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Montserrat-born Priest Made Bishop in Jamaica

The Anglican Diocese of Jamaica, by the vote of clergy and laity who participated in a special Synod and Elective Assembly held in Mandevillle on September 14, 1999, elected the Rev. Canon Dr. Harold B. Daniel, rector of St. Michael's and St. Patrick's churches, Kingston, to be a bishop.

His consecration and ordination took place February 11, 2000,at the Parish Church of St. Mark, Mandeville.

The chief consecrator was the Most Revd. Drexel Wellington Gomez, Lord Archbishop of the West Indies Primate and Metropolitan. The presentors were the Right Revd. the Honourable Dr. Neville deSouza, Lord Bishop of Jamaica; the Very Revd. Canon the Honourable Weeville Gordon, Rector of St. Matthew's Allman Town, and Sister Norma Thompson, chaplain, Church Teachers' College.

As announced earlier, the consecration was attended by members of the House of Bishops, who were due to remain through the weekend to participate in the 175^th anniversary of the arrival of the first Bishop of Jamaica.

In the procession: the Thurifer, the Crucifer between two torch-bearers, seminarians/trainees, church army captains and sisters, deaconesses, Ecumenical Ministers in Robes, Roman Catholic Bishops, Anglican Bishops and Archbishops, the clergy of the diocese of Jamaica, the Cathedral Chapter, attending presbyters and the bishop-elect Daniel.

Also in attendance were relatives and other members of Bishop Daniel's family who participated in officiating at the ceremony. Dr. Charisse Daniel read the first reading from the Old Testament, while his brother Walter read the New Testament reading, with his own wife a priest, the Revd. Judith Daniel, as one of the attending presbyters. Mr. Shane Daniel, Mrs. Millicent Bass and Mr. William Fenton, with Deaconess Elaine Cunningham, comprised the Offertory Procession.

In the congregation were Montserratians such as Mrs. Vereen Woolcock and Mr. Rolston Allen.

There was much music and singing from the Mandeville Parish Church Choirs and representatives from other churches.

Canon Daniel, 61, was born in Montserrat and went to Jamaica in 1960 to work as a Church Army officer, having graduated from the Church Army College of Evangelism, London. He later studied at the United Theological College of the West Indies (UTCWI), where he gained the Bachelor of Arts (Theology) and the University of the West Indies where he was awarded the B.Sc. in Social Work. In 1983, he gained the Master of Education degree from Boston College, Massachusetts, and a decade later, in 1993, he was conferred with the Doctorate of Ministry by Columbia Theological Seminary, Atlanta, Ga., USA.

Bishop Daniel is married to the Rev. Judith Daniel, who is one of the first women ordained to the priesthood in the Anglican Diocese.

On January 21, 2000, the Government Information Services (GIS) carried reports of an investigation that had been launched into the 1999/2000 festival., with Governor Anthony Abbott declining comment but saying that the investigation "is an internal public service matter."

Recent reports suggest that even though the Governor carries sole responsibility for the public service, it was the Financial Secretary who eventually launched the investigation, which is still said to be a "confidential matter."

That, of course, may be the cause of several rumours, some of them vicious enough to probably warrant a further investigation into the underlying causes, this according to a government official.

The panel carrying out the enquiries comprises a civil servant, a DFID paid employee attached to the service, a lawyer and personnel from an accounting business on the island.

One very official source stated that the investigations involve allegations surrounding expenditures around the $100,000 allocated to the Cultural Department and funds used to assist in the facilitating and staging of the festival. Special mention is being made of a rumoured $40,000 spent on fencing of the festival village, which, according to one festival organiser, broke down during the first week of festival. Payments surrounding the Oliver show, held prior to the actual festival, are said to be held questionable, since it is alleged that some $40,000 was paid to the Oliver entourage.

Why and how the investigation became necessary is not clear, but sources said there were varying circumstances behind it. Other sources say that it all began because some people didn't understand certain functions. Reference was made to a sum that had been placed in a bank with two categories of three signatories, each for the convenience of meeting expenditures in a timely fashion.

The festival highlighted two beauty contests, and at least two major calypso competitions. There were also visiting revelers and troupes from Antigua, brought in to help liven-up the festival, along with numerous other local performers. There was also the construction of the stage and its lighting, plus equipment, all of which form part of the expenditures for the festival.

When contacted, one member of the investigation confirmed that the investigation was still on-going, but would not address any of the matters since, "it was a confidential matter."

An all-male panel is conducting the investigation and it is learned that individuals are merely invited to provide information to the panel, but not compelled to do so.

For the past few weeks we have seen increased interest paid by parliamentarians to some bills that have been recently introduced into our legislature. We have seen government ministers and officials, including the Attorney General, defending such legislation and explaining the need for it.

It wasn't long ago that we questioned the silence of the so called opposition members in the house. It was as though we were left to believe that everything was running smoothly, but we knew that not everything was, and that there were murmurings and much displeasure over several matters.

Government has a responsibility to advise and inform the people they were elected to represent, moreso at this time in our existence than at any other time. But nominated and other elected members of the legislature have the same responsibility to Montserratians to keep them informed, advised and encouraged to know the happenings that affect the island.

MP the Honourable Reuben Meade has from time made political statements on radio on matters he considers relevant, but it shouldn't take election sounds in the air to activate discussions. The government has organised some forums for discussions of a few issues, but the result of most of these is frustration, when it appears that the consensus in these consultations doesn't matter much. The British government will do as it pleases, managing to manipulate the endorsement of local government in the end.

The Department for International Development (DFID) until recently paid rentals directly to landlords, denying our treasury of the tax that should be paid in.Then the British turn around and ask our government to turn the screws on for taxes.

No one was able to understand the reason for the delay of the soft mortgage scheme, but it is now on hand, with DFID, through Minister George Foulkes, boasting about its initiation, perhaps because it is being criticised as not being very meaningful to Montserrat on a whole.

Following their outrage at the fact that Montserratians had used funds under the Materials Grant Scheme and built nice homes, the new scheme, according to a DFID release, "will set at a level equivalent to 75 percent of the cost of building a hurricane-resistant timber framed house to a minimum acceptable size for the number of occupants." Now it adds that applicants may build larger (block constructed) houses if they wish to add the required capital.

Careful note should be made that in the same release Mr. Foulkes praises the government for "a high degree of transparency in the prioritisation of applicants," referring only to the self-build scheme. Maybe this should be taken as an apology for the attitude displayed by their inspection team. But what we need is not apologies but respect.

£93 million pounds is meagre (and it has been acknowledged that this figure is dishonestly high) to invest in Montserrat when it will set us on our way, not merely to sustenance but to prosperity within the next 10 to 20 years. It will relieve many of the burdens that we face and will continue to face for years to come.

If the British and local governments believe their own words that we are merely being sustained, they would understand the severe hardship to which they put every Montserratian (very few exceptions), with the method being used to collect outstanding taxes.

Since residents and Montserratians will require exit certificates to leave the country, prepare to see a steep decline in Montserratians either returning home to visit or to stay. If 60 percent of the people left or have not returned since the volcano, it means 60 percent or more of back taxes are also outside.

Not every business (if any) in Montserrat is beginning to see light in the misleading economic upturn reported by DFID. Montserrat should be allowed to make the best use as it sees fit of the moneys allocated to it. It should be allowed to practise its own taxation methods, which would make it easier to justify exemption of back taxes and finding more profitable forms of taxation. The burden would be lighter and the desire to improve scarce resources more evident.

Montserratians have been under this regimental and brutal pressure for a long time, and will forever be behind in their tax payments while it remains. There are many who have spent all they have in staying alive and are now barely existing while getting further into debt. There just isn't the economic atmosphere to do more than turn over income.

To the Editor,

Never in the past 20 years -- in fact never in the history of the Royal Montserrat Police Force (RMPF) -- has the morale of serving members sunk to this low. There is dissatisfaction and disgruntlement through all ranks. The buzzword among the rank and file is '' Grouse." To understand what is happening here one only has to remember the old Roman principle "Divide et Impera." This policy of divide and rule has been successfully implemented by all UK-appointed Commissioners on the members of the force; they have managed to create rifts between brothers and cousins, Constables and Sergeants and Inspectors. These Bosses have even attempted to undermine the two senior officers. They have actively and successfully encouraged a selected group to come to them with gossip about other member.

The Commissioners are like the god Janus. They have two faces and speak out of both sides of their mouth. In mid 1999, COP Burgess made it clear that a group of 40 plus- year- old Sergeants were too advanced in age to be considered for promotion, yet in January 2000, a 60 plus- year-old UK gentleman is appointed COP -- Commissioner Elder.

There are no clear policies regarding promotion and placements. When the question is raised by progressively minded constables as to their advancement, the COP's answers vary from month to month, or according to the iniquities they wish to perpetuate at that specific time. Promotions and placements are reserved for faithful gossip partners. In fact training is now used as reward for members of that exclusive group that " Knock glasses." The inspector in charge of training is only informed after the fact that certain members have left the colony on training overseas; training is being conducted without the knowledge of the inspector in charge.

The result of the "divide and rule ," "dog eat dog " policy is total fragmentation of the espirit de corp of the organization. There are no teams or cohesive groupings. It is every man for himself and God for none of us.

Professionalism, ethics and morales have gone down. The quality of service provided by the force to the community is poor, substandard .This is not because the officers are lazy; it is because they are deliberately demotivated by the white power structure. We have seen the concept of the "standby Sergeant." This is where the COP selected five or six constables and stated that they will be promoted whenever a post becomes vacant. This makes the other 40 Constables cease to strive, as they know they will not be promoted for the next four or five years. And yet when these four or five officers are promoted, they serve as long as one year as acting Sergeants. At this time, there are seven acting appointments.

Another deliberatly set up demotivator is where COP Burgess, who returned to the UK earlier this month, stated that Acting.COP Morson will act as COP but no one will be appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police. This move by Government House and the UK authority begs the question. Is Acting COP Morson being set up to find the job difficult without the aid of a DCP? Or is Supt. Douglas too old for the ranks? Or not good enough to be the DCP? We must bear in mind that this was the same Douglas who was being forced from the force by Burgess.

As part of his management style, COP Burgess had put in place a system where Constables reports on sergeants are never given any chance to rebut any charges or claims. This has lead to sergeants being afraid to relate to Constables in any way, thus deepening the chasms.

Supt. Greeeney, he of the green shirt, is staying on to keep on eye on things until the arrival of the Elder gentleman from England (no pun intended). Never in the past two years have Supt. Greeney and COP Burgess been off island at the same time. Members of the public have asked what is Greeney's role here; just wondering, is he a tour guide or an employee of DFID? I do not know.

Will the team of Morson and Douglas make too strong a case for the termination of the 21^st century recolonization of Montserrat by the UK? Is it the design to let the system fail so that white Constables can be foisted onto the Montserrat public? Will it be an argument to prove that black men cannot rule themselves? It looks like 1942 all over again.

Really Concerned

Salem Park issue

Dear Mr. Editor:

Thank you very much for this spot in your paper to set the record straight as regards the Salem Park issue. The Hon. David S. Brandt seems to have a very serious problem with the facts as it pertains to how much money was spent on the retaining wall at the Salem Park and who spent it.

In his very first statement on Radio Montserrat on the issue, he accused the Hon. Reuben T. Meade of squandering $299,000 on the unfinished wall. He, in a subsequent statement said it was $250,000. Now he is claiming that it is $290,000. May I ask the Chief Minister, which is the correct figure.

The fact is Mr. Editor, neither Mr. Meade nor L&M was given funds, nor a contract to build a wall. The Governor should indicate to whom the funds were allocated and who wrote the cheques and to whom they were paid. The funds were made available to the Salem Committee, which comprises seven prominent members of Salem Community. We as a people called Montserratians would like to have a Chief Minister who is credible. His statements must be both truthful and factual.

L&M assisted in the construction of the wall and received reimbursement for its labour charges only. There was no charge for supervision or company equipment used on the project. L&M do not need to hide anything in relation to its business. Be assured the wall was built as specified. We are not responsible for the design specifications hence the cost associated with constructing according to design specifications.

Thanks to Glendon Staff

Letter to the Editor

I was admitted to Glendon Hospital for emergency surgery just over a week ago. My special thanks go to: - Dr Lowell Lewis and his helper, Dr Perkins who assisted and all the nursing staff at the Glendon Hospital who gave me unstinting care and attention. I have only great appreciation for everything they did to make my stay as good and comfortable as possible.

Thank you again to everyone.

Beryl Chadwick (Mrs.)

Woodlands

To the Editor

Wednesday night, February 23, a five-star gourmet meal was prepared at Ziggy's Restaurant for diners by Guest Chef Mr. Aaron Layton. Mr. Layton, son of Dr. and Mrs Layton of Old Towne, is a chef at London's famous Le Caprice resaturant.

Mr. Layton, who is on island for a holiday with his parents, indicated he wished to donate his Guest Chef fee to the Montserrat Red Cross. He would like, on his next visit, to organise a charity gourmet evening for a larger number of guests, where the dinner ticket price included a significant contribution to Montserratian good causes. A number of possible venues are being considered.

Dyann Hollender

Sir:

I write to you as accounting officer for Radio Montserrat to express my dissatisfaction with the manner in which the program Labour Speaks seem to be held in disdain by the manager of said radio station. This letter therefore serves as an official complaint.

On Tuesday, February 22, 2000, I had to withdraw my program minutes before it was aired. I will now outline the reason for this. On Monday 21, I presented the script for Tuesday’s program to Ms. Rose Willock, manager of Radio Montserrat. In this script I raised three questions in relation to the new Welfare system. The station manager had a problem with those queries and told me I should not ask these questions, but get in contact with the Community Services Department and find the answers. I informed her that I would not be doing so and I will not remove these queries from the script because Community

Services came on the radio and publicly announced that they would put certain things in place, therefore, the onus was on them to publicly announce these were done. It was evident that the manager was not pleased with my response. Lo and behold on ZJB’s Monday evening and Tuesday morning news I heard the three issues that I was querying via the program responded to in their entirety.

It was evident that Ms. Willock, using the contents of my script, called Community Services and got the answers to my queries and aired them before the program was aired. Sir, I am extremely angered by the underhanded and diabolical manner in which the station manager acted. I find it was highly unethical and intended to discredit not only the program Labour Speaks but me personally. Had I allowed the program to be aired as was, I would have been made to look like a complete fool in the eyes of my listening public. I find the actions of the station manager to be extremely unethical and lacking in journalistic integrity (a phrase that she is fond of using).

I have never professed to be a journalist, but common sense reasoning tells me that the station manager acted in a most reprehensible manner. She should have waited until after my program was aired and then aired the responses. I vehemently protest the actions of the station manager (and moreso of late) in relation to Labour Speaks. I am of the opinion that she has a right to vet the program for anything that might be detrimental to Radio Montserrat, anything that I say that may cause the station to become legally liable. However, I do not feel she has the right to edit my programs and tell me how to phrase what I want to say and to delete anything that will not bring the station into legal disrepute. It is my credibility that would be at stake and not Ms. Willock’s or ZJB’s.

In another issue related to Labour Speaks, a program was aired in its entirety on the morning of Thursday, February 10, 2000 and then withdrawn for its evening repeat. Subsequent to this I received a letter from the Attorney General, a matter which I will be taking up with you after seeking legal advice.

Sir, the actions of the station manager,, contrary to her explanations, have all the indicators of someone wanting to curtail/suppress free expression. It is therefore incumbent on you sir to look into this complaint with some urgency, for I believe that should you not do so, issues of this nature could escalate to the point where not only persons using the station to impart information, but society, will be adversely affected.

Sincerely

In my boyhood days, I understood a neighbour to be someone living in close proximity to me. Having grown up, I have come to realize that my neighbour by extension includes the entire human race.

With the advancement of communication and technology, the world has become a global village and we should relate to one another as good neighbours. In answering the question (see topic), Christ gave the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 29-36 as an illustration of the level of concern we should have for one another.

Sometimes we allow race, colour, creed, class, religion and country of origin to influence our attitude towards each other. God's word commands us to love our neighbours as ourselves

(Lev 19: 19, Luke 19:21, Mat 19: 19). This is considered a tough call by some people, but this is easy; as long as we love God, we are able to love others, even our enemies (Mat 5: 44)

1 John 4: 20-21states that we cannot love God whom we don't see and hate a brother (neighbour) whom we see.

Being part of this earthly neighbourhood, we must reach out to one another with love, in whatever way possible. Sometimes it is impossible to reach out to others physically but we do have an alternative of spiritual outreach (PRAYER) on behalf of those facing difficult life situations. The sick, the hungry, the poor, the oppressed, those suffering from natural disasters and, most importantly, those in need of deliverance from the power of Satan.

The World would certainly be a better place if we recognize that we are one another's neighbour and be a good Samaritan whenever possible.

The Social Welfare consultants are reporting that Montserrat has achieved a great deal in a short period of time. Spearheaded by the members of the Social Welfare Steering Group, the move from deciding to institute a social welfare system to implementing and paying qualifying persons their entitlement has been completed within a year.

Social Welfare consultants L to R Helen Bailey, Chris Russell and Nila Charles

The new system arose out of the Social Welfare review, which recommended an integrated welfare system meeting all of the basic needs of persons on the island through one system. The payment of a basic living welfare amount is merely the first step to achieving that system.

The Steering Group has overseen progress to date and must continue to exist to advise the Social Welfare Board of its intentions in establishing the elements of the Social Welfare system. It also has an ongoing role in developing the further elements of the welfare system so that collectively they constitute the integrated system, which is sought.

This paper reviews progress to date and explores the further elements of work needing to be completed in order to fully develop that system.

The aims of the new Social Welfare system, established at the outset, are to provide economically sustainable assistance and services; to keep people out of dependency and support self-sufficiency; to reaffirm family and community structures; to ensure a fair, impartial and comprehensive set of services; to make use of community resources through partnerships with NGOs and the private sector; to ensure a sufficient range of services to "make a difference" at the critical moments in people's lives, and to offer the opportunity of a dignified life for all.

A means test to target welfare services to those who are eligible has been achieved, and the means test form - known as the Application Form for Social Welfare - is now in regular use to re-target financial assistance to households who qualify. The first payments based on means testing will be made in February 2000.

A new system has been put in place to integrate Public Assistance and Food Welfare. Food Welfare payments ceased at the end of 1999. In December, each recipient received a letter describing the new means testing system and explaining how to apply them for financial assistance under the Social Welfare Act if so desired. The first payments under the new system will be made at the end of February 2000. The new system must be monitored extensively to ensure that it is meeting its targets and objectives and to ensure that the infrastructure works appropriately. The new payment incorporates regular public assistance payments. It was the intention that one-off payments made under the old Public Assistance system would be incorporated (see Appendix A), and the process by which this should be achieved is an issue for the Steering Group.

The Steering Group will advise the Social Welfare Board on appropriate monitoring arrangements in relation to the new welfare system, will consider the integration of one-off public assistance payments into the new means tested system and will integrate Social Security and Civil Service Pensions.

In June 1999 the Steering Group agreed that there was a need to progress with the integration of the Civil Service Pensioners into the Social Security Scheme. In order to resolve discussions about the most appropriate migration path, it was decided that an actuarial review of the Civil Service Pension fund would be

necessary. Terms of Reference were drafted and an actuary sought and it now appears that the work could commence in March. The Steering Group would then be able to resume the discussion about migration plans at the conclusion of that work and determine a migration plan.

It has always been the intention of the Scheme that there would be more help than that currently provided. The provision of public housing has made the housing element even more urgent and there is also pressure to provide assistance with medical bills. These, together with the one-off grants previously made under the public assistance

Framework, should be the main focus of immediate integration work. The Steering Group is to consider the steps necessary in order to achieve this integration of elements of the social welfare scheme.

A health insurance scheme has always been part of the wider social welfare system. It cannot, however, reasonably be brought into operation until there is relief for those who are not ensured. It is recommended, therefore, that this only be considered further when the actions above have been resolved.

From the outset, the GOM has been concerned that the social welfare system must be supported by appropriate developmental systems and services to improve the opportunities available to those most in need. Social development initiatives must continue to be undertaken in tandem with the launching of the new Social Welfare System.

Work is being undertaken to move forward with some of the Social Development activities which were identified at the start of this project, e.g., employment generation, access to small business development and micro-enterprise ventures, and also with the delivery of training to upgrade present skills. The advice of the Development Unit's new adviser on social development issues is being sought. It is anticipated that a programme of work to support the social welfare system will be jointly developed.

Much has been achieved, but there remains more work ahead for the Steering Group, some of it urgent. The immediate priorities for the Steering Group would seem to be ensuring that the current system is working well and instituting monitoring and review, integrating other elements of help with living (especially housing, health and one-off grants) into the system, and pursuing the integration of Civil Service Pensions and Social Security.

The first phase of the new social welfare system incorporates the regular payments element of Public Assistance. The Public Assistance scheme has always made provision for a number of one-off payments or grants. These include payments for medical assistance (frequently comprising transport off-island for referred medical care); assistance with burials; school uniform and books; food packages; essential household items, including from time to time housing repairs, and a range of other needs arise from time to time.

The development of an integrated welfare system envisaged that it should continue to be appropriate to make one-off payments of this sort. It is entirely in line with the principles behind the scheme that these should continue and be included in the integrated system. This will allow the Government of Montserrat to identify households that are regularly needy, to track the resources devoted to this more effectively and to monitor need in the community.

Media services from the Associated Newspapers in England, report that British secret services kept Margaret Thatcher in the dark about the spiraling costs of buying and refurbishing their new headquarters on the Thames, according to previously classified reports.

Reports from the National Audit Office published for the first time show the cost to taxpayers of new MI5 and MI6 buildings more than doubled from initial estimates of £252 million to £547 million.

The cost of refurbishment alone on the Vauxhall Cross building on the south bank of the Thames for the Secret Intelligence Service - otherwise known as MI6 - more than trebled, from a £22-million estimate to £75 million, according to the report.

And the costs of refurbishing Thames House for the Security Service - MI5 - increased from a £60-million estimate to £244 million.

The most alarming aspect of the reports was the failure to keep the Prime Minister of the day informed. This was plainly improper behaviour.

Secrecy was allowed to cover massive cost overruns; such secrecy surrounding these projects created an even greater obligation on the part of those responsible to secure value for money.

Even Montserrat has become familiar with this behaviour, although on a smaller scale, where the temporary Government Headquarters, believed by many to become permanent, stands out like a disaster. There are questions about the housing projects and the many quarrels between the main contractor Brown & Root and local contractors. And there is the water tank project, which continues to be a burden for the Montserrat Water Authority.

Government HQ, MNI Stationery Centre left, HM Prison top

Mr. Gunn Jones said yesterday on ZJB, that what appears to be a lack of planning and cooperation between government departments is due to the unavailability and untimeliness of funds to facilitate the syncronisation of projects, like the resurfacing of the Cudjoe Head road and its being dug up to lay water pipes later.

Prince of Wales Charles currently on a Caribbean tour while visiting Trinidad & Tobago reportedly wondered aloud on Tuesday why it took so long for him to visit Trinidad and Tobago.
"It is a terrible omission which I have now corrected," the heir to the British throne told his audience at the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) at UWI, St Augustine.
Continuing his tour the Prince arrived in Guyana on Thursday to a red carpet welcome and immediately moved into a packed schedule for his four-day official visit.
The Royal Aircraft bearing the Prince of Wales and a 15-member entourage touched down at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Timehri, at 1:20 p.m. local time.
After the Guyana leg of the tour he will move on to Jamaica on Sunday.

Barbados -- The Consular section of the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown is urging anyone planning to travel in the summer or fall of this year to apply early for their visas. The summer period is traditionally the busiest for visa application. Applicants can avoid exceedingly long lines if they apply for their visas during the slower period of February to April. Those with a visa due to expire this year are welcome to renew it now, prior to the expiration date.

In the future, applicants may have to apply for their visas strictly on an appointment basis. U.S. Government policy may limit the number of visa applicants who can be interviewed each day.

Applicants for visitors’ visas may apply in person Monday to Friday 7:30 a.m to 10:00 a.m. Applicants from outside Barbados may also apply by mail or courier. The Consulate will generally return their passports in four to six weeks.

If you have never had a visa and are applying for the first time, it is even more critical that you apply now and not wait until the busy summer season.

As a reminder, the Consulate section will be closed for immigrant and non-immigrant visa processing the last working day of each month. The Consular section will also be closed on the following US and local holidays: February 21, April 21, 24, and 28, May 1 and 29, June 12, July 4, August 1 and 7, September 4, October 9, November 10, 23 and 30, and December 25 and 26.

The Montserrat Union of Teachers (MUT) joins many in mourning the passing of Thomas Emmanuel Ryan. Mr. Ryan rose to the rank of Inspector of Schools and was the first Education Officer in Montserrat. His daughter, former English teacher Cheryl Ryan, and his son, Claude Ryan, who taught French, both have been past teachers of the Montserrat Secondary School.

MUT wishes the Ryan family continued health and strength as they mourn the passing of Mr. Ryan.

Teachers touch the Future.

By Hyacinth Browne

Vice president, MUT

Cayman -- Cable & Wireless, the global telecommunications company, announced this week that it is taking lead sponsorship in North America’s largest offshore e-commerce conference.

This high profile sponsorship demonstrates the company’s long-term commitment to delivering e-commerce solutions to customers around the world.

The two-day conference, which opened in Miami Thursday, will bring together top business people from the Caribbean, Europe and America.

Chief Executive Officer for Cable & Wireless Caribbean & Atlantic Islands, Mr. Odie Donald, says, " ‘Web-Commerce’ will continue to evolve to meet the demands of the industry. This event, with its seminar and workshop structure, will allow us to understand and meet the fast growing needs of this industry." Mr. Donald added that he is looking forward to hearing the demands and requirements of new and existing e-commerce users.

"Our product provides global companies with the very latest e-commerce functions, as well as offering significant financial benefits of conducting business offshore," said Andy Gray, Cable & Wireless’ Regional Manager, E-Commerce. "We believe it is an important part of our product strategy to present high-profile conferences. We want to share our global experience and knowledge. Miami is a natural hub for both the Americas and the Caribbean, a key geographical area for our offshore e-commerce solution. The fit between the conference and our product is perfect."

In December, Cable & Wireless opened the first of 20 data and web hosting centres that it is building around the world. The first centre is in Reston, Virginia and the next six, to be completed by the end of the year, will be in London, Santa Clara, Paris, Frankfurt, Tokyo and Hong Kong. When all 20 are completed in 2002, they will provide in excess of one million square feet of hosting space.

The local unit of the University of the West Indies School of Continuing Studies is experiencing outstanding success both in respect of enrollment and examination results. At the beginning of the current semester, a record 44 students were enrolled in the following distance education programmes: Certificate in Business Administration, Certificate in Public Administration, BSc Management Studies, BSc Accounting and Diploma in Youth Development Studies.

All of the examination results for semester 1 are not in, but those received to date can be described as excellent. Out of 70 subjects, there are 56 passes or 80 percent passes. These include 10 As, 12 Bs, in other words, over 55 percent of the passes were at the B, B. plus or A grades. In Business Law and Principles of Marketing, which were written by only 4 and 2 students respectively, 100-percent passes were achieved. Both Micro-Economics and Mathematics for Social Sciences each gained 83.3 per cent passes and Sociology, Financial Accounting and English for Academic Purposes scored in the 70s. Evidently, the results were very commendable all round.

The best individual performer, based on the results received to date, is Dawn Daley of the Statistics Department, with two As in Mathematics and Micro-Economics and a B plus in Financial Accounting.

The University Centre believes that the results are due in part to the improved system of distance education, along with hard work by students and the dedicated efforts of the tutors. Those tutoring the above subjects were Mrs. Geraldine Cabey for Mathematics, Mr. Phillip Chambers for Micro-Economics, Miss Karen Duberry for Sociology and Miss Florence Lee for Financial Accounts, and the Resident Tutor for English for Academic Purposes. Institutions which have assisted the University Centre, such as Cable and Wireless and the Government of Montserrat, can be justifiably pleased with the use that has been made of their contributions.

St. Vincent Strengthens Money Laundering Guard

KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CANA - Authorities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have strengthened the supervisory element of the offshore services sector by hiring three new staff members, a decision that has been welcomed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Finance Minister Arnhim Eustace told CANA on Tuesday they would continue this process as the sector continues to expand.
The staff increase is complemented by an in-house training programme, with assistance from a regional consultant who has worked within the IMF system and has been contracted to review the operations of the local offshore sector, Mr. Eustace said.
He pointed to the difficulty in obtaining experienced staff with the right qualifications, noting that they lost the deputy inspector to another jurisdiction after only two months because he was offered a better salary.
"We are looking seriously at that whole area of beefing up the supervision in terms of new and more updated procedures, and specifically utilising that experienced consultant to guide us in that area," Mr. Eustace said.
The initiative to strengthen offshore supervision comes against the backdrop of repeated concerns by the IMF about money laundering.
The Fund, in its 1999 report on St Vincent, noted that its directors "expressed concern that the growth of offshore financial activities was straining the capacity of the supervisory authorities to combat money laundering."
They also welcomed the intention of authorities to increase staff overseeing offshore activities and "encouraged further consideration of the proposal to let the ECCB (Eastern Caribbean Central Bank) supervise offshore banks."
Mr. Eustace said the proposal for the ECCB to have a greater supervisory role in the offshore sector has been discussed periodically by countries served by the bank and it is likely to come up for discussion again at the next meeting of the bank's Monetary Council.
"There are really two basic issues, which one has to look at - what sort of mechanisms will the ECCB put in place and how long will it take is an issue we have to examine, so we have to have very clear guidelines as to how this matter should be handled."
Additionally, the implications for additional staff at the ECCB would have to be considered.
"Is it going to impact on their activities on-shore or is it going to have a separate unit developed just to deal with the offshore sector?" Mr. Eustace asked.
The ECCB has responsibility to oversee the functions of 47 banks in the sub-region and is expanding the activities to bring credit unions within its ambit.

St. Vincent Father, Daughter Are Remanded After Killing

St Vincent, CANA - A 56-year-old Vincent man and his 22-year-old daughter have been remanded to prison in connection with the stabbing death of a dreadlocked man at the weekend, police said.
Farmer Vibert John and daughter Lynette Davis were remanded on Monday when they appeared before a Kingstown magistrate charged with the murder of Winston Toussaint on February 18.

The incident took place at Keartons on the leeward coast about eight miles from the capital, Kingstown.

Antigua Government Wants Financial Advisory Lifted
St. Johns, Antigua -- CANA --Antigua and Barbuda's Prime Minister Lester Bird is prepared to take the British and United States governments to the United Nations and World Trade Organisation (WTO) to have a financial advisory placed on the country lifted.
Mr. Bird made the disclosure last week after the Antigua House of Representatives approved amendments to the International Business Corporation Bill.
The two governments slapped an advisory on Antigua and Barbuda after its international monetary laundering laws were not in synch with that of the international community.
"The OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation & Development) countries are seeking to dictate to us. However, Antigua & Barbuda has been in the forefront of amending its money laundering laws and all we are trying to do is to meet these obligations," Mr. Bird said.
The Antiguan leader said his government has been co-operating with the international community and will take up the matter at the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force meeting in Trinidad next month.
"We have given a commitment to the international community that we would have completed amendments to the Money Laundering and International Business Corporation bills so that we will demonstrate that we are co-operating with the international community, that Antigua & Barbuda is in good order with the rest of the world," he said.
The amendments to the IBC Act removed any powers of promotion or marketing of the offshore sector given to the International Financial Sector Authority (IFS).
The country has adhered to the U.S. and British requests to have a regulatory authority and to change the name from IFS to the International Financial Sector Regulatory Authority.
"It is our view that the offshore sector is better positioned under the control of the minister responsible for foreign affairs; hitherto it was the minister of finance," Attorney General Dr. Errol Cort said.

OECS AT WORK

EASTERN CARIBBEAN DRUG SERVICE (ECDS)

(Also referred to as the OECS Pharmaceuticals Procurement Service (PPS)

Sharing a common determination to improve the standard of health care for the people of the OECS sub-region, the governments of the OECS established the ECDS in 1986 under a USAID-funded project. The core function of ECDS is to pool the requirements of OECS member states for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies for internal tendering, and to purchase these items at reduced costs for public hospitals and health centres.

By 1989, ECDS became a self-financing institution based on a 15-percent administrative fee charged to member states. OECS countries can now jointly purchase pharmaceuticals and medical supplies at a much lower cost than previously, that is, when they individually purchased these items. For the procurement period 1998/99, a study revealed that the regional contracted prices were, on the average, 38 percent lower than the individual country price, producing collective savings of EC$1.6 million for the nine (9) countries. This article considers the success of the ECDS in implementing improved pharmaceutical procurement as a cost containment strategy.

Why purchase pharmaceuticals on a sub-regional basis? After personnel costs, pharmaceuticals are usually the largest item of expenditure within the public sector health budgets, ranging from 8-10 percent in the OECS states. According to the Caribbean Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, only 10 percent of regionally produced goods are purchased in the region, and therefore the majority of pharmaceuticals are imported from extra-regional sources, thus representing the health sector’s major requirement for foreign exchange. Recognizing that significant cost-savings can be achieved through functional cooperation, the OECS countries centralised the public tendering of pharmaceuticals through a pooled procurement mechanism.

What are the essential elements for ECDS’ success? The crucial policy changes to ECDS’ success are political will, financial commitment and institutional cooperation among the Ministries of Health, Finance and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank.

As a cost-benefit model of functional cooperation, ECDS operates a centralised restricted tendering system involving pre-qualified suppliers. Pre-qualification is necessary to assess the quality standards, technical competence and financial viability of competing suppliers. After inviting tenders from more than 75 international suppliers, ECDS awards annual contracts, places orders directly with suppliers and monitors delivery and supplier performance. The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) facilitates prompt payment to suppliers in foreign exchange, since timely payment of invoices is an important factor in obtaining reduced prices. ECDS does not warehouse supplies, but rather, suppliers ship consignments directly to participating countries, which in turn, reimburse their respective accounts at ECCB.

The ECDS has demonstrated in tangible and direct ways that significant benefits can be reaped from joint action. However, apart from procurement, ECDS has provided the OECS countries with a wide range of technical assistance and continuing pharmaceutical education. Technical assistance includes the provision of computer hardware and software, and training in drug supply management. ECDS also produces a biennial edition of a regional drug formulary manual, which is a quick reference pocket guide of drug information to aid prescribers in rational drug prescribing.

A GREAT MAN HAS PASSED

by Jeanelda Howson

A Tribute to Thomas Emmanuel Ryan OBE, MRST OSTJ.

Mr. T.E.Ryan ,OBE , MRST, OSTJ received his early education on Montserrat where he was born. He entered the teaching profession, and his fertile brain benefited from training in Trinidad , the U.S.A, and England. As a member of the Royal Society of Teachers, (MRST), he served successfully in the British Virgin Islands as Head Teacher, Teacher Trainer, and Supervisor of Schools. Two Chief Ministers, and many prominent citizens of that Territory, attest to his sterling contribution towards the moulding of their early years.

Mr . Ryan returned to Montserrat, in the early 1950s, as Inspector of Schools . He was subsequently appointed Education Officer, and he was the first person to be given this title in Montserrat. He served two Chief Ministers, as Permanent Secretary, and Secretary to the Executive Council. He served on various Government Boards and committees, including the committee to organise and establish Radio Montserrat, of which he was chairman. He served on the appointments and promotions committee, and was chairman of the Public Service Commission. As Permanent Secretary he set up guidelines for the sale of lots in government subdivisions. Throughout his senior years in the Civil Service, Mr. Ryan assisted Administrators, (as the Governors were called), and politicians, with his vision and frankness.

He played an active role, in many civic and voluntary organisations. He was President of the St. John's Ambulance Brigade. He was a charter member of the Rotary Club. As a devoted, dedicated, convinced, and life-long Methodist, Mr. Ryan made a significant contribution to the life and witness of the

Methodist Church, in the Caribbean and the Americas, (the MCCA). He was a local Preacher in the British Virgin Islands for over 20 years. On Montserrat he served as local Preacher, Superintendent of Sunday School, class leader and society steward. He was a member of the Finance and Property Committee. He served in the highest office that any lay worker could occupy in the Methodist Church, the office of circuit Steward. In this post, his academic and professional training, his experience, creativity and foresight, were great resources to members of the religious directorate, and other members of the church.

This was noted at local church meetings , and at synod sessions abroad. In his early 80s, Mr. Ryan, though retired, was still very alive and mentally alert. He wrote and published several books and leaflets on Methodism and Christianity. Among these are Our Methodist Heritage; John Wesley's Spiritual Birthday; Guide to Happy Living; Unquenchable Christian Festivals: and Blessed Sunset Years.

His church contribution was not restricted to Methodists. He was a member, and first Secretary, of the Montserrat Christian Council, for which he wrote the constitution.

He , truly, was a "Great Man" who understood Jesus's standard of greatness, which is service. "Whosoever, will be great among you, let him be your minister. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant" St. Mathew 20: verses 26 and 27,

We who are alive can be inspired by reading his life-book and emulating his good deeds "Lives of great men, all remind us, we can makes our lives sublime, and departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sounds of time."

To his Wife, Children, other relatives, god Children, and friends, I extend my deepest sympathy.

"Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord, for they rest from their labours".

The organist and members of the Trinity Chorale of the former Trinity Methodist church, extend our deepest sympathy to Cheryl and the rest of the family, on the passing of their beloved father and husband,

M.T.E.Ryan. May he hear from the Lord "Well Done.".

Joyce Roach

MATERIALS GRANT HOUSING PROJECT

The Parliamentary Under secretary of state for International Development, Mr George Foulkes, has announced that a further £1million will be made available immediately for the Materials Grant (Self Build)

Housing Scheme. This will bring the Department for International Development's (DFID) total expenditure on this project to £4.189 million since funding began in mid 1997. Mr Foulkes noted that the materials grant scheme was efficiently administered in Montserrat, with a high degree of transparency in the prioritisation of applicants, and approval according to agreed criteria.

Of the estimated 1100 households specified by the Government of Montserrat in 1997 as requiring emergency housing assistance, DFID has made provision for 1050 (if the recently approved Soft Mortgage Scheme and this approval of more materials grants are taken into account).

Referring to the housing situation on island, Mr Foulkes said, "DFID had now provided £19.244 million for a variety of schemes. I am pleased that the emergency phase had been successfully brought to a conclusion. A DIFD team will be visiting the island at the end of February to discuss the Government's Comprehensive Housing Needs Assessment. DFID's main concern in responding to this will be to take account of the needs of the most vulnerable groups in society."

New money available under the materials grant scheme will be open to applicants who have access to land. Grants will remain set at a level equivalent to 75^% of the cost of building a hurricane resistant timber framed house to a minimum acceptable size for the number of occupants. This will not prohibit applicants building larger (block constructed) houses if they wish to add the required additional capital.

The UK Government recently undertook a review of earlier stages of the materials Grant Project. The review noted that the project had made a significant contribution to meeting the acute housing shortage on Montserrat. Significant private resources in terms of land and finance had been mobilised. It is estimated that for every dollar of public spending on the project, 4.3 dollars of private investment had been attracted. The review concludes that the scheme has made a positive impact on the local economy as the direct housing programme has slowed down. The Scheme has also proved itself to be a rapid housing delivery mechanism, with more than three quarters of the completed houses constructed within a six months period. The quality of housing was assessed to be of a good standard, structurally sound and designed to be adaptable to meet the changing needs of individual households. The review also observed that the project had generated a degree of social mobilisation in empowering people to find their own housing solutions and in the organisation of communal labour.

This March celebrates the tenth anniversary of the Montserrat-produced television program, Caribbean Crossroads. The brainchild of Peter Schulze and local videographer David Lea, the program has now aired on every island in the Caribbean from Guyana to the Cayman islands over the last decade. It can still be seen in Barbados, Trinidad, Antigua, (ABS, Sundays at 9:30am) and Jamaica.

As our Local Channel 5 begins to gear up again, David Lea has decided to dust off the programs and give the people here in Montserrat an opportunity to be inspired by these incredible stories, a number of them shot right here on island.

"These programs are timeless," said Mr. Lea, "and we still get mail from people throughout the islands whose lives have been touched by the testimonies of their own Caribbean people."

"So much of North American Christian television can be pretty hard to relate to when you live in other places in the world, so we created a program that is totally for, and about Caribbean people," he explained.

Caribbean Crossroads has won three Angel Awards in Hollywood, California, for Excellence in Media. It can be seen on Local Access Television at 5:00 p.m. on Sundays, beginning this Sunday, 27 Feb. It will be followed by special presentations of historic Montserrat videos that have been recorded by David Lea over the past decade. These include concerts by Harella Goodwin, Lester Lewis and the Grace Thrillers, plus special events like the visits of Arthur Blessitt and Prince Andrew. These special Channel Five events will be announced on Community Diary each week.

The Leas also produce a radio program called, "Friends" that is uplinked on satellite from Trans World Radio in Bonaire and can be heard on Radio Paradise every Saturday at 2:00 in the afternoon.

ST. KITTS -- A St. Kitts man wanted in Florida on cocaine smuggling charges has been taken to the United States, ending U.S. officials' long fight for his extradition, Prime Minister Denzil Douglas said Saturday.
U.S. officials had been fighting since 1996 for St. Kitts and Nevis, a small island country southeast of Puerto Rico, to extradite Charles "Little Nut" Miller. Miller waived his rights to fight extradition while in court Thursday on local firearms and drug charges, and U.S. officials took him on a plane Saturday morning, Douglas said.
Miller was believed sent to Miami, but officials there would not immediately confirm his arrival.
Formerly known as Cecil Connor, Miller was an accused member of a Jamaican-dominated gang known for trafficking tons of cocaine in the 1980s.
Authorities blame the gang for some 1,400 murders in Miami, Los Angeles, New York and in several states.
Miller is wanted on a 1995 indictment charging him with smuggling more than 1,000 tons of cocaine. A St. Kitts court had twice blocked his extradition.
His case took a high profile in 1998 when U.S. officials accused him of threatening to kill U.S. students at St. Kitts' Ross University if he was ordered extradited.
About two weeks ago, employees of the St. Kitts newspaper, The Observer, said Miller came into their office with a gun to complain about news coverage of the extradition dispute.

GOVERNMENT INFORMATION SERVICES

Saturday March 11

• Jam Session Good Life 9:00p.m.

• Church Service – Catholic Church Salem 9:00a.m.
• Music Film – Feet of Flames Pelican Room Vue Pointe 7:30p.m.

Monday March 13

• Volcano Tours Garibaldi Hill 9a.m.– 4p.m.
• Street Jam St John’s 6:00p.m.
• Cocktail Reception Palmhurst 6:30p.m.

Tuesday March 14

• Lecture – Panel Discussion
• Dr Howard Fergus Brades Pentecostal
• Hon. Michael D Higgins TD Church 8:00p.m.

Wednesday March 15

• Round Island Excursion - Ferry with piped music on board Little Bay 12:15 – 1:45p.m.

• Barbecue Night
• Sing Along to Irish Music
• Irish Dancing
• Music Film Tropical Mansions 7:30p.m.

Friday March 17

• Freedom Run - St John’s to Salem Park 6:00a.m.
• Hikes with Forest Rangers Silver & Centre Hills 6:30a.m.
• Quiz Winners & Prize Giving Ceremony Salem Park 9:00a.m.
• Cultural Entertainment
• Slave Feast Brades Primary
• Masquerade, String Band School 2:00p.m.
• Junior Calypso Competition Festival Village 7:30p.m.

Saturday March 18

• St Patrick’s Day Dinner Vue Pointe Hotel 6:30p.m.

The government is making plans to change the age of majority from 21 years to 18.

The Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt says the move is to protect the society and make young people more responsible for their actions.

He says as the law stands now a person under the age of 21 is regarded as an infant and cannot defend him or herself against certain legal actions.

The Honourable Minister of Education Adelina Tuitt will lead an official delegation to the funeral of the late T.E. Ryan, who will be buried in Tortola on Wednesday.

Mrs. Tuitt will be accompanied by the deputy principal of the Montserrat Secondary School, Jeanelda Howson.

Mr. Ryan served successfully in the British Virgin Islands as head teacher, teacher trainer and supervisor of schools.

He returned to Montserrat in the early 1950s as Inspector of Schools and was subsequently appointed Chief Education Officer.

He served two chief ministers as permanent secretary and secretary to the Executive Council.

Montserrat is getting more aid from the British Government to help solve the island’s acute housing problem.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development, Mr. George Foulks, has announced that a further £1 million will be made available immediately for the Materials Grant (Self Build) Housing Scheme.

This will bring DFID’s total expenditure on this project to £4.2 million since funding began in mid 1997.

Mr. Foulks noted that the Materials Grant Scheme was efficiently administered in Montserrat, with a high degree of transparency in the prioritization of applicants and approval according to agreed criteria.

Referring to the housing situation on the island, Mr. Foulks said, "DFID has now provided £19.2 million for a variety of housing schemes and is happy that the emergency phase has been successfully brought to a conclusion."

New money available under the Materials Grant Scheme will be open to applicants who have access to land.

Grants will remain set at a level equivalent to 75 percent of the cost of building a hurricane- resistant timber framed house to a minimum acceptable size for the number of applicants.

This will not prohibit applicants' building larger (block constructed) houses if they wish to add the required capital.

Work is progressing smoothly on the main road at Lookout.

One third of the road has been surfaced with asphalt topping and most of the drains have been installed.

Engineer at the Public Works Department Tony Gough says the entire programme should be completed within the next few weeks.

Superintendent of Works Kenneth Roach is pleased with the efforts of the workers so far.

Motorists and residents have welcomed the construction of the roads at Lookout.

However, there are concerns about speeding in the area.

The government is seeking additional funds from Her Majesty’s Government to complete the Law Revision exercise.

The first phase of the programme was completed recently with the publication of two volumes covering 20 different laws.

Legal Advisor to the Overseas Territories Ian Christie says this is part of a wider regional project with the dual purpose of both producing up-to-date editions of the laws and also modernizing those laws where appropriate.

He says the remaining revision exercise may take up to three weeks to complete.

The Honourable Acting Chief Minister Rupert Weekes says there is no need to be alarmed over the implementation of the new social welfare system.

In a statement to allay the fears of some members of the community Mr. Weekes says the public’s concerns would be taken into consideration as the government seeks to fine-tune the social programme.

Mr. Weekes acknowledges that the new system has teething problems but says these will be dealt with in a fair manner.

He says the fact that some persons have received letters denying them acceptance does not mean that the decision is final.

The acting Chief Minister says there is an appeal process where each case will be looked at on its merits and adjustments would be made where necessary.

Therefore he is urging residents not be too alarmed now.

The Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt is giving his support to moves by regional governments to put in place a common insurance law.

The issue is being discussed during a meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank monetary council currently taking place in St. Kitts.

Mr. Brandt says he is pushing for the bill, which will protect insurance policy holders in the member territories.

He says it would prevent insurance companies from pulling out of the islands when disaster strikes without honouring their policies, as they did in Montserrat in 1997.

Chief Minister Brandt is accompanied in St. Kitts by the Honourable Financial Secretary C.T. John and the Honourable Attorney General Brian Cottle.

Other matters that are being discussed are offshore banking, legal reform and money and capital markets.

In endeavouring to explain the bill I propose to do so in the following way: firstly by explaining how the bill derives its validity, secondly by explaining what is perceived to be the need of the bill, and thirdly by briefly explaining the bill itself.

So let me start then with the first of those; the validity of the bill. Under Montserrat’s constitution provision is made for the sanctity of property. Government can only acquire other people’s property where proper compensation is payable and as will be seen in a moment or two the bill itself provides that where government acquires other people’s property then proper compensation is to be paid. So the bill itself is not unconstitutional. It falls squarely within the provisions of Montserrat’s constitution.

What then is the need for the bill? At present Government of Montserrat itself has no power compulsorily to acquire property. Nevertheless over the course of the volcanic crisis the need to acquire property has risen. His Excellency the Governor has that power under the Emergency Powers Legislation. The Governor can, under that legislation, requisition other people’s property but in a mature democracy it is only right and proper that the power to acquire other people’s property when the need arises should be a power that is vested in the Governor-in-Council, in Executive Council, rather than in the Governor alone. So that is really the background to the need for an act or bill of this type.

Until the new dome growth began in October/November 1999 some consideration had been given by myself as to whether or not it could still properly be said that a state of emergency persisted in Montserrat and therefore how valid the emergency powers continue to be. Had the emergency powers been discontinued then government would not have had any further power to acquire other people’s property.

Nevertheless the fact that an emergency situation does not continue to exist does not mean to say that there will not be very rare circumstances in which Government of Montserrat would need to acquire other people’s property particularly given the circumstances that will persist here for many times to come. It is a power that is a necessary one in my view in order to assist the regeneration of Montserrat and its economy. That hopefully I hope gives some explanation of the need for a bill of this type.

What of the actual bill itself. In the first place Government of Montserrat could only acquire property under the auspices of this bill if that property is required for a public purpose. It is not envisaged that this is a bill that will need to be used extensively, indeed the provisions of the bill are likely only to have to be used very rarely. It is difficult to foresee in what circumstances that need might arise. But it is always a course of prudence to have in place the legislation needed to meet every contingency and therefore it is a course of prudence to have this bill in position.

Government can only acquire the property where it is required for a public purpose, in other words that it is in the public interest of Montserrat that property should be acquired. In this sense the bill differs in no way at all from the land acquisition ordinance that is being enforced now for many years and under which Government of Montserrat has acquired for example the land up at Look Out for the building of the houses that are being built there.

Where government of Montserrat decides that property is required for a public purpose that is not is not of itself an arbitrary decision taken without reference to others. For any decisions by Executive Council that property is required for public purpose then it has to be approved by a resolution by Executive Council. Executive Council could not therefore take an arbitrary decision which was not subsequently open to public debate and public criticism if criticism was warranted,

So there are safeguards against high handed use of the power conferred by the bill.

What of compensation? Clearly no government should be entitled to acquire another persons property without compensating the person from whom it was acquired. And again the bill makes provision for the fair payment of compensation to the person whose property is acquired.

Under the terms of the bill once property has been acquired then if a value for the property cannot be agreed with the property owner the matter is automatically referred to a Board of Assessment. A board of assessment is not an arbitrarily appointed body weighted in favour of government. It is chaired by a judge of the high court and the two other members comprise of one person nominated by government of Montserrat and by one person nominated by the person from whom the property has been acquired.

There can be little doubt in those circumstances that compensation assessed by the Board of Assessment would be assessed fairly, independently and by a board whose composition in no way could be said to be to the advantage of one side or the other.

But it goes even further that. I either government or the person from whom the property has been acquired feel that the compensation assessment has been inadequate then the bill makes provision for an appeal to the court of appeal, which would then have the opportunity of reviewing the whole argument before and against the assessment made by the board.

So in short the bill itself has safeguards against unwarranted or highhanded use of the powers conferred by the bill and it has safeguards which provide for the payment of fair compensation to the person from whom the property is acquired. And let me just make this one further remark. There would be no advantage to government to use the provisions of this bill excessively or other than in circumstances which were highly unusual, probably urgent and would only arise in exceptional circumstances.

Why do I say that? Well simply for this reason. The bill itself as I have explained sets out the fact that compensation would have to be paid to the persons from whom the property has been acquired. That compensation will reflect the market value of the piece of property that has been acquired. If Government is in any event going to have to pay compensation which reflects the market value of the property that’s acquired it would be much easier for Government to go out into the marketplace and acquire the property needed in the marketplace without having to use the provisions of the bill. It will only in very exceptional circumstances that government of Montserrat would need to use the provisions of this bill but as I have said before it is impossible to predict when such circumstances may arise.

The need to requisition property has arisen in the past. It is likely to arise again in the future and it is therefore only prudent that Government of Montserrat should have the power to acquire property to meet the circumstances as when they arise when the powers of the bill need to be utilized.

Sir Vivian Richards, one of the greatest -- if not the greatest -- West Indies cricketers, has said that the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) needs to organise more cricket for their players if they are to regain their standing in world cricket.

The great player chatted with me last weekend at the Cedar Valley golf club, where he had just completed a round of one of his favourite sports, golf. Richards also said: "I believe that the WICB is now in a position where they can regain control over the conduct of the players."

He said that although he didn't believe it could happen, the conduct and attitude of some senior players have been affecting the overall performance of the West Indies team. He was responding to my question whether he thought that the situation that had developed between Brian Lara and others and the Board a couple of years ago had anything to do with their poor performances in recent years.

"Players should wait their turn to take up certain positions with the team," Richards said, referring to the dissension that surrounded the captaincy before Lara became captain of the West Indies team. "That will certainly take its toll in due course," he added.

Richards, in commenting on the future of West Indies cricket, shared a view I have always held, that the mediocre performances now being experienced is due to insufficient cricket at a high level. He recalled that not too long ago test cricketers played first class cricket almost all year round. This was particularly so when one recalls that most played in overseas leagues, particularly in England. Today that is hardly the case.

"Players getting a place in the West Indies team then came in with several centuries behind them, and were already seasoned and fairly experienced to varying conditions," he argued.

As to how and whether the WICB responds to reports from the management team of manager, coaches etc,. Richards said that the reports are sometimes meaningless, as insularity raises its ugly head.

"Reports are not dealt with in a confidential manner," he said, adding that information from reports is spread and leaked to respective islands.

Richards supports the Antigua request to participate in competitions as a separate entity, on the ground that it gives exposure to more cricketers from the Leewards.

And so does cricket commentator Joseph "Reds" Perreira, who also last weekend said he can see the creation of more individual teams from the Leewards, and also having some countries from the Windwards play separately. He too also felt that the WICB needs to restructure regional competitions to allow more exposure to players.

Since my meeting with Richards, the WICB announced their management team for the next three years and it is very noteworthy that his name does not appear on the list, which is as follows for the next three years: Richard Skerritt of St. Kitts, manager of the team; Roger Harper, Guyana, the coach, with Jeffrey Dujon his assistant; Ronald Rogers physiotherapist/trainer, and Dr. Rudi Webster as performance enhancer for the Cable and Wireless 2000 series against Zimbabwe and Pakistan.

Cricket officials in Antigua are understandably expressing disgust, and Richards is reportedly saying that he is not disappointed, but he was not consulted.

Million-Dollar Cricket Prize on Offer Again

ST JOHN'S, Antigua, CANA - Yet another Caribbean cricket fan will get the chance at US $1 million with this year's Bowling for Dollars challenge run by the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) during the Cable and Wireless 2000 series.
Once again, the competition is geared towards encouraging increased attendance at the Cable and Wireless Series between Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the West Indies, with the purse covered by a Prize Indemnity Insurance policy.
According to Darren Millien, the WICB's Marketing Manager-Events and Promotions, the response to last year's Bowling for Dollars Challenge was very positive, "We had a total over 50,000." He added, "The fact that the competition was very simple to enter was a factor influencing entries. Participants just need to buy a ticket to cricket and fill out the Bowling for Dollars stub for a chance to win US $1 million."
The closing date for entries this year is April 15 and the draw for winners from each island in which a match is played will take place on April 19.
Winners will claim their gate prize of a trip to Antigua and accommodation at one of the island's hotels for a chance to participate in the challenge at the ARG ground in Antigua May 25 and 26, during the third Test match between West Indies and Pakistan.
Of the seven contestants last year, two were women; the winner was 23-year-old Marlon Charles from Antigua.
Mr.Charles hit the stumps three times in the preliminary round but hit them only once in the finals. However, he still walked away with US $1000.
Mr.Charles also has plans for this year's competition. After last year's competition he quipped, "I am an ardent fan, so I will definitely continue to support the game; of course I will be rallying around the West Indies and my entries will be in early for the competition next year."

SHOWING NO FEAR OR FAVOUR

It's time for action! It's time for taking bold decisions! It is time for "calling a spade a spade." It's time for regional decision-makers to stop selling the Caribbean people short. It's time for all public and private sector decision-makers to represent the interest of the Caribbean population and not their parochial, national, fraternal or individual interest. Whether in leisure and recreation, industry and commerce or religion and politics, those who are entrusted with the high office of stewardship must represent the collective interest or be relieved of the sacred responsibility.

Now that the WICB high command has shown no fear and favour in appointing a team coach (Guyanese Roger Harper)) and a team manager (businessman Richard Skerritt of St Kitts), the time has come for the West Indies selectors (Mike Findlay and his team) to either act responsible and exhibit a high sense of accountability by the decisions they take or be relieved of their crucial responsibility. When one considers that the West Indies Cricket Team is the nearest expression of the West Indian federation that we have fought for, we must demand that those who influence this aspiration must be made to understand the far-reaching implications of their actions. Insularity and petty nationalism have prolonged our wilderness wandering and we have no intention of carrying that excess baggage into the new millennium. Therefore, if the selectors cannot act in the interest of West Indies Cricket, which is a very important service sector in a regional economy battling to survive in the face of "cut-throat" global economics

interest, the responsibility for the development of our cricket product must be entrusted to other individuals who are more worthy of that exalted calling.

Busta (the Busta Cup Tournament) has spoken loudly and clearly! There is need for tough and decisive policy decisions with respect to the rebuilding of the ailing West Indies cricket team, particularly its batting stock. This is a time to say it like it is; to do it as it ought to be done.

The tough decisions with respect to the selection of our batters, bowlers and captain must be taken without fear and favour. And those who are too timid or too "nice" to do it must be removed from the equation.

In less than a month (on March 16) when Zimbabwe will start their historic first Test series against the West Indies at the Queen's Park Oval, the Chairman of West Indies team selectors, Michael Findlay, suggested that his committee has been given the "the green light" to select 20 players to participate in a short intensive camp just before that series begin. This is a God-send opportunity - the opportunity to create the basis for nurturing a winning team and the platform for nurturing a champion team for the millennium.

This stock of players should contain the nucleus of the talented players in the region, and the entire future West Indies Team to oppose Zimbabwe in that first Test match. The cricketers should be selected on the bases of present form and performance, established and proven potential, and proven experience and expertise. No player must be selected or retained or recalled because of loyalty. The cricketers must be chosen on the basis of their performances in the Busta Cup tournament, which is the domestic trial matches, and past performances. The selectors should be free to exercise their discretion in selecting certain unproven but talented players who have shown the inclination for the big games even if they may not have made it big at the senior level.

The squad of twenty should include two wicket-keepers, four opening batsmen, four specialist middle order batsmen, two batting all-rounders, two genuine fast men, four seamers and two genuine spinners.

All players chosen should be medium to long-term investment. The player chosen as captain should be one who can command his place in the team and one who can influence and inspire his teammates to excel.

The Leeward Island wicket-keeper/batsman, Ridley Jacob is the senior keeper and will be under-studied by Wayne Phillip, the Windward Island keeper. The four opening batsmen include Adrian Griffith (Barbados), Chris Gayle (Jamaica), Sherwin Campbell (Barbados) and Wavell Hinds (Jamaica). The four specialist middle-order batsmen are Brian Lara (Trinidad and Tobago), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (Guyana), Runako Morton (Leeward Islands) and Ramnaresh Sarwan (Guyana). The two batting all-rounders are Laurie Williams (Jamaica) and Ryan Hinds (Barbados). The two genuine fast men are Nixon McLean (Windward Islands) and Reon King (Guyana). The four seamers are Merv Dillon (Trinidad and Tobago), Franklyn Rose (Jamaica), McNeil Morgan (Windward Islands) and Pedro Collins (Barbados). The two spinners are Mahendra Nagamootoo (Guyana) and Nehemiah Perry (Jamaica). The players for the Board XI and President XI will come form this mix.

Ricardo Powell, Marlon Samuels (Jamaica), Narsingh Deonarine (Guyana) and Sylvester Joseph (Leeward Islands) have shown their potential and they would be part of the reserve batting stock. Collins, Morgan and Nagamootoo are three good find. Pedro Collins is a genuine left-arm swing bowler; McNeil Morgan is the biggest cuter, mover and swinger of the red ball. Mahendra Nagamootoo has done enough to earn his barge at the senior level.

Courtney Walsh, Curtly Ambrose and James Adams are omitted because the investment is too risky and the cost of their inclusion is just too high. The argument that we must include Walsh to allow him to break the record for the most test wicket is not rational; the inclusion of Walsh and Ambrose prolongs the development of our young fast bowlers; Adams' recent productivity simply does not justify his inclusion in the middle order.

The position of Captain will be filled by Antiguan Ridley Jacobs, who is a genuine number seven batsman, a quality keeper and quite capable of learning to lead his team under the new six-man management team.

Brian Lara has lost the ability to inspire the team and would be better placed playing as the lynchpin of the batting stock. He could learn much from Sachin Tendulkar (the Indian Captain) and Wasim Akram (the Pakistanis Captain), both high quality players who have relinquished their leadership positions in the interest of their respective teams and to contribute more significantly in their respective crafts.

There should be no problem for Brian Lara to play under a less experienced leader, as his position is not entrusted unto him for life. A West Indian Captain is chosen for each series. The WICB and the selectors must therefore exhibit the maturity to relieve Brian Charles Lara of a burdensome position that is obviously causing both him and his teammates to under-perform and that is retarding the development of the team.

Colin Croft's argument that "Brian Lara should be the captain by default because there is simply is no one else" is seriously flawed. A leader is one who influences and inspires, and since the ill-fated South African tour, except for his near-one man effort against Australia when he was put on probation, Brian Lara has failed miserably in both departments.

As long as Brian Lara remains part of the six-man management team, the experiment is like putting "new wine in old wine skins." It is imperative that Brian Lara be replaced as captain, as he cannot motivate the demoralised players.

Jacobs is to lead the new team until a younger player is ready to assume the mantle of leadership.

Until then, get off your emotional high and act as men!

PHOTO CAPTION: Ridley Jacobs, new West Indies captain? Why not? (Photo:

Peter Adrien)

By Justin "Hero" Cassell - Agricultural Development Officer

(Week ending 18^th February, 2000)

"Eat from the Land not from the Can"

Work continues in demarcating the proposed protected forest boundaries along the Northern flanks of the Centre Hills and south from the Hope Springs to Water Works.

Director of Agriculture attends Fisheries Meeting

Acting Director of Agriculture, Miss Melissa O'Garro attended the Ninth Intergovernmental Meeting on the Action Plan for the Caribbean Environment programme and sixth Meeting of the counteracting parties to the convention for protection and development of the Marine Environment of the wider Caribbean Region. The main focus of the meeting, Miss O'Garro said, was a strategy for the Development of Caribbean Environment Programme 2000 - 2004.

Due to the migration of stray animals from the eastern district into the Lookout area, it has become necessary to step up capture and surveillance of loose animals in that area. Several complaints of damage to backyard gardens and tree crops have been reported. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Miss Ann Marie Dewar summoned an emergency meeting of unit heads on Tuesday to review the problem.

Farmer Training and education forms an integral part of the Department of Agriculture work programme for the year 2000. Two workshops were held this week, one on livestock production and the other on map making.

The livestock workshop was two phased. The first phase was a one day lecture session and the other phase took the form of a one day field trip to the neighbouring island of Antigua, where our livestock farmers were given the opportunity to see how semi intensive small ruminants farms are set up. The attendance of farmers at the workshop was satisfactory.

Last week we focused on three principles that will help to promote your health and avoid illness. These are exercising consistently, cultivating self-discipline and radiating optimism and appreciation.

Today we will look at some simple rules to live by, that will enable you to put those principles into practice. So here is a list of suggestions that will be helpful to you.

1. Rise a few minutes earlier in the morning so as to have time for a brisk walk, a short jog, or some sitting up exercise. Follow this work out with a hot shower topped off with straight cold water. The stimulating effect will be beneficial to your general health.
2. Eat a good breakfast and abstain from the 10 o’clock sweet snack.
3. Eat simple, wholesome food at every meal in preference to gourmet fare.
4. Promote your physical fitness, rather than recourse to pain relieving drugs. Remember it is better to discover and remove the actual cause of a headache than to stifle the discomfort by taking a tablet.
5. Develop attitudes of optimism and appreciation so that you will have no need for chemical tranquilisers and other drugs. For year by year physicians are becoming more aware of the hidden hazards of ordinary medicines.
6. Take a neutral shower i.e. at body temperature before retiring in preference to relying on sleeping pills. And finally
7. Abstain from personal indulgences that would be harmful to your health. Two examples are alcohol and cigarettes. Alcohol takes its toll in the form of many traffic accidents and deaths. In addition it damages the heart, the brain, liver and other organs in countless thousands of people

Cigarettes are responsible for the death of thousands of people by way of lung cancer. They also hasten the time of death by increasing your susceptibility to coronary heart disease and other lung conditions.

Promoting health therefore requires that a person govern his pattern of living by what he knows to be best rather than yield to habits and customs.

Nurse Lee enrolled in the Nursing Assistant Programme offered at the Glendon Hospital School of Nursing in 1993 and successfully completed the training in 1994.

She was later appointed to the position of Enrolled Nursing Assistant and has since been working in that capacity. However, her goal is to pursue further training in nursing and become a Registered Nurse.

Most Common Defects In House Maintenance

Know how extensive repairs will be before you take them on. You can get ideas and referrals for your home improvement project in Resources & Services.

The house has poor drainage.
This is the most common problem found by home inspectors. To improve drainage, you may have to install a new system of roof gutters and downspouts or have the lot regraded to better channel water away from the house.
The house has faulty wiring.
An insufficient or out-of-date electrical system is a common problem, especially in older homes. This is a potentially hazardous defect and not to be taken lightly. You may have to replace the entire electrical system, or at least part of it, to bring this home up to code or to make it safe.
The roof leaks.
If the roof has water damage, it may be caused by old or damaged shingles, or improper flashing. It's cheap and relatively easy to repair shingles and small amounts of flashing, but if the roof is old, you face a much larger expense to replace the whole thing.
The whole house has been poorly maintained.
Examples of poor maintenance include cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry, broken fixtures or shoddy wiring or plumbing. You can easily repaint a wall, replace a fixture or repair a brick wall, but makeshift electrical or plumbing situations are serious and potentially dangerous problems. Replace any such wires or pipes.
The house has minor structural damage.
Minor structural damage means the house is not likely to fall down, but you should deal with the problem before it becomes more serious. Such damage is usually caused by water seepage into the foundation, floor joists, rafters or window and door headers. First you need to fix the cause of the problem (a leaky roof, for example), then repair or replace any damaged pieces. The more extensive the damage, the more expensive it will be to repair.
The house has plumbing problems.
The most common plumbing defects include old or incompatible piping materials and faulty fixtures or waste lines. These may require simple repairs, such as replacing a fixture, or more expensive measures, such as replacing the plumbing itself.

The house's exterior lets in water and air around windows and doors.
This usually does not indicate a structural problem, rather poor caulking and weather stripping that require relatively simple and inexpensive repairs.

The house is inadequately ventilated.
Poor ventilation can result in too much moisture that wreaks havoc on interior walls and structural elements. It can also cause allergic reactions. Install ventilation fans in every bathroom or regularly open windows in your home. To repair damage caused by poor ventilation, you may only have to replace drywall and other inexpensive pieces. If you have to replace a structural element, it will be more expensive.

Environmental problems are a new and growing area of home defects. They include lead-based paint (common in homes built before 1978), asbestos, formaldehyde, contaminated drinking water, radon and leaking underground tanks. You usually need to arrange a special inspection to determine environmental problems, and they're usually expensive to fix.

OPINION

Those Who Write the Editor Should Praise As Well as Carp 

By C Squared.

Newspapers worldwide have been viewed by many persons in deviant ways. Some see the press as the country’s information source, some see it as a medium for spreading propaganda, others see it as something that keeps the public aware of what is happening, yet others think it keeps the authorities in check and other persons can’t care less.

Regardless in which category we find ourselves, a newspaper is very important to any country or island. A newspaper, in my opinion, is more important than other sources of information such as radio or television. Don’t get me wrong – television and radio are important – they give you information in real time, but after the broadcasting of their information, they’re not available to peruse like a newspaper. A newspaper can be sent worldwide and will be around for many years.

Now having said all of that, a newspaper should be used by everyone to air their views without fear of repercussion from anyone. That’s the way it should be, but unfortunately that’s not the case with most newspapers. The persons who write to the newspaper are mainly the ones who write to complain about or question something. Very few persons would write to compliment or congratulate. What happened to those persons who have a problem with the ones who want to express their views about something they deem questionable? Why don’t they write to praise persons or groups or whomever they think deserve such honors?

This is where the problem lies. Enough of us are not taking time out to let each other know that an individual or group has done something good, but only to criticize when someone else sees things from another perspective. We should respect another person’s viewpoint whether we agree with it or not. Let us put our pens to paper and counteract those who see everything in a negative way while keeping in mind that the part they play might be important.

It is my opinion that the Editor of the newspaper should publish articles sent to his publication regardless of who sent them or whose feathers might be ruffled, as long as the article is not libelous.

The people who write the articles also have the right to remain anonymous to the public as long as the editor knows who they are. There are a lot of things we may not agree with but must learn to live with. Let us not forget that editors cannot by law disclose their sources of information when asked by the informant and must be willing to go to jail if need be to protect their informants.

Montserrat is a very interesting little island, so small in size and yet ripe with rumor, lies and, of course, mischief-making. However, we sometimes try to live in peace with each other despite who like who and who cannot live or work with who. But something seems to be going wrong right now. For the size of this little rock, and all the trials and testing we’ve been through, and are still faced with, is it not time that we at least try to iron out our differences?

After all, we went though Hugo, Constitutional changes, Government Ministers charged in court for corruption, volcano eruption, several hurricanes, just to name a few. You mean that we have not learnt to work and live with each other yet? Are we still full of envy, trying to tear each other down? Tell me when last we see foul or darg a fight. Are there outside forces paying or praying to see this little island collapse because we prove to them that Montserrat is still nice and dandy? Remember the Salem uprising that was allegedly paid for by outside media personnel. What will it take to make us more cooperative, more willing to thrash out our differences for the good of the country and ourselves?

Many persons might be wondering what this person or these persons are trying to say, but let us face it, we are no better off today than we were before Hugo. To clarify the matter -- I’m not speaking about matters economic, material or even political, just plain old spiritual and human brotherly togetherness. One for all and all for one should be our motto. Now tell me; we have this lady or man, a em, on top the hill, Her Majesty's Government and the men and women who leave their council flats in the UK to contend with, so why are we giving ourselves more problems. And you mean that we are creating so many problems for our local authorities and our selves? Man, we have to come better than that. We may have different motives or even agendas, but regardless, our future generations and we are going to have to deal later with the mess and confusion that we now create. We need to find ways and means to work for one common goal, coming from different angles on the playing field. We do not have to see eye to eye, but we must be able to work together.

There will always be differences or else life would be meaningless. There will be one or more persons at the top, so obviously some one or persons must be at the lower end. However, the top cannot be going up and the bottom going down. Somewhere, some place an area is going to give way. But you know something? Even at that stage something could be, you know. Do we want to reach that stage or what do want?

Labour Muzzled

Hylroy did not run out of gas,

His script was not lacking in brass,

But his foes note with glee,

When it reached ZJB,

Miss Rose cut him off at the pass.

Political Bafflegab

Reuben and David compete

To sway the man in the street,

When an Act Meade decries

The CM just replies,

'Why's Salem Park incomplete?'

Jus wonderin if any of the ten ladies' brother, sister, father, boyfriend have any job overseas belongers to that country could do.

Just Wonderin if there's a Brandy and Marijuana hut in Look-out in one of the last set of houses that was build.

Just Wonderin what happened to the inter-island school exchange.

Just Wonderin if the women's co-operative will ever be revived again in Montserrat

Just Wonderin why those in charge of jobs are so hard on people without O'levels and when they went there they didn't have anything.

Just Wonderin why the government stopped the businessman from putting up the supermarket at lookout.

Just Wonderin when just wonderin will fill a whole page.

Just Wonderin if the BREEZER driver is in love with the Big Mouth-ed woman at the Bar

Just wonderin why some people are killing out themselves with election just around the corner and there is no hope that they are going to be back in High Ranks

Just wonderin what will become of Montserrat when we have so many immature people around the place.

Just Wonderin if the Road going to the forsaken airport is the new Lovers Lane.

Jus wonderin why the queen is off her throne and the king of the world stands alone.

Jus wonderin if the nurses don’t have a dress code.

Jus wonderin how many wives stayed home while their other half and valentines went out.

Jus wonderin if the social welfare will start sending the elderly people out of their minds.

Jus wonderin if it's not time that they put a sub post office in lookout area.

Jus wonderin who initiated the change in the street marking around the corner at Brades.

Jus wonderin why spend so much Money on Roads, and then put Compressor on them and mash them up.

Jus wonderin who really run things round here.

Jus wonderin why is it that a man that live with you and do every thing with you would run away when time is counting down for the big Wedding day.

Jus wonderin why who feel guilty about some thing don't explain it.

Jus wonderin what happen when the poor old people cry out.

Jus wonderin who is the Scapegoat in lookout.

Jus wonderin when we read MAM who remembers the old time saying money talk and BS walk.

Jus wonderin why the chief always dress in black.

Jus wonderin if Barclay is not good enough for the new home but has been left in his old home to bark all day and night disturbing all the neighbours.

Jus wonderin why people who work out at Little Bay, have to walk all the way to Carrs Bay before getting a bus or even a ride.

Jus wonderin if rain is coming were they would hide.

Jus wonderin if house trashing was rumoured so rich Americans could get richer at DFID’S expense.

Jus wonderin how in the name of sanity can you folks justify having a legislature consisting of nine members to govern a population of 4000 people.

Jus wonderin you must be competing for the Guinness Book of records for the most over-governed country in the world!

Forward all Questions, Comments and Suggestions to: editor@montserratreporter.org

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