Ernest and Edith Herman Hailed for 67-Year Marriage
By Helena Durand
Ernest
and Edith Herman receiving gifts from Governor
Anthony Longrigg
Ernest and Edith Herman of Old Towne may be
Montserrat’s longest married couple. They have been married for 67 years.
To honor that lifetime commitment to each other,
and also as part of the week of activities for the elderly mandated by the
United Nations, His Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg and his wife Jane
had the couple as guests of honor at a luncheon at the governor’s residence.
Also attending the luncheon were Major Vincent
Browne and his wife Dora Browne, who have been married for 45 years.
Governor Longrigg wished the couples lots of
happiness, long life and more married years.
The Governor and his wife Jane were congratulated on being married for 33
years.
Mrs. Herman told the Montserrat Reporter that the
secret to their success is communication.
“The most important thing," she said,
"is that you talk with, and to each other. Talk before you get married.
Decide what it is that the both of you want. Talk about having children or not
having them; talk about jobs and likes and dislikes. Do all of that before you
get married. When you have been married, continue talking. Do not let resentment
set it. Talk about it and forget it.”
Mrs. Herman believes that marriages today fall
apart too quickly and that couples give up on each other too easily. She said
there was never a time when she felt like the marriage was not worth it. Like
everything else, however, life had not always been a bed of roses for the
married couple.
Originally from Germany, during the time of
Hitler’s grievances against Jews, they were not exempted. As a Jew, Mr. Herman
was among thousands whose lives were in peril, so the couple left Germany and
migrated to the United States of America. They remained there for several years,
but were thinking of migrating somewhere else.
“A friend of mine from work had just come from
vacation,” Mrs. Herman said. “I asked her where she had been and she said
Montserrat. So we decided to visit Montserrat. The minute we landed, we fell in
love with the island and have been here for 37 years.”
They once operated the successful Empire Shop in
Plymouth. She sold books of every kind, with interest in Caribbean authors and
others, while her husband sold choice wines.
As they grew older, with no children, they sold
the business, and after the start of the volcanic
crisis in 1995 left the island for a while.
“But we were not happy," Mrs. Herman said.
"We missed home, and so we returned.”
Small Dome Collapse Closes DTEZ Again
By
Helena Durand
A series of pyroclastic flows between 7:45 a.m.
and 9:15 a.m. Thursday caused the closure of the Day Time Entry Zone (DTEZ), Dr.
Peter Dunkley, Director of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO), announced
in a ZJB newscast.
The flows down the Tar River valley into the sea
were heralded by a band of tremors between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday.
Dr. Dunkley said approximately 15 percent of
material from the north side of the new dome was lost in the collapse.
“Over the last few months, we have been getting
these consistent band tremors and it is a pattern we’ve been seeing since the
last dome collapsed on the 29th of July,” he said.
It wasn’t a particularly serious event, he
said, since the ash was blown away from residential areas, affecting no one; but
that it shows the volcano remains in a dangerous state.
The dome continues to grow at a reasonable rate,
and the band of tremors have grown quite strong over the past weeks, he said.
“This is the longest period of band of tremors since the eruption began in
1995, so we have to be vigilant.”
Dr. Dunkley has not speculated on whether the
collapse was in any way related to the heavy rainfalls the island has been
experiencing over the past few days.
Figures obtained from the Gerald’s heliport
show that 32.6 millimeters of rain fell between Monday and yesterday morning.
The heaviest rainfall was recorded between
Wednesday night and Thursday morning when 20.6 millimeters of rain fell.
Only a total of 29.5 millimeters fell between
January and June this year, making the overall
rainfall figures for 2001, 300 millimeters.
The pyroclastic flows came hours before a meeting
was to be held [last night] between MVO officials, Police, and local fishermen
regarding the hazards and risks faced by mariners who fail to observe the
restrictions in the Maritime Exclusion Zone.
Dr. Dunkley said the flow was opportune as they
would prove that even though the dome is relatively small, the pyroclastic flows
can still reach the sea.
He said, “It actually underlines the fact that
any fisherman around the Tar Delta this morning [Thursday] would have been in
trouble… There is not much that can stop them [cloud surge] in terms of
topography. The sea is relatively flat, once they hit the sea they can go very,
very quickly. From experience we know that even the fastest power boat cannot
outrun them.”
"Montserrat
Has Too Often Spurned Offers Intended Only to Do Us Good"
A recent designer article refers to “the
despicable deeds inflicted on innocent men, women and children in the September
11 terrorists attacks on America.”
The article goes on to remind readers, referring
also to the creative illustrators, photographers, writers and directors who
carry the news. It continues: “it
is our solemn obligation as … communicators to always remember that we wield a
powerful position in society. It's our duty... your duty, to always remember the
ideals of good.”
Journalists, writers and all other communicators
are indeed often very conscious of this fact, so when the writer concludes his
article by saying: “Evil always attacks good. But the few wretched people in
the world who would destroy the ideals of good are no match for the powers
bestowed upon the … communicator.” He reminds and calls upon all of us to
meet the challenge set upon us by that famous thinker, writer and statesman,
Benjamin Franklin, when he asked: "What
good can I do today?"
This calls attention to a letter published today
from a gentleman in our community who has not been a stranger to this newspaper
for many years now. He writes: “If anyone belonging to the Colony" resents my biweekly pursuit of
this "occupation" as denying them gainful employment, I will readily
surrender the steering wheel of the Meals on Wheels van to them.”
He is referring to service as a volunteer driver
for Meals on Wheels, "for no other reward than the satisfaction of helping
to bring some cheer and comfort to elderly or unfortunate Montserratians who
might otherwise go without regular food.”
The letter is written in direct response to the
recently advertised work permit and immigration section that deals with, “who
performs, whether for reward or not, or engages in any occupation in the
Colony," (see letter on this page).
It is reasonable to assume that the law was
crafted to provide employment to locals who may be able to provide a particular
service. But seriously, is it fair to force someone to pay for a service that he
can get done at little or no cost to him, especially where he is unable to pay
for that service? Should this be a privilege granted only to voluntary
organizations?
There have been and still are many people in our
community who have provided similar services for as long as we can remember.
Many others have offered and were refused. There have also been many agencies
and even countries who have offered help and been refused.
But briefly, that work permit law backs on to
what some of us will call an evil perception of behaviour, where we continually
refuse and turn away “good.” This to us is no different from those whom we
accuse of “destroying the ideals of good.” There is an awful sense of this
at the very top of our public administration, and because of it this type of
work permit law is borne and efforts are made to enforce it. It is the same
backward sense that would-be investors learn when they are asked not "what
is in it for the country," not "how would the country benefit,"
but rather a concern about how much the questioner is going to make on a
venture.
It is this same sense that has caused us to turn
down time and time again, with no reasonable explanation, assistance and
goodness that are offered to this island, sadly even in our time of greatest
difficulties.
Back in 1978-79, the Ministry of Education with
responsibility for sports turned down, without even as much as a regretful thank
you, an offer from Cuba to provide us with football coaches. Montserrat had just
become a member of the Caribbean countries in the Caribbean Football Union
(CFU), which we hear much about now and of which Cuba was a member. Other
islands took up the offer, and we don’t wonder why we place 2nd to
last on FIFA’s list in football.
During the crisis days after that fateful June
25, 1997, tragedy, Israel offered the government and people of Montserrat, by
way of this newspaper, any assistance that we would ask for, with the full
knowledge that it would necessitate the government's doing so with the sanction
of Britain. Nothing was done.
Not too much later a Montserratian living and
working in California, with his heart and property in Montserrat, made the
necessary contacts and asked Montserrat to write to the government there to get
heavy equipment of all descriptions, which could have been had perhaps only at
the cost of getting the equipment to Montserrat. Nothing was done, but to cover
their own inaction, a civil servant (at the time) figured that we were trying to
run the Government of Montserrat when we enquired whether the Chief Minister’s
instructions to begin the process were carried out.
Then there was the failure to take the offer of a
company that was willing to build the new town at Little Bay.
These are but a few among many we can vouch for,
at very critical times when good was scorned and trampled away. When taken in
any context the loss can be compared, not necessarily in quantitative terms but
in significant proportion, to any act of terrorism.
Yes, some of us can be quite guilty of acts like
terrorism against our own people, and it continues.
We have this great tendency to scorn good or to
trample upon it and, worse yet, not to seek it, relying for whatever reason
known only to the perpetrators, on the assistance being meted out and taken back
to us.
It is the kind of mentality that would fool us
into believing that something is being taken away when “Any person not
belonging to the Colony as foresaid, who performs, whether for reward or not…
is subject to a fine "not exceeding ($1,000) or to imprisonment…”
And there are other current instances and
situations taking place, where “Evil always attacks good.” Most certainly
right here among us there are “the few wretched people in the world who would
destroy the ideals of good.”
We need to be careful.
Except
for the editorial, opinion articles expressed in these pages are not necessarily
those of the Montserrat Reporter editors, employees or advisers.
Readers are encouraged to submit commentary articles.
All viewpoints, unless libelous, in poor taste, or anonymous, are
welcome. Send your contributions to
The Editor, P.O. Box 306, Olveston, Montserrat, W. I., e-mail: editor@montserratreporter.org.
Manuscripts will not be returned unless accompanied by a return stamped
envelope. The Montserrat Reporter
is a privately owned independent newspaper.
Jus
Wonderin items may be called in at telephone 491-4715 or Fax 491-2430
Hidden
Poison
For reading and meditation - Colossians 3:1-17
"Bear with each other and forgive any
grievances you may have against one another." (v. 13)
Recently we stated that an unforgiving spirit is
one of the biggest contributions towards physical, mental and emotional ill
health. Can this really be true?
Consider the evidence.
A doctor once told me that he was baffled as to
the cause of a baby's poor health until one day the mother confessed to a
burning resentment against her husband who had refused to accept the baby.
The doctor said to her: "Now I know what is wrong with your baby.
The poison of your ill will is coming through the milk you are giving to
it." As soon as the doctor, a
Christian, had shown her how to give up her resentment, the child began to
thrive.
Recently, when in Romania, a woman spoke to me at
the beginning of my time there and said she was burning with hate towards those
who had supported the communist regime prior to the revolution. Her eyes were
glazed, and behind them I could discern a burnt-out soul. I talked with her
briefly and showed her the steps towards forgiveness. On my last day in that
place she brought her husband along to the marriage seminar I was conducting and
told me with great pleasure that as a result of abandoning her resentment, a
long-standing physical problem had now cleared up. If there is one thing I have
learned over the years it is this: the condition of our physical health.
Now this must not be taken too far so that we
then conclude every illness is due to the soul's condition. but in all
probability between 50 and 60 percent of physical problems (some would put the
figure higher) are rooted in our attitudes. Resentment and bitterness corrode
the soul. Get rid of them.
O God, I
recognise that I pass on to my body the health or disorder of my soul. Therefore
I accept the health God provides. Help me follow Your way in everything. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
No Generous
Gesture Must Go Unpunished
Dear Editor,
In last week's edition of the Montserrat Reporter
an Immigration advertisement appeared which said in part: "Any person not
belonging to the Colony as foresaid, who performs, whether for reward or not, or
engages in any occupation in the Colony" etc. is subject to a fine
"not exceeding ($1,000) or to imprisonment . . . and in the case of a
continuing offense, to a further fine not exceeding ($100) for each day during
which offence continues."
Although I have been a property owner since 1987
and a full-time resident since June 1994, I do not belong "to the
Colony." On alternate Tuesdays I serve as a volunteer driver for Meals on
Wheels, for no other reward than the satisfaction of helping to bring some cheer
and comfort to elderly or unfortunate Montserratians who might otherwise go
without regular food.
If anyone "belonging to the Colony"
resents my biweekly pursuit of this "occupation" as denying them
gainful employment, I will readily surrender the steering wheel of the Meals on
Wheels van to them and stay at home contentedly reading, writing or doing
crossword puzzles.
J. Donald Brandt
Old Towne/Foxes Bay
Governor Longrigg - No Need For Big Airport on Montserrat
By Helena Durand
His
Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg has taken up the torch and added his
views to the unending airport controversy on Montserrat.
In a ZJB interview, he said, he did not
understand some of the arguments that have been made about the airport being at
Gerald’s, and that as far as he is concerned, “there are three good reasons
why the Government of Montserrat was right to choose Gerald’s.”
He cited timing, cost and need as the reasons for
the airport at Gerald’s.
In expounding his points, Governor Longrigg said,
on the question of timing, the Government of Montserrat needed to be seeking
ways of finding new revenue earning potential, rather than being totally
dependent on DFID’s funds.
“Having an airport at Gerald’s enables an airport to open
we hope, by December 2003. I think the ICAO when they came here said, it could
be done more quickly, and they say that would be wonderful. If one is going to
decide to build an airport somewhere else on one of the two sites which keep
being mentioned, it would be a much longer time frame.”
On the question of cost he said, “Nobody that I
know ever produced a realistic budget for any other site except the one that was
operated by Gibbs Consultant in 1997, long before my time.”
He said while there is much talk about other
sites, “It was clear however to everybody that it would cost a lot more than
Gerald’s, and it was never clear to me from where this money was going to
come, or why, when there are so many other priorities this island has for urgent
resolution, [such as] social welfare, housing problems, problems with the health
service and so on; why somebody would decide they need a very large airport.”
To strengthen this point he said looking at the
number of serious tourists coming to the island, from the US or Europe, “there
is a handful coming here at the moment. Most of the hotels are empty most of the
times, except for official visits. What we need now is not just to argue about
whether we need planes that can carry 40 passengers at a time or 20. We need to
think now of how we can get even 15 genuine tourists coming in twice a day to
this island, to stay as proper tourists, staying in hotels and I’m not talking
about day-tourists from Antigua.”
That he said would make a huge difference to
Montserrat and noted, “We need to set our sights at some realistic objectives
and not talk about some mythical numbers of tourists we could want in the
future.”
As regarding the Committee for the Redevelopment
of Montserrat (CRM), who has been very vocal with its concerns, that a temporary
airport at Gerald’s would last some 40-50 years, with no further expansion,
nor future development for the island; Governor Longrigg said, “what really is
the question is how temporary is temporary? Once there is a demonstrative need
and a source of funding for a larger airport than the one at Gerald’s, it will
happen. I fail to see why you need this very large or larger capacity airport.
Basically as I said, the aim should be to get something going based on
Gerald’s. At the moment we have practically nothing. I think it’s wrong to
start saying because we can’t have a huge airport, we might as well stay with
virtually no business in the future. Develop the airport at Gerald’s, see how
it works, and if there is a real demonstrative need; well then the funding well
be available. But I’m sure for a number of years, and I not going to guess how
many years, there won’t be a need for it.”
After more than a month of negotiations, the
Montserrat Electricity Services Ltd. (MONLEC) and the Montserrat Allied Workers
Union (MAWU) have reached an agreement on salaries and wages, according to
Hylroy Bramble, Secretary General of MAWU.
He said negotiations were completed in an
amicable manner earlier this week, and that both parties have reached a position
of compromise that is mutually satisfying.
That followed a company union impasse that began
on Thursday, August 30, when 11 members of staff from the Transmission and
Distribution (T&D) department along with seven from the Generation
department at MONLEC power plant in Brades called in sick.
The calls came in between midnight on Wednesday
and 9 a.m. Thursday; hours after MAWU met with management of MONLEC seeking a
20-percent wage increase for the years 2001/2002. The company was offering 7
percent instead.
According to reliable sources, the workers'
absence, which lasted 24 hours, left only two members of staff manning the power
plant that Thursday.
Mr. Bramble would not disclose details of the
agreement but said, “The figures are in the vicinity of what we actually
wanted.”
Security
Tightened At Gerald’s Heliport
Heliports/Airports across the OECS, including the
Gerald’s Heliport in Montserrat, have been given far-reaching recommendations
for upgrading their security, say heliport officials here.
The recommendations were issued by the Antigua
based OECS Directorate of Civil Aviation (DCA), in the wake of the recent
terrorist attacks on the United States and the subsequent measures implemented
by the U.S. Federal Aviation Agency (FAA).
The DCA proposals include tighter baggage checks,
including electronic screening.
The proposals also include stepped-up monitoring
of vehicles used on the ramps and other parts of airports/heliports airside, and
greater control of vehicular parking outside and near the terminal building.
Authorities also will be expected to review
recruitment policies for airport security personnel.
EC$100 Bank Notes
Stolen in St. Lucia
ST. LUCIA, CMC - The Eastern Caribbean Central
Bank (ECCB) on Thursday reported the robbery in St. Lucia of a cash-laden
security vehicle and told the public to be on the look-out for stolen 100-dollar
notes.
Some 300,000 Eastern Caribbean dollars (about
US$111,000) appeared to have been stolen from the vehicle.
"The notes, intended for a commercial bank,
were stolen from a Brink's security vehicle in St. Lucia," a brief ECCB
statement said.
"The notes all bear the letter L and carry
the serial numbers C312001 to C315000."
The bank added: "Members of the public are being urged to exercise caution
and to scrutinise all $100 notes. Anyone possessing or coming into possession of
any of these notes is asked to take them to the nearest police station. Business
places should exercise extreme caution."
Police said the security vehicle was held up at
gunpoint by an unknown assailant while parked outside the St. Lucia Cooperative
Bank on Bridge Street in the business sector of the city.
They said the guard was in the van, awaiting the
return of two of his colleagues who had gone into the bank to deposit cash.
The guard reported that the robber made him drive
the vehicle to a suburban area, tied him up inside the vehicle and left with the
money.
Minister Howe Unhappy With Pace of British Aid
By
Helena Durand
The
British Government’s apparent reluctance to approve housing programmes for
Montserrat is not sitting well with Minister for Agriculture, Lands, Housing and
the Environment Hon. Margaret Dyer-Howe.
She said in a ZJB report that no housing projects
have been approved by Her Majesty’s Government in over two years, and that
with the exception of the Soft Mortgage Scheme there has been no injection of
new funds for housing, although several projects designed to alleviate the dire
housing shortage on the island have been submitted for approval.
She said her Ministry has asked the British
Government to convert the remaining subsidy funds from the Soft Mortgage Scheme
“to fund some more material grants; as we found that persons wanted these
grants. There are over 100 persons on the waiting list to get material grants.
"This is one of the projects we submitted to
the British Government, and we are hoping that it will be approved soon. We also
submitted a project concept for providing a whole range of options for housing
and land development under our National Housing Strategy. We are still awaiting
the approval of this concept, so that we can move ahead with housing
assistance.”
The British Government has built over 200 direct
build houses in Lookout, Davy Hill and Shinland, but some are in questionable
conditions and the soft mortgage scheme near failure.
World Day for Elderly Reunites Old Friends
By
Helena Durand
The
Hon. Idabelle Meade, Minister of Education, Health and Community Services,
launched a week dedicated to the elderly in observation of International Day of
the Elderly by encouraging everyone to renew their relationship to the community
and their roles in the lives of the elderly.
In a radio address on Monday, the day officially
designated by the United Nations, Mrs. Meade said aging is a universal
experience, and that everyone should ensure the elderly “play an active part
choosing, planning and implementing activities most likely to benefit them.”
She said the Government of Montserrat has
identified the need and is in the process of “developing a National Policy and
Action Plan on aging to promote effective ways of working with and for our older
people.”
As part of the world celebration, 67 elderly persons from the various Homes enjoyed a sumptuous meal prepared by several caterers. They were entertained with live music by Glassford James on keyboard and John Jones on guitar and fife. The two musicians substituted for the Emerald Singers, who were unable to make their scheduled appearance.
The lunch was attended by His Excellency the
Governor and Mrs. Longrigg and Acting Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis. Governor
Longrigg said he could see from the faces of those present, that they were
“going to thoroughly enjoy themselves.”
“I have looked through the activities planned
for you," he said, "and I must say, you just about look energetic
enough to get through them all. I hope you don’t find the pace too hard… you
are not going to be bored.”
The Governor said he believed that the time was right for everyone to think about “what it’s like to get old, what the problems are, what the pleasures are and how everybody has a duty to help.” He said he was impressed with the level of commitment which everyone had shown towards the elderly in the community.
Mrs Longrigg chats with guests
Some of the senior citizens at the luncheon
expressed delight at being out of the various homes, and or shelters.
Mr. Charles Jeffreys said, “I am happy with the
entertainment. I have not gone out for a long while. A lot of my friends are
here today. I am happy to see my friends I did not see for a long time.”
An 81-year-old lady said she had been reluctant
at first to come out with the others, “but the nurse say I must come, so the
Lord bring me here. I am happy about it, and I am grateful that at this point in
time, at my age, I am 81 years, I am proud of it.”
Another elderly gentleman said, “The people are
very nice to me.”
Mrs. Meade said a visiting scheme is being
established to offer human interaction to the elderly “who sometimes
experience isolation and loneliness,” and that the week of activities “are
provided to our elderly with pride and gratitude.”
The meals were sponsored by the Meals On Wheels
Programme, and other volunteers from the Community including; The People’s
Place, Genevieve and Mavis Duberry-James.
Ms. Tuitt, Ms. Cameron Earn UWI Diplomas
By Professor Howard A. Fergus
After two years of dedicated study, Stephanie
Tuitt and Dorette Cameron have qualified for the University of the West Indies
Diploma in Youth in Development Work. This was another mixed delivery mode
course that allows students to work and study at the same time. The course,
which was developed and administered jointly by the UWI Department of Social
Welfare and the Commonwealth Youth Programme, was taught by teleconference,
specially written material and local tutorials.
In a sense, these students have made history
since the programme was the first of its kind. It was an intensive course
consisting of the following 13 modules: Commonwealth Values in Youth in
Development Work, Young People and Society, Principles and Practice in Youth
Development Work, Working with People in their Communities, Gender and
Development, Learning Process, Management Skills, Project Planning, Monitoring
and Evaluation, Policy Planning and Implementation, Conflict Resolution and
Strategies and Skills, Promoting Enterprise and Economic Development, Youth and
Health and Sustainable Development, and Environmental Issues.
The Diploma has the status of a successful year
of study in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies.
In other words, the Misses Tuitt and Cameron may well have the opportunity to
complete a degree in Youth Work after a further two years of study. Meanwhile,
they are potential recruits for the Department of Community Services and other
relevant community organizations. They deserve credit and congratulations for
persisting with what was a very challenging programme. The dropout rate was
extremely high throughout the Commonwealth.
Illness prevented a third student from
successfully completing the Diploma, but she will be given the opportunity to do
so. This diploma programme is further evidence of the quality of service that
the local UWI Centre is rendering to the society.
ECCB to Launch
Selwyn Rank’s Book
On Monday October 8, the Eastern Caribbean
Central Bank (ECCB) will host the launching of UWI Professor Selwyn Ryan’s
book, "The Judiciary and Governance in the Caribbean."
The book is a study of some of the programmes and
initiatives undertaken in the English-speaking Caribbean to reform the judiciary
following independence.
Among issues examined are the varying responses
to the proposal to abolish the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and
replace it with a Caribbean Court of Justice.
Professor Ryan is currently the University
Director of the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of
the West Indies.
He is the author of many papers and studies,
which deal with political, social and cultural issues. He is also the editor of
and contributor to several publications.
Cable &
Wireless Offers Improved Cellular Option
Montserratians with cellular phones no longer need to be afraid of keeping their phones turned on because all calls received will no longer be charged to them, according to Mrs. Venus George. Cable & Wireless Corporate Communications Manager.
L to R:
Joseph Cassell, Neville Dublin and Venus George
She said the new system of billing, to be
introduced here on November 1, is called the “Calling Party Pays” or
“CPP,” placing Montserrat in line with Europe, Asia, Latin American and
other areas of the Caribbean.
General Manager of Cable and Wireless Neville
Dublin said the system gives all callers the option to decide whether they want
to make the call.
The charge to call a mobile phone from a fixed
line (whether from home or office) will be 50 cents per minute, while the charge
rate for a call from a mobile phone to another mobile remains at 99 cents per
minute for the person making the call.
Charges for calls from a mobile phone to a fixed
phone remain unchanged, as do the rates for calling from one fixed line to
another.
Mrs. George said customers have the option of
choosing to bar their fixed line from calling mobile numbers.
Lookout
Man Hurt In Row with Officer
The Royal Montserrat Police here are
investigating an incident last Friday between John Semper of Lookout and Police
Officer Billy Darroux.
Mr. Semper’s sister Rosanna Weekes, said that
her brother had just completed a job for Officer Darroux’s wife and had gone
to their yard to collect payment.
She said her brother was told to return the
following Monday, resulting in an argument during which Mr. Semper was allegedly
struck with a baseball bat by Officer Darroux. Mr. Semper received six stitches
to his head.
Police reports state that Mr. Semper allegedly
refused to leave the Darroux yard and had allegedly picked up a stone with which
to strike him when Officer Darroux, fearing for his safety, wielded the bat.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Simon Morson said
Officer Darroux has since been suspended from his duties while police continue
their investigations.
BWIA Tickets Add Insurance Surcharge
Trinidad, CMC - Persons travelling on Trinidad
and Tobago's flagship carrier, BWIA West Indies Airways, will have to pay an
insurance surcharge in addition to the cost
of their ticket, officials said Monday.
The surcharge is US$10 on international tickets and US$5 on regional and
domestic tickets. Officials said Wednesday, however, that the airline will not
apply the domestic surcharge until discussions with the government have been
completed.
Conrad Aleong, President and CEO, said BWIA's annual cover of war insurance
leapt from US$40,000 a year to over US$3.2 million as a result of the action by
insurance companies after the terrorist attacks on the U.S.
The surcharge will be reflected on
the ticket cost as an extra item and will be applicable to every person boarding
the aircraft, including infants, complimentary and industry discounted travel.
The airline said it will remove the surcharge once the underwriters have revised
their premiums to the levels prior to September 11.
UK Officials Evaluate Organic Banana Project
St. Lucia, CMC - Senior executives of the British
supermarket chain Sainsbury's this week ended a visit to St. Lucia to assess
progress by the Windward Islands in a move
towards organic banana production.
The effort is expected to begin producing results by the middle of next year.
The Windward Islands Banana Development Exporting
Company (WIBDECO) has initiated the programme as part of its overall plan to
breathe new life into the ailing banana industry.
Sainsbury's is backing the move towards organic banana cultivation and has
provided the support needed by committing to a long-term marketing arrangement
with the islands for such bananas, WIBDECO said Wednesday.
Under the programme in the four Windward Islands -- Dominica, St. Lucia, Grenada
and St. Vincent and the Grenadines -- farmers who have signed on to convert to
organic cultivation of bananas are receiving financial assistance from
commercial banks by way of loans.
Dominica, Grenada and St. Lucia have already identified farmers to take part in
the programme, but the process in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is just
beginning, a WIBDECO spokesman said.
The company anticipates that an initial volume of about 2,500 boxes of organic
bananas per week will be shipped to the United Kingdom from the middle of next
year.
It said in the longer term, it was hoped that up to 10 percent of Windwards
Islands banana production could be organic.
WIBDECO said that organic produce is the fastest growing retail segment in the
European market, and was a key strategic marketing objective for the islands.
Windward Islands banana production
has declined significantly in recent years dropping from 277,441 tons in 1990 to
140,449 tons last year.
Production so far this year is heading for another low with 56,580 tons exported
up to the end of August, compared with 89,082 tons for the same eight month
period last year.
FATF to hold an extraordinary meeting
The Financial Action Task Force on Money
Laundering (FATF) will hold an extraordinary Plenary meeting in Washington, D.C.
on 29-30 October 2001 to address initiatives to combat terrorist financing.
This emergency meeting represents FATF's commitment to ensure that the
international financial system cannot be misused by terrorists and those who
channel funds to them.
"The FATF, the leading international body in the global fight against money
laundering, will provide its expertise and energy to the related battle against
the financing of terrorism," said Mrs. Clarie Lo, the President of FATF.
Note: The FATF is an independent international body whose Secretariat is housed
at the OECD. The twenty nine member countries and governments of the FATF are:
Argentina; Australia; Austria; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; Denmark; Finland;
France; Germany; Greece; Hong Kong, China; Iceland; Ireland; Italy; Japan;
Luxembourg; Mexico; the Kingdom of the Netherlands; New Zealand; Norway;
Portugal; Singapore; Spain; Sweden; Switzerland; Turkey; United Kingdom and the
United States. Two international organisations are also members of the FATF: the
European Commission and the Gulf Co-operation Council.
OECS Heads
Prepare For Economic Woes
An immediate meeting of all tourism stakeholders
is among a series of measures agreed to by OECS Heads of Government to help
revive their crisis-hit economies.
The Heads held a Special Meeting in St. Lucia last Friday to consider the impact
of the deepening global economic problems and the September 11terrorist attacks
on the United States are having on their economies.
The meeting designated St. Kitts/Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas to lead
the Tourism response.
He is expected to urgently convene a meeting of all tourism stakeholders
to consider, among other things, joint promotion and marketing of the OECS
region, developing intra-regional travel, and a short term response to demands
for concessions from international airlines and the hotel sector.
The Heads agreed to accelerate the pace for the Freedom of Movement of OECS
Nationals, leading to the creation of the Economic Union of Independent States
(ECUIS).
The meeting also decided to call together another of the regular meetings of
donors to determine the assistance which the region requires from the
international community.
It was felt that the OECS Chairman as well as the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank
and the OECS Secretariat should meet within the next two months with
representatives of the Private Sector, the Trade Unions and Employers
Organisations to agree on an economic framework to govern prices, wages,
employment and other key issues affecting the economic stability of the region.
The Prime Ministers were briefed by Head of the Regional Security System (RSS)
Brigadier Rudyard Lewis on the need for enhanced security systems for
airports and the tourism sector and agreed that these issues would be addressed
more fully at a meeting of the Council of the RSS to be held today.
PM Bird: Antigua/Barbuda Will Make Terrorism a Crime
Antigua, CMC - The Antigua and Barbuda government
will soon introduce in parliament legislation to make terrorism a crime, Prime
Minister Lester Bird said last Friday while addressing the nation on local
developments since the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States.
"This is as much a defensive mechanism for ourselves as it is a
contribution to fighting terrorism worldwide," Mr. Bird said.
"For, if terrorists recognise that any
activities conducted in or through our jurisdiction will lead to their
extradition to an appropriate country, they will think twice before using this
country," he added.
The government has proposed to add terrorism to the Money Laundering Prevention
Act and the Proceeds of Crime Act to provide for the freezing and confiscating
of assets.
"My government remains
determined to grow and develop our financial services in the context of
internationally accepted rules and standards. But I recognise that we will only
do so if the international community is certain that our jurisdiction is on the
frontline of the battle against money laundering, including transactions related
to terrorist activity."
He said the Office of National Drug Control and Money Laundering Policy has
already circulated to banks, a list of terrorists and terrorists agencies that
was compiled by U.S. authorities following the deadly attacks in New York and
Washington.
The banks have been instructed to search their accounts for any of these names
and report the findings to the relevant authorities.
Mr. Bird said Antigua and Barbuda was trying to
develop the financial services industry as a viable economic sector but it
suffered a setback over the last two years, owing to the imposition of financial
advisories by the U.S. and United Kingdom governments.
Those advisories have since been lifted.
100 Expected at ECCB Development Conference
St. Kitts, CMC -- The sixth annual development
conference to be hosted by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) begins in
St. Kitts on Monday under the theme "Social Capital and Economic
Development."
Sir Dwight Venner, Governor of the ECCB, will be the main speaker at the opening
ceremony.
The two-day conference of 100 participants from
across the Caribbean will discuss presentations from officials of the University
of the West Indies (UWI), the World Bank and the ECCB, the bank said.
Among the topics for discussion are: The Education System and the Building of Social Capital in Small States; The Impact of Social Capital on Development; Social Development and Poverty and Migration Networks; and The Trans-Nationalisation of Social Capital.
Electoral Reform Expert Begins Work in Antigua
Carl Dundas of
the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation arrived in Antigua on 30
September to begin 16 weeks of work reviewing and reforming the countries
electoral laws, including the creation of an Electoral Commission.
Mr. Dundas is a Jamaica born attorney who
specializes in Electoral Laws and Constitution Review. He said his first task, a
legal one, is to review the Electoral Legislative Scheme, but that all the
players need to be involved.
Mr. Dundas will
also work, along with legal officials within the office of the Attorney General,
on a draft bill designed for the complete re-registration of all eligible
electors in the country in early December.
The government
of Prime Minister Lester Bird asked the Commonwealth's help in reforming the
country's election laws. A Commonwealth Observer Team had observed the 1999
elections.
Mr. Dundas has
been involved in electoral reform throughout the Commonwealth in countries such
as Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Zambia, South Africa, Bangladesh and Lesotho.
He was Director of Elections in 1979-80 in
Jamaica and has written numerous books on elections and compilations on
electoral laws.
Caribbean Media to Weigh Terrorism's Blow to Tourism
WASHINGTON, DC, CMC - Terrorism and its effects
on the region's tourism industry are high on the agenda of the inaugural
Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism which takes place October 6-10
in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
Organisers said the exchange is being held at a time when the entire industry is
in disarray and there is an urgency to craft a regional response to immediate
challenges.
"We believe Caribbean tourism is at the crossroads, and the region will
need to pool its intellectual resources," said Air Jamaica's Allen
Chastanet, senior vice president of marketing and sales.
"Journalists must change their mindsets in
covering tourism issues by presenting more analytical information that
challenges other stakeholders to make sound decisions that foster sustainable
growth and prosperity," he said.
The media exchange, which has attracted some 40 Caribbean journalists, and a
contingent from the United States, will discuss the impact of the September 11
terrorist attacks in the United States at a time when some other regional
tourism conferences have been cancelled or postponed.
Other issues tabled for the meeting include marketing, eco-tourism, the
environment, regional aviation, cultural development, community tourism and a
major session on the impact of HIV/AIDS on the sector.
The media symposium is an initiative of Air Jamaica; the Washington DC-based
Counterpart International; its Barbados affiliate, Counterpart Caribbean; the
Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism; its parent body the Caribbean Hotel
Association; the Caribbean Broadcasting Union, and Great Places in the
Caribbean.
Solagnier and
Johnson Commends Saba Cable TV for Educational Programs
THE BOTTOM, Saba (SGIS) - Lt. Governor Antoine
Solagnier and Commissioner responsible for the Saba Government Information
Service (SGIS), would like to commend the Nicholson Family business, the Saba
Cable TV Company, for adding an additional education channel, PBS.
Solagnier told SGIS that the Island
Government had suggested that the company provide additional informative and
educational programs for the islands residents and they have been able to comply
with the request.
Johnson added, "The PBS channel is a
good asset for the Saban community. I also recommend to our residents to
sit down with their kids and family and take interests in the programs on such
stations as PBS, Discovery and the Learning Channel.
"We have young kids misbehaving in our
community today, because they are watching TV programs which they shouldn't be
watching, and then act out this anti-social behavior within our community.
Parents need to censor what their kids are watching," Johnson pointed out.
The Commissioner also would like to congratulate
the Nicholson family for keeping the Radio Station, the Voice on Saba on the air
for over 30-years. "The Nicholson family has also been cooperative in
relation to the airing of the SGIS Cable TV program, GIS On Cable.
"I published the Saba Herald for a 25-year
period. Today, I continue to use the print media to disseminate
information and news in order to get the message across. I have been at
political loggerheads with Max Nicholson in the past, but we have also worked
together very well, and I must give credit where credit is due," Johnson
said.
By Peter Adrien
You just can’t keep him idle. He comes and goes
like a “Don”; he rests and wrestles at will. Like the famous River Jordan,
Michael Jordan, the great basketballer just keeps on rolling along.
After months of hints, smiles and winks, Jordan
finally announced his comeback, saying he would play for the Washington Wizards
through 2003 and donate his first year's salary to victims of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks.
We thought we had seen his back – we had seen
his last tricks, his last flick, his last beat; his last dribble; his last
jumper; his last dunk; his last three-pointer; his last shot. The great athlete,
who has been to the golf course and other sporting arenas, is back to nurture,
to help and to build a team – the Wizards.
"The opportunity to teach our young players
and help them elevate their game to a higher level, and to thank the fans in
Washington for their loyalty and support, strongly influenced my decision,"
he said in a statement issued through his management agency.
The five-time league MVP, who retired for a
second time in 1999 after leading the Chicago Bulls to their sixth title of the
decade, made this return official after clearing up a licensing issue with one
of his sponsors -- a disagreement that delayed the announcement by a day. NBA
rules also required Jordan to sell his ownership stake in the Wizards.
Jordan won 10 scoring titles and is the NBA's
fourth all-time leading scorer with 29,277 points. He has averaged a
league-record 31.5 points per regular season game throughout his career and 33.4
in the playoffs.
His first retirement came in October 1993, after
he led the Bulls to three titles. He played baseball in the Chicago White Sox
organization for one season, but he couldn't make it out of the minor leagues
and returned to the Bulls in March 1995.
Jordan led the Bulls to three more titles and
retired again in January 1999, shortly before the start of the lockout-shortened
season. He made his final shot in a Chicago uniform, sinking a jumper over Bryon
Russell of Utah, in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals - a play that came to be known
as Jordan's "last shot" -- to give the Bulls their sixth title of the
decade. Well we have not seen the last shot of MJ!
"I am returning as a player to the game I
love," said Jordan, 38 and three years removed from what seemed to be a
storybook ending to an unparalleled career. "I am especially excited about
the Washington Wizards, and I'm convinced we have the foundation on which to
build a playoff-contention team."
But do you remember that Jordan never completely
ruled out a comeback when he retired in January 1999, hedging his bets with the
statement that he was "99.9 percent" certain he would never play
again. Leaving the door open, even by one-tenth of 1 percent, meant Jordan could
slip back into a uniform without going back on his word? Well, his announcement
of his return was sure to hearten a city, indeed an entire country, shocked by
terrorism. Washington's economy has suffered since the Sept. 11 attacks, with
Reagan National Airport remaining closed until October 4, and hotel bookings far
below capacity.
The champs’ regular-season debut will be October 30 at Madison Square Garden
against the New York Knicks, and his first home game for the Wizards will be
Nov. 3 against Allen Iverson and the Philadelphia 76ers.
But the superstar will be in the unusual position
of playing for the coach he hired: Doug Collins, who joined the Wizards in April
and also coached Jordan for three seasons with the Bulls in the 1980s. He will
share the court with players he signed, drafted and traded for, including high
school sensation Kwame Brown, selected No. 1 overall by the Wizards in June, and
veteran forward Christian Laettner – a graduate of Duke, the archrival of
Jordan's alma mater, North Carolina.
The fans and fanatics are mixed. Some will hear
nothing negative about their god; some will not hear about his human nature; bur
some are concerned that he will not rise to the physical challenge. One of
Michael’s fans remarked, “I hear lots of criticism about Jordan not going to
be as dominant, athletic, etc. True. However, he is still Jordan. He can shoot,
rebound, pass, (play defense), etc. All I have to say is there was another NBA
great that couldn't run jump or hardly even dunk ... Larry Bird. Jordan isn't
Bird and vice-versa, but they both have the same thing in common and that's
heart. Heart gives the legends the will to win!”
But what is it that drives great athletes to come
and go or refuse to say die? What was it that drove Mohammad Ali to go beyond
the margin after his fight against George Foreman to impair his health? One
could even take the issue to another realm of performing arts – music. What is
that kept Mighty Shadow to persevere, fighting against judges, critics and
circumstances to excel in his old age? There seems to be an unquenchable spirit
in great men, great performers, great personalities that would not let them
remain outside of the arena. We hope the return of MJ is indeed driven by that
mystical factor.
“Who is to say that great things are not ahead
with Michael and the Wizards?" said Dean Smith, who coached Jordan at
Chapel Hill. "He has made excellent decisions in the past and I know he has
given this one a lot of thought."
The man himself said, "While
nothing can take away from the past, I am firmly focused on the future and the
competitive challenge ahead of me."
Will we see the magic of the great man? Will we
relive the magical days of MJ? We do not have very long to wait. The drama and
the performance will be on the NBA court.
See Jordan Roll!
Peter Adrien
is an author, a syndicated sports analyst
and freelance photographer. He can be contacted via telephone (869) 465-4813 or
E-mail: Adriens@caribsurf.com
By
Sharmen Thompson RN, RMN, Cert., BSc(Hons), CPN
World Mental Day is being celebrated by PAHO/WHO
on October 10th 2001 with the theme: MENTAL HEALTH AND WORK.
It has been recognized that we all have mental health needs, whether or
not we currently have mental health problems.
The aims of World Mental Health Day then are to increase awareness that:
According to the United Nations and WHO there is
a world wide epidemic of job stress. Stress
is increasing in the work place, and it is taking its toll on human lives and
organizational effectiveness. While
some stress is healthy, in that it motivates us to take action and make
adjustments, too much stress is harmful and one of the main contributors to
mental illness/disorders at work. Some
studies suggest that a significant number of days are lost annually in
productivity per person due to stress, anxiety and depression.
It has been found that as productivity demands
rise and technology quickens the pace of life, emotional health becomes more and
more a workplace issue. Research shows that people blame stress at work for problems
with mental health more than any other cause.
While positive stress can be viewed as an
exciting or challenging situation which enhances our lives, excessive stress can
pose a threat to our physical and mental well-being when it is allowed to build
up unchecked. Prolonged stress can
cause physical and/or emotional problems such as anxiety, increased heart rate
and blood pressure, headache tense muscles, stomach problems, inability to
concentrate, insomnia and fatigue. It
is also linked to the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and drugs and can lead to
depression.
While stress cannot be avoided, it can be
managed. Here are a few tips to
help employees deal with workplace stress:
Manage your workload:
Set priorities
Manage time effectively
Delegate where possible and
appropriate
Set limits to work and draw
boundaries
Define problems precisely
Break work up into manageable
units
Recognize your own worth
Develop skills:
Improve communication
Learn to be assertive
Make decisions
Plan your time include-your
free time
Decide your career goals
Take advantage of training opportunities
Physical fitness:
From the
DA’s Desk
The Director of Agriculture, Mr Gerard A L Gray,
delivered an update on the Department’s Import Substitution program Thursday
October 4th on Farmers Corner. Mr
Gray, who recently attended a Roots and Tubers meeting in Dominica, says that he
has secured the support of his regional counterparts in facilitating the
procurement of planting materials of these crops.
Earlier this year tubers of Yams and Ginger were imported and distributed
to farmers
Hot
Peppers
Households needing small quantities of Hot Pepper
seedlings are asked to contact their Extension officers.
Please note that the Department is not promoting the production of large
quantities of Hot Peppers, as the local demand for this commodity is limited.
Worm
Invasion
Farmers have reported severe worm infestation on
plots. Agricultural officers are currently investigating reasons for
the outbreak. Farmers are advised
to improve their crop sanitation and spray regularly.
In the
Market Place
The following locally grown fruits and vegetables
are available this weekend: Cucumbers, Okra, Thyme, Seasoning Peppers, Spinach,
Eggplant, Lettuce and Sweet Potato
Check outlets at Salem, Brades and Sweeneys and
Supermarkets. Let us support our
farmers.
In the new look
Montserrat
By
Claude Gerald
"Look Out!"
This exclamation could
be interpreted as a watch-it-fella! admonition, a warning of dire consequences
that are more than immediate. Perhaps a pyroclastic flow is on your doorstep or
some serious life-threatening phenomenon. But for the newly fashioned
Montserrat, "look out" can carry a much different connotation
altogether. Lookout is in fact the name of a bustling, sprawling village --
maybe town is more appropriate -- in the northeastern corner of Montserrat that
overlooks the tranquilizingly blue waters sandwiched between Montserrat and
Antigua.
What was Lookout
before its evolution into a household name and a reservoir for the many who were
uprooted from their security of tenure in the south of Montserrat? Lookout meant
nothing even to the folks who grew up in the neighbourhood, let alone the
average Montserratians from other vicinities. Students of the island’s
geography may have some superficial awareness at best but no one apart from the
multitude of squatting livestock farmers had much of any association with it in
the last 30 to 40 years at least. Lookout
had lost its significant social status despite its long and important
agricultural history. In an urban-focused Montserrat it was thought to be behind
the ‘back of the Almighty!
Seeking knowledge of its past, my 99.5-year
grandmother, Jane L. Gerald (b. April, 20,1902) informed that Lookout was an
estate that supported a goodly percentage of the island’s economic needs when
cotton growing was a kingly undertaking on Montserrat. Some of the finest
sea-island cotton grew on Lookout Estate. Functioning along with the adjoining
Blake’s Estate that produced mainly sugar cane, solid evidence of bygone days
is in the remnants of the sugar processing facility that greets the visitor at
the entrance to Lookout. Inquisitively I wondered about the environmental
conditions then. Listen to the soon-to-be centenarian as she reminisces:
“Rainfall was no problem. Rain came partly every week. And as for the soil,
there was no use for cow’s manure (dung). The soil was always so good. You
know, me never hear ‘bout fertilizer ‘til now. Me no like fu hear ‘bout
that thing there utal.” Why, I asked. “That thing is a curse. It kills
everything.” And there was no soil washing to talk about since ‘the people
dem’ used to build rock contours to keep the soil up. This must have been a
very necessary undertaking since primary knowledge of soil and crop husbandry
tells that cotton growing facilitates the easy removal of soil particles, thus
making sustainable soil management an acute undertaking.
During the off season, according to this source,
animals, mainly cattle, sheep and goats were reared so that after estate
agriculture died at about the start of the second half of the last century, it
was not difficult for Lookout to become a major site for the extensive rearing
of livestock. And so it was before the latest transformation. In fact in the mid
'80s the owner then (may still be), Dr. Roy Lee had drawn up plans to regularize
operations by investing intensively in a high quality sheep enterprise. But
Lookout had real potential as modern day resort given its gently flowing
landscape, breathtaking view (hence its name, I guess) and mega volumes of
heat-suppressing breeze. That could not have been realized then, since
decentralization was not a moot topic and thus important electrical and water
services were significantly absent. The volcano forced developmental
possibilities. As housing needs became apparent, Lookout lands were pounced on
for occupation to fill the breach in the safety of the North where ash hardly
falls.
Lookout is bedecked on over 200 acres of land
with 215 household units, each enveloped under a red roof mainly, that when
collectively seen from the top or an angled distance cuts a most picturesque
view. It carries arguably the first central sewage treating plant on island.
With a phase 2 in the works, aimed at another 120 units, when completed Lookout
could well become an ‘island’ within an island, a significant constituency
in a political and economic context. But Lookout could do with some serious
greening. Its soil is very poor and its sun hotter than elsewhere. Yes, we know
of the nuisance of loose livestock that still makes the area home, mainly night
grazers, and the accompanying damage to vegetation that represent kitchen and
flower gardens. Cattle are more the culprits than donkeys at this stage, with
their size and trampling effects telling on young suckling plants. These godsent
rains being experienced at present might ease the migratory effects of these
animals in the short term.
Greenery has a most pleasant effect on the mind,
the being, and the psyche. It is uplifting to the soul. Greenness and man are
hugely compatible with the world of benefits for our well-being. Watch and you
will see the remigration southwards to Plymouth and adjacent areas, as a speck
of green becomes a significant mass of vegetation. There is an earthly symbiosis
with man and plants that is as old as creation. It can be rediscovered for our
good at Lookout as elsewhere. There must be a Lift Up Lookout project that not
only creates breathing space in the form of parks but also to reshape the
landscape architecture in the form of adaptable trees appropriately placed to
dot the surroundings. Trees do not take much time to mature and once the
necessary care is rendered, a colourful transformation is guaranteed.
Lookout needs some transitional space where one can move from the
‘built environment’ to interact with the natural environment whether by
sitting, people watching, relaxing or playing games.
One can argue that space is at a premium with
justification. And that everything cannot take place at the same time. But one
can plan for such and certainly every household should be encouraged to grow one
major fruit tree in the yard space available. That may be easier said than done
given the ever-present untethered livestock, which present non-easy answers. The
fact that meat-eating percentages have fallen significantly; that the animal
ownership is in dispute, with many owners off island and grazing areas lost;
presents enormous problems for decision makers, who are often tossed between
counteracting positions of the various stakeholders. That said, a road
beautification campaign should not present a major problem, as one could grow
the plants to a decent height before transplanting to buffer against stock
damage and have Lookouters from the community undertake care in the early stages
especially.
Efforts at beautification as any other require
commitment, dedication, pride of place, a sense of ownership and, above all,
leadership. Everything worthwhile needs a visionary with a drive to see the
vision to completion. It must not be a selfish one but it must be one in which
the self is centered. And that self must feed on the whole and be able to
incorporate the portions that can give greatest mileage to the achievement of
the goal. Make no mistake. A home is not a home or a homely environment
without the trappings of the colours that are a part of nature. Reforest
Lookout, I say. Lookouters should therefore exercise their minds, by visualizing
the improvement of their surroundings, and then exercise their hands and by
extension they will exercise those many organs that rely heavily for their
functioning on much-needed exercise. They must lead from the front, conceive,
mobilize, stick with and finish it. Lookout is here to stay and vegetation well
conceived and executed can be a permanent part of any landscape.
Lookout represents a new beginning for a new
Montserrat. We must ensure, therefore, that we look out for the Lookouters at
Lookout.
Claude
Gerald is an Agricultural Economist with an abiding interest in the social,
political and economic development of Montserrat. E-mail ceegee15@hotmail.com
Landfill South
The beauty of land, sea and air
Helps keep Montserrat from despair;
But by Doctor Woods Road
You'll see more than one load
Of trash dumped by those who don't care.
Daytime Entry Zone
Since access one more was endorsed
Some things have turned out for the worst.
Those so pleased to return
Are angered to learn
Just how many entries were forced
Jus wonderin if festival this year is gonna be
better than last year.
Jus wonderin why the uniform lady from Cudjoe
Head say she is getting married to the man with fire and water from Lookout and
he is saying no.
Jus wonderin if some hospital is like a slaughter
house. You go in and not sure of coming out.
Jus wonderin who business man talk so bad about
his ex-workers when he is no better than dem.
Jus wonderin if he think that all the different
blend-up drinks a go bring him back young again.
Jus wonderin if Montserratians no change dem ways
about the Guyanese dem if da could turn terrorist pan dem.
Jus wonderin why some woman could bad talk dem
friend so.
Jus wonderin if only in Montserrat married women
and keeper women drive about in the same car.
Jus wonderin if the gas-lady from Dominican has
she Bible with she when she a go a prayer meeting in the car.
Jus wonderin where de MP home and how come he a
move so big inna Lookout.
Jus wonderin if the saying what you don’t have,
do without, no go so for some people and how far dem think de begging a go carry
dem.
Jus wonderin if de Red Cross is for any and every
body or for the needy.
Jus wonderin if people will have to put dem
husbands under lock and key and blind fold dem so dat other women can’t dig
dem eyes out.
Jus wonderin where dem get the extra money from
if some wives don’t realise their husbands spending so much money.
Jus wonderin why some people that have terrible
personal hygiene don’t apply Man Fan Baker Hill bad breath story to that too.
Jus wonderin how some people would look if the
horses claimed back their hair.
Jus wonderin if bird of a feather don’t flock
wid one another now that de bird no group wid e own kind.
Jus wonderin why some people so pretty outside,
and ugly inside.
Jus wonderin if Beny Laden got hold of the Editor
for ransom.
Jus wonderin if the saying is more true today
that there are more crazy people outside than inside.
Jus wonderin if that is why heliport tightening
security.
Jus wonderin if GOM now, makin it look like GOM
past that agree to the airport at Gerald’s.
Jus wonderin if the ashes haas anything to do
with repentence.
Jus wonderin if de police do that what he
thinking about.
Jus wonderin how many people really working on
Montserrat these days.
Jus wonderin what de marriage failure rate is and
what are the grounds for divorce these days.
Jus wonderin if a marriage can survive without
the S word.
Jus wonderin why de excellent a go to borrow de
man cell phone if e no hab e own.
Jus wonderin if de education lady couldn’t wait
for de british gentleman.
Jus wonderin what changed since elections done in
April.
Jus wonderin if dem ministers start singing Cindy
Lauper’s song and show dem true colours.
Jus wonderin who realise de govnor so nice, and
if he for real.
Jus wonderin how come it sound so certain that we
will have an airport at Geralds when investigations still have to be done.
Jus wonderin if is true de CRM did not follow de
doctor lead and get the temporary airstrip at Old Quaw.
Jus wonderin if de govment goin get DFID to
guarantee there will really be airlines ready to fly twin otters to Geralds when
de airstrip finish.
Jus wonderin what Montserrat prepared to give up
to get the kind of investment to make this country like the new place it could
be.
Jus wonderin tho if the govment will make sure
that the new constitution give dem de power to give what they want of
Montserrat.
Jus wonderin why dem shame fu show dat dem no
have no powa ut all.
Jus wonderin who could work out the popularity
ratings of ministers these days and how favourable they would be.
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