.

Almost two weeks after the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF) was ordered to stand down because they refused to attend a dress rehearsal for the Queen’s Birthday parade last month, the RMDF’s arms were on Tuesday shipped off to Barbados, a senior police official confirmed Wednesday.
The just over 30-strong RMDF ranks had wanted the Commanding Officer Major Michael Duberry to address their concerns of housing, hazard allowances and the provision of food before they first attend the dress rehearsal parade. The Governor later cancelled the parade.

Police Commissioner Mr. Christopher Burgess’ confirmation that the Barbados Defence Force Coast Guard vessel ‘Trident’ collected the arms on Tuesday was in contradiction to what the Captain of the vessel Lieutenant Ricky Shurland said.
Because "we just haven’t got the space to store" the weapons, Burgess said he arranged with the Barbados-based British Defence Adviser to the Caribbean Captain Peter Jackson to have the Barbados Coast Guard vessel collect the weapons belonging to the army and some police weapons for safe-keeping in Barbados.
"We have got no large police station in Montserrat at the moment and the small police station we have just moved into over the last two weeks at Salem has an armoury in it by the sheer nature of things it is very cramped and so consequently it is far safer to have those arms in safe-keeping in Barbados than it is to have them here," Burgess told the Montserrat Reporter.

When asked Tuesday about whether the ‘Trident’ was here to collect the RMDF’s arms, Captain Shurland Tuesday denied that the collection of RMDF arms was part of his mission. "I know nothing of that," he told the Montserrat Reporter.

He maintained that the presence of the patrol vessel here was part of a "welfare visit" to a four member contingent assisting with the construction of a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-funded village for volcanic-stricken Montserratians.

The Police Commissioner declined to comment on Captain Shurland’s denial, saying "all I can tell you is what I know and what I have done."

A senior government official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also said that a stock of out-dated arms was destroyed over the weekend and dumped over the weekend miles off in the Caribbean sea by a police barge.

Before the RMDF ranks were ordered "stood down," and special housing arrangements withdrawn in lieu of a Board of Enquiry and possible Courts Martial, the RMDF arms were collected by

the police as the disembodiment of the army wound down.

Normally, the police stores the RMDF’s arms when they are disembodied.

One of Montserrat's long-serving educators and community workers, Mrs. Camilla Augustina Watts, was

yesterday formally invested with the award of the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).

In investing Mrs. Watts with the award, Governor Anthony Abbott said she was honoured in the 1999 New Year's Honours list for her "outstanding service to the community, particularly in the field of education over some 37 years.

"… and throughout that time has been instrumental in developing and furthering the education of children on Montserrat," Abbott said to a small but impressive gathering of special invitees who included leading politicians, relatives and friends of the awardees.

The Governor lauded Mrs. Watts, who has served as a Primary Teacher, Graduate Teacher, Head of Technical and Vocational Studies, Vice Principal and Principal of the Montserrat Secondary School, for "nurturing positive values and high self-esteem."

Among the achievements of the awardee are the launching of a Secondary School Year Book in 1994 and pioneering the twice-weekly radio programme entitled " School."

She was also recognized as an "enthusiastic supporter" of trade unions who fought for improved terms and conditions of work for teachers.

He noted that Mrs. Watts is a "very active" in the Montserrat Branch of the British Red Cross which she now serves as Director.

Camilla is also a recipient of the Papal Award in 1997 for her dedicated service to the Roman Catholic community, whose global leader Pope John Paul 11 she met in 1993.

She headed a list of three other persons who received the local Montserrat Badge and Certificate of Honour.

Those recipients are Dr. Howard Fergus MBE, Major Joseph Gabriel Lynch MBE and Mr. Thomas Edward Meade.

British Police Superintendent Charles Greeney, who has been seconded to the Montserrat Police Force, received a Police Long Service Medal from the Norfolk Constabulary.

Dr. Fergus was invested with the Montserrat Badge and Certificate of Honour for "his output as a creative writer and his contribution to an emerging Montserratian literature," Governor Abbott noted.

The Governor praised Dr. Fergus for stimulating and producing other writers who are now making their mark on the local and international scene by conducting ongoing creative writing workshops for several years and organising an annual creative writing competition.

Dr. Fergus' poems have appeared in several international journals and he has published or edited a number of volumes including Lara Rains and Colonial Rites and Volcano Song . Poems of an Island in Agony is now with the Macmillan Publishing Company in the United Kingdom.

Although Major Lynch had already been recognised by Her Majesty the Queen for his contribution of 37 years of outstanding service in the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF), he was recommended for the Montserrat Certificate and Badge of Honour by members of the Force "and the community who identified him as a worthy recipient of a national award," the Governor said

"This in itself confirms the very high esteem in which Major Lynch is held and at the same time expresses the appreciation of the community which he has served," Abbott added.

Major Lynch has been at the "forefront" in times of disaster particularly during and after the passage of Hurricane Hugo and more recently the ongoing volcanic crisis," he added.

Major Lynch, now an Environmental Officer, was also noted for his contribution to trade unionism on the executive of the Civil Service Association in the 1970's. His "strong commitment" to the Anglican church were also highlighted by the Governor.

In speaking briefly to the award of the Montserrat Certificate and Badge of Honour presented to Mr. Meade, Governor Abbott said that it was for his years of public service in the community. "He voluntarily served on various committees and organisations," Abbott said. These included the Prison Visiting Committee and the Montserrat Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union.  He is also a Justice of the Peace and a Lay Preacher in the Methodist Church for the past 59 years His imparting of typing skills in the pre-technical college days and the teaching of English Language were also singled out as major contributions by "Teacher" Tommy who was an elected member of the Legislative Council for almost one term.  "We will never be able to sufficiently reward persons like Thomas Meade who took pride in voluntary civic duty and gave competently and willingly without seeking any reward," the Governor added.

About Superintendent Greeney, Mr. Abbott noted that he has served as a Police Officer for 22 years since joining Britain's Norfolk Constabulary in 1977. Eleven years later , Superintendent Greeney was seconded to Montserrat in January 1998. He was praised for being "very innovative" in the various projects that he has undertaken on behalf of the Royal Montserrat Police Force (RMPF).  Those included various tasks carried out in the volcano Exclusion Zone, training and the rewriting of the Police Regulations/Police Act ,a huge task amounting to over 250 pages.  Superintndent Greeney is trained as a hostage negotiator and has been called upon on several occasions to put this into practice in high pressure operational situations.

Brothers Now Charged With Murder

Senior Magistrate Mr. Brian Cottle is urging that there be no adjournments in the preliminary inquiry into the charge of murder laid against two teenaged boys, scheduled to start on August 10.

"I want this matter to be disposed of with as much dispatch as possible…I do not want any adjournments," the Magistrate said in agreeing to give the police prosecution one month to complete investigations into the July 6 incident.

Police are alleging that the two teenagers, age 16 and 15, murdered Nathaniel Duberry,16, between July 6 and 11 at Brades.

The original charge of causing grievous bodily harm was withdrawn and the charge of murder was instituted after Duberry died in a Guadeloupe hospital on Sunday to where he was air-dashed in an unconscious condition last week Wednesday.

The two teenagers, one of whom graduated from the Montserrat Secondary School earlier in the day the incident allegedly occurred, have been remanded to prison. The police objected to the granting of bail.

"It is with great reluctance that I remand them to custody,’ the Senior Magistrate remarked.

Both defendants, Mr. Cottle said, were minors and there were certain limitations on the types of punishments that could be imposed.

When the charge of causing grievous bodily harm was instituted, the boys were last week Friday released on EC$10,000 bail each, ordered to surrender their travel documents and report to Police Headquarters each day while remaining in the custody of their parents.

Just hours after graduating from the Montserrat Secondary School last week Tuesday, the two brothers allegedly engaged in a fight against Duberry during which time the deadly blows were inflicted.

Police said the incident allegedly occurred shortly after the end of an after-graduation party when Duberry allegedly stoned the brothers with bottles because they do not reside in Cudjoe Head village.

Somehow it seems that each time this island is hit by a disastrous and sometimes tragic event, instead of an outrageous reaction, we manage to stem the tide with a calm that must leave the philosophical and the rather serious minds puzzled.

Perhaps this time it is because so many of us had recognised a problem and had been talking about ways to begin to deal with a situation, which some may have been prepared to easily sweep under the carpet as another fallout from the volcanic crisis, which must and will always be the cause of some of the woes and yes, tragedies that will befall us on the way into our future.

It is not the first time that the suggestion is made, for we are reminded this weekend that it is exactly four years ago on Sunday, that the usually quiet Montserrat atmosphere was shattered by jet-like sounds, that the fatalities that resulted just under two years later were only some of the tragedies that would pierce our very souls.

Not many of us will have the conscience today to walk by and not want to be a part in some, no matter how small, way to bring about a change that will touch this country in just about every corner of its being. The death of a 16-year old from an incident or accident involving his peers, just hours after their head-teacher gave a year-end school report that pointed to, among other things, the severe break-down in discipline which indeed pervades our very society especially among our young must harness our attention.

Even though to find solutions, it is important to be able to portion blame, we must be careful that we do not move too fast, hence we aggravate the situation even more. No one will deny that there isn't just one factor but several that brought us to the day when we are bound now to stand up and notice and want to do something to protect an entire community.

While we were always aware that within the last 20-30 years a change in the way we behave and respond to many of the things that happen to us and our friends, we observed and pondered where it would end. Twenty years ago those of us who are now adults, if we were just born some of us are having children. Those who were already of secondary school age (teenagers) are now well underway to the serious times of adulthood. It was just around that time - 20-30 years ago - when the modern time we talk of today really begun and some resounding attitudes and changes began to take place. So that those of us who are between ages 35-45 must now try hard and recapture where we went wrong and join the serious thinking among us and put a halt firstly to a tragedy worsened by the shocks from hurricane Hugo and now the volcanic crisis, and then move to bring about a change that will ensure good conduct and behaviour in everything that we do and plan to do. Otherwise the future is bleak indeed, and then we will find that the place Arrow says 'is still nice…is still paradise' may not be that after all but something only attainable by the ability to pretend.

There has to be a shift in focus. We must find decent and acceptable ways to release the tension and stress that will bring out the worst kind of animal within us. Time and money and energy must be utilised to seek benefits which are not material or as visible as buildings or just any other material thing.

Indeed there are two recent events occupying our minds today and both touch seriously on the one matter of discipline. They are of course the matter of the standing down of the RMDF and the resulting charge of murder being brought upon two teenagers. Both matters leave us with much discussion and arguments for and against, but one thing cannot be doubted even if there aren't agreements to the discussions and arguments, that there has been an ultimate breakdown in discipline in this island.

It is no longer a matter of who is responsible for it but what we must do to halt it and bring about change. It took a long time to get here and while we may not have all the resources required to immediately put solutions into effect, we must at least develop the will to deal with it. We must get all those community, school, church, social, sporting and family groups going, and become more concerned and not just obsessed with or about our neighbour.

And among the areas of concern that we must address immediately is the continuous adverse impact the lifestyles, including criminal and violent acts, that we so graciously import directly into our homes through the medium of television.

I write to express my strong objection to your newspaper's handling of events, which occurred on the island during the past week. There seemed to be more thought given to increased sales than to fair balance in reporting. What a vicious kick in the teeth to those who struggle hard to raise the morale of the country and provide positive role models for our youth!

Such cynicism as displayed in your newspaper this past week is difficult to comprehend or accept.

As if your choice of banner headline with two unrelated pictures on page one (1) was not enough, you saw fit to repeat the headline on page two (2) along with a photo of the MSS Valedictorian. It could not have escaped your editorial wisdom that words and picture thus juxtaposed would create a shockingly false impression.

What the Reporter did in the last issue was reprehensible, and we should not perhaps be shocked or even offended when the likes of Darcus Howe (article in same issue) and other panders to sensational journalism run their mouths off about our country. You have a right to report the news, but please, think twice before going for the Man Bites Dog headlines. They may boost sales but lead to serious questions about journalistic integrity.

Dear Editor

Please allow me the space to join with many proud Montserratians, in congratulating the Port workers for winning the Nova Port Cup and all other awards given during the reception held on July 12, 1999. Nuff Respect.

The Emerald Isle enjoys a very high standard of services which only comes to mind when we travel overseas. Just maybe the other Statuary Departments are just as fruitful, but are not engaged in a regional competition.

The Port workers ought not to have to win an award to get the attention of the Government. We only have to reflect back, not into the distant pass. During this existing Volcanic Crisis, 1996 and until June 25,1997 almost every time an ash cloud went into the air during working hours over Plymouth. Port workers and Custom Officers were in Plymouth diligently carrying out their tasks. The chore for the mere existence in trying times, men and women who gave sacrificially. When darkness covered Port P1ynlouth, some still look to the heavens for hope, inner strength, faith and divine intervention as guidance to take them through these unpleasant experiences.

The omission of Customs being mention throughout the reception is quite noticeable although being an integral part of the Port operations, part and parcel.

Port workers have drawn the attention of one and all and we must find ways to improve what the guest speaker referred to as a MESS. We can see and it shouldn't take someone from outside Montserrat to tell us. Then our elected representatives paint us with lip services again. We will hold them to their word that some thing would be done in the near future.

Is the Minister responsible for the Port concerned about the moral of the port workers? Until recently, they were announced on Radio as cargo handlers. These men however made Montserrat feel proud. We need to look beyond the work people do and see the importance.

The reception held on July12, 1999 was a charade for the Government and Manager who only highlighted his idea of privatization not the survivors who survived him and the volcanic activity.

One award given by the Port Manager and Board is a grievous mistake; not an oversight as educated people put it. Even the cleaner in any organization should be happy and be respected and congratulated for a job well done.

Name withheld on request.

Dear Sir,

We are fast approaching the eve of the anniversary of that never to be forgotten 18th day of July 1995,and my heart goes out in deep sympathy, thanksgiving, and profound gratitude on behalf of the many brave hearts of this island of Montserrat. Some are resting in peace; some are still caring for the unfortunate, while others pit their insufficient resources against the greatest level off destruction imaginable.

There are no words in our vocabulary that can really do justice to the faithful few who by sheer determination through this spirit of matchless hope, to let Montserrat live. Even as we look back on that day, we can hardly believe that through the trauma of it all, we are yet able to carry each others' burden, for strange as it may seem, this is exactly what has happened to our community in the grip of these circumstances. In any event like this, there is always the faithful few, who will always make the incomprehensible sacrifice.

I dare not attempt to call names, but in the heart of every one of our people lies the conviction of a mission of commitment that still keeps them going. I have never ceased to admire this spirit in any man, and for all people who lent a hand in these dire circumstances; I admire and bow before them in a great gesture of gratitude. How I wish I could publish these words for each and everyone to hear!

I would say to you all, that though God looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: He toucheth the hills and they smoke; yet Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot cure. Montserrat, you have lifted your eyes to the hills many times, but I will ask you this day to believe the words.... FROM WHENCE COMETH MY HELP. May God bless you all.

This morning I was meditating on several problems in my life. I began to wonder how, why difficult situations come to us, and how we are able to deal with them. One particular situation, an ongoing struggle with a neighbor, led me to consider how I had handled the problem. I realized that since I lifted this concern to God during my prayer time, I have had the strength to confront it in a way I had not been able to do before. I was also able to see that I gained from this experience would be of great help in dealing with similar situations.

Whenever I face a difficult situation, I know that I must rely on God's strength and not just on my own. Because of God's assurance, such as that found in Isaiah 40: 31, future worries and struggles will be much easier for me to endure. I have learned to pray about daily problems and to trust that God's will strengthen me.

Prayer: heavenly Father, teach us to bring all our troubles to you and to rely only on your strength and goodness. Amen.

Now in their twenty-eighth year, the Emerald Community Singers last weekend presented a most enjoyable concert entitled ‘Simple Gifts’. As the name suggests, the themes revolved around the idea of gifts - the gift of Faith, the gift of Hope and the gift of Love (these overlapped to some extent), followed by the gift of our African heritage, the gifts of Montserrat our country, and the gifts of the Caribbean.

Some highlights of the first half of the concert were ‘When I look at the Heavens’ (Faith), ‘Hard times come again no more’(Hope) and ‘The water is wide’(Love), while in the African section Catherine Browne put much feeling into the moving song ‘Ishe Oluwa’.

In the Montserrat and Caribbean sections, popular, light hearted favourites like ‘Paddle me own canoe’, ‘Me yallah’ and ‘Tony Red Ants’, with their lively actions, lived up to the group’s original aim of keeping local folk songs alive. These songs have become well known over the years, thanks to the Singers. Other lively Caribbean songs were featured, while calypsoes by Cupid added a spice of variety.

The group’s appealing musical arrangements and tuneful harmonies brought freshness to many of the songs. There were times however, when they might have been better off without relying on instrumental accompaniment. As usual, timing was excellent - a tradition they have kept up over the years.

As always, the singers’ bright costumes, created by Mrs. Ionie Yearwood, added much to the visual effect of the performance, as did the effective stage lighting, which did much to enhance the rather plain surroundings of the Defence Force hall at Geralds.

Musical direction was by Dr. Vernon Buffong and teacher Sarah Allen, who together with other long-time members have been mainstays of the group; while, with numbers falling due to relocation and other causes, the group has also been bolstered by the addition of several more recent members. Both ‘older’ and ‘newer’ members bring a strong commitment, a love for singing, enthusiasm, team spirit and a high standard to their performance.

It’s really a great achievement for the Singers to have kept going for all these years, including these four years of volcanic activity, bringing enjoyment and relief from stress to their many fans, and sending out a clear message that Montserrat is very much alive. They were a pleasure to see and hear.

Thanks, Singers for an evening well spent.

The Montserrat Union of Teachers (MUT) will be pushing for the region to take a more action-oriented community approach to combat indiscipline in schools when the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) meets in Barbados next month, according to a senior official of the MUT.
In addition to the tabling of resolutions, MUT Vice President Mrs. Hyacinth Browne said her organisation will advocate the use of the media in reaching out to parents and the wider community to assist in the education of children at the August 7-15 meeting to be held in Barbados.
Already, the MUT has spearheaded the airing of a series of radio programmes locally on parenting in an effort to involve the community.
Mrs. Browne said the use of the media as an agent of change was also recognised by the United States (US) National Education Association (NEA) at its June 28 to July 7 Conference held in Orlando Florida.
"We need to learn about an action-oriented approach," the MUT Vice President, who attended the NEA confab, Mrs. Browne told the Reporter.
The issue of indiscipline is increasingly becoming a regional problem and only this week a just graduated student of the Montserrat Secondary School here was charged with murdering another teenager.
Jamaica and Montserrat were the only two Caribbean countries represented at the NEA conference that attracted about 15,000 delegates and observers from across the US and overseas.
The NEA, which is an American teacher trade union affiliate of Education International (EI) to which the CTU is a member-organisation, has also promised to assist the MUT with training in leadership skills "especially since our leaders don’t stay because one of our problems is downsizing" due to the five-year old volcanic crisis.
As part of the CUT’s conference activities, a concert is expected to be held based on a suggestion previously made by the MUT.
Among the performers will be Montserrat’s Calypso Monarch King Cupid.

Credit unionists in Montserrat, Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Kitts-Nevis may by September benefit from mortgage and small business financing through a EC$30 million loan expected through efforts of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU), a top official of the organization said Tuesday.
"Those are the areas that are of significant to the Caribbean. People require housing and small business is the only thing that is going to make the Caribbean work and we acted upon it," Board Director of the CCCU Mrs. Roselyn Cassell-Sealy told the Montserrat Reporter.

Lobbying efforts are expected to continue at the first annual international convention of the organization to be held in Miami from July 16- 23.
"Jointly, we are approaching funders for money for on-lending to our members for a special sort of mortgage and business loans and other kinds of infrastructural and technical assistance to make us better credit unions," she added.
Mrs. Cassell-Sealy said that all eight credit unions in the territories identified in the Leeward islands have agreed to the terms for the loan and are expected to attend the convention in Miami, the first one to be held outside the Caribbean. She,however, declined to name the backers of the loan at this time.
Another EC$1 million is expected to be disbursed for institutional strengthening in, among other areas, management skills, portfolio, harmonization of operations among the credit unions in the Leeward islands, improving customer care practices and loan-interviewing techniques.
Montserrat is expected to receive a "significant chunk" of the money to assist in its housing drive in light of the now four-year old volcanic crisis that has displaced thousands of persons from the south of the island, said Mrs. Cassell-Sealy, who is also Director of Montserrat’s St. Patrick’s Co-operative Credit Union.
"They will look at Montserrat and say the island has so many people, seems to have a need for so many dollars and then we will make a determination of how many dollars will be given to Montserrat," she added.
Montserratians displaced by the volcano are using the credit union network in the three islands, St. Lucia and Dominica to pay their loans.
The CCCU membership, she noted, has been "very supportive" to Montserrat and "very generous" through the provision of just under EC$300,000 in cash and food-stuff.
She singled out the Cayman Islands Credit Union for being "a lot more supportive" with the loaning of about US$150,000.
The five hundred credit unions from across the region that are expected to be represented at the CCCU Conference by their country leagues are expected to discuss a number of issues.
These include the ‘Future direction of the credit union movement in the phase of globalisation and the new millenium,’ ‘Technology and the provision of financial services:Opportunity or Threat?’ ‘Small business in the Caribbean: The critical role of government,’ ‘Small business development:Challenges and opportunities, ‘Best Practices of Successful Entrepreneurs, and ‘Credit Unions in Micro-enterprise Development.’
There are over one million credit union members out of a total regional population of five million persons.

Despite concerns raised by environmentalists and the Montserrat Tourist Board (MTB) about the adverse impact sand mining can have on turtles during their June to September nesting season, Chief Minister Mr. David Brandt today restated that government supported the removal of sand from Foxes Bay for construction purposes.
"If these environmentalists are serious, let them put up some money so when the poor man wants the sand , they buy aggregate. Except they come up with the money, the mining of the sand is going to continue," he told a news conference held at his Government Headquarters Office.
" We are homeless and I would say to the people of Montserrat, go down to Foxes Bay and take up the sand," he added.
The Chief Minister noted that there were other beaches around the island which the turtles could go and nest as the island seeks to grapple with a housing shortage caused by the volcanic crisis that has rendered about half of this 39.6 square mile island useless.
Laws governing the protection of beaches and turtles make it offences to remove sand and to disrupt the Hawks Bill and Green Turtles during their nesting season but the Chief Minister pointed out that "it is up to the government to give a licence (because) it is not an absolute law."
The Montserrat National Trust (MNT) had earlier this week wanted the police to enforce the law against those mining sand at Foxes Bay, because turtle eggs are being fetched away in each truck-load, in clear violation of the law governing the protection of turtles during the nesting season.
But Police Commissioner Mr. Chris Burgess then shyed away from immediately ordering the arrest of those breaching the turtle laws because "it is extremely difficult" to do so after Agriculture and Environment Minister Mr. Percival Austin Bramble authorised sand-mining for construction purposes at Foxes Bay over one month ago.
"I think it’s extremely difficult when you got a Ministry actually allowing people to do what is basically an illegal act albeit by default.
"Obviously, it is not encouraging people to disturb turtles but by virtue of taking sand, the turtles could be disturbed," Mr. Burgess told the Montserrat Reporter.
According to existing legislation, the police does not need a warrant to arrest anyone caught disturbing the turtle nesting areas during this period including the seizure of any vehicle or other object that is used to disturb the turtles or carrying their eggs.
The Chief Minister attacked environmentalists for being insensitive to the needs of the poor in obtaining free beach sand because if they had to pay, it would cost about EC$1,100 for a truck load of aggregate.
Agriculture and Environment Minister Mr. Percival Austin Bramble has announced two months ago that Foxes Bay would be opened for sand mining and according to the Chief Minister that decision had received his support.
The Public Works Department, he said, has been asked to send vehicles to collect sand from Foxes Bay.
The Montserrat National Trust (MNT), in its latest position said, it could do little based on Mr. Brandt’s argument that the turtles and human beings could co-exist to facilitate sand-mining as they have been doing for centuries.
"If the people of Montserrat choose not to protect the turtles, then there is very little we can do other than being disappointed," the MNT spokesman told the Montserrat Reporter.
The MNT official ruled out contacting any international environmental organizations on the dangers government’s position is posing to the turtles because "we have no intention of incurring any bad press" because "it will be no good for the tourist industry."
The Montserrat Tourist Board is the latest organization to call on government to withdraw its permission to mine sand at this time.
"We think that during this season, when the turtles are nesting, the government officials should not give permission to mine sand because it is damaging the environment and also destroying the habitat of the turtles," the MTB senior official told the Montserrat Reporter.
The environment is one of the world’s leading agenda items within the framework of sustainable developments and is often regarded by developed countries and international agencies as a pre-condition for receiving foreign aid.

Teachers receive training at workshop

School teachers on island are getting some exposure to training aimed at improving their skills.

Teachers at the Montserrat Secondary School were earlier this week participating in a workshop, which is part of a three-year project, sponsored by Nippissing University in Canada,and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).

The teacher Education Project involves professional development work for teachers at the Secondary and primary levels.

During the past week, teachers were identifying skills that should be taught to children at the Secondary School, in preparation for employment.

The more than twenty teachers were also provided with ideas for teaching these skills, based on similar programmes that were developed in Canada and the USA.

They also discussed two new concepts – learning styles and multiple intelligences, and how these ideas can help Montserrat students prepare for the future.

The teachers are required to adopt and modify the skills for the students.

Next week, Primary School teachers will be provided with some ideas for teaching the language arts.

The focus will be on teaching ideas and learning activities in the areas of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

The topics of instruction for next year’s programme will be determined by teachers who have been taking part in the workshop.

It is expected that the forthcoming workshops will focus on special education for students on island and classroom management.

Professor Jack Jones of Nippissing University and Mary-Ann Jones of canadore Community College are conducting the workshops.

The level of professionalism displayed by local teachers has been singled out for high praise.

Yet another First Class in English (Literature) was reportedly achieved by Mrs. Vanesta Lewis a former teacher at the Lee's Primary school, Resident Tutor of the UWI Dr. Howard Fergus said in a statement.

Camille Thomas with an Upper Second Class degree in Social Sciences is also among the high achievers, he added.

The Resident Tutor also announced that Miss Lisa Bass has successfully completed Law School in Jamaica and should shortly be called to the Bar.

Last week we reported on two First Class Degrees for Montserratians 1999 graduates at the University of the West Indies. As the results filter in the news is even more heart-warming.

Montserrat is to be represented by, among others, Janelle White, a student of St. Augustine Primary School at the 23^rd Caribbean Tourism Conference to be held in the Dominican Republic in September of this year, having been a finalist in a tourism essay competition, according to a statement from the local Tourist Board.

Speaking with the Montserrat Reporter at her school, Janelle said that her first reaction to her achievement was one of disbelief.

"I couldn’t believe my hears when I heard the news. I thank God , my family and my teachers for all the help that I received," she said.

She promised to continue to do "my best" as she continues to represent the St. Augustine School and Montserrat.

Janelle,11, is among those from across the region who wrote on the topic "My Island, Our Future….Making the 21^st Century a Better Place To Be" as part of the 1999 ‘My Caribbean’ essay contest.

"There are many qualities that make your island a special place. If you could choose one that represents the "spirit" of your homeland, which you wish to either preserve or improve upon in the next Millennium, what would it be? What would you do to protect this or make it better, and why?" was provided as the focal point of detailed description by the essayists.

The contest was sponsored by Conde Nast Traveler in cooperation with the Caribbean Tourism Organization and American Airlines.

Last year a cousin of Janelle, Kathrina Piper, was a winner in the same contest.

Two executive members of the Montserrat Union of Teachers (MUT) are now in neighbouring Antigua for a John Thompson workshop on leadership in the trade union.

Those participating in the July 15 to 31 workshop organized by Education International (EI) are outgoing Treasurer of the MUT Mr. Calvin Riley and incoming Treasurer Mrs. Inez Fenton.

"We need it (this training) especially since our leaders don’t stay because one of the problem is down-sizing of the teaching staff on the island," Vice President of the MUT Mrs. Hyacinth Browne told the Montserrat Reporter.

Due to the volcanic crisis, many of the island’s teachers have left the island or are either pursuing training programmes overseas.

Mrs. Browne noted that there was continuing involvement of predecessors alongside their successors at the level of the National Education Association (NEA), one of the largest teacher union federations in the United States (US).

The MUT Vice-President represented her organisation at the NEA’s June 28 to July 7 conference held in Florida, US.

The NEA, she said, has also expressed a willingness to examine the possibility of training the MUT leadership, many of whom received gifts of appreciation from that American organization

Jamaica and Montserrat were the only two Caribbean countries that were represented at the NEA conference.

The NEA is affiliated to EI, the world teacher trade union umbrella organisation under which the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT) falls.

Montserrat is a member of the CUT.

Barbadian soldiers and artisans here assisting in the construction of a Caribbean Community (CARICOM)-funded village were on Tuesday last beneficiaries of a "welfare visit" by a contingent from the Coast Guard of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF).

"We are just passing through on a welfare visit…and basically what we are doing is just bringing down a welfare package for them," Captain of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) Coast Guard vessel ‘Trident, ’ Lieutenant Ricky Shurland told the Montserrat Reporter.

He said that the 32-member contingent aboard the vessel seized the opportunity of one its routine patrols to dock at Port Little Bay and visit the four-member BDF group and artisans of Barbados’ Housing Development Corporation working on the village.

"It’s just an occasion to see them and it’s (the package) is fairly bulky and it’s the least expensive way to move that stuff," Captain Shurland added.

The arrival of the vessel came less than one week after Montserrat’s Chief Minister Mr. David Brandt publicly lauded the efforts of the region and in particular Barbados, in assisting with relieving the housing crisis.

Ever since the Soufriere Hills volcano began belching ash in 1995, thousands of residents fled the island to neighbouring Caribbean countries, North America and Europe while the remaining 3,000 huddled in the safe-north of Montserrat.

At this moment about 300 persons are housed in volcano-relief shelters even as the region prepares for what has been dubbed another active hurricane season.

The visit by the ‘Trident’ coincided with one of its routine anti-drugs trafficking and search and rescue patrols on behalf of the Regional Security System (RSS).

"The primary threat to the stability of the region right now would definitely have to be drugs, threatening the livelihood of the countries and that I would think is the major focus of the RSS patrols.
"Being islands which are predominantly based on shipping and the movement of cargo, I think the threat of drugs to the economic and social fabric of the region is well recognized by the political leaders," Shurland said.

At least 10 drug interdictions each year are made in Caribbean waters , which are increasingly being used as a transshipment route for South American cocaine to the United States (US) and other countries.
And with the Windward Island’s banana market in the European Union (EU) being virtually withered away due to a ruling by the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the preferential market regime on the grounds that it violates world trade rules, many banana farmers have been turning their attention to the illegal cultivation and shipment of marijuana.

Several months ago, Guyanese drug agents and the United States (US) Drug Enforcement Agency (USDEA) busted the MV Danielsen, a Panamanian-owned cargo vessel that was registered in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, of 6,940 kilogrammes of cocaine worth over US$200 million.

The vessel, which has since been forfeited to the Guyana government, had gone to that South American country to uplift a consignment of rice before leaving for Holland.

Port Little Bay is to get a new warehouse, among other things, through a EC$3 million project being financed by Britain’s Department for International Development (DfID), according to Manager of the Montserrat Port Authority Mr. Roosevelt Jemmotte.

"It should improve the service that would be given to the users and offer better accommodation to staff," he told the Montserrat Reporter.

Senior Infrastructure Programme Manager at DfID (Montserrat) Mr. Robin Hughes said that the project, which is expected to be completed by year-end, would include the flattening of the area around the port to provide more storage space for shipping containers and the improvement of the ferry terminal building.

Customs, immigration and the management of the port would also get new and better office accommodation.

"It’s the main port of entry and exit and we are looking to increase the efficiency of the port," Hughes said.

The availability of the money was announced by Chief Minister Mr. David Brandt at an awards ceremony for the handing over of the Nova Port Cup to the MPA for being the most efficient and effective port in the Caribbean during 1998.

"…that would improve the facility at the port so that you would have more space, so that the heavy equipment will have space to move around and so that the importers and the custom brokers would have a better place to work" Mr. Brandt said.

The money, he said, is being provided to "make life easier for the importers" by upgrading the facility that was "built to take us off," a clear reference to a now aborted plan by the British to totally evacuate the island due to the volcanic crisis.

Now that the money has been approved, the Public Works Department (PWD) would be responsible for requesting tenders and the execution of the project.

The Montserrat Port Authority (MPA) should be privatized and in so doing be better able to access financing for continuous upgrading and improving the facility without heavy dependence on existing sources for funding, according to a top official of the MPA.

MPA Manager Mr. Roosevelt Jemmotte’s suggestion was made public at the Award Ceremony of the Nova Port Cup won by Montserrat for having the most efficient port in the Caribbean.

"That for me is a concept of moving away from the dependency. If your people are investing in the port, they will be able to obtain local funds, there wouldn’t have to be a government approval to do so," he later told the Montserrat Reporter.

Major players in a privatized port authority could be the MPA workers, shipping agents and customs brokers, he said.

Funding could be more easily acquired by a privatized authority, he believed, to improve the port for the berthing of tourist cruise liners. "You borrow money and build your jetty, you are not asking anybody for anything," he said.

The idea of privatizing the Port Authority, he said, had been thrown out before but the response has been so far "mixed."

He disagreed with some persons who believed that a monopoly would be handed over to the private sector and the developmental focus of the port to the island would be shifted.

"Not really, because when you look at it, if you develop the port to any extent and you have money in it as the business people, when the tourists come in and the extra tourist-dollar is spun around, the cycle effect is that it increases your own income," he explained.

The planned legalizing of homosexuality as part of Britain’s White Paper for its remaining colonies (dependent territories) may pose difficulties for the education system here, according to a top official of the Montserrat Union of Teachers (MUT).

The British government has said that governments of its remaining colonies "should act" to change those "outmoded" laws that make consensual homosexual acts in private a criminal offence because as they stand, those laws are "inconsistent with the human rights citizens all countries expect to have."
"You can have a lot of problems - peer pressure is a major one and teachers have to be able to deal with it," MUT General Secretary Mrs. Cheverlyn Jarvis-Williams, however, told the Montserrat Reporter.

Mrs. Jarvis-Williams , also a teacher at the island's Montserrat Secondary School, argued that students’ taunting of those who might openly display homosexual relations with other students could be "frustrating."
The MUT official pointed out that the legalizing of homosexuality as stated in the now nearly four-month old White Paper entitled ‘Partnership for Progress and Prosperity’ would impinge on the moral traditions of Montserratians.
The implications of that section of the White Paper dealing with homosexuality is expected to be discussed at the MUT’s annual convention scheduled for this year October, and the deliberations will be taken to next year’s meeting of the Caribbean Union of Teachers (CUT).
A number of "positives," she noted, are nevertheless contained in the White Paper, among these being the granting of full British citizenship to residents of the remaining dependent territories.
Full citizenship would suposedly allow the free movement of residents of Montserrat with British citizenship to pass through the European Union (EU), and allow them to further their education rather than enduring delays to get visas before, the MUT General Secretary added.

Reacting to the White Paper, which affects about 150,000 persons in the remaining 13 British dependent territories scattered across the globe, Montserrat’s Chief Minister Mr. David Brandt rejected the legalizing of homosexuality saying "morality should be a question for the particular society,…it should not be imposed by any foreign power."
"If England feels that it is alright for their society, so be it. But we in Montserrat feel that it is an abhorrence to us and we will not pass it in Parliament," he said in an official statement on the matter.

Even if the Legislative Council of this 39.6 square mile British dependent territory in the Caribbean sea disapproves of the White Paper, the British government can enact laws for Montserrat.

The Montserrat Police Force has increased its number of foot patrols as part of efforts to introduce community policing on the island , according to Police Commissioner Mr. Chris Burgess.

"Certainly, it is part of an ongoing initiative to bring community policing to Montserrat then we would increase foot patrols," he told the Montserrat Reporter.

Now that the Police Headquarters have been relocated to Salem from St. Peter’s, he noted that it is now easier to deploy foot-patrols.

Mr. Burgess explained that the foot-patrols are being used as a mechanism to increase police-to-people contact with the communities.

"Foot-patrols aren’t just there to enforce, they are there to talk to people, are there to integrate with the population, there are there to be helpful as well so that’s the reason there are more foot-patrols," he added.

The Police Commissioner said there was no proof that some foreigners coming here under the pretext of employment were committing crimes because "I don’t actually know if the crime figures themselves would reflect that.

"I have absolutely no evidence to say that non-Montserratians are any worse than Montserratians as regards minor crime here," Mr. Burgess added.

The majority of foreigners coming here to work, he noted, were equipped with police clearance certificates.

My fellow Montserratians, each of us must from time to time address matters, which bring us far more pain than pleasure. Such a matter is the sad and serious situationthat has developed with the Royal Montserrat Defence Force.

What exactly happened? Where do we stand now? Where do we go from here?

An initial investigation and based on my discussions with officers into what has happened suggest that, on the afternoon of 10 June 1999 there was a standing order for the force to attend a final rehearsal for the Queen's Birthday Parade.

The parade was to be attended by all members except those on leave or those who had permission not to attend the parade by the Commanding Officer.

Shortly before the parade was due to start the adjutant, Capt. Skerritt, was told by the Acting parade Sergeant Major, Sgt. Lee, that only one soldier was dressed for parade; the remaining 3 Senior NCOS and 18 soldiers were in civilian clothes.

The unit was called to assemble in the all ranks mess, where the Commanding Officer ordered the assembled troop "to get dressed and go on parade, and issues which they had could be addressed in a meeting scheduled for later that afternoon". The force (Senior NCOS and other ranks) collectively refused to comply with this order and drew

attention to grievances over conditions of service. As a direct result of this action the parade was subsequently abandoned.

In other words, the commanding officer of a military organization gave his troops an order, which was flagrantly disobeyed. I can think of no military organization on earth where such an action would be tolerated. It would be considered a most serious breech of military law and a departure from discipline, and it would lead to nothing less than a Court Martial.

On the lst of July, Commanding Officer Michael Duberry, in keeping with international military tradition and standards resigned his office.

His letter of resignation states: "The actions taken by the majority of RMDF members show a blatant disregard for the country and military law, and are not in keeping with the spirit and traditions of the military.

As Commanding Officer, I take full responsibility for the actions of the men entrusted to me.

I have no doubt that this incident has tarnished the good name and reputation of the RDMF forever. "

Since the incident, all activities of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force have been suspended. This will remain so until such a time the force can be rebuilt, and returned to its former luster.Let there be no doubt about it, the Royal Montserrat Defence Force is one of our country's most important institutions.

It has provided over one hundred years of continuous service. It has distinguished itself at some of our darkest moments. It has enriched Montserrat.

This is why it is imperative that all necessary measures be taken to ensure that the Force can be rebuilt stronger and better than it ever was.

As Chief Minister of Montserrat I considered it my duty to uphold our institutions so that they can operate effectively and to represent every Montserratian's interest as well.

This is why I can't take lightly the claim that the Defence Force men responded as they did to draw attention to grievances over condition of service.

I understand that there is unhappiness over the fact that the disembodiment of the Force began in January and was expected to end on 30 June 1999.

As we continue to struggle to move our country back into a state of normalcy some say we have mistreated our military men.Let me make it perfectly clear, again, that even if these claims of mistreatment were true, the refusal to obey the direct orders of the Commanding Officer would not be any more acceptable.

The military is not a trade union or a social club. It must abide by higher standards of discipline because that is what makes it that it is.It is particularly tragic because at this time when every Montserratian is outraged at the low level of discipline, that the RMDF whose foundation is built on the highest level of discipline should conduct itself in this manner.

This not withstanding, we must examine the charge of mistreatment.

Let me recount for you the pertinent facts:The Royal Montserrat Defence Force was embodied, as a regular army unit at the outset of volcanic activities in July 1995 and, other than a short period in 1996, remained fully embodied until December 1998.
On I January 1999 a phased run down started with a view to full disembodiment by 30 June 1999.
So, for most of the past five years, the members of the Force were paid a full salary.

2. And it was not a lousy rate of pay either. In 1996 the lowest salary paid to the Defence Force was which the Force also received, the range moved from a low of $2,280 per month to $5,730.
A sergeant in the Defence Force was paid $321.00 per month more than the highest paid police sergeant. A Defence Force Captain was paid $595.00 per month more than the Deputy Commissioner of Police.
In addition the Defence Force members didn't have to pay any income tax during the period of embodiment which, in the case of a sergeant meant an additional amount of $490.00 in real take home pay each month.

3. Royal Montserrat Defence Force members were fed, uniformed, transported, housed and paid during the crisis.

4. While embodied, the members of the Forced were entitled to bee medical attention, including those who had to be sent overseas for treatment.

5. Much to-do has been made about the fact that the members of the Defence Force did not receive a monthly sum called hazard-allowance, as was the case with the police. But the military men did receive a monthly sum, over and above what they were entitled to, that was even more than the hazard-pay received by the police.

Let me explain how this came about. During periods of embodiment, ranks in the Montserrat Defence Force are to be paid the same as their equivalent rank in the Royal Montserrat Police Force.

However if the period of embodiment is short (say one or two weeks) it is understood that they will receive a percentage on top of that in recognition of the short period. when the volcanic eruptions started, no one knew how long it would last, so they were paid at the short period rate that is, the higher rate.

But the crisis continued for long and their pay was never adjusted to the long period rate. They continued to receive the higher pay as if they were embodied for only a short period.

As a result, while the police was paid a hazard allowance of $300 per month, every soldier, except for the private rank, received more than $300 per month over the salary to which they were entitled.

The private rank received a monthly sum of $232.

6. In addition, many embodied officers continued to work their regular jobs. Most small institutions employing one RMDF member preferred to let the person go to the RMDF altogether, and cease that salary. But the larger more established organizations (Montserrat Aviation Services, Montserrat Electricity Services Ltd., Cable & Wireless, Montserrat Port Authority and Government) continued to pay the full salaries of the soldiers they employed. In such cases, arrangements were made on a case by cased basis as to the number of hours put in at the work place and the number of hours on RMDF duty.
7. The disembodiment plan for housing was that members of the Force who qualified were to be given priority for both material grant and self-build housing. No Defence Force member who qualified for material grant and applied for it was turned down.

It was also expected that many houses at Lookout would have been completed and allocated early in 1999 and that the programme for preparing the service lots would have begun around the same time.

There have been delays and all of what was expected to be done by June 1999 will not be done.

Therefore some members of the Force would not have been able to leave the base at Pasture Piece by 30 June, but they would not have been evicted at that date.

They will still be allowed to live there until mid September but under different conditions.

This is to be expected. It is up to all of us to move as quickly as we can to return our country, as best we can, to a state of normalcy.In all of the pertinent areas: salaries, housing, medical-attention, transportation and food, it is hard to see how any claim of mistreatment of the Defence Force members could be substantiated. But there will always to those to whom it doesn't matter.

In their irresponsible, lust for power they will grab at any and every chance to spread disunity and discontent.Rather than mistreat the soldiers, the exact opposite was done. In fact, we have done even better for the members of the Defence Force than anything I've told you so far.

Let me explain fully. At the time the men chose to disobey the orders of their Commanding Officer, they all fell under the jurisdiction of the British Army Discipline Act as enshrined within the Montserrat Defence Force Ordinance CAP. 162 1383.

What this means, according to the initial team which has investigated the incident is that, and I quote from their report, "a number of personnel are vulnerable le to the charge of Mutiny under the Arm Act. Certain members are vulnerable to the charge of Failure to Suppress Mutiny.

Accordingly, the correct action on the part of the Commander-In- Chief (that is the Governor) is to now convene a Board of Inquiry to take formal evidence and make recommendations regarding future Courts Martial.

Should an ensuing Court Martial find that there are charges to answer, the likely outcome would be that a significant number of key RMDF personnel would be discharged with disgrace with an appropriate penalty of imprisonment. "

The same report goes on to recommend the setting up of a Board of Inquiry to investigate the offences of Mutiny and Failure to Suppress Mutiny, with provision for Courts Martial of Senior NCOS and other ringleaders if appropriate.Or, alternatively, to place the RMDF in "suspended animation" pending a study into the security needs of Montserrat.We have chosen to do that latter, in part because we believe not even the soldiers, at the time of disobeying their Commanding Officer, understood the serious penalties to which they were exposing themselves.

And also because we endeavor at all times to do the very best we can for every one of our citizens.I have every confidence that we will find a way to learn from the incident.  And despite the would be rabble-rousers, we will move forward as one people understanding the importance of excellence and discipline. Keeping our community viable by being faithful to our institutions and respecting our laws.  So what then is to be the fate of those men who disobeyed the direct orders of their Commanding Officer? And of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force?

The men who demonstrated such a serious breakdown in discipline have been spared the Court Martial proceedings but will not be allowed to contaminate the institution when it starts again.

This gives me no pleasure, but I sincerely believe it is the best thing to do both for the Force and for our beloved country.

As citizens of Montserrat these men will qualify for any benefits and privileges accorded to other Montserratians.

The Royal Montserrat Defence Force will live on.

The Government is committed to rebuilding it and I guarantee that when this occurs, it will be stronger and better than it had ever been.

We will ensure that those who command the future of the RMDF will have the training and tools required to do so.

And those who attain any rank or position of leadership will fully understand their responsibility so that this embarrassment will never raise its ugly head again.Thank you.

Commissioner of Police Christopher Burgess has confirmed that the Royal Montserrat Defence Force weapons have been handed over to the Regional Security System (RSS) in Barbados for safe keeping.

He said the weapons will be kept in Bridgetown under the command of Brigadier Lewis of the RSS.

Commissioner Burgess says the transaction was made through Defence Advisor Captain Peter Jackson.

He says the Barbados Coast Guard (HMBS Trident) arrived in Montserrat’s waters on July 13 to retrieve the weapons.

The Commissioner says the transferring of the weapons became necessary after the Royal Montserrat Police Force Headquarters was moved back to Salem and there was insufficient storage space.

It is anticipated that the weapons will remain in Barbados until becomes necessary for the RMDF to use them again.

The Emergency Department on island is announcing that it’s preparations for the 1999 Atlantic Hurricane season are far advanced with the strengthening of shelters and the upgrading of telecommunication facilities.

The Emergency Department says inspection and refurbishing work on five hurricane shelters are being carried out by officials from the Department of Public Works, and representatives of the district committees are also assisting with the process.

It has been said that some EC$120,000 (One hundred and twenty thousand dollars) have been spent on strengthening the shelters which can accommodate about forty per cent of the population.

The Emergency Department says mobile satellite phone units have also been made available to its office and that of the Governor so that contact can be made with the outside world as soon as possible after a storm.

In addition, the Emergency Department says authorities at Port Little Bay have also activated a hurricane emergency preparation plan.

The plan includes the re-distribution of the shipping container system and ensuring that importers remove their consignments from the warehouse.

The Emergency Department also says the temporary Government Headquarters complex buildings in Brades are being re-inforced in the likely event that a hurricane hits Montserrat.

Mrs. Francis Weekes has successfully completed a five-month study programme in caring for the elderly.

She returned home recently after participating in a Care for the Elderly workshop in Jamaica.

Mrs. Weekes is employed at the Hill View Home in St. John’s.

The course in the Care of the Elderly was conducted by the Community Development and Psychology Unit of the University of the West Indies (UWI).

Mrs. Weekes said the course covered public relations, caring, managing mobility and all other aspects of caring for the elderly.

She says she’s happy to impart the knowledge gained during the course with other staff at the Hill View Home for the elderly on island.

After being abandoned when the village of Salem and it’s environs were ordered evacuated in the wake of volcanic activity, the Salem Police Station has now been re-occupied.

The Police Headquarters, which was housed in a dwelling house in St. Peter’s for several years was moved back to the Salem Police Station last week.

The Commissioner’s Office which was housed in Woodlands has also been moved to the Salem Police Station.

Although Salem was re-opened several months ago, repair work and the cleaning up of ash from the premises had to be done before the Police Station could be used again.

The Salem Police station was the home for the Royal Montserrat Police Force Headquarters and some of it’s members when Plymouth was evacuated in early 1996.

Remand Centre nearing completion

Deputy Superintendent of Prisons and Officer-in-Charge Peter White says work on the new Remand Centre in Brades is nearing completion.

He says it is expected that with work progressing steadily the complex is expected to be completed by this weekend.

Mr. White says the final site meeting with the key parties, including the contractor and prison personnel will be held July 19.

However, he says once the building is completed, additional work will still need to be carried out in order to provide space for offices, visits and storage.

Deputy Superintendent White says although the local prison operations will be moved to Brades, inmates serving lengthy sentences will still be sent overseas to complete their incarceration.

He says only remanded prisoners, appellants and those serving short sentences will be housed in the complex in Brades.

Mr. White says the remand centre, which is a concrete structure should be able to withstand most storms and offer more security than the current facility in Gerald’s.

The remand centre in Brades will be the seventh for Her majesty’s Prison, since the onset of volcanic activity in 1995.

Greetings
It is a pleasure for me to be invited to give the feature address this year. I must thank, Miss Kathleen Greenaway, our principal, for this opportunity, and I hope that something I say this evening will be of help or of inspiration to all who listen to this address.

I have been dealing with young people for some time, whether as a community leader, a parent, a counselor, or just merely from meeting or speaking with them at church or while walking on the street.

It has always been interesting to do so, because of the many views of our young people. Their views range from idealism top hate for society and from optimism to lack of faith and depression. There is however, always a loving and beautiful individual that wants to develop and succeed.

The statistics in Montserrat and indeed around the world are showing increasing breakdown in family and other social structures, increasing crime against humanity, greater disillusionment, depression and fear. There are increasing problems in every area of our existence and the solutions seem to be out of sight.

I say to you today that "THERE IS A STORM COMING AND WE NEED TO CONSIDER HOW WE ARE PREPARING OURSELVES!!!

This question is specifically posed to our graduating class, but it applies to community, the parents and to our other young people.

The storm I speak of is not a hurricane. It is not a tornado, It is not a cyclone. In fact, it is not a product of nature. IT IS A MAN-MADE STORM, and because of this we should be able to influence its development. We could encourage its growth which could lead to havoc, or we could starve it of the essential elements for possible growth.

Generally speaking, this storm is dynamic and demands a tremendous amount of discipline, time and energy to stay on track and cope with all the disappointments and loss that may come our way.

You would agree that the world has advanced significantly over the last fifty years. The older ones among us may recall when agriculture was the mainstay of our economy. We were able to survive comfortably even though we moved as slow as the donkey carts that carried our produce to the market. Today, we live in the space age where time and distance means very little in terms of business.

We know now that by the use of computers, most of the things that we need, including information are just a button-press away. You can also get to the most distant countries within twenty-four hours. Life in this day and age is as fast as the rushing wind of the storm, and it does not wait for you – it passes you by.

Further, we live in an age where qualification does not necessarily get you a job,. Everybody these days are qualified in some way and are looking for someone to employ them in an increasingly limited job market.

Qualifications must now be seen only as a passport, you may still need visas to gain entry into certain places. Unfortunately, we are still being trained not to be creative and to rely on others for employment. We emphasize the academics and de-emphasize the technical and vocational trades. In my view, there is nothing wrong with employing yourself.

There are those who would argue that we do not need a Community College or even a Technical College, but we know that scholarships provided are few and continue to dwindle. To understand the extent of the problem, we only need to look at the number of skills we import from other countries to know that this argument against post secondary and technical institutions is not in our interest.

As a country, we have to ask ourselves, what do we do with children leaving school, who are not academically inclined? What do you do with persons who, after receiving an academic qualification prefer to develop a skill and gainfully employ themselves otherwise? Do we continue to frustrate them off the island? Or close the door of opportunity to them to live productive lives here on Montserrat?

This is not how I see us preparing ourselves, and Montserrat to face the 21^st Century. I believe here that we need to create mobility in the job market where the civil servant who has worked long and hard may retain and retire early to their own businesses, thus creating vacancies for those who are now leaving school and universities. This, I believe, would allow the job market to re-generate itself.

Again, it is sad, but the fact is that our girls are out-performing our boys at all levels of the education system. For some, this may be a good thing, and others may not care. But this imbalance can only lead to problems in the future and the kind of social storm that may shake the very fabric of our society. For instance, this imbalance may lead to higher divorce rates with its attendant problems, as couples find it difficult to communicate at the same level.

For you graduating class, the immediate storm you will face starts now when you confront the working environment. It is the storm you will face as you try to achieve the things you only dream of in school - the car, land, house, higher education and so on. So far, you have been protected and cared for by your parents, and while they would still love you and continue to care, your life is about to change, Slowly, the responsibility for charting your own course in life is handed over to you.

It is important for you to consider how would you approach your job interview if you have not done so already. This can be a storm for some people. Some of you will succumb to the fear and become tongue-tied. I say to you, be yourself and be honest. Some of you would not apply for a particular job because it requires an interview.

If you do this, you are beginning to surrender your future to the storm.

You must look within yourself and ask, "how well do I cope with failure?" I believe that this is one of the storms of life with which everyone has had to cope. Would you give up or give in to depression? Or would you try and try again?

Those of you who have entrance qualification to University, what would you do if you were unsuccessful in gaining a place this year? There are fewer scholarships available and the competition is greater. And, what about those of you who did not do so well this time? Do you give up? You must explore all your options, be strong and persevere. If you don’t, you will start losing your dream, and in time, you will be tossed about like a boat without a rudder in the storm.

Note however, that failure sometimes mean that you need to change your dreams and thinking completely. They call this, in change management, a "shift in paradigm." At this stage, you may want to be a doctor because your friend wants to be a doctor, or your parents want you to be a doctor. It may be you se a career in medicine as being lucrative and would therefore satisfy your material need. This is not sufficient. You need to look at your special talents and develop them so that you enjoy the work you do.

Again, you must look deep within and ask yourself how strong are your beliefs and your will to make a difference? If you have no conviction, no goal and no plan, how then will you achieve your dreams? You will never be able to make it happen. It doesn’t matter how highly educated you are or whether you possess all the social graces. Remember, your belief in God, the strength of your character and your convictions, will help you to overcome the storms of life.

My message would not be complete if I did not tell you about success. It has been stated that " success is failure turned inside out." Success comes with its own set of problems. It creates its own storms, depending on how you perceive it and how you manage your own success. How often have you heard of people who work hard to succeed in life and when they get there, they are disillusioned and unhappy.

Success is therefore not an end in itself, the more you have, the greater is your call to serve.

Success must be seen in its broadest sense, and it must have some balance. You may be materially rich, but, your spiritual life is in a mess. Your business may be flourishing, yes, but, your personal life may be dying. Your friends may cheer for you, and for a moment, you may appear to belong to the category of the successful, but, you need to understand sooner, rather than later, that only in sharing your successes that you would be able to bring happines not only to yourself, but also to those around you.

After all, I believe that this is why many of us work so hard and place so much pressure on ourselves. We want to be successful. Further, there is the belief that success leads to happiness and a comfortable life.

School is therefore the place where we try to encourage our students to achieve and to equip them with the skills and tools necessary to meet and conquer the challenges or rather the storms of life. These are the tools that would help you to exist in a complex and changing society.

Those of you who are graduating or leaving school, what have you gained? Ordinary levels! Certificate of attendance! So what? To us, it is more important for you to have developed the attitude and discipline necessary to make Montserrat a better place to live and work.

You must learn to look beyond the basic qualifications that you now receive or any other certificate that you may be given and understand the following:

Society will judge you by the level of discipline that you display, especially in times when your patience is most tested. Self-control is vital to survival and wholesome living. You cannot help yourself or expect to "control" any one else without discipline. Recent events in our country are suggesting that the very foundation of discipline is under attack. It demonstrates then, how easy it is for worthwhile activities to be destroyed by the lack of discipline.

Again, our society respects people who bring to it vision and a sense of purpose.

While we may like to say that where you come from counts – that is to say your background matters. I say to you at the end of the day, that where a person has a clear vision and a sense of purpose, society will take note and push you to reach your full potential. The fact that your peers elect you President of a club above everyone else may start the process that leads you to that recognition and success, that, at this time seem illusive.

Remember, anything that is worth doing should be done well. In life, and especially in the workplace, you ma be tempted to perform well only for the boss, an audience or because it brings you some gain. You must learn to do it well for yourself because you have established a standard that you intend to maintain and with which you want to be associated.

Lastly, you should avoid quick fixes to resolve your problems. Try to solve them as creatively as you can and by honest means. God took six days to crate the world. I believe He could have created it in one day. The fact that you need a house to live in does not give you a good reason to get involved in illicit activities that will lead to the acquisition of personal wealth. This is one of the reasons that so many promising young men and women have lost their way

In closing, it is my belief that "There is a storm about to descend on us" arising from all the various situations and attitudes that surrounds us. Individually, our storm may not amount to much, but, collectively, we are in danger. The Government of Montserrat through the Ministry of Education may provide the infrastructure, teachers and other resources, but, the parents and the children must have a responsibility to ensure that the best use is made of the resources provided.

Let me say to you, go confidently at this dawn of your life, ensure that day is well spent that you may reap a good harvest at the eve of your life, despite the storms that confront you.

Thank you.

The Labour Commissioner in the Department of Labour Peter Joseph West says four indididuals from Montserrat will leave the island August 16 for a working stint in the Canadian Seasonal Farm Workers Programme.

The four men will form part of the OECS team for the scheme.

The Labour Commissioner says these workers will eventually be deployed top different farms in up-state Canada.

Mr. West says the workers will be involved in the harvesting of vegetables and apples among other things during the three-month period.

He says while some of the workers will be going to Canada for the first time, while some others will be returning and are no strangers to the climate and the quality of work required.

Meanwhile, the Labour Commissioner says the Department is in the process of developing a standing pool of workers for the Canadian Seasonal Farm Workers Programme.

He says persons between the ages of 18 and 45 years who are interested in the programme should register with the Labour Department.

The 1999 Commonwealth Chief Commissioners Conference for Girl Guides was held recently in London…

And Montserrat’s representative at the conference, Geraldine Cabey said the outcome was very encouraging with a path being mapped out for the future of the Girl Guides movement throughout the Commonwealth.

She participated in the conference for Girl Guide Associations in Guilford, London.

Mrs. Cabey said the conference focused mainly on workshops and discussions on a vision of empowered guiding, strategic planning to identify and set timely and targeted priorities within Guiding Associations.

Participants also scrutinized external public relations and how to deal effectively with the media, fundraising and sponsorship, book-keeping and Finance within Associations and Commonwealth Award.

Mrs. Cabey and her counterparts were also taken on sightseeing tours and were entertained. These were organized by the Guide Association of South London.

The conference attracted representatives from 54 Commonwealth countries.

The Accountant general in the Treasury Department has issued a statement on the payment of back pay due to Civil Servants.

According to the statement, there has been some anxiety amongst public employees as to when the five per cent salary increase announced in this year’s budget presentation will be paid.

The Accountant General’s statement says the finalization of salary arrears, retroactive to January 1, 1999, requires precision and careful scrutiny, since it has implication for income taxes.

In addition, the statement says although the process is simpler for some category of workers, it would have been discriminatory to pay some employees before others.

The Accountant General says in her statement given that the new salary scale was introduced in May, the back-pay will cover only the four month period in question.

The statement says the Treasury Department is working earnestly to complete the entire process shortly, in order to facilitate simultaneous payment to all categories of workers.

(Week Ending March 12 1999)

By Justin "Hero" Cassell, Agricultural Development Officer

A project to upgrade the irrigation facility and to carry out road rehabilitation works at Duck Pond has been approved. Work is due to commence within the near future weather permitting. Some ten (10) farmers are currently farming in the area.

Seedlings

Eggplant and a variety of ornamental seedlings are available at the Brades Nursery this week. Next week cabbage, tomato and sweet pepper seedlings will be ready.

CDB Offers Technical Assistance

The CDB has offered technical assistance to Montserrat in a number areas. The development of irrigation systems in the north is prime on the priorities for the Department of Agriculture. Technical assistance is needed to identify water sources and to provide advice on irrigation systems for agricultural production in the north. Other targeted areas include sustainable livestock systems. Livestock/Abattoir Consultants Visit

Two (2) British Consultants Davis Hadrill and David Silverside were on island this week working with local stakeholders testing the feasibility of providing a slaughter facility on island.

The team met with Government Officials and technicians, businessmen, livestock producers and butchers.

A report on the study is expected around early to mid August.

New Home for Two(2) Wildlife Species

Five (5) male, four (4) female Mountain Chicken; four (4) female and four (4) Montserrat Oriole were flown out on Tuesday July 12^th to the Jersey Zoo. There they will be part of a captive breeding trial.

Be a part of the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agri Quiz and be a winner. Telephone

491-2546 or 2071 for further information. Winners will be announced on Farmers Corner on Thursday July 29^th 1999.

THIS WEEK WITH THE NURSES

As we enter the second month of the Hurricane season many have already started their hurricane preparedness activities. It is never too early to begin, for if you are not ready for Mother Nature, she may catch you unprepared.

Here are a few helpful tips from the Health Disaster Preparedness Committee.

1. Persons on Medication, especially those with diabetes, hypertension, asthma, heart conditions, glaucoma should ensure that they have an adequate supply of medication.

Do not wait until you are on the last dose to replenish your supply.

These medications must be kept in a dry, safe place, preferably in a plastic bag that is labeled.

2. It is useful to have a simple First Aid Kit at home for use in an emergency as it may not be possible to get to the clinic or casualty station until after the storm.

Items that should be included in the First Aid Kit are triangular and roller bandages, adhesive tape, gauze dressings – cotton wool, safety pins and cleaning solution.

It would be useful if at least one member of the household has training in First Aid.

3. Check emergency supplies of food that can be consumed with little or no cooking eg corned beef, sardines, canned fruits and vegetables, powdered milk, crackers and by the way do not forget a mechanical can opener.
4. Persons on special diets should adhere to their diet as much as possible. However,

In disaster conditions, because of the unavailability of fresh foods, such as fruits and vegetables, it may be necessary to use for a while some foods which may contain salt and sugar, in order to get the energy and protein by the body as soon as conditions improve, return to your diet.

5. Keep food clean and covered and store food off the ground and in containers where they will be kept dry. If there is no electricity, cook enough food to last for one day only and do not eat stale food.
6. Wash hands before cooking and eating and also after using the toilet.
7. Keep water containers clean and boil or purify all drinking water, if instructed to do so.
8. If you must use candles and kerosene lamps, do exercise caution. Always keep a bucket of sand handy to smother small fires and to absorb fuel.
9. Decide which is the safest room or location in your house and place emergency supplies in that room.
10. If you are indoors when the hurricane strikes, remain there but stay clear of the windows. The greatest hazard from falling objects may be out doors.

And finally,

11. Have a plan to reunite your family since travel may be difficult or restricted after the storm.

Remember, the hurricane season is here, do not be caught unprepared!

Valerie Lewis

Health Disaster Preparedness Coordinator

August 5^th - Flight from Heathrow to Dublin 5^th E1155: 0955/1110.

Lunch and sight seeing tour of Dublin - Evening reception. Accommodation: Green Isle Hotel, Dublin.

August 6^th - Depart to Galway - sightseeing - evening reception. Accommodation: The Galway Bay Golf & Country Club Hotel, Galway.

August 7^th - Visit Feakle International traditional music festival - evening reception.

Accommodation: The Galway Bay Golf & Country Hotel, Galway.

August 8^th - Depart Galway for Limerick sightseeing - Accommodation: Morrisons Island Hotel, Limerick.

August 9^th - Return flight from Cork to Heathrow 9^th August Flight E1182: 1855/2010

Inclusive fares include:

• Four nights hotel accommodation with full Irish breakfast daily.

• Driver guide for the duration of the tour.

• Admissions to - Trinity College, St. Patricks Cathedral, Dvblinia, Guinness Hopstore, Kylemore Abbey, Blarney Castle, University College Galway and St Marys Cathedral in Limerick

………………………………...….TEAR AND RETURN……………………………………

All inclusive cost: £345.00 per person, double occupancy (single room supplement: £70.00)

Please enclose deposit of £75.00 per person.

Final Balance £270.00

Dear Reuben, please don’t take offense;

Your heliport, ferry comments,

While splendid suggestions

Faced knee-jerk rejections,

Just because they make so much sense.

Hear ye, let the message go forth,

Isles Bay is restored to the north;

Still among its futilities

Is the lack of utilities,

So what’s all that free access worth?

Jus wonderin if they do not want persons to take up the sand on the beach that was washed down through river.

Jus wonderin if the volcano is a blessing in disguise for some person or persons.

Jus wonderin if one bank manager in Antigua is giving Montserratians a very hard time.

Jus wonderin why the food price here is so high.

Jus wonder how is it possible for some one to pay seventy- five dollars to go Antigua to shop and still save money.

Jus wonderin how many Montserratians are really living In Dominica.

Jus wonderin if the tour guide is still afraid of the ash.

Jus wonderin who will be the next Moses

Jus wonderin if any of our four leaders will become a Moses

Jus wonderin which of our former CMs almost became a Moses

Jus wonderin if the temporary/permanent generator will work when lights go out

Jus wonderin if our Lady Minister really refused to sign work permits

Jus wonderin what's with the US Flag above the Lady Minister's home

Jus wonderin why the duties collection officer is taking such a long vacation

Jus wonderin why he is still lying about the borrowed wedding rings

Jus wonderin who did he really borrow the rings for:-the druggist or the banker

Jus wonderin who and why they thief they de bus driver bag with he money

Jus wonderin who tek out $400 and put de bag with de rest in a de oven out by hospital

Jus wonderin which WPC broke into the wrong house searching for her other half

Jus wonderin what ever happen to the required height and weight needed to enter the RMPF

Jus wonderin who the two young ladies are who won’t stop talk naga business pan phone when night come