NEWS FROM THE ST. HELENA GOVERNMENT
Chief Auditor Appointed
13th October 2004
Since the departure of the last Chief Auditor Mary Stewart, Miss Jenny Corker has filled the post of Chief Auditor in an acting capacity as she has done many times before. The post of Chief Auditor was advertised as a Technical Cooperation post and after interviews conducted by DFID personnel and SHG UK Rep Kedell Worboys and security and medical checks the Chief Auditor for SHG has been selected.
The person appointed as Chief Auditor for St Helena is Mr Andy Bonner. Andy was selected out of a shortlist of two candidates and has signed a three-year TC post contract.
Andy has worked his way up the ranks; he was a General Manager Accountant, a Corporate Projects Officer then a Computer Audit Manager/Investments Officer in London from June 1996 to December 2002.
Since January 2003 Andy held the post of Audit Manager - Deputy to Chief Internal Auditor in Buckinghamshire County Council. This post required managing senior and junior staff, reporting to Cabinet and Elected Members, producing annual and strategic plans as well as liaison and joint work with the Audit Commission. Andy and his partner are due to arrive on St Helena on the 19th December.
Public Relations/Information Office/ Office of the Chief Secretary
Arrival of John Cocks - Vocational Training Consultant
13th October 2004
John Cocks, a Vocational Training Consultant, will be on St Helena from 15 October until the 8 November discussing and evaluating the issue of Vocational Training with key employers in public, private, civil society sectors and SHDA, which includes potential developers.
The Vocational Training Advisory Council (VTAC) has been in formal operation since 1999. The main purpose of VTAC is to work strategically towards enhancing vocational training provision on a national basis. The council is made up of representatives from all key employers on Island including the private and public sectors.
The DFID Education Support Programme has funded, through VTAC, a National Training Needs Analysis, which will be carried out to assess current and future training needs. John Cocks from UK Best Practice Networks (a co-partner in the Education Departments UK Support Provision) has been appointed to assist in carrying out this exercise.
John Cocks brings with him years of experience and qualifications. He is a successful and experienced Senior Consultant within education with particular skills in strategic planning, project management and marketing and business development. He has worked in vocational education in the UK and internationally. His experience includes working within the further education sector in the UK at a senior level, and managing vocational education development outside the UK. More recently he has worked with the Learning and Skills Council in the UK developing new strategies for post 16 education.
To enable the consultant to address the objectives of the visit, a variety of meetings and an introductory workshop have been set up by the Education Department. (An article inviting public and private sector employers to the introductory session with Mr Cocks, has been issued to the Herald and Radio St Helena by the Chief Education Officer).
At the end of his assignment the consultant will produce a training needs analysis, and a recommended training plan, the aim of which is to provide strong evidence as a basis for making decisions about the future pattern of vocational education and training in St Helena.
An exercise of this kind demonstrates that St Helena is actively pursuing its Strategic objectives, as number 2 on the list of strategic objectives is - to “Improve the standard of Education for the People of St Helena.”
Public Relations/Information Office/ Office of the Chief Secretary
13th October 2004
