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Politics of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

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Politics of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
The Crown
Government
Judiciary
Saint Helena
Ascension Island
Tristan da Cunha
Other

The politics of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha operate under the jurisdiction of the government of the United Kingdom.[1] The three parts of the territory—Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha—effectively form an asymmetric federacy and collectively constitute one of United Kingdom's fourteen overseas territories.

Structure of government

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See also: The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009

Because of the islands' status as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, they are currently ruled over by Charles III and his government in the United Kingdom, with the Governor of Saint Helena serving as the monarch's representative to the territory as well as the territory's executive. This position is currently held by Nigel Phillips, who took office in 2022. Island Administrators serve as the representatives of the Governor on Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, which are distant from Saint Helena island, and are permanently resident on those islands. These roles are presently filled by Colin Wells and Sean Burns respectively. The territory's Governor and Attorney General reside at Jamestown on Saint Helena.

Part Crown representative Council
Saint Helena Governor of Saint Helena Legislative Council of Saint Helena
Ascension Island Administrator of Ascension Island Ascension Island Council
Tristan da Cunha Administrator of Tristan da Cunha Tristan da Cunha Island Council

Formation and Constitution, 1922–present

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In September 1922, Ascension Island became a dependency of Saint Helena, followed by Tristan da Cunha in January 1938. The three islands were held under this flagship as "Saint Helena and Dependencies" until they were collectively changed to equal status in 2009, becoming Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha.

A new constitution, the St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009,[2] replaced a previous constitution drafted in 1988, providing a Bill of Rights for citizens and details outlining balanced provisions for the islands.[3] It confirmed the allegiance of the three islands to the United Kingdom, its Government and the Crown and that the islands now formed a single, territorial grouping. The constitution also placed restrictions on the governor's power, forming more of a union between the Governor and the two Resident Administrators.[4]

Attorney General of Saint Helena

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The post of the Attorney General of Saint Helena was created around 1978. Beforehand, the "Legal Advisers Office", as it was called at that time, was to provide legal advice to the St. Helena Government and the Judiciary and legal support to the Land Adjudication exercise."[5]

Attorney General of Saint Helena (Incomplete Table)
Name Year(s) of Service)
Alan Hoole[6] c. 1978-1983
David J. Jeremiah[7][8] c. 1991-1997
Kurt De Freitas[9] c. 1997-2004
Ken Baddon[10][11][12][13] c. 2005-2013
Frank Wastell c. 2013-2014
Nicola Moore[14] c. 2014-2016
Angelo Berbotto[15] c. 2016-2018
Sara O'Donnell[16] c. 2018-2019
Allen Cansick[17] c. 2019-

Antony Rushford is identified as having been the Attorney General of Saint Helena. However, his years of service are unknown. Rushford had also served as the Attorney General of Anguilla and Attorney General of Grenada.[18]

Media

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See also: Communications in Saint Helena

Each of the islands offers radio stations and local newspapers. While there are no locally operated TV stations anywhere in the territory, overseas programming is broadcast via satellite in St. Helena. Cable and Wireless Communications, based in the UK, operates its telecommunications infrastructure.[19]

The BBC Atlantic Relay Station transmits radio programs to Ascension Island but television service is limited to the British Forces Broadcasting Service. A radio station operated by the US Air Force, "Volcano Radio", also carries locally produced programming.[20]

On Tristan da Cunha, Atlantic FM carries local broadcasts. BFBS TV is also available. The island's first internet cafe opened in 2006.[21]

Judiciary

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The territory has four courts of its own:

Governor Nigel Phillips appointed Sir John Henry Boulton Saunders and H H Michael Paul Yelton as the President and the Justice respectively of the Saint Helena Court of Appeal from 2023 to 2026.[22] The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, in London, is the final court of appeal for the territory however, as is the case with all other British overseas territories.

Criminal matters are investigated by the Saint Helena Police Service and prosecuted at court by the Crown Prosecutor. The current Crown Prosecutor is Ben Brown, having been appointed on 9 February 2021.[23]

Crown Prosecutor of St. Helena (Incomplete table)
Name Year(s) of Service
Aine Hurley[24] 2014-2019
Amanda Bailey[24] 2019-2019
Shardae Oliver[25] 2020-2021
Ben Brown[26] 2021–2022

Public Solicitor

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Although there are no private practice lawyers on Saint Helena, there is a Public Solicitor (the office was established on January 2, 1998) that is supported by legally-trained lay advocates.[27][28][29] They provide legal advice and assistance to residents, as well as offer court representation whenever appropriate. Depending on the severity of the case, a lawyer from the United Kingdom might be sent for to represent a defendant.[30]

Public Solicitor of St. Helena (Complete Table)
Name Year(s) of Service
Jonathan Hardiker[31] c. 1998-2001
Colin Forbes[32][31] c. 2001-2006
Jane Hamilton-White[31] (1st female) c. 2006-2008
Neil Davidson[33][34][35] c. 2008-2011
Debbie Wahle[36][37][38] c. 2011-2015
Nicholas Aldridge[39][40] c. 2015-2017
Sara O'Donnell[16] c. 2017
Helen Scott[41] c. 2018
Duncan Cooke[42] c. 2018-2020
Ruth Barber c. 2021–Present

Notes

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  1. ^ "Profile on Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha" CIA - The World Factbook
  2. ^ "The St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Constitution Order 2009". Archived from the original on 2015-02-05. Retrieved 2015-01-01.
  3. ^ "Enhanced status and a Bill of Rights in Tristan's new constitution" Tristan da Cunha website
  4. ^ "New Constitution for Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan de Cunha" Archived 2010-12-07 at the Wayback Machine The Tristan Times, 2009
  5. ^ "THE LEGAL, LANDS AND PLANNING DEPARTMENT (Archived Page)". The Saint Helena Government Website. 2005. Archived from the original on 2001-03-07.
  6. ^ "Saint Helena Island Info: All about St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean • The Governor of St Helena". sainthelenaisland.info. Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  7. ^ Whitaker, Joseph (1991-12-01). Whitaker's Almanac 1992 124. J. Whitaker. ISBN 9780850212204.
  8. ^ Council, Saint Helena Legislative (1993). Proceedings of the Legislative Council. U.S. Government Printing Office.
  9. ^ "Attorney General to take post in Cayman Islands". Saint Helena Herald. January 28, 2004.
  10. ^ Grundy, Richard. "Tristan da Cunha Government News 2006 to 2008". www.tristandc.com. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  11. ^ "Ascension : APPOINTMENT OF ACTING GOVERNOR". August 26, 2011.
  12. ^ "Legislation of St Helena, Ascension & Tristan da Cunha". St Helena. 2013-02-02. Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  13. ^ "ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN BADDON". St Helena. 2013-08-06. Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  14. ^ "RECEPTION WELCOMES NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL". St Helena. 2014-12-01. Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  15. ^ "FAREWELL TO ATTORNEY GENERAL ANGELO BERBOTTO". St Helena. 2018-01-26. Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
  16. ^ a b "NEW ATTORNEY GENERAL (DESIGNATE) APPOINTED". St Helena. 2017-12-04. Archived from the original on 2018-03-21. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  17. ^ "Allen Cansick Sworn In as Attorney General". St Helena Government. 2019-11-20. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  18. ^ "Antony Rushford CMG". Old Tauntonians (Taunton School).
  19. ^ "St Helena" Archived 2010-10-30 at the Wayback Machine Cable and Wireless Communications
  20. ^ United Kingdom - Ascension Island" Commonwealth Secretariat
  21. ^ "Communications on Tristan" Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine Saint FM
  22. ^ "Appointment of President and Justice of the St Helena Court of Appeal" (PDF). St Helena Government Gazette. 2023.
  23. ^ "The St. Helena Government Gazette E X T R A O R D I N A R Y - 9 February 2021" (PDF).
  24. ^ a b "The St. Helena Government Gazette" (PDF). The St. Helena Government Gazette.
  25. ^ "Saint Helena Government Gazette" (PDF). Saint Helena Government Gazette.
  26. ^ "Saint Helena Government Gazette" (PDF). Saint Helena Government Gazette.
  27. ^ "Solicitor's Office / I The Office At A Glance (Archived page)". The Saint Helena Government Website. 2006. Archived from the original on 2002-01-29.
  28. ^ "ST HELENA REVISED EDITION OF THE LAWS, 2017 COURTS AND JUSTICE / LEGAL AID, ASSISTANCE AND SERVICES ORDINANCE, 2017" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-03-22.
  29. ^ The Commonwealth Yearbook. H.M. Stationery Office. 1999. ISBN 9781902221182.
  30. ^ Steiner, Sue; Liston, Robin; Grundy, Richard (2007). St Helena: Ascension, Tristan Da Cunha. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841621982.
  31. ^ a b c "ARTICLE IN THE ST HELENA INDEPENDENT DATED 12 MAY 2006" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-08-05.
  32. ^ "Sun, sand, sea and a solicitor for St Helena". Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  33. ^ "Ascension : Ask A Lawyer". The Ascension Island Newspaper. April 12, 2008.
  34. ^ "St Helena : New Public Solicitor on St Helena". St. Helena Herald. April 16, 2011.
  35. ^ Brock, Juanita (June 30, 2008). "Tristan: H.E. THE GOVERNOR MR ANDREW GURR REPORTS ON HIS MAY-JUNE VISIT TO THE UK AND ELSEWHERE". Tristan Times.
  36. ^ "Saint Helena Island Info: All about St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean • Important Information". sainthelenaisland.info. 2010. Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  37. ^ "NEW LAY ADVOCATES FOR ST HELENA". St Helena. 2014-07-14. Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  38. ^ Graham, August (May 22, 2015). "The Future's Bright Public Solicitor Leave on Upbeat Note After Four Years on Island" (PDF). The Sentinel. 4 (9): 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  39. ^ Graham, August (October 8, 2015). "Public Solicitors arelike Public Busses...You Wait Ages for One and Then Two Come Along at Once!" (PDF). The Sentinel. 4 (29): 7. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-04-07. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  40. ^ "NEW CHIEF MAGISTRATE APPOINTED". St Helena. 2017-04-19. Archived from the original on 2018-03-22. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  41. ^ "NEW ADDITION TO THE ST HELENA PUBLIC SOLICITOR'S OFFICE". The Islander. October 18, 2012.
  42. ^ "Duncan Cooke appointed Public Solicitor – The Public Solicitor Office". Retrieved 2021-04-25.
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