Roads

The councillors were invited to spend a day with the roads section so that Dave Malpas could talk us through some of the issues with road building on St Helena.  It was important that we had this opportunity as during the election the roads was one of the main issues that the community raised concerns about.

In some of the meetings I was one of those who was critical of the state of the roads.

As Donald R Gannon said:

Where the facts are few, experts are many

It is not that the facts of road building are few it is just that I did not bother to check the facts before becoming an 'expert' on road building.

Dave took us through the science and engineering of building a road and then how this is made more difficult on St Helena with the terrain and the slope of the roads.  We also learned of staff shortages and budget constraints.

Asphalt was the big talking point and of course we have the asphalt plant that was bought a few years back and has turned out to not be safe.  While asphalt is a better road surface there are significant cost implications and with our narrow and twisting roads it will be difficult to lay.  Asphalt lasts longer but if the estimated life is 14 years then when it needs to be relaid the old asphalt will probably have to be dug up first to avoid the road becoming higher as each layer is put down.  Digging it up requires another machine, there is the problem with what you do with old asphalt and as the asphalt lasts a long time the plant will be sitting idle for long periods.  If I remember correctly patching any potholes would be done in a similar way to what is done now so all of the existing machinery will still need to be used.  Dave was not saying we should not build roads with asphalt he was just saying that we need to know all of the implications before making a decision

It was a realistic and open discussion.  The roads section are aware that the roads they are constructing of not of the highest standard but that is because the resources are not available to make them of the highest standard.  What he was saying is that they are fit for purpose in that you can drive on them, but he was not happy and of course would prefer to be able to fix the potholes quicker.

The other thing is that the roads crew do feel that they are being unfairly targeted.  Again it is easy to make sweeping and negative comments and not take into account how this affects the morale of the crews.

So a lesson was learned, that I must first think about the effects of any comments made and how this may cause distress to others.  It is not that problems are ignored but that problems must be approached with an open mind and analysed.  I know that this is blindingly obvious but it can be too easy to blame and moan which does nothing to solve the problem

I saw some of the roads guys today and they were pleased that the councillors had taken the time to learn more about their work.  I was pleased that the roads section took the time to explain to a bunch of non engineers what it takes to build a road.  At least now we have the facts. 

  

Red - Blue or somewhere in between

I have just finished reading Red Tory by Phillip Blond and before that The Big Society by Jesse Norman.  It would seem that there is a strand within UK conservative politics that concerns itself with building community, supporting co-operative movements and not pursing wealth and material gain for its own sake.  I guess I have not really taken much notice of this movement before and I just kept believing the old left and right wing stereotypes.

Not being in the UK it is difficult to know how these ideas are influencing policy within the coalition government though from the South Atlantic it looks as if the Big Society has become just another empty political slogan.

I got to thinking about this as I tried to work out what political party I would join if I lived in the UK or Australia for that matter.  I have never been a union person (I once committed the cardinal sin in Australia of crossing a union picket line as I do not believe that nurses should strike) but I guess I have always been more sympathetic towards the left.  Probably because I have never really been too fussed about making money or accumulating stuff.

Now I hear that there is a counter movement called Blue Labour and I have ordered the book as it sounds very interesting.

Why does any of this matter?  In our context I think it is very important that on St Helena we start to analyse the political climate.  There is no doubt where the external forces of DFID/UK are pushing us. Towards a private sector, strategic goal driven economy. While there is no doubt that past inefficiencies within Government have lead to stagnation I am wary of completing embracing the new agenda.  This is not because I am against economic development, I recognise the need for this with airport development, and the need for greater prosperity but it needs to be done organically.  I certainly do not agree with the mantra that a 'rising tide lifts all boats' simply because if a boat is on a short chain or leaking it is not going to happen. Many of the people who are calling me to ask for help with various problems suffer chronic illness, are in debt or had problems at school so they are not in a position to take advantage of economic prosperity.  This is not an argument for an enlarged welfare state, though we must make sure that our welfare reforms are actually supporting those in need, but is an argument to ensure that we are not leaving people behind.  Our strength is that we are a small enough community to develop relationships with those at risk so that we can work with them to support them to overcome the obstacles they face.

All good words but what does it really mean?  I think it means just that. Developing relationships, listening to people, being prepared to accept that we do not all have the same goals and aspirations.  We will not agree on everything but we must be prepared to listen to each other.  My feeling is that we are being asked to follow the path of economic development and chase the tourist dollar without any real appreciation of the stresses that our community is facing now.  There is an element of blind faith that economic development will give us enough money to then start tacking the problems in our community.  What I have learned from Red Tory and The Big Society is that we cannot achieve sustainable economic development if we do not first strengthen resilience within the community.  The cohesiveness within our community is starting to break down and the signs are there for us to see, alcohol abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence, depression, are all indicators that we as a community are suffering.

It is not either/or, we need economic development but we need as a community to be part of the change.  If we don't we may not have a community.

As the Bruce Springsteen song goes:

I'll wait for you
And if should fall behind
Wait for me

Role models

I believe that role models are very important. You do not have to know someone for them to be a role model but there has to be a connection between what you want to do and the person you identify as a role model.  

For me a role model also has to have personal integrity.  I was listening recently to the former US President Bill Clinton and the work that was being done by his foundation in Africa.  The work that is being done is worthwhile and does appear to be changing lives.  But while I admire Clinton and his foundation I cannot identify him as a role model because of his personal life. 

What he may or may not have done with Monica Lewinsky was bad enough but his pathetic efforts to avoid responsibility for his actions will always leave one with a lingering sense of distrust

I mention this because when I decided to stand for election I went looking for politicians that I could identify as role models.  I could not find many. In fact I only found one.

Senator Paul Wellstone was a US Democratic Senator who sadly died in a plane crash in 2002.  He was a grass roots activist who never lost sight of the importance of 'kitchen table' issues such as education, health, the environment and the family.  I first came across him after reading the quote:

“Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives”

It is easy to become cynical about politics and politicians even on a remote island in the South Atlantic.  But Wellstone was able to answer the question that I asked myself: why did I want to become a Councillor. There is only one reason and that is to work to improve people's lives. 

I have just come across another quote which seems to sum up the dominant issue on St Helena as we prepare for the airport:

"Above and beyond the question of how to grow the economy there is a legitimate concern about how to grow the quality of our lives."

We seem to hear a lot about growing the economy but less about the quality of people's lives.  It is the latter that should be the challenge for us as Councillors

One final quote from Wellstone and it is the ultimate challenge for a someone involved in politics, it is the one lesson we must remind ourselves of each day

Never separate the life you lead from the

words you speak

Difficult decision

This week was a tough one and for the five of us who had been elected to Executive Council we were asked to consider approving development permission to relocate the island's prison to a site in Half Tree Hollow (HTH).  The HTH site is Sundale House which was formerly the island's psychiatric hospital.  HTH is now the largest residential area on the island.  This is not the forum to go into any detail about the reasons for the decision but Exco agreed by a vote of 3-2 to approve the relocation.

The prison in town is no longer suitable and it cannot be made so.  It was built in the 1820's and it is a high risk environment for both prisoners and prison officers.  Redeveloping an existing building is substantially cheaper and we have a very limited budget for capital development.

Understandably the local residents were very angry at the decision to move a prison into their neighbourhood. As we had said before the election that we would strive for openness and  transparency  so this part of the Exco meeting was held in public.  About a dozen people attended.  Once we had made the decision we then held a public meeting the next evening and around 20 people came.  Some were very vocal and expressed their anger at the decision.  I accept that they are angry and upset but as we explained we had to make a decision for the whole island and its future.  Everybody behaved with dignity and restraint and towards the end of the meeting I got the feeling that some, while not changing their minds, came to accept that the decision had been made and it was time to move on.  The prison service had agreed to our recommendation that a senior officer be appointed as a liaison officer, both during construction and once in operation, and I think that this helped.

Before the end of the meeting we were challenged by a member of the audience who said she hoped that in 15 - 20 years time we would not be regretting this decision.  I could only agree with her and try to reassure her that I genuinely believed that the right decision had been made and that in making the decision I was very aware that this decision had long term implications for St Helena.

As I say it was not an easy decision to make and the meeting was difficult but we owed it to the people of HTH to explain why the decision had been made.  I guess that there will be many more difficult decisions to make in the future

CPA Delegation visit to St Helena

The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) visit to St Helena

The delegation from left to right:

Rt. Hon. The Lord Shutt of Greetland (standing)

Hon Tim Crookall MHK:  Member House of Keys - Isle of Man

John Grimes:  Senior Parliamentary Clerk - National Assembly of Wales

Deputy Barry Paint: Member of the States of Guernsey

Joyce Watson:  Member Welsh Assembly - Mid and West Wales

What a week it has been.  The delegation from the CPA came to St Helena as part of the induction programme for the new Legislative Council.  We knew before the election that they were coming and once elected we were all looking forward to benefiting from their experience.

I guess I was expecting the team to come armed with fancy power point presentations, 'break out sessions', workshops and ice breakers.  All of the stuff that happens in modern training sessions.

We did not get any of that, and I for one am so grateful.

What we did get was five exceptional people who came and just accompanied us on our first faltering steps as a new team of councillors

We sat around the table and talked.  At times we were joined by officers from SHG.  It was fantastic.

You know in management speak 'team building' often means going off somewhere, being given artificial tasks to complete and 'debriefing sessions'.  I must repeat that what we did was sit around a table for six days and talk.  Members of the delegation gave us the benefit of our experiences, there was a loose agenda of topics but most importantly they created a space for us all to interact and speak openly.  There was a profound sense of coming together and I know that we as a team of councillors will be a much stronger team for the experience.  If we did not appreciate it before we were left in no doubt that we must work together for the common good of the island.

I feel, and I am sure that the other elected members would agree, extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to meet with these wonderful people.  

Island Games - welcome home

At the Island Games in Bermuda Saint Helena had its most successful competition winning a Gold and two Silver medals in the shooting.

As the Council we were invited to join the welcome home celebration at the sea front when the team returned on Tuesday 30 July.

Now I may not play or follow sport but I understand the significance of the acheivement of our team.  At least I thought I did until Mr Eric Benjamin who is chairman of the sports association spoke as part of the welcoming party.  Mr Benjamin, who we have just elected as Speaker of the House, had himself returned on the same voyage as the team.  He started to speak and then had to take a moment to compose himself as he was quite emotional.  That is when I truly appreciated just how important it was to our community that we had competed on the international stage and won.  Mr Benjamin said that he was in hospital when he heard the news of the medal wins and I bet that this was the best medicine he could have had.  Mr Benjamin has devoted so much of his life to promoting sport on the island and it was such a poignant moment when he started to speak. 

It is not important whether it is sport or academia or any other endeavour, what is important is that it is these achievements by Saints that bind our community together and raise our collective self-esteem.  Perhaps in the past I have been a bit cynical but  I am begining to see how celebrating achievements is vital to the health of our small community.  For that I am grateful that I was invited to join the celebration and I am especially grateful to Mr Benjmain for teaching me such an important lesson