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Don't Save Belham Bridge And Save About £20,000

by Bennette Roach

Mud flows under Belam Bridge

Public Works Department has estimated that it would cost about £20,000 to protect the Belham Bridge and its environment from possible disaster, including the golf course, which is a huge asset to Montserrat and its future development and economical sustainability.

Engineers, experts and DFID personnel see this cost as too much, adding that the Belham Bridge and matters relative to it exist in the "Exclusion Zone."

Failure to spend this comparatively paltry sum, which amounts to about EC$100,000, means the possible loss of three and possibly more homes in the immediate vicinity.

Chris Crowe's house in the Belam Valley - Threatened by mudflows

The matter of protecting the bridge has been one of debate for the past few weeks, just prior to the heavy rains which began to descend in mid June. Scientists are even attributing possible reasons for the heavy rock falls and ash fallout that took place on Thursday night and Friday to the rains.

Chief Minister David Brandt, at the press conference called to introduce the sixth draft of the Sustainable Development Plan, said that engineers and experts had advised that it would be cheaper to let the bridge be covered with mud and debris brought down by the river from as far up as the very volcano that is creating the problem.

Following the CM's pronouncement, which he said did not necessarily agree with his own views, Ministers and officials made the decision to remove the guard rails from the bridge and block the road bordering the golf course leading into Old Towne from vehicular traffic. This evidenced the decision to do nothing further but to allow whatever the river brings down to be deposited in the lower plains, overrunning the Isle's Bay road, the golf course and anything else of worth in that vicinity.

Ilse Bay Road

Gov. Anthony Abbott was asked on Thursday what was the main goal surrounding the protection of the bridge. "My main aim is to protect that bridge from destruction," was his reply. He said that several courses of action were considered, including that put forward by the Director of Public Works, which is to excavate upriver from the bridge for about 300 meters, under the bridge and down river from the bridge, allowing free flow towards the sea of the muddy water and whatever debris it brings down.

Objections to this plan arose from fears that flash flooding would bring down huge rocks, blocking the bridge and destroying it in the process.

When it was pointed out to His Excellency that the engineers might not know enough about the pattern of water flow at Belham River, he said that the reports he had received so far said that water had already flowed over the bridge from the river. This statement is as accuratee as saying that there has never been volcanic activity in Montserrat.

It was suggested to the Governor that the bearers of those reports could not be interested in the future of the bridge, since there was no truth in them. He said he felt that everyone concerned in the decisions in that area had the interests of Montserrat at heart, and that he and the Ministers had only the engineers, scientists and experts advice to go on.

One local engineer is adamant that the approach by the officials to the bridge debate is way out and not in the interests of the future of the island. "The Governor needs to visit and take a tour of the area with people who understand the history of Belham River and what is and is not likely to happen and see what simple thought can do for the area," he said.

This person, who wishes to be anonymous for the time being, says that closing the road shows that there is no interest to do anything in the area. He does not see the cost to be an issue.

"What this suggests," he said, "is that we have no say in how money is being spent in this country, if DFID and the Governor are the ones who will determine whether it is too much money to save property, private and public, and assets which are crucial to our future development."

There seems to be a big debate on the matter, but neither the Minister of Communications & Works nor the Chief Minister were on island to give their own views on the matter.

The CM had said that even though he might have a different point of view, he feels that he will, "follow their (the engineers and experts) opinion on this one."

There is the worry by many that any damage to the bridge will pose the serious problem of making it almost impossible for those people who wish from time to time to go to their homes deeper in the 'unsafe zone'. This is of particular concern to Cork Hill, Richmond Hill, Foxes Bay and Isle's Bay Hill homeowners who, as the days passed with no activity or explosive threats from the volcano, go in to prepare for the day, hopefully not too far away when they can return to their homes.

Tree being used as a road block at Belam

Consider also what the French scientist at the MVO had to say about mud flows: "The mud flows are potentially hazardous and quite straightforward to deal with since they only come after or during a rain storm. They only go down valleys, but more deaths are caused from them than other hazards of a volcano. He emphasized that with simple precautions it is an easy matter to deal with.

It is, however, believed that the decision to allow the area to be widely overrun by mud and debris will discourage those persons desiring to go into these areas, at least for the time being, and that it is all in keeping with a more praetorian plan.

A year after a deadly pyroclastic flows ravaged the eastern side of Montserrat, it was reported last week that the government might allow people to return to an area that had been declared uninhabitable and forms part of the official Exclusion Zone.

The announcement about Salem came the day after a memorial service marking the anniversary of the volcano’s deadliest activity, which took place on June 25 last year. But it was expected that the decision would be made after scientists complete a report on the activity at the Soufriere Hills volcano, due to be presented around mid July.

It should be noted that Prof. Steve Sparks a month ago, said, "The April meeting could have been a bit premature to make any judgements we needed to watch the volcano for a longer period of time and to assess whether this period of quiet was significant or just a lull in activity.

The scientists also recognised that if this period of inactivity went on for a significant length of time, it would be a major change and, "we felt that we needed to do more work to see what character this period of quiet was like and needed to make more assessment of our data before coming to any conclusions about the change of status of the volcano."

Now, speculations and suspicions are rampant that this expected announcement might not take place.

On Tuesday this week the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) reported:

"There was a moderate-sized pyroclastic flow at lunch time today. This flow went mainly down the Tar River Valley but small amounts of material were also observed coming down Tuitt’s Ghaut and Tyres Ghaut. There were no earthquakes before the pyroclastic flow and it is assumed to have happened solely because the dome was unstable, rather than because of any new activity within the volcano. Overall the flow lasted approximately 40 minutes and reached as far as the Tar River Estate House. Ash from the event blew westward over Plymouth."

On Thursday night familiar jet sounds filled the night as thunder resounded over the night stillness, and lightning brightened the southern skies. Some people reported doubts at first, but there was no mistaking the sounds — the volcano was sounding off again, spewing ash clouds so high they were not visible, thus helping to create doubt about its activity.

Later Friday morning the MVO reported: "Three o’clock this morning the Soufriere Hills Volcano went into a phase of activity which saw pyroclastic flows from the dome down the Tar River Valley, some of which reached the sea.

"The pyroclastic flows created a vertical ash cloud reaching heights of 45,000 feet. Prevailing winds blew fine ash towards the north of the country and this mixed with heavy overnight rain impacted on a wide area."

I spoke to Deputy Chief Scientist Jill Norton, who said, " Water gets into the dome and it heats up and of course it alters the rocks and makes them much weaker. All those heavy rains could have triggered this. We’ve had no earthquake activity before it,so compared to all the other dome collapses this is very unusual and perhaps this is even a good sign."

There were no signs of activity within the dome. "We’ve had a few tectonic earthquakes. We had no increase in any other type of earthquakes; there was nothing to say that anything was going to happen and nothing to suggest that there was new material coming up which is good. Hopefully that’s a good sign," Dr. Norton said.

She said it is possible that activity like this could send us back to explosions because there is a lot of pressure and with this massive dome, it holds the pressure inside the volcano.

She explained, "Take a part of that dome away, then it could release the pressure and that could trigger an explosive eruption . . . I think we could expect to see a little more earthquake activity and we will be watching it very closely to see if any new magma starts extruding."

The scientists agree that because of the continuous reports of inactivity within the dome itself, it was easy for everyone to forget that with the instability of the dome, rock falls big enough can trigger pyroclastic flows and huge enough ash clouds that would immediately adversely affect conditions for Montserrat and its residents.

Flying over the dome a month ago, one could see the water courses starting from the top of the dome and going down all sides, helping to undermine the rocks sitting on the dome with its already very loose material. It is not surprising, then, that the scientists would confirm that the heavy rains could and would aid the ease of rock falls.

What can we hope for? "If no more magna is extruded, with the dome getting smaller, there will be less material to come down and that would then be a good sign, so we just have to hope no new material comes out," Dr. Norton offered as our best hope.

She said that the material will take a long time to cool down, going mostly down the Tar River valley to the delta, but "a little bit further north than we’ve seen before."

According to the scientist, Long Ground was ashed, ironically enough a rare occurrence since September 1996. They also expressed surprise that the activity did not go down White River on the south end.

Calls from St. Kitts and Antigua confirmed later on Friday that the ash had reached that far, which is almost always the case when it goes that high into the atmosphere.

Mandela Visits St. Lucia / Caricom

Nelson Mandela address crowd in St. Lucia

St. Lucia, (Reuters) - Crowds flocked to downtown Castries Saturday hoping to catch a glimpse of South African President Nelson Mandela, a man they praised as a hero to the people of the Caribbean, as well as to African blacks.

Several thousand people ringed a square in St. Lucia’s capital named for Derek Walcott, one of the country’s two Nobel prize winners. Residents perched on benches and fountains and craned their necks as they leaned from

the windows of buildings surrounding the square.

Uniformed schoolchildren waved flags, steel bands played and performers danced and sang in honour of the African leader, who was greeted by cheers and even tears of joy.

"I never expected to see him on this island," said Simon Alexander, 45. Alexander, of Bonnetterre, north of Castries, said he had taken the day off from his job as a hotel bar man to see a man he described as a hero for his long fight to change South Africa’s racist apartheid system.

"He fought a lot for black people," he said.

In his speech, Mandela addressed the schoolchildren in his audience, telling them not to neglect their educations. One mother poked her daughter and said, "Listen," as they strained to take in Mandela’s words.

"Many of us in the developing countries belong to poor parents... We all have struggled," Mandela said.

To extra-loud cheers, he said, "Poverty does not start today. It has always been there."

To cheers and applause, he exhorted his audience, "Don’t allow poverty to keep you away from equipping yourself for the purpose of improving your capacity to serve your country."

The children listening to Mandela said they were prepared to take his message to heart.

"I admire him because he’s a great man and he fought for the freedom of black people, especially Africans," said Ealidia St. Helen, 13, who said she had studied Mandela in school.

"I admire him for his wisdom and strength and courage," she said.

Albert Emmanuel, 15, who had come with his school from the St. Lucian town of Dennery, said he and his classmates had stood for three hours waiting for the South African leader to arrive, but that he was happy to see him and that his parents had given him a videotaped biography of Mandela.

"Every time I watch the videotape, I just cry," he said, repeating Mandela’s biography from memory.

"The cruel white people were in charge," he said. "They imprisoned him

for many reasons, but one of the greatest reasons was they wanted to make him powerless. They wanted to get him weak. But he got stronger," he said.

Mandela arrived in St. Lucia on Thursday for a visit to discuss South Africa’s trade with Caribbean nations and to thank the region for its support during his long anti-apartheid fight.

His visit coincided with a Heads of Government summit of the Caribbean Community (Caricom), an economic alliance of Caribbean nations.

"You will not forget that this region was one of the staunchest activists supporting us in our anti-apartheid campaign," he told reporters after arriving Thursday at St. Lucia’s Sir George Charles Airport.

"And I am here, therefore, to express this appreciation directly to the people of Caricom," he said.

Mandela was scheduled to speak again during a public ceremony to mark Caricom’s 25th anniversary Saturday night.

He was expected to announce that South Africa would establish an embassy in the Caribbean, likely in Jamaica, whose late Prime Minister Michael Manley was one of his most devoted supporters throughout his 25-year imprisonment during the South African apartheid fight.

Mandela, who turns 80 this month, is in his last year in office.

The treaty forming Caricom was signed on July 4, 1973.

"We Must Take the Initiative And Get Out of 'Rubber Stamps' Mode"

Sometime in the early to mid 1970's, the Development Finance and Marketing Corporation (DFMC) ceased to function in its full capacity, though it continued to exist, maybe even to this day. That corporation was the vehicle through which the Caribbean Development Bank was supposed to operate in Montserrat.

Two young men serving on its Board made it quite clear that their appointment was unnecessary if they could not serve without directives from any Minister of Government or anyone else. They had no intentions of being "rubber stamps," having found that they were going to Board meetings to hear the chairman, who at the time was the Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, advise the Minister's of decisions on all issues.

Through the years many statutory boards functioned in this manner, their members acting merely as "rubber stamps." Some statutory bodies pay their board members, DFMC didn't, but it is still not clear how members on these boards who were not civil servants served in this undignified fashion. These two DFMC members did not resign, but were never invited to another meeting and it is not known that the Board ever met since.

Today, because of the dire circumstances we have faced as a people since the late '80s, and because we now appear to accept that we must rely absolutely on HMG for support, our Government seems to be in the same position, no more than "rubber stamps" to the decisions of the British Government. Never mind all the hype about consultation. We only have to ask ourselves if the statement signed by George Foulkes, Undersecretary of State at DFID, and Chief Minister David Brandt is the full truth.

The question has been asked many times since this volcanic crisis began, "Who is in charge?" There is a pervasive attitude among the entire Government that because we should give thanks -- and indeed we should -- we must be reduced to beggars and give up control of everything that affects us, except choosing to struggle on in Montserrat.

It is beyond comprehension that this Government seems never to be involved in how, when, where or for what any money is spent on the island. There is always the response, "if"or "when we get the money from Britain." But the question is also asked: "Do we have to depend on EVERYTHING from Britain?" Or is it that we have no initiative, desires or ideas of our own? One thing can be absolutely certain. If we sit and wait for Britain to do it all for us, they will tell the world that they will, but it won't be done and we will be worse off. But then who should we blame, Britain? It seems not

Every person who can, should involve themselves in the study, discussion and comment on the Sustainable Development Plan that is being circulated. That document should be studied very carefully and could form the basis for the future of this country. But if we are not careful, it could also be its doom if we do not get into the document more meaningful arrangements and agreements for the final plan.

Open Letter to the ExpertsOn Environmental Cleanup

I believe the people of Montserrat have a right to know the nature of the dangers you suspect in cleaning up volcanic debris. There have been statements made by the MVO that this volcano’s products are more toxic than other volcano’s. Explain.

Please give us the following information about each of the noxious substances you find.

• The name and chemical formula.
• How are these detected? How are they quantified?
• What are acceptable levels? What are the levels here?
• What period of exposure is required to cause illness? What illness is caused?
• What is pathogenesis? (How does the substance affect the body to cause illness?)
• What is the treatment and prognosis?

Give medical references for obscure conditions. Thank you for your cooperation.

Beverly L Anderson, M.D.

'Bad' EC Notes Produce Insult, Shame in Antigua

Dear Editor,

I am writing with regard to a very embarrassing and insulting situation I found myself in recently while I was on my way from Antigua to Montserrat. I went to pay for several items I wished to purchase from a shop at the airport in Antigua. I pulled out my purse and extracted several EC-dollar notes from it. When the shopkeeper examined the notes and found them to be of Montserratian origin, she flatly refused to take then as payment for the goods I wished to buy, saying that there had been a bank robbery on Montserrat and she was not accepting any Montserrat notes.

All my notes were non-stolen ones, because I had checked the serial numbers. I voiced this fact to the lady in the shop and asked her to check the serial numbers on my notes against the list of stolen notes serial numbers that I assumed she would have obtained from her bank for this sole purpose. She then got loudly indignant that she was not accepting any Montserratian notes and that she had no list of serial numbers of the stolen notes, nor was she going to get one!

I was to go to a bank and get my notes changed for non-Montserratian ones – then she would accept my money! By this time, several people had stopped to listen to what was going on. The situation was humiliating and embarrassing.

As I understand:

1. The stolen money is legal tender – the notes are signed and are not forgeries. Whether the notes were issued for circulation or not is irrelevant to their status as legal tender.
2. The notes were stolen and must be dealt with as should any other stolen property. It is illegal to pass stolen good, so it would be illegal to pass stolen bank notes as payment for goods and services.
3. It would appear that whoever was responsible for safeguarding the bank notes in question was highly negligent in carrying out the safeguarding.
4. Nothing seems to have been done about the current situation. Sections of the Montserratian public either hold "bad" notes or receipts for same from a bank or the police.
5. As far as I know, it is against the law to refuse to accept that which has been deemed legal tender as payment for goods and services. A merchant must have a very sound reason before he/she refuses to accept a client’s money. As I understand, the Antiguan shopkeeper was actually breaking the law when she refused to accept my EC dollars in a country where the EC dollar is the accepted national currency.
6. Since my return to Montserrat, I have been told that the practice of refusing to accept Montserratian EC dollars is widespread in Antigua, and possibly occurs elsewhere in the Caribbean.

I feel it is time to establish an association to represent those people who hold "bad" notes or receipts for "bad" notes. This association can then sue whoever is responsible for the negligent safeguarding of the banknotes that were stolen. As the Montserrat public at large have now not only suffered financial loss as the result of having been passed "bad" notes, but also insult, humiliation, embarrassment and inconvenience when acceptance of their money is refused, punitive damages should be sought in addition to reimbursement. As the Chief Minister of Montserrat is a lawyer, surely he would represent such an association in any lawsuit – pro bono!

M J Bayley

Threat to Belham Bridge Unlike that at Fort Ghaut

Mr Editor,

There are several burning issues on which I would like to comment and hope to do them justice.

First is the current situation at the Belham Bridge. The volcanologists and Public Works engineers have given invalid reasons for not cleaning out the river. They have compared Belham Bridge with Fort Ghaut Bridge. Do these so-called experts realise that Fort Ghaut Bridge was taken out by pyroclastic flows rather than mud flows? By not cleaning the Belham River, in millions of dollars in damage could result. The bridge will be destroyed, along with roads, electrical lines, water mains. The Cable & Wireless underground main which serves from Lovers Lane to St. Johns passes under the Bridge. That will be destroyed, resulting in reduced telephone services for years. Houses in the Isles Bay area are already being destroyed.

We can clean the river with the maximum of $20,000. All we need is to put a bulldozer and a loader in for a maximum of two weeks, just banking the ghaut sand to both sides of the river bank so that the mud flows can have a clear passage to the sea instead of spreading and causing additional damage. If hot pyroclastic flows did not do the damage, please don’t allow the cold mudflows to do it.

I understand that the "Dry Weather" cabins that are being prepared to house the Government offices will cost approximately $6 million when completed. Compare those barracks-looking cabins to the

Golden Ages home, which cost only $1.3 million and took about the same time to build. Why is Brown and Root wasting our money in this manner? I do pray and hope we are spared a tropical storm for a very long time because we will only be left with the $60,000 foundations.

Why do we need experts to tell us how to clean ash, something we have been doing for the last 2 ½ years. There are no individuals in the world who know how to clean ash better than Montserratians. There’s no more ash in Salem and surrounding areas than we have already cleaned from our houses and yards. If it was said ash-cleaning experts are needed for Cork Hill to Richmond Hill, this would make much more sense.

I guess it’s just another scheme to finish the £75 million as fast as possible without having any impact on the development of the island.

It was very heartening to see that those who perished in last year's eruption were remembered. It was a pity that those who perished in Hurricane Hugo were not given the same acknowledgment.

There is so much more to say but I will respect the space constraint you must have.

Wendell "Byrd" Lee

Perhaps It's Time To Name Volcano

Dear Sir:

Now that the volcano has quieted and the dome remains higher than Chances Peak, it may be time to consider selecting a name for Montserrat’s new mountain.

Maybe a contest could be held so that the people could submit their suggestions.

My offer would be Dante’s Peak, for this volcano has been one hellish inferno, taking lives, destroying much of the island, disrupting the lives of thousands and ruining the economy of the island.

Paul Lavoie.

OECS Health Ministers Hold Inaugural Meeting

The 12th meeting of the Eastern Caribbean Drug Service (ECDS) Policy Board was followed by the inaugural meeting of the OECS Health Ministers convened at Jack Tar Village in St. Kitts and Nevis on June 25-26.

The Ministers for Health of Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis, as well as Mr. George Goodwin Jr., Director of Functional Cooperation, OECS, were speakers for the formal opening ceremony.

Board members are Ministers for Health of the nine OECS countries. The Director of Functional Cooperation of the OECS, a representative for Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB), and the Managing Director of the ECDS also participated.

Since the inception of ECDS in 1986, the pooled procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies has resulted in significant cost-savings for OECS member states. The ECDS Policy Board wanted to review the purchasing of supplies for the past procurement period of 1997- 1998 and approve the annual budget for the fiscal year 1998/99.

Recognising the need for a more coordinated approach to regional health sector development, the OECS Health Ministers convened the first annual meeting to discuss broad issues in the region, including health care financing, human resource development, shared services and solid waste management. Technical support was provided by PAHO and the CARICOM Secretariat

A representative from The United Nations Industrial and Development Organization will evaluate the limitations and setbacks of small businesses in Montserrat, with a view of helping them to become viable again.

Mr. Glen Whitter of the Trinidad-based organization will review the status of small businesses and plan support programs here. A developmental strategy for national capacity building is also part of the program Whitter will execute while here.

He also is expected to meet with the Minister of Agriculture Trade and the Environment, officers in the Development Unit, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of the National Development Foundation.

Small Businesses in Montserrat in Line for Help from UN

A representative from The United Nations Industrial and Development Organization will evaluate the limitations and setbacks of small businesses in Montserrat, with a view of helping them to become viable again.

Mr. Glen Whitter of the Trinidad-based organization will review the status of small businesses and plan support programs here. A developmental strategy for national capacity building is also part of the program Whitter will execute while here.

He also is expected to meet with the Minister of Agriculture Trade and the Environment, officers in the Development Unit, representatives from the Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director of the National Development Foundation.

Shelter Re-dedicated as Pilgrim Holiness Church

After being used for almost two years as a shelter, the Pilgrim Holiness Church in St. Peters was rededicated last Sunday. The Honorable Austin Bramble told the congregation the government appreciated the use of the building.

"We are all aware that occupants of the shelters did not in all cases respect the building as they should," he said, "We give our appreciation for the willingness of congregation to make their church available. At this point in time, worship is even more important than in normal times, I believe that the restoration of churches to their normal use is an indication that Montserrat is coming back. It can also be an assurance that Montserrat has a future."

Mud Flows Onto Runway at WH Bramble Airport

Hopes to use facilities of the W.H. Bramble Airport may have been jeopardized when mud flows from the volcano spread across the runaway.

A team of experts recently considered how to divert material away from the airport by digging channels south of the complex. The mud and the water overflowed the terminals and covered part of the runaway.

Keith Rowley, Chief Scientist at the MVO, said this happened because the millions of cubic material on the flanks of the volcano will take the easiest route to the sea when rain comes. He said the former ghauts and channels have been filled and new channels are now being made.

Belham Bridge Threatened If Rains Create Mud Flows

Belham Bridge, the only access to the southern section of the island, is in direct line of mud flows that are traveling down the Belham Valley, and authorities fear that this could destroy the bridge.

In an attempt to save the bridge the guardrails were removed with the hope that the mud, stones and silt will flow freely over the bridge.

The Honorable Rupert Weekes, Minister of Communication and Works, said his engineers told him this move will protect the bridge.

Representative for the Central constituency, Reuben Meade, told reporters that materials from the surrounding hills are likely to aggravate the problem.

"We are likely to have additional material coming down from off the surrounding hills," Mr. Meade said. "The suggestion, which we would like to make, is for them to take off the skirting from off the top of the bridge and allow the material to pass over the bridge. That way it will minimize the damage to the bridge, we can then use ropes for guide rails and use the excavated bridge for people to traverse from time to time," Meade said.

Belam Bridge close-up

Chief Minister David Brandt expressed his concerns about people having access to their properties south of the bridge.

"I understand that there is much more material in the mountain to come down," he said. "Once we have more rains it will come down. In view of the fact that several persons have assets in Cork Hill, Plymouth, Richmond Hill and along the golf course -- we are thinking of a way to try and divert the water to try and protect those [houses along the golf course]."

Power lines in the valley were moved by teams from Monlec, Gov. Anthony Abbott said, since it would be very dangerous to have live power lines in the area.

"It was necessary to ask Monlec to turn off the electricity," he said. "The mudslides are threatening electric lines in the valley. We cannot allow the power cables to come down in the water and the mud slides, especially because there will be men working in the valley from time to time."

$10,000 Relocation Grants Come Ended

The Relocation Grant Scheme, which issued $10,000 each to facilitate the relocation of eligible Montserratians to other territories, came to an end Tuesday.

Department for International Development officials informed The Reporter, however, that it will continue to make payments to persons whose installment have not expired.

Some 2,400 Montserratians are said to have benefited from the scheme. Many others were turned down for reasons they consider to be unfair.

One woman told The Reporter that she was denied access to the grant on the basis that her husband was working in Antigua long before the volcano acted up in 1995.

"I never moved from Montserrat," she said. "I only went over for short stints of time to visit him. I only came up last year when we were told we had to move from our house."

Many who were given initial installments were disqualified for further payments. DFID officials said many persons dishonestly made claims for relocation benefits after which investigations found them disqualified.

One Montserratian in Antigua said he feels DFID does not operate in a transparent manner. He said the rules and regulations that governed relocation grants should have been published and distributed.

Hilton Samuel, public relations officer of the Antigua-based Citizens and Friends of Montserrat, told The Montserrat Reporter that ending the grants will usher in a desert of hardship on relocated Montserratians, especially the vulnerable.

"The unfortunate thing about this whole affair," he said, "is the fact that the British Government has not put anything in place to cushion the harsh realities that will be faced by the elderly and people who can’t work through no fault of their own."

"Sometimes you wonder if it is not an orchestrated plan to frustrate people either to give up and go back to Montserrat or migrate to England where they will fit into the welfare system there," Samuel added.

Attempts to reach Douglas Houston, head of DFID Montserrat branch, were unsuccessful.

Any Unregistered Lands Become Public Property

The government of Montserrat has announced that unclaimed lands must be registered within the next 12 months, after which any unregistered land will become public property.

The Honorable Austin Bramble, Minister responsible for lands, cited several advantages of the registration process.

"There are many person seeking lands to buy to build homes," Mr. Bramble said. "There are also landowners that want to convert their land into money. Before land can be transferred, the owners of the land must be in possession of a clear title and that can only be obtained through registration. In order to qualify for a mortgage the person seeking the mortgage must have a title. For those reasons and many more nobody will purchase a piece of land unless he or she is certain that the seller is in possession of a title and is therefore able to transfer the land once the purchase price has been paid."

Bramble urged residents to claim and register any land in which they have interest. While government is not interested in taking anyone’s land, he said that land which remains unclaimed for more than three years becomes public property. So registration is in the interest of both private landowners and the public.

Among other benefits mentioned by Mr. Bramble:

Establishing an official record of the ownership of land; providing a simple means of confirming such ownership; establishing identity of property, location and boundaries; reducing the cause of land disputes and enabling the owner to use the land as security for business transactions.

The minister said Government needs to quantify the resources of land available in order to make proper decisions and plans.

Allan Gunn-Jones, chief of Physical Planning for the Government agrees.

"From a planning perspective land is critical," he said. "In the case of Montserrat we have a reduced landmass to that of one third of what it was, which in turn reduces our land resource. In trying to plan for the next 10 years for the regeneration of Montserrat to pre-volcano standards we really need to know as much information about that land resource as possible. It is important for us to know about ownership."

Mr. Gunn-Jones said physical planning so far has been driven by what land has been available. This, he said, "is not a good recipe for project planning."

"The exercise of registration, of acquiring information about the ownership of land, is critical to returning the process to one that is driven by proper planning – the arrangement of land uses in the appropriate way," he added.

Former CM Comments On Life For Those Relocated in the UK

"After some difficulties Montserratians have been given allowances and housing for them to live," former Chief Minister John Osborne told BBC Caribbean Reports recently. "That is good, but there is still room for improvement. A lot of people who have come from Montserrat are accustomed to a different type of life than what they have here."

Another Montserratian said his impressions were different from the rumors he had heard. He told Emma Joseph of BBC radio, "I have spoken to a lot of persons from Montserrat who have come to England and they are very satisfied. They give you housing, job seeker’s allowance and other benefits. You can live with it until you get house in order and go."

New Cardi Team Leader Begins Role in Montserrat

Dr. Sherman Weekes, CARDI Country Team Leader for St. Kitts and Nevis and Montserrat, paid an official visit to Montserrat from June 30 to July 1. Dr. Weekes’ visit inaugurated his new responsibility for CARDI operations in Montserrat. During his visit, the CARDI Team Leader made courtesy calls on the acting Chief Minister, Adelina Tuitt, Minister of Agriculture P.A. Bramble and the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture.

In an effort to develop a focussed and re-energized CARDI program for Montserrat, technical discussions were held with key figures in the agricultural sector, including technical staff in the Department of Agriculture, allied agencies, farmers and selected individuals.

CARDI is the leading agricultural research and development institute in the region. Its operations in Montserrat successfully developed technologies in several crop commodities including white potatoes and onions, and piloted the Task Force Approach as a methodology for agricultural commodity development in the regions.

Since the advent of the volcanic crisis, activities of the institute have been seriously disrupted. Dr. Weekes emphasized that the institute’s policy is to fully participate in the redevelopment of the agricultural sector in Montserrat and develop a program to support the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Volume of Cargo Strains Storage Space at Little Bay

The Montserrat Port Authority has expressed its concern over inadequate space for storage. The massive quantities of cargo being offloaded at the port at Little Bay easily fill the available space, officials say, creating problems for operators.

Port Manager Roosevelt Jemmotte appealed to customers to clear their merchandise quickly.

"The importers need to recognize the fact that the facilities are limited and they also need to understand that it is not a warehouse for importers," Jemmotte said.

"They should immediately or even prior to the arrival of their goods clear their goods. The Customs can facilitate this arrangement. When the goods arrive they can move the goods to their site. This would create more space while at the same time reduce the risk of stealing, damage or loss."

Operator Shawn O’Garro said leaving goods in Customs not only increases the risk of damage but also creates more work for operators, as some products get moved up to eight times before they are finally cleared.

Cargo pile up at Little Bay Port

Early last month the Port Manager observed that this was not the first time that the port authority had been so squeezed for finding storage space, with three ships along side the emergency jetty and two others waiting outside with cargo.

The problem appears every now and then and can be expected as time goes on.

The manager says, "more ground space and storage facility is urgently needed as well as improved jetty facilities, before the matter becomes any more frustrating."

He says that he is not aware of any immediate plan to effect these urgent needs.

Suspicions of intentions to use the port in Plymouth again may be holding up the progress of adding facilities at Port Little Bay, but discussing the matter with the manager he sees this as well into the future. One factor that would have to be dealt with in Plymouth is the extreme ashy conditions, evident during dry periods.

Governor Abbot's Goal

Gov. Anthony Abbott, speaking over Radio ZJB, this week aired his concern about still having some 500 person in shelters three years into the volcanic crisis. He said he hopes to see all shelters closed and people re-housed by the end of the year.

"I am very conscious that we still have 517 people in shelters," he said. "I find that unacceptably high; I find it unacceptable to have people still in shelters for so long; I object. My ambition is to have all shelters closed by December 31. I hope we can achieve that objective."

Shelters at the Salem school campus

He said his main focus is to empty the schools and churches still in use as shelters but that this would depend on the policies of the government of Montserrat.

Keys to 50 Lookout Houses Given to New Occupants

Some 50 persons received keys for homes at Lookout Village on Tuesday. The houses, which were funded by the British government, were built to alleviate the problem of homelessness in the volcano-hit island.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony, the Honorable Austin Bramble, Minister with the responsibility for housing, said he is concerned about the many persons who are yet to receive housing.

The new houses are the second phase in a project that eventually envisages 250 new homes. They bring to a hundred the new houses built so far, with the first fifty being the prefab homes at Davy Hill. Governor Anthony Abbott explained that based on the experience with the Davy Hill houses, special features and fittings had been requested and included in the new homes.

"For all those who are disappointed at not receiving one of the houses, we in the Ministry and all of us in government are very sympathetic," the Minister said. "We are very much aware of your needs and we are very concerned about the hardships you continue to suffer. Please understand that it is not because of lack of effort that his unsatisfactory situation continues. Housing is the number one priority of this government," he said.

Bramble underscored that the goal of the government is to place all dislocated persons in houses of their own. He explained that there were far more applications than could possibly be accommodated by the 50 houses, and asked those unsuccessful to be patient. ‘There were several hundreds of families who qualified’, he said.

H.E. Gov. Anthony Abbott said that there will be 100 more system-built houses and 50 concrete houses and that he hopes these houses will free the high-density shelters of occupants.

"There is still much to be done," the governor said, "but I hope that when those houses are completed, perhaps by October, they will permit us to close the shelters at the MSS Salem Campus, the Brades Primary School and at Salem Church."

Acting Chief Minister Adelina Tuitt told the audience that completion of the houses indicates the determination of Montserratians to stay and rebuild the island.

"The construction of these 50 houses reflects our persistent representation to the United Kingdom," she said. "We have maintained that our people who have been made homeless by a natural disaster did not need to leave their homeland. About two-thirds of the people who have left have regrettably parted these shores because of lack of housing. It would be nice to build to bring them home again."

The Honorable Rupert Weekes, Parliamentary Representative of the Northern Constituency, sent a message of welcome and said his constituency is delighted to meet their new neighbors.

"We the people of St. John’s welcome whole-heartedly the people who would occupy these houses," he said. "We are delighted that we are able to host and receive more relocated Montserratians to the St. John’s community. Do enjoy your stay in St. John’s."

The project which fell well behind schedule was a well-talked about matter, but Project Manager for Brown and Root, Leo Bedford, explained that the company had seen the project through all phases, from conception to completion. He thanked the various contractors and subcontractors, utility companies and government agencies for their co-operation. ‘We now look forward to Brown and Root’s continuing role in the next phase of the development…in a mutually agreeable, respectful and safe environment’, he said.

Mr. Bramble speaking to the delay in making these houses available to their new occupants, promised that there would be less delay in allocating these upcoming homes after their completion, and that work on the new list of occupants would be started early.

There are unconfirmed reports that keys were retracted from several persons. Attempts to reach the Minister of Housing for comment or confirmation proved unsuccessful.

In other housing matters, on an adjoining site at Lookout, the long awaited 35 home Caricom Village is now in the early stages of construction. The Cuban pre-cast houses are being constructed by soldiers from the Jamaica and Guyana Defence Forces, assisted by Cuban technicians, while the project is being co-ordinated by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Response Agency (CDERA).

In praising this ‘most outstanding gesture’, Housing Minister Bramble said, "this gift from our Caricom partners, all with their own housing problems, represents regional generosity and solidarity at its best".

DFID Details Spending Of £59 Million on Island

Following enquiries, and calls from Chief Minister David Brandt for Britain to account for monies spent on the island, the local branch of the British Department for International Development revealed last month its expenditures for the past three years.

DFID reports some £59 million have been spent in Montserrat from July 1995 through March 1998.

• Budgetary Aid took the major portion, more than £16.4 million.

Other expenditures totaled:

• Emergency equipment and preparedness, £6.1 million;
• housing,£5.6 million;
• evacuation programs, £4 million;
• pre-crisis activities, £3.5 million;
• public administration, £3.1 million;
• jetty/port, £3 million; roads,
• £1.6 million;
• education, £1.4 million;
• training, £860,145;
• health, £613,032;
• energy, £535,506;
• private sector enterprise, £456,531;
• land surveying and planning, £233,312;
• natural resources, £219,990;
• Governor's projects, £197,461;
• community services, £196,861;
• water and sanitation, £193,861;
• airstrip (consultancies), £142,609;
• and miscellaneous, £475,667.

The release revealed that included in the sum are expenditures on projects that were approved before July 1995 and completed before October 1997. Included in this were assets such as the Glendon Hospital that was eventually destroyed. This expenditure is covered under the item 'pre-crisis activities'.

It is to be noted that every penny spent any where relative to Montserrat is included in the £59 million. There is an item called 'Support from UK Armed Forces" for a total £990,459 and it should be noted also that under Evacuee Programmes the total amounts to £4,058,809 which includes the entire evacuation scheme, which we have described at the time as the best run-business in Montserrat. It is only £1.5 million less than what has been spent on housing.

Included also in this sum of £59 million is an amount of just under £19 million which is money not actually spent but relates to expenditure for physical development assets which have a life in excess of 10 years.

Volcano monitoring, helicopter and ferry services total together £5,889718 with the ferry cost covering 19.26% of the total and the helicopter 42.13 per cent.

The grand total on the items under Emergency, amounts to £15.7 million, and of that there is an item believed to cover the rental of houses for British officials on island, and totals £796,852 in 1997/98 as against the rental of government offices which totals £346,467 for the same period.

Lack of Larger Aircraft Disrupts Helicopter Service

The passenger helicopter services were interrupted this week when new contractors failed to show with a craft to fill its commitment to provide Montserrat with air passenger service to Antigua.

The new contractors, Bajan Helicopters, won the contract to provide helicopters for the passenger service and the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, against other bidders who did not meet the specifications put forth by the Tender Board in England. The specifications generally required tenders to bid for both services.

DFID officials said that Bajan Helicopters were supposed to begin the foregoing operations from July 1, 1998, having had 45 days to prepare.

"They brought in one aircraft to replace the present MVO helicopter. The larger aircraft, which was to replace that provided by TEMSCO to take passengers across to Antigua, is not here," an official said, adding that they will not be ready to do this for another two weeks.

The previous operators of the MVO helicopter agreed to stay on for another two weeks, but TEMSCO reportedly refused to co-operate, leaving a problem of no air service to Antigua. The new contractor's small craft made available for the MVO service is a five-seater and was not licensed to carry fare-paying passengers out of Antigua.

It was this predicament that forced DFID to make the craft available to passengers but with the condition that "they used the service at their own risk."

The service, however, was quickly restored by doubling up the service to four departures each day to Antigua from Friday, after Bajan Helicopters were able to obtain the necessary license in Antigua.

The situation created some embarrassment for DFID since sources reported that both outgoing helicopter operators had made tenders which were lower than Bajan Helicopters. The owner of the helicopter serving the MVO is said to be quite displeased, as he felt that he had provided good service under difficult and different circumstances since the start of the crisis.

It is understood that the second helicopter to be provided for the new service was being subcontracted by Bajan Helicopters.

Reports also say that there were several complications surrounding the completion of the previous contracts and the award of the new ones, but officials here point out that there was very little control on matters from this end. Speaking about the requirements of the tender, a DFID official says, "the tender was very, very specific, since they were required to tender for both contracts." He said that the authorities felt it was simpler to deal with one supplier of the services.

Montserratian Gavin Lee Listed In Book of Top U.S. Students

Gavin Lee, son of Wendel and Linell Lee , was recently nominated to be listed in "WHO’S WHO Among American High School Students 1997-98."

This is an honor reserved for only 5 percent of students in the United States. Gavin was cited for his "well rounded performance’ at Mount St. Michael’s Academy in New York.

Gavin, who hopes to become an orthodontist, now has the opportunity to vie for scholarships and enroll in some of the most prestigious colleges in America.

Paul Krouse, publisher of "WHO’S WHO," congratulated the Lee's for their son's outstanding performance.

"I extend my sincere congratulations to your high school student for achieving this important recognition," Krouse wrote them, "and to you for providing the support and encouragement so critical to your child’s success."

Queen Honors personnel On Police, Defense Forces

Several persons from the Police and Defense forces were honored for their services to the community of Montserrat, on the official observance of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II birthday.

H.E. Gov. Anthony Abbott delivered awards of long service and good conduct on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen.

Recipients of the awards include Police Superintendent Philford Reddock, for 29 years; Police Sergeant Ivan Dubbery and Police Constable Winston Ryan, both for more than 19 years; Defense Force Lieutenant Peter White and Sergeant Anderson White, both for serving 10 years with good conduct.

Memorial Service Commemorates June 1997 Victims of Volcano

By Hilton Samuel

One year after at least 19 persons were incinerated by scorching pyroclastic flows from Montserrat's volcano, surviving relatives, friends, dignitaries and crowds of supporters congregated at the Brades Pentecostal Church last month for a memorial service.

H.E. Gov. Anthony Abbott, acting Chief Minister Adelina Tuitt , other government ministers and members of the public offered messages of faith and hope during the service.

Governor Abbott delivered messages on behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Rt. Hon. Robin Cook.

Prince Andrew expressed his admiration for "the steadfastness and courage with which Montserratians face the crisis brought about by the volcano."

Mr. Cook wrote, "Thoughts of Her Majesty’s Government are with you all at this particularly difficult time. Nothing can compensate for the loss of family and friends, but we will continue to work to support those in need."

Governor Abbott added his own words of sympathy and encourage, telling the nation to pray for "strength to come through this ordeal safely."

"It is the faith of the community, its love for Montserrat and its belief in the Almighty, which will bring us through this crisis together," he said.

Mrs. Tuitt advised the audience to respect nature and nature’s God with developing humility.

"As we remember those who perished," she said, "let us strive to build a civil society based on truth, honesty, respect for ourselves and for others. Let us remember them with the firm resolve to rebuild our lives, and to rebuild our country."

Pastor Melroy Meade preached the sermon and musical tributes were presented by Voices, the Evangelical Chorale and the Emerald Community Singers.

Officials, family members and others laid wreaths in remembrance of the victims.

Speaking to reporters about the loss of his mother, Kenneth Lee said he found it very difficult at first to visit the north of the island where his mother was buried.

"It shook me quite a bit. I hardly went northwards because I did not want to pass by the cemetery. It took me a while to adjust myself to the fact it happened," he said.

Chief Minister David Brandt addressed a parallel service held in England, where a large segment of relocated Montserratians can be found.

"It is right that we remember that day – June 25, last year," he said. "Some 19 people were killed because of pyroclastic flows. Montserrat will not be the same again because of that day. Several of us are scattered to the four winds of the earth, we lost our properties, but one thing we do have – we have hope. If all of us work together we will get a Montserrat that is better than before."

Commenting on the program, Janice Panton of MAC89 said the service was requested by Montserratians in the United Kingdom. She said the funds raised will be used to erect a monument in memory of the victims. The Montserrat Association organized the service, which was conducted by Evangelist Roger Wade.

New Agricultural Land To Expand Blakes Area

The agriculture sector on the island is gradually expanding, despite serious set backs from the volcano and migration of prominent farmers.

Tony Hill, supervisor of the Department of Agriculture's Blakes Agricultural Project, told reporters this week that the plot of land devoted to farming at Blakes is soon to be extended to 20 acres.

"We are clearing further areas of land to expand the farmers' cultivation," Mr. Hill said. "We have another five acres in addition to what we had before. In total we should have about 20 acres.

"We are very restricted in the agreement we have with the owners of Blakes Estate. We have a few more areas we can open up. We would like to look at others areas on the northern flanks of the Center Hills for similar development."

Before this can happen, he said, infrastructure such as roads must be put in place to facilitate the process.

London Funeral Inters Rev. William Howes, 87

The Reverend William Howes, 87, a Pentecostal preacher for more than 50 years, was laid to rest this week in London. The news saddens the community of Montserrat since Brother Howes, as he was affectionately called, influenced the community in his roles as preacher, teacher, leader, father and friend.

His weekday meditation program on Radio ZJB was a source of inspiration to many souls. His last church was Plymouth Pentecostal Church.

Acting Chief Minister Adelina Tiutt paid tribute to the late minister, saying he contributed significantly to shaping and developing the nation.

Speaking from London, Pastor Roger Wade reported that the funeral, held at Shiloh Pentecostal Church, drew hundreds of relatives, friends and well-wishers from other Caribbean islands.

"Pastor Howes served his generation well," Pastor Wade said, "He not only impacted on his generation, he made a contribution through his children."

CANA Gives $100,000 To Help Caricom Village

Caribbean News Agency has handed over $100,000 to help with the erection of houses in the long overdue Caricom Village in Montserrat.

According to informed sources the money will be used to finance four of the 25 houses. The sum was raised during a regional phone-in program on CANA radio.

CEDERA is responsible for erection of the prefabricated houses from Cuba.

Audrey Mullings, Deputy Coordinator of CEDERA, said, "We have been getting support from the private sector. The banks have been very responsive. The airlines have been very useful in providing reduced air fares for the workers to come in form Cuba and Guyana."

A contingent of 21 Jamaican and nine Guyanese soldiers are on island erecting the prefabricated houses. According to Lieutenant Marlon Stevens, work is expected to begin on Monday and the entire project will take some six months to complete. The Cuban officials are scheduled to arrive on Saturday.

Siren Warning System Expanding in North

A siren network throughout the North of the island is being installed.

The program, which is to be finished this month, is designed to clean, repair and add to those sirens in Salem.

The sirens will be sounded to alert the public to tune into Radio ZJB, the island's lone radio station, to hear updates on volcanic activity or the approach of a hurricane.

Sports On The Island Hard Hit By Volcano

Sports have suffered greatly since the crisis started and Everton Morris, former footballer, is calling on Montserratians to become more involved in the area.

"We have to get more sports conscious in this society," Mr. Morris said. "Why? Most of us have heard that the youths are getting in activities that we don’t care about, like unwanted pregnancies. Sports can help to reduce this.’

James White Jr., former national basketballer, says sports has gotten to the current level because most of the "sporting fraternity have left."

"It is very important that we try and groom those who are here, and even try and get back some of the people who have gone overseas. It is crucial in this transitional period that we try and get these people back," White said.

Human Skull Turns Up In Plymouth

An unidentified human skull was found in the abandoned capital Plymouth near M S Osborne. Authorities intend to send the skull to forensic experts in the United States to determine details of the person.

It is suspected that the skull may belong to one of two men who have been missing for some time now. The skull had been found shortly after August last year by visiting photographers, but the authorities never followed up. Around that time also parts of a leg were also found.

Some also conjecture that the skull may belong to the medical school, which never evacuated the cadavers used to train doctors.

A search of the area by the Police did not reveal other parts of any skeleton.

JAZZ CONCERT BRINGS MUSIC WITH A DIFFERENCE TO MONTSERRAT

by Cathy Buffonge

A free open air concert with a difference delighted a small audience at McChesney’s on the last weekend in June. ‘Duet Slow’, comprising singer Lena Mars and guitarist Vin Philip, performed their own unique version of many well known popular songs in a modern jazz style.

The atmosphere was right, with low lighting on a cosy, tree lined patio. The combination of Canadian born Lena’s personality and singing voice, together with Antiguan Vin’s consummate skill with the very complex jazz arrangements on the guitar, made a most enjoyable evening.

The two musicians perform their special brand of music in hotels and night spots in Antigua. Their visit was organized by retired BBC journalist and BESO volunteer David Capper, who is on assignment at ZJB Radio, and Magistrate Rhys Burris. While on a recent trip to Antigua, these two were captivated by a performance by Duet Slow, and came back determined to bring the musicians to Montserrat.

The two men were able to raise enough funds from a small group of interested residents here to make the visit possible. Many people expressed the hope that this type of musical event could be continued in the future.

It’s a pity that this concert coincided with another, so that many people who might have enjoyed the occasion missed this opportunity.

Ministry of Education, Teachers Discuss Discipline in Schools

Problems of indiscipline in schools are high on the agenda of the Ministry of Education and the Honorable Minister Adelina Tuitt met with teachers this week to address the problem

"I told the teachers to hold on," Mrs. Tuitt told reporters. "We know the problems and we have to find a way to solve them. We are trying to get a school psychologist back into the school to help. We may not be doing things right and a psychologist would be able to point that out to us. We know that some – if not all of the problems - stem from the homes.

"I am calling on parents to play their part in solving the problems."

Teachers in the schools say disrespect of teachers, indecent language and lack of interest in schoolwork are among the problems that some students are displaying. Some teachers suspect this may be due to pressures attributed to the volcano crisis and its attendant problems of dislocation.

Researcher Studies Impact Of Volcano on Montserratians

By Staff Reporter

The evacuation and relocation process, experiences with the volcano and people's hopes for the future represent the focus of a questionnaire independent researcher Tracey Skelton will be using in a research project she is carrying out on Montserratians.

"I want to find out what happens to people's identity and sense of who they are when their environment has changed so enormously," Ms. Skelton said. "What happen to Montserratians who have left the island; how do they keep in contact and still maintain their sense of being Montserratians? I also want to find out how important is Montserratians' sense of identity in terms of looking towards the future and thinking about the future development of Montserrat,"

Ms. Skelton is linked to Nottingham Trent University. The program will focus on Montserratians here, and in Antigua, St. Kitts/Nevis and Britain.

"So far I find a split between Montserratians," she said. "There are those who want to come back to Montserrat but are fearful of coming back -- they have a lot of anxieties about the volcano. They are in a sort of limbo in trying to decide what to do. One of the biggest problems is that fact that there is little funding in Nevis. Antigua has had more funding in trying to provide services for Montserratians in Antigua, but the Nevisian Government has had very little support. There are still some people living in church halls there and finding it difficult paying rent," Ms. Skelton said.

She said the vast majority of people who desire to come home are concerned about availability of jobs and housing..

The results of the survey will be soon available here.

ECCB Host Commercial Banks Supervisory Staff Workshop

The East Caribbean Central Bank this week held a bank supervisory staff workshop under the theme "Improved service – a collaborative approach."

The workshop was held both in Antigua, for banks in the Leeward Islands, and Grenada, for their counterparts in the Windwards. It brought together operation staff from 43 banks around the Caribbean.

Members of the ECCB facilitated the workshops, which served to increase participants' knowledge of the ECCB’s operations and provide background information on its services.

Beso Assists Volcano - Ravaged Montserrat

Lorenzo Cassell

Beso Representative

Since the onset of volcanic eruption on Montserrat in 1995 seven volunteers from the London-based organization of British Executive Service Overseas (Beso) have come to the assistance of the Government and people of Montserrat in several ways.

Some of these voluntary workers have assisted in the monitoring and supervision of such highly visible projects as the 50-bed Golden Years Home at Brades being built by the Montserrat Branch of the British Red Cross.

Others have put in long hours of dedicated work in less visible but nevertheless very vital areas, and in the very difficult working conditions imposed by the on-going volcanic crisis. These Beso volunteers, some of whom have since completed their assignments and returned home, and some of whom are still serving, have been engaged in the areas listed below and for the periods indicated:-

James Lee - Clerk of Works, Golden Years Home - 6 months.

John Bishop - Clerk of Works, Golden Years Home - 7½ months.

Dr Robert Callow - Reviewing and Drafting Building Construction Codes, Physical

Planning Unit –3 months.

Peter Ridge - Radio Transmitter Engineer/Trainer – 6 months.

John Townley - Broadcast Engineer/Trainer – 6 months.

David Capper - Senior News Journalist /Trainer – 6 months.

Stefan Heijtz - Consultant/Advisor, Montserrat Philatelic Bureau - 2 weeks

What is Beso?

Beso is a not-for-profit organization which provides person-to-person expert advice and training to public and private sector organizations in developing countries and emerging economies.

In its role as an independent development charity Beso sends highly qualified and experienced volunteers worldwide on short assignments of two weeks to six months to share their skills and knowledge with organizations and enterprises unable to afford commercial advice. No fee is charged for their services.

What are Beso’s Aims?

Beso’s development assistance is generally intended to generate income and employment opportunities, by transferring and adapting knowledge and practical skills, to contribute to democratization and encourage self-help. In the Public sector volunteers work to improve the efficiency of existing infrastructure and strengthen support for economic activity.

Who is Eligible For Beso Assistance?

This service is primarily intended for small and medium-sized enterprises and organizations.

How Does Beso Work?

Beso responds to applications from overseas organizations by offering suitably qualified volunteers to undertake the assignments requested. The assistance is participatory. The client initiates the assignment and specifies the tasks and expertise required.

Although the arrangements can be varied in some cases, the travel, insurance and related costs of volunteers are usually arranged and paid for by Beso. The requesting organization is normally asked to provide local costs (accommodation, living expenses and transport) during the assignment - a commitment that fosters mutual responsibility. Because of the lack of local funding, aggravated by the on-going volcanic crisis, all of the local costs for the Beso volunteers mentioned above were met in full by DFID Montserrat through its local Aid Management Office (AMO), in addition to providing substantial project funding, as is the case of the Golden Years Home. The Government and people of Montserrat are appreciative of this generous, considerate and indispensable assistance at this time of national crisis. As the local Beso representative, I also wish to record my thanks to DFID and the AMO on behalf of Beso .

Beso’s 3,000 volunteers in more than 1,000 skill categories offer expertise of every kind. For enquiries about possible assistance please contact the Montserrat Representative Lorenzo Cassell at P.O. Box 395, Montserrat, or call 1-664-491-3460 or 1-664-491-4569.

By Darnley Estwick

Ag. Pricipal Community Development Officer

As loving parents, it is our responsibility to see that our children are in an environment which is conducive to their mental, spiritual and physical health. We talk with our children and in doing so we explain to them what is right and what is wrong. For example we say to our children, "Do not accept rides from strangers." Many parents observe the obedience of their children in this regard.

Somehow we (parents) have not taken such precaution where molesting is concerned. Earlier we spoke of a group of persons (neighbours, friends and relatives) who are most likely to molest young children, but have we done anything to inform or educate our children?

In almost every case of molesting, the victim knows the molester. It is not difficult for the molester to commit the act since he is a trusted person to the family of the victim. He knows when the child is likely to be home and when fami1y members are likely to return. Since he has free access to the home, he will not be under great suspicion.

This brings me to the point, that parents should not leave a young child alone at home for long periods of time. If you have to leave home, then proper arrangements should be made for the care and well-being of the child.

It is advisable for parents to explain to their children as best as they can certain sex play acts by adults, so that if at any time it happens the child/children will not be afraid to disclose such information. We consider the fact that a child’s sexual curiosity often contributes to such incidents, and children who do not receive love and proper guidance in their homes are more liable to be involved in such acts, and may also be the prime instigators.

From a psychiatric point of view molesters are not mentally ill people, in the true sense, that they suffer from organic brain disorders. Their intelligence ranges from defective to the highly intelligent (Johann W. Mohr, PhD.)

Molesters are more often described as immature, passive and weak, which are character traits rather than illnesses. More often than not these individuals need help to relieve the stresses and pain of adult life.

Child molesting is a serious crime against the person. It may cause your child much pain, anger and aggression in later life. Parents do not condone these vicious and irresponsible acts.

Responding to the Angry Child

by Psychiatric Nurse Donoghue

Some of the following suggestions for dealing with the angry child were taken from ‘ The Aggressive Child’ by Fritz Red and David Wineman.

They should be considered helpful ideas and not be seen as a "bag of tricks’.

Catch the child being good. Tell the child what behaviour pleases you.

Respond to positive efforts and reinforce good behaviour. An observing and sensitive parent will find countless opportunities during the day to make such comments as, "I like the way you come in for dinner without being reminded;" "I appreciate you hanging up your clothes even though you were in a hurry to get out to play;" "You were really patient while I was on the phone." "I like the way you’re able to think of others."

"Thank you for telling the truth about what really happened."

Similarly, teachers can positively reinforce good behaviour with statements like:

"I know it was difficult for you to wait your turn, and I’m pleased that you could do it."

"Thanks for sitting in your seat quietly."

"You were thoughtful in offering to help Johnny with his spelling."

"You worked hard on that project, and I admire your effort."

• Deliberately ignore inappropriate behaviour that can be tolerated. This doesn’t mean that you should ignore the child, just the behaviour. The ‘ignoring’ has to be planned and consistent. Even though this behaviour may be tolerated, the child must recognize that it is appropriate.

• Provide physical outlets and other alternatives. It is important for children to have opportunities for physical exercise and movement,. Both at home and at school.

• Manipulate the surroundings. Aggressive behaviour can be encouraged by placing children in tough, tempting situations. We should try to plan the surroundings so that certain things are less apt to happen. Stop a ‘problem’ activity and substitute temporarily, a more desirable one. Sometimes rules and regulations, as well as physical space may be too confining.

• Use closeness and touching. Move physically closer to the child to curb his or her angry impulse. Young children are often calmed by having an adult nearby.

• Express interest in the child’s activities. Children naturally try to involve adults in what they are doing and the adult is often annoyed at being bothered. Very young children (and children who are emotionally deprived) seem to need much more adult involvement in their interests. A child about to use a toy or tool in a destructive way is sometimes easily stopped by an adult who expresses interest in having it shown to him. An outburst from an older child struggling with a difficult reading selection can be prevented by a caring adult who moves near the child to say, "Show me which words are giving you trouble."

• Be ready to show affection. Sometimes all that is needed for any angry child to regain control is a sudden hug or other impulsive show of affection. Children with serious emotional problems, however, may have trouble accepting affection.

• Ease tension through humor. Kidding the child out of a temper tantrum or outburst offers the child an opportunity to ‘save face’. However, it is important to distinguish between face-saving humor and sarcasm or teasing ridicule.

• Appeal directly to the child. Tell him or her how you feel and ask for consideration. For example, a parent or a teacher may gain a child’s cooperation by saying, "I know that noise you’re making doesn’t usually bother me, but today I’ve got a headache, so could you find something else you’d enjoy doing?"

• Explain situations. Help the child understand the cause of a stressful situation. We often fail to realize how easily young children can begin to react properly once they understand the cause of their frustration.

• Use physical restraint. Occasionally a child may lose control so completely that he has to be physically restrained or removed from the scene to prevent him from hurting himself or others. This may also ‘save face’ for the child. Physical restraint or removal from the scene should not be viewed by the child as punishment but as a means of saying. "you can’t do that." In such situations, an adult cannot afford to lose his or her temper, and unfriendly remarks by other children should not be tolerated.

• Encourage children to see their strengths as well as their weaknesses. Help them to see that they can reach their goals.

• Use promise and rewards. Promises of future pleasure can be used both to start and to stop behaviour. This approach should not be compared with bribery. We must know what the child likes – what brings him pleasure – and we must deliver on our promises.

• Say no! Limits should be clearly explained and enforced. Children should be free to function within those limits. Tell the child that you accept his or her angry feelings, but offer other suggestions for expressing them. Teach children to put their angry feelings into words, father than fists.

• Build a positive self-image. Encourage children to see themselves as valued and valuable people.

• Use punishment cautiously. There is a fine line between punishment that is hostile toward a child and punishment that is educational.

• Model appropriate behaviour. Parents and teachers should be aware of the powerful influence of their actions on a child’s or group’s behaviour.

• Teach children to express themselves verbally. Talking helps a child have control and thus reduce acting out behaviour. Encourage the child to say, for example, "I don’t like you taking my pencil. I don’t feel like sharing just now."

The Role of Discipline

Good discipline includes creating an atmosphere of quiet firmness, clarity, and conscientiousness, while using reasoning. Bad discipline involves punishment which is unduly harsh and inappropriate, and it is often associated with verbal ridicule and attacks on the child’s integrity.

One of the most important goals we strive for as parents, educators and mental health professionals, is to help children develop respect for themselves and others." While arriving at this goal takes years of patient practice, it is a vital process in which parents, teachers, and all caring adults can play a crucial and exciting role. In order to accomplish this, we must see children as worthy human beings and be sincere in dealing with them.

Health and Happiness

By Amy Bloom from New Woman

Seduction is easy. (Well, it’s not hard. I believe that anyone strongly committed to having sex, if only once, with another person--Cindy Crawfords and Denzel Washingtons included--will probably succeed. Men and women alike are ridiculously susceptible to the charms of single-minded devotion and limitless flattery.) The great affair is easy. (It may annoy your friends and damage your chances of winning a Pulitzer, but to be at your most thrilling and thrilled for three to six months or even a year is not hard.) Civility is pretty easy, if you live with a decent human being. If you remember that the person you live with deserves your greatest kindnesses, your most genuine concern, and not what you have left over after being pleasant to your boss and sympathetic to your sister-in-law, it’s not hard.

What’s really hard is intimacy--and, what’s worse, many of the things we do to avoid it look perfectly reasonable, even desirable, from the outside, and from the inside as well. We have lives, after all. We have things to do, people to care for. We need to keep things moving along. And we have our cultural pursuits (whether it’s knitting little Xenon’s argyle sweater or sitting in your box at the Metropolitan Opera).

And it’s so nice to just lie there in the dark and cuddle. Or reach for each other, tired and affectionate, make love, and sleep. We can’t really afford to spend the day making love. Or plan a night that will make both of you squirm with pleasure and astonishment for weeks afterward. And, underneath our perfectly reasonable, absolutely grown-up list of things to do and ways to be that keep the domestic ball rolling along comfortably is Fear. Fear that we will get so close that separation becomes unbearable; fear that the other person will really know and see us and continue doing so whether we want them to or not. Fear that the depth of our dependency will be revealed. Sometimes women say they want intimacy when they mean just friendly warmth; sometimes, men say they want intimacy when they mean no-strings sex. Almost all of us say that we want sexual and romantic intimacy and then construct defenses against it. Nothing but fear keeps you from experimenting with your lover, keeping the lights on and taking each other for a wild ride, using both body and soul. If you can’t immediately recall two or three sexual encounters with your partner that still have you shaking your head and smiling, you’re playing it too safe. Knock on the door and find out who’s home.

Why Does He/She Do That?!

He's finished, and I've barely gotten started. Why doesn't he pace, not race?

Learn to Last Longer

In an almost Zen way, sex is an activity that you only do well at when you stop trying so hard, says Barbara Keesling, Ph.D., a sex therapist in Orange, California, and author of the best-selling How to Make Love All Night (And Drive a Woman Wild) and Sexual Pleasure. Lasting longer in bed, she says, boils down to knowing when to relax. It's rhythm. It's timing. It's knowing when to thrust and, more important, when not to.

Here are a few other pointers on how to extend your lovemaking from a sprint to a marathon.

Pump your PCs. The pubococcygeal (just call 'em PC for short) muscles are a group of muscles on the underside of your body, running from your pubic bone to your tailbone. They're the same muscles you use to stop the flow of urine. But with the right conditioning, they can slow or stop ejaculation.

For the next three weeks, contract your PC muscles three times a day, 20 to 25 times at a clip, and see if you keep your erection standing proud.

Stop right there. The start/stop technique is a delaying tactic pioneered by James Semans, M.D., a urologist at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, in the 1950s. To do it: Wait until you're almost at the point of ejaculation--just before that "moment of inevitability." Then stop all stimulation. Just lie still and breathe. Let the arousal pass. A minute or two later when you've recomposed your self--start thrusting again, stopping each time you approach that

inevitable moment. Assume the position. Despite its pervasiveness, the missionary position (man on top) allows the most sensitive parts of your penis to be most easily aroused by a woman's vagina. Opt instead for woman-on-top positions or side-by-side sex, which is less intense stimulation-wise.

Why does she get so turned on when all I do is nibble on her ear?

Found: Sexual Hot Spot

Women are amazing (as if you didn't already know that). Consider this: The late Dr. Alfred C. Kinsey, in his interviews with thousands of females, found a handful who were capable of reaching orgasm simply by having their eyebrows stroked, their earlobes kissed, or a bit of pressure applied to their teeth. More recent researchers have found women capable of bringing themselves to climax simply by thinking about sex, without any physical stimulation at all.

Which suggests something about women's erogenous zones: Women tend to be less narrowly focused on the genitals and more sensitive to the entire body's potential for sensuous pleasure than men are.

According to Shirley Zussman, Ed.D., a certified sex therapist and co-director of the Association for Male Sexual Dysfunction in New York City, "For most women, being touched and stroked all over is an essential prelude to arousal, perhaps because it takes them longer to become aroused than men.

But, like we said, women also have their hot spots.

Many women are erotically responsive in all sorts of other, less obvious locations, like the area around their navels and lower abdomens, the inner sides of their thighs, buttocks, throats, and armpits. Those women who can be brought to orgasm by earlobe kissing apparently can do so partly because during arousal the earlobes become engorged with blood and become increasingly sensitive during that time.

The only way to find out what other parts of her body become deliciously eroticized when she's aroused is, as lazily as possible, to go in search of them.

Round Robin

The aid Clare Short curtly extends

And Britain snail-pacedly spends

Needs shrewd planning, of course,

To flow back to the source

And attain undeclared DFID ends.

Late, Late Show

Bold Bureaucratic invention

At last averts public dissension,

A named, reserved pass

Now assigns cooking gas!

And you said they don't pay attention.

JUS' WONDERIN'

Jus wonderin what decisions or advice the scientists will make this month.

Jus wonderin when the enquiry into the June 25, 1997 deaths will commence.

Jus wonderin if the renewed volcanic ashing will cause people to change their minds about returning home or staying on island

Jus wonderin why the Governor is making all this noise about moving people out of the shelters when certain Senior civil servants, who never spent a day in a shelter and who are getting serious money contracts from the British, still get houses in Look Out.

Jus wonderin how come it takes weeks of bellyaching about discipline in the schools by Labor Speaks for the Honourable Minister to recognize there is a problem in the schools. Jus wonderin how she feels her inane comments will address the problems.

Jus wonderin who is the Hitler-type man at the house-building company who is denying workers pay for sick days and how come Labor Speaks is not speaking on the issue.

Jus wonderin if certain government departments are not living in the 19th century. How come the department heads refuse to accept faxed documents? Have they ever heard of the information highway? What would they do if they got an e-mail?

Jus wonderin why our elected Government is leaving all the decision-making and talking to the same British government that they keep on bashing. Jus wonderin if our elected Government don’t speak.

Jus wonderin why our erstwhile Chief Minister is not doing what he was put in power to do, why he is just globetrotting and telling us how everybody likes him.

And jus wonderin where are the soft loan housing program and insurance money he promised us so long.

Jus wonderin, now that the volcano send plenty ash again, if that means that it’s going be a long time before we even here more talk of moving to Salem again.

Jus wonderin if it is true that people on the government income support system are refusing to work because they are getting free British money.

Jus wonderin when our duly elected government is going tell Montserrat that it is time to get up and get on with it, or if they think that this free thing is going to keep them elected.

Forward all Questions, Comments and Suggestions to: roachb@candw.ag

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