Montserratians See Little Advantages In British Passports
By Merrick Andrews
Montserrat is one of many United Kingdom British
Overseas Territories still unclear about the real advantages of obtaining a
British passport over their nationalized passport.
The debate is mainly about one being able to enter the U.S. without the
requirements of obtaining a visa.
Former Chief Ministers David Brandt and Reuben Meade do not see any big
difference in regards to the use of British passports over Montserratian
passports.
“I am disappointed,” said Mr. Brandt, “because as I understand, people
from the mainland who obtain a British passport are entitled to travel to the
United States without obtaining a visa; those who obtain British passports from
the Overseas Territories will still in the future be required to have a visa to
go to the United States.”
Mr. Meade said: “There is really no big difference between one and the other;
it’s one of these confusing issues.”
However, Richard Aspin, the Governor’s press officer said it is not envisaged
that Montserratians would have to apply for a visa to enter the U.S. “British
nationals have to get a visa waiver [to enter the U.S.] and we expect that to be
the same for Montserratians,” said Mr. Aspin.
The press officer added that there are advantages in obtaining British
passports, such as the right to live and work in the European countries, having
a consular representative abroad, experiencing easier ports of entry through UK
immigration. “There will be other things that will come for the time being,”
he said.
Hylroy Bramble, general secretary of the Montserrat Allied Workers Union (MAWU)
and producer of the radio commentary "Labour Speaks," said: “It’s
not wanting to dissuade people who want to accept British Citizenship. We have
gotten along well without it [British Citizenship]. The only thing that I would
like to see really in this whole issue is some way where the people born in
Montserrat could be identified as Montserratians instead of British.”
He said apart from traveling to Europe without immigration hassle, there are no
other advantages as far as he is concerned. “If you read through the White
Paper, from ever since, there were no visible benefits to speak for
Montserratian passports.”
Ex-Chief Minister Brandt added: “I think that many Montserratians supported
the idea of obtaining or agreeing to a passport in the belief that they would
have been able to travel to the United States without a visa. I think this is a
great disappointment to them and I would have figured that before the status was
granted that all these matters should have been ascertained and settled.”
Montserratians in Antigua attended a meeting where Governor Longrigg attempted
to explain issues surrounded the British citizenship. But several persons there
have expressed disappointment following the Governor’s visit three weeks ago.
They claimed that the Governor was not able to answer several questions relating
to the citizenship issue and they were “left quite confused”.
Since that meeting Government House sources
confirmed that the Governor received updated information on the issue and he
would explain the matter further.
In a recent radio interview, Governor Longrigg said the commencement date for
applications would be May 21 this year or “possibly a few days earlier.”
He added, “however there is no rush as you can apply for your British Passport
whenever you want and keep using your current passport in the meantime if you
wish.”
Application forms for British passports will be available at the Department of
Administration, Government Headquarters. “With your completed application form
you will need to submit your original birth certificate (which will be returned
with your new passport) and your Montserrat passport along with two high
definition passport size photographs,” Governor Longrigg said.
He added that the UK Government will charge about
EC$ 200 for the new British passport for adults, with a reduced fee for those
aged under 16. In addition, the Government of Montserrat will make an additional
small handling charge. These fees will be paid to the Department of
Administration in cash. He noted that a British Passport would be valid for 10
years.
Processing of application for a British passport, the Governor said, is expected
to take from six to eight weeks. No Montserratian who holds a British passport
will be able to hold a Montserrat passport as well, the Governor said.
Former Governor Abbott had said the opposite in
one of his earlier radio broadcasts on this issue. He had said that
Montserratians would be able to keep their passports after having obtained the
British passport.
Governor Longrigg added: “This means that you will surrender your old
Montserrat passport as you apply for your British one. However, Montserrat will
continue to issue an Overseas Territories Passport, similar to the Montserrat
passport currently in use for those persons who wish to continue to use this
type of passport.”
The passport will be in the European Union (EU) format and will allow holders
the same freedom of movement within the EU as afforded to any British Citizen.
Authorities Begin Move On Delinquent Tenants
By Merrick Andrews
The Land Development Authority (LDA) and the
Government of Montserrat are in the process of taking drastic action against
tenants who remain delinquent in paying rent for government houses, according to
LDA manager Charlesworth Phillip.
He said names of delinquent tenants have been sent to the Attorney General’s
office and documents are being processed to serve to the court for eviction.
“Tenants sign the lease and two to three years pass without rent [being paid]
because they figure government will not throw them out of the houses,” Mr.
Phillip told The Montserrat Reporter shortly after the official opening of the
new offices of the LDA and housing unit at Brades on Wednesday.
Rental arrears for government houses amount to about EC$150,000 per year, said
Mr. Phillip, adding that 50 percent of tenants account for arrears from one
month to five years.
People who fail to pay for rent are from “all spectrums of society,” notably
from the communities of Lookout and Davy Hill.
“Individuals who work and simply refuse to pay – we can’t allow that
practice to be continued because this is to the detriment of individuals who are
still yet to have housing solutions provided for them,” Mr. Phillip said.
Ann Marie Dewar, permanent secretary in agriculture, land, housing and the
environment, said: “The Ministry has made the Land Development Authority and
has contacted all tenants who are in arrears over a period of time. There are
some tenants who have made a payment schedule as a result. In the cases of those
who have not agreed a payment schedule, government is considering those
cases.”
Mr. Phillip, who replaced Sylvia White as manager on a three-year contract in
March of this year, suggests many of these tenants can perform better. “We
definitely can’t allow these practices to continue because government has a
facility where if anyone is unable to pay their rent, certainly, they can apply
to the Community Services department who will make an assessment to determine
what levels of rent they can pay. So if someone can only pay half of their rent,
Community Services, on determination of that fact, will subsidize half of the
rent.”
"Too
Many Airport Questions Remain To Justify Failure to Seek Alternatives"
Last week Communications and Works minister Dr.
Lowell Lewis sought to clarify matters relating to that now dubious issue
surrounding ‘an airport for Montserrat’ by visiting with Basil Chambers on
his morning show at ZJB radio.
He had gone there because he considered both the
Hon. Reuben Meade and former Chief Minister Brandt's comments on the airport
issue to be "mischievous." He was challenged later in the program that
his party members had promised the people of Gerald’s that there would not be
any airport constructed there, his statement about what their manifesto had said
notwithstanding.
That morning Dr. Lewis brought up the now
familiar excuse of affordability, “which is $41 million…knowing the
limitation of the funds, we’ve gone around trying to find money.”
That was, of course, news to all of us, and he
called it "good news" that the Committee for Redevelopment of
Montserrat (CRM) had said “they have identified one or two people who’ve
shown an interest in helping us finance a proper airport.”
Previously they (government officials also) had
said that HMG would withdraw their funds if someone else put money up for an
airport and would not guarantee any loans for that purpose.
But since we have been grappling every day for
four years now with the issue of transportation
to and from Montserrat, the unwillingness of HMG to spend more than the barest
minimum is evidence either of their hope to return to Bramble Airport or their
uncertainty whether volcanic activity might still destroy the whole island.
The dilemma, of course, has been aggravated by
our own failure to put forward in strong enough terms what we believe is needed
for a viable future, apparently in the belief that we have no choice but to
accept whatever is put before us.
We have certainly in the past merely left it all
to "them," since it hardly matters what we say. Dr. Lewis and CRM with
respect to the airport have sought to get as many independent opinions on
options as possible for a "permanent" solution to the airport issue.
But have any real thoughts been given to a heliport instead?
We heard Halcrow declare that they may have to
relocate the present facility at Gerald’s in order to build the 500-metre
runway.
Isn’t it time to investigate the economics and
cost effectiveness of a helicopter service that will provide the same 19 seats
with almost 100 percent certainty than even what is being planned with the Twin
Otter?
We have come to realize quite clearly that what
we are likely to get is certification for the operation of Islander aircraft
into Geralds, which of course was gleaned earlier from the famous Hogan/Harris
presentation on ZJB. But this past week a senior pilot out of Antigua, who said
he had been following the discussions quite closely, warned that we should
question whether or not a fully loaded Islander would be able to land at Geralds
on the 500-metre runway.
There are larger-capacity helicopters including
all relevant new technology types presently standing at the threshold of
certification and market introduction. And while helicopter upkeep may be more
than for fixed-wing aircraft, a heliport costs much less and the safety factors
change drastically.
British International has provided service with
30-passenger helicopters between Penzance in England and Scilly islands on a
scheduled basis since 1965. The duration of the trip is 20 minutes and the
distance is about 30 miles. In 2000 they provided service to 250,000 passengers.
There is a population of 2,500 people on the Scilly islands.
We need relief from the artificially pumped-up
time pressures by carrying out the necessary investigations for an alternative
to the problems we now face (and we should try to preserve rapid deterioration
of Bramble airport). Doing so will refute any quick-fix proposals by nicely
cloaked phrases from all kinds of intertwined vested interests.
As one outside observer said: “These will no
more than ultimately reveal themselves as millstones around Montserratians’
necks rather than the solution they are purported to be, the thick overseas
funding-related cake frosting notwithstanding.”
Except for
the editorial, opinion articles expressed in these pages are not necessarily
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The Editor, P.O. Box 306, Olveston, Montserrat, W. I., e-mail: editor@montserratreporter.org
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LOVE GIVES VALUE
READ:
Hebrews 9:23-28
[Christ] bore our sins in his own body on the
tree
1 Peter 2:24
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Leviticus 20-23
Wayne and Red served in the same platoon when the
Allied forces marched across Europe in World War 11.
Wayne volunteered to be "point man," leading the platoon into
enemy territory. Red backed
him up.
The two led their men through several battles
until they reached the famed "Siegfried Line."
They ran across no-man's land and jumped into the enemy trench.
When a live grenade exploded in front of them, Wayne, who was in the
lead, was wounded by the blast. Seeing
his helplessness, Red stepped forward, grabbed Wayne, whirled around, and
shielded him from gunfire. A few seconds later Red was hit by an enemy bullet
and died instantly. Wayne, who survived, later wrote, "No one has ever
valued me more."
In a sense, Jesus "took the bullet"
that was intended for us. We were
born in sin, and "the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
Because of God's great love, the Son of God became man, lived without
sinning, and took our penalty by dying on the cross (1 Peter 3:18).
Because Jesus died, we can have eternal life.
Do you have that life?
If not, put your faith in Christ today.
Then you too will be able to say, "No one has ever valued me
more." -DCE
Christ died for me-what blessed words!
He bore my guilt one day;
No greater price has e'er been paid
Than when He took my sins away. -Egner
JESUS TOOK MY PLACE ON THE CROSS
TO GIVE ME A PLACE IN HEAVEN.
Dear Faithful of Montserrat,
At the just concluded Meeting of the Clergy and
Pastoral Workers of the Diocese, your Pastor, Father Frank Kom, shared with me
your concern about the sex-abuse cases in the United States of America that
involved one percent of the Catholic priests of that country.
The bishops are also being blamed for not
exposing these cases to the civil authorities, and many dioceses are being sued
as a consequence of these wrong and sinful actions that occurred some twenty to
forty years ago.
To begin with these actions against God's little
ones are to be deplored, and actions should be taken to safeguard these
innocence souls. I want to assure you that if any of our priests should ever be
guilty of such sinful actions, he would be removed from active ministry
immediately and the necessary investigation would be pursued by the Church
and civil authorities. Sexual abuse of any and
every kind-specially against the young-must not be tolerated, no matter the
status of the person committing such acts: be they priest, politician or layman
or woman. We are talking about
"zero tolerance." We must
also lift up to the Lord the Victims and their families, because they carry with
them
an indelible, psychological mark into future
relationships.
Having said that, I would wish for us all to be
educated with the fact that paedophilia, which is an abnormal attraction towards
the very young, is a disease similar to other diseases like diabetes and
alcoholism. There is no cure. We can only contain the activities of paedophiles
by limiting them to an area where there are no young people.
Even though we deplore the actions of paedophile
priests, we need to pray for them, because they must be carrying a heavy burden,
and cannot help themselves. It is only in recent times that science has recognized the
incurable traits of paedophilia. Up
to the time of this discovery, bishops and others in authority used to treat
paedophilia activity
as a moral issue. For that reason, priests would
be reprimanded, sent away for a thirty-day retreat, receive the Sacrament of
Reconciliation and be re-assigned to another Parish.
Now, we know that the spiritual cure is not, by
itself, effective. The paedophile
must be treated as a "diseased" individual needing constant
monitoring.
Also, we need to be told that sex-abuse of a
paedophilia nature, is not a Catholic or Priestly problem. People and Ministers
of all denominations are also involved; this is unfortunate. Several years ago,
I myself was approached by a Montserratian mother who was lamenting the fact
that someone close to the family had molested her very young
daughter. Although I tried to persuade the mother
to take the matter to the police, she was ultimately dissuaded from doing so,
for reasons known only to her. Paedophilia
my dear people, knows neither gender nor religion. To safeguard our young,
innocent people, we must guard against any inappropriate behaviour, no matter
from which quarters it comes.
Some people-even those claiming to be religious
or "saved"-will use the unfortunate and horrible events in the Church
in America to paint all Catholic priests. They
will try to capitalize on these events to cast doubts in the minds of our
Catholics. Stand firm in your
faith, dear friends in Christ, knowing full well that according to Christ's
promise:
'the gates of hell shall not prevail"
against Christ's Church [Matt. 16: 18]. The human frailty of human beings-be
they priests, bishops or laity-can never outweigh the grace of God and his
promise to keep on purifying and perfecting his Church.
Although we in the Diocese of St.
John's-Basseterre have not had any experience similar to the Church in the USA~
nevertheless, we can never boast (except in the Lord).
We say: "There but for the grace of God go I!"
Let us pray for the Holy Father and for all of our bishops throughout the
world, that God will grant them the wisdom, prudence and
sensitivity to comfort adequately those abused
victims of paedophiles. Pray, too, that God will strengthen the 99% of our
Catholic clergy worldwide who strive daily to attain holiness of life and to
minister faithfully to the flock entrusted to them by the Lord Jesus Christ, who
said: "Feed my lambs... feed my sheep" [John 21:15, 16].
God bless!
Yours sincerely in the Risen Lord;
Commissioner
Douglas Returns From Law Enforcement Conference
Commissioner of Police John Douglas recently
returned from a United Kingdom Caribbean Overseas Territories law enforcement
conference, held from April 23 to 25 at the Grand Pavilion Commercial Centre,
Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands.
The theme of the conference was “Where are we
now and where do we want to be?”
The conference also catered to controllers of customs and chief immigration
officers.
Melroy Meade represented Montserrat at the conference as acting Customs
Comptroller.
Commissioner Douglas, who was attending the conference for the first time, said
some of the topics discussed were white collar crime, money laundering, firearms
review in the Overseas Territories, UK cops drug strategy and UK military
support in the region.
He said each representative of the Overseas
Territories was called upon to give an overview of what transpired over the
years in their respective countries.
Mr. Douglas said he used his new mission statement in his address, which he said
was lauded by the participants.
New Land and Housing Ministry Offices Open
The new offices for the Department of Lands and
Survey, the Housing Unit and the Montserrat Land Development Authority were
officially opened at Brades on Wednesday, May 1.
The United Kingdom Government, through the Department for International
Development (DFID), financed the project.
The Government Architect’s office and Alford Dyett, who also designed the
building, provided technical services.
In her address, Mrs. Annie Dyer-Howe, Minister of Agriculture, Land, Housing and
the Environment, also complimented contractor George Tuitt and his team “who
brought the building to an ‘occupiable’ state well before the due date, and
within budget.”
Ms. Dyer-Howe disclosed that the government intends to establish a National
Housing and Development Corporation over the next few months.
She said: “This new entity will effectively merge the functions of the Housing
Unit and the LDA, and carry the necessary mandates to drive the effective and
efficient implementation of Government's housing and land policies and
strategies. It will drive the
process of reconstruction in these sectors.
We believe that the work of this organization will assist the national
strategy to secure investment, and help to spur population growth by providing
the impetus for Montserratians to return.”
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry Ann Marie
Dewar said in her introductory remarks: “I
know that there have been quite a lot of opening ceremonies lately, as various
new buildings have reached completion. Sometimes
we can get weary of these events, but each of them marks a significant step
forward in our rebuilding process, and is, therefore, a cause to celebrate.
We are still here, we are steadily rising from the ashes, and we are
moving forward with determination.”
Health Ministry Plans Quality of Care Survey
The Ministry of Health has moved one step further
in ensuring that quality health care is being provided to the population.
The Ministry will undertake a Quality of Care
Survey later this year where the public would get the opportunity to give their
feedback on health care services, according to a media advisory from the
Ministry.
The advisory said it is expected that all areas of the health services will be
covered to include Primary and Secondary Care services.
“This national survey will provide baseline data for a range of health
services. This would greatly assist the Ministry in developing long-term action
plans and policies ensuring that the services provided match the needs and
expectations of people on Montserrat,” the advisory added.
Survey tools to be used are questionnaires and focus group discussions.
MNA Week of Celebration Activities
The Montserrat Nurses Association (MNA) will be
celebrating their week of activities starting May 5-11 with the theme
"Nurses and Families: Caring and Sharing Together."
The opening ceremony of the nurses’ convention will be held at Good Life,
Little Bay, on May 8, starting at 9:00 am.
The programme: May 5 – Church service at St. John’s Church of God of
Prophecy; May 6 – Walkathon; May 7 – President’s address on ZJB radio; May
8 – Convention; May 9 – Buy your favourite
nurse a flower; May 10 – Service project: Blood pressure checks; May 11 –
Cake and breakfast sale.
Professor Sir Howard Fergus is acting as Governor
in the absence of His Excellency Governor Anthony Longrigg.
Mr. Longrigg attended the UK Overseas Territories Governor’s Conference in
London last weekend, before taking a leave, according to a Government House
press release. The statement did not say when Mr. Longrigg would return.
C&W Sponsor MSS Team Trip to Test Cricket Match
By Merrick Andrews
Smiles lit their faces as they listened intently
to the good news.
The good news: Cable and Wireless (C&W) are donating 20 Test match tickets,
and 20 ferry tickets to members of the Montserrat Secondary School (MSS) cricket
team to witness West Indies battle India in the fourth Test in Antigua on May
10.
The smiles later became quiet laughter after Venus George, corporate
communications manager of C&W, made the announcement at the school on
Tuesday.
“I am going there to see Brian Lara make a big score and see Carl Hooper
putting on a big double century again and West Indies winning,” said Garnett
Thompson, an opening batsman for the school and national cricket team.
His teammate, bowler Kenvill Fenton, echoed similar sentiments: “For the Test
match I am looking forward to see Brian Lara making some runs…. And I would
like to big up Cable and Wireless – thanking them for sponsoring us and giving
us the trip to Antigua. I hope that this will boost our performance.”
Vice Principal of MSS Glen Francis said: “Cable and Wireless, as usual, is a
good corporate citizen and we are very appreciative of this presentation. The
(MSS cricket) team did well, and this is a sort of celebration as Cable and
Wireless continues to help our community.”
Ms. George of C&W said: "We are calling on all Caribbean nationals to
rally round the West Indies team and support them as they face India, so here is
a great opportunity for you, the young members of the Montserrat Secondary
School cricket team.”
C&W’s donation came just over two weeks after the West Indies Cricket
Board (WICB) through the local sports office, contributed 18 Test tickets to MSS
students to attend the May 10 match in Antigua. Local Ziggy’s Restaurant also
chipped in with their donation of lunches for the students.
Man Seriously Injured In Cycle, Car Accident
A man suffered serious injuries from a vehicular
accident in Lookout on Wednesday evening.
Nicholas Ryan of Carr’s Bay suffered head injuries when his motorcycle
licensed M937 collided with a licensed M3793 car driven by Pathan Wallace of
Lookout at around 5 p.m., police said.
Mr. Ryan was rushed to the local hospital before being airlifted to Antigua for
further medical treatment, while Mr. Wallace suffered minor injuries, police
said.
The police said the two men were traveling in opposite direction when they
collided, and that Mr. Ryan was wearing a helmet, which fell during the
collision.
On April 11, the police said a number of measures would be implemented because
of the increasing frequency of accidents.
Those measures, the police said, would include the use of a Radar Speed Gun and visibility patrol. They said then that investigation into a number of accidents “strongly suggests” elements of speeding and carelessness.
St. Vincent to Commemorate 100th Volcanic Anniversary
KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent -- Next Tuesday marks 100
years since the deadly eruption of the La Soufriere Volcano, which erupted on
May 7, 1902, resulting in the death of some 2,000 persons.
To mark the 100th anniversary, the La
Soufriere Monitoring Unit, the Seismic Research Unit in Trinidad and the
National Disaster Organisation will be holding an “Earthquake and Volcano
Awareness Week”.
The week of activities will begin on Sunday with
a panel discussion on local radio and on Monday an opening ceremony will launch
“Our Moving Earth” exhibition will at the Methodist Church Hall here.
There will be other exhibitions as well.
According to the organizers of the week of
activities, members of the general public must be made more aware that similar
eruptions of the La Soufriere Volcano are possible today, underscoring the
importance of remembering the catastrophic events of May 7, 1902.
St.
Kitts Upgrades Airport Immigration Control System
BASSETERRE,
St. Kitts -- Immigration services in the Federation have been
upgraded with the commissioning of a computerized Immigration Management and
Control System at the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport.
The US$245,000 Management and Control
System, commissioned by Prime Minister Dr Denzil Douglas, is operational on both
islands of the Federation and is designed to track the arrival and departure of
residents and visitors. It will also be used in the management of work permits,
passports and citizenship applications, and has applicable uses in support of
tourism.
Prime Minister Douglas pointed out that the
system also addresses a major concern of the Federation’s residents that under
OECS free movement there is the potential for increased access of criminals to
the country. He indicated that the system has the capability to identify
criminals who may attempt to enter the Federation by allowing new features to be
added as the needs of the Immigration Services evolve.
Slave Trade Monument Is Underway in St. Kitts
BASSETERRE,
St. Kitts -- The first step in the construction of a monument recognising the
African Slave Trade and the slaves who lived in St. Kitts and Nevis was taken
with the unveiling of the United
Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)-funded Slave
Route Project at Independence Square here.
Erection
of the monument is to be completed by Emancipation Day, August 1st, 2002.
The
objectives of the monument are to raise the consciousness of Kittitians and
Nevisians to the significance of slavery and its relation to their history, to
create a greater sense of awareness and appreciation of the national identity
and to have Independence Square declared a "Peace Space" - a place of
reverence and memory by UNESCO.
Ms.
Dauna Manchester, Secretary General of the St. Kitts and Nevis National
Commission for UNESCO, said the slave route project has a two-fold objective.
Firstly, to break the silence by bringing to universal attention the issue of
the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and its abolition and secondly, to highlight its
consequences and in particular the interactions between the peoples involved.
She
said UNESCO's US$26,000 approved project was that organisation's contribution to
breaking the silence surrounding one of the most tragic chapters in history and
that the St. Kitts and Nevis National Commission of UNESCO is honoured to be
associated with this historic event.
Ms.
Jacinth Henry-Martin, Minister of Information, Youth, Sports and Culture, traced
the history of the Slave Trade in St. Kitts and Pall Mall Square, now
Independence Square. She said, "It is important for schools, libraries,
colleges and communities to be told what Independence Square represents to us as
Kittitians and Nevisians, regardless to our ethnicity."
"Today
is the start of a bolder step, one that puts the people of African descent and
the Africans themselves in a position in Independence Square, where rightly they
belong at the center," said Culture Minister Henry-Martin."It is when
we begin to value ourselves that we can best position ourselves to pardon those
who wronged us, to embrace diversity amongst us and finally to let the chains
fall so that we can learn to love ourselves and all of the peoples of the
world."
Public
awareness programmes through the media and other public avenues have begun by
the Ministry of Tourism, to gain feedback from the public to ensure that they
are taking the right steps for the erection of the monument.
Grenada
Launches Job Skills Project
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada -- The Imani Project, a
government initiative designed to provide 500 people between the ages of 17 to
35 the opportunity to acquire and develop skills and gain job experience, was
officially launched Thursday at the Youth Development Centre.
The project will operate through December 2002,
and is aimed at helping participants to improve self-esteem, build confidence
and develop a positive attitude about themselves and the world of work.
Minister of Youth Adrian Mitchell outlined the
Project to representatives of the private sector at a consultation on April 25.
Project participants will receive a monthly
stipend of $500, on-the-job training, and will be required to provide three
hours a week of community service work.
Imani is an African word meaning faith in God,
faith in yourself and faith in one another.
St.
Kitts and Nevis Licenses 2 Local Telecom Businesses
BASSETERRE,
St. Kitts -- St. Kitts and Nevis issued the first set of telecommunications
licences under the new telecoms regime during a ceremony on Wednesday.
Sam
Condor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Telecommunications and Technology,
issued the licences to two local companies, following the liberalisation of the
telecommunications sector in the several Eastern Caribbean islands.
The
Cable, established in 1983, received a licence to provide a fixed public
telecommunications network and services.
The
other locally owned company, CariGlobe, was licenced to provide a public
cellular/mobile telecommunications network.
The
licences were issued following a meeting in St. Kitts of the Board of Directors
of the St. Lucia-based Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL)
and the Council of Ministers of Telecommunications in the OECS Contracting
States - Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St.
Kitts and Nevis - at which the granting of licences to new entrants in the
telecommunications industry was agreed.
The
Treaty establishing the St. Lucia-based Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications
Authority (ECTEL) was signed in Grenada two years ago. ECTEL, in conjunction
with the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (NTRC), which is set
up in all Contracting States, assigns frequencies for radio stations and other
telecommunications services and advises Ministers on all telecommunications
matters.
Martinique Delegation On 5-day St Kitts Visit
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts -- A delegation of
officials from Martinique is on a five-day visit to the Federation of St Kitts
and Nevis as part of an exchange visit between the two countries.
The initial visit occurred in November when
Cedric Liburd, Minister responsible for agriculture led a delegation to
Martinique.
During their visit the Martiniquan delegation
will discuss with agriculture representatives from St. Kitts out means of
collaborating the sugar industries of both islands. This activity forms part of
the investigations into the future of the sugar industry of St. Kitts.
Activities of the visiting delegation include
meetings with Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas and other ministers of
government, including the minister of agriculture. Additional meetings will be
held with the SSMC Board of Directors and other senior management personnel as
well as representatives of the St. Kitts/Nevis Trades and Labour Union. Tours of
the sugar factory and the harvesting operation are also on the programme of
activities.
Jamaica's ASHE Takes AIDS Message to St. Kitts
BASSETERRE,
St. Kitts -- The regionally renowned Jamaican Production company ASHE is in St.
Kitts to deliver its thought-provoking message on HIV/AIDS to.
The
group has been engaged in several activities to get the message to facet of our
society. Their focus is most on youth through a number of free performances for
students at the high school level, as well as grade six students of primary
schools.
Free
performances for parents were also scheduled, along with a three-day workshop
for guidance counselors, practicing dramatists, and drama teachers from Monday
to Wednesday. On May 4, ASHE is expected to perform through drama, folk singing,
drumming, poetry and dance.
Their
one-week stay will climax at the ECCB Auditorium at 8 p.m. Monday. May 5, with a
gala performance dubbed "The Best of ASHE."
Antigua
PM Calls Again For Labour Day for All
ST.
JOHN'S, Antigua -- Prime Minister Lester Bird this week repeated a call he made
more than 10 years ago that Labour Day should be de-politicised.
Mr.
Bird restated his view that Labour Day is too important to the historical,
social and economic development of the people of Antigua and Barbuda for it to
be used for political purposes.
"When
the Antigua Trades & Labour Union (AT&LU), under the leadership of Vere
Cornwall Bird Sr., fought the plantocrats for the observance of Labour Day, it
was for all the people, not some of them," the Prime Minister declared.
"This
division of the working people on Labour Day only arose with the creation of the
Antigua Workers Union (AWU) and its affiliation with the then Progressive Labour
Movement (PLM). In other words, the
cause of the working people is weakened, not strengthened, by such a
division," Mr. Bird stated.
He
went on to say, "We can start this giant step forward by agreeing today
that no member of the Cabinet nor any member of the executive of the UPP should
play any role in the ceremony except to attend as a worker.
"Let
only the Trade Unions Leaders speak on this Labour Day.
If the leader of the Opposition publicly announces that he will not speak
on Monday I shall do likewise."
Grenada to Focus On Sports Tourism
ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada -- Minister of Tourism
Brenda Hood has been appointed by the Government of Grenada to head the newly
formed Sports Tourism Committee.
Deputy Chairman is Minister of Sports Adrian
Mitchell. The other members of the
committee are individuals from the public and private sectors and include
representatives from the National Stadium Authority, the Grenada Hotel and
Tourism Association, the Grenada Cricket Association, the Grenada Board of
Tourism, the Ministry of Sports and the St. George’s University.
The purpose of this Committee is to promote
Sports Tourism in the regional and international sporting community.
To this end, the Committee for example, will be entering into
negotiations with Lamb Felton Associates to promote Grenada as a sports tourism
destination for cricket and other sporting teams in the UK.
This new thrust represents another boost for the
tourism sector, as Grenada promotesd superb sporting facilities and venues
managed by the Ministry of Sports, St. George’s University and the National
Stadium Authority.
American
Eagle to Boost St. Kitts, Nevis Tourism
CHARLESTOWN,
Nevis -- American Eagle airlines will commence operations into Nevis’ New
Castle Airport once the terminal building is completed.
American
Eagle President Jacques Vachon, responding to a request by Premier Vance Amory,
said: “Our participation and commitment to the island paradise has been
without question, and Mr. Amory, once the Nevis Airport is finished, we hope to
be part of that as well.” The ultra-modern airport terminal building is due
for completion by July.
Mr.
Vachon made the keynote speech last Saturday evening during the St. Kitts and
Nevis Hotel and Tourism Association (HTA) Second Annual HTA Pelican Tourism
Awards/Dinner. He
praised Dwyer Astaphan, the Federation’s minister for Tourism, who put
in place a plan meant to sell St. Kitts and Nevis to the U.S. and Canada
markets.
“The
results of this effort were evident this season,” Mr. Vachon said. “Despite
September 11, traffic from December through March decreased only 9 percent to
St. Kitts and Nevis. Over the same period, the rest of the industry has seen a
decline of almost 20 percent and some of the destinations, the decline has been
up to 36 percent.”
In
his address, Premier Amory reminded the audience that tourism was the major
revenue earner and industry for the country, and while the Federation was not
singular in the Caribbean in offering sun, sea and sand to the visitors, “what
makes the difference and what we expect to continue to make the difference in
St. Kitts and Nevis is the quality of our service.”
The
Premier said that the recent bill passed by the Nevis Island Assembly,
Environment Improvement Levy, should not be seen as a means to increase the cost
of visiting the island, but rather to be looked at as a form of partnership in
the era of globalisation, where each person, sector and organisation, which
share and participate in the tourism industry could contribute to the
maintenance and support of the resources that are paramount to the development
of tourism.
Earlier
before the presentation of the awards, HTA’s President, Mr. Sam Ng’alla,
praised American Eagle for its commitment to the Federation for linking the
country with its premier source market of USA, and he announced that of the
nearly 100,000 visitor arrivals recorded, “American Eagle brought over 47,000
passengers,” commenting that “the role of this airline can be put to its
proper perspective.”
Meanwhile,
American Eagle President, Mr. Jacques Vachon, while delivering his speech on
Saturday, challenged hotel properties and the government to establish a fund
that would allow hotels to draw from, in case customers were forced to extend
their stay because of any transportation closure like the one witnessed last
September.
Jamaica’s
PM Proud of Achievements
JIS,
Jamaic- Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has said that Jamaica’s impressive
achievements in foreign and local investment, expansion in infrastructure,
stability and growth in the macro-economy, improvements in the social
indicators, reform of our trade policy and improvements in human capital, were
building blocks to a brighter future for Jamaicans.
He
pointed out that during the last few years, hundreds of million of dollars in
foreign direct investments were brought into Jamaica in banking and finance,
infrastructure, electricity, telecommunication and tourism.
Mr.
Patterson was making his presentation to the 2002/03 Budget Debate in the House
of Representatives on Tuesday (April 30).
“Foreign
investors have shown confidence in the management of the country. They see
tremendous opportunities here. We have also established a presence in overseas
financial markets by a series of successful bond issues and have attracted
favourable credit ratings from leading rating agencies,” he added.
The
Prime Minister called for more Jamaicans to invest in opportunities, although
“we are seeing a growth in domestic investment”.
“…It
is not enough. We are certain that as domestic interest rates continue to fall,
greater local investment will flow. It is very important for Jamaican
enterprises to increase in size to the critical mass needed to compete globally.
We are therefore actively encouraging joint ventures between local and foreign
capital to achieve this critical mass,” he urged.
He
said the Government deliberately did its forecast for the Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) growth without including the impact of Highway 2000. “We are
therefore confident that a growth rate of six per cent is not beyond us over the
medium term. We do not need to be going in search of a so-called mega project to
spur growth. We already have it in place with the necessary financing,” he
noted.
Mr.
Patterson said the Highway 2000 and all the allied projects – industrial
parks, Vernamfield airport/industrial complex, the upgraded Milk River Spa and
the new town would help to transform Jamaica “on a scale never before
imagined.”
“This
is one of the pillars that will speed growth and help us to grow the debt away.
Our way is to get the debt-to-GDP-ratio well below 100 per cent within five
years. The borrowing strategy cannot work,” he said.
The Prime Minister also said that it was
important that every facet of the economy and society become geared towards
meeting the global challenges of the future.
“We
have to get our education and training system to deliver graduates who can
compete with graduates from anywhere in the world. We have to get our
infrastructure, our justice system, our crime levels, our production costs, all
meeting global standards,” he said.
Mr.
Patterson stressed that this was the only basis on which the country would
survive and prosper. “The ‘new economy’ will be based on vigorous
competition and the protection of national self-interest. Jamaica is preparing,
within a regional context, for a number of far reaching trade negotiations that
will shape our destiny for the next generation and beyond. But these
negotiations will mean nothing if our firms cannot compete,” he added.
Davon Williams XI Team Takes First Innings Points
By Merrick Andrews
Davon Williams XI won first innings points
against Zhuan Sweeney XI during last weekend’s start of the 2002 Trial Squad
cricket competition, held at Salem Park.
Damp conditions affected the start of previous matches, geared to select a final
team to represent Montserrat in the Leeward Islands competition on May 24.
The Montserrat Cricket Association (MCA) had named 26 players who are divided
into two teams – Davon Williams XI and Zhuan Sweeney XI, named after the
captains – to contest each other up to the weekend before the start of the
Leeward Islands competition.
Scores: Davon Williams 257 and 135 for two; Zhuan Sweeney XI, 175 all out.
Davon Williams took first strike on Saturday, April 27, and made good use of
their time with captain Davon Williams smashing an impressive 88 runs. He got
support from Mark Stephanie (45) and Jeff Lane (32).
Tyrone Greenaway snared three for 65 off 19 overs, McPherson Meade took three
for 40 off 11 and Lionel Baker captured two for 40 off 15.
In reply, Zhuan Sweeney XI was skittled out with captain Zhuan Sweeney falling
one short of a half century with 49 and Tyrone Greenaway with 31.
Dereck Levi took an impressive six for 29 off 14 overs and Kenville Fenton
snared three for 30 off nine.
At the close of play on Sunday, April 28, Zhuan Sweeney was on 135 for two. The
not out batsmen were Davon Williams (50) and Mark Stephanie (6).
The competition continues this weekend at Salem Park, weather conditions
permitting.
The lineups:
Davon Williams XI – Davon Williams (Captain), Mark Stephanie, Trevor Semper,
Jeff Lane, Damion White, Dolston Tuitt, Gary Barzey, Darren Sweeney, Sylvester
Wade, Kenville Fenton, Sylvester Greenaway, Dereck Levi and Cavel Greenaway.
Zhuan Sweeney XI – Zhuan Sweeney (Capt.), McPherson Meade, Nester Piper,
Garnet Thompson, Tyrone Greenaway, Jaron Harris, Gregory Willock, Cecil Lake,
Lionel Baker, Adrian Carty, Dextor Stephanie, Wendel Fenton and Leon Greenaway.
The squad is made up of 14 players from last year’s national team.
Tight Basketball Battle Looms for 2nd Round
By Merrick Andrews
In a nail-biting, fever-pitched encounter
Rebels ended Fire’s unbeaten run in the Montserrat Amateur Basketball
Association (MABA) League with a narrow 60-57 victory at Brades on April 26.
The victory ensured that no team enters the May 10 start of the second round
unbeaten.
Rebels, Fire and Pitbulls recorded three victories and one loss each. MSS
Warriors mustered only one victory and suffered three losses, while Taz
Westsiders are yet to win a game. Each team played four matches.
In the second round, defending League champions Pitbulls will be determined not
to lose another title this season, having lost the Knockout (KO) crown 25-19 to
Fire on April 6.
Second round interest will be heightened because the three teams have contested
each other, making it likely that each team is familiar with each other’s
strength and weaknesses.
Rebels were favoured to win their game on April 19 against Pitbulls after
leading narrowly, but valiantly, 35-34 at the half-time break. They kept it up
to a 70-70 tie at the end of regulation time, but flopped narrowly by two points
(80-82) in overtime.
It’s a round-robin scenario that’s hard to depict: Pitbulls were defeated
twice by Fire, both in the League and KO; Pitbulls defeated Rebels, who later
defeated Fire.
And all three teams are bubbling with confidence in anticipation of the second
round.
Rebels’ coach Gregory Willock said: “I spoke to the captain [of Rebels,
George Green) and he’s confident that we are going to take the trophy. We’ll
take it one step at a time. We have to raise our confidence levels [for the
second round], feeling that we can beat everybody and stop thinking that it’s
Fire or Pitbulls.”
Pitbulls coach and MABA President Randolph Lewis expresses more confidence: “I
am still backing up my statement from the beginning that Pitbulls will come out
the champion…. We are not going to back down on any challenge, regardless of
whether we win or lose. At the end of the day I still believe Pitbulls are going
to come out the champions.”
Fire’s captain and forward Elbert Aaron finally kept calm: “It’s going to
be very interesting (in the second round) because three teams are tied…. We
are coming out with a vengeance.”
Meanwhile, the All-Stars Weekend starts today with Old Boys contesting Juniors,
along with 3-point shootout, half court shot and DVD raffle fun activities.
Tomorrow, North contests South, followed by a slam dunk competition. Activities
will begin 7 p.m. both days.
Last week’s results:
April
26 games
Game 1: Rebels def. Fire 60-57 after trailing 26-27 at half-time.
Top-scorers: Rebels – Crenston Buffonge 25 points, A. Hixon, 13; Fire –
Nichon Weekes 20, A. Wade 16, Vachkel Murraine 11.
Game 2: Pitbulls def. Taz Westsiders 84-74 after 29-28 half-time lead.
Top-scorers: Pitbulls – Randolph Lewis 23, Rudolph Lee 14, Germaine John 15,
D. Greer 12; Taz Westsiders – H. Bobb 25, N. Kelly 18, G. Williams 12, B.
Greenaway 11.
April 27 games
Rematch game: Rebels def. Taz Westsiders 64-55 after trailing 23-34 at
half-time.
Top-scorers: Rebels – G. Green 28, C. Buffonge 19; Taz Westsiders – G.
Williams 19, N. Kelly 15.
GAME STANDINGS
TEAMS
PLAYED WON LOST
PITBULLS
4
3 1
REBELS
4
3
1
FIRE
4
3
1
MSS WARRIORS
4
1 3
TAZ WESTSIDERS 4
0
4
St.
Lucia Wins OECS Netball Championship
CASTRIES,
St. Lucia -- The Shamrock Sports Club of St. Lucia defeated Vita Malt Maple
Netball Club of St. Vincent and the Grenadines 64 goals to 59 to win the 2002
ECGC OECS Netball Club Championship here Sunday night.
Shamrock,
playing before a vocal home crowd, pulled away in the crucial final quarter, to
turn the tables on Maples, who had taken the honours when the two teams last met
at the 2001 Championships in Nevis.
This
year's hard-fought battle saw the two teams tied at 16-all after the first
quarter, and again at 33-all at half time. The Vincentians pulled ahead to lead
49-47 at the third quarter to set the stage for the thrilling final 15 minutes.
Third
place in the tournament went to the fast-improving Pace Setters of Nevis. There
were strong performances from the other participating teams - Viv Richards' All
Stars of Antigua/Barbuda, Vita Malt
Celtics of Dominica, and Anglican High School of Grenada.
Sponsors
East Caribbean Group of Companies, which has been carrying the tournament for
its entire 12 years of existence, has pledged its commitment to next year's 13th
edition.
The
ECGC OECS Netball Club Championship brings together the Champion teams from
national netball tournaments in the OECS Member States.
Following
are the end of tournament awards.
Champion
-
Shamrock Sports Club, St. Lucia
1st
Runner Up
-
Vita Malt Maples, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
2nd
Runner Up
-
Pace Setters of Nevis
Player
of the Tournament
-
Deselva Florton, Shamrock, St. Lucia
Team
Awards
Best
Defending Average - Vita Malt
Maples, St. Vincent
Best
Shooting Average -
Vita Malt Maples, St. Vincent
Best
Shooting Accuracy - Pace
Setters, Nevis
Individual
Awards
Best
Centre Court player
-
Deselva Florton, Shamrock, St. Lucia
Best
Defending Player -
Elizabeth Mathews, Maples, St. Vincent
Most
Accurate Shoot -
La Tasha Isles, Pace Setters, Nevis
Most
Discipline Team
-
Pace Setters, Nevis
Most
Valuable Players
Shenneth
Samuel
- Viv
Richards All Stars, Antigua/Barbuda
Jenifer
Nanton -
Vita Malt Celtics, Dominica
Prudence
Lewis -
Anglican High School, Grenada
Natalie
Nisbert - Pace
Setters, Nevis
Elizabeth
Mathews-
Vita Malt Maples, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Deselva
Florton -
Shamrock
Team
Awards
Best
Defending Average - Vita Malt
Maples, St. Vincent
Best
Shooting Average -
Vita Malt Maples, St. Vincent
Best
Shooting Accuracy - Pace
Setters, Nevis
Individual
Awards
Best
Centre Court player
-
Deselva Florton, Shamrock, St. Lucia
Best
Defending Player -
Elizabeth Mathews, Maples, St. Vincent
Most
Accurate Shoot -
La Tasha Isles, Pace Setters, Nevis
Most
Discipline Team
-
Pace Setters, Nevis
Most
Valuable Players
Shenneth
Samuel
- Viv
Richards All Stars, Antigua/Barbuda
Jenifer
Nanton -
Vita Malt Celtics, Dominica
Prudence
Lewis -
Anglican High School, Grenada
Natalie
Nisbert - Pace
Setters, Nevis
Elizabeth
Mathews-
Vita Malt Maples, St. Vincent and the Grenadines
Deselva
Florton -
Shamrock
By Montserratian at Heart
You know, there is this saying that goes a
country deserves the Government it elects.
But when you listen to the daily Antigua soap
opera about the Medical Benefits Scheme Scandal and the Observer or ZDK radio
daily talk shows you know that Antiguans have come to realize that even they
don't deserve the kind of Government they elected.
And it shows one other interesting thing. It
shows that Government is not ashamed to blatantly blame Civil Servants for any
local fiasco. And it does not even matter if it has been clearly revealed that
the Minister seems to have been caught with his whole arm and his two legs in
the cookie jar. And it does not seem to matter even if the rent increase was
discussed by the Ministers and is in some kind of Executive Council paper.
Maybe it is because Antigua is so close to
Montserrat why we seem to be contracting whatever deadly and contagious disease
that Antigua has been walking around with for the past three or so decades.
And let me explain all this in detail to make
sure that you are not confused.
First of all, Montserratians went ahead and
inflicted upon Montserrat a Government that we clearly did not then and do not
now deserve. And this is so clearly manifested each day that it is difficult to
dispute. If you want real proof just check this out. The Party held a party and
no one came. The Party spent a whole evening talking about their achievements
and only10 persons cared to listen!!
The wildly cheering crowds of supporters, who
frolicked and basked in the filth of the election campaign bile and vitriolic
claptrap, were noticeably absent. In fact it is this very band of roving
supporters now disenchanted, disillusioned and disappointed, who are vigorously
and publicly voicing their grave error in their selection of candidates. And let
me add that it is even the successful candidates themselves who are now publicly
tearing their Ministers apart and their own Party into splinters.
And by the way, don’t worry, Mr. Reporter
Editor, whether or not you were informed of the activities for the Party. It is
clear that you were caught in the intent and the spirit of the Party's own
supporters.!!!!!
Second, it would seem that many an eye may well
be on the cookie jar as one becomes aware of new construction companies being
formed and one hears tales of boasts of becoming multi-millionaires with no need
to work at the conclusion of certain high profile and nationally disputed
projects. So who knows? We may very well be heading for our own Medical Benefits
Inquiry.
But maybe nothing will ever come of any
"hand caught in the cookie jar scam" here on Montserrat. We heard of
people dealing hook, line in steel, cement, galvanize and sinker from time
immemorial and getting away with it. But then again school children say, is the
same thing that used to happen in Antigua until….Wham!!! just like that, they
wake up one morning and find that "all dey free paper bun" and the
nation laughing and watching them being shamed by the Commission on the People's
Television. And they getting even more frightened when they realize there is a
real possibility that they may all be going to jail.
And thirdly, have you noticed how Moses has
returned to lead us in the wilderness all over again? In this modern day and
age. In this day of globalization and liberalization. In this day of dot.com and
e-intelligence we have the kind of leadership that is content with a
“kiss" that reminds us of Jesus and Judas story! We have the kind of
leadership that continually and succinctly states that it has no confidence in
its own ability to negotiate for us an acceptable and reasonable communication
package. We have the kind of brash, crude leadership who would persist with
impunity to insult our expatriate community. We have the kind of unschooled
leadership, which other emerging Caribbean nations have left behind in the
twentieth century. We have the kind of leadership who would leave our future up
to the vicious and vindictive machinations of malcontented non-nationals who
clearly show a disinterest in our welfare, great disrespect for our people and
have repeatedly spat in the eye of our nation. In this day and age we have the
kind of leadership that is so visionless and rudderless and hopeless and
incompetent; that we are once again on the move for Britain.
The performance of our leadership is so abysmal
that it is clear that we can be done just as much violence and harm by our own
leaders as when we were exposed to and threatened by the volcano.
And so we pray: Lord, deliver our leaders from
evil and keep their hands out of the cookie jar. And Lord, please have mercy on
us and spare us from having to migrate to Britain. But mostly Lord, lead us not
into temptation because, Lord we are beginning to feel that the time has come
for us to break a few heads if we are to remain here on Montserrat and live an
adequate and reasonably comfortable life.
This we pray. Amen.
Montserrat
Makes Its Case At St. Maarten Trade Show
Montserrat was represented along with 11 other
islands at the first-ever St. Maarten Annual Regional Trade Show (SMART), which
took place from April 25 to 28.
The Montserrat contingent included persons from
the accommodation sector (Vue Pointe Hotel, Tropical Mansion Suites, Montserrat
Moments Inn and Rose Hill Guesthouse (now Gingerbread Hill Guesthouse) and the
Montserrat Tourist Board.
Each accommodation entity and the Tourist Board
were provided with tables, which were decorated with promotional material.
A 12-minute video, produced by the Tourist Board, was shown throughout
the Show. The members of the
delegation were able to make contacts with various buyers, which included travel
agents, tour operators and media persons from around the region and from the
U.S. and Canada.
The highlight of the Show was a Travel
Agents’/Press Education presentation, which was conducted by the Director of
Tourism, Ms Ernestine Cassell. Following
an introduction of the island by the Director, a short video was shown on
Montserrat. Questions from the
audience where then answered. This
program helped to educate the travel agents/tour operators and the media on how
to get to Montserrat and on what the island has to offer.
Promotional materials, including brochures,
leaflets and press releases, were then given to each person.
The overall show was successful despite the fact
that many buyers did not attend. Many
people, including the participating suppliers, were pleased, however, to see the
Montserrat contingent and were happy to receive information about the island.
Tourist
Board Announces St. Patrick’s Day Winners
The Montserrat Tourist Board held prize-giving
ceremonies during the assembly of the three primary schools for the winners of
the annual St. Patrick’s Day Quiz. Each winner was awarded a Share Certificate from the St.
Patrick’s Credit Union, following donations from a number of businesses.
Congratulations to the following winners:
1st Prize Winners
Loralyn Fergus Brades
Charlesell Farrell
Brades
Keron Hercules St.
Augustine
Devin Bonney
St. Augustine
Suzette Gordon St.
Augustine
O’Marlie Cabey St.
Augustine
Norvelle Lindsey
St. Augustine
Ashley Warner
St. Augustine
Jemel Fenton
St. Augustine
Delthia Harris
St. Augustine
Esthefan Payano
St. Augustine
2nd Prize Winners
O’Cathma Thornhill
St. Augustine
Marissa Allen
Brades
3rd Prize Winners
T’Sean Blake
Lookout
Juslyn Fenton
Lookout
Khejell Kelly
Brades
Javon Sweeney Brades
Lucian Francis
Brades
Reuel Hixon
St. Augustine
The Montserrat Tourist Board thanked the
following donors for their contribution:
Bank of Montserrat Ltd., Delta Petroleum. Judith
Greer and Associates, National Development Foundation/St. Patrick’s
Co-operative Credit Union, NJF Auto Services
Island
Life TV Programs Will Include Montserrat
Island Life Magazine, based in Barbados, is
producing two television programs, one lifestyle oriented and the other travel
oriented, which focus on the Caribbean Region.
The programs, each consisting of 13 episodes, will be aired across the
region initially and beyond in the future.
It is intended that the shows will be launched towards the end of 2002
and there are plans to support them by a website and possibly an annual travel
publication targeting mid to upper income regional residents.
A team of photographers visited Montserrat on
Monday 29 April to film certain areas and to interview various persons after
which they will produce a 4½-minute television feature on the island for the
programs.
FIERCE 'DORG'
They called me a fierce dog. Some commercial
vagabonds in Montserrat are offended by my new attitude as a forceful social
critic, and have labeled me an inconsequential howling dog.
In fact, the leader of the pack accosted me and
demanded that I stop barking. He claimed that my articles have taken on the
features of a snarling and barking dog. He further intimated that I was becoming
a fierce biting dog and that I should expect to be muzzled soon.
So today, I decide to behave like a tame dog. I
shall only sniff at a simple social issue, and wag my little "tale" as
I leave you to ponder.
First, I want the Government to explain to
Montserratians, at home and abroad, the sweetheart arrangement between itself
and the Chamber of Commerce. Tell us what is delaying the acceptance and
development of Little Bay as a viable town centre and tell us why they are still
leasing privately owned buildings from Chamber members only.
For Montserratians, Little Bay is a promise and
an opportunity of a millennium. Where else on earth would people be given the
opportunity to own and develop their own modern town? And we can do it too; all
we need are ideas...
We can set up a Public Company - offering shares
to every Montserratian - to build and own the public places and offices of
government.
Such a venture would be as profitable as any
because the situation is tailor-made to suit our circumstances. We as a nation
have to provide services to ourselves. We have to pay taxes for those services.
So then, why not pay the rental fees to us - our own Company?
We must not sit back like blind, deaf and dumb
people while others pluck the gold from our noses. We must establish a
Montserrat-owned Company to build and own the post office, the courthouse, the
customs offices, the administration offices and the Inland Revenue offices. And
then we can pay to ourselves dividends from the profits of our own efforts.
To build these offices, we do not need as much
money as you might think. The land at Little Bay is free. The income from rent
is guaranteed. The Banks will lend us the money to build our town - if we would
only start with Government offices.
The idea of pooling our pennies to create a
Company, fully contributed by us, is not new. It was done successfully before.
Some years ago, when I was a director of the Chamber Of Commerce, the then
president, Hensey Fenton, presented a similar plan to Montserratians.
The plan was to allow ordinary Montserratians to
invest in and own shares in the Quarry. The records would show that
Montserratians worldwide gladly sent their money to the Chamber to invest on
their behalf.
So Montserratians, we can do it. And damn it, we
must invest in ourselves if we want to control ourselves. We must take the
opportunities that come with Little Bay. We must give every Montserratian a
chance to own a stake in this land.
Tell me, why would the Chamber of Commerce ever
consider giving Little Bay to the Ching Ming Sungs? Why do we want our children
to have to ask permission to visit the beach at Little Bay? Why should we give
away to the Chings the only land that the people of Montserrat own? Have we
forgotten Amersham? Have you forgotten how those nit-wit security guards used to
ask, "What do you want up here?"
Oh Lord, deliver us from the evil of ourselves,
and lead us not into the temptation of selfish men. Men who want to give our
Little Bay to the Chinese rather than helping the ordinary brother to invest in
himself.
Maybe I should ask the Chamber of Commerce
members what do they have against Little Bay. Or rather, what do they have
against ordinary Montserratians.
Could it be that Chamber members are not
interested in sharing the wealth of our redevelopment with you the people?
Could it be that Chamber members want to buy all
the land at Little Bay, and according to the mighty Arrow,
"will it to their children only"?
Could it be because the Chamber members are not
allowed to buy Little Bay and prevent others from sharing in the Gold Mine, that
they are sabotaging development there?
Why would the Chamber of Commerce want to lease
Little Bay to Wong Ping, the Chinese?
Could it be because we hate ourselves that we
continue to store Dominican sand and stone on Little Bay - our gold mine -
instead of building a social heritage?
Why do we want to allow people to call us a
people without ambitions? Montserratians, please do not get me wrong. Little Bay
is more than Office Buildings. Little Bay is the only location on Montserrat
where we can plan for parks, parking cafes, restaurants, offices and residential
homes.
Yes, Little Bay is the only place where we can
have that complete social and commercial package without having to pay solid
gold for the land.
Little Bay is for us Montserratians to own, to
develop, to invest in and to enjoy. Little Bay is not for Ching Park Hu, or Lee
Ping Cong.
Yes... my critics, selfish and ignorant, will
call me a fierce howling "dorg."
But truly I am just a tame dog, sitting at the
gate to Little Bay and wagging my "tale" so that you too can ponder
selfishness and passive ignorance.
SEPTEMBER
11 AND CARIBBEAN TOURISM
What we must do to survive
By Rachel H. Collis, BA, MTA
On September 11, 2001, the world watched in
horror as terrorists launched attacks against the United States, destroying the
twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York City, and badly damaging the
Pentagon in Washington, DC. These attacks not only dealt a crippling blow to
global tourism industry, but sounded the death knell for Caribbean tourism which
is so heavily dependent on the industry for its economic survival, and
especially on the American market. International travel data subsequently
released by TIA showed the dramatic impact of these acts of terrorism.
International travel plummeted 34% in October 2001, and it has been forecast
that traveler spending would
decrease by 11%, resulting in losses
of an unconfirmed $9.2 billion for 2001.
The following examples of current travel trends
in the 4 leading origin markets - the
United States, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom – would serve to
illustrate the immediate and potential longer term effects of the current crisis
on international travel and on travel industries. Within a month of the attack
two of the US biggest hotel and travel organizations – the Marriott
Corporation and Carlson Companies - had
calculated that the level of business within the US had fallen off by 35-40%;
British Airways announced that the airline’s transatlantic traffic, the
lifeblood of Caribbean tourism, was down by 30%, mainly owing to Americans’
fear of travel. Regional tourism clearly suffered from the downturn in US travel
demand and the profound uncertainty which existed in the industry at the time.
According to a survey conducted by TIA soon after the attack, though 69% of
Americans were still planning to travel, many had either changed their
plans, cancelled their immediate plans, or made other travel arrangements.
These decisions greatly affect the Caribbean market share of 8% of
Americans who come to the region on a yearly basis.
The United Kingdom, which is the fourth largest
market for international travel, and arguably the most important in long-haul
travel, registered an immediate wave of travel cancellations and postponements.
New bookings for winter travel were down 33% from the previous year, and advance
summer bookings were 45% down. London’s main airports, Heathrow and Gatwick,
reported a 26% fall in transatlantic traffic.
The Caribbean which is dependent on tourism for
one in every 4 jobs, and for its huge contribution
to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of more than 70% in some countries, is
heavily reliant on the North American market, especially the United States,
which accounts for around half of total travel in the region, and a larger
proportion of visitor expenditure. This would explain why the losses sustained
in the industry in the region were so heavy following the attacks. The fact that
North American travel has fallen off means that the regional tourism market is
suffering, and the future appears somewhat bleak since the confidence needed for
an upswing is somewhat abated by the threat of possibly more attacks on the US
as it maintains its airstrikes against terrorists and terrorism.
One bright spot is that countries such as
Grenada, Barbados and Saint Lucia, which have a high proportion of European
travelers in their visitor mix, have been doing better as they claim their share
of the 24% European arrivals; but those that are very heavily dependent on the
North American market, such as Aruba, Bahamas, Montserrat and Antigua, have been
having a difficult time as they struggle to make ends meet.
The Heads of CARICOM met late in 2001 to measure
the downturn in tourism in their islands following the attacks. All agreed that
tourist travel to the region had fallen off by about 30%, and that the future
looked bleak for the industry throughout the region. A strong call has gone out
following this meeting for the respective governments to pass legislation to
help the hotel and tourism sector stay afloat, and at best recover from the
impact of the downturn.
One of the biggest setbacks that the Caribbean
can suffer would be the successful consolidation between airline companies and
tour operators. Insufficient and high-priced airlift continue to be one of the
main headaches in maintaining the vitality of the tourism industry in most of
the islands, and a circling of the wagons could have a deleterious effect.
But what must the Caribbean do to survive this
current impasse? For one, the region’s best hope for recovery might lie in
strategic marketing which could have some advantages and present worthwhile
opportunities. The region’s hoteliers have organized themselves to meet the
situation head on by launching a marketing blitz to revive tourist arrivals in
the region
Rachel Collis is a Tourism Consultant with a
Masters in Tourism Management & Marketing from the George Washington
University in Washington, DC.
Signs
of the Times
The police find themselves on the spot,
With increasing road crashes a blot.
If they hope to succeed
In reducing the speed,
Posting speed limits might help a lot.
Buckle
Up
Your safety is really the crux
Of concern, instead of ‘big bucks,’
Seat belts are recommended
Save for those undefended
Standing up on the backs of our trucks.
Jus wonderin which doctor you can really trust
these days
Jus wonderin why people like to mine other people
business on Montserrat and at the end them don't know them own.
Jus wonderin why business people don't respect
their employee the way they suppose to.
Jus wonderin if people don't find it stocking to
find domestic violence on the Island, when the population is so little.
Jus wonderin if Rastafarian will ever get a fair
chance.
Jus wonderin why the guys at the some of them
supermarket have to hide to talk to girls.
Jus wonderin if them na know these guys need a
social life too.
Jus wonderin if them na know, them who married a
look girl so wha happen to de single one them.
Jus wonderin when labour speaks if them is look
into business places to see if employer are being treated like them explain.
Jus wonderin why don't they take time to
investigate business places to see if employees are being underpaid, just de
same way they take to investigate for work permit.
Jus wonderin if Cable TV think people a get rich
overnight.
Jus wonderin if them na know people have other
bills to pay beside them own.
Jus wonderin wha next ga rise out there.
Jus wonderin if Montserratians will go out and
support de different activities this weekend since they hardly do.
Jus wonderin since them find Gerald's site unfit
will they ever have an airport.
Jus wonderin if a someone else wid run dem
car pan one puliceman, after one canfruntashun, if the court would'a jus
repriman an discharge them?
Jus wonderin if e should a be charge fu attemped
morda?
Jus wonderin if justice fu some and not fu all?
Jus wonderin who don’t know you work before you
get pay.
Jus wonderin if when dem get rich from airport
construction they will still live in Montserrat.
Jus wonderin if that decent politishun realize he
swimming wid sharks and that they eat other fish alive.
Jus wonderin if that politishun know that people
fed-up when he always tryin to clean de house.
Jus wonderin if he don’t know when party sink
everybody drown.
Jus wonderin when enuf is enuf.
Jus wonderin if West Indies could win a test
match this time.
Jus wonderin if it is too early to wonder if they
will win one in this decade and when they will every win another one, now that
it looks like they don’t know how to.
Jus wonderin who give dem wine fu drink and why
they think they had to drink it.
Jus wonderin what is going to happen to dat woman
who keep seeking out scandal and then applying for people job.
Jus wonderin what is there to be so vindictive
about.
Jus wonderin when things will change for the
better in Montserrat.
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