Manager Sought to Start Geralds Airstrip Project
By
Helena Durand
Proposed site at Geralds Bottom - see more here
The
Government of Montserrat has begun recruiting a Project Manager for the
construction of the temporary airstrip/airport at Geralds despite continuing
questions about Geralds' suitability for the airport.
The Project Manager will be responsible for the
design of the airport; identifying the extent of land and property needed to
construct it, negotiating with land and property owners and dealing with
compensation for affected property owners and residents.
The
airstrip/airport, which is being financed by the British Government and the
European Union, will cost some EC$40 million.
Persistent questions focus on the suitability of
such a limited runway of 500 meters, and its acknowledged lack of expansion
capacity. Notwithstanding those concerns and questions raised, his Excellency
the Governor Anthony Longrigg has advised:
“Develop the airport at Gerald’s, see how it
works, and if there is a real demonstrative need, well, then the funding will be
available. But I’m sure for a number of years, and I am not going to guess how
many years, there won’t be a need for it.”
Member of
Parliament Hon Chedmond Browne responded this week to the Governor’s remarks
on the radio programme "Ask the Government.” Mr. Browne said on
Wednesday, “If you are going to spend $40 million you don’t have to give us
an airstrip that lands an aeroplane that holds 40 people, but you put the
airstrip in a place that 10 years from now, when all this expansion that he was
projecting comes about, you would have sensibly invested that $40 million in an
area that you can in fact build an airport or extend an airport to the point
where it becomes viable with the growth of your population.”
Mr Browne said, “If we only get a 9-seater
airplane to land on it in the first instance, we will be more than happy and
perfectly satisfied to take it, because we are fully aware of the fact that with
our own initiatives, we can go out there and turn that 9-seater airstrip into a
40-seater airstrip or a 100-seater airstrip if and when we desire and we have
the capabilities. But what they’re doing right now is utter…ignorance.”
But in the channel 5 television programme The
Montserrat Reporter, Stephen Young, the Civil and Infrastructure Programme
Engineer at DFID, said Montserratians will have “Twin Otters landing at the
Geralds” temporary strip, and won’t be limited to only Short Take-off and
Landing (STOL) aircraft.
Acting Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis said on
the same programme that contrary to popular comments, efforts had been underway
to set up Old Quaw as the prime site for an airport, temporary or otherwise. A
road has since been built to access the site.
However, in spite of Dr. Lewis’ apparent
displeasure with Geralds as the appropriate site for the airstrip/airport, and
Mr. Browne’s voiced protests, including the expressed concerns of the
Committee for the Redevelopment of Montserrat (CRM), the Government of
Montserrat has capitulated to the demands of DFID and has announced to the
public via Chief Minister John Osborne that, “We have no choice but to use
Geralds.”
In the construction of the temporary
airstrip/airport, at least 12
households will have to be moved from Geralds.
However, compensations for the households are
said to be included in the government’s costs projections for the construction
of the airport. This is also expected to include funds for the purchase of land
and a compensation package for the affected households.
According to project officials, the majority of
houses to the north of the proposed runway at Geralds will not be affected.
However, a new access road for the neighborhood will have to be built, since the
runway will be built across the present roadway.
British Citizenship Temporarily on Hold
By
Helena Durand
His Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg said
this week that the Overseas Territories Bill, which would grant full British
citizenship to Montserratians and nationals of other overseas territories, may
not be passed until some time next year.
He said although the Bill has been passed in the
House of Lords, it has yet to pass through the House of Commons, and with the
attention now focused on the September 11 terrorist attack on the United States,
Royal assent may not may be given until early next year.
In a ZJB interview he countered complaints being
heard that Montserratians have had no input into the Bill. He cited recent
consultations, and emphasized the fact that the process has been fair and
transparent.
“Before this Bill was introduced there was a long period of
consultations after publication of the White Paper on Overseas
Territories," he said. "There was a lot of gathering of opinion from
the various Overseas Territories as to what they would like. The Bill is based
on taking the views of the Overseas Territories, how they would best like to
tackle this question of nationality.”
He said since the Bill was drafted, and while it
has been passing through the House of Lords, “there have of course been
various consultative groups here. There was a team here in March just before I
came who talked to a lot of people about the Bill, and its possible effects, and
got Montserratians' views. There was also a visit of a Senior Home Office
Official in June, …and just last week the Overseas Territories Consultative
Council.”
He said although he does not yet have the result
of the consultative session in London, he believes the visiting Chief Ministers
from the various Overseas Territories had a good session. Adding, “All the
Chief Ministers there had a clear discussion with the Minister, to let her know
their views about the Bill and its implications and how it will affect them.”
Governor, Civil Servants Run Things, Says Browne
By Helena Durand
Member of Parliament Hon Chedmond Browne has
accused the Governor and Civil Servants of managing the affairs of Montserrat
without any input from the duly elected Government.
Hon Chedmond Browne and HE Gov Longrigg
On a ZJB radio programme on Wednesday morning
called "Ask the Government," Mr. Browne said, “every Monday morning
the governor has a meeting with all the top civil servants.”
He said at that meeting there are no elected
members of Government, including the Chief Minister present. Yet they meet to
determine the agenda of the week for the country. “They are the ones who run
government, they run the country.”
This paper's efforts to get a comment on the
matter from His Excellency Governor Anthony Longrigg failed.
But Chief Minister John Osborne rebutted Mr.
Browne's comment: “The governor is not running things here at all.”
“The governor has responsibility for the civil
servants in such that he is the one who appoints people. I have already told the
Governor that I think he should stop it, [the meetings] because my civil
servants are not supposed to go and report anything about government policies.
He assured me that he is not discussing government policies; they are discussing
matters of administration. Well I cannot stop him from talking to civil servants
if he is dealing with the question of administration”
Mr. Browne said, however, that not only is the
Governor openly running things in Montserrat, he does the same at the Executive
Council meetings.
He said the four elected members of Government
sitting on the Executive Council are headed by the Governor, and joined by the
Financial Secretary and the Attorney General, who are not elected persons, and
that when decisions are made, it is unfair to tell the public that it was a
“Government decision when five elected members of government did not have any
input.”
In response to this, Chief Minister Osborne said,
“That is totally false because whatever happens at Executive Council has to go
to the Legislative Council to have it ratified, and everybody, even the
Opposition, has a say at that stage. The Government elect nine people and
everybody has equal say at that sitting; and if they can prove that what we are
doing is not in the public’s interest we don’t have any choice, we have to
change it. If that is the case, why do we go to the Legislative Council? Because
the Legislative Council finally makes the decision as to what Government
does.”
At the recently held W. H. Bramble Centenary
Symposium, hosted by the University of the West Indies, Acting Chief Minster Dr.
Lowell Lewis said he and other government Ministers have been frustrated since
taking office by their inability to govern without restrictions.
He said while the refusal to permit the
rearrangement of Ministerial portfolios in government has destroyed the mandate
won at the last election, the Governor and Civil Servants have imposed a veto,
and the controlling influence of DFID has been preserved.
Like Mr. Browne, he laments, “We are Ministers
who have little or no say to what professional staff is appointed to our
medical, legal, or Public Works Departments. …We must not accept this. We have
to break the chains of contingent liabilities, colonial ascent, and entrustment
restrictions that stifle our progress."
But Chief Minister Osborne says the Governor
pays, so he appoints, and the Ministers should understand that.
"A Brief Summary of Montserrat's Progress:
'Golden Elephants' to 'a Very Large Airport'
We grow more and more convinced that the art of
exaggeration must be the device of last resort for Her Majesty's chosen obedient
servants in doing their jobs. Soon after the Soufriere Hills volcano drove
panic-stricken Montserratians from their homes into desperate uncertainty, Clare
Short, Secretary of State for International Development, disdainfully dismissed
Rose Willock's respectful questions about what sort of financial aid such people
could expect by equating them to demands for "golden elephants."
Ms. Short later apologized before the House of
Commons Select Committee for what she conceded was an inappropriate
characterization. Nevertheless, that blurted insolence is still remembered with
embarrassment by many Britons. It remains embedded in the minds of many
Montserratians as a measure of the level of regard in which they are held by
official Britain.
This week, recently arrived Gov. Anthony Longrigg
chose a similar path when he congratulated the Government of Montserrat for its
wisdom in "choosing" Geralds as the site for a temporary airstrip,
discounted any British influence in that selection, and chided Montserratians
for "talk about some mythical numbers of tourists we could want in the
future," all in blind pursuit of "a very large airport." Move
over Clare Short! To call "a very large airport" an exaggeration
belabors the obvious.
In deference to His Excellency, he argued
eloquently that Montserrat has more pressing problems that demand early
attention, an observation that no one who has spent the past six years on the
island will consider overstated. But to dismiss so impatiently the genuine
concerns of many on the island about the safety and capacity limitations of a
Geralds airstrip as little more than pie in the sky is misleading and
insensitive.
The British repeatedly insist that their first
concern with the volcano is protecting lives. That determination extends to
excluding hundreds of families from reoccupying homes, well removed from the
volcano, that have not been in peril for more than four years.
Currently, Montserrat's only contact with the
outside world by air is the British-subsidized helicopter, a very expensive
operation that is partially justified by its regular availability to the
Montserrat Volcano Observatory and partially underwritten by passenger fares.
The current helicopter carries approximately the
same number of passengers as would any airplane able to land at the short strip
planned for Geralds. It is significant, however, that the helicopter's design
makes it inherently safer for landing at the heliport at Geralds, even on days
when swirling winds make the approach a buffeting ride.
Several experienced Montserratian commercial
pilots have flatly declared that they would not attempt to land at Geralds a
loaded small plane of the type that its airstrip could accommodate, because of
the unpredictable winds, not to mention the proximity of the island's only
hospital.
The curt response to their concerns about
protecting lives came from a spokesman for the Department of International
Development, who said that DFID would never allow an airport to be built at
Geralds if it weren't safe.
In support of his position that anything other
than Geralds would be unaffordable, Gov. Longrigg said, "Nobody that I know
ever produced a realistic budget for any other site except the one that was
operated by Gibbs Consultants in 1997, long before my time."
Either of his most recent predecessors could have
warned him against describing as "realistic" anything from that
long-discredited accumulation of data produced to document its preordained
conclusions.
As for his claim of British non-involvement in
GOM's decision, that simply ignores
DFID's obvious and frequent declarations to the effect, "if it's to be
British money, it will be Geralds." Gov. Longrigg implied as much himself
when he referred to the British limitation on funding for an airport, itself a
reversal of an earlier statement by one of his predecessors that there was no
cap on the funds available to Montserrat in the volcanic crisis.
And back from his meetings in London comes Chief
Minister John Osborne to declare the British "made it abundantly
clear," they said "choose before the end of
September" or lose the airport funds, that the subsidized ferry and
helicopter services could be withdrawn before there is an alternative means of
transportation for the island. All that adds up to the
"non-involvement" of an arm-twisting bully.
Let's make one thing clear to HMG, DFID and Gov.
Longrigg. Montserratians are not squabbling spoiled brats stubbornly insisting
on "a very large airport." They are very insistent, however, on
"a practical, serviceable airport." The practicality includes building
an adequate temporary strip, at reasonable, limited cost, where it will safely
accommodate Twin Otter-size aircraft, and where a larger, more permanent airport
can be built later at less cost than would be required to build it from scratch.
Yes, Montserratians are interested in attracting
tourists. They are also very interested in an airstrip that assures safe
operation, without which there will be no rush or trickle of tourists. And
Montserratians are particularly interested, despite the Governor's clear
impression to the contrary, in "value for money," and that includes
avoiding exorbitantly expensive blunders.
Gov. Longrigg might take some time to review the
history of the creation and re-creation of Montserrat's "temporary"
Government Headquarters, of the leaning water tank (the result of which is
increased water rates), of the Davy Hill houses, and of the Lookout houses if he
needs documentation for the causes of their concern.
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.
Just How Do We Create 'A Demonstrative Need'?
Dear Editor,
Governor Longrigg needs to know that
Montserratians only wish from Britain that which it will not allow us, without
undue red tape and refusal, to go elsewhere and obtain what we could, had we not
been a British Colony, or to use a nicer term, British Dependent territory.
We are only too aware that the term is just to
keep United Nations away from their case and to mislead everyone but themselves.
When the Governor says, “See how it works, and
if there is a real demonstrative need, well, then the funding will be
available,” I have a question for him:
How will there be a demonstrative need – do we
need to hear from tourists and investors they want to come or should we be in a
position to tell them it is convenient to come?
Then he says:
“I am not going to guess how many years there won’t be a need for
it.”
I ask now, is it because he knows that his people
will see to it that all they will do is sustain us (according to their own
desires), or that nothing will be developed to entice our own people to return,
not to mention investors and tourists?
After the ferry and the emergency helicopter are
removed from service, will 9-seater aircrafts really serve us well even now?
Should we really believe that DFID will find people willing to operate 19-seater
Twin Otters that will never be able to land on 500-meter runways with a full
load?
Is that progress? Of course, suitable to bring
the Governor and the entourage of his British friends, but what about the
business and economy of the country? Is that their idea of development?
Yes Montserrat should wait for a spot that can be
extended in years to come and save money. It is time we stop allowing the
British to spend and squander money on our behalf by doing what they want rather
than what is good for our country. Much money has been spent, and there isn’t
a single good thing we can look at and say it was well spent. In every single
case money has to be spent again.
If that is the British way of life, then they
must be honest and not tell us that they can’t afford more. Besides, the
Governor should look into the spending of the funds and see who really benefit
from the money being spent in Montserrat.
G.B. White
St. Peter’s
Think Dome Control: Triggered Collapses?
Dear Editor,
Dr. Sparks' fascinating discovery that a
helicopter can trigger eerie sounds on seismic equipment has set me "jus
wonderin." If a small input such as a helicopter flying overhead can
produce a signal, what would be the effect of a well-placed explosion located on
the Tar River side of the dome?
Several years ago it was suggested (tongue in
cheek) that the Navy practice their bombing on the volcano, only to be
thoroughly put down as totally irresponsible and harebrained. Originally the
idea was to simply blast the volcano off the map, thinking somewhat unwisely
that it would block off the conduit to the main magma chamber. No volcano, no
problem.
<--Professor Steve Sparks
The revised objective now, however, is to treat
the symptoms rather than the cause and leave the cure to the latter part of the
century when greater knowledge and other techniques might be at our disposal.
These induced collapses would only need to be
used very occasionally when dome size becomes dangerous and the likelihood of a
major event imminent. There would be little practical value in attempting to
reduce the small day-to-day ashings while the dome is relatively safe and
re-growing.
It was theorized that the Broad Band tremors were
in the most part the cause of the recent 15-percent dome collapse due to its
very steep and unstable configuration. It this proves to be the case, and it was
found possible to generate comparable man-made effects, a degree of dome size
regulation could be available.
A few exploratory detonations to record and
compare with the Band tremors should establish the practicality and size of the
necessary explosive, type, and target area to cause a collapse, or indeed if it
is feasible. Probably well within the capability of the Navy's local detachment
to carry out the strenuous part of the experiment.
The cost and aggravation of clearing up the
results of the 29th July collapse were enormous and lasting
detrimental effects will be around for much longer.
This ongoing situation must be negatively
affecting any new business under consideration for Montserrat. There are enough
unknowns for potential entrepreneurs without an active and unpredictable volcano
to add to them. Of course there is a slim chance that all of the future dome
collapses, before the volcano finally shuts down, will occur conveniently when
the prevailing wind is in the right direction. Fat chance. Not worth the risk,
especially is there is a means of control.
Taking a proactive stance against the blasted
mountain instead of sitting back and taking it on the chin (for the next 10-20
years) could help to pave the way for Montserrat's recovery from the present
doldrums. It would certainly add to the MVO's attraction for visitors to their
new volcano viewing facility.
Tony Simpson
Isles Bay
St. Augustine School Gives to the Elderly
St Augustine students with packages to be delivered to the elderly
Students of the St. Augustine School, at the
prompting of their parents and teachers, created 30 gift baskets for the elderly
in their communities.
Principal of the School Mrs. Vernetta Williams
said the venture was to commemorate the International Day of the Elderly and the
week of activities organised in their honor.
Gifts included towels, soap, toothpaste, food
items and lots more.
She said the recipients were chosen at random and
were based solely on age, not personal possessions.
She said too, they were targeting elderly persons
living with relatives or in private homes rather than in institutions
established for the elderly, because such persons are most often forgotten.
Paul Keens-Douglas Urges More Promotion of Island
The Caribbean number-one storyteller, Paul
Keens-Douglas, feels Montserratians should be more aggressive with the
island’s public relations campaign.
He told ZJB news that his two recent shows on the
island were successful but that there are many people in the Caribbean who do
not know that Montserrat has recovered so well despite the ongoing volcanic
crisis and that
He said he was happy to see that the island is
making a comeback.
The motivational speaker said there is not much
news of Montserrat’s recovery in the Caribbean, unlike the period 1995 to
1997, when news of the destruction and deaths caused by the eruption were
broadcast abroad.
As a result, he said, many people in the
Caribbean are still left with the feeling that it is not safe to visit the
island. He said the island needs to mount a promotional campaign to project its
rebuilding and recovery efforts, which would not only encourage tourists, but
other Caribbean neighbors who want to come and see for themselves.
Just recently, His Excellency the Governor
Anthony Longrigg expressed those very sentiments to the Editor of the Montserrat
Reporter. He said then that he was willing to support any project or plan geared
towards the promotion of the island, which he believes is what is needed at this
time.
W.H. Bramble Called Model for Island’s Future
By
Helena Durand
The manner in which Montserrat’s first Chief
Minister William H. Bramble ran the country over 40 years ago is advocated by
members and non-members of the Government of Montserrat today.
The call to duplicate Mr. Bramble’s no-nonsense
approach to the affairs of state was called what Montserrat needs to get it up
and going in this time of economic depression, according to Sir Howard Fergus,
“especially so because of our relapse into Budget grant-in-aid status, and the
hand of DFID, heavy, hovering over us like a chastening rod.”
Those wishes for the freedom to govern Montserrat
in the interest of Montserratians were made at the W.H. Bramble Centenary
Symposium on Monday at Good Life Restaurant & Night Club at Little Bay.
Acting Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis said,
“W.H. Bramble would not have tolerated the restrictions on our rights to
direct the use of the consolidated funds. We must not accept this. We have to
break the chains of contingent liabilities, colonial assent, and entrustment
restrictions that stifle our progress.”
He also noted, “As our ancestors broke the
chains of slavery, and the chains of the merchants, and planters; we must break
the chains of aid with strings. Why must we have Civil Service salary increases
linked to downgrading of posts? Why must we give up a comfortable ferry and
helicopter service to get an airport, before the airport is available? Why must
our access to housing and roads, be dependent on expensive consultancies that
delay a flow of cash to such an extent that we lose significant portions of the
aid funds through slippage? We could not get the Water 3 project until we raised
water rates, and we will not get another electricity generating plant until we
overcome numerous hurdles.”
Dr. Lewis said Montserratians should follow Mr.
Bramble’s lead, and do whatever is necessary to get people out of shelters and
back to work.
Member of Parliament Chedmond Browne, who
presented a paper at the symposium, hailed W.H. Bramble's dynamic leadership in
1952, which won freedom for Montserratians from political domination, and
freedom for their children to acquire education.
Mr. Browne said, while honoring W. H. Bramble,
the country awaits the arrival of, and prays for, “the next great National
hero. To make our second collective great leap forward . . . along the path that
William H. Bramble established for us.”
Journalist Salas Hamilton depicted Mr. Bramble as
a shrewd negotiator, beating the British at their own games.
One example he quoted was that the idea of
electrifying Montserrat in the early 1960’s was blocked by the UK, and that it
was by his sheer craftiness that Mr Bramble found a way to better the British
and provide Montserrat with the best all-island electricity programme in the
Caribbean, except perhaps for Barbados.
He said Frenchman Jacques Tremoulet, was
searching the Caribbean to place his powerful radio transmitters at the same
time Mr. Bramble was being rebuffed by the British over his electrification
programme. Striking a deal with Mr. Tremoulet, Mr. Bramble got him to sign a
contract which guaranteed he would pay for 1 million units of electricity per
year for 10 years in the first instance, whether the station operated or not.
With contract in hand, Mr. Bramble returned to Britain where he was again
rebuffed. He asked if the British would support the project if he got someone
willing to purchase units from the power company and they said yes. Thereupon,
he presented his signed contract.
“Radio Antilles,” Hamilton said, “provided
a lifeline for Montserrat, and as its great antennae were being erected at
O’Garros, Montserrat began its electrification programme. . . . It seems that
we have not learnt from the past in dealing with certain challenges.”
Trust Offers EC$25,000 In Cleanup Effort
Prizes
The Montserrat National Trust has made cleaning
up more worthwhile by offering monetary prizes to community-based groups who
participate in its Environmental Awareness Campaign, which is to take place over
the next seven months.
The Solid Waste Committee of the National Trust
is organizing the campaign, while the Trust is offering a total of EC$25,000 in
prizes, sponsored by the Governor’s Office.
Director of the National Trust Steven McNamara
said the plan is to target community and other groups which have an interest in
the environment to adopt an area for maintenance and improvement.
He said groups could start from the most southern
occupied part of the island (Salem and its environs), choosing and cleaning up
their sites, and maintaining, beautifying or improving theme.
He said the significance of the campaign is that
the Trust is trying to promote environmental awareness among the entire
population, and sensitize everyone to its importance.
St. Kitts, Nevis List Tourism Upgrades
St. Kitts, CMC - St. Kitts and Nevis' tourism
offerings will be improved with an upgraded golf course and a scenic railway,
according to Tourism Minister Dwyer Astaphan.
Mr. Astaphan said the government was having discussions with an Alaskan group on
the possibility of constructing a scenic railway for tourism activities.
He said the project could be ready for the 2002-2003 winter tourist season.
The Tourism Minister also said the upgrading of the 18-hole Frigate Bay Golf
Course would soon begin. The project is estimated to cost US$8 million.
"That is a major economic activity," said Mr. Astaphan, who also
disclosed that the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party Administration was looking at
the prospect of more golf courses.
Tourism projects now underway include construction of the US$200 million
900-room Marriott Royal St. Kitts Resort and Casino at Frigate Bay; cruise ship
berthing facility at Port Zante at a cost of US$30 million; upgrading of the
Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport; and a US$7.5-million expansion of the
Deep Water Port.
Queen Elizabeth To visit Jamaica
Jamaica, CMC - Britain's Queen Elizabeth II is to make her fifth visit to
Jamaica in March 2002, according to British diplomatic officials.
They said the visit will be part of her Golden Jubilee year celebrations.
According to the British High Commission in Kingston, the Queen and her husband,
Prince Phillip, will be in the former British colony March 5 to 7.
The High Commission's Public Relations Officer, Mags Fenner, said the Jamaica
visit is part of a tour of Commonwealth countries, including New Zealand. She
said the Queen picked Jamaica because she was fond of the country.
David
Bruney Resigns Dominica's AG Post
Dominica, CMC - Dominica's Attorney General,
David Bruney, resigned from the government Monday after less than four months on
the job, Prime Minister Pierre Charles said. He gave no reasons for his
decision.
Mr. Charles said in a statement Monday afternoon that he had accepted the
resignation and was in the process of finding a replacement. He said he had
tried, without success, to dissuade the attorney general from resigning.
The attorney general's resignation is alleged to have come against the backdrop
of recent decisions and public comments he made which were reportedly out of
sync with the government's position.
Among the decisions he took recently was the release from prison of a young
Dominican man, who United States authorities want the government to extradite to
face drug-related charges.
Another decision related to Mr. Bruney's bid to reinstate a police officer who
won a court battle against the Police Service Commission's decision to retire
him in the public interest.
Those decisions were publicly criticised last week by Dominican Senior Counsel,
Anthony Astaphan.
Mr. Bruney, a rising attorney in his late thirties, was appointed attorney
general in last June's cabinet reshuffle.
Nations of CARICOM Condemn Terrorist Acts
UNITED NATIONS, CMC - Describing the
September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States as "vicious,"
"diabolical" and "macabre," the Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) has strongly condemned the catastrophe and pledged its full support
for a united front to combat terrorism in all its aspects.
In its contribution to the United Nations' Special Session on International
Terrorism, the grouping said that the attacks on the twin towers of New York's
World Trade Center and on the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., were not only
against the people of the United States but on all civil society and humankind.
"While we have only begun to address the grief and sorrow for the loss of
life suffered in those attacks, some of us have been shocked into realization,
others sadly reminded, of the macabre nature of terrorism," said Simon P.
Richards, Dominica's U.N. ambassador.
Mr. Richards, the current chairman of CARICOM's U.N. diplomatic corps, delivered
the joint statement on behalf of CARICOM.
Individual CARICOM member states, such as
Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Belize, and St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, also contributed to the debate.
Beleauered PM Panday Near Trinidad Deadlock
Compiled
from dispatches
Trinidad -- Heightening political turmoil put
Trinidad and Tobago close to deadlock after President Arthur Robinson
temporarily blocked Prime Minister Basdeo Panday's call Wednesday to dissolve
parliament to make way for a snap general election on December 10..
The standoff followed more than a week of crisis
after the firing of two members of the ruling United National Congress (UNC)
party government and the resignation of a third, reducing Mr. Panday's
parliamentary support in the 36-seat Parliament from 19 to 16.
The three -- Ramesh Maharaj and Trevor Sudama,
who were fired as Attorney General and Food Production Minister respectively,
and Ralph Maraj, who resigned as Information Technology Minister -- quickly
teamed up with the opposition People's National Movement (PNM) of Patrick
Manning and declared their intent to create a new government.
The fallout arose from this political shambles:
the defection-fortified PNM insisted that President Robinson had
the power to appoint a new prime minister;
efforts were begun to unseat the Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Dr. Rupert Griffith, for allegedly breaching the rules of
Parliament by improperly adjourning an uproarious session;
an ongoing acrimonious court battle to have the courts void the
election last December of two UNC members of parliament on the grounds that
their nomination papers were falsified.
Mr. Panday had warned members of the UNC party
Monday to prepare for the likelihood of an election. He acknowledged that the
government's failure last Friday to pass three bills might spell the end.
But when he instructed President Robinson to dissolve parliament to enable the
elections, the president asked him to "stay his advice" pending a
report Mr. Robinson has asked
from the Electoral and Boundaries Commission
(EBC).
Mr. Panday refused the request and the temporary
deadlock was the result.
The independent EBC conducted the last general election on December 11, 2000,
which Mr. Panday's incumbent UNC won.
It recently announced that it would have the
revised electoral register ready by the end of this month and would be in a
position to conduct a snap poll should it be called.
But Mr. Robinson sent a letter to the chairman of the EBC, Oswald Wilson, saying
he would be grateful if he could be provided with a report on the EBC's
preparedness for a new general election and, in particular, the status of the
revised electoral register.
According to one leading constitutional lawyer here, it would be "very
difficult for the president to ignore the prime minister's request for
dissolution of parliament, made in accordance with the constitution, and
particularly with any confirmation of the EBC's capacity to conduct a snap
general election".
The EBC's position is that it requires some five weeks notice to have an
electoral roll ready before a new election.
Antigua School Bus Fire Points to Recent Threats
Antigua -- The Antigua and Barbuda Fire Brigade
is now investigating a mysterious fire last Sunday in a school bus parked inside
a mechanics workshop on the All Saints Road.
The interior of the vehicle was destroyed and
outer sections were badly charred from the intense heat. Mechanics were not on
duty at the time and the compound was vacant.
Arson is believed to be the cause.
Last
week security personnel began seeking to trace the origin of an e-mail that
was sent to a number of media houses just under two weeks ago threatening fire
attacks.
Intelligence
sources say the threatening e-mail warned that a group calling itself
Movement for the Liberation of Antigua (MLA) will begin to burn down government
owned buildings and others, and is calling for the immediate removal of the
Lester Bird Administration.
Security
at government offices and buildings in the country has been tightened.
Antigua Task Force To Study Child Abuse
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua -- Prime
Minister Lester Bird has announced his intention to set up a broad-based
National Task Force on instances of child abuse.
In an
address to the nation on Wednesday, Mr. Bird said the force will be asked to
examine the underlying causes of child abuse in the society, trace the instances
that have encouraged these cases wherever they have occurred and recommend
action to be taken to address the problem.
"The
task force will include social workers, counsellors, psychologists,
educators, religious leaders, and the division of the police force that has to
do with these matters," he said. "I shall also ask the Trade Unions to
nominate appropriate persons from among their ranks, to serve on the task
force".
Mr.
Bird's action comes after the discovery of what is alleged to be a pornography
ring involving minors. The police have charged a number of individuals allegedly
involved.
Patterson, Seaga Call Jamaicans to Prayer
Jamaica --
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson (pictured
right) and Leader of the Opposition,
Edward Seaga, will unite in a National Service tomorrow for the elimination of
violence and the restoration of peace in the country, at the Northern Caribbean
University (NCU) in Mandeville, Manchester.
In
a joint statement this week, Mr. Patterson and Mr. Seaga invited every Jamaican
to join this weekend in their respective churches across the length and breadth
of Jamaica for special prayer services for Peace, National Unity and Justice.
“Our
joint participation as Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition in a National
Service confirms our own personal commitment to the elimination of violence and
the restoration of peace in our land,” the statement said.
Mr.
Patterson and Mr. Seaga concurred that neither economic development nor social
cohesion could take place in the present context of a callous disregard for life
and property and without an equal concern for justice.
Meanwhile, Governor-General, His Excellency the
Most Hon. Sir Howard Cooke, has signed a proclamation for tomorrow and Sunday to
be special days of prayer for peace and unity.
Small Hotels in Grenada To Get $8.9 Million Loan
Grenada, CMC - The Grenada government is
guaranteeing the island's small hotels a loan of US$8.9 million "to
facilitate the revival of these small hotels" through a "collaborative
strategy," according to Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell.
In an address to the nation Wednesday night, Dr. Mitchell said the government
had started a review of current tourism marketing strategies, looking at the
economic implications for Grenada of the September 11 terrorist attacks on the
United States, and "taking into account the new realities of airlift
support, joint marketing and other issues".
"With respect to the Small Hotel Sector," he said, "government
has been working with a group of five hoteliers who have established a joint
marketing and managing company called the Garden Hotel Group of Grenada. To this
end, government has agreed to guarantee a loan of $8.9 million (US) to
facilitate the revival of these small hotels through this collaborative
strategy."
Meanwhile, the government of Grenada continues to promote joint marketing
strategies and other cooperative measures with Caribbean governments to enhance
the regional tourism product, Dr. Mitchell said.
Grenada Suspends Sales of Citizenship
Grenada, CMC - Grenada is suspending a
controversial programme under which citizenship of the country can be bought.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell said the "Economic Citizenship
Programme" had been re-examined against the backdrop of the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks on the United States.
Grenada is among a number of Caribbean countries offering wealthy investors a
chance to buy citizenship. Critics of the programme complain that it opens the
door for even unsavoury characters to become citizens of Caribbean nations.
Dr. Mitchell said the programme will be thoroughly evaluated before its
resumption will be considered.
Grenada Cabinet Ministers Face 10% Pay Cut in 2002
Grenada, CMC - Grenada's cabinet
ministers are taking a pay cut next year.
Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell announced the move in an address to the nation
Wednesday night.
Other measures announced by the Grenada leader
include a reduction in official travel by government ministers; financial aid
for small hotels; debt consolidation; and tightening up on the granting of
concessions to businesses.
Dr. Mitchell said the government's first step would be to establish a National
Economic Council, comprising representatives from government, the banking
community, the trade unions, the private sector and the major productive
sectors, including agriculture, tourism and manufacturing.
Hurricane Iris Kills At Least 15 in Belize
Belize (AP) - Hurricane Iris, the year's most
violent Atlantic storm, killed at least 15 U.S. tourists on a diving boat, wiped
out Belize's banana crop and left 13,000 people homeless before losing strength
over land.
"Belize has greatly suffered once
again," Prime Minister Said Musa said in a radio broadcast Tuesday, a day
after Iris pounded this small Central American nation with 140 mph winds.
Iris barreled into southern Belize on Monday
night, then crossed over Guatemala and destroyed hundreds of houses before
weakening to a tropical depression. The remains of the storm had drifted into
the Pacific Ocean by Tuesday.
In its most deadly act, the storm capsized the MV
Wave Dancer, a yacht carrying 20 divers from the Richmond, Va., area and eight
crew members. Officials said at least 15 divers died when the yacht capsized
after seeking shelter in a small bay. Three divers and five crew members were
rescued and five others were missing.
Vaughan Gill, a spokesman for the prime minister,
said up to 95 percent of the banana crop was devastated While sugar remains
Belize's chief crop, the banana industry is the country's largest employer.
Government officials estimate preliminary losses
at $250 million, he said.
Although there were no other deaths reported and
only a few minor injuries, at least 13,000 people were homeless after Iris
destroyed roofs and smashed homes. More than 80 villages were affected, but most
residents were safe because they had moved into shelters, Gill said.
U.S. Shuts Down Visas For Selected Guyanese
Guyana, CMC - The United States
government has stopped the issuance of non-immigrant visas to some Guyanese
amidst a dispute over acceptance of 141 Guyanese earmarked for deportation from
the U.S., the foreign ministry in Georgetown conceded yesterday.
Initially, the restrictions will affect Guyanese government functionaries,
employees and their immediate family, effective last Wednesday.
The United States wants to deport 141 persons it listed as Guyanese. It warned
it would curtail the issuing of visas unless Guyana accepted the group.
An official Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement
said that last Friday it had informed the U.S. Embassyin Georgetown that
instructions had been given to the relevant Guyanese authorities in the United
States to issue travel documents be issued immediately for the return to Guyana
of 33 Guyanese.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had also advised
the U.S. Embassy that the Government of Guyana was continuing the verification
process for the remaining names on the list of would-be deportees, but that that
part of the process could take about five months to be completed.
Nine Barbudans Arrested After Airstrip is Blocked
Antigua, CMC - Nine Barbudans were arrested on Wednesday as the island's
main airstrip was forced to close, after two pieces of heavy-duty equipment were
placed on the runway by disgruntled members of the Barbuda Council.
The action stems from a worsening dispute between the Barbuda Council and the
central government-sanctioned Barbuda Investment Development Agency (BIDA) which
has turned ugly.
Lincoln Burton and Tyrone Beazer, who are elected members of the Council, along
with workers Francine Henry, Ira Charles, Eudelle John, Tyrone Joseph, Vernon
Joseph, Conroy Webber, George Jeffery were taken in police custody.
They were brought to Antigua to face charges before a St. John's magistrate.
The BIDA is undertaking a housing project that is opposed by the Council because
the Venezuelan developers - MC Kit Engineering Ltd. - did not get its approval.
Saba Plans Long Look
At Re-entry Permits
THE BOTTOM, Saba
(SGIS) - The Immigration Service will conduct an evaluation of the
re-entry permit system between October 15 and January 15, 2002, Lt.
Governor/Chief of Police Antoine Solagnier, told the Saba Government Information
Service (SGIS) last week.
The re-entry permit was the main topic of
discussion at a tripartite meeting of law enforcement officials convened by Lt.
Governor/Chief of Police Solagnier on Thursday.
Mr. Solagnier
told SGIS the evaluation will
determine whether the re-entry process is efficient or if changes need to be
made.
Foreign residents have to request a Netherlands
Antilles re-entry permit before traveling outside of the Dutch Antilles. A
fee of Naf.10 is charged and the applicant receives a stamp in return. The
stamp must be purchased at the Federal Receiver's Office at the Government
Administration Building.
The tripartite meeting brought together Lt.
Governor Solagnier, Acting Public Prosecutor Franklin Wilson and Police
Inspector W. Victoria.
OECS Training Begins for Telecom Regulators
Thirty-six participants from the
Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) began training this week in regulating a competitive
Telecommunications sector.
The training programme, which runs from Tuesday, October 9th, to
Friday, December 14th, is being undertaken by the International
Telecommunications Union (ITU) and ECTEL (the Eastern Caribbean
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority).
Regulators are expected to play a key role in ensuring a level playing field for
all competitors in the new liberalized telecommunications environment.
The three-month training course will look at telecommunications regulation,
market access, inter-connection, and regulation of the radio frequency spectrum.
The course will be delivered via the Internet from the ITU Virtual Training
Centre.
ECTEL Board Members will be among the participants.
Classes at Mona Campus Back After Brief Protest
Jamaica, CMC - Activities at the
University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in Jamaica returned to normal
Tuesday following a meeting between management, the Guild of Students and police
late Monday.
Students at the institution forced a suspension of classes Monday as they
demonstrated against the lack of security on the campus. They blocked all five
entrances to the facility, complaining that incidents of crime had increased
there over the past few weeks.
They cited rape, robbery and attempted murder against students as their main
grievance.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Rex Nettleford, Principal Professor Kenneth Hall and
representatives of the Mona management team met with members of the Council of
the Guild of Students to hear their concerns about the state of security on the
campus.
After consideration of the proposals, it was agreed that several measures should
be implemented immediately. They include all members of the university community
being required to show their identification cards in order to access the campus
and its facilities.
In addition, the security providers will be required to properly check all
identification cards before authorising entry. There will also be controlled
access to all gates, including the pedestrian gates, as well as a more effective
presence of police on the campus.
By
Peter Adrien
What do we have
here? Is it an anticlimax? Is it a foretaste of the Heroes’ Weekend Finals?
Could it be that the stage is being prepared for the Second Coming of the
vintage Brian Lara? Many cricket fans are somewhat disappointed that Guyana will
not clash with Jamaica in the Red Stripe Bowl Finals this Sunday at the Kaiser
Sport Club.
Yes indeed! The
stage seems set for cricket, lovely cricket! The audience could have a
“final” before the Finals. The spectators could witness a major upset, with
the Barbadian group of experienced “have beens" running away with the
championship Bowl. The fans could have another memorable and breath-taking
performance (a lesson in performing arts by the artistic world-class champion
batsman) by Brian Charles Lara on the Kaiser stage.
The turn of
events was triggered by the disappointing performance of Jamaica in their last
preliminary match against Trinidad and Tobago on October 7, at the Sabina Park.
Some journalists prefer to say that the change of events was orchestrated by the
mature performance of Trinidad and Tobago in the decisive match.
Jamaica, by
virtue of a number of strategic and tactical flaws, were outplayed, outfoxed,
“out-thought.” “outsmarted,” “outcast” by a matured and well-manned
Trinidad team including one of the best thinkers in the game, Brian Lara. The
Jamaicans, possibly self-destructed by the knowledge that they had already made
it to the semi-finals, chose to rest their champion batsman, Christopher Gayle,
changed their batting order, reshuffled their batters, altered their bowling
line-up and batted in a limited-overs game like clown commanding fools in “the
face of the heckling Jamaican fans.” And they paid dearly for their folly.
Now the
uncertainly looms that they may not make it into the Heroes’ Weekend Final
(the underlying motive of the corporate sponsors and the then High Command of
the WICB) coming up against Guyana’s formidable
batting lineup -- the tournament's most complete team in this year’s
competition in the first semi-final on October 11.
Having scored 194
in 35 overs, Trinidad and Tobago restricted Jamaica to 101 runs off 34 overs to
win the last of their preliminary matches by 93 runs. Since losing the game to
Trinidad, Jamaica forfeited the (assumed easier) opportunity to play the runners
up (Barbados) in Zone B. But who knows? Maybe the die is cast in their favour.
Remember, cricket lovely cricket. Any good team could win on any given day.
Don’t forget the Barbados team includes some very experienced former Test
playas. And they could bring their collective experience to bear on any contest
and defeat the toughest opponent.
The Jamaican
cricketers are shaking in their boots, and their two million supporters are
afraid, not like the millions Americans who are afraid even to board a plane.
But they are panic-stricken. And
they have a right to be concerned.
The Jamaicans
will need all their resolve; all their skills; all their guts; all their
talents; all their home-town support; all their divine interventions; all their
voodoo and pocomania; all their shango and obeah; all their witchcraft and
mysticism; and all their luck and chances to overcome the mighty Guyanese even
on familiar territory.
Guyana, whom I
gave the best chances of winning this year’s tournament, boasts the most
complete team in the regional competition. There is balance between youth and
experience, and batters and bowlers. There is a balance between Africans and
Indians and aggression and calmness. This is what the combination of Carl
Hooper, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Sewnarine Chattergoon, Colin
Stuart, Reon King, Mahendra Nagamootoo Neil McGarrell presents to any
opposition. And on any good day, all things equal, they could beat any team in
the region.
As we go to
press, the battle for supremacy in the semi-finals would be on. But by the time
most of my readership see this column, the Red Stripe Bowl Finals will be on
Sunday. And that contest seems set to be the stage for a great upset.
Trinidad could
turn the table. Who knows whether this weekend is not Lara’s weekend? Could
this be his Second Coming? Could Lara, like Carl Hooper, transform at 32, and
show some of the excellence of the former years? Sir Everton Weekes noted that
if Hooper could transmogrify, Lara could. You would remember Carl Hooper has
shown how a cricketing career can be turned around, even in the mid 30s.
Lara himself was
seldom at ease in the West Indies team. His commitment was questionable. On that
troubled 1995 tour, he complained of "frustration and mental and physical
tiredness." He was a troubled soul.
Lara is no longer
frustrated or mentally tired. He seemed to have regained his desire. And having
relinquished the Captaincy and given the power struggle for it, he could give
himself fully to the business of batting like his friend Sachin Tendulkar. We
made our judgement on the previous Hooper. The new Hooper has proven that
judgement premature and hasty.
Lara, like Hooper, could take
control of the weekend finals and re-establish himself in the minds of his
Caribbean people.
Well, Trinidad
takes on Barbados in the second semi-finals today, and he would need to stamp
his authority from there, if he desires to take centre stage at Kaiser.
Whatever the
twists and turns, we are definitely in for treat this weekend. And I like it.
Cricket, lovely
cricket.
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
PHOTO
CAPTION:
Will Captain Carl Hooper hoist the Red
Stripe Bowl? (Photo: Peter Adrien)
By Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell
(Agricultural Development Officer)
“EAT
FROM THE LAND, NOT FROM THE CAN”
Week ending
Friday 12th October 2001
Irrigation
for Backyard Gardeners
The Irrigation Project provides a tailormade
system for Backyard Farmers. Roof
collection systems are available to backyard producers.
Type
of System
Guttering will be
provided to collect rainwater from roofs. The water is stored in tanks, with tubing attached to take it
onto farm plots
Irrigation
Water is Cheaper
Roof collection
systems will reduce backyard producers' dependence on the mains water supply for
the irrigation of their crops. Using water from the mains is expensive; water bills are
often increased by over 100 percent in some cases.
What is Your Contribution?
Backyard producers
will have to pay 50 percent of the materials cost of the Roof Collection System
and tank. The materials cost of a
roof collection system is approximately EC$1,000.
Participants will
therefore be required to contribute EC$500 plus the cost of installation.
Criteria
for Inclusion
To be included you
must satisfy the following criteria
How
can you be included?
Contact the Department
of Agriculture on telephone numbers 491-2546 or
491-2075.
Salute to H.W. Bramble
Our first-time CM had no guide;
The leader was forced to decide,
'When I know where we stand
'I won't go hat in hand,
'The British won't turn me aside.'
The Washing of Hands
HE insists Brits had no voice,
That Geralds was GOM's choice,
But John Osborne says he
Was told lose or agree,
And still they expect we'll rejoice.
Jus wonderin since the MP stop goin to Look Out if things get better on the home scene.
Jus wonderin if there is a competition among de man dem to see who reach hell first.
Jus wonderin why the men walking with toilet tissue in they pocket these days.
Jus wonderin if wives have clandestine affairs and get pregnant if they should still go to the minister when the husbands cheat.
Jus wonderin if you try to be the first to pick up every new woman in the country what that make you.
Jus wonderin if the wives/women need sympathy why they look so miserable.
Jus wonderin who the baby would o look lek, Johnny Mac Brown?
Jus wonderin when this vicious cycle will stop.
Jus wonderin if Jus wonderin is being used to
express bitterness and hatred.
Jus wonderin if what the X speaker say is true.
Jus wonderin if hatred affects the hater more
than the hated.
Jus wonderin if the Delta head man believes
living in what looks like a ‘shack’ is Montserratians’ greatest ambition.
Jus wonderin how come dey no lock up de man wey
bus de other man head, or a de man
wey head burst a get lock up.
Jus wonderin why everything go up sky high.
Jus wonderin when de governor a go tek care of de
homeless pan Montserrat who wander de street.
Jus wonderin what/who de slim, sexy, out of shape
wha dey all have in common.
Jus wonderin wha mek a certain woman run from
clothes to food.
Jus wonderin one time we hab kattle and jackass
and now we hab worm and caterpillar, wey dem come from.
Jus wonderin if now no stadium and sport complex
at Geralds when de GOM a go ge awe one track and field stadium.
Jus wonderin if DFID and dem think we forget that
the temporary grass strip was going to be part of a sports complex at Geralds.
Jus wonderin if red cross,give woman too, since
me hear dem give everything else.
Jus wonderin if good times came back from England
with de plenty love and money man.
Jus wonderin if a go be de ‘devel lady’ to
back up de tales about the ex this time from de Clear Shot.
Jus wonderin if de war wan sided and if it will
eat off terrorism and its masters.
Jus wonderin what our country have to say about
de effects of the terrorism actions.
Jus wonderin if the situation with the speaker in
Trinidad is anything in common with Montserrat.
Jus wonderin if the Governor thinking that he
understand the Montserrat story yet or he missing de boat already.
Jus wonderin if any bady really paid attention to
what Man fan Baker Hill min really a say.
Jus wonderin if gansterism being practiced
anywhere in Montserrat.
OBITUARY OF BEVERLY FREUND HARRIS
Beverly Freund Harris, 73, of Montserrat, W.I. died peacefully on 27 September
2001 at her brother's house in San Antonio, TX, USA. She was cremated and
a memorial service was held at Austin Memorial Cemetery on October 2.
Beverly was an entrepreneur and self-starter, having begun a nursery school,
worked as an independent clothing representative, and owned the Etcetera Shoppe
boutique and coffee shop on the island of
Montserrat, where she was a member of the Chamber of Commerce.
She enjoyed cooking, entertaining, golf, tennis, and the beach.
She was born 5 March 1928 in New Orleans,
LA, USA to Andrew and Edna Freund, who preceded her in death. She is
survived by her first husband Richard B. Dunkle; with whom she had three
children: Suzan Cloud of VA, John Dunkle of CO, and Luanne Dwyer of FL;
ten grandchildren; her second husband James L. Harris of FL; a
brother John Freund of TX; and a brother Robert Freund of TX. Her sister
Virginia Hill preceded her in death.
Contributions may
be made to the St. Augustine School in
Montserrat.
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