MOM- Paul Thomas 93 not out to go with his demon bowling!

ASCENSION ISLAND CRICKET ASSOCIATION

Committee Members:

Chairman: Donald johnson
Secretary: Patrick Moyce
Treasurer: Tony Joshua
Members: Russell Yon & Team Captains.

The committee would like to thank the following: The RAF for the use of their playing feild, Eurest maintenance team for thier hard work in keeping the field in good shape, the spectators, the umpires the players and the Administrator and his wife - Mr & Mrs Fairhurst.

All the cricket lovers on Ascension would like to say a hugh thank you to Donald Johnson for his hard work and dedication towards AICA.

God Bless you and keep you,

Fr Keith & Ginny.

E-Mail:- Administrator@atlantis.co.ac
Telephone No + (247)6311
Facsimile +(247)6152

20 November 2000

Dear Editor,

In last week's edition of the islander there was an article under the heading "Loyalty" about the question of Bristish Citizen status for British Overseas Territories Citizens.

The British Government remains committed to the introduction of legislation to give British Citizenship to people who have the status of British Dependent Territories citizenship by connection with a qualifying Overseas Territory.

Considerable progress has been made. The principles on which the Bill will be based has been agreed and instructions for Parliamentary Counsel perpared. A consultation process with the Overseas Territories on issues related to the Bill has been initiated.

I regrety that I cannot give a firm date for the introduction of the legislation. However, the Government recognises the strength of feeling amounst the people of St. Helena on this matter and intend to enact legislation as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.

Yours sincerely,

[Signed]

GEOFFREY FAIRHURST
Administrator

1^st Ascension Island
Scouts

From the Editors:- Carolyn & Deano Collis

Thankyou to everyone, who sent articles in this week, it does help to fill out the pages and give a fuller paper.
Even Tommy Turtle's back to these hallowed pages, just walked through the door as a matter of fact, with the usual two puzzle pages. Welcome back Tommy!
Well there's a few things happened this week, what with the Cricket final and the disco in aid of the Girl Guides on Saturday, along with the usual ship and aircraft movements keeping everyone busy.
The T.A (506 STRE) are doing their bit for the Island refurbishing the Georgetown playground, Well done.
A fond farewell to Inspector Reg & Karen Williams who left for St Helena on Tuesday. Bon vogage.
Welcome & congratulations to Andrew & Helena Bennett who had a surprise late wedding knees up last week and credit to you all, no one spilled the beans. A whole two-day's without saying anything. Out standing, well done!
On a personal note this will be our last Islander. It's been just over a year since our first edition, After a slow start, we have learned the basics and now get by. We have enjoyed our time here, so if there is anyone out there not sure if they could handle the editors job, Trust us, if we can you can.
Thank you, to every one on the Islander for your patience & panic phone calls.
Caz, we have noticed the new computers have arrived today. Is it because you lot don't trust us?
So for our last signing off. The worst ever!
May all your days be filled, with running through summer meadows, the wind in your hair and a smile on your face, towards a chilled can of Ollies!

Caz & Dean xxxxxx

Thank You

The parents of all Scouts would like to express their thanks to Delphia and Cyril Leo and everyone else who were involved in organising the party for Johnny and the Leaders at the Saints Club Beach Hut last Friday night.

Lynn Stevens

From : ronnie@sceva.demon.co.uk
To: Administrator Ascension Island

Many thanks for your kind reply and for all the information about the Island. I dare say I could get more from the Public Library and probably they contain some pictures. I have seen some newsreels on TV about A.I. If you have a local newspaper, please insert a greeting from my wife and I, and especially from one Scot to any other Scots in your community. I would also be glad to have a few pen pals on the Net.

Best Wishes,
Sincerely,
Ron Armstrong.

From: Falkland Islands News Network
To: administrator@atlantis.co.ac ; sthelena.news@helanta.sh
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 7:04 PM
Subject: MPs Interview About Citizenship, Pensions and Wideawake Airfield

MPs ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT CITIZENSHIP, PENSIONS, AND WIDEAWAKE AIRPORT

By J. Brock (SARTMA-FI)

A four member group of MPs visited the Falklands from 02 to 08 November 2000. Their very busy schedule began before they even arrived as they had a brief tour of Ascension Island which was conducted by the Administrator, Mr Geoffrey Fairhurst. One would think that the brief tour would be sectioned with the take-off of the Tristar. But at a press conference in the Falkland Islands MPs Cheryl Gillen, Opposition Foreign Affairs Spokesman, (SG), Ian Bruce, Conservative, (IB), and David Watts, PPS to the Armed Forces Minister, (DW), were put to the test when they were asked about general South Atlantic affairs, especially those that were of interest to Ascension and St. Helena islands.

SARTMA: What were your impressions of Ascension Island when you were escorted around by the Administrator?

SG: It's a vital part of the equation, isn't it? It's also a vital back-up for this part of the world in terms of a listening post, a staging post. It is incredibly, dramatically beautiful, not least because of the volcanic nature of the land there. And, I think that Green Mountain in the distance brings it all into stark relief so it was very interesting. You forget that we only spent a very brief time there. We only went up to the top of Cross Hill and back again and it was really to work out the geography of the place, just to get some sort of reference. It would be very wrong to go into any in-depth analysis after an hour and a half's visit. But we will get an hour and a half on the way back So maybe in the future we will be able to give you more of an idea. I think it is a very interesting and warm place to visit.

SARTMA: When will the White Paper on the British Overseas Territories be voted on in
Parliament? How will you vote?

IB: Generally a White Paper of that nature is not voted on as such. There may be things that would come from it. Citizenship issues, for instance, there may be the requirement to amend some of our own British Citizenship acts or whatever. So generally what happens is in discussion at Government to Territorial level. We can describe it as that. Decisions are then made and then brought forward by the Government of the day.

SARTMA: When do you think it would be likely that there would be debate and voting on the citizenship issue?

DW: Once the White Paper has been considered then the Government have to decide on what legislation will be time-tabled and it will be in the Queen's Speech. I don't suspect that it would be in the Queen's Speech given the fact that we are probably 12 months away from an election, likely and the Government is going to have to work out its time-table of legislation and there's lots of different factors that come into play.

IB: And it's not quite as simple. When the Government announced it was giving citizenship to the Cayman Islands and St. Helena and where-ever, and different places, (Falklanders already have British Citizenship) But then you get into complications. I am the Chairman of the all party Cayman Island Group. And, of course, the Cayman Islands pointed out strings attached to it because with citizenship comes certain responsibilities. Basically the British Government are giving citizenship and there are certain human rights things to do with sexual preference or things of that nature where they are saying the Overseas Territories have to sign up to various conventions and change laws. So, it wasn't quite as simple and therefore, quite rightly, the Cayman Islands said they wanted to discuss this. I think British Parliamentarians will most certainly when there is an agreement between territories and HM Government, vote in favour of what has been decided. We are not a Parliament who would sort of stand there and try and change their minds.

CG: There has been a great disappointment that there was no further action taken after that but the issue has been one of Parliamentary time. When Government makes Parliamentary time for the legislation to be enacted. So, we can do very little about that. It isn't in the Queen's Speech as David has said. There is some disappointment in all quarters, I think. When you are the minister of a Department and you want to get something through, you stand in the pecking order behind all of the other Departments of State who have legislation and you literally bid for the Parliamentary time within the Government. So, I think there is some frustration within the Government itself, about things they can't get through.

IB: There is the financial services side of it as well.

SARTMA: The basic State pension is in the region of £67.50 per week and due to raise by another .75p. This is not the case for all people born and bred in the UK who have paid into the State pension scheme all of their working lives. Many of these people live in the Falkland Islands and their pensions have been frozen as soon as it was drawn here and/or in the UK.

In one case the authorities in the UK made a mistake and the pensioners here had to pay the money back. Effectively, this has frozen these people's pensions. I have been told by several pensioners that if they moved to Spain, or even Poland that they would receive the full pension with the cost of living rises. Seeing that some of these pensioners are veterans of WWII, do you agree that this situation is appalling? What are you going to do about it?

DW: That is interesting in that one of the things I have learned since I have come here is I bumped into two constituents from St. Helens who raised this particular matter with me and I promised to go back and sort it out with Ministers and contact them again. Now, I don't know the background to this issue and don't know why it would appear that people in the Falkland Islands would be frozen and the people living in Spain are not but certainly it is something I will raise and will take back and take issue with. I promised my constituents which I met this week that I will contact them with a response in the near future.

SG: Can I just say it is not a problem that is unique to the Falkland Islands. It affects people in other parts of the world as well. You are quite right. You can go to Spain and continue to receive a full pension there. I don't think you are right about Poland. I think that every individual case needs to be notified to the Member of Parliament who was the Member in the last constituency in which that individual resided before retiring overseas. Then, it is quite possible for the sitting MP to take it up on their behalf.

IB: There are some more complications on the whole thing. Some Governments of course have negotiated that UK citizens living outside of the UK, when they come to get their pensions can receive the pension of the country they are residing in. You could have the situation you are earning both a UK pension and having it up-rated and earning a local pension and having it up-rated. And certainly the situation generally is a reciprocal one i.e. people who came from the Falkland Islands and paid into the system here under other regimes, getting an Old Age Pension in the United Kingdom and getting it up-rated. So, it is very, very complicated. I think that most back-benchers tend to throw up our hands and say there is a will to get this sorted out and we have no way of getting on with it.

SARTMA: How are the negotiations about the opening up of Ascension's Wideawake
Airfield progressing? Are we anywhere close to reaching an agreement that will Allow chartered civilian aircraft to use the field?

SG: Well, I am in opposition so I am not in a position to comment on the negotiations. That is a question for Government.

DW: We are looking at the pros and cons and I think they have not quite made a decision. It won't be in the next few days. I think it's under discussion and no decision has been made.

In future it would be advantageous for Members of Parliament to view a junket to the Falklands as one to the South Atlantic and brush up on affairs like Citizenship, Wideawake Airfield and the Development of St. Helena and Ascension Island. They certainly will be asked about these issues at the Falklands end.

From: Falkland Islands News Network
To: administrator@atlantis.co.ac ; sthelena.news@helanta.sh
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2000 2:23 AM
Subject: Dick Wilkinson's interview (Director Americas With Responsibility for South Atlantic)

DIRECTOR AMERICAS SETS THE RECORD STRAIGHT ON SOUTH ATLANTIC ISSUES.

By J. Brock (SARTMA-FI)

Mr. Dick Wilkinson (DW), who took over recently from Peter Westmacott as Director Americas, Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made his first familiarisation to the Falkland Islands. He was prepared to talk to SARTMA about a wide variety of issues that concern the South Atlantic. These issues included the civilianisation of South Georgia, citizenship, and Wideawake Airfield negotiations. Numerous questions on the Falklands will be reported on the SARTMA website but it is important that the wider issues of the South Atlantic get a full airing as well.

Firstly, the issue of the civilianisation of South Georgia was dealt with. Morrisons were on their way to the island with kits and builders but what of the transition to civilianisation? When would it be?

DW: From what I've been told progress is up to schedule but it's a tight schedule. I don't know the details unless the Commissioner of South Georgia can tell you himself.

SARTMA: Are there any dates you can give me?

DW: At the end of March, which is, of course, the end of our financial year.

SARTMA: Does your brief include the Antarctic Secretariat? Has it yet been decided where that Secretariat might be?

DW: I believe that Hobart has pulled out. Of course that is my understanding and Argentina is still offering Buenos Aires as the seat for the secretariat as and when the countries partaking in the treaty decide that the time has come to establish a secretariat. Of course there isn't one yet and there has been no decision made about the location.

SARTMA: At the end of March next year the joint venture that has expedited the funding of Ascension Islands basic services such as the hospital, water & electricity, education, and even refuse collection, will cease to exist. Can you tell me what will replace that joint-venture and if so, is the programme complete enough to expedite that plan?

DW: My people tell me that they are working on it and that the work is going forward. I can't give you details because I haven't got the briefing papers with me.

SARTMA: There is a broader citizenship issue for the inhabitants of the South Atlantic Overseas Territories How close are the citizens of these territories like Tristan da Cunha, and St. Helena. When I asked the MP's we went around Robin Hood's Barn on the issue. Are you serious about British citizenship for Overseas Territories citizens?

DW: We are serious about British Citizenship for all people resident on Overseas Territories. Yes. We are. All British Overseas Territories citizens will become British Citizens. It's a question of finding Parliamentary time. We have at least managed to receive authorisation, I think, to start drafting and that is a sign that we could move very quickly to put the legislation before Parliament as and when those in charge of Parliamentary business decide that it's time for it.

SARTMA: Would this legislation have any effect on the Constitutions of the Overseas Territories?

DW: It shouldn't do. It shouldn't really make any difference at all. You simply are telling British Dependent Territories citizens simply to hand in those passports and get a passport that is indistinguishable from mine.

SARTMA: How are the negotiations about the opening up of Ascension's Wideawake
Airfield progressing? Are we anywhere close to reaching an agreement that will
Allow chartered civilian aircraft to use the field?

DW: Negotiations are proceeding quite satisfactorily with the US. I was in America myself about a month ago and we have produced a draft agreement. They have produced a draft agreement. We sort of commented on each others' agreements and we are at the process of identifying. Let's say 85% is the same with no problem. There is perhaps 15% of the agreement we still need to iron out the details. Our experts will be meeting over the coming months to try and reach an agreement.

SARTMA: Did your journey to the Falklands include a stop-over in Ascension Island?

DW: I'm afraid I didn't. I came out via Lima, Santiago, Punta Arenas and across. I shall be going back that way but the trouble is on the way back you land at 11:00 at night and leave at midnight basically. So, I won't be able to do the island tour, which I had hoped to do. I don't know whether I will meet the Administrator at 11:00 pm having not spoken to him first. I doubt if he needs to be that conscientious.

SARTMA: Do you have any plans to visit Ascension and/or St. Helena?

DW: I'd like to. St. Helena takes a lot of time unfortunately. Ascension, I hope next time I come out here I would be able to visit Ascension. Whether I get to St. Helena or not, I don't know. It depends whether I judge it would be useful to visit it. I would like to go out of pure curiosity. But, whether if the Governor there said he thought it would be very useful for me to come for the following reasons, and they were good reasons, then I might try and make time for it.

Ed - I pinch this from a recent Sean & Steve's Radio show, just in case anyone missed it!

I would like to say big good byes to the following people:
All the American friends I have made while I have been here, especially Butch, Dudley, Don and all the guys up at the VC……Friday nights will never be the same again.

Massive goodbyes to all the Sainty friends that I have made in such a short time. Far too many to mention. You have made me so welcome during my time on the Island. You truly are such special people. Don't ever change the way you are.

To everyone down in the town, including Peter Powell and the Exiles gang. Thanks for the life saving eggy bakes on a Saturday morning. To the Reflections girls, I will surely miss my Hotty dogs. To the staff at the Saints Bar, you really are true Saints, having to put up with me in my drunken states; you would need to be. I will never forget this bar, as it was here I had the most embarrassing moment in my life and I think Avril will agree with me on this one!

Goodbyes to Ritchie and Stella, Chris and Sonnie, Jane and Terry, Colin and Dianne, Geoffrey and Wendy, Geordie and Karen. No more boxes I promise. To Adam and Julia. Good luck for the future. Please look after Rav as I know you will and to all the neighbours who have lived around me and had to put up with the wild parties. I thank you for your patience. No I don't, you should have been there!

Thanks and goodbye to all the fishing crews, especially Dutch and Danny. I wish we could have caught a bigger one. Never mind. Next time!

Good bye to all who know me up at The Boats, including all the staff of the Two Boats club. Keep up the good work.

And now to all the good friends I have made within Serco Aerospace. Donk, Steph, Ian, Spike, Kenny, Howie, Glyn, and Jean, and Steve Benniman, All the boys in MT. Phil, Martin, Arnie, Paul and all the Saints. The firemen fraternity. Billy, Nathan, Jerry, Mario and the rest of the Sainty gang. To the entire crowd hiding in VAHS. All the rest of the staff in Ops and Concem. And anyone else I have forgotten who works for Serco.

Goodbye to all the RAF personnel. Chris, Donna, Sharon, The nurses, and to all the movers. George Charlie, Ormski.com, Sam, Sandra, Al and all the other lads, Andy Whinney, Nor Joe Hubbard would have done it like that! And big goodbye and thank you to Sarah. Oh and not forgetting the telemechs, even though they are Army! I hope you all enjoyed the Jagermeister like I have enjoyed your company.

Big thanks to Ed and Avril. They have made me feel welcome as much this time as they did the last time. You are a special couple, with great qualities and I will miss you so much.

Bye, bye to CAS and Dean. I have enjoyed the time we have worked together and I wish them both every happiness in the future, in work, at home, in their marriage and with the arrival of the new baby dean. Good luck.

And finally to 2 very special people. Two people that have put so much fun in both the times that I have visited the Island. God we have laughed. To Steve and Helen. Two genuine people, We have had some laughs, both in and out of work. Massive luck in the future, to you both and look after the little man from the Boats. We will definitely meet again. As the old saying goes. Who knows where, who knows when?

And I must say good bye to anyone else that knows me. I am sorry for not naming everyone on the island. So many people so many faces.

So it just remains for me say one last thing. As I said in the Islander last week… You are all special people on a special Island. Make the most of your time you have in this beautiful place.
Play hard, work hard. Forget all the politics of life. Don't forget your friends and remember it's a long and lonely highway for a man to walk alone, but believe in the man in the sky to carry you home.

This is Sean signing off for the last time. I will return. BYE BYE.

Lady Ryder dies amid Charity Feud

By Louise Jones (Newspaper extract)

Lady Sue Ryder died yesterday aged 77, sparking claims that her health had suffered from a bitter dispute with the charity she founded.
Her supporters last night said her recovery from a long illness was hindered by the feud.
Lady Ryder, who launched the Sue Ryder Foundation with her late husband, war hero Leonard Cheshire VC, complained it had been "hijacked".
She was first admitted to hospital just before Christmas last year as a row grew over a new board of trustees at the charity.
Lady Ryder was furious the board had started an expensive overhaul and relaunch, as Sue Ryder Care, which she believed, was unnecessary and too costly.
In September she set up her own appeal, the Bouverie Foundation, as she felt marginalised by the board's actions.
Just weeks after launching the new charity she was again admitted to hospital in bury St Edmunds. She died at 6.30am yesterday. " She never really recovered from the events of 1999," said a Bouverie Foundation spokeswoman. "The wrangling did not help her health."
Sue Ryder Care runs 80 homes in 20 countries and charity shops across Britain. Lady Ryder leaves a son and daughter.

The helpers from the Sue Ryder Ascension Branch would like to send their condolences to the Ryder family.

This is an up date of the helpers from the Sue Ryder Boutique, Ascension:

Raxa Sukhtanker
Teresa Ryan
Iva Henry
Pam Benjamin
Jane Randell
Diana Menage

Many thanks to Dr Shub for standing in while I was on leave and to Avril Morgan for all her help over the years

Sylvia Henry

The 1st Ascension Guides and Guiders would just like to say a HUGE "THANK-YOU" to Bluey, Noddy, Dutch, Carl, Biffy, Barry, Colin, Lionel Bo, Buffalo, Roy and Spooky who took them on their fishing trip on the barge last Friday. I did personally felt sorry for them for as soon as one grouper was caught then there were 3 or 4 others so they were helping here, there and everywhere. If it wasn't to help with the fish coming off the hook it was to assist to put hooks and bait back on the line. It was non-stop fishing which paid off well as we came ashore at 18:40 hrs with just about 2 garbage bins full of grouper, one soldier and 2 congers. Well done to our newest Guide Laura Oliver who caught 15 grouper single-handed. We did had 4 seasick girls and yours truly felt really queasy once the barge went a little further out to sea. To avoid using my bucket I told the girls we had to get ashore by 18:30 because of the "Health & Safety" rules!! In a flash all lines were up out of the sea and Buffalo had us heading to shore much to my relief (and Winnie who came over with a dizzy head!). Once ashore we were back to normal - well almost. Awaiting us were spectators and a few Scouts who came to see if we just caught the "sea breeze" but they were in for a surprise!

Our thanks also goes to AIS for allowing this to happen, Patrick for standing by on the Pier in case of seasickness and Dutch and Leggy for boning the grouper in readiness for cooking on Saturday. Now that's another story!!

Cheryl

Over the past few weeks, there has been a noticeable increase in the members of the Armed Forces residing in the Ascension Island, 506 STRE (WORKS) (V) RE have culminated on the Island for their annual camp. Based at Gibraltar Barracks in Camberley, Surrey, 506 STRE (WKS) (V) is a Specialist Unit of the Territorial Army. The team of 25 members has an array of Civilian Occupations between them, the pool of expertise comprises of Civil, Electrical and Mechanical Engineers to Architectural Consultants, Surveyors and Draftsmen. There are also a number of artisans in the team, consisting of Carpenters and Joiners to Bricklayers, enabling 506 STRE (WKS) (V) to have a construction capability.

Over the annual camp on the Ascension Island, 506 STRE (WKS) (V) RE are carrying out a number of important tasks. One of the tasks involved the refurbishment of the Children's Playground in George Town. Due to the heat, the old wooden telegraph poles in the playground had become dried out, causing the children to get splitters when they touched the poles. The task involved covering the telegraph poles with Astro-turf to prevent this reoccurring problem. Another task involved carrying out a Continued Survey of the Water Distribution System at The Residency for the Administer and ASI. Another main construction task has involved the artisans of the unit erecting 8 Stone Caines, at Broken Tooth, Sisters, North/West Point, Weather Post and DewPond. In addition the unit has undertaken various infrastructure engineering work for RAF Ascension Island at the Airhead and Travellers Hill

The experience of engaging in an annual camp in the Ascension Island for the members of 506 STRE (WKS) (V) RE has been a unique one. During our time here we have managed to visit most of the attractions of the Island, taking a stroll in Green Mountain, to enjoying the diverse marine life at English Bay. A few of the members have participated in fishing, diving and snorkelling. The evening entertainment has been first class! Thank you to the permanent residents and Armed Forces based in the Ascension Island for being so welcoming.

PTE RABIA WILLIAMS (C/CLERK)