THE South Atlantic Media Services, Ltd. www.sams.sh Vol. SENTINEL2, Issue 3 - Price: £1“serving St Helena and her community worldwide” Th ursday 11 April 2013 www.sams.sh SAMS Radio 1 - Live Streaming to the World PROTECTING THE ISLAND’S BARONESS THATCHER Endemic Nursery Open Day A Refl ection by Michael Binyon CROWN JEWELS report page 27 page 3 FINAL STEP IN LONG JOURNEY - CUSTOM’S FOOTBRIDGE Custom’s footbridge being loaded ASBESTOS onto a barge at Rupert’s Bay HEALTH OR FINANCIAL on Tuesday for transport- ing to Jamestown and fi tting in to place TIME BOMB? over the Moat more page 2 GRAND CLEAN UP pg 6 DOGS KILLING SHEEP 3 IN 24 HOURS pg 28 EGG-CELLENT RODDY KEPT VERY BUSY story, page 14 SPORTS ARENA Scott Crowie in super form, Volleyball results, Golf & Shooting reports see back pages 2 www.sams.sh Th ursday 11 April 2013 THE SENTINEL ST HELENA SNIPPETS NEW FOOTBRIDGE Work to install the new footbridge, that will be placed across the moat at the seafront, is now in full swing. It will lead from the new cus- toms building to the main road. The footbridge was purchased in December 2011 from H & A Timber Traders, in South Africa, at a cost of £17,483. It originally arrived in early 2012 but did not meet the specifi cations of the contract. “The whole project has got a bit of a sad his- tory,” said David Taylor, Head of Planning and Development Control, of the footbridge project. “I designed the bridge to be built in component form. It should have come as components but the fi rm delivered it to Cape Town docks as a complete bridge.” The bridge was then cut in half for transporta- tion to St Helena on the RMS. “When we got it on the island it became apparent why it had been delivered to the docks as a complete bridge,” re- vealed Taylor. “It was to conceal the absolutely dreadful workmanship. It was incredibly badly made, they had fi lled up all the joints and gaps with mastic and fi lled over the gaps.” Since then the new golems for the bridge have arrived on Island and Charlie George, and Schmichael Caesar who work as part of Johnny Isaac’s building team, have fi nished construc- tion of the bridge. “Johnny, Charlie and Schmi- chael have done a marvellous job of salvaging what they can and amalgamating that with all the new components,” Taylor told the Sentinel. The bridge was transported to Jamestown from Johnny Isaac’s complex in the Briars via Ru- pert’s Valley on Tuesday. “It was too tall to fi t through the arch,” explained Johnny Isaac, owner of Isaac’s Construction, “also we thought that it might snag on a few of the overhead ca- bles in Jamestown so we decided to choose the route via Ruperts.” A team of workers from Isaac’s Construction worked diligently as the footbridge was craned into place on Tuesday afternoon. THE SENTINEL Th ursday 11 April 2013 www.sams.sh 3 ST HELENA SNIPPETS policies were strongly resisted by the trade MARGARET THATCHER (13 October 1925 - 8 April 2013) unions and left-wingers and divided the nation but laid the basis for economic recovery and By Michael Binyon er, as a correspondent in Moscow, Washington prosperity in the 1980s. and Brussels I saw her on and off for the next Thatcher also built a world reputation as a 30 years, and witnessed her fi nal day in offi ce tough opponent of communism – although she The funeral of Baroness Thatcher, Britain’s at a summit meeting in Paris in 1990, when fi rst woman Prime Minister who died on Mon- built up a close relationship with Gorbachev, she learnt she had not beaten her challenger for a man she said she “could do business with”. day aged 87, will be held on next Wednesday, the Conservative party leadership. The other Downing Street has announced. It will be held Her friendship with American President Rea- European leaders at the summit offered their gan led to the closest period of US-British in St Paul’s Cathedral, London, and will in- sympathy and support – but her face was an clude full ceremonial and military honours. cooperation for a generation. But she became icy mask of self-control, as disciplined as she more and more hostile to the European Union, The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who always was in offi ce. rarely attend funerals, are expected to attend. opposed proposals for a single currency and Tributes from across the world have been paid quarrelled with most other European lead- to Lady Thatcher, who was Prime Minister for ers. It was this issue that eventually led to her 11 years – longer than any other British Prime downfall, when her ministers resigned over Minister in the 20th century. President Obama, her European policies and she was challenged Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany and in 1990 for the Conservative Party leadership. others have praised her role as a strong leader Though she had won three general elections who revived Britain’s economy, battled for in a row, she was forced to resign – and was freedom and individual liberty and stood fi rm always bitter afterwards that her ministers against communism and dictatorship. turned against her. It was “treachery with a She is probably best remembered in St Helena smile on its face,” she said. and the rest of the world for her fi rm stand in Her long rule changed Britain and the world. resisting the Argentine invasion of the Falk- She showed that political courage could over- lands in 1982 and for ordering a naval task come obstacles and that individuals were more force to be sent to the islands to drive out the important than the state. But she made many invaders. Her decisive action, at a time when enemies. Saints will not forget that it was un- Britain had no guarantee of US or world sup- der her government that Britain’s overseas port, risked her career and reputation, but the territories lost their full British citizenship – victory on June 14 won her acclaim at home a move intended to prevent millions of Hong and abroad and bolstered her reputation as a Kong Chinese from moving to Britain before leader who refused to compromise on issues the return of the colony to Chinese rule. Left- Her big chance came when Heath was defeat- wingers in Britain blamed her for destroying of principle. ed at the 1974 general election. She challenged Mrs Thatcher, the daughter of a shopkeeper, traditional industries and for encouraging a him for leadership of the Conservative party, culture of personal greed and the freewheeling studied chemistry at Oxford, went on to train and to everyone’s surprise she won. When the as a barrister and began her political career in habits of bankers and the City of London. Labour government was defeated in 1979 she Even in death, controversy has dogged her 1959 when she became a Conservative MP. became Prime Minister, famously promising She was made education minister in the cabi- life. Some left-wingers organised parties this to bring harmony where there was discord and week to celebrate her death – a move that net of Ted Heath, the Tory Prime Minister, in hope where there was despair. But her time in 1970 but is remembered largely for the con- Tony Blair, the former Labour Prime Minis- offi ce was marked more by confrontation than ter, denounced as distasteful. There were some troversial decision to end free milk for school harmony. She saw that Britain was mired in children. scuffl es during a demonstration against her in doubt and defeatism. She confronted Britain’s London this week. But most of Britain will be I met her in those days when I was covering powerful trade unions, cut back the role of education for The Times. She was a formida- remembering a Prime Minister who was ar- government, refused help to failing industries, guably the greatest the nation has seen since ble character, and made you feel very small if cut taxes and privatised state industries. Her you asked a question she regarded as silly. Lat- Winston Churchill. PAY AND DISPLAY UPDATE a lot of questions were, ‘why can’t we have with the public, the issue of buses parking in he Police Directorate have concluded their T machines because it would be fairer?’...I think lower Jamestown was mentioned regularly by pay and display meetings which had been everyone understands now, and I agree that members of the public. The police are now in taking place in all districts around the island. would be a good solution but it doesn’t fi t the discussions with the Highway’s Authority to Chief of Police, Peter Coll told the Sentinel climate we have. The need to repair is costly fi nd alternative parking options for buses. that despite low attendance to the meetings, “it if it breaks down and we have Dave Malpas The police will now closely monitor how the was useful,” to get a “good fl avour” of public whose working with us, who has experience Grand Parade and Main Street parking are be- opinion. with these machines.” ing used and track the changes they may occur, Those who attended the meeting represented Coll also reported that around half the peo- especially when the new scheme comes into the general public as well as the view of busi- ple who attended the meetings felt the cost of effect.