Chief Minister Brandt was again very critical of the recent travel advisory that had been issued on Montserrat several weeks ago. The issue had been one of much discussion among residents residents, especially in the light of Governor Abbott's downplaying of the matter.

Mr. Brandt at a press conference on Tuesday said: "When people come here and say they see nothing wrong with the travel advisory they are not on our side, they are against us anybody against is your enemy, no matter how they say they love Montserrat are they here to protect Montserratians they do these things deliberately or ignorantly they are against us and I want every Montserratian to know that no matter how they laugh they are against us as they carry out Britain’s policies."

He referred to Dr. Avery's letter that revealed last week DFID's ruling that children (apparently of their employees here) must not be allowed in Montserrat because of hazardous ash. Mr. Brandt said if Dr. Avery viewed Dr. Baxter with suspicion he views him the same way.

These opinions may not have been ufounded.

However it was reported today, that Dr. Baxter who was on Island with the scientific volcanic assessment team this week, has denied that he or any scientist had suggested or given such advice to DFID. He told ZJB Winston (Kafu) Cabey: "The information is available to the authorities in London so that they can produce their advisories. I am not responsible for the advisories they produced at the end of the day, but people are at the moment concerned about some advice, which was that children under twelve, children of expatriates employed by DFID should not be on the island. There is no reason at all to give that advice from the ash point of view and we haven't give any advice to that effect.

"As you know the trend has been general towards much greater improvement since 1997, but at the present time the conditions are pretty good in the Salem area, Old Town and elsewhere, those parts which were in the past looking quite dusty, look very good in fact. The monitoring over the past six months has shown that the air quality in northern Montserrat right down to the Belham River Valley has been good."

Pictures of the dome on 31/03/2000 + One from Jan 1999 for comparison

A preliminary Summary Report released today from the findings of the team, which reportedly included Professor Wadge and Lang, says "the current activity is not considered to pose any threat outside the present Exclusion Zone," but cautions that "if the dome eventually grows to a large size, or grows in such a manner that it threatens the northern flanks, or the eruption rate increases significantly, the conditions might arise where the limits of the Exclusion Zone might require re-assessment."

It boasts, "the MVO has developed a good understanding of the volcano and are confident that escalations to more dangerous situations can be anticipated."

It was Prof. Wadge who had predicted that the Montserrat Soufriere Hills volcano would erupt towards the end of the 20^th century, but his report was said to gather dust with the British Government and local governments as well, a bottom-line reason for the tragedy faced by Montserrat.

Montserrat's new Commissioner of Police, Mr Alexander P. Elder, OBE, FIMgt, arrived on island 11 days ago March 27 with his wife Valerie. He was sworn in to his new position two days later.

He is by his own description a Scotsman and the former Regional Police Advisor for the Caribbean, having been based in Barbados from 1995-1998. Earlier he worked in the Scottish Police force with the Fire Constabulary for over 30 years, having reached the rank of Chief Superintendent. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Management in England, in which, he said, his involvement provided him with group professional management techniques, "and those are some of the skills I bring with me to Montserrat, to help me in the effort to support Montserrat and its police force in its development process."

Mr. Elder, who loves skiing on snow and golf (both of which he feels are irrelevant to Montserrat and not a priority), said in his first interview with the press on Thursday afternoon that his service to the region when he advised on Police and related projects gives him an advantage.

The new Commissioner said: "I recognise some of what has already been achieved and some of the things we are working towards, matters which I was involved in an advisory capacity. The greatest advantage is knowing people, not only the police but within the government service and the community at large."

The commissioner sees his challenge as "not just the development within the police service; the island is developing, government departments are all having to go through a changed process. It is an opportunity to assist in the development of the police force within that wade of changed process and to ensure that the police service compliments the other services for the community."

Today the Commissioner will speak to the complement of the force, which is short by one, about the clear view, "though not necessarily how they will be achieved," of introducing community policing, which has already begun.

He will be interested in the personal development of individual members of the police force with a view to enhancing their service and to manage the resources of the police service within the constraints, which apply throughout.

Another of his main objectives and clear instruction is "the identification of successors for the people holding senior rank at present. My objective is to assess the development and identification of a regional or local successor to take over the command as Commissioner when I leave."

When he leaves will be for the time being at the end of two years which is the time for which he is contracted, but he will not put a date on that at this time, he said.

He very ably spoke to issues of morale within the force, his satisfaction at the news that Montserrat will receive a new sea craft, and Montserrat's involvement in the very serious problem of drug interdiction.

Early Wednesday at about 4.30 a.m. the Royal Montserrat Police responded to a call in connection with a yacht that had run ashore and beached on the rocks between lime Kiln Beach and Woodlands Beach.

The unfortunate accident left two chartering passengers and the captain stranded on their journey from St. Maarten to Guadeloupe. The crew of one, Nicholas Millet, according to official sources, said they had intended to spend the night in Montserrat, having left St. Maarten via Nevis, from where they set sail at 8.30 p.m. on April 4.

<-- Looing down on the yatch from the cliffs above.  Messrs. Norman White and James Browne, residents in the house directly above where the yacht had beached, said they were awakened by a loud heavy sound at about 3.30 a.m. Fearing that someone might have been breaking in at the neighbours, they waited and listened more intently. "When we realised that this might not have been the case we thought that the countinued sounds might have been those of some cows which usually paid us a visit in the garden towards the cliff," White and Browne agreed.

The pair said they thought that the animals might have tangled and fallen over the cliff, but then they observed a droning sound and eventually went out with a torch light.

They said they then heard people yelling at them from below and eventually observed the threesome in a dinghy below in the water. They both said that the seas were not unusually rough, but they called the police and informed them of their discovery that a yacht had been washed ashore. The police showed up in due course and carried out investigations and assisted the stranded one-man crew and passengers.

A very distraught sailor on Thursday refused to speak to the Montserrat Reporter, but said he was "very nervous' about the whole situation. It is reported that he is not the owner of the boat, which according to information was being chartered.

The police report says that Millet said he had put the boat in auto pilot when they reached Montserrat water and had gone down below to use the bathroom and the next thing he knew there was a bang. Both White and Browne said when they made the discovery they realised the droning sound they heard after the bang was the boat's engine still running.

Yatch on the rocks between Lime Kiln and Woodlands beaches looking S to N

It is reported that Millet hopes to salvage the boat, shown here in our photos, but it is also believed that the boat sustained serious damage on the port side, which is leaning on the rocks. Indeed when Millet was seen coming out of the hole still salvaging items from the boat, it was evident that there was water inside.

The rhetoric has started and even that which is good is perceived by others the way they want to see it or hear it.

From this corner we believe we can get the message across, and it is not too early to suggest that we even pray for the power to discern how to deal with what lies ahead. So although our task in this squeezed up land could be simple, and should be simple, it may be treacherous for us and for our future offspring and caretakers. If we mess up, we hope not to mess them up too, because that would be double-dose.

Anyone seriously interested in the welfare of this country will understand and act promptly, by seeking to join in some effort to build, even if there is no structure or base immediately before them.

A tried, but unsuccessful politician this week lamented against the suggestion that everyone should be informing the public of their plan for the success of this island. "Why tell the government what their plans are so that they can implement them."

To lament in that fashion shows ignorance, selfishness and a lack of interest in the welfare of the country. It really is also insulting to Montserratians. Oh no, it is not only the Governor who is guilty of that; our politicians do that frequently.

Some months ago the Governor charged that the Montserrat Reporter gave the perception that Britain was preventing Montserrat from receiving aid from other countries. Earlier he had tried to side-step the question by saying that no one was standing by ready to give us aid when he was asked if they would prevent Montserrat seeking assistance elsewhere. Before that, one honest DFID official (he was quickly promoted and sent elsewhere) had agreed that it would be embarrassing to Britain if another country stepped up to the wicket to bat with aid for Montserrat.

Now the Chief Minister challenged us to ask of the Governor whether he considers Britain's refusal for the government to seek assistance from the Taiwanese. Your Excellency, would you oblige?

The Taiwanese had come here to visit and were ready to help; others are holding back, the Chief Minister said. But the CM reminded, "Once you remain a dependent territory and once your constitution remains written as it is, they (Britain) are responsible for foreign affairs."

When our politicians can address an issue such as this and tell us how they hope to work within this or around it, it is time for us to listen, not otherwise.

We stand beside Dr. Lewis in his thoughts last week, and he captured our thoughts today well when he wrote: "It is not enough for competing political hopefuls to criticize. They must share their ideas. They must take independent action in addition to talk. They must use whatever resources are at hand to stake their claim for January 2002. Being hungry for power is not enough."

Mr. Jeevan Robinson captured it also: "Our leaders must in all fashion be proactive, visionary and responsible to take the charge of development forward…the time has come for the leaders as well as the people to be united with one vision, and that is working in unison towards building a prosperous Montserrat."

Let's not be one-tracked. Blame is absolutely necessary; the problems must be identified, so the strategy could be formulated for action, but blame must be placed in the right spots and over the correct heads. Omission is one of these blames, and most are guilty, very guilty of this. And last week the New Thinker was also on target. Even Jus wonderin picked it up in some areas.

We hope the Governor has heard all the street talk, the bar talk, the whole community talk, and we really hope that it is not true that he is ready to chide ZJB for carrying stories or comments relating to the "Travel Advisory." If, as is suggested, he is going to embarrass his superiors and insult Montserrat at the same time, then he becomes a serious problem, and he should therefore do the quiet thing and leave.

Dr. Baxter had this to say yesterday, eliminating all doubts as to the origin of the ash instructions/advisories: "There is no reason at all to give that advice from the ash point of view and we haven't given any advice to that effect."

Oh yes, it may be too late for a retraction; that may not be possible, but a new and sensible advisory to meet all the things he had said this one was -- upbeat etc. -- would go a long way in restoring what we have been looking for since he called people in a very peaceful march, a "mob."

To the editor:
I am a concerned Montserratian who left the Island on 16/09/1997 for England, I have now settled in Leeds, was recently granted a certificate of distinction of accounting, and was recently registered as a certified accountant of England.

My concern is I am worried because every time I read The Reporter there is some news about stranger (outsider) working in the hospital. I feel personally if the government of Montserrat made us Montserratians that had left the Island feel more welcome back home, a lot of our nurses would return to work. It seems to me Montserrat is made up of so many strangers, it should not even be called Montserrat.

I was thinking of coming home to work but I am worried if I could get a job that would satisfy my qualification. The government of Montserrat needs to make us feel welcome. When the government of Montserrat prints that the only things we Montserratians are entitled to is health care, that would turn off anybody from returning to their home land. I am just so upset with the situation.

B.SWEENEY

Dear Sir:

If a nation is to move forward there must not only be vision, but there must be people with the capability of discerning what the vision is and how to activate it.

In last weeks edition of the Montserrat Reporter, the evidence of our lack of vision and our ability to discern what our vision is was quite pronounced. Articles such as ‘Meade Stirs Pot on Taxes…, Dr Avery Asks DFID.., and Social Welfare problems demand action…’ are just a few of the topics that reflect doom and gloom on this small Island of ours called Montserrat.

It is even more obvious to us Montserratians that Reuben Meade cannot lead us ever again in this decade. Mr. Meade has shown himself to be a very questionable man and an inadequate leader. This is being further magnified in his ventures to make the Chief Minister look small by sacrificing the welfare of a struggling volcano-stricken people, in his latest attempts to inflict strenuous tax collection laws. As Montserratians we must beware of Mr. Meade for his motives are not what they seem and he cannot seem to be able to stomach a prosperous Montserrat unless he is at the forefront.

Let us look at the situation of DFID barring their children under-12 from visiting Montserrat. Who assisted DFID in making that decision and why is it that the Chief Medical Officer is the sole voice being aired? To date the Minister with responsibility for Health has not sounded her voice. Is this beyond her scope of understanding or is she in collaboration with DFID and the Governor, who have clearly stated without reservation that he finds no fault in the now infamous Advisory?

The Governor’s stand on this matter does not surprise most of us, for we have been aware for the longest that he is not a friend of the people of Montserrat. We can be proud that Dr. Avery has spoken out and that he is quite disgusted at the constant attempts to belittle our Island. However the Minister of Health, an elected representative for the people,, seems to have refused to discuss this matter with us the public. I would hope that the Minister is aware that she owes the Montserrat Public an explanation about this new ban on children under-12 entering Montserrat.

This can hurt our economy greatly, since it may mean that families who were planning trips to Montserrat for the summer and winter seasons of this year may be deterred by this latest Advisory. For fear that the public may believe that you are a part of this ludicrous advisory, Madame Minister, you should address us and let us know what your position is on the matter.

The Social Welfare problems that exist also fall under the Ministry of Education, Health & Community Services. The Minister responsible is also Mrs. Adelina Tuitt. We accept the fact that businessmen making over EC$40,000, should have been ashamed of themselves for going in the Food Voucher line and accepting EC$150 for themselves and there children.

However, it is the general belief that the new Social Welfare program is another attempt at not only frustrating the staunch savers in Montserrat who no longer have any means of income, but to discourage savings in Montserrat, further causing our economy to be impoverished. The last survey that was done showed that Montserrat, although in a crisis, had a saving rate much higher than that of Antigua, which has a booming Economy. As last week's editorial suggested, many questions are being asked and the Minister responsible is making no attempts to answer these questions. This boils down to one thing only. The Minister is making no comments on these matter because she is not capable of doing so. It seems like the Chief Minister should be looking for a Minister of Education, Health & Community Services, one who can logically and intelligently handle matters like the above.

The Minister needs to be awakened to the fact that her job is not only to sit and have meetings with the Governor and all his officials, but that she is responsible for a vital part of our society and she cannot afford to mess up any further. Monies used to host afternoon functions for the elderly, can be used to assist those persons who are suffering financially and are being rejected under the new social welfare program. The Minister needs to understand that persons with savings of EC$4,000 are not necessarily people who are well off. Their funds could have been accumulated over the years from children abroad sending a ‘penny hairpny’ here and there.

So as we look towards a brighter future, let us begin to weed out the wolves in sheep's clothing. Their visions are blurred because they are under disguise. Let us look to the genuine people in our society and Government. Let us encourage those who encourage us, so that we can set clear goals and aspire towards them. Remember this is no joke, ‘A PEOPLE WITHOUT VISION WILL PERISH!!

Dear Mr. Editor,

I would like you please to give me a bit of space in your newspaper to put in some unlikely issues that start at the nursery school, and if they can't be dealt with more effectively and decently, it’s no use in having a nursery school.

Children might to go to Primary School at the age of 5, when they would be able to start cleaning their tables, going to the bathroom if they wish to and not have to ask the teachers to please button their skirts and pants for them. The teachers at the school have a very hard task, having to be giving the kids their lunches; then if this child vomits or even messes itself at lunchtime the teacher still has to turn around to clean it up, when the Ministry of Health should be paying someone a decent wage to have a helper at lunchtime to assist the teachers. But they all keep saying that all their hands are tied, but coming next election THE PEOPLE’S HANDS WOULD NOT BE TIED, and as for me every vote I make would be a paying vote.

If a child takes sick at school the mother has to take that child to the doctor, and the first thing he wants to know is if the other children have it at school; right away there’s only one thing that flicks his mind. These children are very tender and it is easy for them to pick up germs and spread them to the child that sits next to him or her. You in your Ministry want children to stay home if they are sick. The teachers are paid a lousy salary at month time just to pay bills.

The new school bus driver should have been introduced by the teachers, not because no Montserratians took up the offer, because they know just how you all at the Ministry behave. That means that you all send someone to take our little babies for a joy ride and who knows what could happen next. The secondary children are afraid to drive with him but the little ones have no choice. God help them. But it would not be too long for a change.

I bet that all that voted for you all are away or even dead. Parents are worried about the things that happened at the nursery school. The Primary and Secondary are not much better. The teachers have to be teaching the four plusses to start a new school and a new life, to start achieving something for the future, and still they have to be calling a child's mother if that child takes sick. That slows up the class and even the whole school, for they are still young. So I can see why at PTA meetings the teachers are saying some of the children can’t even spell their names, because everything starts from the top. So please lady minister, before it’s too late.

A concerned parent

Thank you for posting such an excellent and informative site. I was very surprised to find that the Montserrat Government page appears not to have been updated since July 1999 and had assumed, at first and in the absence of any news about the island in the UK newspapers for many months now, the worst. It's good to find that so many of you are still running business as near usual as possible, despite inevitable difficulties.

I was 16 and anxious to get my driver's license, but I failed my eye exam and had to wait until I could get corrective lenses. When I put on my new glasses, I was amazed that I could actually see raindrops hanging from twigs, and pebbles along the roadside. I never realized that t was missing so much.

The same life-changing experience occurred, yet much more profoundly, when I began to seek a deeper

relationship with Christ. I had always believed in Jesus, but that was about as far as it went. As I studied God's word, the fog of doubt, worry, and fear gradually lifted. My life developed new meaning. Nothing changed yet everything changed -- like when I put on my new glasses. I viewed life from a different perspective through the eyes of Christ.

Every day I thank God for lifting the fog and allowing me a clearer understanding of God's will for my life.

Prayer: Thank you God, for helping me to understand that true fulfillment in this life comes only from serving you. Amen

We discover life by seeking God.

Prayer Focus: PEOPLE WITH VISION PROBLEMS

Health Minister Mrs. Adelina Tuitt announced this week that a hike in medical fees, mentioned in a budgetary announcement by the Chief Minister two weeks ago, was not expected to affect the pockets of residents.

"My observation and investigation in the whole thing tells me that some of the more common things that we go to the lab for, these have not been increased significantly... in my estimation, it would not bring any undue pressure on anybody in the community."

Chief Minister David Brandt had said this would be one of several measures the British government had asked Montserrat to introduce as a condition for getting grant aid this year. He said the new fees structure is expected to be "more realistic in relation to the actual cost of the service"

On Tuesday this week Chief Minister said at a press conference: "Our medical facilities are better than even in some independent territories," responding to questions surrounding Britain's lack of understanding of the true Montserrat plight.

CM Brandt went on to explain that in addition to the services available here, arrangements are in place for patients to go to neighbouring islands for medical assistance. " … We have arrangements with Guadeloupe…and we have with other places, such as Barbados, and more than that we have a genius, Dr. Lewis, who comes here from time to time to deal with the situation."

But later the Minister of Health, Mrs. Adelina Tuitt refrained from going the distance and said that she is not aware of any study to conclude that. She said however, "we are certainly better than we were a year into the crisis - we are 100 percent better."

She acknowledged that prior to the volcanic crisis Glendon Hospital, as far as she was aware, had state of the art equipment, "but with assistance and vigourous training for staff, we have come a long way," she said.

She did not see Dr. Lewis as part of the hospital team. "He is a private doctor who uses the facilities at the hospital with his private patients who have the right to make a choice…we do have a surgeon who performs satisfactorily," she observed.

Meanwhile the Chief Minister, expressing surprise, later commented, "I don't know what we would have done without Dr. Lewis.

The Hospital Laboratory used the opportunity to express its sincere appreciation to all persons who have donated and to the organizations who have assisted with recruiting blood donors. Of particular mention, the Laboratory said, is the sterling contribution of the former Royal Montserrat Defence Force and the Red Cross.

During the volcanic crises the members of the RMDF provided the majority of blood needed. Prior to the volcanic crises the Red Cross worked closely with the laboratory to establish a donor list and to assist persons who were unable to provide donors for themselves.

"In Montserrat," Dr. Avery said, "when we need to give a patient some blood we will call for relatives and volunteers to come forward and be tested to see whether their blood is compatible with the patient's blood (a cross matching process). If the blood is compatible and safe to use we will take one or two pints from the donor and transfuse it into the patient."

He said the Health Department fully supports the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Barbados in its efforts to ensure Blood Safety. Before transfusing blood it is tested for: Compatibility (Cross Matching); Aids/HIV; other infectious agents like Hepatitis B and Syphilis

During 1999 the Glendon Hospital Laboratory collected a total of 70 units of blood, approximately half of the requests were for antenatal patients in preparation for delivery; this included those having caesarian section or post partum hemorrhage; the remainder were for persons having elective or emergency surgery or blood loss requiring transfusion, both on island and in Antigua. There were a few cases of Auto-transfusion where patients donated their own blood to be used during their surgery.

The laboratory would like to appeal to the general public, as we try to restart a blood donor list, to get involved and be a blood donor. Please remember BLOOD SAVES LIVES.

For additional information regarding donor selection, testing or any other queries please contact the laboratory at the hospital.

The Laboratory recognized the following donors who have either given at least twice or responded in emergencies during 1999.

The Sports Department is organising a road relay for Easter Monday, 24th April, called Run Montserrat.

This replaces the traditional Round the Island relay in light of the fact that we are now using a different route.

The route for this year's event starts at the top of the Lookout main road and ends at Salem Park.

Start time is 6.00 a.m. and the Department is encouraging athletes to be in their respective positions by 5.30 a.m.

Sports Officer Fitzroy Buffonge of the Sports department is asking early that motorists proceed with extreme caution along the entire route as they seek to make this year's event a success.

Grenada, CANA - Grenada has been selected as the venue for a major regional convention for young people -- "Caribbean Youth Explosion 2000" -- in mid-July.
A regional steering committee met in St. George's over the weekend to advance plans for the mid-July event.
Essentially, the staging committee met to come to some agreement on a framework, said Dr. Heather Johnson, Deputy Programme Manager of Community Development for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
"We had drafted some goals, objectives, activities, and coming out of this meeting we have some recommendations which would allow us to firm-up the framework," she told CANA.
Youth Explosion 2000 is being coordinated by the Georgetown-based Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) and is receiving major backing from international agencies involved in youth development such as UNFPA and UNICEF.
About 130 young people from 21 countries in the region are expected for the convention July 16-23 at the youth centre in the south of the country.

Developments in the Caribbean legal sector, law reform and revision, the relationship between the United Kingdom Overseas Territories and Her Majesty's Government, the United States and Canada, human rights issues, constitutional change and regional drug cooperation.
These were just some of the issues on the agenda of the 9th Annual Conference of Attorneys General of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories last at the Prospect Reef Hotel in BVI.
The conference was attended by Attorneys General from Anguilla, Montserrat, the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar and the United Kingdom and Wales, the Head of the Overseas Territories Department in Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, an official from the British High Commission in Barbados and the Deputy Legal Advisers from the United States and Canada.
Members of the local Bar Association, judges and government officials also attended.
In welcome remarks, BVI Governor Frank Savage noted that the office of Attorney General is one of the most important in each of the Overseas Territories since
Attorneys General provide legal advice to all levels of government.

"The Overseas Territories," he said, "do not have much in common, other than the Union Flag, which we all proudly fly." He said what all do have in common is that they are all small states, especially vulnerable to natural disaster and attractive prey to the criminal fraternity.
The governor noted that the Caribbean has never been under such threat from drug traffickers, illegal immigrants and sophisticated white-collar crime and money laundering. He said he hoped the conference would look at some of these issues and go back to the United Kingdom with a message that the international community needs to put in place measures to help those territories whose revenue base will be affected.
He said he is aware of the pressures Attorneys General are under as the Overseas Territories face more and more requests and demands from Her Majesty's Government, the European Union, the OECD and the wider international community, to bring local laws into line with those adopted elsewhere.
BVI Chief Minister Ralph T. O'Neal told the participants the conference that "it is very necessary in this day and age that these (Attorneys General) should know each other and be able to consult with each other so that there can be direct communication with each other as the need arises."
He added that it is also very essential for officers from the U.K to visit the territories as often as possible to get acquainted not only with the Ministers and the Governor, but also to see at first hand, the places and the people, that they would be better able to advice their Ministers responsible for the territories.
The outspoken BVI leader commented on what he sees as an improved relationship between Britain and her Overseas Territories. This was one of the issues discussed in the White Paper published a year ago, which called for a new approach when dealing with the Overseas Territories.
The BVI leader especially welcomed the delegates from the United States, saying because of the territory's proximity to the U.S Virgin Islands, it is important for the BVI to be good neighbours.
The Right Honourable Lord Williams of Mostyn, Attorney General of England and Wales told the opening ceremony, "I have come...to listen and learn. We know perfectly well that there is no monopoly of wisdom in Whitehall...and the key must be, I think, cooperative working."
"Cooperation is a two-way street," he said. It is not cooperation by diktat. It is cooperation by understanding and informed discussion."
"All I can say to my colleagues as Attorneys General, if there is anything by way of assistance that you want from my office, you have only to ask"

He said: "The invitation which I gave earlier of informal cooperation and meetings is a real one. I can certainly say on behalf of Her Majesty's Government that we wish to be as fully, abundantly supportive as we possibly can."

Trinidad, CANA - Police in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday launched a manhunt for three prisoners who escaped from the death row section of the maximum security Royal Jail, sources said.
Authorities set up roadblocks in the east of the country where the men are believed to be heading, while security helicopters hovered above.
The three -- brothers Vijay and Stephen Mungroo and Christopher Mansingh -- were discovered missing about 1 o'clock Thursday morning.
They reportedly cut the bars to their cells and used bed sheets to lower themselves to the ground.
Top law enforcement officials met all morning in an effort to determine how the prisoners escaped detection.
It was not clear how long the escapees have been on death row or what crimes they had committed.

Trinidad, CANA - A university professor has warned Caribbean countries that they will suffer grave consequences if they do not have effective anti-money laundering laws in place.
Professor Anthony Bryan, Director of the North South Centre at the University of Miami, said that while there is legislation in many Caribbean countries for asset confiscation, among others, the record of implementation is unsatisfactory.
"There are terrible costs to society, polity and economy associated with inaction in this circumstance," said Professor Bryan in a paper presented at a conference here on "Caribbean Survival in the 21st Century."
Professor Bryan said the lack of uniformity in the adoption of anti-money legislation remains a crucial obstacle to the deceleration of the illegal activity, loopholes continue to exist, and in some countries there is no law which requires suspicious financial transactions to be disclosed to the authorities.
The Port of Spain-based Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) recently estimated that about US$60 billion is laundered from drug-trafficking profits through the Caribbean annually.
Professor Bryan said no region in the world has a greater concentration of offshore secrecy financial havens than the Caribbean. Nevis, he said, has 13,000 offshore businesses from which the government derives 10 per cent of its revenues.
Professor Bryan said while these centres are potentially rich sources of national revenue for small island states, governments would have to accelerate their efforts to prevent the use of these institutions from becoming safe havens for laundering the proceeds of drug trafficking and organised crime.
Professor Bryan said 15 Caribbean states were included among 47 countries under pressure from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a conglomeration of the world's wealthiest states which has devised international standards to combat "harmful tax competition."
He said the establishment of such criteria has moved Caribbean governments to open dialogue with the OECD and to formulate joint approaches to maintain acceptable international regulatory standards, implement international best standards and practices, and to eliminate opportunities for money laundering using offshore financial institutions.

Guyana, CANA - Guyana police on Thursday were probing the grisly discovery of human bones believed to be those of a Cane Grove farmer and his son who disappeared last weekend.
Police Public Relations Officer, Senior Superintendent Ivelaw Whittaker, said the discovery of the burnt bones was made about 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday following intense investigations and searches by police ranks.
Three men are assisting police with their investigations. James Sanichar, 36, and his son Afraz Khan, 6, lived at Karbees, Cane Grove, Backdam, about 28 miles east of the capital Georgetown.
They were reported missing by Sanichar's wife last Sunday.

During the past 10 to 15 years, the peoples of the OECS have made significant strides toward economic and social progress by making the necessary sacrifices and taking strategic decisions when required. However, if this pace of progress is to be maintained or accelerated in the years ahead, the peoples of the OECS must be prepared to do the right things and to do them right.

During the second half of the 1980s, the OECS economies grew at the impressive rate of greater than 7 percent annually, making it possible for an increasing number of persons to enjoy rising standards of living as real incomes grew, educational opportunities expanded and social conditions improved.

The impetus for this came largely from banana and tourism earnings, as well as from a significant amount of construction activity in support of the tourism industry. Favourable circumstances also prevailed but these were mainly due to influences emanating outside of the region in the form of development assistance and foreign direct investment.

1990s

Unfortunately, the period of the 1990s did not match the same level and pace of economic activity, but it served to demonstrate how strong an influence bananas and tourism have had on the fortunes of the OECS. During that period, the economies grew by only about 2 percent, mainly because bananas were hampered by drought, and tourism by strong hurricane activity.

As the countries prepare and position themselves for the future, they can learn a lot from the experiences of the last 15 or so years. Their economic fortunes have been closely linked to the performance of two industries and the savings of foreigners.

The Future

Looking ahead, they are faced with the grim reality that their preferential status for bananas in the European market is under threat and official development assistance is diminishing. Compounding this, the geopolitical importance of the Caribbean is declining, the full implications of globalisation are daunting in the short run and the offshore financial sector on which countries appear to be relying is undermined by the OECD report on harmful taxation.

Development Strategy

In the face of these challenges, OECS countries must strategically reposition themselves to meet the rising expectations of their people. To help them prepare for this undertaking, the Heads of Government have asked the OECS Secretariat and ECCB to develop a strategy for the subregion, making sure to first solicit the views of the public. In short, they are looking for a strategy that would enable them do the right things and do them right.

Staff from these two institutions are currently engaged in this exercise. They have already completed a series of consultations in Member States and are now refining the strategy. Representatives of the various groups who participated in the consultations will again meet shortly to review the strategy and to ensure that it accurately reflects their views.

Following this meeting, the strategy will be further refined as necessary for approval, sign-off and official adoption by OECD Heads as their official strategy for charting the way forward.

Basseterre, St..Kitts - The technological infrastructure necessary for the overall functioning of the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange is now in place. This mechanism comprises four major pieces of computer software for use by the market’s key stakeholders.

The Sitrel software for trading will execute "buy" and "sell" transactions on the Securities Exchange. The Global CSD software will be used for the clearance and settlement of securities at the Depository and for generating reports on trading matters. Global ISR software will be used at the Securities Registry to ensure the safekeeping of Securities and the disbursement of payments on behalf of issuers. The Global RBO software, to be used by brokers, gets accounts ready for clearing and settlement and performs security transfers to and from the Registry.

Consultants from OpenGets and Global Capital Market Corporation, along with technical officers from the ECCB, have completed the software testing through the use of assimilation exercises to ensure its functionality and compatibility.

During the month of March a significant amount of work necessary for the July 2000 commissioning of the ECSE was also completed. This involved the staging of a series of educational seminars for key stakeholders of the Exchange. The media in a number of the territories have been educated on the structure of the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange and have been exposed to new techniques for reporting on the activities of the market. Issuers have been made aware of the opportunities and benefits available from the ECSE, while Intermediaries have been informed of the requirements necessary to conduct business on the Exchange. These educational seminars will be replicated in the coming months on request.

Work is continuing on fine-tuning the Securities Act 2000, uniform legislation, which will provide the supporting legal and regulatory framework to govern the operations of the Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange, the Central Securities Depository and the Central Securities Registry. This legislation will also govern all securities business by Intermediaries, Issuers and Investors in the eight-member territories of the ECCB currency area. All eight-member governments have indicated that the Securities Act 2000 will be passed by July, thereby making the ECSE a fully operational entity.

On Friday, Fire defeated the West Siders 84 to 75. The leading scorers for Fire were Elbert Aaron on 29 points 11 rebounds and Gregory Gerald 29 points 9 assists. For West Siders, Kwasi Ryan scored 25 points while Randolph Lewis got 24 points and pulled 10 rebounds. 

In Sunday’s game, Outlaws emerged champions defeating Snipers 88 to 74. The top scorers for Outlaws were Vakeel Murraine with 27 points 11 steals and Roland Irish with 16 points and 7 assists. For Snipers Wendell Thomas scored 19 points and T. Roach 14 points. 

This weekend’s games will be held on Friday and Saturday. On Friday Outlaw will take on Swipers and on Saturday Ghetto will come up against Fire.

We have done well. A breathtaking hundred from Wavell Hinds, coupled with a sparkling knock by Chris Gayle, gave the West Indies a resounding win over Zimbabwe at Sabina Park in the second ODI. They beat Zimbabwe by 41 runs and delighted the near 18,000 fans.
The final score, 280-3, meant that 100 runs had been scored from the last 10 overs. It was a magnificent performance by these two young Jamaicans. Hinds finished on 116 from 126 balls. He hit 12 fours and a six.
Chris Gayle smashed 58 from 45 with five fours and a six. The West Indian batsmen are growing in confidence.
Jimmy Adams led his team to four consecutive victories - two tests and two one-dayers. But Adams told Michael Holding correctly: "We still have work to do." What will be their strategy from here on? This is the critical point of departure.
West Indies cricket administrators, selectors, technical staff, team management, patrons and stakeholders must remind themselves that what we have is not yet an internationally competitive product. We may be ranked third by sporting bodies (based on their criteria), but those of us who know and understand the game, and are humble enough to admit it, know that what we have is team in its building stage - a team in its (sometimes) painful learning cycle.

But when "hardness is rubbed with softness," it wilts under pressure. This experience will continue until the players mature into competitors and gladiators. Our combined human capital (that is, our bank of cricketing knowledge, skills and experience) have allowed us to emerge victors over a lowly ranked team lacking the resilience and the belly for the hard game. But our team remains a lightweight team. It is far from being a heavyweight team.
We have no reason to be embarrassed because the West Indies team is performing below the cricketing and athletic standard of its competitors, as long as we are following our strategic plan. We have nothing to fear as along as we keep the ship on course.

When we begin to lose our focus, we must begin to fear. We must fear because these developments retard the development of West Indies cricket, one of the two service industries in which we have comparative advantage (the other being tourism); the patented or differentiated cricket product that has earned us international market share is threatened; the magnetic power of our natural allure is diminished; the task of repositioning of the Caribbean economies, many of them heavily dependent on uncompetitive agriculture, becomes much more difficult; and the aspiration of the Caribbean people, and their hope for a united West Indies is frustrated.
Since the breakdown of the West Indies Federation in 1962, the West Indies Cricket team remains the only meaningful expression of a West Indian nation, and the institution which most realistically nourishes the hope of a region where West Indians, irrespective of race, ethnicity, class, familial ties and educational background, would, one day move freely, live freely, work freely and invest freely. Should the cricket administrators appreciate the wide-ranging implications of the decisions that they make, they would, in some cases, proceed more cautiously.
It is well established that our perennial problem is batsmanship, and West Indian batsmanship. Up to now our bowlers have been saving us from disgrace and dishonour. This has been the case particularly since the advent of Richie Richardson, although some analysts contend that this has been the case since the period of the fearsome foursome," when West Indies cricket dominated the world for almost two decades.

Batsmanship has been our cancer since the departure of Sir Viv Richards, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge and Jeffrey Dujon,was aggravated by the removal of cricket as a sport/recreation on the school's curriculum some 20 years ago, and further compounded by the loss of access to county cricket, which served as our cricket academy or nursery.
In 1984, we boasted a lineup like this: Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, Gomes, Lloyd, Logie, Dujon. A lineup with the best opening firm in international cricket, the Master Blaster, the most resilience, and consistent craftsman at number four, one of the most devastating batsman in the game then, a young stroke-maker and arguably the most classical batsman in the game then at number seven.

And we had pedigree and prolific first class batsmen like F Bacchus, Andrew Light, Mark Neita, Carlisle Best, Royston Otto, Clayton Lambert, Victor Eddy and Livingstone Lawrence, among others, who could not force themselves into the team. Even the retired Roy Fredericks was still scoring double centuries.
We want to develop world class batsmen like Australians Ricky Pointing and Michael Slater; Pakistanis Saeed Anwar, Inzaman-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana. But we shall not develop them through the abbreviated form of the game. The one-day games tend to de-skill the average craftsman. The statistics seem to suggest that those who do well in both forms of the game are those who have mastered the art and science of batting in the longer version of the game, the real thing.

The international batsmen who do well in both versions of the game include Brian Lara, Sachin Tendulkar, Steve Waugh, Ricky Pointing, Aravinda de Silva, Saeed Anwar, Jacques Kallis, Andy Flower, Michael Slater, Rahul Dravid, Souray Ganguly Inzamam-ul-Haq, all class or experienced craftsmen.

But our selectors, contrary to their strategy in the 1998 home series against England, insist on playing our mediocre batsmen in both versions of the game. The test rankings of our current batsmen are as followings: Sherwin Campbell (31st); Jimmy Adams (39th); and Adrian Griffith (55th). Only Shivnarine Chanderpaul ranks 24th.
(See PricewaterhouseCoopers March 1, 2000 Test Ranking).
The message is clear. By the law of averages, one player must have a good day if he is allowed to play many games. But some are not suited for the truncated game where batsmen are conditioned to play under conditions that are not ideal for test cricket. The batting-friendly games make the limited player develop bad habits and erode his technique, and decimate his resilience. That is why some limited players find it difficult to readjust to the test matches after a prolonged period of playing the commercial cricket.
This is the reason why I am convinced that a promising youthful craftsman (in this case, a batsman) should not be introduced to international cricket through the one-day version. The selectors should help his nurturing by leaving him for the three-day, four-day and five-day games, where his schooling is more complete. I therefore argue that our promising youngsters - Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Marlon Samuels, Ryan Hinds, Narsingh Deonarine and Sylvester Joseph - should not be hurried into the shorter version of the game. As I noted previously: "Ricardo Powell is a "bundle of talent," which will finally develop when he is introduced into real cricket - the four-day games and the Test matches."
We must decide what we want to mould these young batsmen into.
We want to transform them into pedigreed West Indian batsmen, not mediocre craftsmen and under-achievers. David Gower (1989), a former master craftsman, warns our selectors: "It's hard work making batting look effortless."
Our young batsmen, as well as our senior batsmen, do not possess the requisite technique, craftsmanship, artistry, tenacity, perseverance and consistency that must transform them into pedigreed batsmen. The one-day games will not help correct their weaknesses in foot movements, their restricted repertoire of strokes, their limitations against quality spin and swing bowling, their inability to negotiate threatening fast bowling, and their incapacity to adapt in difficult batting conditions. They must develop those skills in the real cricket.
I call on the selectors and the new six-man management team to wake up to the reality, provide the correct diagnosis, ensure a rational disposition and bring about the implementation of the appropriate corrective measures.
PHOTO CAPTION: Mike Findlay (above) and the new management team must adopt
the right strategy (Photo: Peter Adrien)

The Montserrat Fisherman's Co-operative have received have received EC$65,000 from the Governor's Office. The funds will be used to assist those fishermen who lost boats and equipment in Hurricane Lenny late last year. The funds will be used to purchase equipment and are to be administered by the Co-operative.

In addition, H.E. the Governor will formally present to the Co-operative a fish slicer for use by fishermen in preparing their catch for sale to the general public.

The funds and equipment are additional and complementary to those being provided to local fishermen by the Government of Montserrat.

The Government of Montserrat’s Housing Unit has embarked on a comprehensive Housing Needs Registration .

The Housing Unit has been mandated to develop a National Housing Strategy that will assist the Government in planning a Five year Housing Programme to plan for the future housing for the population. Our National Strategy will determine the number of persons who met the Executive Council approved definition of need outline below and who may be offered direct assistance and or advice.

The development of the Strategy will benefit from the recommendations of the Housing Symposium held in 1999, and also from inputs from the private sector and NGOs. The Strategy recommends a range of Housing options and inventions and will be used to attract public and private investment in this vital sector.

Government has already agreed the following cases will be considered for assistance and advice.

a). Households who are living in adverse or poor hosing circumstances who may find themselves living in one or more of these situations. Shelters. Insanitary or overcrowded housing. Housing lacking or sharing sanity and cooking amenities. Housing arrangements that lead to family separation. Housing which is temporary or occupied on insecure terms.

2. vulnerable household who exhibit one or more of the following characteristics. Households with dependent children or someone who is expecting a child (e.g. especially where the addition to the family would lead to extreme overcrowding) Households consisting off or including someone with particular need for settled accommodation on medical grounds. Elderly persons. Households whose economic circumstances are such that have difficulty in secured settled accommodation. Those who are homeless, or threatened with homelessness through no act or omission of their own. Persons who cannot use their family home because of the risk of domestic violence.
1. Persons who belong to the following group will be included.
2.  

On Island

Household on island who relocate from the Exclusion Zone (EZ) (1995-6)

Households on island relocated from the Daytime Entry Zone (DTEZ)

Household on island originally from the North who have not relocated but who are living in especially adverse/poor housing circumstances.

E) Off Island

Household relocated from the EZ (1995-6) and Montserratian households relocated from the (&- date) and wish to return within the next five years. Application forms are available at the Unit or from Montserrat Associations Overseas and can be sent by mail.

All Households in housing need and who fall into the above categories are invited to visit the Housing Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Housing and the Environment at Brades.

(Households who visited the Housing Unit in 19919/2000 and whose circumstances are unchanged do not need to re-register.)

Below are the type of housing options which are currently available or

planned:

1. Direct Build - Fully Completed, Shell or Starter Homes.
2. Self Built Materials Grant - 1, 2, and 3, Bedroom Grants, 100% Material Grant
3. Soft Mortgage Scheme - Bank Loan +1,2,3,Bedroom Grants, + loan for land purchase.

4. Service plots for accessing Materials Grants, Soft Mortgage, or Private Direct Build provisions

Please visit the Housing Unit, Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Housing and the Environment at Brades for further information and or advice. In other related news the Department of housing is looking at ways to improve the houses at Look Out. The Honourable Minister with responsibility of housing Brunel Meade says progress has been made on the upgrading some of the properties by covering the porch, which is now open. He says this space could be used for several purposes and would enhance the quality of the property. Price quotations have already been received and the design cost is now being looked at.

The Government of Montserrat is putting more funds into the National Development Foundation (NDF), through another grant from the Department for International Development (DFID) for the business organization. Overall two million dollars will be channeled through the NDF to support businesses in the private sector, mainly in the form of loans and training.

Officials say this input by the government is expected to generate employment, expand businesses, and stimulate the economy.

The Government is to embark on major infrastructure rehabilitation projects this year, according to officials from the PWD. Some of the projects will include the rehabilitation of the Salem Secondary School.. A tender has already been appointed for the work, which includes finishing the new blocks to protect them against rain damage. A number of buildings will also be re-roofed and windows repaired. Part of the rehabilitation process is the modernization of the Cudjoe Head Clinic. This building is considered run down and not suitable for the provision of current day medical care. The building will get a general face-lift and new equipment will be installed. Other projects that will come on stream shortly are a new fire station at Brades, offices for the Housing Unit and the Land Development Authority at Brades, thirty houses for the elderly at Look Out and the extension and modernization of the St. Peters Clinic. A An dditional sum of 4.9 million dollars has been approved to upgrade road infrastructure. Officials at the Public Works Department say the money will help with the completion of outstanding work which include, the completion of the Davy Hill Drainage, the road at the Golden Years home in Brades, Look out to New Windward and at Look out. So far Tenders are have been received for the Davy Hill Drainage project and the works are to be implemented as soon as possible. Survey work has been undertaken on the Golden Years access road but the PWD is awaiting advice from the Physical Planning Unit with respect to land acquisition/access. Officials say the more road surfacing is to take place at Look Out as soon as the paver gearbox is repaired. Final inspection of the remaining completed works was scheduled to take place last week.

The Economic Commission of Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has been invited to conduct a study here to determine the impact of immigrant labour on the island. The Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt issued the invitation during a meeting in Trinidad last weekend. He said a team from ECLAC will visit Montserrat to conduct the study, which will determine the cost on the education and health sectors. The volcanic crisis forced the migration of most skilled Montserratians. As a result foreign workers, mainly from CARICOM Member states have filled the gap. ECLAC, which was established by the United Nations in 1975, has already assisted Montserrat in the area of tourism. Last year it completed a study that looked at ways of developing the tourism industry.

The Twin-island State, rich in natural resources, wants to play an import part in Montserrat’s redevelopment. This was a result of a meeting in Trinidad last weekend by the Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt. Mr. Brandt says the government of Montserrat will draw up a list of needs that will be submitted to the Trinidad Government. One of the likely areas of assistance is bitumen for road works but Mr. Brandt says Montserrat should also benefit from Trinidad and Tobago’s technical expertise in a number of technical areas.

Talks are expected to be held shortly with the government and private sector in Port of Spain.

The Ministry of Finance is requesting applications for a Sub-Postmaster at Lookout.The position for which the main duties are to receive outgoing mails and distribute incoming mails to villagers and sell postage stamps. The appointment of the sub-postmaster is just one of the steps taken by the government to help the Look Out community. Other developments are to follow shortly including the opening of a primary school and recreational facilities such as tennis and multipurpose courts.

The Montserrat population have reached the 5000 mark and is rising slowly. The increase is a result of Montserratians returning home from overseas where they have been relocated due to the volcanic crisis. However figures also show that population grew mainly from the inflow of migrant workers from the neighbouring Caribbean Islands. In October 1997 the population was 3,338 at height of the assisted relocation packages to the United Kingdom and Caribbean Islands.

Manager of the Montserrat Water Authority Mr Michael Dubbery retired on Thursday April 6, 2000. Members of the Board of Directors, staff and well wishers congregated at the Tropical Mansions Suites to say farewell to Mr. Dubbery who has been at the Water Authority for over 37 years. He rose from field commander to manager while earning the respect of his colleagues in the process. Short remarks were made by the Chief Minister acting Minister for Communications and Works the Honorable David Brandt, who praised Mr Dubbery and the Water Authority for sustaining excellent service to the community through out the duration of the volcanic crisis. A feat he noted was achieved under the astute leadership of Mr. Dubbery. Remarks also were Made by Mr Eugine Skerritt Chairman of the Board of Directors and Mr CT John Financial Sceretary, who said, "The journeyman is an example for senior managers in the public service."

Members of the farmers association met with a consultant from the Department for International Development earlier this week. Mr. Allan Tollervy was on island for the past five days on a fact finding mission. In a meeting with the farmers, assistance to the critical sector, which has suffered a number of setbacks over the past few years including damage by Hurricane Lenny, which cost the industry over one million in losses was discussed.

According to reports the main thrust of the meeting was that there was too much delay in the implementation of projects. It was agreed that roads, shelters and irrigation are the top priorities for farmers at this moment. Members of the farmers association was also urged to work together to achieve these priorities and access other types of assistance.

Hon. David Brandt, Hon. Brunel Meade

Despite the court case, valuation of the properties have been carried out by a professional surveyor and once the legal matters are resolved, the houses would be offered for sale to the occupants. He went on to say that the government is looking seriously at the development of Look Out into a community. Plans are being advanced for the establishment of a commercial zone in the area to facilitate trade. He also said plans have already been drawn up for this zone, which will be located above the Look Out School. Chief Minister Brandt said funds have been approved for the construction of two tennis courts and a multi-purpose court also at Lookout..

He announces that funds are also available to the National Development Foundation to build offices and a business training facility in Look Out. The Government also plans to build a day care center and nursery school and open a primary school in the area later this year.

Added to that a post office will be opened.

In his address to the gathering Minister with responsibility for Lands Brunel Meade said he will discuss Montserrat’s housing needs with British officials in London this week. One of the main aim of the talks is the development of the second phase of the Look Out Housing Project.

According to government, plans are being made for several acres of land to be sub-divided into one hundred lots and distributed for housing construction under several schemes including the soft mortgage scheme and the materials grant programme. My Department of Housing is looking at ways to improve the houses at Look Out. The minister with for housing said and progress has been made on the upgrading some of the properties by covering the porch, which is now open. He said this space could be used for several purposes and would enhance the quality of the property. Price quotations have already been received and the design cost is now being looked at. During the question and answering period residents complained that from time to the offensive odor that escapes from the plant which affects their comfort and possibly their health. The Honourable Minister with responsibility for housing Brunel Meade says the authorities are trying to solve the problem. Minister Meade expressed his regret that the people in Look Out are experiencing this health hazard. He said a company was contacted in Miami to supply parts that was needed to make the sewage plant operate more effectively. He was surprised that the problem is still occurring but the matter will be discussed with the MWA and the Ministry of Communications and works.

The Montserrat Union of Teachers MUT is taking part in a global campaign to draw attention to problems in education. As part of the campaign "Global Week of Action" is being observed from April 3^rd to 9^th. The week of action will take place in national capitals around the world.

In Montserrat the MUT will show a video on local access on Saturday April 8th, make a radio broadcast, host a call-in programme on Wednesday April 5th on the topic "In pursuance of Quality Education for all." On April 11^th the MUT will also hold a workshop for teachers on leadership skills. The facilitators will be recently trained fellows Inez Fenton and Calvin Riley.

Montserrat’s Soufriere Hills Volcano, long regarded as the best-monitored volcano in the world, is taking the international spotlight again. A film crew from Pioneer Productions is currently on island filming a documentary on one of the most closely watched volcanoes.

Director Patrick Flemming, who heads a four-man crew, says the documentary will be aired on the Learning Channel and the British Broadcasting Corporation Channel 4.

The Honourable Minister of Health Adelina Tuitt says there will be minimal increases in hospital fees. The increase is expected to boost government revenue but Mrs. Tuitt says the impact on residents would not be great. She says the increases in some cases would be less than three dollars and some sections of the community still would not need to pay. In other Ministerial news, the Department of Community Services is pleased with the outcome of the first get together of the elderly last Wednesday. The event was the first one under the Social Interaction for the Elderly Project and Community Development. Officer Bernadine Collins said all the objectives were met. Miss Collins also said the next social event is planned for June but there will be two more before the end of the year.

Streets in the new housing settlements in Davy Hill and Look Out have been given their names.

Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chief Minister Salas Hamilton said the committee headed by Dr. Franklyn Perkins has submitted its recommendations to Government for its approval.

Mr. Hamilton says the names were drawn from prominent Montserratians, fauna, animals and volcanic terms.

A press conference was called by the Chief Minister the Honorable David Brandt to discuss his participation in the 18^th meeting of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Caribbean Development and Cooperation (CDC) held in Trinidad April 1, 2000. Montserrat is not a member but can benefit just like the independent countries and have the same right at meetings according to the CM. ECLAC is important to Montserrat because we are a small country and do not have experts in many areas and cannot afford to train persons in all areas. We benefit because ECLAC & CDC supply us with such experts at their own cost without an extraordinary amount of formal application.

ECLAP have assisted many Caribbean countries with research, for example they have assisted Antigua with a study to find out what is the impact of expatriate workers on the island. The CM went on to say that we have made application to have them come to Montserrat to assist us to find out what impact foreign workers are having on island, how many to take, what type of workers to encourage to come to the island and things of that nature. According to the CM they will also assist us with setting statistical systems to help us with planning because we have been very short on statistical information. They have already supplied us with a Tourism Consultant and a report for which we have asked for help to implement the project. Chief Minister Brandt said that he was quite please that he attended the meeting and at a later date he will inform the other ministries and the private sector of help that is available to us from ECLAC & CDC.

Trinidad and Tobago have asked for a list of things that they might be able to assist us with, and many other persons or groups at the meeting have committed themselves to coming to Montserrat, to see first hand the devastation of the volcano and how they can help us.

During the question and answer segment of the press conference the CM replied to a question about Montserrat being unable to access funds from international bodies because of the its British dependence status. " Let me say we do have a union with all of Caricom." He further explained that when nations are unable to deal directly with us, the money is channeled through Caricom and we benefit. During the Dominica Independence Celebrations late last year the CM explained to another question, he met the Taiwan Ambassador and sought assistance from them. They wanted to come to Montserrat but Foreign Affairs comes under His Excellency. CM said he had to apprise the Governor of the matter who in tern wrote to his superiors in England, who replied that as a Government we should not have any formal relationship with the Taiwanese. The CM said he then invited the Taiwanese to the island as his guest and they came, carried out a survey, and were ready to give support to farmers and fishermen. Britain he said is now insisting that it cannot be done government to government and suggest that we find some organisation through which it can be done. CM indicated that the case will be put to the Taiwanese, but he feels they are more interested in dealing directly with the Government and not some private organisation.

The Chief Minister said that there are many more areas in which the Taiwanese can help us but like many other counties who would like to help us, cannot because we are a dependent territory. We are denied that help he said. Another example the CM gave, was in relation to the debt owed on the port. He said "In the Caribbean Development Bank Meeting there were debts owed by Montserrat on the port ext. and Canada was saying, We are not agreeing for the debt to be forgiven, because if we do we will be helping Britain, because it is Britain responsibility. It’s true that the Montserratians might benefit, but it’s Britain who will be forgiven the debt, and we don’t feel that we should forgive the debt to Britain.

Answering a question which is often asked about Britain standing in our way and claiming that they are not, the CM replied. "Let me say that I will be greatful if you put this specific issue with the Taiwanese to the Governor, and ask him. Wouldn’t you say that, that is standing in the way? And here what answer he will gives you. Certainly from my point of view that is obstruction." The CM explain that as long as we remain a dependent territory they, the British will be responsible for foreign affairs. Recently he said, to attend a meeting in Guadeloupe of Government Heads, permission had to be sought from Britain for a representative from Montserrat to be sent. He said also that if persons from Montserrat attend a meeting and Britain is also at the meeting, Montserrat must be represented by the British Minister and Montserrat then becomes part of their delegation.

In answering another question the CM said that, several request have been made to the British Embassy on behalf of some Montserratians who have relocated to the United States because of the volcanic crisis and they have assisted them to have a right of stay in the USA. He pointed out that the Government is now approaching the British to find out if they can be given citizenship, or a Green Card because several students have graduated and would like to work, and may be turned down because they do not have a Green Card.

There were many other points and issues raised by the Chief Minister at the press conference and the entire conference could be heard on ZJB.

Am I more ready to judge others than to love them? - Marthe D. Curry

(Editor's Note -- Following are excerpts from an article, with the headline above, which appeared on  Sci/Tech, BBC News Online, Feb. 19, 1999. It was accompanied by a volcano picture of ashy Plymouth with the caption, "The ash that fell on Montserrat could cause deadly disease )
The lessons learned from the explosive volcanic eruptions on Montserrat will help protect people around the world from future disasters, say volcanologists.

Better predictions will be possible thanks to the detailed scientific information that was gathered on the Caribbean island.

But their studies have also shown that unusual volcanic ash means the people of Montserrat face a continuing and serious threat to their health, despite the volcano being relatively quiet at the moment.

The ash contains a form of the mineral quartz which can cause the lung disease silicosis. Tiny particles of dust become embedded in the lungs, eventually leading to suffocation.

<---Richard Robertson is the Director at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory and told BBC News Online: "This means we'll have to think carefully about where people will live in future on the volcano. We'll have to make sure the ash has been cleared and that it will not be impacted by ash on a long-term basis."

The research, published in Science, shows that the ash from lava dome eruptions is particularly dangerous.

The tiniest particles in the ash contained up to 24 percent of the quartz mineral, up to five times more than in the associated lavas on the island. This is also over double the concentration found in the ashes from the Mount St. Helen's eruption in Washington State in 1980.

The team of UK scientists also showed that activities such as driving, sweeping and children playing broke up clusters of the dust throwing the dangerous particles back into the air."

The foregoing is the first part of the article and the other section is under a subhead "Intense monitoring."We cannot avoid bringing you the following taken from the internet at "Thrive On Line - Health"

General Information

Silicosis

DEFINITION--Inflammation of the lung due to breathing silica (quartz) dust. Silicosis is the most common form of pneumoconiosis (a group of lung diseases caused by inhaling certain mineral dusts).

BODY PARTS INVOLVED--Lungs.

SEX OR AGE MOST AFFECTED--Men and women over age 40.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS

Early symptoms:

• Shortness of breath.
• Cough that produces little or no sputum.
• General ill feeling.

Late symptoms:

• Fitful sleep; appetite loss.
• Chest pain; hoarseness.
• Coughing blood.
• Symptoms of heart failure; bluish nails.

CAUSES--Chronic inhalation of small particles of free crystalline silica (silicon dioxide). Usually takes 20 to 30 years of exposure, but possibly less than 10 years if exposure is extremely high.

RISK INCREASES WITH

• Work such as mining, granite-cutting, manufacturing pottery, metal-grinding, tunneling and sand-blasting.
• Poor nutrition; smoking.

HOW TO PREVENT

• During exposure to silica, wear a protective mask or external-air-supplied hood.
• Don't smoke.
• Participate in a regular physical exercise program to maintain cardiopulmonary fitness.

From the Complete Guide to Symptoms, Illness & Surgery by H. Winter Griffith, M.D. © 1995 The Putnam Berkley Group, Inc.;

FARMERS CORNER

By Justin "Hero" Cassell - Agricultural Development Officer

(Week ending 7^th April, 2000)

Dog Damage Estimated to be EC $201,600

Small livestock producers continue to suffer great losses due to damage caused by stray dogs.

The Department of Agriculture is requesting the full cooperation of dog owners and other members of the general public in eradicating the stray dog problem on island.

1. Physical damage to small ruminants (goats and sheep) from bites.
2. Infections as a result of bites wounds i.e. -- tetanus and clostridium infections
3. Death of animals

Approximately 1,200 small livestock were destroyed by dogs over the past two years. This translates into an economic loss of EC $201.600, (28,800 lbs of mutton at $7 per pound).

Permanent Secretary, Miss Ann Marie Dewar, and the Technical Staff of the Department of Agriculture held an extensive meeting this week to review measures employed by animal wardens in dealing with the problem of stray dogs.

I am extremely happy to report that a wide variety of locally grown vegetables are available at this time.

Consumers will be pleased to note that among the vegetables available in the market place are Tomato, Cabbage, Lettuce, Cucumber, Okra, Cauliflower, Irish & Sweet Potato, Dasheen, Carrot, Spinach, Christophene, Pumpkin, Season Pepper, Onion and Broccoli.

Final arrangements are in place for a number of donkeys to be shipped to St. Lucia. The animals are expected to leave on the MV Cimbria on April 15^th. Shipment of the donkeys came as a result of a humane gesture on the part of The World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA), who will be absorbing all the expenses as it relates to the shipment of donkeys to St. Lucia.

Veterinary Officer Dr. Clifford Daniels is appealing yet again to livestock owners to cooperate with the animal census and tagging programme. Dr. Daniels is extremely grateful to livestock owners for the support and cooperation received so far.

THIS WEEK WITH THE NURSES

Topic: Distension And Tenderness Of The Abdomen

Distension of the abdomen may be caused by the presence of gas or fluid in the abdomen. It is interesting to note that without realizing it, some people develop the habit of swallowing air. Also quantities of air are produced within the stomach and intestine which result from the fermentation of food, i.e physical and clinical change induced by food in the process of digestion.

Normally the gas that is accumulated is released by belching or by passing flatus through the rectum. This kind of distension is known as flatulence. It is also important to know that some food that we eat are known to cause flatulence, e.g. cabbage, celery, cucumbers, onions, pears, peppers, beans and broccoli. In addition, carbonated and alcoholic drinks, nervousness, anxiety and chewing gum also promote to swallowing of air and cause flatulence.

Furthermore, distension of gas within the stomach and intestine may also occur in illness such as gastritis, intestinal obstruction, celiac disease, sprue and serious condition of the ileus. On the other hand, distension of the abdomen because of accumulation of fluid in the peritoneal cavity, referred to as ascitis, may occur as a complication of certain diseases, e.g. congestive heart failure, glomerulonephritis or inflammation of the glomerulus, cirrhosis of the liver, abdominal and thoracic cancer.

The second symptom, tenderness of the abdomen, occurs in conditions where there is acute inflammation of the abdomen, e.g. acute appendicitis. In such conditions the abdominal wall overlying the inflamed area becomes very sensitive, especially to touch.

When experiencing any of these symptoms please contact your nurse or doctor at once.

I began my nursing career in 1987 when I enrolled in the Nursing Assistant Programme. Nursing is a profession that is challenging. It is not for those who are just looking for a job; you have to be committed to be a Nurse.

I enjoy what I do as a nurse and it is my goal to further my studies in Nursing, especially in the area of paediatric nursing.

In the meantime I will continue to perform my duties to the best of my ability and to serve the public as efficiently as possible.

Men's Attitudes About Sex

By Dr. Bernie Zilbergeld from "The New Male Sexuality"

Two weeks ago we carried the article "Men Have a Distinctive Style of Expressing Love." In a series we continue with the following. We will follow-up with such titles as 'Variety for Variety's Sake', Concern with Performance…

Men's attitudes about sex are different than women's. Duh?!?

Before getting to the specifics of men's style of sex, I want to share several ideas with you. We men have taken a lot of heat in recent years for our attitudes about sex. We are told that we are obsessed with sex, especially sex without love and commitment, that we push too hard for it and in inappropriate ways both in new and old relationships, and that we pout when we don't get what we want. Such attitudes, we are told, are immature and maybe downright sick. But I think the criticisms themselves are wrongheaded and destructive. Males can't help having their attitudes, which are probably due at least as much to physiology as to learning. Sex, after all, is life affirming, and there's no point in feeling bad about that.

Sex is not only life-affirming, but life itself. I find it fascinating that so many people who take such great joy and pride in the birth of a new child find it so hard to acknowledge, let alone celebrate, what made that new life possible. But a sperm-shooting penis in a vagina is exactly what it took. If we felt better about sex, we might find male attitudes easier to accept.

I think there's a lot to be admired in men's, especially boys' and young men's, attitude toward sex. They are wonderfully curious, enthusiastic, and exuberant about it, and they're willing, to pay enormous prices to pursue the subject.

A number of times, I have watched a group of two, three, or four boys at a bookstore looking at Playboy or Penthouse. The only word that comes to mind to describe what I saw is charming. There's something truly wonderful about it, a lot of what I'd call good energy. I rarely sensed any disparagement of women. The same was true in my high school days when we boys passed around novels with explicitly sexual descriptions. Desire, curiosity, and great enthusiasm, but really no ugly feelings toward girls or women. With testosterone virtually running our minds and bodies, we wanted to learn everything we could about the doing of sex, and we looked forward with great excitement and anticipation to the acts themselves.

What does present a problem is that the girls these boys pair up with are coming from a different place. While most boys report mainly positive feelings about their first sexual experience -- at least relief that they finally had it -- many girls don't feel so good about it. It's as if sex happened to them while they were thinking of something else. The boys feel good because they got something they wanted. The girls, on the other hand, don't feel as good because they aren't sure they wanted to do what they did. Perhaps it is true, as so many parents and others have charged, that we ought somehow to stop boys and young men from putting so much pressure on girls and young women. But there's an equally valid case to be made for allowing females to take a more lively interest in sex. Why should girls and women who are sexually active have to worry about their reputations, when boys and men don't? But making this kind of change assumes that we really believe willing participation in sex is life-affirming and healthy.

As mentioned earlier, women tend to see sex as part of a larger context. The emotional context is crucial, but another important component of this context or process is touching. They like touching of all sorts. It's a way of expressing many things -- caring, support, love, lust -- and they like to be touched here, there, and everywhere. They tend not to like immediate and exclusive concentration on genitals. In a study of sexual fantasies, women were much more likely than men to focus on nongenital caressing and touching and much more likely to take their time getting to explicit sexual activity. Women see no reason for hurrying through a pleasurable experience. If it feels so good, why not prolong the pleasure?

Women are perturbed that touching is so often seen as sexual by men. As one woman put it: "I'd like to just snuggle sometimes without him thinking we have to go on to sex. Why do men take every kind of physical contact as a sexual advance?"

Men are a bit different in the touching department. They often view touching as merely a means to an end, and go for the genitals and orgasm as quickly as possible. A lifelong bachelor summed up this difference like so: "I've concluded that in sex women are more interested in the foreplay and after-play, while men, or at least this man, is more interested in what happens between those two events."

Sometimes it seems to women that men are focused on orgasm to the exclusion of all else. Although today's woman tends to like orgasm as well, it's not the be-all and end-all for her that it is for a man, and she can enjoy sex without it. But many men can't accept this -- largely, I think, because they themselves don't enjoy sex much except for orgasm.

It's not that men don't enjoy touch -- after all, many men adore having their backs and necks rubbed -- but in sex they often just forget about it in their haste to get down to business and orgasm. But this is an area in which chance is relatively easy. Many men have learned to touch more and to enjoy it more.

Dr. Avery stated his piece,

Thus causing some ire to increase;

It may be too late

To spare him the fate

Of the Burriss remembered as Rhys.

Unless DFID moves to dilute

Its 'no kids under 12' statute,
Antigua will house

The babe and his spouse,

And Simon will have to commute.

Jus wonderin why the Port staff don't rebel over the pigsty conditions, especially when it rains.

Jus wonderin when the Chief Indian will plastic the green vegetable and when he will bring back the Deli.

Jus wonderin if the bugs found at the house in Shinlands will march over to the School

Jus wonderin when they're going to give the school yard a facelift, a janitor and yard man to assist with maintenance at Brades

Jus wonderin if it’s because they don’t have children in the schools why the official in the ministry shows no interest.

Jus wonderin if these public officials love children or they're really just in the business for the money.

Jus wonderin when those at bottom Lookout sit and mind people business will learn to cook a decent meal.

Jus wonderin how much person is that good in cooking that when they cook rice & peas, the peas remain at the bottom at the rice on top. Wow!!

Jus wonderin why they don't remove the six cannons from the Governor's house in Plymouth and transfer them to the safe area.

Jus wonderin if the broadcast driver knows that his MSS involvement could land him in jail.

Jus wonderin how school children are allowed to drive out and around in government vehicle other than school bus.

Jus wonderin when the ministry will deal with the adult men visiting the children in school.

Jus wonderin if it is the tellers why some the Banks usually look like a train station.

Jus wonderin what happen to the $5 per month story.

Jus wonderin if it is because the island is so small why the Cudjoe Head Police station isn't in use, when Lookout is so far from Salem.

Jus wonderin how the # 1 shopkeepers on Montserrat goin stop people from going to Antigua when the price of Food is almost the price of a car.

Jus wonderin if it is not time for the government show respect for culture and take it out of the Food Voucher office.

Jus wonderin which tour guide took all the spoilt bread from the Salem supermarket shelf.

Jus wonderin when Health Department is going to protect us from outdated food.

Jus wonderin if it is true they hijack the COS plan to set up their own studio to start his campaign.

Jus wonderin what the prefab building in the GHQ plan in the Car Park really for.

Jus wonderin how government stimulating the economy with the disgraceful rocky roads on the GHQ compound that smashing up everybody car.

Jus wonderin why we so spiteful to one another and if we can't see that dat is what really killing all ah we.

Jus wonderin when they will stop punishing the competent .

Jus wonderin why the COM trying so hard to frustrate and embarrass the COC.

Jus wonderin wha goin happen to de people in Lookout who sleep in de night fu de barking of dogs.

Jus wonderin if the lady children overseas can't work and support themselves and them mother.

Jus wonderin who is the lady in St. Peters that picking up pig food

Jus wonderin if de female worker daughter will treat her in time to come like how she treat her father and she was shame why she catch de ferry on Friday

Jus wonderin if she know dat she pretty don't mean a thing. The Bible say love your father and your mother dat your days may be longer.

Jus wonderin when the instruments at the Government Dental Department will be reinstated, since they have been out of operation since 1993.

Just wonderin what the nurses are being paid if it's to do scale and polish only.