VOTE – GILLIAN BROOKS – My Manifesto

When I made the decision to stand as a Candidate in the upcoming General Election, I did so for several reasons.

Firstly, I would like to continue serving the people of St Helena as I have strived to do over the past four years and give back to them what was invested in me in my former role as a Member of Legislative Council.

I was given the opportunity to attend several training seminars and workshops abroad:

    The 70th Westminster Seminar, London,

    51st CPA British Islands and Mediterranean Regional Conference, Isle of Man,

    Public Accounts Committee (PAC) training missions in Westminster and Wales,

    Regional Workshop for African Public Accounts Committees, Zambia

    Reykjavik Global Forum, Iceland,

    Strong and Independent Parliaments in Small Jurisdictions, Isle of Man.

I served as Children’s Champion and Older Persons Champion, and as a member on:

Select Committee 1

Public Accounts Committee (PAC)

Highways Authority

St Helena’s Representative on the British Islands and Mediterranean Region (BIMR) Commonwealth Women’s Parliament

Safeguarding Board

Police and Crime Panel

Education Review Committee

White Ribbon Day Campaign Group.

I undertook the temporary role of Minister for Safety, Security and Home Affairs, where the transition from Councillor to Minister, enabled me to gain insight ‘from the other side’, so to speak. This undertaking proved to me my personal strength and willingness to rise to an opportunity that, not only enabled my professional growth, but strengthened the knowledge and understanding I have for the role.

The experience gained from the above, coupled with how much I valued my former role, is why I say “I would like the opportunity to continue giving back to the people of St Helena what was invested in me”.

The values I stand by:

Integrity– I stand for what I believe in and take ownership of my decisions

Service to the community – I endeavoured to work to the best of my ability for the people of St Helena. I was elected into Legislative Council by you, I have a duty to dedicate myself to achieving the best I can for you

An inclusive community – where the benefits includes you all

Empathy –I aim to understand constituent’s challenges and concerns; to stand for and by, the people of St Helena

Resilience – Challenges and adversity helps to make you a stronger person. Setbacks do not deter me, but make me more determined.

Cost of living impacts across our community. I feel real concern for low-income earners with families and for our elderly citizens. Better financial opportunities abroad continue to lure away many of our working age people, often with young families.Globally, there is a rise in living costs which unfortunately filters through to our importation costs.

I was elated with the response to my question in the Budget session of Formal Legco, where it was announced that Public Service pensions would see an uplift of 5.5%.

I would champion the need for continued pursuit in uplifts annually to social security payments, Public Service pensions and wages. A small uplift is better than none at all.

Affordable housing is an ongoing concern and whilst initiatives have been put in to assist first-time homeowners, I would continue to support where there may be opportunity to further assist those endeavouring to own a home, which is a huge incentive to keep our working age people on island.

The Private Sector

Our fishing industry, once a thriving commerce and a huge part of our culture, is now a fragmented struggling sector. Fishermen have my full support, it is not an easy life and I repeat what I have said so often, that the challenges faced by fishermen should be addressed to enable the industry to thrive again, which will be a boost to our economy and provide sustainability of a vital food source.

Retailers and private business owners face the dilemma of retaining product and service costs for compatible competition to keep their customer base. Global uncertainties and fluctuating currencies affect importation and end user costs.

Food security is crucial to St Helena’s sustainability. Agriculture and poultry farming must be further enhanced by appropriate legislation and investment, again building a thriving industry of home produced products and reducing the reliance on imported foods.

Education and Youth Development

As Children’s Champion, I became more involved with our students, made more visits to schools where I could engage in informal discussions and saw firsthand the work that goes into educating our young people. Primary education will undergo a significant change and I would encourage that all affected be taken along on the journey to enable a positive transition.

I encourage youth leadership and engagement forums, where our young people can be more involved in shaping policies and procedures that are relevant to them now, and to their future.

Health and Social Care

Effective health and social care service provision is essential to a resilient community, where all should benefit from past and potential future investment.

I advocate for:

Continued expansion to preventative health care, enabling a healthier nation

More availability for connecting patients with overseas professionals for virtual consultations; optimising on the use of our advanced connectivity

Further investment in essential medical equipment

Support, both financial and legislative, for the expansion to services provided by mental health

Reviews of contracts for external medical services provision, to ensure continued quality of service and value for money

More facilities to accommodate our elderly and those in need of respite care

Increased support to informal carers (family and friends), who provide essential care to our elderly and vulnerable

Facilitating intergenerational programs that connect our youth with our elderly.

Economic growth

Whilst we did not expect our economic growth to happen overnight, we can say that post COVID we are seeing rising numbers in tourists and visiting family and friends; a boost to our economy. Inward investment is being encouraged, promotion of St Helena and advanced digitally connectivity are enabling factors for this. It is important however, that we keep sight of what makes us unique, without stifling our economic growth.

Community-centred priorities for me:

Value people – where they feel seen, heard and respected

Cost of living – retain our people by having a financially enabled environment that allows them to live in their homeland

A developed Private Sector to provide necessary service provision to the community

Reduce our imports and increase our exports; reverse the flow of our economy

An inclusive educational structure that enables all to develop and promote future leadership

An inclusive society, where all abilities matter

Enable progress to health and social care; it is a service provision that cuts across the community

Enable and encourage much needed economic growth

Protect our heritage.

Having been elected as a Legislative Councillor in 2021 and with the implementation of the new Ministerial Form of Government, my tenure has enabled me to see this been embedded in. It was a privilege to serve the community with the knowledge and experience I gained; it would be an honour to continue that service.

I cannot make promises or predictions, but I can give you the utmost assurance that I would do, as I have always done, and that is the best I can for you.

For me, you matter.