. 

GoM Asks CARICOM For Support with British

Secretary General of CARICOM, Mr. Edwin Carrington, expressed his pleasure with "the enthusiasm and the interest" shown by Chief Minister John Osborne and his ministerial team during an official visit Monday.

He confirmed to the press that his visit was to discharge the responsibility of briefing any newly elected head of government of Caricom, on matters of a regional nature in which they as members of CARICOM are involved. Other reasons for his visit was to obtain Mr. Osborne’s perspective regarding the Community, how he believed it should grow in the future, and to get his views on Regional Integration.

In expressing the island's thanks for the visit, however, Dr. Lowell Lewis, Minister for Communications and Works, took the opportunity to seek CARICOM’s pledge of solidarity.

Dr. Lewis said the NPLM government is willing to accept the assignment of portfolio to share responsibility in looking at sustainable development and disaster management. Then he added, “We are hopeful that all our colleagues at CARICOM will continue to support Montserrat, which is a founding member of CARICOM. We have a special relationship with them and we’re hoping that they will lobby on our behalf, and make clear to our British partners that here in Montserrat, we need the infrastructure to allow us to be economically viable.”

In response to when he thought CARICOM would complete the construction of the remaining 10 houses of the 25 it promised to Montserrat, Mr. Carrington told the media, “I wish I could give you a time, but I share with you the concern which underlies your question.’

After a visit to the site at Lookout, Mr. Carrington said, "We are taking back the message from the Chief Minister and his Government; please can we finish what we have begun? I can’t give you a date, but I can give you an assurance I’m not going back silent on this.”

Montserrat has not asked for much over the years, he said. "The strength of my concern is that, the little you asked for, at least you should get it, especially when we have promised.”

.Mr. Carrington called the Single Market and Economy the flagship of Regional Integration. "That Single Market and Economy," he said, "essentially involves the freedom of movement of goods, services, skilled labour and the right to establish businesses across the Community. We call it the right of establishment.” 
He said there is already virtually 100 percent free movement of goods, but free movement of services such as those of a doctor, teacher, architect or a builder remain to be freed of restrictions.

Dr. Lowell Lewis: 'DFID Means to Encourage Us' 

By Helena Durand

Dr. Lowell Lewis, Deputy Leader of the NPLM and Minister for Communications and Works, responded this week to DFID’s call for Montserrat to be “more in control of their own affairs" therefore standing on their own feet.

Dr. Lewis said: “Yes, DFID is giving us a push to manage our own business and sustain ourselves. It might be too much of a push in that we might need additional help, but we are certainly going to try to solve our problems and pull Montserrat out of the economic problems which we’re about to face.”

He told the Montserrat Reporter that it had been expected for some time that the level of aid from Britain would dwindle, “but not until after we had the replacement of the infrastructure which we need to be an economically viable island.”

He said Montserratians have been forced to take special initiatives and attempt to become self-sustaining. He noted, however, that “Although we are told that we are going to be given £55 million and that’s it, I would like to think that we would make a good effort, and that they would assist additionally if they think that it is unavoidable.”

Dr. Lewis said while taxes are an important form of raising revenue, they are not the solution at the moment. An increase in taxes would undoubtedly mean an increase in the cost of living, which should be compensated for by an increase in income; “and there is no indication that we (government) will be in a position to provide an increased income for public servants or even people of the general public,” he said.

When the Montserrat Reporter spoke to former Chief Minister Mr. David Brandt, he said, “It is not a matter of standing on our own two feet. We have always done that and are always willing to do that. A great tragedy has been inflicted upon us and overwhelmed us and we need a period of time in order to rebuild.”

He also said that the answer is not in more taxation, but rather in the expansion of the economy. He said he had applied to DFID while in government and they, sent some consultants here who met with the Private Sector, Government and Labour.

“Some terms of reference were agreed," Mr. Brandt said. "Among them, the fact that they would assist local businesses to do what they do better. Those who needed an injection of capital would be given soft terms, those who needed expertise would be provided with help, and they would find new businesses to come to Montserrat. They were not only to write a project with recommendations, but to implement the recommendations,”

He believes that DFID should implement the consultancy and give the businesses “a chance by virtue of the promise. Bringing in new businesses is consistent with the terms of the consultants.”

In a letter to Mr. Brandt in February, Mr. Mike Wood had advised that bids for what is known as the "PSD consultancy" had been "evaluated" and that details would have been sent shortly. That letter was over three months ago.

The ex-chief minister also referred to DFID's call for increased taxes as “Contrary to every known principle of economics” in that an economy that is already weighed down by economic depression should not have increased taxes “imposed upon it.”

In that same letter from Mike Wood to the chief minister, dated February 6, which has only now come to our knowledge, the author threatens: "I am content for the Water III Development Project documentation to be progressed. "However we will not approve this activity until we are clear that a further tariff rise has been agreed by Government."

“If they are really our partners” Mr. Brandt noted, “they should try to get us back on our feet and when we are back, then we can talk about the issues; only then we can talk about those issues that Mr. Kavanagh is talking about in the Montserrat Reporter.” 

Mr. Barry Kavanagh, head of DFID, said in response to both Dr. Lewis and Mr. Brandt, that DFID would expect Montserrat to make better progress by the time the level of aid had dropped. “It is not like it’s going to be stopped tomorrow” he said, “this is going to be done over a period of five years on a gradual scale.”

As to the Private Sector projects, Mr. Kavanagh said, “ There is a private sector project about to come on stream.” He said funds for the Small Enterprises Rehabilitation programme have been secured with the National Development Foundation of Montserrat. Director of the NDFM Mrs. Roslyn Cassell-Sealy told the Montserrat Reporter the programme is into its third phase. “It’s an initiative which was planned in 1996, but came on stream in 1998. Basically, it allows us to lend money for business purposes and also to provide training and technical assistance, whether in skills or management improvement.”

The funds, she said, also help to support NDF administrative costs.  Mrs. Cassell-Sealy said the NDF is awaiting another draw-down of funds. DFID has granted EC$4.7 million so far, from which NDF has made 179 loan disbursements. They have lent out EC$5.9 million.

She said that does not mean they have loaned out more than they have received.  “It is just that as we collect, as people pay back, we lend out again.”  The NDF, she said, is now on a fact-finding mission to determine what the business sector needs are, and how to go about assisting.

HE Anthony Longrigg Sworn in as Governor

By Helena Durand

His Excellency Governor Anthony J. Longrigg CMG, who arrived here yesterday morning, took his Oath of Office yesterday afternoon at the Council Chamber located Vue Pointe Hotel Pelican Room.

Members of the Royal Montserrat Police Force, the Royal Montserrat Defence Force and the Montserrat Secondary  School Cadets made a pleasant picture at the March Pass and when he inspected the Guard.

Chief Minister John Osborne, honourable ministers of Government and Financial Secretary, members of the Diplomatic Corps and other invited guests were present as Governor Longrigg was sworn in by the honorable Attorney General Brian Cottle, following the Clerk of Council Mrs. Claudette Weekes' reading the Royal Warrant appointing Mr. A.J. Longrigg Governor of Montserrat.

Speaker of the Legislative Council Dr. Howard Fergus, who welcomed the new governor, reflected, “It was 24 years ago that I first had the opportunity to formally welcome a new Governor in Gwylym Wyn Jones, A Welshman.”  He said his delight in welcoming the new governor had not dimmed, although it was under very different circumstances.

Upon listing aspects of Montserrat, which the people had lost between the first governor and this one, Dr. Fergus noted that he could be faulted for welcoming him with a litany of woes, but that this was the reality in which the governor was to exercise governance. He told the governor, “Our people want to work; they want to build their own homes and if we give them the tools they will rebuild their lives and our economy, and yes, our respectability. Because even when a people is receiving aid, they still have their dignity to protect.”

Chief Minister Osborne also welcomed Governor Longrigg on behalf of  his government and the people of Montserrat. He said, “It is my sincere wish, sir, that your sojourn among us will both enjoyable and productive. I believe that you have been well briefed, and that you already know that the task ahead is not easy, but I also believe that you come with skills and experience which will help you to make vital contributions to our country’s long climb back to prosperity."

Governor Longrigg responded by saying that he hoped to spend as little time as possible behind his desk so as to get to know the people of Montserrat better.

“I should say that when talking about Montserrat people in London, one thing came through strongly from all the people who have been here,” the governor said. "That was, what a wonderful, hospitable and friendly people I’m going to be living amongst.”

He confessed that he had not been a governor before, and therefore would have much to learn in the early stages.

“I am aware that this is going to be a challenging job, but that is why I asked for this job. I want a challenge, and I look forward to facing the challenge and the problems with you, and helping to solve them.” 

He said before coming to Montserrat the British government made it clear that they wanted equal partnership, and that he was sure the people of Montserrat wanted it too as, “that is the way to help to overcome most efficiently, the enormous problems I am well aware are facing you.”    

EDITORIAL

"Governor and Mrs. Anthony Longrigg Arrive to Meet Beauty, Challenges"

Montserrat prematurely found itself with a new Government six weeks ago, since elections were not compulsorily due before November, with a further three-month wait possible after that. In that case, a new Governor replacing Anthony John Abbott would have already been in place, but instead, Anthony James Longrigg has arrived just a few days later than originally scheduled.

Governor Longrigg finds us at a kind of crossroads, where we are already in the mire of economic decline which one might have thought -- perhaps like our DFID servants -- that we would be about ready to take off, if not already well on our way.

So it is, therefore, that both Acting Governor the honourable Speaker of the House Dr. Howard Fergus and the Honourable Chief Minister John Osborne, in their welcomes,  warned His Excellency Anthony Longrigg that his time with us will be judged almost exclusively upon what he is able to do that will see considerable improvement for a proud people of Montserrat.

The kindness with which Dr. Fergus spoke and the harshness of the topic was so very well presented and since we wish to join in the sincere welcome to them both, we are moved to present his brief address in its entirety without further comment.

"It was 24 years ago that I first had the opportunity to formally welcome a new Governor in Gwylym Wyn Jones, a Welshman. The delight in welcoming your Excellency six governors later is still undaunted, although alas circumstances have changed remarkably and not all positive.  Back then we had a capital town, Plymouth, quaint and picturesque, with narrow streets, a few Victorian buildings interspersed with modern structures; a lofty cenotaph bearing towering testimony of island involvement in the vicissitudes of the British Empire in the days when it was beleaguered; there was a sea port, albeit an open roadstead, but nothing like the windy and vulnerable inlet which we now endure at Little Bay; there  was an airport real and ready for extension and not the one that has been taking off in and out of our rhetoric and our imagination for the last three years. We are stuck, it seems, at the consultancy stage, and at the argument stage it would seem. (Your advent would have been most auspicious, Sir, if within a year we are turning the sod somewhere for this infrastructure which is so vital to our economic liberation). Indeed, we had an attractive golf course set in an even green valley which is now a rock-ridden desert.

"I can be faulted for welcoming you with a litany of woes, but this is the reality in which we live; this is the reality in which you will exercise governance; this is the reality in which you will play a liaison role between us and the British government. This is the environment which will shape and inform the success or failure of any administration, including the local government which in some ways is as new as you are. But it is not all gloom, Sir. Our resilience and courage are legendary as evinced by our very existence here today. Our island is still beautiful even if in part it is an austere beauty; and as one of our poets sings: "Montserrat is still warm on a windy night"; and this warmth is not just external but internal. I welcome you to our warmth and friendliness. We are still an aspiring and achieving society. A few weeks ago we hosted an international cricket match – South Africa vs the UWI Vice Chancellor’s Eleven. Our people want to work; they want to build their own homes and if we give them the tools they will rebuild their lives and our economy, and yes, our respectability. Because even when a people is receiving aid, they still have their dignity to protect.

"The challenge demands harmony of efforts. Cynical rhetoric from any quarter is useless. We need harmony between HMG, you, their representative, DFID and the Montserrat Government. I am pleased to welcome you to the team, Sir, the partnership, to use the current buzz word. We need a real partnership, not one in which the framework and the parameters are unilaterally determined. You have the background, experience and diplomatic training that will ensure not just your survival but success.

"Let me also welcome Mrs. Longrigg. I know that there are scores of persons waiting to offer her friendship and that she will find creative ways to complement your administration. And our capacity for pastime must not be judged by our size. There are sites for hikes to exhilarate you; we have good choral music and occasional theatre; we have calypsonians of international fame; we have folk music and folk dances, including our uniquely costumed masquerades, that have thrilled international audiences and we have historical festivals rooted in our culture. In Montserrat a Governor’s social calendar, like the job, is never dull. "  

Except for the editorial, opinion articles expressed in these pages are not necessarily those of the Montserrat Reporter editors, employees or advisers.  Readers are encouraged to submit commentary articles.  All viewpoints, unless libelous, in poor taste, or anonymous, are welcome.  Send your contributions to The Editor, P.O. Box 306, Olveston, Montserrat, W. I., e-mail: editor@montserratreporter.org.  Manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a return stamped envelope.  The Montserrat Reporter is a privately owned independent newspaper.

Jus Wonderin items may be called in at telephone 491-4715 or Fax 491-2430  

SCRIPTURE VERSE THIS WEEK

Each of Us Has A Unique Role

It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit… John 15:16  

What a word to begin each day! No matter how ordinary it feels, no matter how difficult it may loom, each day is a unique moment, an incredible opportunity, an extraordinary gift. Jesus didn't choose us just once --at Baptism, Confirmation, Matrimony and/or Holy Orders. He chooses us anew each day. Each day he wants to anoint and appoint us to carry on the mission given to him by his Father who is also our Creator. In God's mysterious plan for creation, each of us has a unique part to play. Each of us is essential. Each of us has been chosen. Some have the heroic task of doing something extraordinary. Most of us, however, have the heroic task of embracing the ordinary each day and bringing extraordinary love to this moment. Jesus sends us to the dinner table, to the telephone, to the sink, to the classroom, to the workplace, to the shelter, to quiet places where he wants to bear fruit through our loving presence.

Jesus, send us forth today and every day, to be the emissaries of your love to all we encounter in person and in prayer. Help us to say "yes" to all your calls.                     

James McGinnis   

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Some Further Thoughts On Microwave'Danger'

Sir:
I recently read Mr. Claude Gerald's continued letter on the subject of microwaves, and on cool reflection will refrain from terms like "half-baked" but wish him well with his personal choice of culinary equipment.
Mr. Gerald suggests that given broken microwave ovens can cause injury to living creatures, perhaps they can cause "injury" to food.  My response would be: of course, but not so much as a pot of boiling water or a good hot stove.   Microwaves generate their effects purely by warming, and with no mysterious genetic transformation.
He also points out that scientific studies find six minutes of exposure to mobile phone microwaves cause warming and increased blood flow to the face.  I would say:  true, but the same effect can be reached much more pleasurably and economically by a few minutes of Caribbean sunshine (or some other activity).

Yours faithfully,
Ken Tough  

No One Should Go Begging for Blood

Dear Editor

I would like to speak out about the importance of giving blood. The donation of blood is one of the greatest gifts you can give, as it is often the gift of life. The gift of life through the donation of blood is a privilege that we should all be entitled to, but unfortunately at present this is not a privilege that the people of Montserrat can take for granted.

I understand that before the volcanic crisis the Red Cross, the Police Force, the Defence Force, other government organisations and relatives of the patient were the main sources for getting blood donations, but due to the volcanic crisis that process is now defunct. There is now no systematic procedure in place. As a result this means that relatives or friends have to independently find blood donors.

As a result of my father's falling seriously ill over the last few months I have experienced firsthand the current blood donation situation in Montserrat. It is an issue that I feel people need to be aware of; I feel very strongly that no one should have to experience the ordeal that I went through trying to get blood for my father's operation. It was a horrendous, inhumane experience.

I hope that my recollection of the diary of events during my search for blood will highlight the severity of the current situation:

Last month (April) my father needed to have an emergency operation, which due to the lack of medical resources in Montserrat had to be carried out in Antigua. In order for this operation to take place I had to source blood donors.

The Montserrat Social Services and the staff at the hospital tried to source blood donors but were unable to get any. As there were no relatives or friends who were suitable donors, the only alternative I was left with was to walk the streets begging people to donate blood.

Not only was I distressed by my fathers illness and the possibility of not being able to get the units of blood requested by the hospital in Antigua, I had to listen to the insensitive comments and jokes when I spoke to people. In such a small and religious community as Montserrat you would think that the fact that someone was in need would be enough for people to want to help. But unfortunately this was not my experience. I was continuously asked who the blood was for, as they didn't want to give blood to someone they didn't know. In the end I managed to obtain the two units of blood the hospital in Antigua had requested from members of the Montserrat Fire Department.

When we got to the hospital in Antigua the surgeon told me that I needed four more units of blood for them to carry out the operation. He then told me that the only means of getting blood in Antigua was to go to the Red Cross. When I got to the Red Cross they informed me of the current procedure for obtaining blood in an emergency, which is as follows:

The blood is imported from donors in Puerto Rico. The cost is US$197 per unit plus US$100 for transportation and EC$30 for the Red Cross handling fee. I would then have to get a bank draft, take it back to the Red Cross with the hospital details, i.e. the name of the surgeon, ward, etc. (This is information that I was unable to access because my father was not admitted to a ward until after 7:00 p.m. that night). Once I had met all these requirements the next stage would be to take all this information to the designated transportation company. The staff at the Red Cross then informed me that they could not guarantee that the blood would reach the hospital in time for the operation.

As my father's operation was due to happen the next day, the Red Cross procedure was not appropriate if my father was to live. As there were no other options, the surgeon suggested that I go back to Montserrat and try to get the four units of blood there.

Due to my experience in obtaining the first two units, I was reluctant to go through that process again, but I had no choice. So once again I walked the streets and begged people to give blood. Social services, the hospital staff, friends and relatives tried their best but without any luck. In the end I was unable to obtain any blood. When I was asked by the hospital if I had collected all the blood, the only option I had left was to say yes and hope that the two units of blood I had previously collected would be enough for my father's operation.

The hardest part of this ordeal was the lack of compassion and understanding some people showed and the way in which matters of life and death are treated with little regard. I have been told that there have been incidents in the past where people have died unnecessarily due to the lack of suitable blood donors. Something desperately needs to be done before more lives are unnecessarily lost.

A structured procedure for the collection of blood, better communication and liaison between Montserrat and Antigua Red Cross departments, as well as an education program to educate the people of Montserrat in the importance of giving blood needs to be put in place. In the current climate, where families have been dispersed all over the world and the health system seems to have limited resources, lives are at risk.

I would like to thank all the people who donate blood. My father is a testimony to the fact that blood donation can save lives. It is thanks to the people that donated blood to my father that he was able to have the operation that saved his life. A lot of the time we do not act until we are directly affected by a situation. Next time it could be your mother, father, daughter, son, sister, brother or even your life that's at risk.

Yours sincerely

Cecilia Tuitt  

LOCAL AND REGIONAL NEWS

CARICOM SG Touts New Court, Praises Montserrat

By Helena Durand

When CARICOM Heads of Government signed the agreement at the intercessional meeting in Barbados in February to establish the Caribbean Court of Justice (CCJ), they moved a step closer to establishing a Final Court of Appeal in criminal and civil matters.

Secretary General of CARICOM Mr. Edwin Carrington, who visited Montserrat Monday to brief the new Government, told the media that having the Caribbean Court of Justice would result in certainty, clarity and uniformity.

“What you do not want is to have 15 different jurisdictions of court, 15 different member states adjudicating on the same issue, and probably coming up with 15 different interpretations,” Mr. Carrington said.

There are some concerns, however, as to whether the judges of that Court will be free from political influence, and whether, if starved for finance, they may be pressured to rule in favour of those who provide it.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Opposition Leader Baldwin Spencer opposes the CCJ as the Final Court of Appeal.

“Based on historical records," he said in a recent broadcast, "we have got to place confidence in the Privy Council and so we just can’t give that away that easily. We are going to fight for the maintenance of that last court because we know that we can’t easily get justice in this region [Caribbean].”

Mr. Carrington said financing of the Court "is now being worked on in the form of a trust fund which we are trying to establish, hopefully to be managed by the Caribbean Development Bank, which will therefore be outside the hands of political influence.”

He said also that election of judges will not be restricted to candidates from the Caribbean but will include those from the Commonwealth. 

The main mechanism to eliminate political influence on election or removal of judges, he said, is establishment of the Regional Judicial and legal Services Commission, made up of 11 members -- four lawyers chosen by the regional bar association; one head of Judicial Service Commission in a member state; one head of a Public Service Commission; two persons selected from Civil Society on the nomination of the Secretary General and Director General of the OECS, and a person selected by the Dean of the Law Faculty of UWI.

The President of the Commission will also be president of the Court. The only area in which some political power can come to play, Mr. Carrington said, is in the selection of the President of the Court.  “This Commission would nominate the president, but the Heads of Government of the CARICOM Community would endorse or reject, but they cannot choose and they have to accept that.”

“This is one of the issues why I was here," Mr. Carrington said, "to get the Chief Minister up to speed, where we are, and to make sure he can be making his full contribution when the Heads of Government next meet in Bahamas in July.”

In response to a question from Bennette Roach, Editor and Publisher of the Montserrat Reporter, whether Montserrat's status as a dependent territory could hold CARICOM back, Mr. Carrington said not really.

He conceded that the British government can determine how far and in what areas Montserrat participates, and also that Montserrat has no role in foreign affairs.

"Notwithstanding those two constraints," Mr. Carrington said, "Montserrat has made a significant impact in the years of CARICOM’s development.  From Mr. William Bramble right through to this day, Montserrat has been a front-running member state of the Community, even with those two limitations.”  

Environmental Sessions Keep Participants Busy

As part of this week's Montserrat National Trust workshop several visitors and residents of Montserrat were taken Tuesday morning to the Silver Hills to experience first hand the degradation of the land due to deforestation, wind and loose livestock. 

That afternoon presenters from Kew Botanic Gardens led a practical session designed to assist the Trust in developing a five-year plan focusing on botanical gardens.

Both sessions were part of the program sponsored by the Environmental Policy Department, a division of Britain's Foreign & Commonwealth Office.

Subsequent workshop events included:

Tuesday -- Kew Gardens in conference with Leeds University and members of the Trust prepared a list covering major issues affecting Montserrat's Botanical Gardens and ultimately the environment of the island.  Ranking as number one of the issues was loss of habitat, with invasive species, particularly goats, coming second.  Twelve issues were identified to help the Trust develop its five-year plan.

Wednesday -- A morning walk in the Centre Hills showed a marvelous example of how to integrate what the Trust is trying to demonstrate at the Botanical Gardens with what has actually happened with the natural habitat. In the afternoon Kew demonstrated how to take cuttings, propagation, air layering, germination and nursery design.

Thursday -- David Lang described Montserrat's various types of soils  -- two types of clay, one that has a nutrient holding value, the other with very poor or none -- and how badly degraded they are. He identified ways to improve soil conditions across the island. Dr. Bridget Beattie, well known on Montserrat, presented a talk on mountain flora, specifically orchids, highlighting that Montserrat has a mere 27 varieties of some 25,000 worldwide.  She stressed the need to leave the plants in the forest, but failing that, to selectively remove plants for cultivation.  The expression "take only memories, leave only footprints" was echoed in her presentation.  Dr Beattie and Dr Chris Bowden (RSPB) closed the morning with a discussion on bees, pollination and the relative safety of beekeeping.

Leeds University opened the afternoon with discussions on composting for small gardens, small scale farms and communities, especially addressing the prevailing misconception that composting creates a haven for flies and vermin.  A properly maintained composting unit will not encourage the aforementioned.

Friday -- The issue was recycling was addressed, and several ideas for the reuse of glass and plastic were explored. Leeds University has offered to provide more research on shredded plastics for use in asphalt, since Montserrat is one of the few islands in the region with its own bitumen plant.   The reuse of glass was also discussed, and research will be done on using glass in construction material.

It is estimated that 70 percent of the volume of The New Windward Refuse Site consists of glass and plastic bottles, not to mention the quantities of plastic and glass bottles littering our roadsides, ghauts and beaches.

The Trust and visiting delegates will present research on these topics to the public this weekend at the Vue Pointe Hotel.  

Tourism Workshops Offer New Incentives

The Montserrat Tourist Board is continuing its efforts to improve the skills of key stakeholders in the tourism industry with the second in a series of workshops aimed at improving customer skills and relations is underway.

On Monday persons providing services in restaurants and allied establishments, were participants at a workshop in which local resource person Mr. Cecil Cassell took participants on a mental trip around the island, reminding them of the “wonderfully unique things that can be found on Montserrat.”

He described the various ways in which the country’s tourism products could be sold to visitors.

“When a visitor asks you what is there to do on Montserrat, don’t say ‘nothing’, tell them of Runaway Ghaut and its legend, tell them of exhilarating hikes and of the panoramic views which can be had at the top of Garibaldi Hill,” Mr. Cassell said.

He said that visitors “ accept more readily what the local shop owner and restaurant owner tell them. The tourism personnel are paid to do their jobs; you they see as having your country at heart, and that is what is important. You are an important part of Montserrat tourism product,” he said.

Mr. Cassell invited participants to look at Montserrat as if for the first time. He said that while wondrous treasures had been lost in the south of the island, today they had more to offer visitors than ever. He challenged them to give visitors a first-hand introduction to history in the making.

Mr. Cassell, a qualified Tour Guide and Tour Operator, took participants on an island tour, introducing them to new attraction sites, and revisiting old ones.  

Montserrat Represented In St. Kitts Port Pageant

Annesta James will represent Montserrat at the Port Management Association of the Caribbean (PMAC) Pageant scheduled to take place in St. Kitts next.

An employee of the Port Authority here, Miss James will participate in the first ever pageant organised by the PMAC. The pageant is geared towards creating a closer working relationship between port workers of the Caribbean.

The seven contestants from seven Caribbean countries will present themselves in swimwear and evening wear and make a promotional speech.

Miss James said, “I am very excited about participating and meeting other Port representatives.”

She listed her hobbies as cooking, listening to music, traveling and counseling.

She will be accompanied by her chaperone, Cheverlyn Williams. Three of her colleagues will travel with her for moral support.

Miss James is expected to leave for St. Kitts on Tuesday and return on Saturday, May 26. She thanked all the sponsors and “those who contributed towards the fund-raising walkathon.”    

Internet Seen Changing  Government Operations

Civil Service Managers are being introduced by Cable & Wireless to ways in which they can use the Internet to transform government operations.

The transformation, C&W officials said, would be evident in increased productivity and efficiency.

The new Internet Direct Connect Service is described as a premium dedicated access service suitable for a wide range of disciplines, including e-business and e-commerce.

Manager of Sales and Business Development in Antigua, Melford Nicholas, explained that e-business and e-commerce have profoundly affected the way businesses operate, and applications such as e-commerce and e-mail would allow companies of all sizes to communicate and compete.  

New Meetings to Focus On Community Policing

What is hoped to be the first of many interactive meetings between the public and their police will be held Wednesday May 30 at 7:00 p.m. at the Brades Pentescostal Church.

Acting Commissioner of Police Simon Morson said that the Royal Montserrat Police Force has recognized that to enhance its development, “it is important to communicate with, consult, and listen to the community it serves. . . . Therefore, to provide an opportunity for this process to take place, the police are engaging in the first ever Police and Community Open Meeting.

At the meeting the public are expected to express their views, comments, praise, criticism, observations and advice.

During the meeting, contributions will be made by the Governor, the Chief Minister, the Police Commissioner and others. The meeting is open to all members of the community who wish to contribute to the process of community policing.  

Light Ash in North Caused by Rock Falls

Dr. Jill Norton, Director at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), says recent intermittent light ash falls on the inhabited part of Montserrat result from rock falls caused by a slight increase in activity at the Soufriere Hills volcano.

She said most of that activity is concentrated on the south of the dome, where a small amount of growth is taking place. The activity has not affected entry into the Daytime Entry Zone, but Dr. Norton said this could change if there is a further increase in activities.

“If we have to step back to what we were saying in January or February, then that could be a signal to close the Daytime Entry Zone up again. We don’t want that of course, but the main issue is the safety of people going into and out of those areas.” 

She said people would be given plenty of time to continue work they have begun in those areas, but that it would take a decision of the Volcano Executive group whether to close Daytime Entry Zone again.

“It’s just a warning sign that the volcano is not going back to sleep forever," Dr. Norton said. "It’s only been two months of relative quiet, and it could pick up again at any time, so we have to be very cautious.”  

Why Are Non-Nationals Hired Despite Red Tape?

By Helena Durand

Employers here are being cautioned to adhere to laws and regulations where employment of foreigners is concerned.

Labour Commissioner Peter ‘Joe’ West appealed to employers in a radio interview “not to break the law by hiring persons who do not possess valid work permits.” There are penalties for both employer and employee for such violations, he said.

Mr. West was reacting to complaints by locals that most of the very few jobs were secured by non-nationals, some of whom may lack work permits..

“If you come to the country first of all as a visitor,” Mr. West said, “There’s no way that you should be employed. The policy said that all belongers, except those who are otherwise exempted by law, must obtain work permits before taking up of employment, gainful or otherwise on the island."

The Ministry for Labour, however, issued 118 new work permits in 1999, 151 in 2000 and 67 so far in 2001.

Why then, Mr. West was asked by the Montserrat Reporter, are so many locals unemployed, when foreigners have to run the gamut of securing police records, medical report, and finally the issuance of a work permit, to get jobs, even after they have been advertised locally?

Mr. West said one of the reasons may be that, “when foreigners go out, they put themselves out to get work. They are prepared to take anything that comes their way, while they wait for what they really want to do.”

One government official told the Montserrat Reporter most Montserratians still have the ideas of old.

“They need to reorganize their way of thinking," the official said, "and that will only happen when the schools begin to teach the students that jobs are not just waiting out there for them. The schools need to place a lot more emphasis on the technical aspects of education so that our children can employ themselves when they enter the job market.”

Before the eruption of the volcano, when Montserrat was at its peak, the official said, getting "white collar jobs" was almost automatic. Students were taught at school, like in other sister islands, to excel and subsequently walk into a waiting job.

“That is not the case any more.”  

ECSE launches marketing and educating programme

The Eastern Caribbean Securities Exchange (ECSE) will launch its full range of marketing, education and awareness tools this weekend in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Guest speakers will include Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Commerce and Trade, Honorable Louis Straker. Mr. Straker will make the first ‘click’ on the ECSE web-site, which will also receive its first public viewing. Also expected to address the function is ECCB Governor and Chairman of the ECSE Interim Board of Directors, K. Dwight Venner as well as Acting Director of the Financial and Enterprise Development Unit, Trevor Blake.

The ECSE is the first regional electronic securities market in the Western Hemisphere. The market will offer corporate stocks and bonds as well as government securities for trading.  

Blood Can Save Lives, If and When it is Given

By Helena Durand

Someone once said, men do less than they should, unless they do all that they could. And here in Montserrat it appears that persons may not be doing all that they can to help their fellow men. A case in point is the giving of blood.

One Montserratian who urgently needed blood for a family member wrote to tell The Montserrat Reporter that getting even two units of blood for the family member to undergo surgery was a horrendous experience.

“The hardest part of this ordeal," the letter said, "was the lack of compassion and understanding some people showed and the way in which matters of life and death are treated with little regard…A structured procedure for the collection of blood, better communication and liaison between Montserrat and Antigua Red Cross departments, as well as an education programme to educate the people of Montserrat on the importance of giving blood needs to be put in place.”

There is a procedure in place, says Mrs. Linelle Lee, Senior Lab Technologist at Glendon Hospital. She added, however, that because of the island's small population, the hospital cannot maintain a blood bank.

“We try to keep a few units in stock for any real emergency, but patients scheduled for surgery are asked to provide blood donors,” Mrs. Lee said.

People, she said, are not too keen on being blood donors. “That problem is not unique to Montserrat” she noted. “The same goes for Antigua and other countries as well. When we send patients to Antigua, Barbados, or even St. Kitts for surgery, they have to take blood with them, because there is a shortage of donors.”

Mrs. Listra Osborne, President of the Montserrat Red Cross, told the Montserrat Reporter that a former blood drive drew the interest of a number of persons. The campaign promoted everyone's knowing their blood type and carrying cards with that information in case of emergency.

"The programme was going well for a number of years, but it soon became too a great a responsibility for the Red Cross so the Red Cross passed it back to the hospital” Mrs. Osborne said.

The problem, she said, was that persons in emergencies or with relatives needing blood simply approached the Red Cross and the Red Cross was left to do the soliciting of blood for the patients. “That became too much” she said.

The former list of potential donors, she said, is now obsolete because of the mass exodus of Montserratians. There is, however, a short list which the hospital keeps for emergencies.

Mrs. Osborne noted that even when the system was working, relatives of persons needing blood were often among those who refused to give blood.

One person who needed to collect four units of blood complained that they walked the streets begging “people to give blood. Social services, the hospital staff, friends and relatives tried their best, but with out any luck. In the end I was unable to obtain any blood.”

One would think that unless there was a problem with the type of blood being sought, there were enough persons among them to provide the needed four units of blood.  

American Eagle Resumes Flights to the Grenadines

St. Vincent, CANA - American Eagle, the subsidiary of the giant U.S. carrier American Airlines, made an inaugural flight into Canouan in the southern St. Vincent Grenadines on Thursday, a senior airline employe said.
This comes almost five months after the subsidiary suddenly announced it was suspending its twice-daily service from Puerto Rico to the E.T. Joshua Airport on the main island of St. Vincent.
Nelcia Hadaway, a senior employee of the airline, said the airline plans four daily afternoon flights into Canouan from Thursday through Sunday, beginning with its inaugural flight.
"There is a demand in terms of the tourism," said Ms. Hadaway, who explained that a trial flight last week had 41 passengers on the 50 seat carrier.  

Antigua Villagers Block Road to Protest Pollution

Compiled from dispatches

Antigua, CANA - Angered that years of pleas for something to be done to stop noise and chemical pollution from a quarry have fallen on deaf ears, residents of Bendals village this week twice barricaded the road with old trees, discarded household appliances, a wrecked car and boulders.

The barrier was to prevent trucks from going to the nearby quarry operated Barbados-based C.O. Williams Construction Co.

Residents bitterly complained that the blasting and grading of a hill close to their village had produced an increase in respiratory problems among residents, teachers and pupils of Bendal's Primary School.
"At bout five our teachers are now suffering from asthma ... we have students who are in class and tears are running down their eyes, not that they are crying, but it is the reaction to
the dust in the atmosphere," said Stevenson Punter, a teacher at the school.

Protesters refused to clear the road Thursday when an apparent agreement that the quarry operations would be closed until next Tuesday's meeting between the community, officials of government and the Barbadian quarry operators, C.O.Williams was discredited.
Residents became disturbed at a report they said they heard on the state-run Antigua Broadcasting Service (ABS) television that quarrying would resume at 1 p.m. Thursday after classes end for the day.
After a one-week closure, the Bendal's Primary School should have re-opened Thursday based on an agreement reached between residents and Environment Minister Molwyn Joseph, who is also the constituency representative.
 Disruption of the school came at a time when the pupils have been preparing for end-of-academic year examinations.
The Environment Minister said that he was unaware whether an environment impact study had been done on the quarry site that has been mined for the past five years.

Dominica PM Urged To Cut Cabinet Now

Dominica, CANA - The issue of reshuffling and cutting Dominica's 14-member cabinet has been pending for too long, and Prime Minister Pierre Charles needs to take a decision on the matter, parliamentarian Frederick Baron said Wednesday.
Mr. Baron, a member of the Dominica Freedom Party, who opted not to take a ministerial post in the Labour-Freedom Party coalition government, has been advocating a smaller cabinet. He said a commitment was made to a nine-member cabinet during negotiations to form the government Prime Minister Pierre Charles has been considering a cabinet reshuffle over the past months, but has refused to comment on speculations about who will be affected.  

Grenada Trio to Study Nutmeg Processing Bid

The Grenada Government has agreed to appoint a three-person committee to examine a proposal by W&W Spices Ltd. to establish a nutmeg processing plant in St. Andrew’s.

On Monday, Cabinet received W&W Spices' proposal from the Grenada Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC).

The three-person committee comprises Claris Charles, Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries, Anthony Boatswain, Minister of Finance and Planning, and Mr. George Brizan.

The Committee has been mandated to hold discussions with W&W Spices Ltd. and the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association regarding the proposal.  

C&W Widens Cash Options In Wake of Core Unit Losses

LONDON, CANA-Reuters - Cable & Wireless Plc raised the possibility Wednesday of using its £6-billion ($8.6 billion) cash pile for a share buyback and said it was prepared to wait for a year to find acquisitions.
The British telecoms company widened its options for the money as it announced an operating loss at its core Global Internet business last year and forecast slower revenue growth for the division.
C&W said it would ask shareholders for permission to buy back up to 15 percent of its stock as it looks for acquisitions. It already has authority to buy up to 8.7 percent of its shares, but has never exercised that right.
Chief Executive Graham Wallace said the company is in no hurry to spend its money, despite pressure from institutional shareholders to make a large acquisition or give them back the cash.
"If we're sitting here in 12 months' time and we've still got a great pile of cash I'd be surprised... but it may be the case," Wallace told a news briefing.  

Australia Lobbying Region To Support Whale Sanctuary

Antigua, CANA - Australia is lobbying the Caribbean for support to establish a Southern Ocean whaling sanctuary, ahead of next July's meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines all voted against the establishment of the sanctuary at last year's 52nd meeting of the IWC in Australia.
Dr. Miranda Brown of Environment Australia - Australia's Department of Environment - said that at best her country wanted at least three of those Caribbean countries to abstain from voting at the IWC meeting.
But the Antigua and Barbuda government on Monday appeared set to stick to its position that there were legal implications related to the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, as well as insufficient scientific evidence that whales were altogether an endangered species.
"I would not say that we are against the establishment of the sanctuary; I would say that we have some concerns about the sanctuary which, if they are addressed, could lead us to support the sanctuary," Colin Murdoch, Permanent Secretary of Antigua and Barbuda's Foreign Ministry, told reporters shortly after meeting the Australian delegation.
Mr. Murdoch explained that because Antigua and Barbuda is a maritime country, large areas of the ocean could be closed down to the harvesting of ocean resources outside the provisions of the United Nations Law of the Sea Convention.
He added that the scientific community remained divided about whether whales were an endangered species.  

New Fund to Finance Regional Small Business

WASHINGTON, CANA - Two international agencies acted Tuesday to create the Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) which will invest $2.5 million in a trust fund to benefit micro-entrepreneurs in Latin America and the Caribbean -- low-income men and women who start their own small businesses to survive.
Principals were Enrique V. Iglesias, President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Maria Otero, President and CEO of ACCION International.

The fund will have private sector resources to match the $2.5-million MIF investment.
The MIF contribution will be administered by Gateway ACCION International Manager Inc., a subsidiary of ACCION International. Under the agreement, Gateway will identify private investors to contribute a matching $2.5 million.
The main objective of the trust fund is to support micro-finance institutions in the region through investments, loans, and other financial instruments.
It will focus especially on non-governmental organisations seeking to become formal, regulated financial institutions. This status enables institutions to diversify their services and expand their reach to more micro-entrepreneurs.

Prior to those investments, the MIF will contribute $200,000 to fund third-party technical assistance for eligible micro-finance institutions. Private investors will contribute a total of $200,000 for the same purpose.
 The MIF is an autonomous fund, administered by the International Development Bank, established in 1993 with $1.3 billion in capital. It provides grants and investments to support reforms that accelerate private sector growth and improve the investment climate in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Founded in 1961, ACCION International is a micro-lending pioneer, serving micro-entrepreneurs -- street vendors, carpenters, seamstresses -- in 13 Latin American and Caribbean countries, 23 U.S. cities and towns, and four sub-Saharan African countries.
Since 1991, the ACCION network has disbursed $3.2 billion in loans averaging $600 to two million micro-entrepreneurs. Ninety-eight percent of the loans have been repaid.  

Dominica Launches Annual Cycling Tour

"Tour de la Dominique,” the first-ever international cycling event in Dominica was held on Mother's Day and attracted cycling teams from Guadeloupe, Martinique, Marie Galante, St. Maarten and Dominica.

The tour was organized by Dominica-based West Indies Communications Enterprise (WICE) headed by popular singer and musician Gordon Henderson.

The race, which took place in inner city Roseau and the steep hills above Roseau, is intended to be an annual event. It is meant to be a major tourist attraction for Dominica, promote the Olympic sport of cycling and broaden cultural and economic exchange between Dominica and the Caribbean French Departments of Guadeloupe and Martinique.

The Tour de la Dominique was the first of a series Pampo Endurance Events in honour of the world's oldest living person, 126-year-old Elizabeth Ma Pampo Israel of Dominica.

Caribbean Leaders Hail U.S. Tax Policy Statement

Compiled from dispatches

Caribbean governments reacted with pleasure last week when Paul O'Neill, U.S. Treasury Secretary, said that nation rejects the "harmful tax competition initiative" of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)

Prime Minister Lester Bird of Antigua and Barbuda, who had urged the Bush Administration not to support anti-Caribbean initiatives on financing, immediately applauded Mr. O'Neill's declaration.

The U.S. official told a Washington newspaper, "The United States does not support efforts to dictate to any country what its own tax rates or tax system should be, and will not participate in any initiative to harmonise world tax systems,"

In Barbados, the statement was also hailed by The International Tax and Investment Organisation (ITIO), whose 11-country membership, in addition to Antigua and Barbuda, includes Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Dominica, Malaysia, Turks & Caicos and Vanuatu.
"We, too, believe in rules that do not stifle competition," the ITIO said in a statement.  

BVI Officials Attend Public Sector Retreat

TORTOLA -- New trends in public sector management is one of the topics being discussed this week at a two-day retreat  for ministerial and top management personnel in the Public Service.

Chief Minister Ralph O'Neal said the retreat on Virgin Gorda today and tomorrow will allow open and free discussion of effective working relationships.

"The Governor, myself and other Government Ministers will attend, as well as top managers from the Civil Service,, including all Permanent Secretaries, the Chief Auditor, the Public Sector Development Programme Coordinator, the Director of Planning, the Financial Secretary, and the Director of Financial Services."

Chief Minister O'Neal stressed the need to review relationships and set common goals.  

St. Maarten Vendors Urged to Keep it Clean

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) - Members of the Executive Council were told last week how dirty the Philipsburg Market Place and surroundings are.

It was the opinion of all that vendors are responsible for the cleanliness of the Market Place where they display their goods and for cleaning up the market once they have concluded their day's business activities.

Vendors will be given a deadline to execute their own system of keeping their workspaces clean and to remove vendor stands at the end of the day.

If vendors ignore the directives, the Department of Public Works will remove the stands.  

St. Maarten Surveys Shack Communities

GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) - The Shack Community Report will be presented to the Executive Council within the next two weeks.

Suckergarden was chosen as a pilot project to study the problems that exist in shack communities after government received complaints about sewage water running on the public road from a certain block of shacks. 

The Island Government is busy developing a policy to deal with shack communities on the island, in hopes of improving conditions of persons living in inhumane conditions. 

Based on the pilot project, the Island Government will develop a comprehensive plan to deal with this unsatisfactory situation.

The Suckergarden project study found 18 small rooms housing 43 persons, 34 of Dutch nationality, the others are legal island residents. The majority of the rooms have toilet facilities outdoors. 

The Island Government is looking at a public-private sector initiative to improve living conditions of the shack communities.  

Nevis Primary School giVEN TV set and VCR

Charlestown, nEVIS -- The 91 pupils of St. James Primary School were beneficiaries last week of a colour television set and VCR machine worth US$500, which the Nevis Air and Sea Port Authority (NASPA) presented, to the school.

NASPA Board Chairman Colin Dore, who made the presentation, said that he hoped that teachers would use the television set and the VCR for the benefit of slow learners, for which they are particularly helpful.

He stressed that “we at the NASPA, as a corporate body, recognise how important it is to continue towards diversification (in education), because in the end we are the ones who as corporate citizens will benefit from the products of education.”

Antigua and Barbuda Focus on Tobacco Use

Antigua and Barbuda's Ministry of Health is planning a series of activities to mark World Tobacco Day on May 31.

Public Relations Officer Consuela Parker said Minister of Health John St. Luce will deliver an address to mark the occasion and the Ministry is putting together a fact sheet on the dangers of tobacco use, which will be available for distribution to the general public. 

Other educational programmes will also commemorate the day.  

World’s 'Oldest' Woman Gives Princess Herbs for Longevity

One-hundred-twenty-six-year-old Elizabeth "Ma Pampo" Israel of the Commonwealth of Dominica, supposedly the world’s oldest living person, was honored with a visit from Her Royal Highness Princess Anne last month.

Ma Pampo was happy to meet the Princess, whose grandmother, she learnt, is also over 100. She presented the Princess with a gift of herbs, to the use of which she attributed her longevity. Also present to meet the Royal Princess was 118-year-old Rose Peter, who lives on the same street as Ma Pampo.

Official records of the Roman Catholic Church show Elizabeth to have been born on January 27, 1875, the daughter of Magdeline Israel, but there is no documentation of her father's name.

According to Neil Hayness, spokesman for Guinness World Records in London, Ma Pampo may very well be the oldest living person ever documented, although Guinness has not yet conferred that official title on her.

Mr. Alex Bruno has set up a foundation to commemorate Ma Pampo, geared mainly at promoting the long life mystery of Elizabeth "Pampo" Israel and other Dominican centenarians.

The Foundation is seeking to have a national holiday declared in the name of Ma Pampo and to have her receive the island’s highest award, The Meritorious Award. However, the primary long-term goal of the Foundation is to publish a hard cover book entitled Queen Pampo, in Elizabeth’s honor, while its most ambitious project will be a History School built on a portion of land in Glanvillia, where Ma Pampo had resided for over half a century.  

British Airways Drops Grenada Subsidy Bid

Grenada, CANA - British Airways is no longer asking the Grenada government for a subsidy to continue flying to the island but instead wants to enter into a joint marketing venture.
Tourism Minister Brenda Hood confirmed last week that the airline had dropped its request for EC$2 million to continue its two flights a week to Grenada.
"What we are talking about is a marketing strategy, not subsidizing the air carrier," said Ms. Hood following a meeting between local tourism officials and BA representatives in St. George's.
In making the request BA was threatening to pull out, a move that officials said would have had a devastating effect on the tourism industry.
Government is now awaiting a proposal from BA on how best to market the Grenada route.
The United Kingdom market accounts for more than 70 percent of the business in the larger hotels here. 

Dominica Launches EC$4-million Project

Dominica, CANA - Another road and sea defense project got underway in Dominica last week, as government advanced its programme to protect coastal roads and infrastructure.
Prime Minister Pierre Charles said the eight-month EC$4 million (US$1.48 million) project would provide valuable employment for a number of persons in the community.
Just last week, government signed a EC$2.8 million (US$1.03 million) contract with Barbados firm Edgehill and Associates, to rebuild the sea defense system and road at the Cabrits, in the north of the island, with funds provided by United States Government through the United States Agency for International  Development (USAID).  

SPORTS

Montserrat to Face Dominica Champions

Montserrat cricketers will face the Windward Islands cricket champions from Dominica tomorrow and Sunday at Salem Park

Dominica accepted an invitation to visit Montserrat and will play a Montserrat 11 in two one-day matches, according to the Montserrat Cricket Association (MCA).

MCA President John Smith said the event will provide valuable practice for the Montserrat team as it prepares for the Leeward Islands tournament, and also serve as preparation for the Red Strip Bowl later this year.

The Dominica team is headed by Balty Watt,Captain, and includes Roy Albert, Simon Xavier, Ray Casimir, Roy Marshall, Eskine James, Greg Francois, Cozier Charles, Ottis Letang, Eddie Lucien, Kirsten Casimir and Ezekiel Francis. Glen Ducreay will manage the team with Keleb Laurent as coach.

The MCA said a 14-member squad will be selected for this weekend’s matches against Dominica.  

17^th OECS Club Championship Draws 8 Netball Teams to Nevis

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis -- Nevis is host for the 17^th OECS Netball Clubs Championship, which opened last night at the Netball Complex in Charlestown with an opening and candle lighting ceremony.

According to the chairperson of the organising committee, Ms. Jeanette Grell-Hull, a total of eight clubs have confirmed participation, including the defending champions, Maple Netball Club of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Other clubs taking part in the tournament, which ends on Sunday, include Courts Eagles of Antigua and Barbuda, Cayon Parris Pacers of St. Kitts, Spartans Netball Club of Dominica, Shamrock Netball Club of St. Lucia, Anglican High School from Grenada and home club, Pace Setters of Nevis.  

FEATURES/OPINION

Montserrat Didn't Vote for DFID In Their Recent General Elections

By Chedmond Browne

As an elected representative of the People of Montserrat, let me record my agreement with the Chief Minister, Mr. John Osborne, that DFID’s decision to reduce budgetary aid and development assistance to Montserrat over the next five years is disastrous.

What is happening in Montserrat is a travesty of the powerful taking advantage of the powerless.  The People of Montserrat recognized this and empowered the New People’s Liberation Movement (NPLM) with an overwhelming mandate to stop this marginalisation of their elected representatives in the decision-making process in Montserrat.

Many of Mr. Barry Kavanagh's remarks reflect DFID's continued reluctance to abide by the wishes of the People of Montserrat as conveyed to them by the elected Government of Montserrat (GoM).  It is my understanding that DFID is here to aid the People of Montserrat in their efforts to recover and rebuild Montserrat following the devastation caused by the ongoing volcanic eruption.  It is also my understanding that the technical staff brought here come with the understanding that they work for the GoM.  To date, this has not been the case and apparently, based on Mr. Kavanagh's statements, the DFID officials brought here supposedly to assist us will continue to attempt to dictate and coerce us into doing things their way.

The People of Montserrat did not elect the NPLM government to rubber stamp DFID’s unilateral decisions.  They elected us to represent and to negotiate on their behalf in their best interest.  The People of Montserrat put us here because they are confident that WE as Montserratians have a much better idea of what is best for Montserrat than any technocrat coming from anywhere.

DFID is supposedly here to assist us.  DFID did not contest the election, nor were its officials elected by the People to make decisions for us.

So, what is Mr. Kavanagh saying here that is different from what we have stated?  Realistically, the only way the GoM has to raise revenue is through taxes:  inland, customs, gasoline and ownership of the utilities.  Therefore, if we are to raise additional revenue, what sources are available to the GoM other than these established traditional sources?

Montserrat already has an established private sector that is under severe stress.  DFID has now taken the position to continue to impose severe economic pressure on the entire island in order to get its way.  Simply by releasing the building projects, the private sector would be brought into the development process and private businesses would start to generate income immediately.  So why are the projects still stuck in DFID's pipelines?

Unless Mr. Kavanagh intends to change the regulations covering British Grant-in-Aid policies, he is well aware of the fact, that once even a single pound of British money is granted to Montserrat to meet its recurrent budget, every penny generated by the GoM’s revenue sources is subject to British approval before it can be spent.  Consequently, Mr. Kavanagh’s suggestion that raising more revenue "to get the balance more in favour of the government so that they will be more in control of their own affairs" is false and deliberately intended to mislead the community at large who may have little true understanding of the constraints imposed by the Grant-in-Aid system.

Mr. Kavanagh says that DFID hopes to spend £24.4 million this financial year.  What DFID hopes to spend and what DFID has actually spent, can be verified easily.  Last year, DFID hoped to spend some $77 million in Montserrat.  Actually, they spent some $18 million. The operative words here are "hope to spend."  That is dependent on whether the GoM agrees that the monies are spent the way DFID determines they should be spent, as opposed to what is in the best interest of the People and the island of Montserrat.  In other words, DFID does the spending how it wants, when it wants and where it wants.  The GoM is basically told, time and time again, do it DFID’s way or it won’t be done.

Montserrat’s history over the last five years and the physical structures that have been put in place DFID's way are all the evidence that the People of Montserrat or anyone else who so desires need to look at in order to understand the concept of how DFID determines HMG money should be spent for the People of Montserrat.  Since they are visible, they are quite easy to identify.  Accordingly, there will be no problem when we begin to highlight them as those things granted to us by HMG through the management of its agent, DFID.

On the issue of subsidies, I guarantee you that the People of Montserrat’s money being spent to maintain DFID’s staff in Montserrat, at a level and style to which they are unaccustomed at home, is a greater travesty than providing potable water at an affordable cost to a population of approximately 5,000 people whose lives have been shattered by a natural crisis and who are attempting to restructure their lives and rebuild their community.

How does an airstrip that can only accommodate an airplane that has a carrying capacity of nine persons bring any significant influx of tourists into Montserrat?  The only way to jumpstart Montserrat’s economy so that money starts to circulate internally and relieve the economic pressure on the entire population is simply for DFID to sign and release the police station project, the Lands & Survey/LDA building project, the irrigation project, and the many other physical structures necessary for Montserrat’s reconstruction, which are stuck somewhere in DFID's own machinery while they hold the People and the GoM to ransom.

Everyone in Montserrat -- the public sector, the private sector and the labour force -- knows that construction activity is the quickest and easiest way to inject cash into the economy.  Obviously, DFID is well aware of this fact, also.  Certainly, the construction of an airstrip can help jumpstart the economy by creating construction jobs.  However, building a 500- or 490-meter airstrip at Geralds will have little, if any, positive impact on the Tourism industry.  In fact, it is more likely to have a negative impact on tourism, since no commercial airline could land there and any fixed-wing aircraft capable of landing on such an airstrip, (assuming that a pilot could be found who is willing to land on it), would have the same carrying capacity as the present helicopter service.

Furthermore, contrary to Mr. Kavanagh’s claim, a virtually unextendable 490-meter or 500-meter airstrip will further reduce rather than increase the level of confidence in Montserrat generally, because it clearly demonstrates a fundamental lack of confidence in Montserrat’s future and sustainability.  Therefore, why is Mr. Kavanagh even attempting to sell the idea that an airstrip at Geralds, that will only allow nine people in at a time, can have a significant impact on our economy, much less jump start it?  Why imply it and attempt to get the People of Montserrat to believe it?  The answer is because an airstrip at Geralds, the quickest, easiest and cheapest airstrip that can be built, despite the negative impact on the surrounding communities and Montserrat’s development prospects, will complete DFID's 1997 Country Policy Plan (CPP) with the GOM.

Here, the European Union (EU) offers the People of Montserrat a grant of $10 million to assist with transportation infrastructure and DFID, in their arrogance, have already decided for us that if that $10 million is not spent at Geralds, it will not be spent at all!  That should be clear for all to see.  If Mr. Kavanagh is not saying, “take it and do it this way or else,” what is he saying?  Yet, they continue to deny regularly what is obvious from their actions and their language.

We need to examine closely DFID's frame of reference when they speak to an issue.  Their language is specific and we must understand what is being said.  Let’s take Mr. Kavanagh’s phrase, "but my own engineers in here would suggest that Geralds is the best thing and is something which can be done quickly."  The operative words here are “the best thing” and “can be done quickly.”  It is the best thing, because in their estimation, it is the cheapest of all the sites that they have paid their own consultants to study and quickly because they are under pressure from their superiors to complete the 1997 CPP so that they can move on with the next phase and sign the new CPP agreement.

Mr. Kavanagh and his team of engineers have already determined for us that Geralds is the site.  It makes one wonder why did they need to spend more of our money on yet another consultancy?

What Mr. Kavanagh is saying is that DFID is fully aware that some portion of the money allocated to be spent in Montserrat for the benefit of Montserrat and Montserratians is earmarked from the beginning to be spent on British personnel.  In effect, DFID has a vested interest in insuring that the portion allocated to them is spent totally and solely on them.  However, where is the transparency in that spending when DFID oversteps its bounds and spends more than the allocated portion on itself to the detriment of Montserrat and its People?

DFID has an operative phrase whenever it wants to justify not spending any more money in a particular area.  It is called value for money.  The key question at this time is not how much of the People of Montserrat's money is spent on the opulent lifestyle of DFID officials, but how much value are the People of Montserrat getting from the DFID staff on whom they have spent so lavishly?  

A Tribute to Mr. David S. Brandt

Produced and Performed By The Pupils of Grade 6 and Teacher Miss Delores Duberry  

D          is for    Dedicated

A          is for    Accomplished

V          is for    Vivacious

I           is for    Intelligent

D          is for    Disciplined  

S          is for    Strong

A          is for    Ambitious

M         is for    Mannerly

U          is for    Understanding

E          is for    Efficient

L          is for    Loyal

B          is for    Brilliant

R          is for    Reliable

A          is for    Admirable

N          is for    Knowledgeable

D          is for    Diligent

T          is for    Tolerant  

THIS WEEK WITH THE NURSES

NURSES WEEK 2001 A SUCCESS

The Montserrat Nurses Association has successfully celebrated another week of activities.  Nurses Week 2001, which began on May 5 and ended on May 12, had as its theme “Dignity in Caring, Excellence in Practice.”

During the week there were several highlights, including a visit by the Antiguan Nurses Association, the Annual General Meeting, Karaoki, and “Buying Your Favourite Nurse a Flower.”

At the Annual General Meeting the feature address was delivered by the Rev. Florence Daley, a former Principal Nursing Officer, who used the theme to admonish and challenge the nurses.  Certificates of appreciation were presented to seven nurses for long service -- Miss Icilda Stanley for 24 years service and the following for 20 years service:

Mrs. Mary Ann Gerald-Ryan, Mrs. Almae O’Garro, Mrs. Shirley Williams, Mrs. Stephany Buffonge, Mrs. Desreen Silcott and Ms. Velma Cabey

A new executive was elected to office and given the mandate to look after the affairs of the Association for the next year.   The members are: Mrs. Sharmen Thompson, President; Mrs. Rosemary Cassell, Vice President; Mrs. Mary Ann Gerald-Ryan, Secretary; Ms. Violet Brown, Treasurer; Ms. Jeanette Brade, Asst. Secretary/Treasurer; Ms. Gwendolyn White, Public Relations Officer; Mrs. Anjella Skerritt, Chairperson, Research Committee; Ms. Icilda Stanley, Chairperson, Entertainment Committee; Ms. Velma Cabey, Chairperson, Education Committee; Ms. Elaine Hazell, Shop Steward, Hospital; Mrs. Joan Moinnodeen, Shop Steward, Community; Mrs. Cynthia Bramble-Ryan, Trustee, and Ms. Rose Willock, Trustee.

Heartiest congratulations to the new executive.

The nurses would like to thank the public and all who have contributed in any way to the success of their week of activities and look forward to your continued support.  

FARMERS’ CORNER

By Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell

(Agricultural Development Officer)

“EAT FROM THE LAND, NOT FROM THE CAN”

Montserrat Represented At Amblyomma Programme Meeting

The Department of Agriculture’s Veterinary Officer, Dr. Clifford Daniels, attended the Eight meeting of the Amblyomma Programme Council (APC) held in Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, from May 9 to 11.

A very effective Amblyomma Tick control programme has been in operation in Montserrat since 1995. Montserrat was commended for the great strides towards the eradication of this pest.

In the Market Place

A limited amount of locally grown vegetables are available this week. These include small amounts of leafy vegetables i.e. spinach, Lettuce and Celery, also Cucumber, onions, sweet Peppers and Pumpkin. The high concentrations of antioxidants (substances beneficial to good health) found in fresh fruits and vegetables should be an encouragement for all persons to eat more fresh locally grown produce.

Dry Spell Severely Affects Irish Potato Production

The recently harvested Irish Potato crop fell very short of the projected yields. Ten thousand pounds of seed potato with an expected yield of 80,000 lbs. were distributed to some 20 farmers; the actual harvested yields for the crop was only 20,000 lbs. These low yields were due to the lack of moisture during the tuberization development stage of the crop. The Department of Agriculture is awaiting funds for its irrigation project, which will ensure production during the dry season. Twenty-eight thousand pounds of Irish potato are consumed locally each month.

Import Substitution Programme

Self-sufficiency in a number of targeted crops is one of the major goals of the Department of Agriculture. To this end the Department sustains regular production of vegetable seedlings for distribution to farmers and Backyard Gardeners. Cabbage, Sweet Pepper and Broccoli seedlings are available this week at the Brades Nursery.

Planting Material from Overseas

The Department of Agriculture continues to source planting material from overseas for distribution to farmers: 1,270 lbs. of Yam seeds, 300 lbs. of Ginger and 124 Plantain suckers are currently being distributed.

Montserrat Oriole Project -Why?

Research and monitoring evidence shows a 45-percent decline in the Oriole population since the onset of the volcanic eruptions in 1995. Although the possibility exists that a chain of interrelated circumstances associated with the volcanic eruptions may have adversely affected the Oriole’s survival and reproductive success, the cause of the recent decline is unknown. Hence a project captioned, “Conservation Ecology of the Montserrat Oriole,” to further investigate and determine the reasons for the decline, was launched recently. Major players are the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Housing and the Environment, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Montserrat National Trust. The project was discussed in detail on the weekly agricultural talk show, Farmers' Corner, last Thursday evening.

Prevention of the Importation of Meats and Meat Products Contaminated with Foot and Mouth Disease

The Department of Agriculture has recently imposed a ban on the importation of animal feed, animals and animal products including cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs. In addition, no used harness, saddle, halter, rein, girth, rope, yoke, chain or any other trappings shall be allowed entry on island.

The points of origin on which the ban is currently imposed include Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and all European countries. Importers of meat are asked to kindly check with the Department of Agriculture before importing meats as the list of banned countries may expand within a short time frame.

Upcoming Farmers’ Corner Radio Programme for May 2001

Thursday May 24,         - Foot & Mouth Disease, also discussions on the  

                                           Amblyomma Tick Control Programme

Thursday May 31          -  The Extension Project and its implications for farmers.                

Research and monitoring evidence shows a 45-percent decline in the Oriole population since the onset of the volcanic eruptions in 1995. Although the possibility exists that a chain of interrelated circumstances associated with the volcanic eruptions may have adversely affected the Oriole’s survival and reproductive success, the cause of the recent decline is unknown. Hence a project captioned, “Conservation Ecology of the Montserrat Oriole,” to further investigate and determine the reasons for the decline, was launched recently. Major players are the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, Housing and the Environment, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the Montserrat National Trust. The project was discussed in detail on the weekly agricultural talk show, Farmers' Corner, last Thursday evening. 

VOLCANO LIMERICKS

God is Not Deaf

A tent can be used to inspire

Repentance and saintly desire;

As you're spreading the Word,

To Be Sure that God heard;

You don't need an amplifier.

Self-reliance

DFID's pressuring has begun

On GoM to tax and dun.

'Phasing out,' they euphemize;

That is, to no one's real surprise,

A sort of British cut and run.  

JUS WONDERIN

Jus wonderin how many locals are willing to dig a hole or pick up a brick, and how many of those foreigners get the thanks they deserve.

Jus wonderin why the chief ex-teacher thinks she should dictate whom should replace her.

Jus wonderin who take who tek the check money and run into CARICOM with it.

Jus wonderin why the radio lady refuse to do some radio programs at radio land.

Jus wonderin if is the attitude the workers are so upset with.

Jus wonderin why she thinks that she can do what she like when she like and how she like.

Jus wonderin why the national girls do not want to bear their own bad name and stop blaming the Spanish girls.

Jus wonderin if that officer had to go away for peace and quiet.

Jus wonderin how come and why everywhere you go you hear about this officer.

Jus wonderin if I should do wha de offica a do.

Jus wonderin why married men want other men to guard their wives, a fraid dem fraid so?

Jus wonderin if I now know what the officer had when the other men catch.

Jus wonderin who is the house watcher that is trying to rob his own friend by taking his shopping and that same friend is the one who always tell lies for him.

Jus wonderin if she cannot make up her mind about who to love the MVO or inspector.

Jus wonderin why the money handling lady no stop hide and seek to go by the others when the inspector man is not around.

Jus wonder whose house she jus hide and seek from.

Jus wonderin what the house watcher jus do with his money and e owe so many people.

Jus wonderin if he spend it on the woman on the hill or on rum.

Jus wonderin why DFID expect us to stand on our own feet after they give us temporary hoses at Davy Hill, Lookout, temporary Government Headquarters that gan back past zero and now want to give us temporary airport.

Jus wonderin when they going give up trying to make Montserrat a temporary island to.

Jus wonderin if DFID means Department For Incomplete Development.

Jus wonderin why the girl at the media house feel she so sxxxy.

Jus wonderin if  is  the one of the mothers of the future.

Jus wonderin who can now be considered the island's number one child molester.

Jus wonderin what the chief have up his sleeves why he so quiet and the media can't catch-up with him.

Jus wonderin if he is afraid to say some things that can haunt him in the future.

Jus wonderin if we are going to get some of the action in Grenada on Montserrat.

Jus wonderin if that fantastic road across from McChesney is where the new airport going to be.

Jus wonderin if DFID doesn’t know that an empty bag cannot stand.

Jus wonderin since when we have a deputy Governor.

Jus wonderin why the # 1 little man did not want to talk in the paper-man company on Monday afternoon.

Jus wonderin whose seat the DFID boss standing on.

Jus wonderin wa go happen when the three fathers climb on the brezze side.

Jus wonderin wa dey could tell we children about AIDS and condom.

Jus wonderin why Montserratians have to wait for DFID to tell dem stand up.

Jus wonderin how de census information going to be used against us.

Jus wonderin who else is Jus wonderin.

Jus wonderin if mpch is hiding anything bout the arrest business.

Jus wonderin if anyone noticed the new and more appropriate dress of the 'no tie parliamentarian' in the House on Thursday.

Jus wonderin how come he and the editor were there.

Jus wonderin why no members were on the other side.

Jus wonderin if who think that they can beat police and get away with it.

Jus wonderin if they think is like when the chief could order people out of police custody.

Jus wonderin who the Scotland Yard detective come to arrest for what he did to his cousin.

Jus wonderin why now they create them they are dumping all their drunkies back on us.

Jus wonderin if the new kid on the block really knows the task ahead of him.

Jus wonderin who will be first to start the spoiling process.

Jus wonderin if he will invite the homeless, the prisoners, outcast and poor to his government paid parties.

Jus wonderin why the police did not treat him like they treat everyone else.

Jus wonderin if the things are true about the police officers who are involved in all kind of unsavory activity.

Jus wonderin if we can hope that the public relationship program will do them good.

Jus wonderin if the alleged police beater is still fighting to be the chieftain.

Jus wonderin if it is the hard time or what suddenly have some taxi men so upset.

Jus wonderin if de pyroclastic man worker have anything to do with the media staff foot.  

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