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| The impossibilities of Ascension Island | The impossibilities of Ascension Island |
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| Fred Pearce (US and UK accused of 'squeezing life out of' Ascension Island, 12 September) misrepresents the government's position. The claim that Britain is uprooting families to make way for a US military base is bewildering: there has been a US airfield on the island for over 70 years. And Ascension has always operated as a workplace. All of those coming to the island do so on short-term contracts, which they sign in full knowledge that their presence on the island is conditional on their employment and there is no right of permanent abode. | Fred Pearce (US and UK accused of 'squeezing life out of' Ascension Island, 12 September) misrepresents the government's position. The claim that Britain is uprooting families to make way for a US military base is bewildering: there has been a US airfield on the island for over 70 years. And Ascension has always operated as a workplace. All of those coming to the island do so on short-term contracts, which they sign in full knowledge that their presence on the island is conditional on their employment and there is no right of permanent abode. |
| There are solid reasons for this. Ascension has extremely limited infrastructure. It would be vastly expensive to convert the island from a place of work to one of permanent residence. It would, for instance, require provision to be made for elderly care, pensions, and an expanded public service and legal system. This would place enormous burden on the taxpayer and would still not guarantee a viable permanent community given the remoteness, small size, and largely barren nature of Ascension. There is no intention of squeezing life out of Ascension, but it is true that the number of people working there may fluctuate. It is precisely to retain this flexibility that the government does not have any expectation that it will artificially sustain a permanent community on Ascension. Colin Wells Administrator, Ascension Island | There are solid reasons for this. Ascension has extremely limited infrastructure. It would be vastly expensive to convert the island from a place of work to one of permanent residence. It would, for instance, require provision to be made for elderly care, pensions, and an expanded public service and legal system. This would place enormous burden on the taxpayer and would still not guarantee a viable permanent community given the remoteness, small size, and largely barren nature of Ascension. There is no intention of squeezing life out of Ascension, but it is true that the number of people working there may fluctuate. It is precisely to retain this flexibility that the government does not have any expectation that it will artificially sustain a permanent community on Ascension. Colin Wells Administrator, Ascension Island |
| • Ascension islanders are being deprived of their property and livelihoods; MPs make record expenses claims and the Royal Mail sell-off will provide a bonanza for banks, lawyers and PR firms. Thomas Jefferson's maxim has been turned on its head: government exists for the governors, not the governed. John Bailey St Albans, Hertfordshire | • Ascension islanders are being deprived of their property and livelihoods; MPs make record expenses claims and the Royal Mail sell-off will provide a bonanza for banks, lawyers and PR firms. Thomas Jefferson's maxim has been turned on its head: government exists for the governors, not the governed. John Bailey St Albans, Hertfordshire |
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