the saint helena, ascension and tristan da cunha constitution order 2009 was made by hm the queen and the privy council on 8 july and came into operation in september 2009. the new constitution replaced the 1988 version and among other changes limited the governor's powers, included a bill of rights, established independence of the judiciary and the public service, and designated the governor of st helena as, concurrently, the governor for ascension and tristan da cunha. it ended the "dependency" status of ascension and tristan da cunha on saint helena that had been in place, for administrative convenience, since 1922.