From the Editors:- Marie & Sherilyn Anthony

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Raxa Sukhtanker
Chairperson

Ascension has no immediate and updated plans for a Major Disaster in terms of civilian issues. The only Major Disaster plan which is known as the Red Bird formulated by the Royal Air Force in conjunction with the USAF. This plan takes into account for an aircraft crash on the airfield or for any other reason it is forced to ditch in the sea. Both the RAF and USAF have other plans in place in the event of any other issues that may occur on their bases. It is of extreme importance that specific plans are formulated for immediate action in the event of a disaster. One may consider is it necessary for such plans, but we must be in preparedness for a disaster. There is certainly justification for this where there is a need for natural and man-made disasters. In order for theses plans to be prepared expert advice is required. Mr Roger Bellers Disaster Management Adviser for the Overseas Territories and Jill Marie St John, Community Preparedness Officer for Disaster Management visited the island from the 14 -17 March. The purpose of their visit was to deliver training to the Disaster Management Committee. This will enable us to achieved expert advice in how to set our goals in compiling a useful plan for implementation.

First and foremost what is the definition of Major Disaster. A disaster is commonly understood by the public as a great misfortune or calamity. A useful working definition of a disaster is any event (happening with or without warning) causing or threatening death or injury, damage to property or the environment or disruption to the community, which because of the scale of its effects cannot be dealt with by the emergency services alone.

As we all must recognise, disaster usually strike suddenly, unexpectedly and anywhere. Many agencies with the emergency services have a part in dealing with disasters and its aftermath. The effectives of the total response will depend on how well the emergency services other agencies and departments have harmonised their preparations and exercise their arrangement with emergency procedures. The objectives for a combined response is to save life, prevent escalation of the disaster, relieve suffering, safeguard the environment, protect property, facilitate criminal investigation and judicial public enquiries, continue to maintain normal services at an appropriate level, restore normality as soon as possible and to evaluate response and identify lessons to be learnt.

At the first meeting of the Disaster Management Committee a risk assessment was completed, to identify the natural and man made disasters that are likely to occur on the island and the impact. As plans unfold for the development of the island more problems are likely to be encounter, which would give the committee reason to put further plans in place.

On Monday 17th we met with the team from DFID, including serval members of Island Council. A presentation of the risk assessment was presented to outlined the likely disasters that are likely to occur on Ascension. The main objective for the committee was to gain as much information as possible to give them clear directions on how to formulate plans for submission and implementation. The plans must be professionally presented so as the key players can carry out their respective role efficiently.

These meetings will be held on a basis as necessary until a complete resourceful and workable strategy, to up date progress and reviewing new methods and ideas. I take this opportunity of thanking the team for their visit which was most welcome. Their expertise in this field was most valuable and without their support and our contribution the meeting would have not ended with results. There will however be teething problems as one can expect, but through dedication and commitment those will be identified and rectified.

Reg Williams

PRESS RELEASE FRIDAY 21 MARCH 2003

WE WILL NOT SQUANDER THE OVERSEAS TERRITORIES'
ECOSYSTEMS,
RAMMELL CONFIRMS

The environmental heritage of the Overseas Territories must not be allowed to fade away, Bill Rammell, Foreign Office Minister responsible for Global Issues, stressed today.

Speaking ahead of a conservation conference taking place in Bermuda from 22 - 27 March, the Minister said:

"The UK has a rich natural heritage in the environment of the Overseas Territories. We must not squander this or allow it to fade into obscurity. We have a shared vision with the Overseas Territories, to implement sustainable environmental management practices. And for this reason I am pleased that the UK has been able to co-sponsor the international conference beginning tomorrow, taking us a step closer to ensuring that we do not lose these rich ecosystems."

Notes for Editors

1. The conference in Bermuda, entitled "A Sense of Direction" will be attended by government and NGO representatives from the UK, the UK's Overseas Territories (UKOTs), and other small island communities. The aim of the conference is to provide an opportunity to discuss conservation issues of common concern, as well as to share expertise and best practice.

2. The UKOTs' ecosystems range from tropical to Antarctic, with at least 10 times as many endemic species as the British Isles. In particular, the UKOTs have:

- 2% of the world's coral reefs, including the world's most northerly coral reefs (Bermuda) and one of the world's largest and most pristine coral atolls (the Great Chagos Bank in the British Indian Ocean Territory)

- some of the world's most important breeding colonies of albatrosses (Falkland Islands, Tristan da Cunha, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands)

- the most important Atlantic nesting sites for Green Turtles (Ascension Island)

- two remote island World Heritage Sites rich in endemic species (in the Pacific, Henderson Island, the largest of the Pitcairn Islands; and in the South Atlantic, Gough Island, the most southerly of the Tristan da Cunha group)

- Gibraltar is a key migration route for birds of prey

- some of the finest wider Caribbean marine resorts (Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Turks & Caicos Islands, Anguilla)

- an active volcano (Montserrat)

- a fine current example of habitat restoration (the Millennium Gumwood Forest on St Helena)

- British Antarctic Territory: a sensitive barometer for the effects of human actions on the world's climate and atmosphere

3. The conference will be officially opened on 23 March by the Premier of Bermuda, The Hon Jennifer M Smith. The Bermudian Minister of the Environment will also attend. The main agenda sessions will cover conservation issues of Bermuda; Environment Charters and strategic planning; managing conservation organisations; implementing management plans; climate change; dealing with invasive species. Delegates will also have an opportunity to visit some of Bermuda's key environment and heritage sites.

4. The FCO will be represented at the conference by the Head of the Environment Policy Department. She will deliver a presentation on the "UK Government's commitment to the Environment Charter process in the UKOTs". The Environment Charters, signed in September 2001 by the governments of the UK and UKOTs, represent a shared vision to support the implementation of sustainable environmental management practices in the UKOTs. The conference will focus on progress made to date by the governments of the UK and its Overseas Territories in taking forward the commitments laid down in the Environment Charters. The texts of the Charters are available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).

5. The conference has been sponsored by a number of organisations including the FCO's Environment Fund (which contributed £70,000 towards the cost of the conference) and the Bermudian government. It has been organised jointly by the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum, the Bermuda National Trust, the Bermuda Zoological Society, the Bermuda Audubon Society, and the Bermuda Ministry of the Environment.

6. This is the third conference of its kind: the first was held in London in 1999, and the second in Gibraltar in 2000.

7. More details on the UKOTs are available on the FCO website, and on the UK Overseas Territories Conservation Forum website, www.ukotcf.org

Press Officer: Trish O'Donnell, 020 7008 3114

News Department, Downing Street (West), London SW1A 2AH Telephone: 020 7270 3100 Fax: 020 7270 3094