MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Ascension Island campaign for democracy. Angry petition to UK Foreign Office
Ascension Island, the mid-Atlantic staging post for UK-Falkland Islands air services, is the focus of an increasingly bitter constitutional dispute between the Foreign Office in London and the island's 850 inhabitants.
The islanders complain they are being denied basic democratic rights and are campaigning for full democracy to enable them to run their own affairs. Newspaper reports in Britain say the islanders are threatening a real-life revolution to secure self-determination. Most of the inhabitants come from Saint Helena. Though British citizens, they have no vote and no property rights. Even those born there or who have resided there for many years have no right to own property or even to live there. They have been incensed by the imposition of income tax, property tax, and a tax on alcohol and tobacco that has doubled prices.
The Islanders, who receive no subsidy from Britain, have formed action committees, threatened legal action under the European Convention on Human Rights, and delivered a petition to the Foreign Office, with 300 signatures. This declares: "We the undersigned deplore the introduction of taxation without representation on Ascension and the failure of the Ascension Island Government and the British Government to consult adequately and take into account the views of the people of Ascension. We call upon the Ascension Island Government and the British Government to introduce democratic representation without delay".
Criticism of "colonial "control Representatives of the island's community, are critical of the Governor of Saint Helena, David Hallamby, who oversees the administration of Ascension Island from his remote headquarters 800 many miles away across the ocean, with no air link.
The personnel director of Ascension Island Services, Lawson Henry, attacks colonial officialdom. He is quoted as saying: "We love Britain and love being British. Power should be in the hands of the people, but the officials are terrified of losing control ? The Governor is a control freak. Everything we are trying to do is undermined by the Government and the Foreign Office. If we don't like who is governing us, we want to be able to kick them out".
A military contractor, Gordon McHugh, said most of the people want full democracy. "But", he said, "the Governor has been trying to sideline our views. No one here is subversive. We just want what is normal everywhere else in the western world. There is huge public resentment". Mr Hallamby plans to introduce a democratically elected council on Ascension with the right to advise him but not to make decisions. He is quoted as saying there has to be a gradual approach, as there is not a lot of experience of governance. As they gain experience, they can take on more responsibilities.
In response to inquiries by Mercopress, the Foreign Office and Commonwealth Office defensively explained its attitude. A spokesman declared: "We want to have democracy and representation by the people".
Minister promises democratic representation The Minister for Overseas Territories, Baroness Amos, has told Parliament the Ascension Island Government is undertaking a public consultation exercise on the options for democratic representation. "We want to see democratic representation in place quickly", the Minister declared. "The Ascension Island Government recognise that taxation without representation is an important issue and have had extensive discussions with employers to seek to ensure that no individual will see a reduction in take-home pay after the introduction of income tax".
The Foreign Office points out that the taxes are locally administered and go back into the community for investment in infrastructure. Despite pledges in its overseas territories legislation, promising democratic partnership with all overseas territories, there has been little progress in Ascension Island. In 1998 Ministers considered the constitutional future for Ascension Island and its links with Saint Helena and came to the conclusion it was basically untenable. The promised to examine ways of advancing residents'constitutional rights of those living there.
In 1999, the UK Government published a public consultation document entitled "Ascension Island into the new Millennium" and re-affirmed that the people of Saint Helena and its dependencies would be consulted on how to develop their democratic and civil rights. The document recommended a publicly financed system of administration combined with property rights including the right to acquire right of abode. This was followed in 2000 with a fiscal and economic survey, and the FCO constitutional adviser, Michael Bradley, has visited the Island.
Napoleon and Falklands links Ascension Island has been inhabited by the British since 1815 when a military garrison was stationed there to prevent Napoleon escaping from exile on Saint Helena.
For years, practical administration of the Islands was carried out by various organisations operating there, including Cable and Wireless and the BBC, which has powerful transmitters there for projecting its programmes to Africa and to South America.
The United States has a long runway there for space exploration and other purposes. And the Royal Air Force has been based there since Ascension Island experienced the most hectic period in its history as a vital staging post for waging the Falklands War. The RAF's regular services from Brize Norton to the Falkland Islands land there to refuel.
Harold Briley, (MP) London
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