Dear Editor,

We the undersigned Ascension Island Councillors wish to formally reply via this open letter to the unnamed author of the letter “Ascension Island – Why should we bother”; Distributed to the members of the ‘The United Kingdom Ascension Island Support Association’ and reprinted in the St Helena Independent of the 21^st November 2008.

The letter in question delivers strong opinions and generalised statements on the following topics:

1. Individual councillor nomination and political motivation.
2. Mandate of the council.
3. Post election statistical analysis.
4. Ascension Island Government (AIG) finances and the reasons why the deficit in the 2007/2008 budgetary year had occurred.
5. Prospective policy on taxation.

However the council members undersigned believe that the assumptions made are based upon inaccurate information and as such would like to make the following statements.

1. No elected councillor was contacted prior to the election by the Administrator or AIG Senior Management with a view to nomination.  No prospective candidate was coerced into nomination against their will.  Every elected councillor stood on their own political stage and was duly voted for or not.

2. The mandate of the AIC is wide ranging and we have been presented with substantial papers that have built up over the last eighteen months when a council was not enacted and further new papers.  The following highlights a few of the items we have dealt with in our short tenure.

·       Held preliminary discussions on the Cooper Report (Review of Government Operations: Ascension Island) and made sufficient progress to move to commence initial investigations on a restructuring program for AIG.

·       Formed an AIG Finance Oversight Committee and commenced the budget process for budgetary year 2009/2010.

·       Reviewed the proposed Constitution for Ascension, made recommendations, met with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) constitutional team and held public consultation.

·       Agreed changes to the Liquor Licensing Ordinance to protect minors.

These are a few examples of work that is in progress and does not cover personal councillor proposals on behalf of constituents.

3. The election realised votes from twenty six percent of the eligible voting population.  This vote percentage was skewed by the near absence of votes from the American Base employed St Helenian contractors and this is a fact that we intend to embrace and discuss constructively over the coming months.  If a proportional number of votes had been realised in this sector then the resultant electoral results would have been acceptable to good, rather than poor overall.

4. The AIG deficit for budgetary year 2007/2008 was corrected by monies from AIG Reserves and the Year End was subsequently balanced.  It should be understood that this deficit was brought about (in the immediate term) because of receiving less monies from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) than expected in relation to Property Tax.  This substantial differential is being negotiated and hopefully will be attained.  The matter is now primarily in the hands of the FCO and the MOD.  It should be noted that the budget would have been in surplus had the expected monies been paid.  As a precautionary note we face the same situation for the budgetary year 2008/2009.

5. We can categorically state that no discussion involving increase in taxation has occurred and no immediate changes are forthcoming.

In conclusion for an entity titled ‘The United Kingdom Ascension Island Support Association’ which we confess to not having heard of.  It does appear highly inappropriate to publicise their first annual conference to Ascension Island and St Helena Island from the text of a letter that fails to record the author or qualify supporters on Ascension they are seeking to represent.

Perhaps “The United Kingdom Ascension Island Support Association” would wish to engage with the Ascension Island Councillors and develop more constructive relations?  We also offer the unnamed author the opportunity to meet with the Ascension Island Councillors and discuss matters of their choice.  We hope to hear from you.

Yours Sincerely

Mrs Helen Close

Mrs Keturah George

Mr Larry Poultney

Mr Howard H Peters

Ascension Island Councillors.