Ascension : Ascension Conference
Submitted by The Islander (Islander Internet Editor) 27.11.2008 (Article Archived on 11.12.2008)

The First Annual Conference of The United Kingdom Ascension Island Support Association was held in Sheffield last night.

The meeting was called by Dave Croft, Acting Chair of UKAISA.

Ascension Conference

The First Annual Conference of The United Kingdom Ascension Island Support Association was held in Sheffield last night.

The meeting was called by Dave Croft, Acting Chair of UKAISA.

The following letter was distributed to the members

Ascension Island – Why should we bother?

Ascension Island now has a shiny new Island Council so it raises the question of the need to continue to campaign on behalf of the people working and living there. Hopefully this will explain why outside support and lobbying are more important now than before.

Unfortunately the new council has no real mandate. At the last minute when it became apparent that not enough nominees had been obtained, Ascension Island Government staff started phoning people in the workplace and at their homes, pressurising them to stand.

 In her manifesto one candidate actually wrote that she only stood because she had been told that if she didn’t they wouldn’t have enough people to hold an election. The election itself only raised the interest of less than 30% of the electorate, many islanders choosing to vote with their feet.

There is no confidence in a council manned by people who had no real wish to represent the taxpayers especially when it is clear that the restrictive policies championed by the FCO have not and will not change. It is only there to pay lip service to the term democracy and to rubber stamp insensitive and destructive policies developed 4000 miles away by our absentee landlords.

Ascension Island is not immune from the effects of the global recession and as absolutely everything on the island is imported increased costs have hit across the board. Our utilities have gone up 40% in the last 12 months and another 30% increase is on the horizon.

The FCO policy of no social or economic development means we have no opportunity to diversify the economy and spread the financial burden. The only people funding the island are the tax payers.

For the first time in 6 years, Ascension Island Government (having been left to its own devices with no council for 18 months) is in debt. Their main source of funds is tax revenue. It does not take a financial genius to guess at what will happen next.

Taxes will be increased but our stake in the island and its future will be decreased.

The United Kingdom likes to preach about freedoms and rights and the need for proper democratic societies governed by the people of those societies. Why should Ascension Island not have that choice? Is it due to the USA who have an Air Base on the island for which they enjoy a huge amount of land free of rent or taxes?

We cannot say for sure but please help us push for more accountability of appointed officials and the implementation of real democracy and the rights to develop the island for the benefit of all.

From Ascension

NB(THE ABOVE ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN LAST WEEKS ST HELENA INDEPENDENT)