Only one of three fishermen who left Old Road Bay in a small fishing boat Monday in blustery weather with high gusting winds and heavy rain squalls has returned safely to the island.

Leon Allen, the lone survivor to press time, reported to police late Monday that he swam for 1½ miles from just off Bramsby Point to Plymouth after he left the boat and the two other men to summon help.

According to Assistant Superintendent of Police Douglas, the three fishermen were Leon Allen of Dyer Piece, Harry Brown of Davy Hill and Kiethroy Allen of Dyer Piece. Mr. Douglas said they left Old Road Bay some time before 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning in a small open fishing boat with the intention of fishing off Plymouth.

The boat's engine reportedly failed and the men trying to row to safety found the opposing wind and current too strong. They made the decision to swim to shore, with Harry Brown and Kiethroy Allen taking one plastic cool box and one empty fuel container as buoyancy aids to cling, to while Leon Allen, the strongest swimmer, set out for the shore with the intention of summoning help.

He made it to shore in Plymouth (in the exclusion zone) and walked to Salem police station, where he made the report. Mr. Douglas said that Marine Unit personnel at Little Bay were informed and two officers immediately set off in Shamrock II with a third crew member from the Fire Search and Rescue Teams. They picked up Leon Allen at Old Road Bay so he could show them the last approximate position of the boat and his companions.

A second crew was activated and set off from Little Bay at 11:22 a.m. in the patrol craft to assist in the search. Meantime the helicopter from the Montserrat Volcano Observatory was called to assist, embarking two other members of the Search and Rescue teams. Land-based teams searched the shoreline from Foxes Bay through Plymouth.

It is reported that the search, including the helicopter, continued both southerly and westerly, eventually extending approximately 17 miles southwest of Montserrat.

After returning to Antigua earlier for refueling about mid-day, the helicopter and both vessels continued the search but returned to port as dusk fell. No trace was found of the missing men, the boat or the cool box or fuel container.

The search continued the following day with a similar exercise but to no avail.

The Assistant Superintendent reported finally that all the relatives of the fishermen have been informed of this unfortunate incident.

One of the two ministers whose sudden resignations from the David Brandt government plunged the island into the need for early elections announced this week that he will not be a candidate.

Rupert Weekes, former Minister of Communications and Works, announced his decision not to run in a message Thursday, explaining that a medical checkup at the University Hospital in Guadeloupe had prompted doctors to discourage his seeking re-election.

Mr. Weekes, who has been suffering with undisclosed problems in his left leg for the past fifteen months, said he would be going overseas for further medical treatment.

"Although there has been considerable improvement in my condition," he said, "I am advised that my situation is still delicate in some areas and may require further specialist attention soon.

"I have also been directed to follow a course of treatment including rest to precede further medical procedures. Therefore, I am left with no choice but to inform you that due to the above-mentioned factors, I am unable to offer myself as a candidate in the April 2^nd general election."

He is the second politician to drop out of the elections because of illness, the other being Brunel Meade, Minister of Lands, Housing, Agriculture and the Environment. Mr. Meade is in Britain receiving treatment. Nominated member Mrs. Idabelle Meade is serving as interim minister in his absence.

Mr. Weekes and Mrs. Adelina Tuitt, former Minister of Health, Education and Community Services, resigned from the coalition government on February 2, citing irreconcilable differences with Chief Minister Brandt.

Meanwhile reliable sources suggest that Chief Minister Brandt will not contest the up-coming elections. This will add to the historical position that it will be the first time that an incumbent government does not contest an election.

When this column called a few weeks ago for the resignations or firing of two current government ministers who declared their total displeasure with the leadership style of Chief Minister Brandt, it was an attempt get the two politicians to understand and appreciate the gravity of their statements and behaviour.

It was an effort to force them to stand up and think about what they claimed to have desired and achieved over the past four years, and to put it all in context as they approached the election date deadline, which then was expected to be much later this year; an attempt to make them act in what could be only the best interest of the country.

Unfortunately, before we could get to explain and suggest that resignations and firings could not have been in the best interest of this almost crippled country, they brought down on themselves the wrath of people who mostly said that the two were acting only in their self-interest.

Could or did Mrs. Adelina Tuitt know then that her partner, Mr. Rupert Weekes, with whom she said she had been working on the problems leading up to their resignation, was likely not to contest the elections, leaving her to face the electorate and tell her story alone?

It will take some time for us to recover but recover we must as the days fly by toward the countdown of April 2 general elections. Rven though not everything is fully in place at the electoral office, it was only upon the guarantee that all could be done that the looming election date was set.

These are matters of little concern to the masses, or to voters who do not have to grapple with not being registered, as do relatives and friends who now tearfully complain that they are being disenfranchised.

What is important and relevant, at no time more than now, was contained in an article "Only the Issues Matter," dating back to pre-election 1996, written by the Independent Thinker. It reminded voters, "It is the right of every Montserratian to offer him or herself up for public office. The people of Montserrat have the right to reject or accept whoever offer themselves for public office."

So then was like now - "For this election, it seems that many Montserratians are convinced that they have the ability to lead us into the 21st century ... .What should be expected from a Minister of Government? The answers I believe would be the same from every Montserratian. We want a Government made up of persons who have the interest of Montserrat and Montserratians at heart and who would make our lives more comfortable even as we live with the uncertainty of an active volcano."

The article asked at the time and what can serve as a reminder or a warning now: "If this is what we want from our Government, then why do we go to the only public forum available at this time, the political meetings, and let those persons who are asking us to have them represent us, continually insult us?

"A political meeting must be the venue for incumbents and hopefuls to let us know why they believe that they have the wherewithal to act on behalf of Montserrat. They must show their track record. They must justify their requests of the people of Montserrat. They must show why they are the best choice. They must make a case for themselves. They must convince the voting public that only he or she can move us, volcano and all, into a comfortable place in the future."

In this new millennium year 2001 can we expect to have the following repeated: "It debases every Montserratian when we cheer our potential representatives standing on a public platform asking for our votes while at the same time making untrue, veiled, vilifying, character assassination type statements about their opponents."

Politicians and would-be candidates must know that the electorate this time is smaller and are all must be convinced -- not just 300 or less in some cases -- but every single registered voter, that they understand that electing a Government is serious business. Electing a Government for this time in Montserrat's history makes this an even more serious business. Montserratians who will be acting for the hundreds or even thousands we expect to return to their homeland, must demand that candidates show that they fully understand the issues that are of importance to Montserrat; that they are capable of doing nothing less than dealing with them; that they have a track record that we can live with, and that they are worthy of our votes.

We expect to keep our voters readers informed of those issues which we feel are more than pertinent to our existence and future here in Montserrat and will join the lead to make sure that each candidate delivers what is required of him or her.

We cannot accept less from them. We have a right to demand that they give us the respect we deserve.

Read James 4:13-17

Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring.

Proverbs 27:1

School was almost out, and I had just started my first job. I was excited because I was finally going to be able to buy new clothes for the following school year. I worked over 30 hours a week for nearly four months. Finally August came around, and I was making plans for what I would buy.

Unfortunately, my dad lost his job about the same time. My parents did not make me give up my money; they did not even want to ask. They are loving and caring parents, and they knew how hard I had worked that summer, but I knew that my parents needed it so I gave my family all the money I had earned.

Our situation is better now. However, experiences like this one can teach us much about making plans for the future. Because we can never know what tomorrow may bring, it is important to seek God’s will for our lives day by day. Planning and working hard are good, but being open to what the day asks of us may be the path of faithfulness. Only God knows for sure what each day holds.

Prayer: Ever-loving God , Help us to remember your will in our lives and not to live for our own purposes. Amen

Doing God’s will today may mean changing my plans.

Elizabeth Sowards (Oklahoma)

Prayer Focus: STUDENTS

I was very bothered to read in your last edition (February 9) that the prospective party leaders for the upcoming general elections are only now scrambling to put their slates of candidates together! I see that as a painful admission of their attitude toward our people and politics.
What kind of leader would wait until the last minute to put a party structure in place! I understand the rapid and sudden turn of events with the Brandt administration. Still, any serious person should have been building his/her party apparatus year round. Fifty days do not offer sufficient time to embark on any thoughtful recruitment drive. That should have been done a long time ago. Instead of pondering over a slate of candidates the party leaders should be busy planning strategies and actively campaigning.
It seems as if all of our political parties are in a state of disarray, and that does not speak well for reasonable people having confidence in them.
Also it does not say, to me, that they are serious politicians. When you look at other places in the Caribbean my point is supported. As a matter of fact when we look at it on a global scale the point is equally justified.
Political movements are institutions in other parts of the world. They remain intact no matter how long they are out of power. They hold conventions, internal elections, regular meetings, and they are advocates.
All of that helps them to gain the confidence of the electorate who view them as viable options to what prevails. In Jamaica, St. Kitts/Nevis, Antigua, Trinidad, England, and the great United States of America the situation exists. You do not hear serious politicians waiting until an election date is announced to start a mad scramble for candidates. The ones who behave like that are usually given comparable treatment at the polls.
But due to the lack of real viable options and the nature of politics in Montserrat right now, they are getting away with it and are being spoiled.
A case in point, the recent statement by former Chief Minister John Osborne. Look into his reasoning about his party for the election on April 2 (just over a month away) THIS YEAR!!!
"There are several people now but some of them may not qualify as far as I am concerned, but I intend to choose my number ... there are lots of people who suggest that they would like to run in my party ... but some of them might not be serious, so when I come home I will have to put it all together".
As a veteran politician of some distinction and a man who presided over one of the better organized (and successful) political systems our island has ever known, that statement is not what I would have expected. It sounds more like the politics is being trivialized.
The million dollar question I guess is "Who must be blamed" -- the volcano is partly responsible but our current politicians have to take some blame as well (my apology to Hon. Rupert Weekes, since I honestly believe that you are among the few who mean well) . From what I can see many of the Montserratians who have gone to England (among other places) and have become qualified with youth and zeal on their side have to look at this situation at home seriously. We are the ones who would have to start correcting much of this current mess. And as you ponder this letter (myself included) do not forget, "ask not what my country can do for me but what I can do for my country." Montserrat may be small and ravaged by volcanic activity but it is still home and I have no intention of being in a foreign place for the rest of my life.

Joseph Daley

John Osborne holds a rally at Little Bay on his return to Montserrat

Dear Editor,
Permit me to comment on a statement made by the Supervisor of Elections.
In a statement first aired on ZJB Radio on 14 Feb. 2001 Supervisor of Elections Dr. Howard Fergus attempted to explain the provision of the new electoral laws of Montserrat with regards to whether a candidate required 6 percent of ballots cast or 6 percent of total votes cast to be elected to the Legislative Council of Montserrat under the new electoral system.
The 6 percent of total votes cast is the law as passed by the Legislative Council, who were passing these laws to determine how future members of the Legislative branch were to be elected. Dr. Fergus normally presides over meetings of the Legislative Council as the Speaker of the Legislative Council.
Dr. Fergus explained the situation from his perspective as chairman of the Elections Commission, the three-man body that had recommended the system, in consultation with all interested parties.
Dr. Fergus explained the reason for the confusion with the percentage in this way:
"The error came in inadvertently because when the Election Commissioners wrote the recommendation in their report they failed to take account of the fact that unlike in the former dispensation a Vote did not equal a Ballot.
Since a Ballot can bear from one to nine votes, the two words are no longer interchangeable"
Dr. Fergus then went on to explain from his perspective as Supervisor of Elections the difficulties that would be experienced if the election laws were applied as they stand.
He sited a scenario of 2,500 voters each voting for nine persons.
This would produce 22,500 votes.
The required 6 percent of votes cast for election would be at least 1,350 votes per candidate. This he calculated would be far too many and require too many runoff elections to elect candidates.
He said that the use of 6 percent of the ballots and not votes should be the minimum votes required for a candidate to be elected.
Dr. Fergus then went on to explain the reason why the Election Commissioners used the 6 percent figure and did not just recommend that the nine candidates receiving the highest number of votes each should be elected.
He said it in this way :
"Let me explain the reason why the Election Commissioners introduced this. It was a way of ensuring that all candidates together occupying the Islands' Council should have at least 50-percent support of the electorate,all of them together.
So there is really nothing magical about the figure six.
If there were seven candidates, electoral candidates, the percentage would have been 7½ as is actually written in the report."
Based on Dr. Fergus's account, my own observations now follow.
(1) The Elections Commissioners messed up on a very important aspect of the system that they themselves cooked up -- "a ballot is now not the same as a vote."
(2) The last Legislative Council including the ex officio members, namely The Attorney General and the Financial Secretary, as well as the two nominated members and our seven Elected Members really messed up the people's business by failing to note the implications of the 6 percent issue in a law that they passed.
(3) The only way to change the legislation at this point may be by the same type of blunt legal instrument that the famed White Paper was imposed on the British Dependent Territories. If this is done then it would really negate the need to elect anyone to the Legislative Council of Montserrat, as all laws could be drafted and imposed from the United Kingdom.
(4) There is still confusion in Dr. Fergus's numbers.
He says that the nine elected members should have at least 50-percent support of the electorate.
Using his figures of 2,500 voters each voting nine times, producing 22,500 votes and 2,500 ballots is a puzzle.
Nine successful candidates averaging 1,000 votes each gives a total of 9,000 votes.
If you have 18 unsuccessful candidates averaging 750 votes each, this gives a total of 13,500 votes.
9,000 votes is only 40 percent of the total votes cast. Minority IN.
13,500 votes is 60 percent of the total votes cast. Majority OUT.
Each winning candidate averages 40 percent of the ballots cast. Each losing candidate averages 30 percent of the ballots cast.
There is no way to use ballots in this one except to actually vote.

Julian Margetson

The Supervisor of Elections Dr. Howard Fergus moved this week to clear the air surrounding the 6 percent of vote issue described in the newly amended Elections Ordinance, as a criterion for candidates to become elected in the next general election.

In a statement Wednesday, Dr. Fergus said the intention cannot be 6 percent of the voters but rather 6 percent of the valid ballots cast.

Reacting to criticisms because he was the chairman of the Elections Commission which recommended the amendments to the Ordinance, Dr. Fergus said: "I can't be responsible both for the recommendation and for the acceptance or rejection of the recommendations. I'm not taking any responsibility for the latter."

He said the error occurred when the Elections Commissioners wrote the recommendation and did not take into account that a vote no longer equals a ballot.

Dr. Fergus said the matter is expected to be rectified well before polling day on April 2.

Three Montserratians will be honoured at this year’s Montserrat Progressive Society of New York Mothers Day event.

The organization’s 10^th annual Mothers Day Extravaganza will be held on May 13.

This year’s honourees are Eliza Osborne Allen, Mother of the Year; Dr. Howard Fergus, Special Honouree, and Helen Lightbourne, a centenarian.

Dr. Fergus, who will travel to New York for the event, will be honoured for his general contribution to Montserrat.

Last year, Nurse Mary Cooper and Dr. George Irish were among the awardees.

Scholarship awards will be presented by the MPSNY to eligible high school graduating seniors who plan to attend college, while contributions will be made to community organizations.

A steering committee has been established to coordinate a local Meals on Wheels programme.

Programme Coordinator Kay Jardine said the committee, which comprises representatives from government and various non-governmental agencies, was formed after key persons from various agencies met last week to discuss implementation of the programme.

Ms. Jardine said that although the programme is in the planning stage, a van and equipment for storage of food in the delivery vehicle have already been purchased with funds provided by the Department for International Development DFID.

It is hoped that the programme will begin later this year.

Montserratians overseas continue to voice their displeasure over the decision to exclude them from the electoral process here.

Relocated nationals, the majority of whom reside in England, feel that they should be allowed to vote because they are Montserratians.

A commission that looked at what electoral process should be used on the island recommended that overseas-based Montserratians should be given the chance to vote.

However the government decided against it.

Dr. Howard Fergus, who was a member of the Commission, has since been appointed Supervisor of Elections and says the law will be adhered to.

Lazelle Howes, former Government Minister and now Manager of the Montserrat Community Support Trust in London, is one of the persons advocating that overseas-based Montserratians should be allowed to vote.

"They came here for the most part reluctantly. They came here on the count of a crisis and in many people's minds they are here temporarily. They are here until it is safe for them to go home or until it is wise to go home. As far as they are concerned Montserrat is their home. They want to make an input in the continued development of Montserrat and certainly that whole thing is one of the ways they do it," Miss Howes said on the telephon to ZJB Radio Montserrat."

She pointed to the fact that "… every Christmas, hundreds of Montserratians go back to Montserrat," that is because "that’s home," she said

Editor of the Montserrat Reporter has received calls some of them speaking in tears expressing similar sentiments about their inability to vote in this coming general elections. Many share the views Miss Howes expresses when she said: "…they send home money when they can, they visit anytime they can and therefore anything that happens at home they like to have a say in it," adding that Montserratians in England are now more involved in what is taking place on the island than they will be at any other time.

The Montserrat National Trust (MNT) is hoping to open its Natural History Centre within a few weeks.

The centre is located beside the MNT’s office in Salem. Director Stephen McNamara says when the centre is opened it will serve as an education centre for local students as well as tourists.

Mr. McNamara says work will be done to set up the natural history centre like a museum. He also encouraged persons who make craft items to contact the MNT so their products can be put on display at the trust.

Five Scandinavian young women and a camera crew were on Montserrat this week to film an adventure programme for telecast on the biggest commercial TV-Channel in Norway.

The group has been traveling by sailboat from Anguilla to Grenada from January to February. Jeanette Dyhre Kvisvik, the group leader, told Government Information Officer Cecil Cassell in an interview:

"The reason why we are making the program is that Norwegians and Scandinavians love to travel and experience the world. We have both the time and the money for it. However, nice beaches and luxury hotels are not the main focus for the time being. People want real experiences; meeting local people, seeing special or hidden places and living adventurously.

"The idea of the program is to let the viewers join the girls on such a trip, filled with warmth, joy, adventures, historical, geographical and cultural facts about the places we visit. We do not want a critical documentary, merely a sympathetic and beautiful report with pictures from the best islands. We ultimately want to motivate our viewers to trace our footsteps, or at least to make them dream of your island."

The group arrived on Montserrat Tuesday evening and enjoyed traveling around the island filming and talking to persons on the island. Ms. Kvisvik praised the ideas and suggestion made by Mr. Cassell who organised several earlier film documentaries for visiting film crews.

The five young women include four Norwegians and a Swede -- a doctor, a gourmet-chef, a stewardess, a standup comedian, and a lawyer -- all in their late twenties or early thirties.

The group left later in the week for St Lucia.

Election Candidate Chedmond Browne is predicting victory for the Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union in its six-year civil case against the government.

The Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union is seeking redress in the court for dismissal of 100 of its members in 1994. Mr. Brown, who is General Secretary of the union, accused former Chief Minister and leader of the National Progressive Party, Reuben Meade, of closing down the union which had been in existence for 60 years.

He said is confident that at the end of the case the union members will be fully compensated for the six years they have been out of work.

Meanwhile, Mr. Meade, who was Chief Minister at the time, denied that he had taken any action to shut down the union.

He said the union was at the time in negotiations with the Montserrat Port Authority on rates for landing rice for Montserrat Rice Mills. He said both sides could not reach an agreement and the union's contract with the port was terminated.

It is with regret that Cable & Wireless announces that, with the expiry of its existing licences on 31 March 2001, it is making plans to leave St. Lucia and has informed the Government of St. Lucia of this. Cable & Wireless is disappointed that its best efforts to resolve the issues in St. Lucia through negotiation have proved unsuccessful.

Cable & Wireless will work with the Government of St. Lucia to ensure that the transfer of the country’s telecommunications operations is as smooth as possible in accordance with the terms of the relevant licenses. Every effort will be made to protect the interests of Cable & Wireless’ customers and employees.

Cable & Wireless supports development of a competitive environment

Cable & Wireless is fully committed to the liberalisation of telecommunications in the Caribbean. Liberalisation should take place in a fair and orderly manner in order to ensure sustainable competition. To achieve this, it is essential to have well-structured legislation, effective regulation and an independent regulator. Cable & Wireless is committed to working towards this objective.

Five of the OECS states, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, indicated in early 1999 that they wished to enter into negotiations with Cable & Wireless on a collective basis. The existing licence arrangements varied between countries, particularly in St. Lucia where the licences are due to terminate in March 2001.

Progress on these discussions has been and continues to be slow. Cable & Wireless had hoped that the last meeting between its representatives and the OECS Ministers on 31 January 2001 would reach a settlement of the outstanding issues and was disappointed that the meeting failed to get started.

St. Lucia

Due to the slow progress in the OECS discussion, the imminent expiry of Cable & Wireless’ licences in St. Lucia has become an urgent issue for resolution which appeared unlikely to be resolved during the timeframe for the OECS negotiations.

Accordingly, Cable & Wireless made the Government of St. Lucia aware of the need to agree certain fundamental principles including tariff re-balancing, the phased introduction of competition and a fair interconnect regime. Before any real progress has been made in resolving these outstanding issues, the Government of St. Lucia has enacted new telecommunications legislation and, we understand, has issued at least one licence to a new operator. This has resulted in an uncertain operating environment.

Although the Government of St. Lucia had indicated its preparedness to extend Cable & Wireless’ licences in the short term to facilitate completion of negotiations, the basis of these licence extensions is unclear and appears inconsistent with both the bringing into effect of the new Telecommunications Act and the issue of a VSAT licence to one call centre services operator.

Cable & Wireless has amply demonstrated its commitment to encouraging new business ventures in St. Lucia and had, in fact, offered HTS IT very competitively priced call centre services. A good example of Cable & Wireless’ commitment is the facilitation given to Call Centres of Grenada, which currently employs 700 people.

Accordingly, Cable & Wireless cannot see how any agreement can be reached prior to 31 March 2001 and has, with regret, decided to make plans to leave St. Lucia.

Way forward

Cable & Wireless has continued to make excellent progress in agreeing the basis for liberalising telecommunications markets elsewhere in the wider Caribbean region.

Cable & Wireless remains committed to the OECS and to the introduction of competition in these states provided this takes place in a fair, orderly and sustainable manner, governed by effective primary legislation and regulations.

Cable & Wireless stands ready to continue negotiations with the OECS and ECTEL in order to reach agreement on the regulatory and operating environment in the region.

For further information please contact:

Trinidad, (Reuters) - A two-month political and constitutional impasse in Trinidad and Tobago ended on Wednesday with President Arthur Robinson relenting and agreeing to appoint seven senators and ministers who were defeated as parliamentary candidates.
But in a letter to Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, the president warned of the dangers of making such appointments.
"I have strongly advised and warned against the option that you have exercised," Mr. Robinson said in a letter. "As president of our beloved republic, I have considered it to be my responsibility to alert the population to the perils of the path on which you are prepared to embark."
The impasse developed after Mr. Panday's ruling United National Congress (UNC) was narrowly returned to power on Dec. 11 in the southern Caribbean nation of 1.3 million.
Senators in the oil- and gas-rich Caribbean nation are appointed, while parliamentary seats are determined in elections.
The UNC won 19 out of the 36 parliamentary seats, the People's National Movement (PNM) won 16, and Mr. Robinson's former political party, the National Alliance for Reconstruction (NAR), won one seat.
The president had refused to carry out Mr. Panday's advice and appoint the defeated candidates, warning it could set a dangerous precedent and be seen as revenge upon the electorate. The seven candidates lost by fairly narrow margins and Mr. Panday said he had picked them for the appointed posts "based on the significant votes received" in the election.
With the appointments unfilled, the government was unable to muster a voting majority in the 31-seat Senate, hampering its ability to pass legislation. The stalemate had also begun to slow demand for foreign exchange for trade and had bankers fretting about the country's credit rating.

Recipients of The Order of the Caribbean Community are Dr. Slinger Francisco (The Mighty Sparrow) of Trinidad and Tobago, Sir George Alleyne of Barbados, and Mr. George Price, former Prime Minister of Belize.

Antigua PM, Hon  Lester Bird and Dr. Slinger Francisco (The Mighty Sparrow)

Prime Minister Lester Bird of Antigua said that the 65-year-old Sparrow "rules supreme in the world of calypso since he began singing calypso back in the 1950s." He has produced over 70 albums, toured the world with his famous Troubadours, and is now working on a special CD collection featuring over 100 of his best known calypsos.

Dr. Francisco has also received his country's second highest award, and in 1987 was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of the West Indies.

When asked how he felt about the conferment, he said he was "deeply humbled".

Photos by Norman "Gus" Thomas Sherbourne Centre and Mighty Sparrow w/Lester Bird

ST. JOHN'S, Antigua -- Representatives of Antigua and Barbuda's air traffic controllers (ATCs) and government met on Wednesday but it was unclear whether they were closer to working out a better pay deal.
Chief Establishment Officer of the Public Service, Eusayn Lewis, confirmed that another proposal was presented Wednesday to representatives of the Guild of Antigua and Barbuda Air Traffic Controllers (GABATCO). She declined to provide any details.
Eugene Silcott, president of GABATCO, also refused to give any information on the proposal but acknowledged that "it's a better proposal."
He could not say whether the latest offer by government had the potential for resolving the controversy over the demand for better pay. The 35 air traffic controllers were expected to vote on the latest proposal and meet with government by next Monday.

The GABATCO president denied that the ATCs were staging sick-outs that resulted in the cancellation and delay of flights.

The first such action began a week ago Wednesday, when the unavailability of ATCs put flights on hold operating only every 40 minutes. That was temporarily overcome Thursday by having senior ATCs man the Control Tower, but the after senior ATCs manned the Control Tower, but the airport was closed again when they worked beyond their stipulated number of hours.

A similar action on Sunday caused the cancellation of Bajan helicopter services to and from Montserrat, stranding passengers on both islands. The airport resumed normal operations at 6 p.m.

Before this week's talks GABATCO was asking for a 20-percent pay hike over three years, while government was offering 7 percent.
Ms. Lewis said she believed that the latest offer by government was its best but there was more room for further negotiations if GABATCO remained dissatisfied.
She said both sides agreed that there was no dispute and if the pay negotiations developed into a dispute, they could seek the intervention of the public service affairs minister, who would be required to explore possible solutions in 14 days.
If no solution could be found, the matter would then be placed before an Arbitration Tribunal.
Airline officials on Wednesday said there were no flight disruptions and an ATC at the Control Tower confirmed that up to late Wednesday ATCs reported for duty.
In case there is another apparent sick-out, a contingency plan is in place to allow international carriers to operate on schedule but regional airlines would have to consolidate flights or operate charter services.
Aviation Minister Robin Yearwood is on record as saying that he did not believe the "no-show" by the ATCs, who monitor the air space of Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, and Montserrat, was a genuine sick-out and that he would order an investigation.
Because ATCs provide an essential service, they are barred from staging industrial action but local labour laws say that workers must submit a medical certificate after being away from the job for at least three days claiming to be ill.

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados -- A decades-long struggle to create a Caribbean Court of Justice succeeded this week with the signing of an accord at a meeting here of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders.
Countries signing the agreement included Belize, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda.
Most of the 15 members of the community said they will sign, but many of their citizens and some opposition parties have criticised the move.

Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines were among those not ready to sign the agreement.

The new court will replace the British Privy Council as the court of last resort for countries in the region. The idea for such a court was introduced back in the 1940s, but little was done about it.
Now, faced with the reality that a regional single market and economy could be in place as early as year's end, leaders are hurrying to formalize the court, which will be key to settling community trade and industrial disputes, among other things.
The call for a Caribbean court received an extra push in the mid-1990s when the Privy Council ruled that it was cruel and inhumane to hold prisoners on death row for five years or more and ordered that all such inmates have their death sentences commuted to life in prison. The Privy Council action incensed regional leaders.
The clamor then began for a court of last resort with an understanding and appreciation of Caribbean norms and values.
The signing Wednesday at Bridgetown's Sherbourne Center does not mean that the court will start up immediately. At least three countries have to ratify it.
Trinidad and Tobago, which is the favored headquarters for the CCJ, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica have all said their leaders are ready to ratify the accord. These countries are close to or have already enacted laws to facilitate their entry into the CCJ.
Several others, including Antigua and Barbuda and a few of the smaller Eastern Caribbean islands, are planning to ratify it later, after getting the necessary two-thirds majority in their parliaments and after taking the matter to citizens via referendums.
"Once you sign on you can't withdraw. If you withdraw, it means that you leave the single market," declared A.J. Nicholson, Jamaica's attorney-general. "It is the heartbeat of the Community."

Prime Minister Arnhim Eustace of St. Vincent and the Grenadines said that though his New Democratic Party (NDP) had no problem with the court, he felt it would be "inappropriate"
to sign the agreement with general elections fewer than six weeks away.

Dominica's Prime Minister Pierre Charles said in an interview that Dominica would not sign the document at this time. Mr. Charles, Prime Minister for less than a year, said he needed more time and information to make a decision.
Jamaica's Opposition Leader Edward Seaga has said a new Jamaica Labour Party government would withdraw from the court if Prime Minister Percival Patterson did not seek a referendum on the CCJ before committing the country to membership.
Those countries that have said they will ratify the court could have their chance as early as July when leaders meet again at the annual CARICOM summit in The Bahamas.

# Photo: George Goodwin, OECS Director of Functional Co-operation

Richard Charles, Chairman of the Dominica Banana Marketing Corporation (DBMC), paints a grim picture of the banana industry, but still holds out some hope for the product.
At a news conference Monday, Charles announced the reversal of some decisions taken last October to alleviate the hardships on farmers brought on by a drastic drop in banana prices.
Mr. Charles told reporters that as of January 31, 2001, the Corporation had discontinued subsidisation of banana boxes, as well as the waiver of repayments under a Banana Trust credit scheme.
In addition, he said, the DBMC was reinstating deductions made from banana sale prices for the control of leaf spot disease and for input accounts used by farmer as credit towards the purchase of items such as fertilizer.

Trinidad and Tobago's Junior Culture Minister Winston Peters has been summoned to appear before a magistrate's court later this week to answer a charge of fraudulently attempting to register to vote in an area where he does not live.
Mr. Peters, popularly known as Calypsonian Gypsy, is alleged to have attempted to register to vote on August 30 last year in Mayaro in the south-eastern region although he lives in the central borough of Chaguanas.
The penalty carries a fine of TT$750 (US$119) and six months' imprisonment. He could also be disqualified from his seat in the House of Representatives if convicted on any offence relating to elections, according to election rules.

The $1.6-trillion tax cut proposed by President George W. Bush will have a serious effect on the United States Virgin Islands if passed by Congress, officials in the USVI have said.
Although the Virgin Islands residents file their income tax returns with the USVI Internal Revenue Bureau and the money collected is retained by the local government, the local tax laws are the same as U.S. tax laws, which means that any changes in the Internal Revenue Service laws apply to the IRB and the USVI.
Governor Turnbull's proposed USVI budget anticipated $207.2 million would be collected from income and property taxes, but if the proposed tax cut should pass, the territory would receive far less.
Meanwhile USVI Delegate to Congress, Donna Christian Christensen, and her Guam counterpart, Robert Underwood, have written Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill urging that "special consideration be undertaken for our unique circumstances."
The delegates said struggling economies and high unemployment rates -- 14 percent in Guam, 11 percent in the Virgin Islands -- make it important that federal policymakers understand the implications for any tax cut proposed on their governments and communities.

In the midst of one of St. Kitts and Nevis's most violent crime waves, the Denzil Douglas administration has revived a 25-year-old law to keep children under the age of 15 off the streets at night to prevent them from "picking up bad habits."
Lt. Kayode Sutton, public relations officer for the army, said the action was necessary "to prevent young persons...rubbing shoulders with criminals and yielding to temptation."
So far, joint police-army patrols have picked up as many as six children, who were escorted back to their homes.
Parents or guardians could be fined close to $100 if their children are found to be repeat offenders.
Under the law, any child under the age of 15 can be stopped and detained at a police station if found "wandering or loitering" on the streets after 10 p.m. and unable to prove that their reason for not being at home is an "urgent or unusual" errand.
The year opened with a string of violent crimes, the latest being the murder on Feb. 3 of a 47-year-old plumber who intervened in a robbery and was shot in the chest. Three young suspects, all between the ages of 20 and 22, appeared in court yesterday to answer a charge of murder. There have been about 30 murders in the last five years. The country has a population of under 40,000.

WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Many large American banks, including Bank of America and Citibank, have become conduits for illicit foreign money and thereby have unwittingly aided drug trafficking, fraud and other crimes, a year-long inquiry by Senate investigators concluded.
Correspondent banking, a lucrative activity in which banks provide each other services such as moving funds or exchanging currencies, allows banks to conduct business in countries in which they have no physical presence.
As of mid-1999, correspondent account balances at the 75 largest U.S. banks that maintained them totaled $34.9 billion, according to a report released Feb. 5 by the Democratic staff of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.
"The failure of U.S. banks to take adequate steps to prevent money laundering through their correspondent bank accounts ... is long-standing, widespread and ongoing," the report says.
Many of the U.S. banks named in the 305-page report, "Correspondent Banking: A Gateway for Money Laundering," are large institutions that are household names in this country's banking industry.
"It's time for U.S. banks to shut that door and put an end to the money laundering that goes on through high-risk foreign banks," said Sen. Carl Levin of Michigan, senior Democrat on the investigative subcommittee.
Spokesmen for several of the banks said Monday they had previously tightened controls against use of correspondent accounts for moving dirty money.

Where do we go from here? What are the prospects for the West Indies cricket team? Our international posture has been receiving a battering since our poor performances in the 1992 World Cup, and our cricketing product is no longer competitive. Having been brown-washed by Pakistan (1997), blackwashed by South Africa (1998), whitewashed by New Zealand (1999), humiliated by England (2000) and, now, whitewashed by Australia (2001), many die-hard fans are wondering whether there is anything left in the cupboard. (A clean sweep irrespective of number of games is defined as a "wash".)

The all-conquering Australians recently took away the last symbol of West Indian cricket supremacy when they completed their fifteenth consecutive Test victory against us, surpassing our 11 consecutive Test wins in the just concluded series. The West Indian record was completed between 1983 and 1985. In addition, the West Indies team has lost the Wisden Trophy (symbol of cricket supremacy between the West Indies and England), and the Frank Worrell Trophy (symbol of cricket supremacy between the West Indies and Australia).

We are left only with our individual records, although some of them will be difficult to rewrite. These are Brian Lara’s 375 and 501 not out, Courtney Walsh’s 493 wickets; Garfield Sobers’ all-round records; Vivian Richards’s imposing posture on the international game; and the profitability of the firm of Gordon Greenidge and Desmond Haynes (their combined opening record).

The current West Indian cricketers, with more losses on overseas tours than any other in the history of West Indian cricket, have indeed suffered life-threatening body blows. They were humiliated by losing their prominence in international cricket. The team lost a Test match at the WACA for the first time, and made a humiliating record to conclude the one-day international series when it became the only team to be beaten in both the Test matches and the one-day games without winning a single match. Even on the disastrous South African tour, it managed to win one one-day international.

Captain Jimmy Adams summed it up well when he noted, "It's very disappointing. When you hold a record for a period of time, it means something to you. This record meant a lot to us and it is not something that we were happy to see go."

The Caribbean nation felt the pain of the debacle which took place in Australia. The pain was compounded by the fact that living in an era of globalisation and information, more people worldwide were made aware of our woes – more than the number of persons who were made aware of our dominance in the '80s because information was hard to come by in those days.

What happened in Australia hurt us deeply - perhaps even more deeply than the emotional hurt that we suffered in South Africa. But the experience would have taught a lot if we were willing to learn from the pain of it. The developments on the tour brought the intellectual, mental and emotional preparedness of players (especially the batters) into question. And we must deal with the issues frankly and decisively if we would address the problem appropriately.

There is a possibility that an exacting and puristic Caribbean cricketing public could be far too hard on the inexperienced batsmen when they perform poorly. E V Lucas noted in The Lure of Cricket, "the phrase ‘glorious uncertainty’ applies to the individual as much as to the fortunes of the struggle. For there is no second chance: the batsman who is out first ball must retire to the pavilion and brood on his ill-luck until it is time to field and forget it…The lawn-tennis player, no matter how badly he is playing, completes the set; the footballer, no matter how inept, kicks again; the polo player and the hockey player, though covered with shame, are assured of their full afternoon’s sport. But it could easily be the best batsman’s fate to have nothing to do but watch more fortunate batsmen receiving easier bowling than he did."

While Lucas is correct to the extent that the game of cricket is not all art and science, but also a past-time dictated, to a large extent, by luck, fate and fortune, Dr. W.G. Grace contends in Cricket as a Sport, "Cricket is its own teacher, whether the boy be batting, bowling, or fielding, but especially batting." The great batsman, the father of classical cricket batsmanship, argues for the intellectual involvement of the batsman, the mental alertness and maturity of the batsman, the mental toughness of the batsman. There is therefore a need for balance when we seek to appraise (or to judge) our young batters.

Has West Indies cricket fallen to the extent that it cannot be put together again? Have the West Indies team reached the point of no return? Are things as hopeless as some would have us believe? Are things so bad that there is no hope? On the contrary, even thinking with my head and not with my heart, I am still convinced that "Better Must Come."

As a true-blue West Indian supporter, a Caribbean man and a mature sports journalist, I find hope in Delroy Wilson’s 1971 reggae masterpiece, "Better Must Come". It was the ideal expression of the typical Jamaican sufferer as the PNP under Michael Manley struggled to arrest the ill-effects of the economic depressions and political and social crises of the turbulent 1970’s. The anthem then mirrored the hope and aspiration of the Jamaican working class, and caught the mood of the impoverished mass of unemployed and under-employed, the disruptive lumpenproletariat and the restless rural migrants. The song gave hope to those in despair and faith to those in doubt.

The West Indian people need hope! And the West Indian cricket administration and selectors must exhibit political will to give hope to the people. They must give national interest precedence over self-interest and sectoral interest. The decision-makers must show maturity and deal with the burning, if not vexing issues that must be confronted if the long-term development of the team is to be assured.

They must deal with the following policy issues. First, select two separate teams – a Test team and a one-day team. Second, take a rational decision to solve the perennial problem of the opening firm, which has existed since the departure of Gordon Greenidge and the assassination of Desmond Haynes by the past WICB administration. The selectors must decide on the mix of batting style required for the opening firm and give the batters a long enough run to ensure maturation. The gestation period must be clearly defined in order to allow the players to develop confidence.

Third, consolidate the middle-order with an intelligent blend of experienced and youth. While Brian Lara remains the inspiration of the batters, he is still under too much pressure in the one-man batting team. As Lucas noted, the batsman is destroyed by only one ball. When Brian is cut down, the team still exhibits the tendency to fold. Even the best batsman in the game loses his focus, and as a result, under-performs. There is need for a certain degree of mentorship to blood the young batters.

Fourth, establish a youthful successor to Ridley Jacobs and draft him into the team. Fifth, give the team a productive captain, as management is a factor of production. .

The West Indies team needs to regroup quickly, to prepare mentally to meet the former apartheid country in spring. And what we now need most according to Honourable Bob Marley is "Positive Vibration."

Like I proclaimed after the South African debacle in 1998, "Better Must Come."

PHOTO CAPTION: Mike Findlay, does he have the required political will? (Photo: Peter Adrien)

By Gwendolyn White – RN, RM Psychiatric Nurse

TOPIC: CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE WITH GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

People with good mental health:

• Feel comfortable about themselves.
• Are not bowled over by their own emotions – by their fears, anger, love, jealousy, guilt or worries.
• They can take life’s disappointments in their stride and have a tolerant, easy-going attitude towards themselves as well as others; they can laugh at themselves.
• They neither underestimate nor overestimate their abilities and can accept their own shortcomings.

These people have self-respect. They feel able to deal with most situations that come their way and get satisfaction from the simple everyday pleasures.

• Feel right about other people.
• They are able to give love and to consider the interests of others and have personal relationships that are satisfying and lasting.
• They expect to like and trust others, and take it for granted that others will like and trust them.
• They respect the many differences they find in people and do not push people around, nor do they allow themselves to be pushed around.

They feel they are part of a group and feel a sense of responsibility to their neighbours and others.

Are able to meet the demands of life.

They do something about their problems as they arise and accept their responsibilities.

They shape their environment whenever possible, adjust to it whenever necessary.

They plan ahead but do not fear the future, welcome new experiences and new ideas and make use of their natural capacities.

They set realistic goals for themselves, are able to think for themselves and make their own decisions. Last but not least they put their best effort into what they do and get satisfaction.

I wish that I did not have to admit to fears. But at 50 I have fears. And some of them stare at me almost with the certainty that they will happen very soon, if I continue to live on Montserrat. So when better to reflect on them and to share them, than at this election time?

At 50 I have begun to fear not having adequate retirement income. So then, this election I will listen intently to those who claim to understand that fear. I shall pay close attention to the candidates who speak about Social Security and pensions. I will listen to their plans to evaluate and to develop realistic systems and programs to address my fears.

At 50 I have begun to fear living on an island that does not have reasonable health care services. So then, this election I shall listen to those candidates who understand that fear. I shall pay attention to the candidates who put forward realistic systems and programs to identify, evaluate and implement adequate health care.

At 50 I have begun to fear and to wonder if at age 95 1will be able to find a place in a nursing home. So then, this election I shall listen carefully to the candidates' plans and programs to care for the aged. I shall pay attention to their social welfare programs, especially.

At 50 I have begun to fear many things. I am frightened of politicians who do not understand that each year, at least 10 percent of the taxes collected must be put aside into a reserve fund. So then I shall listen to the campaigns. I shall see which candidates understand management, taxation and national savings. I shall see which of them have plans for, and alternatives to, taxation and wasteful spending.

At 50 I am very afraid for Montserrat. I fear that for a very long time Montserrat will not be able to collect enough taxes to sustain itself. So then I must listen to the candidates to see how they plan to manage Montserrat under grant-in-aid. I shall look at their character and temperament. I shall check their track records in management. I shall enquire into their understanding of financial, fiscal and economic matters.

At 50 I have begun to fear how our young people will fare in the future. I fear that the young are not being groomed fast enough to understand and appreciate the things which Montserrat has achieved and must maintain. That is, the things which brought them to where they are. I fear that they will abandon the things which make Montserrat, Montserrat. I fear lack of respect and rudeness. I fear arrogance and selfishness. So then I shall listen to the candidates and I shall watch how they conduct themselves during this campaign. I shall pay close attention to their programs for training, employing and nurturing our young people. I shall look for their succession plans to groom the youths to take over.

At 50 I fear confrontational people. I fear people who want to be chief at all cost and who will not work in any other position. I fear bad-minded politicians.

So then during this election campaign, I shall follow each candidate. I shall scrutinize them. I shall judge them on their ability to negotiate and compromise under different and difficult circumstances. I shall test them in patience and cooperation. I shall test their ability to learn quickly and to think on their feet.

At age 50, or thereabouts and beyond, while I continue to live on Montserrat I want to co-exist peacefully with my fellow residents. I want to be assured of good health care facilities. I want to be guaranteed adequate retirement income. I want a safe environment in which to interact socially. I want opportunities to earn a living.

At 50 I want to vote for politicians who understand my fears and who are willing to put in place plans, programs and systems to address my fears.

Is that too much to ask for -- at age 50 or thereabouts?

Jus wonderin if we should listen to ZJB this coming Saturday to hear - lies or the truth be twisted.

Jus wonderin if any one detect any cynicism or burlesque in the last week issue history in teaspoon doses.

Jus wonderin what them fu allow us to mash up awe satday marnin when we chat bout culture.

Jus wonderin when the Traffic Commissioner is going to put yellow lines at Carr's Bay by the fisherman shed.

Jus wonderin if we have to wait for a serious accident first

Jus wondering if history is history if you only have to sit on a fence in order to be a continuously part of history.

Jus wondering if the people for international development really have the itch for only new vehicles too.

Jus wonderin if any our cricketers from England would come home to play for free now that they are playing for money.

Jus wonderin if they are like our politicians and then we already know the answer.

Jus wonderin if man from baker hill obeah article should be taken serious.

Jus wonderin if a we go vote for a man coming in from England when dem up dey can’t vote.

Jus wonderin if the fisheries department take any responsibility for ensuring fishermen don't go fishing without life jacket.

Jus wonderin if it will be made mandatory.

Jus wondering if the marine men should be congratulated for their efforts.

Jus wondering if the size of the search vessels was a hindrance to their effort and HE will take note.

Jus wonderin if it is good for us to assimilation exercises on the Opale Express.

Jus wonderin whose responsibility it is to assist a sick person off that jetty when they come in by Ferry.

Jus wonderin if it is Port, Customs, M.A.S or the middleman takes the responsibility.

Jus wonderin if the person concerned about the poor little dog in Olveston could get in touch with the vet, informing him of the animals exact location.

Jus wonderin if by then it will be too late.

Jus wonderin how much higher they goin take the bills.

Jus wonderin after three years if the manager don’t know yet.

Jus wonderin when dem a gat more than one line pan wan Saturday when dem a handle awe Jumbo Jet.

Jus wonderin if Mr. Speakie more popular now.

Jus wonderin if after nearly five years arl awe a go hear is that it is my turn, when we jus about to turn de carnar.

Jus wonderin how many candidates we goin have and which of the four strategies the parties will use.

Jus wonderin if it is true that the party candidates are planning to preach vote for party and then beg privately for vote themselves alone.

Jus wonderin what the political science candidate wanted with the watches he was giving out and what is coming next.

Jus wonderin what they were expecting him to look the same or sound the same or do the same and if the curious got anything.

Jus wonderin if they will heed the constitution palitishun money plea.

Jus wonderin if it is true that DFID is dippin into the paliticul arena in all kin-a-ways and sponsorin candidate to boot.

Jus wonderin if de election will be different in many kind of ways and so really signal the good news Montserrat need in responsible and capable people.

Jus wonderin if we should vote for people who keep reminding us how stupid we have been.