By Gary Chambers

A foul weather system in the Guadeloupe area last week caused minor problems with a high profile medical evacuation, the Reporter has learned.

Mr. W. 'George' Tuitt, husband of Health Minister, the Hon. Adelina Tuitt, was put on a Medivac flight to Antigua on Wednesday, August 9^th. He was to fly to Guadeloupe, but Ms. Sarah Silcott of Montserrat Aviation Services said yesterday that her company had to offer alternative arrangements, after LIAT and other air carriers in the region identified a bad weather front heading this way from Guadeloupe. That front presented a hazard for the helicopter crew operating out of Montserrat, and as a result Mr. Tuitt had to be flown by a private charter airline from Antigua into Guadeloupe.

Ms. Silcott confirmed that her company did book Mr. Tuitt on the charter flight to avoid the bad weather, but she said the booking was a private business matter between MAS and its client.

"We arranged the flight, but that would be the people's business," said Ms. Silcott, "we would only do what the passenger requested."

Mr. Cecil Cassell Press Secretary to the Legislative Council, said elected officials on the island remain firmly opposed to an airfield at Geralds, and the option of a temporary grass surface makes the idea no more appealing to them.

"Temporary measures can become permanent," he cautioned. "We will not accept a grass airstrip at Geralds."

Mr. Cassell said it would be contrary to other development plans for Geralds Bottom and also cited environmental concerns.

Mr. Richard Aspin, Press Secretary to His Excellency Gov. Anthony Abbott, said the governor's office is keeping itself out of the debate. Agreement must be reached instead between the Legislative Council and the Department for International Development, which would fund any new airport.

DFID, meanwhile, is on record as being unwilling to accede to demands for a new airport at Thatch Valley. The GIBB Report, a feasibility study released in 1998, indicated the Thatch Valley site would be considerably more expensive than a facility at Geralds. Proponents of the Thatch Valley site, however, reject figures contained in that report. They suspect the report inflates the cost of the Thatch Valley airfield to make the Geralds Bottom alternative appear more acceptable.

Heliport at Geralds Bottom

DFID's chief executive, Mr. Barry Kavanagh, declined an opportunity to update his position, but sources in the department say the Geralds alternative, while viewed as the most cost effective option, has been placed aside and no further work is scheduled on the project. The Department has an unequivocal letter on file from the Chief Minister, the Hon. David Brandt, flatly turning down an airstrip at Geralds, and unless the position changes DFID has no plans to provide a new airfield.

Meanwhile, further delays on airport construction now seem likely with the entrance of yet another team of consultants. The European Union, at the request of the Legislative Council, has agreed to fund a study conducted by experts from outside the United Kingdom. The EU is said to be considering a German or a Dutch firm for the contract.

The EU has agreed to fund research only, and are not mooted as possible financiers of a future airport anywhere on the island, but it is known that even if they later agreed to such a outcome, all EU capital projects have a lead time of almost four years.

Mr. Cedric Osborne, Acting Chairman of the Montserrat Redevelopment Committee, said the EU only agreed to conduct a new survey of airport locations provided it was free to examine the entire island, so it would not be restricted to looking only at Thatch Valley and Geralds. Mr. Cassell confirmed that the study will go ahead, revealing that paperwork is already underway here and in Europe to bring the new consultants on board.

Mr. Osborne said it is possible the EU consultants could deliver a final report that kills off the Thatch Valley option once and for all.

"We may be fighting a losing battle," he admitted, although he expressed doubts that is the case, and went on to deliver a compelling argument for an airfield at Thatch Valley.

As a private sector spokesman in the debate, he moved first to quash any suspicions that the present impasse is fueled by real estate owners who would profit from Thatch Valley's development. He agreed a road into the area would benefit landowners, but he pointed out the same owners have offered to donate property for the road. He also said purchasing acreage for an airstrip at Thatch Valley would be less expensive than at Geralds, because the Thatch Valley site is currently raw unserviced land, while at Geralds a number of "old family homes" would have to be torn down and their occupants provided with homes elsewhere.

Mr. Osborne went on to say that the Geralds site could never be expanded to accommodate jet airliners. Those craft require a minimum of about 4,500 feet of runway, whereas the Geralds Bottom site could be expanded to a maximum length of about 3,600 feet. Without filling ghauts, the Geralds site could only expand to a maximum of 2,000 feet.

The GIBB Report pegs the comparative costs of the two sites, each with 3,600-foot runways, at $97million for Geralds Bottom, and $394 million for Thatch Valley. Mr. Osborne said, however, that his group believes the high cost at Thatch Valley is based on providing paved roads, fully equipped terminal facilities and other expensive options. He said proponents of the Thatch Valley proposal would be willing to settle for a gravel access road and very basic terminal infrastructure, which he suspects could make that facility less expensive than the one offered at Geralds.

He rounded off his argument by pointing out that disagreements of this type are new to Montserratians, because until the volcano the island was largely self-governed.

"There were only two expatriates in the government," he recalled, adding that since the evacuation at the height of the crisis, the island has become primarily governed by outsiders. "Local government has no control at all."

Nevertheless, Mr. Osborne remains anxious to see the Thatch Valley proposal receive due consideration, and he is obviously hopeful that will result from the pending EU report. He concedes, however, that the ongoing argument does nothing to offer hope of a runway being built any time soon.

"I don't think there's any quick way to get a Twin Otter onto the island," he remarked.

Meanwhile, medical evacuations like the one that became necessary last week for a member of the Health Minister's family, or for anyone else on the island, will remain totally reliant on helicopter service.

At least one member of the Caribbean Christian Council, plus an academic with the University of the West Indies, have expressed grave concern over an updating of laws identifying sedition in British protectorates.

The Montserrat Reporter has also received communications comparing Anguilla's recently updated sedition laws to those that once made slavery legal. Some commentators were obviously concerned that a similar criminal code update could take place here.

To help clarify the matter and calm fears, Government House in Montserrat recently provided The Reporter with a copy of Anguilla's new sedition law, and a copy of its older Montserratian counterpart.

Sedition is conduct or language designed to incite rebellion against the state, and it's a criminal offence in every country on Earth, although the laws and their application do vary from place to place. Present laws governing sedition in Montserrat have been in effect since 1938, but the recent update in Anguilla still caused concern here among those who consider such laws an attack on personal freedoms.

The offending passages in Anguilla's updated laws begin by making it illegal to wage a campaign of hatred or disaffection against the monarch, or the Governor of Anguilla. They also dictate that those who want to change some policy or activity of government must campaign for their cause in a legal manner. One must also refrain from bringing the rule of law into contempt or disrepute. Finally, it is illegal to incite the general population toward rebellion, or to promote hatred and hostility between different social groups within Anguilla.

Criticism of a governor was an item of extreme concern to critics of the updated legislation. They clearly felt that it was unreasonable that anyone could be detained and charged for being critical of a governor, and were especially upset that the charge can be sworn out on the word of one police officer.

In truth the law specifically allows citizens to point out when they feel the governor, or the government as a whole, was misled or mistaken in any of its policies or announcements. This means it remains completely legal to offer criticism of a governor. It only becomes illegal when the critique seeks to encourage violent hatred or rebellion against a governor's office or person.

Fair and legal comment can even extend to harsh criticism of the most basic laws, notably the constitution.

The law intends that anyone who sees a problem and wants to expose it and try to change the status quo should be able to publish their views and opinions, and can even encourage other people to campaign against what they see as injustice. The activism one incites, however, must be an orderly political debate or campaign. Legal forms of activism can include protests and even non-violent civil disobedience, but it cannot be a call to an armed overthrow, a coup or some other violent rebellion.

As for creating feelings of hatred or contempt between different groups or social classes, while it is illegal to foster such feelings, the law actually encourages citizens to interpret the affairs of government and society as a whole, and to seek the legal removal of any divisive rules or influences. This means you can wage a campaign to remove an offensive law or even an inept or unpopular government official, but you must do so without malice, meaning you must try to have the offending law or person removed through legal and not violent means.

In some cases, a person can even be found innocent of sedition if they cause a rebellion, but it was not their intent to be seditious. The new Anguillan law states that a person is only guilty if they acted with seditious intent. They are not guilty if they genuinely did not understand that the outcome of their action would be rebellion. The only limitation to this provision is that people are expected to consider the reasonable results of their words and actions.

The older sedition laws in Montserrat seem to be even more lenient. They spell out all of the various forms of sedition mentioned above, and in each case dictate than any contravention of these laws must be done intentionally for a person to be found guilty.

Well known local businessman, Mr. Cedric Osborne, this week offered a prophetic observation about the way life has changed in Montserrat since the volcanic crisis of 1995. In a candid conversation with The Reporter on the volatile subject of airports, Mr. Osborne pointed out that the people of this island are not only trying to rebuild torn lives after a natural disaster, but are also struggling to come to terms with a total redistribution of power.

Before the volcano, he reminded us, the current type of government was constitutionally in place, but most of the political and economic power rested in Montserratian hands. There were only two expatriates in the Montserratian government before July 1995. The people of Montserrat may have been a small populace, but they were often able to balance their annual public sector budget on their own. Britain made up any shortfall, but recouped its investment handily each year through a network of direct economic interests and spin-offs. So the UK government saw no great need to assert itself in internal Montserratian affairs.

The situation was not politically idyllic. As with all governments there were times when incompetence, vested interests or simple human error would make a shambles of public management. For all their problems, however, Montserratians in those days were at least in charge of their own affairs.

Now the tables have turned. The population has shrunk to a fraction of what it was. The economic machine has been all but wiped out, and there is no immediate hope in sight of the people returning to a level of self-sufficiency in their public budget. Britain finds itself digging further into its pockets to provide assistance for what is currently less than 5,000 people, and so it applies its constitutional powers in Montserrat with much greater determination.

Unlike the days when Montserratians ruled Montserrat, today dozens of expatriates hold positions of power and influence on the island. Elected government officers find they must elicit the agreement of these foreign managers on virtually all matters related to public expenditure. Feeling sapped of their self determination, the island’s elected officials often seem determined to stare down Britain’s Foreign Office appointees on virtually every issue that arises. It sometimes seems the domestic government relies on defiance over all other tactics, when it comes to dealing with the British.

This is possibly the real cause of the ‘us and them mentality’ that we have spoken of in this space before. Disagreement sometimes seems to be a matter of principle rather than logic, but it’s a situation that should not surprise anyone, least of all the British, for it is the typical reaction of an island people.

Islanders are different from most other people in the world. They develop unique cultural customs and habits, and cling to these familiar social threads in the face of all adversity. For Montserratians, it is obviously counterproductive at this time to but heads with the British over everything from travel advisories to major public works, but the British should understand the fierce independence of Montserratians and make allowances for it, for they are often seeing a mirror image of themselves.

All islanders can be self reliant to the point of obstinacy. The Japanese, for example, were once so convinced of their own supremacy that they attacked the United Sates in the belief that they could beat the giant. Their justification was simple. They had always been the masters of the Pacific rim. The islanders of Japan genuinely believed that domination of the region was not only their right, but their God given destiny. It took a nuclear holocaust to jolt them into reality, and even today Japan’s leader is noted for his nostalgic longings for the days of emperor worship and other outdated traditions. Islanders do not give up their right to self determination easily.

A smaller example exists in the Faroe Islands between Scotland and Iceland. The 20,000 or so people of that small island chain live in a Danish protectorate, and despite a small population isolated within a harsh environment, they are now struggling to break away from Denmark and manage their own affairs. The Faroese have discovered oil and are convinced they can manage the resource better than Denmark. They also cling to a tradition of whale hunting that brings protest ships into their waters on a regular basis, yet again they defy world opinion and cling to their habits. Here the Faroe Islanders show a defiance of external powers, and a longing to remain as independent as possible.

And what of the British? They have been so defiant throughout their history, that they have earned a global reputation for arrogance. There’s no point telling your average Brit that his system doesn’t measure up, because he’ll never believe it, and henceforth will probably begin ignoring you altogether. Any attempt to challenge British democratic values will be met with frosty indifference or outright contempt. Usually they won’t even bother to argue with you, because they see no point in debating with people who they believe are too dim to see the light.

Is it any wonder then, that the people of Montserrat find it hard to adjust to the new power distribution Mr. Osborne describes? Like all islanders, Montserratians feel in their bones that their resolve alone can lead them to triumph, and they are so convinced of this that even a volcano can’t make them take their eyes off the ball for more than a fleeting moment.

It sounds a bit like a scratched record, we know. We’ve said it so many times before it sounds repetitive even to our own ears, yet once again we find ourselves at the same conclusion. The only way the ‘us and them’ relationship will ever be put to rest is through a complete renegotiation of the constitutional terms binding Montserrat and Britain together.

Perhaps Montserratians need to accept that they could find it difficult to make it as a nation without their British partners, and perhaps the British need to admit that they have never had a monopoly on democratic ideals, and certainly don’t have one now.

There is room for attitude adjustment all around. It may even be imperative.

Priorities

Read Daniel 6:4-10

In the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up.

Psalm 5:3

Recently, I signed up for access to the Internet. My sister, who lives in another province, coaxed me into it, saying how easy it would be to keep in touch with each other. It did not take me long to get completely hooked on e-mail. Every morning we would get our coffee, log on to the network, and catch up on each other's activities. I looked forward to communicating with her every day through this mode.

Then I realized that, unfortunately, I was allowing morning time with my sister to take priority over my morning time with God.God spoke in my heart, " Why don't you and I have that kind of communication? Why not look forward to your time with me, talking to me and listening to me?" Suddenly, I realized that I have the potential for communing with the greatest Being in the universe through prayer and reading scripture. How could I allow e-mailing my sister to take priority over that?

Now I have it straight: I communicate with God first and then my sister. Communicating with my sister has become sweeter and happier, just as the rest of my day has, since I started speaking to God first.

Prayer: Dear God, help us treasure the time we spend with you in prayer and never miss an opportunity to be with you. Amen.

Thought for the Day

Starting the day with God puts the rest of the day in a new perspective.

Jayne Thurber- Smith

Prayer Focus: THOSE LIVING FAR FROM FAMILY

Dear Editor,

I am the daughter of Ivan Browne, a Montserratian, and I myself have lived in Montserrat . I am the headteacher of a large Primary School in Yorkshire, England, and I would like to tie up with a school in Montserrat. My students are eager to correspond with students and we would like to help in any way we can. Montserrat is an important place for all of us . Please can you help?

"Tricia Campbell" <tricia.campbell@talk21.com>

Dear Editor:

I just returned to the United States after spending a glorious week of Rest and Relaxation on our beautiful Emerald Isle, where the vegetation is lush and the mangoes were in abundance.

I was fortunate to attend a performance of the Emerald Community Singers, "Songs of the Sea," in the Pelican Room of the Vue Pointe Hotel (what an outstanding performance).

Also was present as Father Larry, Mr. Dublin and Ms. Roach were recognized for their hard work especially during the very turbulent times. I salute them all.

I was also excited about my tour, to view our latest hotel, Tropical Mansion Suites in Sweeneys, with such a breathtaking view of the northern part of the Island.

Now, to my subject matter, The Abandoned Cars. What can be done about them?

They are such a SORE EYE. They are not just on private properties, but also on the main roads, and there are so many of them. Without exaggeration, they seem to be around almost every corner.

Do you think the government can rid the streets of these "sore eyes," then set forth penalties to penalize anyone who violates the clean street act (if there is such a thing)? Even the yellow school busses are abandoned along the streets.

I do not think it is necessary to go on, as I am sure, Mr. Editor, you have seen, what I saw, so please tell me something can be done about it.

By the way, I do enjoy reading each issue of the Reporter as well as the Entries in the Guest Book.

Sincerely,

Rosetta A. Edwards-Williams

Miss Valerie Lewis, was awarded the Caribbean Nurses Organisation Honorary Award at the 22^nd CNO Biennial Conference held in Trinidad from 30 July to 5 August 2000. This is the first time that a local nurse is being presented with this Award.

The award recognises outstanding contributions to the profession, the overall field of health care.

Miss Lewis has made a significant contribution in the area of nursing education. She made changes to the training facility; twinning of the School of Nursing with the George Brown College in Toronto; developing a Midwifery Curriculum; and taking the school into regional exams with 100% passes in 1995-96. She is also External Examiner for regional exams.

She was appointed Principal Nursing Officer in 1998 and brought stability to nursing during the volcanic crisis. She has sought new and innovative ways to boost staff morale and enhance the image of nurses and nursing, such as the weekly programme, "This Week With The Nurse".

Another happy occasion was the election of Mrs Anjella Skerritt, as President of the Montserrat Nurses Association (MNA), and as a Regional Director for the next biennium. The CNO has a membership of over 25 countries. These are divided into four regions with a director responsible for liasing with local Nurses. Mrs Skerritt has responsibility for Region III, comprised of St Lucia, Dominica, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Haiti and Montserrat.

The executive and members of the Nurses Association extend heartiest congratulation to both Miss Lewis and Mrs Skerritt on their achievement.

The play, by Montserrat playwright David Edgecombe, is called "Smile Natives Smile," and is due to compete in the drama festival of CARIFESTA. Edgecombe currently lives in the Virgin Islands, but he'll be stopping here for the weekend on his way to the festival, and will stage the play for local audiences.

Performances are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday night at the Vue Point Hotel. Curtain will rise on both evenings at 7:30 p.m.

The play deals with racial and sexual tensions that erupt when a young white college student travels to the Caribbean to study under a black professor. Set in the ivory towered world of academia, where publishing usually means tenure-track and economic survival, events centre on the student's efforts to help her tutor publish his work.

Troubles arise when the professor begins asserting his authority in peculiar and sometimes upsetting ways, to overcome his own feelings of anguish at possibly really needing help from his student, simply because he's black and she's white.

Theatergoers may wish to keep in mind that the play's original script contains some salty language, although it is unclear whether the playwright intends to tone down the dialogue for these or subsequent performances.

Mr. Edgecombe is due to arrive on island on Friday.

Tickets are available in advance through Rotary Club members, or from Arrows in Sweeney and Carol's Corner in Old Towne, or at the door.

Mr. Bennette Roach of the Montserrat Reporter was the only participant from Montserrat at the workshop.

Percival in addressing delegates, said there is a tremendous amount of movement in the region now and a great many of peole who have tested positive travel to other countries thus placing a heavy burden on that country's Health Care Service.

Montserrat's Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Gordon Avery, who has been known to express criticism of travel advisories issued by the British government regarding travel to Montserrat, this week received a copy of a new textbook in which he authored a chapter on travel medicine.

The book will be used by students taking distance learning courses which Dr. Avery has been tutoring for the past five years. It is titled "Travel Medicine and Migrant Health," and Dr. Avery's chapter deals specifically with accidents and injuries experienced by travelers, a field in which he is a recognised expert.

Aside from marking Dr. Avery's latest publishing venture, the text is also being heralded as an overdue recognition of the special discipline of travel medicine. In his foreword for the book, Sir Kenneth Calman said the field of travel medicine has finally come of age, and is now being recognised as a specific field of medical practise. Sir Kenneth visited Montserrat in 1997 in the midst of the island's volcanic catastrophe.

Although Dr. Avery mentions volcanoes and other unusual risks in his chapter, his main message is that the majority of serious accidental injuries and deaths among travelers result from car crashes and drownings. These hazards present a much greater threat than diseases like malaria and HIV-AIDS, or, of course, being caught in a pyroclastic flow.

The book is published by Churchill Livingstone, and its ISBN number is: 0 443 06242 0.

Dr. Avery previously published another book called "Children and Their Accidents," which he co-authored.

by Cathy Buffonge
Part one of a three part series
As St Augustine Primary School's 125th anniversary approaches we look at some of the trials and triumphs of the school in recent years. For many years St Augustine's was housed in an old building in the grounds of the Roman Catholic Church in George St, Plymouth This building dated back to 1928, when a "new" school was built after the 1928 hurricane to replace an even older one.
Hugo strikes
In September 1989 Mrs Eileen Edwards had just taken over as Principal from Major Vincent Browne, who had held this position for two years. When Hurricane Hugo struck, the school like so many other buildings was severely damaged. Church official Cedric Osborne recalls that it was leaning over and was in a dangerous state. Mrs Edwards described the sight at the time:- "school books, teaching equipment, galvanized and trees were strewn all over the yard". Teachers came out in full force to clear the grounds and salvage what could be saved, she said.
In order to keep up some continuity in the children's lives and education, the decision was taken to reopen the school in the church, and within three weeks of the hurricane this was done, with a tarpaulin over the damaged church roof to keep out rain. Gifts of books, equipment and other donations came from Catholic schools around the region, and from donors in the UK and USA, Mrs Edwards reported.
Meantime patching up of the buildings across the road, and the erection of temporary buildings, allowed most classes to move out of the church during the following months, and the school continued serving the community, with a roll of 178 - half of whom were non-Catholics.
New school goes up
The decision had been taken to take the plunge and raise funds to build a new school on the same site. This ambitious project was achieved through an outpouring of voluntary contributions both at home and overseas, under the leadership of parish priest Father Ed Herberger.
Former parish priest Father Bates contacted friends in the Philippines - a husband and wife team of architect and engineer, who designed the impressive new building free of cost. Mr Osborne explains that the hurricane proof, three storey structure was built at cost by the Trinidad branch of an international firm, who had strong connections with the St Vincent de Paul Society.
The new school was opened in September 1991, with a role of 199. Again, half were non-Catholics, and Mrs Edwards emphasized that the school was built for the education of "all of our children". The building comprised classrooms, office quarters and a community hall for dinners, concerts and other special events, as well as an "upper room" for small meetings.
As they settled into their new surroundings the teachers and children thrived in the pleasant, new classrooms, and things looked set for a bright future. But little did they know that the challenge of the volcanic crisis was just around the corner, and that the days of this beautiful new school, achieved through so much hard work and sacrifice, were numbered.

(to be continued)

BASSETERRE, St.. Kitts - St. Kitts and Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil L Douglas appealed for courtesy towards visitors and returning nationals, and vigilance to ensure that criminals do not infringe the laws of the land, as the twin-island federation makes history and becomes the smallest nation in the CARICOM Community to host the Caribbean Festival of Arts (CARIFESTA).

Prime Minister Douglas told a meeting of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly on Tuesday that the hosting of CARIFESTA, which started Thursday, is an historical occasion for the nation as it is the very first time that a Less Developed Country in the Caribbean is hosting the 10-day cultural arts extravaganza.

"It (hosting) is a challenge for the people of St. Kitts and Nevis. And whenever St. Kitts and Nevis is challenged, its people always rise to the occasion," Prime Minster Douglas told lawmakers and the nation during the sitting of parliament, which was carried live on radio and television.

Hundreds of participants and thousands of people from nations around the world including Japan, the Republic of China, the United States, Canada and Caribbean nations from Suriname and Guyana in the South to Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the North, have converged on St. Kitts and Nevis for the festival and Prime Minister Douglas said this is an opportune time for local residents to be "hospitable, warm and receptive to all visitors, residents and returning citizens."

"I want our people to be warm, to be friendly," he said. "Greet each visitor with a smile and be helpful and suggest ways and means by which you can make the stay of our visitors much more welcome and much more comfortable."

He warned citizens that there are others with criminal intent and criminal minds who would wish to break the law. "I call on my fellow citizens to be watchful," he said. "Vehicles should not be left unlocked and those going to the shows should make sure that homes are secured. Make sure that you take note of the tips given by the security forces." The Prime Minister called on members of the security forces, citizens and residents to be more vigilant than normal.

Antigua, CANA - The Isle of Man has assured Antigua and Barbuda that it will not weaken the position of countries labeled "tax-havens" by signing a letter committing it to a set of standards of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), an Antiguan diplomat, Ronald Sanders, said Thursday.
"The Isle of Man government representatives assured me that they knew nothing about a deal (on the letter) being close. They say they had rejected the OECD-dictated "commitment" letter and done one of their own which, in turn, was rejected by the OECD," Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda's High Commissioner to London, reported.
Sanders earlier this week visited the Isle of Man. He said he left talks with that territory's Chief Minister Donald Gelling and the Treasury Minister Richard Corkill satisfied that there would be no weakening of the position of the so-called tax-havens in their stance on the OECD.
The France-based OECD classifies tax havens as those countries with nominal or no taxes and which either openly or implicitly sell themselves as a place where foreigners can avoid any awkward questions or risk of information on their investments being disclosed.
Most OECD-labeled "tax havens" are said to be vehemently opposed to what they see as unilateral actions by that grouping, including the commitment letter outlining a tax regime and process of disclosing information.
The Cayman Islands and Bermuda have signed the 'commitment letter' and so were not listed as tax havens.
Following a proposal tabled by Antigua and Barbuda at last July's summit of Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders, Commonwealth Secretary-General Don Mc Kinnon has invited the OECD Secretariat and OECD Commonwealth members - Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand - to meet the Commonwealth countries named as tax havens. Noting the "identical" position of Antigua and Barbuda, and the Isle of Man in continuing dialogue with the OECD aimed at finding a "mutually satisfactory resolution," Sanders said that territory has agreed to continue talking and exchanging notes with Caribbean countries listed as 'tax havens.'
CARICOM has designated Antigua and Barbuda as the point-country on issues of Financial Services.

KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CANA - Residents of the southern Grenadine island of Canouan on Monday were into the third day of a motor vehicle blockade of the multi-million dollar Carenage Bay Beach and Golf Resort.
The blockage was triggered by a row over access to the beach on the holiday island.
"We are going to stay here until this thing has been addressed by the Prime Minister of this country, including the three lawyers who received me when they arrested me, because we want to make sure that this thing is done legally," said Terry Bynoe, President of the Canouan Progressive Movement that has been representing the interest of indigenous Canouan residents.
The blockade of the resort, venue for last month's CARICOM Heads of Government Conference, came about when a group of residents who had gone to picnic at the Godahl beach were blocked at the security check point and another group locked out, Bynoe explained.
The beach, one of the more popular ones in the north of the island, is currently accessed through roads of the resort, which occupies three-quarters of the island under the terms of a 99-year lease the developers have with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines government.
The tensions were not helped when a native of Canouan who resides abroad was made to wait at the security check point for more than one hour last month when he returned home for a visit, and was then informed that he would have to pay US$195 if he wished to visit the beach.
Last Thursday Bynoe was arrested for assault of an Italian whom he accused of waving a dirty condom before his girlfriend's face.
Since last week, three officers from the Special Service Unit - the armed segment of the local police - were sent to the island and further reinforcements were flown in Sunday but have adopted a wait-and-see approach, residents there said.
Antonio Saladino, the main investor in the project, which is advertised as an exclusive resort, declined an interview with CANA Sunday.
"My English is not good enough," Saladino said.

Many of our children have been causing concern, both at school and at home, because of behaviour problems, such as aggression, destructiveness, excessive noise, disobedience, truancy or precocious sexual activity. Others may be hyperactive, excessively anxious, quiet and passive, depressed or withdrawn. But Special Needs educator Chanelle Roach points out that all these behaviours, which may take mild or severe forms, can be the outward signs of underlying problems, and that we need to focus on the reasons behind this behaviour.

In a most interesting lecture/discussion, Ms. Roach, who recently gained her Master's degree in Child Health and Multidisciplinary Therapy, looked at how we can promote positive behaviours in children. She invited the audience of teachers, parents and other interested individuals to focus on what children need, and this resulted in a long list of needs.

These needs included love, attention, praise, guidance, belonging, fun with parents and others, disciplined freedom, security, setting of boundaries, role models, prayer, and stimulation. Attention included quality time and listening to what the child has to say. Basic needs, such as shelter, food and clothing, also need to be fulfilled.

From this Ms. Roach introduced a model of children's needs called BASIS, formed from the first letters of five headings - Belonging, Aspirations, Safety, Identity, and Success. Under Belonging comes the need for children to feel a valued part of a family, peer group and community, as well as approval and acceptance. Asprirations includes feeling that their lives and work have purpose, having achievable goals and role models and taking responsibility for their decisions.

Safety includes physical safety and having confidence that their needs will be met, clear and consistent guidelines, and knowing what is expected of them. Identity covers self-awareness of their strengths and weaknesses, self esteem, and developing their own system of values and beliefs; while Success speaks to children's need to achieve successes and achieve goals, and that their contributions and achievements are important and valued.

In assessing behaviours Ms. Roach said one should look at "when" the behaviour occurs and what situations set it off; what the child actually does and how often; and what happens as a result (example does the child get what he or she wants).

In looking at measures to promote and reward positive behaviours, there were many, including praise, encouragement, talking about hopes, fears and interests, clear rules and guidelines, model appropriate behaviour, and involving children in decision-making. Avoidance of verbal abuse (criticizing the behaviour rather than attacking the child), counselling, stable family life, friendly, creative environments and setting behaviour goals will also help.

A discussion on sanctions or punishments followed. Ms. Roach stressed that these should be known to the child in advance, should be consistent, fair and related to a particular behaviour. Examples could be reprimands, removal from activities or withdrawal of privileges.

Physical punishment was discussed at length, and the audience were invited to remember how they felt as children when punished this way. Some reactions were fear, low self esteem, and other negative feelings. Ms. Roach pointed out that beating and other physical punishments tended to push the behaviour underground, with children making sure it was not detected next time, rather than stopping the behaviour.

Internet users all over the world can now obtain information about Montserrat on http://wcities.com/, an international web site catering for business and leisure travelers. The site provides information on a host of cities throughout the world, to which the Caribbean is currently being added in stages; and Montserrat (although not a city) has now been launched on to the site.

Most of the text has been written by local writer Cathy (Katie) Buffonge, with photos from various sources on and off the island. To access this site, simply key in "wcities.com" and look for Montserrat in the long list of possible places to visit. (You will find it under "Central and South America").

Meantime Cathy hopes soon to publish her latest book, "Volcano! Book 4 - Montserrat Rebuilds and Looks to the Future." The book covers events in Montserrat during 1998 and 1999, continuing the theme from her earlier books, Volcano! books 1, 2 and 3, which deal with events from the first day of volcanic activity in July 1995 up until the end of 1997.

EMERALD COMMUNITY SINGERS ENTERTAIN WITH SONGS OF THE SEA 

By Cathy Buffonge

This theme, which took some of us back a few years when they also made use of a sea theme, made for a most entertaining evening, featuring a variety of songs presented with their usual high standard and style.

After the intermission the concert continued in a more lively and informal style, featuring Caribbean songs, again containing references to the sea. This time the singers wore their much loved, brightly coloured, traditional Caribbean costumes, and performed with the dramatized actions that audiences have loved over the years and have come to associate with the group.

The segment "Around the Isles" included folk/musical songs like "Jamaica Farewell," comic folk songs like "Poisson" (Fish) and "Cuma Fish," as well as the beautiful Rick Tyson song on Montserrat, "Nature Lover's Fantasy." The final section, entitled "Work, Leisure and Life," featured a combination of comic folk songs like "Brown skin girl" and "Go home Ben," as well as a touch of Reggae and calypso.

Cupid's song "One More River to Cross," cleverly adapted to our volcanic situation, was still as topical as ever, and the wistful ballad "Sailing on a Dream," (written and originally performed by "Belonger") wrapped up this segment. The closing song was the Singers' signature song "Oh Motherland" (Montserrat) performed with feeling.

Costumes by Ionie Yearwood were, as always, great to look at, and special mention must be made of the stage decoration by Richard Aspin, featuring fishing nets, anchors, life belts and other marine objects. The singers were accompanied by McCloyd Roach on keyboard and Steve Deane on guitar. During the intermission, Ian Young, who is a part of an exciting new musical group called "Fools Rush In," performed jazz-style music on the keyboard -- an added bonus.

Several new members have joined the singers, and these blended in well with the more experienced performers, getting into the spirit of the songs. The show was directed by Dr. Vernon Buffong, assisted by long-time Singers member Sarah Allen, resulting in a polished and appealing performance.

West Indian Coach Gus Logie praised batsman Aaron Ragoonath and his team for their two-wicket win. Ragoonath carved out an unbeaten 93 off 130 balls with nine fours which pushed the West Indies to 230 for eight off 49.3 overs, responding to South Africa's 225 for seven off 50 overs. Gus Logie, the Trinidadian successful youth coach noted, "The victory is a victory for their belief in themselves."

But the West Indians (under Coach Gus Logie, one of the best in the international game) caught the spirit late but maintained the fighting momentum. While their position in the Final was considered more of a surprise than that of their opponents, it is no less a tribute to their determination or the quality of their performances. In fact, the young Windies were very much at the heart of the tournament's success. Consider their thrilling last over semi-final win over South Africa and, before that, their extraordinary tie with pre-tournament favourites, India. These two contests undoubtedly would be the highlights of the tournament.

In fact, attempts at stating which team would win the finals were fraught with dangers of making predictions about which cricketers among the two teams would develop into successful first class and international class players.

The West Indies Under-15 captain, Tishan Maraj said, "This is a great joy." The President of the West Indies Cricket Board, Pat Rousseau, asked that we "Hail our young Heroes!" And that should be the sentiment all over the region.

One cricket commentator captured the impact when he noted, "The victory for the West Indies will bring heart to fans of a region where cricket at its highest level has been in a slow and painful decline over the past decade. If the junior stars of this tournament can be nurtured and developed into the Test heroes of the future, then the outlook for West Indian cricket appears bright."

Ragoonath, who batted resiliently for an unbeaten 93 to ensure victory for the West Indies against the South Africans, claimed that he had been inspired by Brian Lara's dominating innings of 112 at the Old Trafford, which he witnessed.

Now if this is demonstration effect of the output of the senior team, we are definitely in business in the new Millennium. If our youngsters are inspired by the performance, application and craftsmanship of our senior players, the development programme of the WICB is indeed paying dividends.

"A little child shall lead them," says prophet Isaiah, referring to relationship in the New Social Order. This is a fitting parallel. In pulling off repeated sensational victories through the exhibition of cooperation, resilience and altruism, the little children have set example for their adults and have challenged their seniors to come out victorious against the English at Headingley (where the 4^th contest is already in progress) and the Foster’s Oval.

Congratulations children! Praises are in order.

PHOTO CAPTION: Gus Logie, can Roger Harper learn any thing from him?

Mr. Editor, it is refreshing to know that there are still young bold plain truth-speaking Montserratians, willing and able to express their point of view. Your consistent contributor Jevan Robinson is one such person. I hope all of the politicians read his article. There was food for thought in that article. In fact, the article had enough ideas to be the basis for a Manifesto. And for the benefit of those politicians who only take in "Jus Wonderin," I shall quote Robinson.

"History now has its mark on our island…. And the future [for Montserrat] can be bright and prosperous."

Yet, in spite of his expressed hope, Robinson had cause for concern - so he continued to say, "The problem the island faces now is not so much the volcano…. [unfortunately] this being no longer the main issue for moaning, some have begun pointing a crooked finger at DFID… but the criteria for blame are not bounded and exclusive. The problems that Montserrat has to grapple with and overcome is a collective one, involving everyone concerned with getting the island together again." [Especially those who want to be in place first.]

Jevan continued to say what his contemporaries in the UK feel, and I quote him again:

"Many young people have no desire to return to live on Montserrat… Resentment [over] the lack of opportunities afforded on the island…."

He seemed to be able to express the moods of our young people quite well in the following words: "The realities of survival far outweigh the necessities of patriotism."

These are powerful words with an even more powerful message for some of the present politicians and people of influence. And instead of sounding the bell of patriotism, he is exhorting the authorities on Montserrat to pay heed. I shall repeat his words again.

"We need to set our [young] people up."

"We need to have [young] people trained to manage the institutions of Parliament, the Judiciary, Banking and Finance, Sports, Culture…."

Mr. Editor, what more can we ask from our youths, but to express themselves with clarity, soundness and humour? Please encourage Mr. Robinson to continue to share his thoughts with Montserratians as he continues to develop his career.

Mr. Editor, as our politicians gallivant towards next election day it is your duty to ensure that they remain sane. You must join Robinson and guide them towards the needs and aspirations of the youths. You must ask the politicians to say much more than "Montserrat is paradise" -- or that "No other people in the world have suffered what Montserratians suffered." Tell the politicians to listen to the cries of our young people at home and abroad. Tell them that the realities of survival far outweigh rhetoric of patriotism.

Tell the politicians that if they want some of the youths to return to Montserrat, changes will have to be made to the way we do some things. Tell them that progressive systems, similar to what the youth have grown accustomed to in the UK will have to be introduced. Tell the politicians that there must be easier access to post secondary education, greater opportunity for career development, as well as social and environmental changes compatible with modern societies. In short, tell the politicians that the theme for the next elections should be "survival for Montserrat equals survival and growth for the youth."

Amidst intermittent ash fall from the Soufriere Hills volcano, a Prayer / Breakfast was held at the Shiloh Pentecostal Church in Salem on Monday 6^th August, 2000, organized by the Youth Ministries of the Shiloh and Brades Pentecostal Churches and co-ordinated by Sis. Sarita Francis and Sis. Claudette Weekes.

With the theme "We need the Anointing," the program was well attended by youth and adult members, in spite of the early morning start of 5:30.

Apart from a worship session in song and praise, time was allocated to prayer focussing on the following areas; The Youth Of The Nation, Those In Authority And Leadership, The Educational System , The Families Of The Nation At Home And Abroad, And The Church Leadership.

The Speaker Was Brother Howard Fergus, Who Spoke On The Topic "That Same Annointing," Text Being Taken From 1 Kings 19:15. In ministering the word, he outlined four reasons why the annointing is needed:

1. To fulfill God’s will in our Nation;
2. To strengthen us in our personal struggles;
3. To bring healing to the Nation, 
4. To win back the lost to God’s flock.

and The presence of the Holy Spirit was manifested among the congregation and the program ended with the sharing of physical food and good fellowship.

My name is Dmitri Tuitt.

I am in 1A1. My hobbies are playing sports and baking.

I was chosen to be on "Simply the Best" because I am an average student with great athletic ability.

I play football and basketball, but track and field is the sport I excel in.

At present I am the best under 15 boy in sprints, long and high jump.

I was victor ludorum in the last M S S sports.

I am the captain of the under-15 team representing Montserrat in the 8^th Bi-Annual Caribbean Union of Teachers’ track and field meet in Martinique in July 2000.

To you fellow students, everyone can’t be an athlete or an ‘A’ student, but everyone is good at something – find it – work at it – and one day you too can be on

"Simply The Best".

SIMPLY THE BEST

I am proud Marlon Heston Jhamani Fergus of the Montserrat Secondary School. I am in Form 1A2.

As a thirteen year old I have my goals well organised. You see my aim in life is to be an accomplished computer technician. At the moment at school Maths and Science are my best subjects but of course I like English and Social Studies.

Apart from school I am a keen all round cricketer who hopes to represent my school and Island soon.

I am a young member of the Methodist Church and I participate in all activities planned for our youth department.

I love to dress well and I am always applauded for this. I know that I am well behaved at home, at school and in the entire community. Hence my advice to fellow young people is:-

Behave yourself

Go to school and learn well

Love the Lord and live for Him

Try to be the best that you can be at all times and you can be on "Simply the Best"

My name is Dorian Cooper.

I am 13 years old. I have just completed Form 2 of the Montserrat Secondary School.

Watching television, reading and playing video games are some of my favourite hobbies.

It is a great honour to have been chosen to be on this programme "Simply the Best".

My success would not have been possible without the contribution of my parents who always ensured that I worked hard so that I could perform at the best of my ability.

I would like to encourage all children to make the best use of all opportunities they are given.

My name is Luann Lewis.

I am 15 years old and have just completed Form 4A of the Montserrat Secondary School. I enjoy singing, dancing, reading and listening to music.

I was chosen to be on "Simply the Best" because of my hard work and perseverance and the keen attention which I pay to all of my subjects.

I respect my parents, teachers, fellow students and most of all, myself.

If you work hard, take pride in yourself and be the best that you can be, then you too can be on "Simply the Best".

Everyone has a responsibility to make sure that food is handled, stored and prepared in ways which will make it safe to eat. Unsafe foods can make us sick, and in some ways we may even die.

Illness caused from food is mainly due to harmful germs called bacteria. Bacteria grow and multiply fast where conditions are moist and warm and where there is a source of food. No wonder they thrive in our warm, moist Caribbean climate and in foods such as chicken, liver and other meats, milk, fish, creamy dishes and other "rich’ foods such as coal slaw, scalloped potato, pasta and potato salad.

Once food becomes contaminated, there is a short lag period. Then the bacteria begin multiplying rapidly, doubling in quantity every 15-30 minutes.

Most harmful bacteria in food are not destroyed when food is refrigerated or frozen. Refrigeration only slows down their growth. The bacteria will become active again as soon as the food is put at room temperature or after thawing.

There are two types of food-related illnesses:

1. Illness which results from eating or drinking food contaminated with harmful germs or chemicals used to control pests.

2. Illness which results from eating or drinking food in which bacteria or moulds have grown for sometime and have developed a toxin or poison.

Here are some tips for producing, buying, preparing and storing food safely especially now we are into the Hurricane season.

For the hurricane season here are some general Shopping Guidelines:

Remember don’t take your health for granted whether young or old. Keep food clean, keep it covered and keep it cold.

Jus wonderin if OBE stands for OUT BEFORE END or OUR BOSS EXITS

Jus wonderin which school of language taught the Minister of Language his language.

Jus wonderin if I am to do plenty of "bend dong’ and stretches I would need crutches like him.

Jus wonderin which female accompanied the farmer in the corner to Antigua and at what price.

Jus wonderin if a female governor would not be worth a try.

Jus wonderin why the King of Calypso was so badly insulted by the lady at the building south west of the prison.

Jus wonderin if the cop who loves to peep through bathroom windows will return to face his accusers in ‘Little England’.

Jus wonderin why the teacher and airwaves worker now have to split their new house in two.

Jus wonderin if it's true dem marry dem cousin.
Jus wonderin why she cannot accept the truth about the husband.
Jus wonderin why the P.o tell the biggest lies when they expect us civilians not to lie to them.
Jus wonderin if is really the strong wind that cause the helicopter not to come for the sick man.

Jus wonderin why it is necessary to practise full scale evacuation out of Montserrat.

Jus wonderin what the parameters are for government to agree to full scale evacuation.

Jus wonderin why we hearing talks about that again.

Jus wonderin what next they going to try to show their hand

Jus wonderin who is prepared to replace that wonderful catholic priest.

The Mortgage and Housing Project (Soft Mortgage Scheme) provides mortgage finance for persons who have been evacuated and who wish to build a house in areas north of Belham. The Bank of Montserrat will be lending up to a maximum $120,000 for the construction of a house and up to $30,000 for the purchase of land on which to build. The duration of the loan can be up to twenty-five (25) years at an interest rate at around 8.5%. DFID will provide funding for a subsidy to the borrowers of both the house mortgage and the loan for the land, but the amount of the subsidy will depend on the level of housing need.

The eligibility criteria for the scheme are as follows:

1.  The applicants must have relocated from the areas south of Belham.
2.  Preference will be given to those residing in Montserrat and who are from the Exclusion Zone.
3. Applicants off island may apply but preference will be given to those on island.
4. Applicants cannot own another dwelling house in the north and the proposed residence must be used as the applicant’s principal place of residence.
5. Beneficiaries from other subsidized permanent housing schemes such as Materials Grants and Direct Build will be excluded.
6. Land on which the applicants wish to build must be clearly owned by the applicants or leased for a period equivalent to the life of the loan plus five years.
7. Gross household income must be between EC$2,000 and EC$6500 per month.
8. Cash in the Bank and other cash assets must not exceed than $50,000.

Applicants must first obtain application forms from, and return completed forms to, the Housing Unit along with a job letter and planning permission from the Physical Planning Unit. The Soft Mortgage Committee will then decide on the level of subsidy based on the housing need.

There will be two types of loans available to applicants wishing to apply for the scheme.

1. Applicants requiring loan for construction of a house, will receive subsidy based on the identified need. The loan cannot be less than the level of subsidy. The subsidy plus the loan cannot exceed $120,000.

The following are the maximum subsidy levels for the construction of the house.

2. Applicants requiring an additional loan for purchasing land on which to build will also receive a subsidy based on the identified housing need. The subsidy will be based on 27% this loan. The loan for the land plus the subsidy cannot exceed $30,000.

The following are the maximum subsidy levels that may be given for the purchase of land and construction of the house.

3. Applicants who have previously obtained a loan to purchase the land on which they now intend to build may qualify for a loan to pay off the outstanding principle. In this case applicants will have to produce verifiable evidence that the loan was obtained after 1^st January 1996.

In this case the subsidy cannot exceed $8,100 (27% of the maximum loan allowed in this category).

1. The applicant returns the forms and other relevant documents to the Housing Unit where the information is verified and processed.

2. Eligible applicants will be submitted to the Soft Mortgage Scheme selection Committee (Comprising a representative each from the Housing Unit, Community Services Department, and the Montserrat Christian Council).
3. The Selection Committee makes decision and Housing Unit submits forms and recommendation to the Bank of Montserrat for the loan and subsidy amounts.
4. Bank of Montserrat will further process the applications and notify applicant of result.