New Island Councillors Announced
Administrator David Morley published a Public Notice on Monday 3rd May 2010 announcing the new Island Council elected to serve until 2013.
Chief Islander
Ian Lavarello
Councillors
Robin Repetto
Marion Green
Beverley Repetto
Dereck Rogers
James Glass
Lorraine Repetto
Iris Green
Dawn Repetto
Conrad Glass
Anne Green
The new Council will be sworn in later in the week and we hope to have a photograph of them before long. |
New Chief Islander Elected
Following an election organised by Presiding Officer Jim Kerr held on 12th April 2010, Ian Lavarello has been declared the new Chief Islander. 39 year old Ian is the first Lavarello to be Chief Islander and works for the Public Works Department.
See the separate Chief Islander Page for further information on Tristan da Cunha's Chief Islander. |
New Island Council yet to be confirmed
There being insufficient nominations no election was held for the Island Council as planned on 10th March 2010.
Names of the new Island Councillors are yet to be finalised due to a complication in the electoral process, but the new Council will consist of existing Councillors, new nominations and as usual three Councillors nominated by the President of the Council Administrator David Morley. This list will be published here as soon as possible. |
Island Council Election planned for 10th March 2010
Administrator David Morley has announced plans for the 2010 Island Council Election. The Constitution states that the Administrator must dissolve Council no later than 3 years following the dissolution of the previous Council on 21st February 2007, prior to the previous election on 19th March 2007. So David will be dissolving Council on 15 February and has received the Governor's specific approval to do this.
Education Adviser Jim Kerr has agreed to be Presiding Officer. Jim is well versed in Tristan da Cunha’s Government, and was Acting Administrator during his term as Education Officer. The election must be held no later than one month following dissolution, and is planned for Wednesday 10th March. An election will only be needed if more than eight candidates are nominated. If not more than eight (including at least one woman) are nominated then they will immediately be returned unopposed.
Nominations for Council must be made not more than 21 days and not less than 14 days before Election Day. So nominations will take place on Tuesday 23rd February and the nominees announced to the public on the following day.
If not enough people stand, the retiring Councillors will be deemed to have been returned unopposed, except those who have decided not to serve again. An election will be held if necessary.
There is a separate ballot for the position of Chief Islander, held at the same time. Again, an election will only be necessary if there is more than one candidate. Following the election of the eight including the Chief Islander, David will then nominate three more Councillors of his own choice, subject to the Governor's approval. This brings the number of Councillors to eleven, plus David Morley as President.
Unlike the UK General Election, the Tristan da Cunha Island Council Election is low-key. Rival candidates are inter-related and often from the same family. Chief Islander Conrad Glass will return from his UK trip on the first incoming ship of 2010 scheduled to arrive on 3rd March, a week before polling day.
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The 2009 Tristan da Cunha Constitution clarifies the future of the Island Council
By enabling the existing elected council to continue in its work after 1st September 2009 :
12. Any person who immediately before the appointed day is a member of the Island Council of Tristan da Cunha in accordance with a law in force in Tristan da Cunha shall on that day become a member of the Island Council established by the Constitution, shall be deemed to have taken any oath or affirmation required by law, and shall hold his or her seat in accordance with any such law.
By clarifying the Island Council's role in giving advice to the Governor (through a resident Administrator appointed by the Governor) and setting out how Island Councillors can proceed if the Governor acts contrary to that advice :
Power to make laws
216.—(1) The Governor, acting after consultation with the Island Council, may make laws for the peace, order and good government of Tristan da Cunha.
(2) The Governor shall not be obliged to act in accordance with the advice of the Island Council in exercising his or her powers under subsection (1), but in any case where the Governor acts contrary to the advice of the Council any member of the Council shall have the right to submit his or her views on the matter to a Secretary of State.
The full constitution can be viewed via a link on the Tristan in Parliament Page.
See also associated articles on the Government News, and Tristan Constitution pages. |
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Meeting of the Island Council on 13th November 2007
in the Council Chamber
End of Table - David Morley (President)
Left hand side (front to back) - James Glass, Lewis Glass, Lillie Swain, Ian Lavarello, Robin Repetto & Lorraine Repetto
Right hand side (front to back) - Dereck Rogers, Harold Green, Anne Green, Iris Green & Conrad Glass
Photograph from Cynthia Green
See also view of the Island Council with Heads of Department taken on the same day on our separate Heads of Department Page
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New Island Council's First Meeting
The Island Council outside the Administration Building
(sometimes called ‘ Whitehall ’) before their first meeting on 20 th April 2007
Left to right :
Administrator Mike Hentley who is President of the Council, Chief Islander Conrad Glass, Lewis Glass, Ian Lavarello, Robin Repetto, Lily Swain, Dereck Rogers , Lorraine Glass, Iris Green, Anne Green and Harold Green.
Photo from Thierry Assef |
New Island Council Elected
Following Island Council Elections on Monday 19th March 2007,
the Island Council consists of the following elected members :
Chief Islander Conrad Glass ( Head of Police Department),
James Glass (Head of Agriculture and Natural Resources Department),
Lorraine Repetto and Iris Green of the Finance Department,
Postmaster Ian Lavarello and Lillie Swain also from the Post Office,
Dereck Rogers the Agricultural & Veterinary Officer,
and Robin Repetto, an electrician working for PWD.
In addition Administrator Mike Hentley has appointed
three former Chief Islanders to join the new council :
Lewis Glass, Anne Green and Harold Green
See also Government News for details of Election Day 2007 |
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The Island Council in November 2006
From left are: Mike Hentley (President) , Amanda Swain , Marion Green , Dilys Green , Joanne Green , Neil Swain (back), Carlene Glass-Green (front), Leon Glass and former Chief Islander Lewis Glass (Vice President)
Not in the photo are :
Chief Islander Anne Green & Trevor – who were in Cape Town & Edward Rogers who was on leave . |
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300th Island Council Meeting
Pictured left is the Island Council photographed in the Residency after their 300th meeting on Thursday 22nd June 2004.
From left to right :
Mike Hentley (Administrator & President of the Council), Dilys Green, Trevor Glass, Anne Green (Chief Islander and Leader of the Island Council), Amanda Swain, Lewis Glass (Deputy President), Marion Green, Neil Swain and Edward Rogers.
Carlene Glass-Green, Joanne Green & Leon Glass were absent.
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21st Century Island Council
There are no political parties or trade unions on Tristan. However, democracy is alive and well in the form of an Island Council consisting of the Administrator as President, plus three appointed and eight elected members. At least one member of the council must be a woman.
The elected member with the most votes is appointed Chief Islander, currently Anne Green, who is Deputy Head and senior class teacher at St Mary's School, who serves as Acting Administrator when Mike Hentley is on leave.
When first appointed, the Island Council select a Vice President (currently Lewis Glass). Members are also appointed to the Council's Sub Committees , which supervise a range of activities and submit regular reports for the Council to consider at future meetings.
The Tristan da Cunha Coat of Arms is shown right >
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Government Building
The only 2 storey building on the island (the lower floor houses the Police Department) is sometimes referred to as 'Whitehall' or the 'H'admin Building' and contains the Administrator's Office, Treasury Department, Administration Offices and the Council Chamber where Island Council meetings are held. |
