THE South Atlantic Media Services, Ltd. www.sams.sh Vol. 5,SENTINEL Issue 49 - Price: £1 “serving St Helena and her community worldwide” Thursday 16 March 2017 SAMS TO CLOSE See page 3 for a statement from the Board of Directors SStt HHelenaelena CCelebrateselebrates CCommonwealthommonwealth DDayay 22017017 see page 19 NEED FOR SPEED Sure Increase Broadband Speeds Not So Strictly Cheques See report on page 17 Awarded to Charities see page 2 rought to you by: 2 www.sams.sh Thursday 16 March 2017 | THE SENTINEL ST HELENA SNIPPETS All for a Good Cause Not So Strictly Cheques Awarded to Charities Hannah Durnford, SAMS On Tuesday cheques were handed over from the Not So Strictly Champions, Linda Glanville and Tony Leo and also Not So Strictly runners up Governor Lisa Phil- lips and JJ Dancoise-Martineu. £1000 was raised by Tony and Linda for the charity Can- cer Support and Awareness. Sandra Sim who accepted the cheque on behalf of the charity told The Sentinel how she felt collecting the cheque, “It is overwhelming to have such a large amount. Our patients list on island has grown. This is a huge amount for us. We are really grateful and we pass on our sincere thanks to Tony and Linda.” Making Ends Meet was awarded £500 which was raised by Governor Phillips and JJ. Tessa Roberts accepted the cheque on behalf of Making Ends Meet. She explained what the money will mean for the charity. “I would like to speak on behalf of the directors and the committee of Making Ends Meet to say a real big thank you to the Gov- ernor and JJ for this great donation. It will be put to good use, we will use it for those who are very vulnerable in the community.” Little Miss Fighter MV HELENA CHARTERED TO Harper Gabrielle Olivia Stroud BRING CARGO TO THE ISLAND Donna Crowie, SAMS First time parents Laura and Barry Stroud welcomed their adorable baby girl Harp- er Gabrielle Olivia Stroud was born 5 February 2017 at 10:43am weighing a healthy SHG would like to advise the public that, due to the 6 lbs 7 oz. cancelling of RMS Voyage 255, the MV Helena has Mum and Dad are happy to be home and to fi nally have her to themselves. (Mum been chartered to bring cargo to St Helena. and baby were medivacced as patients to Cape Town, accompanied by Dad on 7 The vessel is expected to depart Cape Town on Tues- February and returned 12 March). day 28 March 2017 and arrive at St Helena on Sunday Laura and Barry would like to thank the various agencies who assisted so profes- 2 April 2017. sionally with the medical evacuation. Special thanks to Doctor Francisco, Midwives All normal shipping arrangements will apply. Rosie Mittens, Erica Bowers and Victoria Thoragood, Anna Thomas, Nurse Neil, Lisa Rhodes, Helen Lawrence and the rest of the Public Health team. "Thank you all SHG for looking after our little girl; we will be forever grateful. Heartful thanks are also 14 March 2017 extended to our families, friends and work colleagues for their love and support," Barry and Laura said. THE SENTINEL | Thursday 16 March 2017 www.sams.sh 3 ST HELENA SNIPPETS Bringing It Back Andrew Turner, SAMS “Back in my St Helena Red Cross Re-Born The St Helena branch of the Red Cross is Old Role” being re-launched. Returning Saint The Red Cross is an international voluntary organisation that focuses on helping people in Chris Peters Joins ENRD crisis. A plan has been put forward by Emer- gency Planner, Ian Johnson and Councillor Pa- mela Ward-Pearce to re-launch the organisa- tion on the island. The organisation originally existed on the island during the 1950’s but by the 1970’s it had faded away. “In the past the Red Cross had a presence at Red Cross about having a branch here. All the sporting functions, at parade days or any other other overseas territories have got a branch. major outing,” said Pamela. “What they had I’ve worked many times back in the UK with mainly was a First Aid post and provided fi rst- the Red Cross who are a big mobilisation with line treatment for injuries before they were lots of volunteers. It would be good for us to shipped off to hospital.” get the branch going here and to join the rest It is envisaged that the re-launched version of of the overseas territories. As we build on it we the group will do much of the same. Ian John- will be able to get more skills for the members son is also proposing that Red Cross be trained so they can assist the emergency services, not in how to help during natural disasters. just with fi rst aid but with managing natural “It was highlighted a number of years ago in disasters.” an audit of disaster management about volun- A series of public meetings will be held to dis- teers to assist in times of natural disasters,” cuss these plans and to recruit new members. said Ian. “I made initial inquiries and found Any person who wishes to join the group can out that the Red Cross branch had ceased at contact either Pamela or Ian to get further de- the time but it was still noted in the British tails. Andrew Turner, SAMS Chris Peters has recently joined ENRD as Message from South Atlantic Media a Civil Engineer. Chris is a returning Saint who has worked Services Ltd Board of Directors previously in both ENRD and Connect St Helena after graduating as a Civil Engineer We have been overwhelmed by your messages of support – both at home and overseas – in 2011. for the work of SAMS and its staff. Thank you. It really makes a difference to us all during “I’m back in my old role so I’ll be doing this challenging time. Civil Engineering in terms of government assets. That ranges from small stuff like ex- When we made the diffi cult decision to close SAMS we did so because we have a duty of tensions and refurbishments – wherever they care which requires us to protect the fi nancial interests of both our staff and our suppliers. need engineering help – to any new builds such as advising on the new prison and fi re As matters stand currently, SAMS will cease to trade at the end of March 2017. However, station,” said Chris. “What we are trying to all possible steps are being taken by the board/CEO to avoid such action. An update on do is bring new technology here get effi cient such steps will follow in due course. designs and do any improvements we can. We do what we can with what we’ve got.” Thank you. In the UK Chris has been managing a multi- million pound Highways Infrastructure Im- The SAMS Board provement Scheme. In his job he was respon- sible for approving any contractor works and Terry Richards – Chairman ensuring that all work was compliant with Stewart George – CEO the client’s needs. Colin Yon “I strongly believe solutions are best Zedella Young achieved with team work and a proactive ap- Isha Harris proach,” said Chris in a recent press release. Karl Thrower “I also look forward to being part of a skilled team that together will contribute to the de- velopment of St Helena through effi ciency and innovation.” Chris’s previous work on the island includes managing projects for Connect such as the upgrades to the pipe network, new water storage tanks and implementing the water monitoring, storage and distribution systems. 4 www.sams.sh Thursday 16 March 2017 | THE SENTINEL OPINION YOUR LETTERS Dear Editor. crophones to do any job required in any situ- I was shocked to hear the public announce- ation. An outside broadcast vehicle that was a SENTINEL ment on the weekend that South Atlantic Me- studio in itself, equipped and ready to go to dia Services (SAMS) will be closing down at any place on island and could transmit direct the end of March 2017 as a result of a decision back to the station. The staff was small in com- COMMENT by the board. parison to SAMS who I understand operates Jeremy Johns, SAMS This decision came as a surprise as no one had with twelve people, Radio St. Helena oper- a hint that this was going to happen. I person- ated with fi ve and was live from 7 am to 10 ally fi nd this very hard to consume or fathom am daily. The station covered a variety of pro- Unsung Heroes out. Here we have a Government entity set up grammes that were informative, educational by a board and others who decided that a radio and entertaining. station involving three channels would be the No radio station, as far as I know unless it is a How time fl ies, because it’s my turn for a way to go with media on St. Helena. Digital Audio Broadcast (DAB) operates from comment again. On refl ection, I cannot come to terms with the 8.30am to 4 pm with a staff of twelve. There The universe whispered unavoidably in my closing of Radio St. Helena only a few years has to be shift work so radio can be live and ear these words, ‘Unsung heroes’. ago. This was a government Radio Station that cover all the peak listening hours. Who? You might ask. And why? Well let me was set up in 1967 and served the inhabitants It is sad that closure is allowed to happen and answer that for you.