve placing a further layer of dense rocks in front and on top of the already placed rocks, bringing the rock armour one metre higher. Bill said “It is anticipated that works will be completed around the end of July this year, sea conditions permitting.”

 

The department is also intending to place a groyne extending out to sea around 10 metres. This will comprise a row of boulders which will be visible above sea level. This groyne should help to retain the sand which is already building up on the beach area and possibly help to bring more in. Bill feels that this has a good chance of success as the method is commonly used elsewhere in the world to help create beaches.

 

Many tonnes of rock have been moved to the site and, so far, the department has been able to locate rock in places where members of the public would like to have it removed from their properties which has reduced costs for the department as well as helping the parties concerned.

 

The ramp down to the beach by the barbeque area and toilets is to be improved, to provide better access for bathers and for launching of small dinghies. The toilets will also be redecorated before reopening to the public.

 

Staff from the department’s Works Division have been carrying out all of the work and, since there are other important jobs to be done, much of this has been taking place on the weekends, when sea conditions allowed, as well as through the week.

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

28 April 2004

 

 

Staff Development Days

Some Government Departments have been holding Staff Development Days.

 

Chief Personnel Officer said that these “allow for staff members to get away from their core business and focus departmentally on in-service development.” She added “This could be used for cross departmental issues, Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats analyses, review of departmental functions or the delivery of training on a particular matter, such as Health & Safety.” 

 

The Education Department has been hosting staff development days for a number of years and these have proven to be useful. Recently, the Finance Department also held a successful one at the Guinea Grass Community Centre.

 

Alan Nicholls, Senior Legal Officer and Head of the Legal, Lands and Planning Department was the last to take his staff away from busy legal schedules on Wednesday 21 April for a Staff Development Day at Kingshurst.

 

Alan explained that while the main purpose was to help the department prepare for its Investor in People assessment, it also gave staff an opportunity to get together informally to discuss departmental and staff related matters. He said that already, he has noticed improvements since sections are now more aware of what other sections do and as a result they are able to work together more efficiently and effectively. The Legal, Lands and Planning Department is divided into a number of sections, and Alan said that previously, staff were not very well informed of what the other sections were doing since each section tended to work in isolation. The day allowed all sections to give presentations on what they do, to look at departmental policies and strategies, to go through the departments business plan and to fully appreciate the requirements leading up to IIP assessment. Staff members were also given the opportunity, through group discussions and presentations, to contribute ideas on how they felt the department and staff could develop.

 

Alan said: “It was the first for the Department and turned out to be an interesting and enlivening day, and until you do it, you don’t realise how such a day can effectively contribute towards staff and departmental development.”

 

Some employees had previously taken a course in First Aid so the occasion was also used to present the relevant certificates.

 

Personnel will be the next department to have a staff development day and this will take place at Wranghams in Sandy Bay on Friday 30 April. Barbara feels that this will be an ideal opportunity to review departmental practices and procedures as the department is an Investor in People and intends to stay this way. She said: “Employees will hopefully feel that their development needs are being met and that they are being valued, which will be a morale booster for them.  The department will benefit by having a more developed and motivated staff.  This is what the Personnel Department hopes to achieve from its Staff Development Day.”

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

28 April 2004

 

 

 

 

 

Swearing in of Acting Governor

 

 

John Styles was sworn in as Acting Governor for St Helena and its Dependencies on Monday morning. He is serving as Acting Governor for his tenth time and he has also served as Deputy to Governor on a number of occasions since he started working with the St Helena Government in June 2000.

 

The swearing in ceremony took place at the Governor’s Office in the presence of Councillors, Heads of Department and other invited guests.

 

The Acting Governor made a short address, commenting on the amount of activity, which has, and is currently taking place on the Island. He made particular mention of the recent air access announcement, the current visit of the Development Assistance Planning Mission from the Department For International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to negotiate with the St Helena Government the next three year aid budget, and the forthcoming visit of Nigel Kirby who is the Engineering Advisor and Air Access Project Manager, and Andrea Woodrow-Bennett, Deputy Programme Manager, from the Overseas Territories Department in DFID to look at various development projects on the Island and to discuss Air Access with SHG. In speaking about this busy period, the Acting Governor said: “It is pleasing to be Acting at this time” and added his thanks to his wife Lynnette for her backing and support.

 

John Styles has taken on the Acting position because Governor Hollamby is currently away from the Island. Governor Hollamby left St Helena on Saturday to attend the Governors Conference in London which is to take place from 5 to 6 May. Governor Hollamby will return to St Helena on 27 May.

 

While John Styles is serving as Acting Governor, Ethel Yon MBE will be serving as Acting Chief Secretary, and Gillian Francis as Acting Deputy Secretary.

 

In related news, the Locum Financial Secretary, Matt Young has returned to the Island allowing Dr Corinda Essex, Chief Development Officer to relinquish her duties of Acting Financial Secretary.

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

28 April 2004