Picture by Neil George
From New Horizons page on Facebook: We took in £1,807.55 in entrance fees for St Helena Day. We estimated that over 2,000 persons were in attendance. To date we have banked £2,313. This includes tuck shop, mini marathon and Ladder challenge.
SEE ALSO: Napoleon rides down Main Street: St Helena’s Day 2013
Last week’s story about conditions in St Helena’s “unfit” gaol have been shared around the world on a prison news website.
The Prison Enquirer has re-run the story of councillors’ refusal to consider a plan to create a new facility at Sundale House in Half Tree Hollow – despite having already agreed the move in principle.
The piece runs alongside others about prisoners facing the death penalty, and “kids locked up for life” in America.
Acting governor Owen O’Sullivan reported that the councillors felt they were prevented from making a decision in the run-up to an election.
The island’s executive council meets in secret and members are forbidden from revealing details of their discussions in public, so it is not possible to report on the arguments put forward.
Last week, nine prisoners were being kept in three cramped and poorly ventilated cells, and a tenth had opted to stay in a police holding cell outside the prison.
SEE ALSO: Inmates swelter as councillors duck vote on prison move
LINK: The Prison Enquirer
Andy Crowe: I don’t actually believe I’m Napoleon, doctor…
When he’s at work, Andy Crowe is a housing executive with a strong social conscience – but on his days off, he is The Scourge of all Europe.
No one told him that going into exile on St Helena would see him leading a double life as a deposed emperor.
It began when he was asked to play the island’s most famous former resident, Napoleon, for a visiting BBC crew making a programme about the great man (meaning Bonaparte, not Andy).
That’s one way of moving house…
And on St Helena’s Day 2013, he found himself doing the Boney Boogie on the back of the New Horizons float in the procession – a mobile replica of Napoleon’s final home.
He also took part in the day’s Ladder Challenge, climbing the 699 steps out of Jamestown in full costume.
Andy tells St Helena Online: “I was delighted to be asked to play the role of Napoleon, but the really hard work was done by Nicky [Stevens] and the New Horizons team in coming up with the idea of recreating Longwood House on a lorry.
“The costumes worn by the guards were also brilliant. All I had to do was sit and look glum for a couple of hours – though I did break it up every now and then with the Napoleonic Boogie.
“And being asked by the BBC to take part in Andrew Roberts’ forthcoming series was perhaps the most surreal moment of my life.
Andy does the Napoleon Boogie. So that’s how Boney passed the time…
“I was the sort of person who feigned illness to avoid taking part in school plays.”
Michel Dancoisne-Martineau, custodian of the island’s Napoleonic properties, said he was surprised and proud when New Horizons proposed recreating Longwood House on wheels.
The work was sponsored by Johnny Isaac and carried out by Charlie George. Sadly, the model will not survive to be used again.
Matt Joshua of Enterprise St Helena reported on Facebook:
Sad, but the awesome float is to be dismantled… I asked, as wanted to do a display with the front. But at least the materials are being recycled!
So could Andy now have a second job, doubling as Napoleon? He was quite taken with the idea:
‘It really surprised me that there were so few Napoleonic costumes on the island,” he said.
“I will only be wearing it for special occasions – more often and people will question my mental health.
“But the idea of Napoleon welcoming and posing with Cruise passengers is a great one. I’ve therefore offered it to New Horizons and Shape [the disability charity] so that volunteers can pose with passengers in exchange for a £5 donation to their good causes.”
SEE ALSO:
St Helena’s Day 2013 – in pictures
Napoleon rides down Main Street: St Helena’s Day 2013
A public space area, as proposed for St Helena. Source: BAT
Island builders are to be invited to bid for the contract to build 15 experimental houses on St Helena, following an international design competition.
Spanish architects BAT have proposed creating bamboo plantations so the island can grow its own building materials, instead of having to import them.
Dried bamboo is resistant to termites, say architects
Concerns have been raised that the island’s weevils and termites would quickly destroy bamboo in homes, but the winning architects say it can be treated to remove its natural sugars, meaning the termites would not be attracted to it.
The scheme put forward by Spanish company Bilboko Arkitektura Taldea (BAT) also involves importing wire baskets to fill with local rocks to create gabions, similar to those seen supporting embankments alongside major roads overseas.
If an initial “exemplar” development at Half Tree Hollow is successful, the Spanish design could be used across the island to bring down existing construction costs – and not just for housing.
Andy Crowe, the island’s first housing executive, said: “I think it needs to be stressed that the ‘exemplars’ will take time to be produced because of the need to create a bamboo processing plant.
“I don’t want us to simply import processed bamboo and never get round to creating the industry, so it might be a couple of years away.
The architects propose well-ventilated homes that can be expanded easily
“In the meantime I am planning to invite expressions of interest from local builders to develop the first phase of 15 homes using modern methods of construction by a set deadline.”
Andy will report on the scheme at the annual conference of the National Housing Federation in Birmingham, in the UK, on 19 September 2013.
He plans to tell delegates the new housing design could mean Saints no longer have to spend “a small fortune” importing building materials to build houses that can take 20 years to complete.
He said: “There was, until my arrival, no housing service on the island and there is no housing legislation. Until recently there was little planning legislation and so homes have been built ad hoc, without a proper infrastructure. Local builders are in short supply
“It may be the only place where British citizens still have to use outside toilets and live in homes without an internal hot water supply.
Click on the links below for more detailed information on the plans
“The housing competition is a signal that things are about to change. It sits alongside work to masterplan new estates, in stunning locations.”
The UK’s Department for International Development has provided funding, but actually building homes remained a challenge, said Andy – and costs needed to come down.
In October 2012, St Helena Government disclosed that eight families were known to be in imminent risk of becoming homeless. It revealed the figure after one returning Saint made a public plea for a home for his family, after being presented with a steep rise in rent.
If the Spanish design proves successful, bamboo plantations could be created around the island, alongside small quarries, to serve housing developments in St Paul’s, Alarm Forest, Longwood, Sandy Bay and Blue Hill.
Up to 350 homes could be built by 2022.
The architects say bamboo would grow on barren parts of the island, and could help other plant life to recolonise land that has suffered through destruction of woodlands in past centuries.
It remains to be seen whether the island can grow enough bamboo for houses and other new buildings.
But Andy said: “If we can replace flax with bamboo and control its growth (cutting it down to make houses seems a pretty effective way) then we can offer the island a new source of earnings and reduce its dependence upon imports – what a great solution that would be.”
Click the map to see sites for homes,
quarries and bamboo plantations
St Helena Government saved £32,000 by staging the architectural competition itself, rather than handing the project to outside consultants, said Andy.
People on the island who saw the proposed designs during the judging period said they made the most of the island’s natural resources – and respected its community culture.
Click the links to see the winning architects’ drawings (note, these are LARGE .pdf files):
GIVING IDENTITY_PANEL 1
GIVING IDENTITY_PANEL 2
GIVING IDENTITY_PANEL 3
SEE ALSO:
Hotel plan means ‘better homes’ for Ladder Hill Fort tenants
Housing boss sets out plan to tackle ‘years of decline’
The Castle confronts homelessness and over-crowding
Warnings of prosecutions for wasting water have been issued by St Helena Government as a severe drought continues in the most populated parts of the island.
Privately, government sources say some islanders do not appear to understand how serious the situation has become – or that individuals can make a difference by saving even small amounts of water.
A statement, issued on Thursday 23 May 2013, said:
Domestic water supplies on St Helena continue to be at very low levels and SHG and Connect Saint Helena Ltd appeal to all residents across the island to use water conservatively and to limit their consumption.
The current water shortage is centred on the Red Hill distribution area, which includes Half Tree Hollow, Cowpath, Ladder Hill, Red Hill, Sapper Way, New Ground, Clay Gut, Pounceys, Kunjie Field, Scotland, Plantation, Cleughs Plain, Rosemary Plain, Francis Plain, Crack Plain and Guinea Grass.
Therefore the hosepipe and sprinkler ban continues in the Red Hill distribution area and we remind residents in these areas that it is an offence to use hosepipes or sprinklers or otherwise waste water intended for domestic use until further notice.
It is vital that residents in the above areas show proper restraint in the use of water and limit this by, for example:
- Not flushing the toilet on every occasion
- Using washing up water on the garden or vegetable patch
- Using the washing machine sparingly and only when full
- Using the shower instead of taking a bath
- Not using a dishwasher
- Turning the tap off while brushing teeth
Efforts continue to try to source additional water in these areas and we will update residents as plans develop. In addition, leaks will be treated as a priority and any problems should be reported promptly to Connect Saint Helena Ltd.
SEE ALSO: Homes face cut-off as water boss warns: ‘We need rain NOW’
French troops prepare to march through Jamestown. Picture by Barbara George
The message from the St Helena page on Facebook captured the exuberant spirit of St Helena’s Day 2013. “Whoever you are and what ever you’re doing,” it said, “St Helena loves you. Happy St Helena’s Day everyone!”
They didn’t warn Andy Crowe this would happen when he took a job as St Helena’s housing executive… picture by Barbara George
The words were supposedly those of the island itself, possibly ghost-written by Johnny Clingham, far from home in the UK.
And then “St Helena” added “I don’t feel a day over 511!”
Once again, Saints marked the anniversary of their island’s discovery in 1502 by staging a celebration out of all proportion to the size of its population.
One of the star turns was a recreation of Longwood House, home of the deposed Napoleon – played with imperial grandeur by housing executive Andy Crowe, seated on a procession float with a lawn of real grass.
Click the pic to see a gallery of St Helena’s Day images
The day began, as ever, with the formal commemorations, with the police force joining the parade in front of the court house for the first time since New Horizons youth centre took on responsibility for the big day.
Acting governor Owen O’Sullivan watched from the entrance to The Castle, carrying his daughter on his hip, as the drummers of the Scouts band led a strong contingent of Cubs, Guides, Brownies and Rainbows.
There was a speech of welcome by Miss St Helena, and the Bishop led prayers.
A tight finish in the dressing up races. Picture: Barry Hubbard
Every one of the runners who slogged up Sidepath and down through Jamestown deserved a medal – and they all got one, handed out as they staggered into the Mule Yard. There were plenty of them, too.
Then it was on to the novelty sports – a recent addition to the celebrations – with sack races, egg-and-spoon, wheelbarrow antics, hoop-rolling with old tyres, and the spectacle of groups of three people trying to waddle along the seafront with their feet tied to wooden “skis”.
We’re not told who donated their underwear for competitors to put on over their clothing in the ever-popular dressing-up race. Some of it was sexy, and some of it was not. And some of the chaps seemed more adept than others at donning ladies’ scanties.
The visiting ship RFA Black Rover provided a backdrop to the racing, sitting just offshore with bunting fluttering from bow to stern. Its crew was invited to take part in the celebrations.
RFA Black Rover was decked out for the occasion. Picture: Neil George
The sporting theme continued into the afternoon, with one of the entries in the procession from the hospital marking St Helena’s participation in the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
The Waterwitch, the fast sloop that brought many captured slave-running ships to St Helena in the 19th century, sailed down through Upper Jamestown and Main Street. Her young crew peered out, looking suitably bewildered.
She was followed by a spectacular mobile re-creation of Napoleon’s Longwood House – with the man himself played by housing executive Andy Crowe.
He performed the same role a few weeks earlier for a BBC film crew making a film about Bonaparte.
Someone presumably thought he’d be right for the role, given that sorting out St Helena’s housing problems will require a campaign strategist of Napoleonic proportions…
A delighted Michel Dansoisne-Martineau, writing on his blog, declared the work by Charlie George, “a success”, adding: “Happy Feast of St Helena!”
The red-coated French troops that marched down the street, with plumed shako hats, were eminently more attractive than the entourage of senior officers who came into exile on St Helena with Boney in 1815.
Tribute to the men who saved the St Helena ebony, by niece Jackie. Picture: Neil George
The achievement of George and Charlie Benjamin in rescuing St Helena’s ebony plant from apparent extinction in 1980 was recalled by a banner worn by their niece, Jackie.
George spotting a few specimens of the long-lost plant growing at the foot of a steep cliff near the Asses Ears, and Charlie bravely climbed down to take cuttings – re-emerging with a flower preserved between his teeth.
The banner also paid tribute to Quentin Cronk, the Cambridge University botanist who was with them on the day – who later went on to earn an international reputation.
And so day turned to evening, with fireworks launched from the RFA Black Rover, and music by The Big Easy at the Mule Yard, by now re-named The First And Last.
When the last rocket had fizzled from the sky, lead organiser Nick Stevens was photographed smiling, and looking well-pleased.
Organiser Nick Stevens, looking happy. Picture: New Horizons
Saints and island-watchers in the UK had been thinking of the island too.
Michael Dean, who recently completed a stint as the island’s tourism chief, sent a Facebook message to report that a St Helena’s Day dance in Wigglesworth, Bedfordshire, had been a great success.
Millie Evemy wished a happy St Helena’s Day to all her friends on Facebook – and a happy 18th birthday to her son Luke.
Ascension Heritage Society also added its congratulations, noting that “most” records agreed that 21 May 1502 was the date of St Helena’s discovery (it has been suggested that it may actually have been discovered on the other feast day of St Helena, on 18 August).
Doreen Gatien, now living in California, told readers of her Christian blog: “On this day, Saints living all over the world must feel as I do, ever, ever, ever so thankful to have been born and raised in such a paradise.”
In London, government minister Mark Simmonds sent a message to his followers on Twitter:
Delighted to see the St Helena flag flying over the Foreign Office today, marking St Helena Day.
The governor of the Turks and Caicos Islands in the Caribbean followed suit, tweeting:
And Clare Stringer of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds tweeted (yes, she did):
Happy St Helena Day from kewgardens & Natures_Voice UKOTs programme to friends and colleagues on St Helena
St Helena’s flag flies over the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London (picture by permission of Parliament)
Another message announced a celebration at Government House on the Falkland Islands – home to just over 100 St Helenians.
Falklands Twitter user Gavin Short noted that May 21 was significant for another reason - it was the date British troops landed at San Carlos to begin the islands’ recapture from Argentinian invaders.
31 years ago today freedom stepped ashore in the Falklands although it took many more terrible days before we were liberated.Thank you all.
On the island, Neil George posted photographs on Facebook, and added the message:
JUST GOT HOME FROM THE SEAFRONT, CELEBRATING R NATIONAL DAY, AWESOME DAY OUT WITH THE FAMILY. ROCK ON MY SWEET ST HELENA.
More than a hundred pictures of St Helena’s Day 2013, by Neil George, Barbara George, Barry Hubbard and New Horizons, can be found here.
Dr Ahmad Risk
Medical teams on St Helena would struggle to cope with a major accident at the island’s new airport, a visiting doctor has warned.
Dr Ahmad Risk, who has been qualified for 40 years, has acted as a healthcare consultant as well as working as a civilian and military doctor, in the UK and internationally.
He praised staff at Jamestown’s hospital after working alongside them as a temporary locum doctor, saying they had to cope with inadequate facilities in challenging conditions.
He said massive improvements were needed in the next two years in order to bring healthcare on the island up to the standards tourists would expect.
And when asked about what would happen if there was a major accident at the airport, he resplied: “Heaven forbid.
“If we have a major incident, say a plane crash, without facilities it will be quite a struggle.
“I have to be frank and straight about it: with our current facilities on the island we cannot cope reasonably well.
“We will cope, to a certain extent, and people will put out all the stops and they will not sleep for days; they will do that because that’s what they trained to do. But the outcomes may not be as favorable as if you had a different set-up.”
St Helena Government said that plans were in hand for a major upgrade of the hospital and its facilities.
A detailed emergency plan was published as part of the original planning application for the airport. It can be found on the St Helena Air Access website.
Dr Ahmad Risk ended a two-month stint as a locum medic in Jamestown’s hospital by telling Saint FM listeners his views on the state of healthcare on St Helena. He had high praise for staff, but also raised concerns about facilities, the airport, and the alarming number of people suffering diabetes and hypertension. St Helena Government has responded to his comments.
The doctor said young people were being led into the grip of some of the worst medical killers and that it was the duty of parents and schools to help them live more healthily. What role do schools currently play in preventing diabetes, obesity and hypertension?
SHG: The Education Directorate are concerned that young people make the best choices they can about their personal health. This includes becoming informed about the effect of diet on health.
As part of the Personal, Social and Health Education programme, children are informed about healthy living. For example, the health promotion coordinator regularly visits primary schools to give talks about healthy eating.
Schools have also advised parents and carers with regard to the best ingredients for healthy packed lunches, and the directorate is about to refresh the advice for parents and carers.
And sport and activities are of course a very important part of the school curriculum, and all of our schools encourage maximum participation in physical education.
The island has a very proud tradition of healthy competitive sport, as the recent highly successful Primary Athletics Day (won by St Pauls) demonstrated.
Is it true that the government reduced import duty on sugary foods and drinks from 40% to 20% in order to simplify the tariffs?
(Awaiting answer)
Dr Risk also said that he had to insist of being given paper towels to dry his hands because the cotton towels used at the hospital were medically unacceptable – presumably, because of the risk of spreading infection. Could you comment, please?
SHG: Paper towels are generally utilised in all clinical areas. Sometimes stocks run out and occasionally towels need to be used, and these are changed and washed regularly in such instances.
He also said the island needed an intensive care unit, and much better capacity to deal with any major incident at the airport.
SHG: Plans are in hand for hospital redevelopment which will result in improved intensive care facilities.
SEE ALSO:
Children in danger from diet and poor exercise, warns medic
Children in danger from diet and poor exercise, warns medic
Staff at the hospital on St Helena have been praised for the way they cope with challenging working conditions, by departing medic Dr Ahmad Risk.
He told Saint FM: “The front line staff – the doctors and nurses – do an amazing job under what I regard as very difficult conditions.
“Medical care is a very good standard for the resources available. It is exceedingly good. They do a very good job. And it works for the island.”
But he warned that the arrival of large numbers of tourists – by island standards – would lead to a demand for better facilities for those who need care.
He said: “If you are attracting tourists from places where healthcare is funded on a different level, there will be a need to apply international standards that I’m afraid we don’t meet at the moment.
“Big strides have been made. Everthing can be improved.
“The resources of the island are not infinite and that will always be the case, so you have to manage your resources intelligently to extract the maximum output. On the whole that works very well.
“The resources of the island are not infinite and that will always be the case, so you have to manage your resources intelligently to extract the maximum output.
“It works on the goodwill of the front line staff who do the best they can, and they do that extremely well.”
Asked what could be done to improve the situation, he said bluntly: “Build the airport.”
Then he added: “You need money. Quite a bit.”
As it is, the health directorate has been required to accept cuts in its budget.
Dr Risk said: “Everywhere is being asked to cut; not just on St Helena but where I come from in the UK, so we have to cut our cloth.”
Highly skilled boatmen on St Helena will miss out on a future tourism boom unless the island’s maritime rules are brought up to date, yachting expert Chris “Hedge” Shuter has warned.
He has been commissioned to help solve the problems of the island’s “unworkable” sea laws – and make sure local boatmen can get the certificates and insurance they need to fend off outside competition.
His review has been prompted partly by the 2011 wrecking of the vintage yacht Queequeg, which cost St Helena Government £228,000 in compensation. The vessel’s mooring broke and it was driven on to rocks.
The review is also intended to open up opportunities for water sports – for tourists and Saints.
Hedge said: “We have some tremendously skilled boatmen. They have been taught down the years to do their jobs on the sea, they’re extremely proficient and knowledgeable, but a lot of them have no certification.
“So we could get the situation where outside companies will come in, with certification from wherever, and in the market against local people who have no certification.
“When it comes to gaining maritime insurance and that sort of thing, that can be a big problem.”
Fishing expert Trevor “Otto” Thomas had warned that adopted the standards of outside bodies, such as the Royal Yachting Association would disadvantage island boatmen.
Hedge agreed: “If we let them impose their rules on us, that could have severe consequences for St Helena.
“What we’re looking at is ways that St Helena can have its own rules and regulations, relevant to its own people and its own activities, rather than somebody from outside imposing rules and regulations that perhaps some of them we won’t be able to meet.
“We want to look at ways of recognizing these skills and abilities that already exist – ways of getting them certification without fantastic costs or fees and all that sort of thing.
“So if anybody does come in from outside, it’s a level playing field and locals can compete with anybody that comes.”
He also wanted to help Saints gain qualifications to enter the marine industry.
And in a nod to concerns from fishermen, he said: “Commercial fishing is a special case and I firmly believe that commercial fishing should be separated from other commercial activities.”
Public consultation is now under way on the marine review, with meetings on the island and an online survey.
“It’s very important that everybody who wants a say can have a say,” said Hedge.
“We will be on the streets for the next couple of weeks or so – just come and see us. We will be going out to people, because it’s important that whatever we do recommend at the end of this review is the view of the local people.”
The consulation ends on 8 June 2013.
