Consultation report on whether an airport is the most appropriate option for access to St Helena in the current economic climate
International Development Secretary Douglas Alexander on 28 October made a Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament:
"I announced on 16 March Official Report, column 40WS, a public consultation on options for access to the island. The consultation has now been completed. A report summarising the responses that were received is now available on the Department for International Development website.
"We will consider carefully the views submitted in the consultation, taking into account the current economic conditions."
You can download the consultation report here.
Ascension and Falklands Visit
Sharon Wainwright, SHG’s Access Project Manager, will depart St Helena for Ascension Island on the RMS today in preparation for Rosemary Stevenson’s airport consultation visit.
Rosemary will join Sharon on Ascension on the 24th July and following a programme of meetings there, they will fly on to the Falkland Islands on the 27th July.
Sharon says she hopes as many Saints as possible take the opportunity to speak with Rosemary during her visit.
She goes on to say that given the importance of the consultation, and the impact the outcome will have on the future of St Helena, she would urge as many Saints as possible, and other interested parties who are living on Ascension and the Falklands to take the opportunity to meet with Rosemary to express their views on the access options.
Meanwhile, His Excellency Governor Gurr and Sharon will be hosting a public meeting at Two Boats Club on Monday evening, the 13th July. The objective of the meeting is to discuss any issues and to answer any outstanding questions relating to any of the three access options that DFID have identified.
Posted on 10 July 2009
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Calling all Saints on the Falkland Islands
By now, I’m sure that most Saints on the Falkland Islands will be aware that Rosemary Stevenson has been commissioned by DFID to lead the airport consultation process following their announcement of a project ‘pause’ in December last year.
Rosemary has already carried out an extensive consultation exercise on St Helena and will be doing the same on Ascension on the 24th to the 27th July. She is also expecting to visit the Falkland Islands from the 28th to the 31st July to meet with Saints and other interested parties. I will be accompanying Rosemary on both these visits.
Given the importance of this consultation, and the impact the outcome will have on your future and the future of St Helena, we urge as many Saints and others as possible who are living on the Falklands to take the opportunity to meet with Rosemary to express your views on the access options and to make sure she delivers the right message on her return to the UK.
A programme showing dates/times of meetings will be distributed closer to her arrival.
Meanwhile, if there are any issues you wish to discuss beforehand relating to any of the three options DFID has identified, please feel free to contact me on wainwrightsharon@yahoo.co.uk
For reference, the three options are as follows:
a) Proceed with an airport, or
b) Commission a new ship, or
c) To defer the decision for five years.
Posted on 10 July 2009
Filed Under Public Participation, Saints Abroad | Leave a Comment