Tag Archives: John Turner

‘Shops are silent. There’s disbelief’ – islanders mourn Saint FM

Posted on 23 December, 2012 by

“I just saw Bernice walk up the street.  Everybody, and I mean everybody, stopped her to ask two questions: ‘Why did it close?’ and, ‘How’s Mike?’” The day after St Helena’s independent radio station closed down, JOHN TURNER sent a personal … Continue reading →

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St Helena Online joins a campaign for transparency

Posted on 6 July, 2012 by

Ignorance may be bliss, but it’s not good for democracy. St Helena’s elected councillors are making decisions that will set the course of the island’s future, but we are rarely told what they will talk about in advance. That means … Continue reading →

Posted in Comment, Exco, Law, Legislative Council, Media, Politics, St Helena Online, UK overseas territories, White Paper | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Brits to pay 21 times island rate for dentist as fees double

Posted on 20 June, 2012 by

New medical charges on St Helena mean UK visitors must pay 2,000 per cent more than islanders for dental care. The cost of a consultation for expats from the UK will rise by 150%, from £21 to £52.50. Expats from … Continue reading →

Posted in Economy, Health, UK Saints | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook page calls for more open government

Posted on 28 May, 2012 by

A campaign page calling for greater transparency from St Helena Government has been launched on Facebook by island commentator John Turner. It follows comments by the Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, who said that he favoured transparency … Continue reading →

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Rat claims discounted as pest control staff are laid off

Posted on 4 May, 2012 by

Claims that rats are on the increase across the island have been discounted by St Helena Government (SHG) – just as the number of pest controllers is being halved. Five of the 11 staff who lay bait are to lose … Continue reading →

Posted in Environment, Health, News | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Media funding must be fair, says John – as MP holds debate

Posted on 24 April, 2012 by

The re-launch of the St Helena Independent – in competition with a government-funded rival – has prompted island blogger John Turner to oppose media subsidies. But in the UK, one Conservative MP has called for tax breaks and financial assistance … Continue reading →

Posted in In the media | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tourist cash sails away – in a ‘millpond’ sea

Posted on 16 April, 2012 by

She came, we saw, she left – the words of hotelier Hazel Wilmot after the P&O cruise ship Arcadia left James Bay without allowing passengers ashore. Questions are now being asked about why the island traders lost the chance of tourist income,  … Continue reading →

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‘Bring back the Indy’ campaign launched on Facebook

Posted on 3 April, 2012 by

A Facebook campaign has been launched to press for the relaunch of the St Helena Independent, despite new competition from the government-funded Sentinel. Owner Mike Olsson announced that the 30 March 2012 issue would be the last. He said the … Continue reading →

Posted in In the media | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Education on St Helena: ‘Teachers can earn more as cleaners’ (updated 10 April 2012)

Posted on 29 March, 2012 by

Educational standards are too low on St Helena and the outlook for jobs is ‘bleak’ if there is not a radical change of culture – not just in the schools. That’s according to an official report. Staff are rising to … Continue reading →

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State-funded paper won’t be controlled from The Castle, says founder – as Independent announces closure (updated Tuesday 27 March 2012)

Posted on 26 March, 2012 by

The announcement that the St Helena Independent is to close on Friday, citing government-funded competition – has prompted strong reactions. Read comments here. So far, however - because of personal pressures – this website has not carried any response from the organisation behind … Continue reading →

Posted in In the media | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment