A 10-member group led by Geese Lines, Freight Sales Director, David Fawcett OBE and including officials from companies of the British High Commission, Officials in Barbados and trade advisory group CARIFAT, completed a one-day trade mission to Montserrat on Wednesday. The day has been hailed a success by both members of the mission and local businesses.

Included in the British Trade Mission was Mr. Rudi Page, managing director of Statecraft Consulting Ltd., in association with whom the mission to Montserrat was organised by the Caribbean Britain Business Council and CARITAG.

Mr. Rudi Page, managing director of Statecraft Consulting Ltd

The mission, sponsored by British Trade International and the Geest Line, will also visit Antigua, Anguilla, Dominica and Grenada between 8^th - 17^th May.

The mission met with HE the acting Governor Howard Fergus and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce and held an interaction with what Mr. Fawcett described as a "full turnout" of senior local businessmen on Wednesday afternoon. "The enthusiasm that we received generated us and we are highly delighted," he said.

David Fawcett with Annie Dyer-Howe and Cedric Osborne

Mr. Fawcett said everything had gone extremely well and "we are very, very pleased."

Other partners in the mission spoke very briefly of their companies' involvement in the Caribbean and of their products. Haani Cables Ltd's export executive Haani UL Hasnain ,spoke of their electrical cables which they hope will soon find their way into Montserrat. Area Sales Manager Michelle Longman said she was more than pleased to have found American Standard bathroom fixtures and fittings for hotels and homes at the venue for the occasion, Tropical Mansion Suites. She represents Ideal Standard Ltd., of which American Standard is a part.

Chief Executive Officer John Bowers of Bowers Consulting said he was happy to be back in Montserrat, having been here on twice before, when his company was involved in building both the WH Bramble Airport and Glendon Hospital. He expressed his sadness that neither is now available for use.

Julian Beale, director of Wilkinson & Gaviller Ltd., said he hoped to see the Land Rovers of the company he represents in Montserrat on his next visit.

All of them expressed appreciation at the welcome they received and considered the visit a success. "The government officials were able to provide some information to us to enable us to understand the problems of Montserrat, the redevelopment," Mr. Fawcett said.

He said he was particularly pleased because he will take back much in the way of information to try and determine a way to get freight from the UK into Montserrat, even if it means subsidising the effort for a short period at the beginning. He also said the Geese Lines presently go to Martinique, Antigua, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, Dominica and Trinidad.

Hadford St. C. Howell MBE, Co-ordinator Trade Promotion (EC) from the British High Commission in Barbados, was with the group. He revealed to the Reporter that British exports to the Caribbean totaled about £1 billion, with the East Caribbean being second only to Puerto Rico at about £150 million. He said it is his responsibility to coordinate trade efforts from Grenada in the South to Anguilla and St. Maarten, including the French departments.

Sue Monteith discussing opportunities with local business people

Local businessman Mr. Kenny Cassell said he, too, was quite pleased at what we were able to learn from the visit and particularly at the prospects of an improved freight service to Montserrat from the UK.

Two stinging reports by Her Majesty's Government (HMG) DFID Select Committee, filed in November 1997 and July 1998, led to the in-depth Evaluation Study of HMG’s Response to the Montserrat Emergency.

DFID’s Evaluation Department commissioned the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), London, to undertake this study, with Dr. Edward Clay as Team Leader and six technical specialists. These specialists had been recruited to participate on the basis of relevant subject and regional expertise, covering civil engineering, economics and financial analysis, health, nutrition, social development and volcanology.

Last October, when we first reported on this development, we learnt that "To ensure complete independence, none of the team has been involved previously in any aspect of the Montserrat Emergency."

The study was to cover the first three years of the crisis, from July 1995 up to the time the team visited Montserrat in November 1998. It had already begun some months before when the team visited Montserrat.

It is certain now that any study of HMG's handling of Montserrat during this crisis would have little difficulty in finding that HMG faltered badly, especially after the 19 deaths from the volcano, when Secretary of State Miss Clare Short described Montserrat’s requests as nearly asking for "golden elephants."

The report was expected to have been ready in May last year, but it surfaced only two weeks ago, dated December 1999, in two volumes. It was to have taken against six key criteria: appropriateness; cost effectiveness; impact; coverage; coherence; process and connectedness, all of which were reported on. The report listed seven, having separated process and connectedness.

Highlighted early and throughout the document were the sentiments capturing "an achievement for Montserratians and a qualified success for HMG."

The evaluation involved the following stages:

• initial desk study of all relevant papers;
• consultations with individuals and organisations concerned with the project, including field missions to collect data and interview those involved;
• preparation of a draft report which was circulated in June 1999 to HMG Departments involved in the response and the government of Montserrat;
• submission of the draft report to DFID's Portfolio Review Committee, to note the main conclusions and lessons to be learned.

Conclusions and Lessons was broken down under four headings:

A - An Achievement for Montserratians and a Qualified Success for HMG

B -HMG's Performance: Criteria for Emrgency Assessment

C -Natural Disaster Emergency Management (Some Lessons from HMG's Response)

D -Monitoring the volcano (Risk Assessment and volcano-seismic crisis management.

The first covered Risk Management, Governance, Resources: an adequate response? Under B: Use of scientific information, the seven criteria, consultation and public information, Social impact and coverage.

Good news for all fuel consumers came today from Government House and its offices at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), which has responsibility for supplying fuel to the island.

Throughout the volcanic emergency there has been one crisis or the other almost every month. Most recently motor vehicle owners purchased contaminated fuel which caused havoc to motor vehicles. The island, as a result, was without usable motor fuel for several days, forcing the cancellation of some entertaining events over the weekend.

There was much concern as to who would foot the bill for repairs which had to be met by many vehicle owners, especially when it seemed that neither the local fuel importers nor the suppliers were taking responsibility for supplying the tainted fuel to the island.

Today, Mr. Horatio Tuitt, director at the EOC, says that a settlement is near at hand. He said the matter is being handled by the Attorney General's Office, but in the meantime owners whose vehicles suffered damage as a result of usingthe contaminated fuel should register their names with a view to receiving some compensation in due course.

He commented further on a release issued today from Government House which said: "The Department for International Development (DFID) signed a contract with DAMUS Caribbean Ltd, a Trinidad-based company, for the design and construction of a new LPG facility at the Carr’s Bay fuel terminal."

new facilty will replace these LPG containers

The director said "this means that we will soon be able to stop calling people's names on the radio to collect their LPG bottles. It will eliminate the need to register. All bottles will be able to be filled on island and consumers will be able to come to the bulk tank and purchase their gas."

The project is said to be valued at $1.5 million and will allow for the "safe storage of up to three months' supply, thus forming part of Montserrat's strategic fuel reserves."

The project, which is expected to be completed by November this year, will allow bulk supplies to be discharged at sea directly into the pressure pipe manifold built parallel to the existing diesel and petrol delivery system.

It will be very interesting indeed to observe what outcome, if any, there will be when the DFID Evaluation Report has made its rounds in Government circles and with some hesitancy, the civil service. We would hope that each Minister and indeed each elected member will have a comment.

It is difficult to figure who had the most influence or received any good standing in the report, since the "qualified success" it meted out to Her Majesty's Government (HMG) is very qualified indeed.

Very notable however, is the fact that nearly every adverse criticism, finding or fault leveled by Dr. Edward Clay's team at HMG, DFID, and Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) is shared in some way by Government of Montserrat (GoM).

In our editorial after we learnt of this Evaluation Study by the Overses Development Institute (ODI) London, we stated: "Montserratians will hope that this team will recognise and report that the crisis, involving the immediate dangers and risks to their people and the loss of 80 percent of the country’s assets, should have taken precedence over any and everything happening anywhere else in the world."

We said also to one of the key criterion, the coherence of the overall policy and co-ordination between DFID, FCO, Government of Montserrat and OGDs; also the appropriateness of the overall response…that " there is much to discover in these areas as well as the others which make up the criteria of the study.

It was felt that the team's visit should be a welcome one, since without an actual on-the-ground study and enough time, the problems experienced from the crisis will never be truly understood.

The study refers to the period even outside of its study, since it is dated December 1999, and notes that there are projects still not implemented, such as the soft mortgage scheme and others plagued by undetermined delays.

This report, like several other documents before it -- such as the Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) and the Country Policy Plan (CPP) -- reflects "the loss of 95 percent of its productive base," (CPP), "the economy is virtually non-existent," (EVRep), "total economic devastation," and on and on.

We have not yet heard a situation where the ministers of government have come out as one. There is total silence in some instances, even contradiction and ignorance. The result of this, of course, is that little strategy is developed out of reports like those we are shouting about or efforts of the Select Committee that can benefit our recovery from an economic graveyard of ashes and mud.

A little while back one of our editorials suggested that the idea of developing trade with Britain could only be good business sense. We are grateful, therefore, to Mr. Rudi Page, Statecraft Consulting Ltd. managing director, whose foresight and interest in his work with Montserrat encouraged the British Trade Mission to visit Montserrat.

Do we have the structure in government or in the Chamber of Commerce to follow through? Who will come up with the study that will show how this can be beneficial? We don't believe it requires any specific expertise, but an understanding of how money works and what is unique for Montserrat, especially in these difficult times.

What representation does it require for any community, nation, island, country that, as reported by Dr. Clay's team, has approximately 90 percent of its population relocated at one point or another, its private sector collapsing, an economy that is virtually non-existent, to impress on anyone that the people of Montserrat (though various impacts have been unequal) have lost the ability to pay their pay debts just or otherwise.

Member for Central Reuben Meade repeated his support for a forgiveness of income tax payments between 1996 and 1999. Taking into consideration the severe losses and hardship borne, it is difficult to understand his choice of the period. That may even be speculative. But the ODI team leaves no questions when it states: "The economy will not be viable in either the short or medium term without large-scale subventions."

Again the Honourable Reuben Meade need only point out the fourth distinctive theme that appears in the SDP, where HMG and GoM agree on: "Protecting the vulnerable and promoting social welfare," in any reference to the currently disastrous first phase of the Social Welfare program.

Dear Mr. Editor:

I am grateful that I have this opportunity to express my views concerning a Montserrat lottery. Playing the lottery can be very addictive.

Here in the USA there are many people who have become compulsive gamblers, not just going to the casinos, but also playing the lottery. It has destroyed a lot of people's lives, and not to mention what it has done to families.

It is true that the lottery is additional revenue for the states, but there are also centers for compulsive gamblers. Even though people are encouraged to play the lottery, there is also a warning that the Lottery Headquarters issue: "If you want to gamble please do it so that it does not cause a hardship to your family." People are also encouraged to seek help to overcome the addiction.

I think all the pros and cons for having a lottery in Montserrat should be investigated before deciding whether or not to introduce the lottery to Montserrat. And remember gambling also breeds crime.

A Montserratian in USA

Dear Mr Editor,

In the newspaper dated 5th May 2000, Jus Wonderin section, it said, "Jus wonderin why other people didn't talk about this sighting of the wonderful lion before." I would like to mention that I heard about this big cat many years ago when the new road was being put in from the North to the Airport. As a matter of fact I was still in school at the time.

Upon researching the Puma on the Internet, I found that they only live about 10-15 years and so this is probably an offspring of the original cat, Hence the size of it.

I don't know if it is possible for a Puma to breed with a Domestic cat. It will be interesting to see what the outcome of the Agriculture Department's investigations is. I will continue to read your paper every week via the Internet to find out.

Keep up the good work.

Sincerely,

Alison Hixon

Dear Mr Editor

Listening to Dr. Simon Young being interviewed on ZJB Radio last week, I was interested to learn of Dr. Gil Norton’s engagement to be married to one of her colleagues at the MVO. Furthermore, according to Dr.Young, this coupling is one more in a long list of romances between scientists working at the MVO.

The mind boggles at what has been going on at the MVO! Perhaps, instead of concentrating on sciesmic activity of the hybrid, tectonic or magmatic variety, it is simply a case of "Did the earth move for you as well, darling?"

Old Towne.

Dear Editor,

The members of the Rotary Club of Montserrat are saddened by the passing in Antigua of a long-time member and past president, George Piper.

Rotarian George was an activist in every sense of the word, whether on behalf of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in which he worshipped, the Rotary Club he constantly hoped to enlarge, the private sector organization he sought to vitalize, or the general community of the island he loved.

For those of us who admired George Piper's unwillingness to believe there was any problem for which a solution could not be found, it was especially sad to see him felled by an affliction for which medical science has failed to find one.

We, his fellow members of the Rotary Club of Montserrat, express our deepest sympathies to his entire family, business associates and host of friends as they grieve his loss.

Secretary

The poison of bitterness creates havoc in our own souls

We continue reflecting on the fact that unforgiveness takes a terrible toll on us –physically, mentally and spiritually. Somewhere I read that a rattlesnake, when cornered, will become so angry that it will bite itself. Biting oneself. It is foolish to think that we are just hurting others when we maintain an unforgiving attitude towards them. The poison of bitterness drops down into our own souls and there creates havoc.

At one time people used to think that to stubbornly maintain an attitude of unforgiveness towards someone was just unwise; that holding resentment made people difficult to get along with, but nothing much more.

Now we know the fallacy of that belief because so much research has been conducted into this subject that the evidence is overwhelming. A report recorded how doctors experimenting with rats discovered that after they had kept them angry for an extended period of time, an opaque film covered their eyes .The report states:

"One realises the accuracy of the expression ‘blind with rage.’An optician I read about has found that he can never examine the eyes of an angry person – such a person literally cannot see straight.

Those of you who have read Dante’s works may remember that he used this phase: "the wrathful travel in a cloud," fail to see straight physically; they are unable to see straight spiritually. Their outlook on life is distorted because their inner condition is affected by hate. It doesn’t make sense to remain unforgiving.

Grudges nursed eat like acid into the fabric of the soul.

"O God, I accept that good will brings harmony and peace and ill will brings disharmony and ineffectiveness. They paralyze both my soul and my body. Save me from clinging resentments. In Jesus' Name. Amen"

Following the volcanic activity, which devastated the island's physical sporting facilities and disrupted the sports program that was just beginning to show some impressive returns, Her Majesty's Governement and Government of Montserrat have been trying to satisfy the immediate sporting needs on the island.

It was on this background that the Honourable Rupert Weekes, acting in his capacity as Chief Minister, turned the soil yesterday at Lookout in a ground-breaking ceremony for a dual-purpose hard court to facilitate basketball and tennis.

The acting CM, in a brief address, repeated government's commitment to the development of sports with the Chief Minister leading the way, and said:

"We are now rebuilding and our children and communities must have access to hard courts and other means of recreation, sports and games. It is my opinion that with prudent management of our limited resources, we can once again provide avenues to harness sporting talent. We are a resilient people who are stronger because of the challenges faced. Our strength will once again be shown in sports as we are able to practice at home and even host competitions here."

Present at the brief ceremony were senior civil servants, along with Mr. Barry Kavanagh, who was welcomed by the way as the new DFID head in Montserrat, replacing Geoff Williams; Ian Young, also from DFID; members of the Development Unit, the sports department, the Lookout Community Group, a small group of residents, and public works workers.

Mr. Ian Young spoke on behalf of DFID, briefly expressing their satisfaction at being able to be a part of providing the hard courts.

The minister in his brief speech also revealed that other courts are to be constructed, one at Davy Hill -- which will be multipurpose for basketball and volley ball -- and two at Salem for tennis, netball and volleyball. He said these courts at Salem will have multipurpose markings.

Work on hard courts already underway

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, Brunel Meade, has said that his ministry and government have a strategy to provide housing for those people from the north who had housing needs even prior to the volcano, as well as persons overseas and with special needs.

Mr. Meade was answering a question on Tuesday at a press conference where he reported on his representation at the OECS heads meeting just completed in Grenada.

The question put by the Montserrat Reporter expressed public concern for those persons from the Day Time Entry Zone who have been waiting for the opportunity to return to their homes in Cork Hill, Weekes, Richmond Hill, Foxes Bay and neighbouring areas, following last year's downturn in volcanic activity. New dome growth, and the scientists' view in their latest scientific and hazard assessment of the volcano that "earlier estimates of a 3-5 year duration for the eruption should be revised upwards," make early return seem bleak.

The minister says that there is a comprehensive plan which will provide for all of these people in need of housing:

"In that strategy we liberalize the issue of housing provision by opening up not only to persons who have been dislocated from the restricted areas, having had their houses damaged and cannot return to them, but to include persons who have homes in the day time entry zone, persons which are overseas, special need persons, the sick, the infirm and such like the elderly, as well as persons who are relocated overseas and wishing to come back to either participate in the redevelopment program or to simply return back."

He said that the government was aware, "that even prior to that volcanic crisis, persons who were not affected by the volcanic crisis, such as those person living in the north, had indeed been suffering from vulnerable housing situations."

Last week the minister had said there had been approval for the go-ahead from the Department for International Development (DFID) of a project for at least 200 house lots to be opened up for development, along with land for roads, recreational facilities, commercial activities, drainage and sewage facilities.

President of the Montserrat Cricket Association (MCA) John Smith on Tuesday, 9^th May, 2000, issued a press release reporting his resignation from his office.

The hard-working Smith said in his release: "Over the past two months, there have been a number of incidents which, when viewed together, show a consistent lack of confidence amongst the Montserrat cricket community in my leadership of the association. I therefore notified my executive colleagues yesterday of my decision to resign as with immediate effect."

His resignation came on the eve of the Montserrat cricket team's departure to Anguilla for their first encounter in the 2000 Leeward Islands cricket tournament, following which they travel on to Tortola for their second match.

Smith told the Reporter, that suddenly he was not receiving the co-operation of even the players and the team manager, who expressed surprise at the news of the resignation.

A very disappointed John Smith said that matters took a real serious turn on Easter Monday while he was manning the bar at Salem Park, where he had arranged for a practice match in preparation for the tournament. He said he was the victim of several harsh racial attacks, among other serious and unfounded criticisms.

He ended his press release by thanking "all those who have assisted the association in any way during my tenure as President and wish my successor well in continuing the task of rebuilding cricket in Montserrat."

In surprising developments, popular Basil Chambers encouraged reaction to Smith's resignation on his Thursday morning ZJB show, resulting in an overwhelming telephone call-in from persons supporting the former president.

John Smith himself called in and said that one of the accusations leveled at him is that he did not delegate. Many of the callers stressed that he was seen as a very hard worker and pointed out that he seemed to receive very little support from other members of the association.

When asked if he would reconsider his position, Smith said that he appreciated the verbal support he had received, even from personal calls to him, but would like to see that support expressed tangibly.

A journalist from The Washington Times, a daily newspaper in the U. S. capital, spent a few days on island last week to write a Special Report on Montserrat. This report will be circulated among The Washington Times’ readers, including influential political, business and diplomatic leaders, and will be sent to organizations, businesses and people who have an interest in Montserrat. Additionally, this report will be published for one year on the newspaper’s website and will be distributed at important international political and business conferences.

The purpose of this special report is to reintroduce Montserrat to the world and let people know the island is open for business and tourism. This positive report will present the challenges Montserrat has had to face as well as the opportunities for the future, including residential and eco-tourism.

"This is an important opportunity to let the international community know that Montserrat not only still exists, but is a beautiful island with unique attractions, " says Ms. Zena Polin.

Ms. Polin is conducting interviews with the acting Governor, the Chief Minister and other influential political leaders in Montserrat, including representatives of DFID. The Government of Montserrat has shown enthusiasm and support for this important project. In addition to meeting with the public sector, Ms. Polin is interviewing business leaders to discuss the future of Montserrat.

When the Special Report on Montserrat is published this summer, it will be available from the Chief Minister’s office, as well as at www.washtimes.com

The Montserrat Cricket Association announce the following squad to travel to Anguilla and Tortola for the opening two matches in the 2000 Leewards tournament :

• Devon Williams (Captain)
• Tyrone Greenaway (Vice Captain)
• Gregory Willock
• Nesta Piper
• Lionel Baker
• Mark Stephanie
• David Lane
• Adrian Carty
• Jeff Lane
• Samuel Roache
• Sylvester Wade
• Oakland Graves
• Ingram Richman

Cedric Shiell is Manager.

The team returns on 22^nd May.

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- St Kitts and Nevis' Prime Minister, Dr. Denzil Douglas, on Saturday night hailed the late former Premier and Attorney General Sir Lee Moore as a man who strongly believed in the regional integration movement.
Sir Lee, 61, died in a New York hospital on Saturday after a prolonged illness. Sir Lee, who was Premier between 1979 and 1980 and Permanent Representative to the United Nations at the time of his death, was said to have been suffering from prostate cancer and was in a coma.

Dr. Douglas' tribute was quickly followed by expressions of loss and condolences from prominent figures throughout the region.
"Sir Lee was a man who strongly believed in the integration of the Caribbean, and saw the strengths and benefits of regionalism in forging paths of development in anticipation of the present global economy and challenges," Dr. Douglas said in a radio and television address to the nation.
"It is not surprising, therefore, that he was integrally involved in the creation of the Treaty of Basseterre which brought into being the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS).

"He was also at the forefront in a study leading to the enhancement of the region's premier political and economic organisation, the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) Secretariat."
Former Premier of Nevis, Simeon Daniel, on Monday expressed deep sadness at the passing of Sir Lee, his one time political opponent, saying that he had hoped that Sir Lee would have seen his dream of better relations between St. Kitts and sister island Nevis realised.
"He was a man who did not carry malice and he was always approachable. Even though his political principles were very different from mine, we always got on well outside of the political arena," Mr. Daniel told the Caribbean News Agency (CANA).

Expression of condolence quickly from around the region. Messages of sympathy came from: BVI Chief Minister Ralph O'Neal; Nevis Premier Vance Amory: Chief Minister Osbourne Fleming of Anguilla; Chief Minister David Brandt of Montserrat (see accompanying text); Lt Governor Antonie Solangier of Saba; Ambassador Katherine Chang of China; St Eustatius Senator and Member of Netherlands Antilles Parliament, the Hon Clyde van Putten, and Antigua's Leader of the Opposition, Baldwin Spencer, who is also Assistant General Secretary of the Antigua Workers Union.

Born in 1939 in St. Kitts and the father of 10, Sir Lee began his career as an Assistant Master at the St. Kitts and Nevis Grammar School in January 1958.
Having won a Leeward Islands Scholarship, Sir Lee, who was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours List this year, proceeded to University of London where be obtained a law degree from Kings College.

He lectured at Birmingham Polytechnic for a year between 1966 to 1967, before returning home to assume the post of Public Relations Officer to Premier of the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla Robert Bradshaw.

Comrade Moore, as he was affectionately called, was a man who held great commitment towards the socio-economic and political advancement of the people of St. Kitts and Nevis.
"He was a strong believer in the rights of the working class and fought always to ensure that the interests of the masses were always upheld. As president of the St. Kitts-Nevis Trades and Labour Union, from 1978 to the time of his passing, Comrade Moore worked tirelessly to enhance the social standards in order to ensure an improvement in the quality of life of the ordinary citizens of this land," said Prime Minister Douglas, leader of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party.

From 1971 to 1984, he was the parliamentary representative for Constituency Four, which was then Old Road to Sandy Point East.
He succeeded the late Premier Caleb Azariah Paul Southwell in May 1979, as Premier of the Associated State of St Kitts-Nevis and Anguilla.
In more recent times, Sir Lee's appointments included the following: (1979) political leader of the St Kitts-Nevis Labour Party; (1995) general consul to the Federal Government of St Kitts and Nevis and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

St Vincent, CANA - Heads of government of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) supported the idea of sending troops from the Regional Security System to St. Vincent and the Grenadines during recent street protest and industrial action to force the government's resignation.

Speaking at a news conference at the ET Joshua Airport following his arrival late Friday from the OECS Heads of Government meeting in Grenada, Prime Minister Sir James Mitchell told members of the local and regional media that his colleagues were firm that his government should not be brought down through protest action, as this would set a bad precedent in the Caribbean, and said he supported an imposed state of emergency.

He said he informed the OECS leaders this would be done as a last resort, as he was inclined to handle the matter through a process of dialogue.
"They themselves recognised all of our cities in the Caribbean can be blocked by a few cars or a few loads of rubbish -- today for me, tomorrow for you -- so they were not prepared to countenance that," the Vincentian leader stated.
Sir James was reporting on the outcome of talks which led to the signing early Friday of the Grand Beach Accord, an agreement between the government and anti-government protesters that provides for the holding of early general elections here by March next year.
The agreement was reached after negotiations between Sir James and opposition leader Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, whose Unity Labour Party (ULP) has played a central role in the street protests over the past two weeks.
Pressure was bought to bear on government to force early general elections over dissatisfaction with the passage of a bill granting increased retirement benefits to Members of Parliament.
Sir James said the talks concluded amiably and he felt the compromise reached was "in the interest of our country, in the interest of peace and stability and to show the world that young as we are, we are an emerging democracy and we can go forward".
Elections are unlikely to be held before the new year, as the Vincentian leader wants to ensure there is tranquility going into the Christmas season.

Meanwhile this week, there were some mixed reactions among some former opposition and leaders of OECS members countries who were critical of the agreement brokered over St. Vincent, saying that it sets a bad precedent and could be bad for the future of politics in the region.

guard David Sanes Rodriguez, killed by a wayward bomb on April 19, 1999.
The protesters set up 14 camps on the base and another at its front gate, demanding the Navy end war games on Vieques permanently and return the two-thirds of the island it owns to Puerto Rico.
Puerto Rico is a self-governing U.S. commonwealth with about 3.8 million people. Vieques has about 9,300 residents.
Under an agreement reached between Washington and the Puerto Rican government in January, the Navy was allowed to resume bombing practice using dummy bombs and will hold a referendum to allow Vieques voters to decide if they want the military to leave permanently in three years.
The Navy has used the island for war games since 1941.
But the protesters, vowing "not one more bomb" would be dropped on Vieques, stubbornly refused to leave the base. On Thursday, U.S. authorities including FBI agents and U.S. Marshals moved in before dawn and arrested 216 protesters. They were processed and released without being charged.
Nelson said the Navy had rounded up eight additional protesters from the range since the arrests on Thursday -- four on Friday, two on Saturday and two early on Monday.
"We believe they were individuals that remained on the live impact area after the initial detentions," he said. "Our personnel are confident that from this morning they did not identify anyone else on the range."

"He is to receive surgery on Monday and I trust that God would take him through that operation in a successful way," Dr. Douglas told the nation. He did not disclose the nature of Sir Cuthbert's illness.
Sir Cuthbert was admitted to the Joseph N. France General Hospital in Basseterre on April 26, after complaining of feeling unwell.
His condition was stabilized and he was flown to Canada on May 1 where he is a patient at the University Hospital, Halifax, his alma mater.

The Thirty Second Meeting of the Authority of the OECS was held at the Grand Beach Resort in Grenada from Wednesday 3^rd to Friday 5^th May 2000. In attendance were Heads of Government of Antigua & Barbuda, Grenada, Dominica, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines and the British Virgin Islands. The Government of Montserrat was represented by the Minister of Agriculture and Housing and the Government of Anguilla by the Minister of Finance. The Government of Barbados as a specially invited guest was represented by the Minister of State in the Office of the Prime Minister. Institutions represented were the East Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). Other institutions whose representatives address the Meeting on specific issues were the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA), the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) and LIAT (1974) Ltd.

The Meeting commenced with a public opening ceremony at which addresses were delivered by Mr. Swinburne Lestrade, Director General of the Organisation, Outgoing Chairman the Hon. Roosevelt Douglas, Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica and Incoming Chairman Dr. the Hon. Keith Mitchell, Prime Minister of Grenada.

The Meeting received reports from the Director General and an Institutional Review Task Force and discussed a range of matters pertaining to the financing of the Organisation, Telecommunications, Policy Coordination, International Relations, Economic Development and Integration and Judicial Reform. In addition, the Heads of Government retired into caucus to discuss and resolve the situation in St. Vincent & the Grenadines and met with a Delegation from the Government of Cuba to exchange views on matters of mutual concern.

The Director General reported on the work of the Organisation over the past year, highlighting certain issues and developments that impacted on the performance of the Secretariat and presented recommendations that were aimed at enhancing the financial situation and operational effectiveness.

The OECS Institutional Review Task Force had been established a year ago by the Authority to examine and make recommendations on the institutional structure of the Organisation. The Meeting agreed with the major recommendations of the Task Force that pointed to the need to increase the efficiency of the delivery of services of the Secretariat and its associated agencies and the need to streamline and strengthen these agencies. The Heads agreed that all of the agencies would be retained but that their operations should be more focussed and geared to the delivery of specific outputs.

The Task Force had also recommended that the Authority examine additional areas of cooperation and coordination not presently being pursued. In this connection, it was agreed to explore the feasibility of creating a common police and prison force for the OECS and that this would be discussed when the Authority meets next.

The budget and work programme of the Secretariat for fiscal year 2000-2001 was approved. Member Governments also took the opportunity to pledge their support for the Secretariat and undertook to meet their financial obligations in a more timely manner.

The Secretariat presented the Authority with a detailed report of the resources mobilised from the international donor community. The Report revealed that over the past decade, the Secretariat had received EC$243 million to support 32 projects in 11 programme areas. It was pointed out that there was EC$180 million in firm commitments or for projects in the pipeline up to 2007.

The Secretariat provided the Meeting with information on the action being taken to further the process of reform of the telecommunications sector and in particular, the establishment of the legislative and regulatory framework and the institutional structures. The five Member States that are party to the Telecommunications Reform Project undertook to pass the required legislation as early as possible.

One of the highlights of the Meeting was the signing of the Agreement establishing the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) by the Heads of Government of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent & the Grenadines. The Authority agreed that the headquarters of ECTEL would be in St. Lucia.

As part of the ongoing attempt to develop and strength the policy frameworks in matters of critical importance to the Member States and the integration movement generally, the Secretariat presented proposals for the development of harmonised approaches to air transportation, cruise tourism, disaster management and integrity legislation.

The Authority had been concerned for some time over the developments in the cruise tourism sector and especially, the ability of cruise lines at very short notice, to cease their visits to individual ports. It agreed that OECS Ministers of Tourism as a matter of urgency should examine the various issues relating to the operation of the cruise tourism sector with a view to seeking common solutions and cooperation with other regional partners in this exercise.

In order to assist it in formulating a more comprehensive approach to air transportation matters, the Authority received a report from the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of LIAT (1974) Ltd. on the status of and plans for the airline. It adopted a mechanism for studying the various issues affecting air transportation and preparing proposals for a comprehensive policy framework, which is to be considered at the next meeting.

CDERA at the invitation of the Authority presented a report on disaster management programmes and actions at national and regional levels. This was supplemented by a set of proposals prepared by the Secretariat for disaster management within the OECS Region. The Authority endorsed the proposals for the Secretariat and CDERA to develop machinery for ensuring a more comprehensive approach to managing the various stages of disaster planning through to mitigation and response.

As part of the effort to enhance governance in the Member States of the OECS and in accordance with initiatives already taken by some of the Governments, the Secretariat will be required to propose draft common integrity legislation that would be adopted for adoption by the States.

A critical area of work of the Secretariat has been the monitoring of developments in the global economy and the progress of international negotiations that will impact on the Member States. Based on the work being done in this connection, a number of reports and proposals were presented to the Authority.

A priority for the Member Governments was the continuing situation affecting the banana industry and the need to complete the restructuring of the industry. It was agreed that urgent steps would be taken to ensure that the resources being made available for this, particularly from the European Union, were accessed and efficiently deployed.

Reports were presented on the state of preparation for the WTO Millennium Round of negotiations, issues relating to the implementation of the new ACP-EU Convention and the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). The Authority also received information on the World Bank/Commonwealth Secretariat Study on Small States.

The Secretariat had commissioned a study to examine the content, structure and conduct of foreign policy in the OECS in the context of global developments. This study had proposed certain new directions and emphases that were reviewed by Foreign Affairs Officials of the Member States who in turn, submitted recommendations for the consideration of the Authority. One of these related to the establishment of an OECS joint mission in Geneva to deal more effectively with WTO and related matters. The Authority instructed the Secretariat to develop this proposal further for discussions with Member States.

The Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) addressed the Authority on the work of his organisation and pointed to specific areas that could be of particular interest and benefit to the OECS Member States such as, tourism, transportation and the environment. The Authority welcomed the presentation and instructed the Secretariat to pursue discussions with the ACS Secretariat with a view to examining ways of working more closely with the ACS.

Economic Issues

The strengthening of economic integration within the OECS Region is an issue that continues to occupy the attention of the Authority. In addition and as part of this general discussion, the Heads of Government also devoted attention to a proposed OECS Strategy for Economic and Social Development that is now being finalized by the Secretariat and the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank. There were also questions relating to the Offshore Financial Sector that have direct bearing on the economic diversification efforts of the Member States.

In its attempts to develop a sub-regional economy, the Authority agreed that the Secretariat should focus its efforts on mechanisms for integrating the production of goods and provision of services to achieve economies of scale and greater competitiveness. In particular, the principal aim should be to create a single market for services. It also mandated the Secretariat working in association with the ECCB, to advance the conceptual framework for the creation of an OECS economic union.

The Authority welcomed the presentation on the progress towards the completion of the OECS Strategy for Economic and Social Development and instructed the Secretariat to continue its efforts to have the Strategy finalised as soon as possible. In doing so, the Secretariat should make deliberate efforts to involve the private sector, labour and other social partners in the process. There was also the need to ensure that the Strategy is presented in a form that was readily understandable by all sectors.

The Executive Director of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force (CFATF) made a presentation to the Meeting, informing the Member States of recent developments impacting the OffShore Financial Sector. Of particular interest, were the discussions and positions being adopted by the member countries of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The Authority expressed its gratitude to CFATF for presenting the update and agreed that it was now urgent for the Member States to coordinate their positions, including the enactment of appropriate legislation, to ensure the continued development of this sector.

Judicial Reform

The Chief Justice of the OECS Court of Appeal informed the Authority on the programmes and activities being undertaken to reform the justice system. These included, for example, projects for the computerisation of the Court and the recording of the proceedings. The Authority agreed that the new systems should be introduced in the Courts from 15^th August 2000.

Heads of Governments were also concerned over the lack of sufficient places in the regional law schools to accommodate OECS students who were seeking entry. They agreed to establish a Task Force to be headed by the Chief Justice to review the entire matter of legal education in the OECS Region and in particular, access to the teaching institutions for students from OECS Member Countries.

The Situation in St. Vincent & the Grenadines

During the course of the Meeting, Heads of Government caucused on several occasions to review and seek resolution to the developments that were taking place concurrently in St. Vincent & the Grenadines. In a final meeting, which brought together the Prime Minister of that State and individuals representing the opposition party and other social partners joined in the dispute, the Grand Beach Accord was signed by all of the parties and witnessed by some Members of the Authority, setting the conditions for a cessation of the protest action and the holding of general elections by March 31^st 2001.

Exchange of Views with the Government Cuba

The Authority received a Delegation from the Government of Cuba led by that country’s Trade Minister and discussed issues of mutual concern. Foremost among these was the issue of Cuba’s membership in the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries. The Cuban Delegation reported that it was no longer pursuing membership in that Group but would continue to support the OECS States in their efforts to be accorded special and differential treatment. The Heads of Government undertook to raise the issue of membership for Cuba in all relevant councils, commencing with the proposed meeting scheduled for the week of 8^th May 2000 between the Governments of the United Kingdom and Caribbean States. The OECS Heads of Government also acknowledged with gratitude, the support and assistance extended by the Government of Cuba to all of the Member States, especially in the areas health and education.

The Hon. Minister representing the Government of Barbados advised the Authority that he was delegated to reaffirm the continued commitment of his Prime Minister and Government to close cooperation with the OECS and in particular, to pursue the areas of functional cooperation already agreed by both parties.

It was agreed that the 33^rd Meeting of the Authority of the OECS would take place in Montserrat in November 2000.

The Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund are co-hosts for a three-week course on balance of payments statistics which will take place at ECCB headquarters in St Kitts from May 22 to June 9.

Participants in the programme will come from national statistics offices and ministries of finance in CARICOM member states, as well as from other regional central banks.

Balance of payments statistics provide important economic information on a country’s trade with the rest of the world in goods, services, income and capital.

The ECCB and the national statistics offices are responsible for the compilation and dissemination of annual balance of payments estimates for the eight member countries of the ECCB currency union. Compilation of these statistics is undertaken during the period June to August and relies heavily on information provided by the public and private sectors.

The main objective of the course is to introduce participants to the conceptual framework for the balance of payments as developed by the IMF and presented in the fifth edition of its manual on the subject.

St Kitts/Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas and ECCB Governor Dwight Venner will address participants when the programme begins on May 22.

Was it divine intervention? Was it a natural phenomenon? The rains brought an end to a gripping Test match. The intervention of the elements left the crowd disappointed, and the commentators, analysts and critics with many answered questions.

The first Cable and Wireless Test between Pakistan and the West Indies at Bourda, Georgetown, Guyana, was abandoned before lunch on the fifth and final day, after heavy rain, which caused the ground to be waterlogged, had forced the abandonment of the fourth day .

The West Indies were 222 for seven at the end of the third day, with their star batsman, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, on 46 not out and Curtly Ambrose on 2 not out. The first battle was fought in less than three days, May 5, 6 and 7, 2000.

The disappointment was evident. The WIndies were 66 runs behind; lower order resistance was broken; and only Chanderpaul stood between Pakistan and the flying (second new ball) cherry. Akram was at his best on that late afternoon. The humidity was high; Georgetown was overclouded and the master craftsman (Wasim Akram) was exploiting the favourable condition to the maximum.

The little Indian star batsman ("Chanders" as he is fondly referred to) was on his home turf, before his home folks. His many adoring fans had travelled the day before (the Indo-West Indians coming from Berbice and Essequibo, the Afro-West Indian following came from Linden, and there were the many fans in Suriname who worship him as their ‘King"). They had come to see him re-establish himself on the West Indies team, following his short absence, determined to prove his physical fitness, his maturity and his victory over the many social and emotional problems which had almost cost him his cricketing career.

Moreover, he was under collective obligation to nurture the lower order batsmen, or tailenders, as he was the only senior player left in the front line. Like Inzamam had done for Razzaq, Chanderpaul did for Nixon McLean. He made him bat; he made him apply himself; he made him bring out the best in him. And the result was a record seventh-wicket stand, between them, against Pakistan of 74. This is indeed good news from the new West Indies team. The spirit that never says die!

The Indo-West Indian batsman was stretching, blocking, defending, driving and oftentimes ducking. Chanderpaul was the only West Indian batsman on Sunday, May 7, 2000. He was the ideal West Indian batsman. He didn’t, like all the other batsman excepting Chris Gayle, who is definitely a great bundle of talent, anchor himself in his crease. Like ideal-typical West Indian batsmen who have the blood of peasants and slaves pumping in their veins, he utilized movements as his form of defense.

He exhibited the perfect technique against the mysterious Ahmed. He reached out to the spinner; moved his feet to the pitch of the ball and caressed it to the boundary or simply killed the spin. Mushtaq could not deceive or guile him like he did Adams, because he was so smooth on his feet – so agile, so confident. He reminded us of the great West Indian batsmen and, for a moment, brought to my mind the image of the most complete batsman in the world, Sir Carl Hooper.

But many of us in the media centre felt that he was battling against Akram at his best. The master of pace and swing was really at his best, and, it appeared that something had to give in. The issue was would Chanderpaul resist him for the entire session on the following day or would he be cut down before the close of play? When bad light rudely intervened to stop the contest on that memorable Sunday afternoon, umpires Steve Bucknor and R E Kertzen from South Africa announced that play would commence half an hour earlier on the fourth day.

The speculation was, can the just-returned Indian "tiger" resist Wasim and Waqar on the first session on the fourth day or would West Indies have to face a deficit of 50, the batters having exhibited their inability to play, much less counter-attack, the wares of the mystery spinner, Mushtaq Ahmed.

The momentum was building up; the interest was growing; and the speculation had begun. But the rain came; the crowd dispersed; the players stayed away; and the contest ended prematurely.

As I noted in the last week’s column, the Pakistanis batting lineup is very limited and on a friendly wicket the combined experience of Ambrose and Walsh could send them packing. Well, the two great pace men exploited moisture on the Bourda wicket and had the Asians staring embarrassment in the eyes at 39 for five. They made Mohammad Wasim (4), Wajahatullah Wasti (8), Younis Khan (2) and Yousuf Youhana (0) look as ordinary as they really are, and just too mediocre for the highest level of competitive cricket.

A mixture of good bowling, poor batsmanship and inexperience destroyed the mediocre and limited batters. But, as if to confirm my argument that "he is the only world-class batsman in the Pakistan team and the only pedigree batsman in the contest," Inzamam-uL-Haq, exhibited his class, his craft, his skill, and his exceptional temperament and, in the process, nurtured the talented 20 year-old allrounder, Abdur Razzaq, in mounting a successful resistance against the threatening West Indies pace men.

At 39 for 5 an hour and 20 minutes into the match, Pakistan would have been nowhere without Inzamam. He responded with his 135 and his supervision of Razzaq during their sixth wicket partnership of 206.

Razzaq is really a talented young cricketer with an auspicious future. But he would surely have to give much credit to his senior batsman for scoring his highest Test score (87) and, for almost recording his maiden century.

Whether it was divine intervention to ensure that West Indies was spared another body blow or a case of natural intervention, as expected in the rainy months of May and June in Guyana, it was truly a Test match. Both teams exhibited character and guts.

The fire will get hot in Barbados on May 18, 2000

Until then, keep the faith.

(Remarks by Ms. Valerie Lewis, Principal Nursing Officer, to the annual Nurses Convention, 12 May, 2000.)

This theme is very appropriate and timely, cognisant that the world in which we live is constantly undergoing changes. Let us take a few minutes to reflect on some of these changes.

There have been changes in technology, the most significant to date being the invention of computers which have revolutionalized our world. All we have to do is "click on line" and surf the net and any information we require is readily available. There have been changes in Science, especially in Medical Science. Cures have been found for some diseases while others have been eradicated from our region. There are also changes in disease patterns. New ones are being discovered and old ones are resurfacing.

However, let us not forget the economic and social changes. For these, coupled with some of the aforementioned changes, have impacted greatly on our lives.

One such impact is the heightened awareness that people have about matters pertaining to their health and the high expectation they have of the health care services and health providers. Another is an increase in life expectancy, which now stands at 74 years for women and 70 for men. This means that our elderly population is rapidly increasing and with it comes the challenges of caring for the elderly.

What are the implications of all these changes for us nurses? All these changes bring challenges as well as opportunities. Opportunities for growth and development. For us, it means new and innovative ways to practice our nursing skills in order to have greater and more meaningful impact on the health care we provide.

During the week listeners to Radio Montserrat would have heard programmes which featured some change agents and highlighted some of the changes brought about by nurses – Internationally, regionally and locally.

For the sake of emphasis permit me to mention a few. When Florence Nightingale established the profession of Modern Nursing and started a training school for Nurses in 1860, she was an agent of change.

In 1957 the Caribbean Nurses Organization (CNO) was founded to improve the health of the Caribbean people by promoting improvements in Nursing Care and advancing the educational, economic and professional welfare of all nurses. Those nurses who founded that organization were also agents of change.

Another agent of change is the Advanced Nursing Education Unit established at Mona in 1966, under the leadership of Dr. Mary Seivwright to train Nurse Educators and Administrators.

This Department has over the years promoted regional health standards and turned out better qualified Nurses to satisfy the needs of the region. I must add here that some of our Nurse leaders (past and present) have graduated from this institution.

Regional Nurses again demonstrated their ability to be agents of change when they founded the Regional Nursing Body in 1972. The purpose of which was to raise the standard of nursing education and consequently to raise the standard of Nursing Service to the people of the Caribbean.

Furthermore, as agents of change nurses have played a crucial role in the implementation of Primary Health Care in the Caribbean and because of their contribution PAHO has succeeded in its effort to eradicate diseases such as polio and smallpox from the Hemisphere. They are now successfully moving towards eliminating measles.

Now let me take a step closer home and look at our local Nurses who have been agents of change. Nurses in Montserrat have made significant changes in Nursing education by formalizing the training programmes, developing nursing curricula, introducing Regional Examination for Nurse Registration and ensuring that the standard of training here is comparable to regional standards.

In Primary Health Care Nurses have ensured the maintenance of 100 percent immunization coverage for the island for well over a decade, the result being that most of those childhood diseases are no longer seen.

Our Nurses have also been in the forefront of eye care, health education and many other programmes. Moreover, in Montserrat we have gone beyond the traditional roles and now function in expanded roles. The expanded role is an enlargement of the Nurse’s role in terms of Nursing as medical functions. Two common examples are Family Nurse Practitioner and Nurse Anaesthetist. All these changes have brought much benefit to our society in terms of enhancing the quality of health care and indeed the quality of life that our people now enjoy.

I would therefore like to take this opportunity to proudly recognize the contributions that our nurses have made and to publicly commend them for the sacrifices they have so often been called upon to make in order to provide quality care. However, the time has come for us to acknowledge the contributions and honour our local nurses in a more meaningful way. The time has come for us to have their names inscribed on our health care and training facilities. What better time than now when we are rebuilding our country.

I believe that all Nurses have the potential to be change agents, but let me warn you that change does not take place in a vacuum. Change has to be planned and well executed. Those of you who are familiar with Kurt Lewin’s theory on change would know of the process that is involved.

Furthermore, in order for nurses to be effective change agents Nurses must have strong leadership skills, be able to plan and manage change and make contribution to policy development.

Nurses must take every opportunity to enhance their professional growth and development and keep abreast of current trends in Nursing.

Nurses must learn to read and analyse critically, question assumptions, seek evidence, synthesize and express themselves clearly.

Moreover, Nurses must acquire the capacity for self-criticism without losing self-respect and self-confidence.

But more importantly nurses must be involved in Nursing Research, which will provide the opportunity to ask questions, seek solutions and discover new ways of doing things. That is why Research is so critical to nursing and it is time we (in Montserrat) begin to think seriously about establishing a post for a Nurse Researcher who will spearhead the development of research in Nursing.

In closing, it is my hope that as we reflect on the theme we will not only think of changes brought about in the past, but we will become futuristic and contemplate on new changes that will allow us to chart the course forward to address the serious health challenges of the coming years so as to effectively respond to and meet the needs of our ever changing world.

To this end therefore, it is imperative that nurses come together and work together to effect and manage change. Failure to do so will only result in us becoming victims of change.

Nurses and Nursing – Agents of change in a changing world. May this be our theme not only for this week or this year but throughout our entire nursing career.

I thank you.

What did Montserrat do with the almost $1 billion that it received over the last 10 years in disaster aid and insurance settlement money? Again I ask. What did we do with all that money.

After all, in any economy $1 billion is a lot of money. And with proper understanding of the multiplier, the propensity to spend, the propensity to save, and an understanding of their effects on the local economy, Montserrat should have derived hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue during the past 10 years. You name it; taxes on increased goods imported into the country, taxes on increased income earned, and taxes on interest earned from increased savings at the banks.

But did we apply any special fiscal policies to encourage savings or investment in income-earning industries? Did our government anticipate future years of hardship and save some of the revenue received from taxation?

These questions are deliberately thrown at the young politicians who most learn to associate aid monies with fiscal polices and taxation. If they are to avoid the fiscal mistakes of the recent past, they must appreciate basic economics, the systems of tax laws that operate in Montserrat, and the power given to politicians to manipulate fiscal policies.

This is yet another article in the series on taxation. So far I have touched on the functions of Government and the use of a system of tax laws to finance the service provided by government. I explained that these tax laws were applied to income earned, to goods imported into the country, and to property owned, so as to provide the revenue that the government required. I also explained that people pay taxes on goods they consume as well as on their earned income.

I also touched on the sale by government of special services, and the use of the Post Office and the government savings bank to provide additional revenue.

I even suggested that government should use the profit made by the Port Authority and the Electricity Department to reduce the tax burden on Montserratians.

In this article, though, I am shifting gear. I am heading towards the finish line, so adjust your stress belt, relax and let us tackle a few issues of the 'tax trip' together.

We all agree that the rules and the methods for tax collection should be easily understood by as many persons as possible, if compliance is expected.

Yet, in Montserrat, some methods are easy to understand and some are not. For instance, it is easy to understand the rules and the methods of taxation on imported goods. If you import an item into the country, you are charged tax on the value of the item; if you pay the tax you are allowed to take the item home.

Likewise, it is also not difficult to understand the purchase of stamps at the Post Office or the payment for a driver's licence or the payment of a fine in the court.

But the rules and methods for the payment of taxes on income earned are not so clear; neither are they well understood. I imagine this to be so, since there are so many persons -- that is individuals and owners of companies -- who are not paying taxes on income earned in Montserrat. To correct this, we first need more transparency and consistency in applying the tax laws to the different categories of workers or wage earners. For example, employees of government pay their fair share of tax on income, while the employees in the construction industry do not pay their fair share; in some instances they do not pay tax at all. Worse still, fishermen and farmers are not required to pay any tax on income .

And secondly, to avoid confusion we need to be more specific in our definition of income. Here are three different types of investment income. All three should be taxable, but one is not. A person invests money in a house and earns rental income. Another invests money in a business and earns a profit. Still another invests his money in a savings account with a bank and earns interest income. In all of these cases the income form the investment should be taxable, but is this so?

Anther strange distinction exists between income earned by pensioners and income earned by non-pensioners. This is unfair, because in many cases a pensioner's income is much greater than the salary of some non-pensioners, yet the pension is not subject to taxation.

Thirdly, we must recognize that our system of tax laws revolves around the notion that a person should pay tax according to his ability to pay that tax - that is according to the weight of his purse - and not based on youth or strength. In fact our system provides all that is necessary for efficient tax application and collection. We have the rules for administering the laws. We also have the economic system and the business culture to make our tax system work.

And Fourthly, we must believe in our abilities to manage our tax system and be fair to each other. We must not try to cheat the system because in the long run we cheat our children and if we live long enough, we also cheat ourselves in our old age.

So why are so many persons owing taxes? Why do only some segments of the income earners pay taxes? Why do we exempt anybody from paying taxes if they are able to pay the taxes?

I have said more than a mouthful….

Even so, I have to leave you with something to chew on:

Is it not true that most of the evacuees to the UK were mothers with their children, old men and old women? The children did not owe taxes. The old men and women did not owe taxes on income. And the mothers, if they worked, had their taxes deducted from their wages.

So how many evacuees really owed taxes? And how much taxes do they really owe?

By Ken Walter

As an "outsider," it is not my place to judge governmental ideas or decisions, but as I write these articles to provide food for thought I wish to express some concerns about a national lottery.

Whether a lottery is acceptable or not on the basis of moral conviction, religious beliefs, etc., is a decision each Montserratian must make. I wish to address the issue solely from an economic point of view. My views are based on first-hand knowledge relative to the huge lottery program that my home state of New York, in the U.S., runs for the economic benefit of our state education system.

My concerns center on the very small population of Montserrat compared to New York, the fact that Montserrat runs a negative international balance of trade, and that I am led to believe that the island economy is still in a state of crisis - as a result of the ongoing volcano situation.

A successful lottery requires a large and broad-based economy to sustain it, otherwise you will simply be turning over dollars that already exist within your economy. Ideally the lottery support economy should made up of individuals who can afford play, AND afford to lose as well. Regrettably, in New York this has proven not to be the case with many low income families, where the expectation of the big win justifies the purchase of lottery tickets as a priority, rather than for essential family budget needs. While I recognize that Montserratians are very special people, human nature is usually universal and thus my concern. I would suggest that from an economic point of view the lottery concept may have merit, but the timing is premature. Enough said!

It is hard to believe that we have been on island for a month and our time here is again and regrettably growing short. The changes that we have seen since our departure a year ago are hard to believe, and in almost every case all for the best.

The Port is much more welcoming to tourists with the addition of new shops, and Moose & Ida’s seems to have expanded even more (a meal cooked by Ida continues to be one of my favorite treats and this couple always seems to go out of their way to make you feel welcome and accommodate your wishes).

The Tropical Mansion Suites Hotel is a wonderful addition to the island, with first class accommodations, food and service.

I was particularly impressed with the continued improvements in the island’s infrastructure – roads, water and power, not to mention that each time you pass a work crew you almost always receive a friendly "alright" from these busy folks. I could go on and on with my praises of people and places, but it is not my intention to tell you what you already know, although for those of you fortunate to live here full time, you might not be as aware of these day-to-day changes as someone who sees them as an infrequent visitor. But continue to bear with me, as I could not write this article without giving special mention to Norman’s on the completion of the next stage in their expansion; Romeo’s, whose super- friendly staff offer unexcelled customer service regardless of whether you are spending a little or a lot; Cable & Wireless for their continued expertise and courtesy; special praise to the farmers for all they have accomplished to date, and a personal note of praise to "Pickett" Johnson and to all those others I should include but that time and space do not permit.

Clearly there are varying opinions regarding the performance of local government, the Governor, aid from England, etc., all to be expected in a democratic society, but as I have said before and which I do not believe can be said enough, it is the people of Montserrat who continue to deserve congratulations for their tenacity, perseverance and unabiding faith in their island and it’s future. Bless you all and we look forward to seeing even more accomplishments when we hopefully return next year.

These "Views From the Outside" are presented as motivational food for thought. As an entrepreneur and business veteran with over 35 years of hands-on management experience, I feel I can speak with some authority. My goal is to hopefully generate some of the sparks that kindle the desire to act proactively - now, not reactively after opportunities are lost.

EAT from the LAND – NOT from the CAN  

Extension Officer Mr. Anthony Breedy is very encouraged by the enthusiasm shown by young people in becoming involved in agriculture. Mr. Breedy, Extension Officer for the area, Waterworks to Forgathy, says that over the past months four young farmers were allocated lands for farming in the Duck Pond area.

Assistance for Fishermen Forthcoming

All fishermen who suffered losses of fish pots as a direct result of the passage of Hurricane Lenny, will receive material assistance. On Monday, 15^th May, all persons who have registered such losses are asked to report at 10:00 a.m. to Mr. Bruce Farara's Parking Lot situated at Brades.

Turtle Closed Season Approaches

The public is asked to note that the closed season for catching Turtles is June 1^st to 30^th September 2000. During this period persons caught with the meat or eggs, or who interfere with the Turtle nests, will be prosecuted.

Vegetable Shopping Guide

Fair quantities of locally grown vegetables are available at the various vegetable outlets. These include: -

• Irish Potato
• Christophene
• Spinach
• Lettuce
• Sweet Pepper
• Seasoning Pepper
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Cucumber

The following vegetable seedlings will be available as of Monday, 15^th May 2000:-

• Tomatoes
• Sweet Pepper
• Lettuce

Farmers would find the information quite useful when administering medicines to farm animals and in the application of Weedicides and Insecticides.

1 teaspoon = 4ml (as in a syringe)

20 drops (from a medicine dropper] = 1ml (approximately)

1 tablespoon = 15ml or 1/2 fluid ounce

30ml = 1 fluid ounce (oz)

1000ml = 1 litre or 2 pints

Menopause, sometimes called the change of life, could more accurately be called the change of bone. Falling hormone levels not only stop ovulation and menstruation and bring on the classic symptoms of menopause—hot flashes and mood swings—but also cause the insidious erosion of bones that continues for the rest of a woman's life. Many women aren't treated for this bone loss until they break a hip or arm bone. Preventing bone loss is easier, and far better for your health.

Getting plenty of calcium in your diet and exercising regularly can slow bone loss, but the only way to stop it is by also taking bone-protecting medications such as estrogen or calcitonin. A relatively new drug called alendronate (Fosamax) may also prevent osteoporosis. Two new studies on menopausal women under age 60, most of whom did not yet have osteoporosis, show that daily alendronate tablets not only prevent bone loss but help build bone as well.

One study, in the February 15 Annals of Internal Medicine, showed that among 265 women who took at least 5 milligrams (mg) of alendronate daily for two years, bones in the lower spine and hip became more dense, or solid. In the control group, women taking placebo lost bone density.

The second study, in the February 19 New England Journal of Medicine, found that bone density increased in 445 women who took 5 mg of alendronate for two years and decreased in women taking a placebo. Alendronate was only slightly less effective at building bone than a combination of estrogen and progestin.

Should menopausal women seek out alendronate?
--The Editors

The Physician's Perspective
Holly Atkinson, MD
Consider this statistic: A 50-year-old woman has at least a 40 percent risk of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis some time in her future. Once a woman enters menopause, she predictably starts losing bone. This bone loss is most rapid during the first few years after menopause. Unfortunately, even the most health conscious among us can't prevent osteoporosis just by consuming enough calcium and vitamin D and engaging regularly in weight-bearing exercise. So researchers have been searching for an agent that can be taken safely by healthy women early in their menopausal years that will prevent bone loss.

To a great extent, estrogen fits the bill. It not only alleviates the symptoms of menopause, it also prevents bone loss and protects against cardiovascular disease. To get these benefits, though, a woman must take estrogen over the long term. But the majority of women who start estrogen therapy stop within a year because of bothersome side effects, including breast tenderness, headache, fluid retention, and bleeding.

Other women cannot take estrogen, or don't want to, because of concerns that it may increase their risk of breast cancer. These two studies suggest that alendronate may be a viable nonhormonal alternative for some women.

Throughout our lives, our bones constantly undergo "remodeling." Specialized cells called osteoclasts break down (resorb) bone, while other cells called osteoblasts lay down new bone. The balance between breaking down and building up is dramatically shifted at menopause, with resorption dominating. Bone loss occurs, leading to weakened and brittle bones and the increased risk of fracture.

Alendronate blocks the resorption of bone by inhibiting the activity of osteoclasts. Since its introduction, it has been used to treat osteoporosis and a chronic bone disease called Paget's disease.

These two new studies looked at whether alendronate can be used to prevent bone loss in menopausal women without osteoporosis. The findings suggest it can.

Should healthy menopausal women flock to their doctors and ask for alendronate to hedge against the march of time? On several counts, it's too early to suggest such widespread adoption of alendronate. First, not all women are destined to get osteoporosis, which means many would be given a drug for a condition they may never develop. Second, alendronate has side effects. Although it is well tolerated, it can irritate the lining of the esophagus when it is not taken as directed. Third, just as with estrogen, alendronate must be taken indefinitely. Once the drug is stopped, bone erosion begins again. And we don't yet know the long-term effects of alendronate in healthy menopausal women, although this type of drug has been used safely to treat Paget's disease for more than 20 years. Clearly, we need more long-term studies.

Nevertheless, alendronate is now an option for preventing osteoporosis. While adequate calcium, vitamin D, and vigorous exercise, plus estrogen replacement therapy (including the new targeted estrogens such as raloxifene, Targeted Estrogens), may still be the first choice, alendronate can be considered a viable second choice. Women who cannot or will not take estrogen and who are found to have low bone mass on screening may be good candidates. Overall, alendronate appears to be a safe and effective nonhormonal option for preventing osteoporosis.

(Government Information Services (G.I.S.) is an information service produced and prepared in the office of the Chief Minister and published as a paid for service.)

Montserratian students will pay more for university education.

The Council of the University of the West Indies has announced increases in tuition fees for the next academic year at the university’s three campuses.

At its annual business meeting held at the Mona Campus in Jamaica last week the Council approved increases ranging from 1.7 percent to 2.5 percent at the Cave Hill Campus and from 0 percent to 5.3 percent at the St. Augustine Campus. An across-the-board increase of 8.2 percent was set for students at the Mona campus.

Montserrat’s Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Gordon Avery says Chief Medical Officers in the Caribbean are worried about the incidence of non-communicable diseases. Dr. Avery, who recently attended a meeting of the Caribbean Health Research Council in Trinidad, says the Chief Medical Officers have agreed to map out a strategy to help people cultivate healthier

lifestyles. He says the medical chiefs have identified the need for Caribbean people to consume sugar-free and fat-free diets, and do more exercise to reduce the chances of contracting non-communicable diseases. According to the CMO, no time frame has been set for the drafting and implementation of the strategy to promote healthier lifestyles.

Dr. Avery cautions against the intake of high levels of fat and sugar, as these can contribute to complications in diabetes, hypertension and heart conditions, leading to more heart attacks, stroke, blindness and poor blood circulation. He says poor blood circulation can eventually lead to gangrene of the legs and possible amputation.

With the volcano showing signs of increased activity there are deepening concerns that the Chief Scientist has to stay off island.

Because of a policy by DFID which bars children of its employees under the age of 12 years from coming to Montserrat, Chief Scientist at the MVO Dr. Simon Young has to commute daily between Montserrat and Antigua to be with his wife and their newborn baby.

When questioned about this by ZJB News, Dr. Young says he is making the best of a bad situation. Dr. young went on to say that the MVO has other scientists who are on duty during his absence at nights. He assures the public that if there is any increase in volcanic activity, he will be on the very first helicopter flight out of Antigua.

The Department of Culture says plans are progressing well for Montserrat’s participation in CARIFESTA VII in St. Kitts/Nevis later this year.

Coordinator of Culture Rachel Collis says Montserrat will have a strong representation at the August 17^th to 26^th festival.

She says there are plans to take the string band and masquerades along with the drama group, Plenty Plenty Yac Ya Ya, to CARIFESTA.

Miss Collis says Montserrat will also be represented by the two dominant choral groups, Voices and the Emerald Community Singers, while there will be a strong showing in the art and craft categories and the visual and culinary arts.

The Coordinator of Culture says as in previous years Montserrat will feature prominently in the Regional Grand Market, which is an all-day, action-packed avenue of arts and culture. Montserrat’s world famous goat water is expected to be one of the highlights.

The theme for CARIFESTA VII is "Caribbean Arts and Culture. Reflecting, Consolidating, Moving On."

The Parent Support group HELP is now official. Part two of a training program for its members began last week Wednesday. The launch took place on Wednesday afternoon May 3, at the Brades Pentecostal Church HELP brings together parents and teachers from all the schools on the island.

The 20 representatives will continue a training program aimed at developing counselling skills to aid in producing a healthy and productive parent- child relationship.

Trainer and Coordinator of the project, Psychologist Dr. Carol Tuitt, provides the rationale for the training program. Dr. Tuitt, speaking at Wednesday's official launch of HELP, said "this aspect of the training program will concentrate on crisis intervention."

This training component was concluded Thursday, after which a Hot Line will be established. The Initiative came from the Montserrat Branch of the British Red Cross, which has identified establishing a support system for parents in the community.

The project is aimed at further assisting in the raising of well-rounded and disciplined children, leading to richer growth and development in the Montserrat Society.

There’s been some progress in local efforts to get the Sewage Plant in Lookout at a higher level of efficiency. In recent weeks a foul odour has been evident in the Housing community which has been causing a fair amount of discomfort to residents.

The Sewage Plant comes under the supervision of the Montserrat Water Authority and the Public Works Department, which deals with the operational aspects of the Plant. The Health Department deals with the environmental health aspect of the sewage. The honourable Minister of Communications and Works Rupert Weeks said that he is quite pleased with the efforts to remedy the situation so far. He said he would personally keep a close look at the operations of the Plant

The Montserrat National Trust (MNT) has issued a statement giving corroborated details of the feline spotted recently in the Silver Hills. The cat- like animal was spotted and video taped by an MNT hiker in late April.

A statement from the Montserrat National Trust states that the video was analyzed by a wildlife biologist in the USA who specializes in mountain lion sightings. According to the analysis, the animal seen in the Silver Hills is approximately 26 to 28 inches in body length plus a tail of approximately 16 inches.

The MNT says the analysis estimates the animal to be 16 inches high at the shoulder. This means that the animal is about the size of a normal Montserrat dog and not as large as a full-grown goat or sheep. The Montserrat National Trust confirms that the animal is quite shy and moves away from people so that there is no reason to be alarmed by its presence.

The Trust says it has a copy of the video and is working closely with the Ministry of Agriculture as well as other international agencies to identify the exact species and to develop strategies to protect the animal. The MNT will continue to inform the public on any further developments.

The honourable Chief Minister David S. Brandt missed the Summit of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States OECS that took place in Grenada. The CM is on sick leave until Monday. His doctors recommended this following a prolonged knee ailment which forced him to seek medical attention in Antigua.

Montserrat was represented at the Meeting by the honourable Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment Brunel Meade. He was accompanied by the Chief of Staff in the Chief Minister's Office, Salas Hamilton.

Preliminary work continues here to get a Participatory Poverty Assessment project underway. Social Development Officer in the Development Unit Katja Jobes says the training program, which began here earlier this week, is for persons who will be involved with the exercise.

The Participatory Poverty Assessment is one approach which the Development Unit will use for qualitative and participatory assessment of the needs and concerns of poor and vulnerable groups. For three days participants were involved with determining the design process and helping to identify focus groups.

Participants also tried out a few of the techniques involved, looked at case studies and participated in some field work. The training program ran from May 10 to 12 at the Training Centre, Government Headquarters.

Students at the Montserrat Secondary School have begun writing Overseas Examinations. The students are writing Exams in Information Technology and Computer Literacy by RSA and Oxford, Cambridge and RSA exams. Next week they will do practicals in Clothing and Textiles and Food and Nutrition at CXC.

Students doing Art were given their Papers this week for the Exams starting next week. Principal Ms. Kathleen Greenaway says all 5^th Form students including 5A and 5-S have completed end of year exams. She says students writing Overseas exams will be released from school May 12 to allow them time to carry out final review. CXC Exams conclude June 22^nd and Cambridge June 27^.

Maureen Estwick and Katrina Lee from the Statistics Department will attend a course organised by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund, from May 22 – June 9. The main objective of the course is to introduce participants to the conceptual framework for the balance of payments as developed by the IMF and presented in the fifth edition of its manual on the subject.

ECCB and the national Statistics offices are responsible for the compilation and dissemination of annual balance of payments estimates for the eight member countries of the ECCB currency union.

President of the local British Red Cross Lystra Osborne said each year on May 8 Red Cross societies around the world observe the birthday of the movement's founder. In 1901 Henri Dunant, the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, founded the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society.

The Red Cross also uses the period to reflect on its mission of providing mainly human service and assistance.

This year the local Red Cross celebrated the day with a week of activities, which started on Sunday April 30, 2000, with a concert at the Vue Point Hotel Pelican Room.

Local Domino teams were presented with prizes late Sunday at the conclusion of the Royal Stout Domino Tournament. The team from Lord Hailes Bar received the top trophy as well as EC$300 and two cases of Royal Stout. Second place Monlec received EC$150 and a case of Royal Stout while third prize went to Jackson's team, which received a case of Royal Stout.

The Most outstanding players award went to the pairs Mason and Murrain from Jacksons'. They received a case of Royal Stout.

Representative Michael Osborne from the local agents MS Osborne presented the prizes.

The Domino Association is now planning to hold a domino Pairs Competition during the first week in June.

The Montserrat Volcano UK Fund has donated monies to the two Primary Schools on island. The announcement comes from the chairperson of the Local committee for the Montserrat Volcano UK fund, Mrs. Sarita Francis. Mrs. Francis says over the past year and a half the Fund has assisted 11 persons, with each person receiving up to $1,000 in either food vouchers, furniture, or uniforms grants.

The donations were handed over to the Brades and St. Augustine Primary schools on Thursday by the Financial Officer of the U.K. Montserrat Volcano Fund, William Trant, who is presently on island . The local committee comprises three persons, Ms. Rose Willock, Dr. Howard Fergus and Mrs. Sarita Francis.

Two Canadian Educators are carrying out various assignments on Montserrat. Teacher in Training Michelle Simone is in the final week of a three-week stint at the Montserrat Secondary School, but is here for a total of six weeks. She will spend the other three weeks at the Brades Primary School.

The other Canadian Educator, David Kechnie, also here for three weeks, is a specialist in Special education. Mr. Kechnie said he has never taught at a school before, but hopes the experience he has gained working in confined institutions will assist him with the project he is carrying out here. He said he will be assigned to the first form of the Montserrat Secondary School.

A United Kingdom Trade Mission spent Wednesday on Montserrat. The 10- member group, led by Guest Lines Sales Freight Director David Fawcett, included officials from British companies, the British High Commission in Barbados and the Caribbean Trade Advisory Group, (CARITAG.)

They met with His Excellency the Acting Governor, Dr. Howard Fergus, Government Ministers and members of the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce.

Mr. Fawcette described their interaction with local business representatives and government officials as very exiting and interesting. He stated that they are very encouraged with the response received from both the government and the Chamber.

As part of their week of activities the Nurses held an exhibition at the Brades Pentecostal Church ground Wednesday. The exhibition was described as a big success.

On display were various art and craft items made by nurses and other health staff. There were also displays by the Department of Environmental Health.

Not many people were aware that food would have been part of the Nurses exhibition. However, the exhibition was well received and appreciated by all the persons who visited it.

Meanwhile the Nurses will hold their Annual Convention today at the Vue Point Hotel. Their week of activities concludes with the Nurses Concert on Saturday.

The Ministry of Agriculture continues to tag small livestock. Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr. Clifford Daniel, says tagging the animals is an effort to identify all the animals on the island. Currently the Department of Agriculture is conducting a census to determine the number of animals on island.

The Department for International Development DFID has announced the approval of the Project Concept Note (PCN) for the development of serviced lots at Lookout 2. That’s according to the Acting Chief Minister Rupert Weekes. Minister Weekes says for some time the Government of Montserrat has been negotiating with DFID and the U.K Government for the provision of serviced lots at Lookout.

Mr. Weekes said this project will provide necessary infrastructure (water, electricity, gas, roads, drainage and sewerage) at the Lookout site. He added this project will benefit those persons who are currently in housing need but who do not have access to land on which to build. It is envisaged that the service lots will be available to beneficiaries of the soft mortgage scheme and other housing projects.

The acting CM also announced that the approval of the PCN will release approximately EC$840,000 in order to conduct preliminary engineering works. This work will determine the exact number of service lots which are available and take into account the need for retail recreation and community facilities at the Lookout site.

Meantime the Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment Brunel Meade has welcomed the approval of the project concept note for the development of serviced lots at Lookout 2.

Minister Meade says persons will also benefit from other financial assistance.

Montserrat is represented at the 3^rd OECS Education Technical Committee (OETEC) Meeting in Dominica. The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education Health and Community Services Alrick Taylor attended the two- day meeting. He joined other officers from the OECS in discussing developments in the OECS Education Reform process. They also approved recommendations for onward transmission to the Education Ministers Reform Council.

The OETEC comprises mainly education administrators of member states of the OECS and forms the advisory link between the OECS Education Reform Unit and the Council of Education Ministers. Delegates at the Meeting in Dominica heard reports from the OECS Education Reform Unit on several initiatives in the areas of information technology in schools, student attitudes, centres of specialization, stakeholder participation, and the coordination of national, regional and international projects.

The Government has sent condolences to the government and people of St. Kitts/Nevis on the passing of their Permanent Representative at the United Nations.

The Representative, Sir Lee Moore Q.C., died in New York on Saturday.

In a Message sent to Prime Minister Denzil Douglas of St. Kitts/Nevis Chief Minister Brandt on behalf of the people of Montserrat and on his own behalf offered deepest condolences to the family of the Queens Council Sir Lee Moore. : Following is the letter of condolences CM David Brandt sent Thursday to St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas on the occasion of Sir Lee Moore's death.)

Dear Denzil,

It is with great sadness that I learnt of Sir Lee Moore's passing. It seemed like only yesterday I sat in his office and spoke of affairs affecting St.Kitts and Nevis and the sub region. As colleagues in the legal fraternity we shared a common interest in being advocates against injustice.

As an articulate speaker, Sir Lee guided many of us through lessons and anecdotes of his profession. Even in Montserrat, many of us sought his counsel and he visited our island on several occasions to represent Montserratians. The Caribbean firmament of integration has lost a star in Sir Lee's passing.

I would be grateful if this letter could be shared with Sir Lee's family and condolences extended on behalf of the Government and people of Montserrat.

Yours very truly,

The Meteorological Unit at Geralds Heliport is getting ready for the upcoming hurricane season.

Airport Manager at the Geralds heliport Norman Cassell says they are now in better position to give information to the public for the upcoming hurricane season.

Mr. Cassell says the meteorologist will also be able to give live reports and advisories now that they have moved into more permanent accommodation.

The President of the Montserrat Overseas Peoples Progressive Alliance Association MOPPA, William Trant, OBE, is on Montserrat for a holiday break.

Mr. Trant, who is also the Executive Director of the West Indian Standing Alliance in the UK, has praise for the people of Montserrat who have stayed to help with the rebuilding of the island.

He says Montserratians abroad have always contributed to the economic development of the island. He is asking that this be taken into account when policies are developed for the redevelopment of the island.

The Montserrat Cricket Team is in Anguilla to represent the island in the Leeward Islands cricket tournament.

In a release, the team is listed as Devon Williams, Captain; Tyrone Greenaway Vice Captain; Gregory Willock, Nesta Piper, Lionel Baker, Mark Stephanie, David Lane, Jeff Lane, Samuel Roache, Sylvester Wade, Oakland Greaves, Ingram Richman, Adrian Carty and Jarron Harris.

Carty and Harris are awaiting confirmation of release from school and work. According to the release, the team left on Thursday for Anguilla and Tortola for the two opening matches in the 2000 Leewards tournament. The manager of the team will be Cedric Sheill.

The latest scientific and hazards assessment of the Soufriere Hills volcano has been released. The assessment took place on April 3 and 4, with mainly senior scientists who have worked at the MVO.

Also present was Prof. Barry Voight from Penn State University in the USA, Dr. Peter Baxter, who also did some work on the report, dealt specifically with the health hazards caused by the eruption.

Director of the MVO Dr. Simon Young says that the report supports the likelihood that the volcano will continue for several more years.

The second UK/Caribbean Forum being held in London on May 11 –12 is being co-chaired by the British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook and Trinidad & Tobago’s Foreign Minister Mr Ralph Maraj, who is Chairman of the Caribbean Council of Foreign Ministers.

The British Government has seven Ministers at the Forum addressing a range of issues including development, debt, education, judicial cooperation, the ACP-EU convention on trade and aid, the threat to the Caribbean offshore financial sectors by the OECD and the deportation of criminals back to the Caribbean. Montserrat is being represented by HE Governor Anthony Abbott, The Honorable Minister of Education, Health and Community Services, Mrs Adelina Tuitt, and the Director of Development, Mrs Angella Greenaway.

The Caribbean contingent includes the Foreign Ministers from Commonwealth Caribbean countries, and the Dominican Republic.

Representatives of the European Commission and the European Presidency will also be present, allowing for a candid and in depth discussion on European - Caribbean issues.

Jus wonderin if the chicken pox epidemic is really over.

Jus wonderin what is wrong with me then.

Jus wonderin if the cat could be used for reproductive purposes.

Jus wonderin how many parties will contest the next election or whether we will have record numbers on nomination day even though the population is so small

Jus wonderin how many none Indian employees are employed by the supermarkets.

Jus wonderin who really upset the president.

Jus wonderin who is the umpire promoter.

Jus wonderin if we will have an umpire lecture like great Jim.

Jus wonderin why her skirts are so short.

Jus wonderin if there is a price on them.

Jus wonderin which of those non-functioning minister is so desperate for power.

Jus wonderin what is keeping back the amendments to the Social Welfare program.

Jus wonderin if it is true that elections will be called in November.

Jus wonderin when the diesel/gas report will be made public.

Jus wonderin why EOC ask the company to investigate itself.

Jus wonderin who is going to compensate us for the damage done to our vehicles.

Jus wonderin what September 17 will be like this year.

Jus wonderin why the chief 'indian' at DFID change so often.

Jus wonderin when I will get a house.

Jus wonderin where the December soft mortgage scheme.

Jus wonderin why we are in Leeward Island cricket tournament.

Jus wondering why no Senior Scientist sleeps on Montserrat.

Jus wonderin which of the royal men in uniform in charge of giving Santo Domingans the way to let them have a ho..ho..house

Jus wonderin if the 12 men got back there up front $25.00 from the ladies at the house when the police busted in.

Jus wonderin if the Labour man would make a team to let Montserrat be a wheel of fortune.

Jus wonderin if the new candidates are ready to sit in there seats.