DFID Monitoring Mission

 

 

 

The two-person delegation from the Department For International Development (DFID) will depart St Helena on Friday 14 May after attending a number of meetings on Island to look at the progress that is being made with development projects that have been funded by DFID and to have discussions relating to future projects.

 

Nigel Kirby, DFID’s Engineering Advisor, and Andrea Woodrow-Bennett, Deputy Programme Manager from the Overseas Territories Department in DFID arrived on Friday 7 May and they have been meeting with a number of Government Officials, Executive Council, Legislative Council, and other key stakeholders.

 

Much of their time is being taken up with visiting DFID funded projects such as the Community Care and Sheltered Accommodation sites, and meeting with project managers from various development projects including Health Link II and the Waste Disposal Project. Further discussions are also taking place including on the Education Programme, recruitment issues, and technical cooperation training.

 

This is Andrea’s first visit to St Helena, but Nigel has visited the Island in the past. As he is also the Access Project Manager in DFID for St Helena, Nigel is taking the opportunity to discuss the current progress on air access with both the St Helena Government and the public.

 

Dr Corinda Essex, Chief Development Officer is attending many of the meeting’s since she has overall responsibility for preparing and submitting proposed projects to DFID for possible funding. If projects are approved, Dr Essex is also responsible for monitoring them. This includes ensuring that Project Managers submit progress reports on a regular basis, and carrying out independent financial and physical monitoring activities.

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

12 May 2004

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Air Access Discussions

 

Nigel Kirby, DFID’s Project Manager for Access to St Helena arrived on the

 

Island on Friday, 7^th May.

 

 

During Nigel Kirby’s one-week visit, Sharon Wainwright, the local Air Access Project Coordinator organised a public ‘Air Access Surgery’ and a live radio ‘phone-in’ to enable the public to express their views and to question both Nigel and herself on the way forward in terms of access to St Helena.

 

The Air Access Surgery was held at the Consulate Hotel on Tuesday evening at 8pm.  People were given the opportunity to discuss issues on a one-to-one basis and had the choice of staying for just a few minutes or for the duration of the Surgery to listen to what other people had to say.

 

Despite there being a low turnout, dialogue flowed all evening with various aspects of air access being discussed. This resulted in the surgery running half hour over time.

 

In commenting on how the evening went, Sharon said “There were some challenging and constructive questions directed at SHG and DFID and these were answered as openly as possible without divulging details from any of the respondent’s ‘commercial in confidence’ proposals.”

 

On Wednesday evening, Nigel and Sharon received many questions via the radio phone-in which took place on Radio St Helena with presenter Ralph Peters.   The feedback from the public has been positive and Sharon felt that the programme was a success.  She added the following  “We sincerely hope that the recent programme of events and the resulting SHG/DFID/Public dialogue that took place will encourage the public to have faith in the decision made and to now allow us to concentrate all of our efforts into further progressing the work ahead.”

 

 

SHG Press Office

13 May 2004

 

 

 

FCO Funding for Police Projects

 

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has awarded money to the St Helena Police Force from Good Government Funds to allow the police to purchase equipment for disaster management, a drugs detection dog, and to train police officers and social workers in interviewing vulnerable and intimidated witnesses.

 

Disaster Management:

Already, St Helena has a disaster management team and disaster management plans. Having the right equipment is seen as a further step in the right direction. Derek Thomas, Chief of Police said: “the equipment for disaster management training will support the Island with its natural disaster plans as we will have the important, essential equipment to assist in dealing with disasters should it happen.”

 

The emergency services have put forward suggestions as to what should be purchased and it will now be the case of selecting the equipment that is most important for the Island. Derek is extremely pleased with this development and he said: “this will go some way in setting us up.”

 

The purchase will support the achievement of one of the six priority strategic objectives: Develop a Healthy Community in a Safe Environment.

 

Drugs Detection Dog:

The St Helena Police Force will be clamping down on drug related offences with the introduction of the Island’s first drug detection dog.

 

In comparison with the outside world, drug offences are relatively low on the Island with the majority of the cases being associated with Marijuana. However, this is still a crime which the Police Force wants to address.

 

Someone from the Police Force will be visiting the Avon and Somerset Police Force in the UK, to be trained with the selected dog. On returning the Officer will carry out normal policing duties as well as caring for and training the dog.

 

In explaining how the dog will be used, Derek said that the Police Force plans to have random spot checks.

 

In commenting on what this will do for the Island, Derek said “the fact that we will have a dog on the Island will be a deterrent in itself, and for the first time we will also have a qualified Drugs Officer. The Officer and the drugs dog will form a part of our national drugs strategy for the Island which will in turn make a significant difference to the Force’s ability to help achieve some of the national strategic objectives.”  He explained that looking to the future with improved access, there will be a need for tighter security which will no doubt dictate the need for two dogs.

 

Interviewing Vulnerable, Intimidated and Juvenile Witnesses

Funding for the third project has been awarded so that some police officers and social workers will be trained in interviewing vulnerable, intimidated and juvenile witnesses while videoing the interview for use in court cases.  Derek feels this will “equip officers and social workers with the relevant skills to carry out interviews with juveniles, vulnerable and intimated witnesses.” He added that this will also protect witnesses’ Human Rights, which depending on circumstances would prevent some of them from having to appear in court.

 

Public Relations/Information Office

Office of the Chief Secretary

12 May 2004