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Golden Ones Are Out, But Here's Our Own White Elephant

By Bennette Roach

'Temporary' Government Headquarters still unoccupied

This project is being referred to as a 'White (Green) Elephant'. It was supposed to be completed by the end of last year, then again, by the middle of March. On January 30, 1998, the Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt, at a groundbreaking ceremony, turned the first shovel of concrete into the prepared foundation after officially declaring the construction site open.

Mr Leo Bedford, manager of the construction company, described the project as, "yet another project, funded by DFID, managed by Brown & Root and most importantly implemented by the men and women of Montserrat."

The site was described as consisting of three acres, "which has already undergone the earthworks."

At the ceremony Bedford said that the work is to produce, "11 separate buildings using 100 prefabricated Porta-cabin units to house the majority of the government offices." These, he said, will come complete with "major utilities of water, electricity, bathrooms, lunchrooms, communications and everything required for proper government."

The Brown & Root manager at the time also said: "The challenge is to deliver a quality product in a fast track program within the constraints that we are very much aware of on the island at present, to be finished by the middle of March."

It is now past the middle of the seventh month since the middle of March and ministers and civil servants are still all in rented quarters scattered up and down, from Olveston to Lookout. And there is nbow a promise from Mr. Mike Dodd, new manager of Brown & Root, to finally hand over the buildings by mid-November.

In an exclusive interview with The Reporter, the manager said that his seven weeks on the island had been pleasant so far. He described the work being done by his company as having a "strong humanitarian aspect to it, once one's aware of it."

He did not think that one can entirely remove the conflict structure from the nature of the work, referring to the discussions and agreements that followed with local contractors carrying out the various works under their supervision.

Responding to the question of delay in handing over the temporary government headquarters buildings, Dodd said, "The structures are finished but we are unable to get people to move into them because there are leaks in the roof."

Dodd continued on the gravity of this new problem. "We've repaired the leaks after the exceptionally heavy rain (Hurricane Georges), but the Physical Planning Unit (PPU) is saying that we cannot move in until they're satisfied," he said. He added that at the time they (Brown & Root) were "researching what materials are available, either in the islands, America or the U.K., to get the buildings leakproof and getting it to a point where the government of Montserrat has a building, which is of paramount importance."

Mr. Dodd conceded that there were some damages from the hurricane, but didn't think the leaks were attributed to that. He said: "We are seeing some cracking in the sheeting…which goes over the roof and which is meant to be waterproof."

Amidst this delay, officials at the PPU have confirmed the problems, while the electrical division is saying that the roof is leaking with water accumulating in the light fixtures and the electrical wiring in the ceiling, which presents a safety hazard. The senior electrical inspector is adamant that until he is satisfied that the problem is resolved he will be unable to approve the safeness of electrical power to the buildings.

Long before the buildings had reached the completion stage, top civil servants had been expressing reluctance and disinterest in occupying the buildings, referring to them as 'storerooms'.

The comment that is rampant among everyone is the cost of the buildings, which originally began at £750,000 and currently is approximately EC$3.375 million, which could have built excellent permanent concrete structures. Comparisons are made with the cost of the Golden Years Home, which cost EC$1.7 million, and the entire school projects, from Salem Primary to Lookout, which total a maximum of EC$5.8 million.

Also, when compared to other Porta-cabin structures on the island, which come carpeted and with kitchen and toilet facilities, these buildings are like "chalk and cheese." Mentioned is the fact that much of the work on the compound had been gone over several times and at considerable expense

In addition, the cost of renting government quarters since March, at $165,000 per month, is making nonsense of the plan which is said to have been effected because of the urgency of the requirement for the buildings. In fact, counter to statements by top government officials and other concerned parties that requests were made for permanent structures rather than temporary, DFId head in Montserrat, Doug Houston, said yesterday that there was insistence as far back as 1996 by the Government on temporary structures; the intention being to put permanent structures on government-owned lands at Little Bay when the capital city was developed and in keeping with the physical planning which was already taking place.

Again, top sources in the government say that the problem was that when they were invited into the discussions about the construction of the buildings, the buildings were already on the high seas.

At the ground-breaking ceremony, Mr. Peter O'Niel, representing DFID, had said, "It seems a long time since this project has been approved, but as with most construction projects of this type, the length of the project is more concerned with the identification of location and purchase of land."

However, Brown & Root, the supervising contractors and an international construction firm, concedes through its local manager that in hindsight, now that the problems have developed, it would have been better to build permanent structures. But, he said, the idea at the time was to have buildings in a reasonably quick time as an emergency measure.

Mr. Brandt had said he would strive to see that this was the last temporary accommodation of this scale to be put down in Montserrat. Mr. O'Neil said he hoped that the momentum of this project and other engineering projects coming on stream -- the water project, the new pipeline from St. Peter's to Dick Hill, the strengthening of the electricity distribution network, the eagerly awaited hot mix plant -- "would keep us busy within the few coming months, when these visible schemes will encourage us into participating in the building of a new Montserrat, the new island in the sun."

Yet, in the final analysis as the buildings are becoming more scorned and laughed at by its would-be occupants and others, it comes down to the fact that the funding is reportedly coming out of the £75 million that has been pledged to Montserrat

Which again raises the question posed last week in Jus Wonderin whether Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development, is willing to accept white elephants such as this one while denouncing golden ones.

Four Months Later, LPG Frustrations Remain Unrelieved

By Bennette Roach

On June 12, the Reporter carried, under the title New Bulk-Fill LPG Terminal Promised Soon at Carrs Bay, the story of the problems encountered by residents of Montserrat in obtaining LPG (propane/cooking gas).

The comments coming from persons tired and frustrated at their inability to obtain the commodity, often after making several trips to the delivery site in Little Bay, have not changed. We had reported one person as saying: " ‘Montserratians are being reduced to dirt under this propane situation,’ a woman commented. ‘There are people who have come here five times and have not gotten one tank of gas. Is this what Montserrat is all about?’ "

Today there are similar comments as residents crowd the new delivery location, time and time again, to be turned away for one reason or the other without cooking gas.

As reported back in June, the shortage of LPG gas has been long-standing. The system for delivering the scarce commodity still seems wanting.

Mr. Frankie Michael, permanent secretary and director of the Emergency Management Department, which continues to handle the supply and distribution of petroleum on the island, said on Tuesday: "We have a shortage of storage capacity on the island, and provided the vessels are able to come in with the product weekly and dock, then we don't have the same kind of problem that just developed recently."

Mr. Michael said the most recent problem developed because the vessels could not discharge the cargo on schedule because of rough seas. That answers the question of the inability of building reserves and the head man says, that while he understands people's frustration, "one of the points that we sometimes overlook is that Montserrat has lost a lot of its critical infrastructure during this volcanic crisis and facilities that you would have taken for granted at Port Plymouth, you can't take them for granted at the emergency jetty."

I visited the scene on Monday this week. There were long lines of people with 20-pound tanks, along with those whose names were called to pick up 100-pound tanks of propane. There was a long line of vehicles starting at the top of the hill at Little Bay, punctuated with a line of propane gas-seekers, who were climbing up on each other to get the attention of the lone attendant.

The disgust was loud and the long faces were apprehensive. Many of those waiting said that they have continually been taking time off from work to pursue what for many would be another disappointing day as the lone attendant-woman suddenly left, reportedly having other business to attend to. It was later reported that she ran out of receipts and could no longer serve the waiting crowd. One hopeful purchaser said: "Is only one woman they have inside there, always one person."

People were requested to return the following day, which turned out to be even worse than the previous one, in that they closed soon, saying there was no more gas.

The frustration is that this matter, which has been going on practically all year, is now reaching heights that are surprising observers. Since May, a police checkpoint was placed at the road entrance to the site to control the number of people trying to obtain gas at the beginning of each week.

Mr. Michael expresses concern over the frustration that people feel and said also on Tuesday: "There has been an unexpected delay in upgrading the Carr's Bay facility, so even though the concepts and plans were put in place, it has taken an inordinately long time for these plans to reach the stage of implementation." This is a matter that he said he would rather the Chief Minister should comment on.

Mr. Michael thought that cost would be a factor in trying to speed up the service to people trying to purchase cooking gas by placing more than one person at the purchasing station. He said there is a team involved in the delivery. Several persons, commenting on the problem, said it cost them more to try to obtain the gas themselves from Little Bay than paying someone to have it delivered to them.

But the problem has not only been the LPG. Two weeks ago the island was completely out of petrol, with many persons getting caught short for a whole week. There again, the PS says, the problem is one of storage.

While diesel storage presents no problem, Mr. Michael said: "Above ground storage of gasoline is not recommended, so that is why the gasoline tanks were not put in the same time the diesel tanks were put in."

He says that plans call for upgrading the storage capacity by installing a ship-to-shore line, which would increase the amount of petrol that can be stored.

One fisherman was charged for damage to property, as he allegedly broke the pump at the petrol station in disgust when he believed he was being denied petrol in his containers so he can go fishing. Words were being exchanged between himself and the station attendant when the pump in his filled tank clipped off. He reacted, believing the pump was being shut off on him, and in the end he was charged by police.

Psychiatric and psychology experts are saying that more concern should be paid to the treatment of the public, as the stress resulting from the crisis will manifest itself more easily than normal. Much surprise is expressed that the fuel situation has not resulted in more heated behaviour by the public.

Meanwhile, as residents blame the government for incompetence in not ending the fuel crisis, Minister Rupert Weekes, acting for the Chief Minister during his absence from the island, said that the main problem is one of storage.

"Government has recognised the problem and we have been trying for sometime to purchase tanks and today (Thursday), following confirmation from Delta, we are removing two tanks from the Delta station at Lover's Lane to be placed at Carr's Bay for the storage of LPG. We have been trying to obtain these tanks for over six months now and this comes just as we were about to move to requisitioning these tanks," Minister Weekes said yesterday.

The minister feels that there is an unfair blame being placed on government, since they have no direct responsibility for the supply and delivery. However, he said that the government is holding meetings to move in a new direction: "by privatising the supply of petrol and LPG." The minister hoped that there will be persons willing to undertake this delivery and such persons should quickly contact government.

"Our Patience and Resilience Stretch, but They May Snap"

It might be, as we move back southwards in the reclamation of our lands and homes, that all of us, and particularly some powers that be, while moving out of the "emergency mode," think that we are moving back to normal times.

This is not to say that there is an unawareness of the situation that Montserratians all over continue to face as a result of a crisis that developed beginning on July 18, 1995.

Midway into the crisis, stress workshops were continually being organised, as were other socially oriented workshops, all designed for helping people deal with the crisis.

The list of stressful matters, though varying from person to person, must be very long. It should not, therefore, be surprising when people, whether in groups or individually, behave in a manner that seems unusual or unbecoming.

Certainly none of us has to look very far to see such behaviour, since this volcanic crisis has left none of us untouched to varying degrees.

What becomes damning is when those in certain positions of trust and authority conduct themselves and their businesses or offices in ways that increase the stress and tension, which already are high for the masses or the less fortunate, thus lessening their chances of healing their already wounded lives.

One matter easily comes to mind, that being the cooking gas and petrol crisis that continues to be a burden for every single one of us. While the problems reportedly faced by the department responsible for this continuing burden seem indisputable, the methods used to carry out this service may well be disputed. More concern for the postponements and delays that seemingly unimportant people have patiently to endure could most certainly improve the overall delivery of the service.

This saying seems so true; that we seem to have on Montserrat a Michael's Law that is the Caribbean equivalent to Murphy's Law, only here, if anything doesn't go wrong on its own, there seems to be someone available to make sure that it does.

Then there is that other problem of the solid and liquid waste that is being dumped at Little Bay. The lady Minister returned from her vacation to find that she can express her joy at announcing the end of the dump at Little Bay. She reported that solid waste was being moved to the new remote dump site; then she said that new solid waste would temporarily be dumped at Little Bay until work is completed at the new site. Why? Is this off with the old but back in with the new? And, are they planning to continue spraying untreated sewage into open pits at Little Bay rather than at a more remote site?

Previous reports in The Reporter will show how long ago we have been promised early solutions to both the Little Bay dump site and the failure to provide cooking gas on a regular and stress-free basis to the "unimportant people" who need it most desperately. Isn't it a wonder that we haven't had a rebellion?

Whatever we do, we hold the added responsibility of recognizing that we have all been through some quite traumatic experiences, which will take a long time to heal. We must be careful not to drive each other to such levels that cause our resilience, so often referred to, to break.

DUTY CALLS, EVEN ON DISCOUNT ITEMS

Dear Editor,

In a land where the truth shall set one free, we still have yet to pay the price. Over the weekend (October 16, 1998) I was a victim of import duties on commodities I brought from a neighbouring island. I had made up my mind to pay whatever import duties and taxes were imposed. But what I failed to comprehend is the fact that I got these commodities at a discount rate and was charged import duties on original price. OK, I had the feeling the customs officers may not have taken my words as gospel, so I brought along original invoices of the merchants from whom I purchased the goods to prove that I got a discount of the products. But alas! It does not work so. I needed further proof to show what the discount is for. I mean that is downright ridiculous!! I am not going to ask a merchant why he is giving me a discount on his product and especially since I know a bargain when I see one.

So, I got the products discounted -- showed my invoices along with original price, discounted price and what I paid for them, and yet I am slammed with the duties and taxes of the original price. That is grossly unfair and such a law should be eradicated immediately. I, along with others, should not be made to suffer this injustice.

I do not blame the customs officers, for I know they are doing their job as they see fit. In the same instance, I would do mine and no one should have the right to question my job as I am instructed to do.

My grievance lies within the Finance Department of the government service. I am peeved with this type of treatment received by Montserratians and others returning home, whether regionally or internationally, who may have decided or will be deciding to bring back home personal goods, whether acquired over a period of years or a new product they have acquired through a discount purchase.

Are we to sit back and grumble? Or do we fight for the right to bring in our commodities. Although we know we have to pay our duties and taxes, we should not be made to suffer the penalty of injustice?

Ronald O Barzey

The Reporter on Web Helps a Montserratian

Dear Mr. Editor:

Thank you so much for your informative on-line newspaper, which is very beneficial for Montserratians like myself who now live abroad. I came upon your Web page while surfing the net. Though I communicate with my relatives who still reside on the island, we're still not able to cover all the bases due to limited time, money factor, etc. Your newspaper then keeps me up to date on the nitty-gritty details, so to speak. I commend you and your team for doing a good job and pray that Yahweh will grant you continued success.

Sincerely,

Teressa Farrell-Fray

Hugo Was the Measure Of Tests, Not Georges

Dear Mr. Editor,

I only managed to get a copy of The Reporter this weekend and I read there an article in which the Governor is claiming that the Brown & Root houses in Davy Hill withstood the test. Could someone please tell me what test was he referring to? Was it a test of how weak Georges was when compared to Hugo? Well, I can see it that way, but to imply that Georges was a measure of the wrath that mother nature can throw our way is like using a cattle scale to weigh a rat.

Let us make a few comparisons.

What was the damage that Georges did compared with Hugo?

How long did it take MONLEC, MWA, Cable TV and Cable & Wireless to restore their services after Georges, and how long did it take to do so after Hugo?

Need I ask any more questions? Perhaps it is that this is the first hurricane that our beloved Governor has been through. Perhaps he needs to have a chat with former Governor Turner to get a true picture of what we Montserratians know of hurricanes.

But with all of that, I am still thankful to God that Montserrat was spared yet again. If anyone has any doubts, look back to when Luis had us lined up for a slap, and how he turned north four hours before passing us.

Sincerely,

Darren Roache.

Salem Park Project Eyes Derelict Cars

Following reports that the Government of Montserrat's sports department, the Salem community and other sporting bodies on the island are working to improve Salem Park, the Honourable Reuben Meade, Central representative, is seeking assistance to further develop the idea. In a release he wrote:

"I am seeking some expert advice from those of this group who are able to provide some. I know that we have been having discussions on the best ways of disposing of our derelict vehicles in Montserrat.

"The Salem Community Trust, along with the Montserrat Umpires Association, the Montserrat Cricket Association, the Football Association and the Sport Department are in the process of expanding and improving the Salem Park - Playing field. Part of this initiative involves the building up of some land being donated to the community at the southern end of the Park - 40 feet. The difference in elevation between the park and the new land is approximately 15 to 20 feet in height. We are proposing to fill part of this elevation difference with gutted/cleaned derelict vehicles - i.e., drained of oil and such fluids.

"The vehicles will form part of the fill and then be covered with approximately 5-10 feet of soil, boulders and the like. We will be at least be in a position to dispose of at least 75 derelict vehicles in this manner and clean up the eyesore around the island. This effort is strictly voluntary and community based. The park upgrade itself is a very large project, which will require funding.

"To date we have sourced part of the additional land - the southern end. We expect a similar donation of land to the western end of the grounds. The northern and eastern ends have already been fenced and a gate is to be erected shortly. "Our proposal is to have the grounds available for fun, games and exercise for the entire Montserrat community. We also expect that it will become a venue for regional cricket as well. The pavilion has to be completed, the shelter buildings to be cleared and be used in the future as accommodation for visiting teams and community events, stands to be erected and clearly the landscaping to be done.

"On Saturday next (tomorrow) we will be digging up the wire grass from the field. All those who are able kindly volunteer to help - those on island, of course.

"We start at about 8 am. We expect to have refreshments.

"Thanks in advance for your comments, especially about the disposal of derelict vehicles in the manner proposed."

Neville Dublin Receives Prestigious C&W Award

Montserrat ¾ Neville Dublin, Interim General Manager of Cable & Wireless Montserrat, has been awarded the prestigious Cable & Wireless Chief Executive Award.
The award salutes the winner’s efficiency, identity, customer focus, performance drive and respect for the individual, the key characteristics of Cable & Wireless.

Mr. Dublin has been recognised for his foresight in moving equipment and employees to the Northern side of the island, during a period when most people were evacuating Montserrat. In1998, the island’s population decreased to slightly more than 4,000.

Despite this exodus, Mr. Dublin still achieved his targets, enabling Cable & Wireless to continue offering services throughout the crisis and further to maintain high staff morale under very trying circumstances.

Eloise Irish, Customer Services, Montserrat, said of the award:

"Neville has demonstrated effective leadership skills as he combines his openness with insight and direction. He is always willing to participate where contributions and rewards are shared. His motivation and dynamic force ensures all employees attain consistent self-developing and cross-functional training. His managerial skills exemplify our recent success in CSI and his Chief Executive award."

Montserrat achieved first place ranking in the Caribbean in the Cable & Wireless Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) survey, which measures the satisfaction levels of their customers.

Dr. Howard Fergus, Acting Governor of Montserrat and Resident Tutor of the Extramural Department of the University of he West Indies, applauded Mr. Dublin for his meritorious service and hailed his achievement on behalf of the people of Montserrat and of the University of the West Indies, "Our people are eternally grateful for the skilful manner in which you led and galvanised your staff to ensure that the island’s critical telecommunications needs were met in the face of an unprecedented crisis," Dr. Fergus said. "Putting on my University hat, I further congratulate you for timely assistance to and cooperation with the University, thereby giving a greater luster to the corporate image of your company as far as we are concerned."

In a ceremony held in Antigua 23^rd October, managing director Nick Koumaranios and regional chief executive Carl Grivner presented presented Mr. Dublin with a silver commemorative dish engraved with "Chief Executive’s Award 1998."

CM Brandt in New York

Chief Minister David Brandt is in New York to attend the 10th Annual Sunshine Awards this Saturday where there will be a special tribute to Montserrat.
The black tie, Grammy style event begins at 6:00pm with a private cocktail reception and live steelband music. The presentation of awards and live show begin 8:00pm.
The Sunshine Awards was founded in 1989 by Gilman T. Figaro, Sr. "to recognize and pay tribute to the creators, performers and promoters of Caribbean music."
As part of the program this year, the United Nations singers will perform, Song For Montserrat, a song that was written and produced by Figaro, and Joe Brown of Trinidad and Tobago to help raise funds for Montserrat.
The Sunshine awards reports on its website that: "One hundred and nineteen artists from the entire Caribbean (including Puerto Rico), the United States and Canada contributed to the project by performing on the 138 line track.
"Among the artists are the Mighty Sparrow, David Rudder, Chalkdust, Calypso Rose, Second Imij, Mystic Prowler, Gypsy, Denyse Plummer, Sugar Aloes (Trinidad and Tobago), Arrow (Montserrat), Rita Marley, Carlene Davis, Junior Tucker, Ambelique, (Jamaica), Swallow, Onyan (Antigua), Jaunty (St. Lucia), Mac Fingal, Gabby, Red Plastic Bag (Barbados), Beckette (St. Vincent) and Ajamu (Grenada), Miguel Bassail (Puerto Rico).
Song For Montserrat is on CD, and distribution arrangements are being finalized. The proceeds from its sale are expected to benefit Montserrat.
"I look forward to attending the awards," said Chief Minister Brandt. "Throughout this whole ordeal with the volcano artists everywhere have proven themselves to be thoughtful and kind and as a result have brought us much comfort. I¹m honoured to represent Montserrat and thank the organizers, the UN and every single artist for all they are doing."
The Song For Montserrat project is called "Family In Action For Montserrat" and has been endorsed by the UN. Producer Gil Figaro said: "Their involvement will definitely help to enhance global awareness because many people are still unaware of the situation in Montserrat."
Another key figure behind the project is Tom Hill, Air Jamaica's General Manager for the Eastern Caribbean, who conceived the idea for "Family In Action For Montserrat". He said, "we hoped we could generate the support of 25-35 artists and companies. What has happened is absolutely incredible. The out-pouring of love and support for the project shows me that the people of the Caribbean are united in their effort to help one another. Now the world wants to get more involved and I think that is just great. I couldn't ask for anything more."

AIRCRAFTS FLYING AGAIN

Antigua, CANA - Aircraft are again flying in and out of Antigua's V.C. Bird Airport after a firefighters strike shut it down for some hours yesterday. The work stoppage reportedly resulted from flooding of the building housing firemen. The roof of that structure was damaged during the passage of Hurricane Georges last month.

Bufton acquitted in Antigua

Antigua, CANA - A 72-year-old Welshman, Cyril "Taffy" Bufton, is now a free man after being acquitted Monday of attempted murder in connection with shooting Vere Bird Jr, brother of Prime Minister Lester Bird last year. Bird Jr, Bufton's long-time lawyer, was shot in the mouth. The politically-sensitive case attracted national interest partly because of its links to a controversial US$300 million dollars tourism development project to be built on a small island on Antigua's coast that Bufton and his wife had been caretakers of for more than 30 years.

EU Again Under Fire In Epic Banana Case

GENEVA, (Reuters) - The European Union's moves to reform its banana import regime came under fire as inadequate on Wednesday, but the U.S. delegation stopped short of demanding creation of a new dispute settlement panel, officials said.

EU envoy Roderick Abbott, saying it was up to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and not the U.S. government to judge EU compliance with panel rulings, accused the U.S. administration of unfairly considering unilateral retaliation.

He declared that the 15-member bloc was within its timetable for reforming its banana regime by January 1, 1999.

U.S. ambassador Rita Hayes vowed that Washington would respond by suspending trade concessions from next January if the EU continued its "total disregard" for WTO banana rulings.

"We feel the EU banana reform is every bit as WTO-inconsistent as the underlying regime which panels found to violate a series of articles," she told reporters after the WTO dispute settlement body meeting. "The issue is non-compliance."

"Anytime the EU is ready to sit down and be serious we would be ready to sit down and negotiate," she added. "Hopefully those negotiations will be sooner rather than later."

Five Latin American countries -- Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Panama -- made a joint statement with the United States criticising EU reform measures as insufficient. They urged the EU to "wipe the slate clean" and hold new talks.

Ecuador expressed "serious doubts" that the EU would comply, with only two months to go before the deadline. It felt that "discrimination will continue" and feared a "costly and long nightmare." Honduras had doubts about the effectiveness of the dispute settlement system.

Japan and Australia also took the floor to voice concerns.

In its latest ruling in September 1997, the WTO appellate body ruled in favour of the United States and a group of Latin American nations who complained that the EU policy discriminated against their marketing companies and producers in favour of Caribbean growers. The row has dragged on for some 12 years.

Abbott criticised a U.S. administration letter to Congress which assured lawmakers it would take "all necessary action" to ensure timely compliance by the EU with WTO rulings.

Abbott said the White House letter appeared to commit the U.S. administration to "WTO-illegal, unilateral retaliation" against the 15-member Community.

"This is completely unacceptable. The whole point is to get away from unilateralism," Abbott told reporters.

"If that is the way the Americans are going, there is going to be a major explosion," he added.

Asked to clarify "major explosion," Abbott replied: "I am not suggesting anything specific except we will react very strongly...They (U.S. officials) should now make another attempt before we get into the explosive situation I referred to."

Abbott also disclosed that he expected the Commission to decide next week on a banana licensing system. A draft was being circulated and had emerged from the management committee.

"There will be a formal decision next week. It comes in the form of a regulation," he said, declining to give details.

Fidel Castro Says He Sent Spies to U.S.

MIAMI (Reuters) - Cuban President Fidel Castro acknowledged in an interview aired by CNN on Tuesday that he sent spies to the United States to infiltrate exile groups opposed to his Communist government, but denied spying on the U.S. military.

Castro told CNN that his prime concern was gathering information about "terrorist activities against Cuba," but he believed that the U.S. government had no plans to attack the Caribbean island.

"Yes, we have sometimes dispatched Cuban citizens to the United States to infiltrate counter-revolutionary organisations, to inform us about activities that are of great interest to us," Castro said.

"I think we have the right to do this ... The United States has spies in industrial quantities."

FBI agents last month rounded up 10 people in south Florida accused of being spies for the government in Havana.

Part of their mission was to penetrate the Miami-based Southern Command, the U.S. military headquarters for Latin America and the Caribbean, the FBI said in its court complaint.

The spies were also given the task of infiltrating Miami exile groups, it said.

Castro's government accuses exile groups of mounting operations against it such as a recent spate of hotel bombings on the island, which killed an Italian tourist.

Some exiled Castro opponents openly endorse violence against his government while others, such as the powerful Cuban American National Foundation, the biggest exile group, deny Castro's charges.

"What information in the United States is it that interests us? One bit of information exclusively -- one thing fundamentally -- and that is the information about the terrorist activities against Cuba. The information about sabotage plans," Castro said.

He said Cuba was not interested in "strategic matters, nor are we interested in information about military bases."

But he added that U.S. military movements in areas near Cuba would be of interest if they "translate into an act of aggression against Cuba. But we know that at this time that is not the fundamental thinking of the U.S. government."

The interview took place in Portugal, where Castro attended an Ibero-American summit that ended on Sunday.

Castro also told CNN that President Bill Clinton's affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky "has been politicized as nothing has ever been politicized in the United States."

"It's not that I'm applauding Clinton's conduct, Clinton's mistakes.

But one must take into account the efforts Clinton has made in the economy, the certain advantages that the American people have obtained, the successes of his administration," Castro said.

"The polls demonstrated repeatedly that the way in which they (Clinton's opponents) have gone after Clinton bothers people," added Castro, speaking in Spanish through an interpreter.

Hurricane Donation By Wartsila NSD Caribbean Inc.

On Friday morning, October 9, 1998, Rodney George,Vice President of Power System Wartsila NSD Caribbean INC., presented a cheque for US$50,000 to the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) to be used in providing assistance to the electric utilities in the region which suffered damage by Hurricane Georges.

Wartsila, a manfacturer of diesel-driven electric generators, has recently commissioned diesel units in St Lucia, Tobago and Surinam and Associate Members of CARILEC.

Mr. George said in his presentation that Wartsila is committed to the development of the Caribbean and therefore interested in the transmission and distribution systems damaged by the hurricane.

In thanking Wartsila for the very generous donation, Christopher Farrell, the Executive Manager of CARILEC, said that some of the funds had already been used, as CARILEC currently has line crews in Antigua, Tortola and St Kitts.

Environmental Coverage To Receive OECS Award

The OECS Natural Resources Management Unit launched an Environmental Journalism Award at the second meeting of the OECS Ministers of the Environment Policy Committee (EPC) held in the British Virgin Islands on September 29, 1998.

The award, which is part of a continuing programme on Media and the Environment, is geared towards creating a greater role for media in public awareness and public education on natural resources management issues. It will be granted to the winning entry for a news feature which investigates and reports on issues related to coastal zone and coastal resources management in the Caribbean through the medium of print, video/television and audio/radio.

This award is funded by the organisation of American States as part of the Coastal Zone Management Multi-media Public Awareness Project.

The features submitted for consideration should be in English and should be approximately 1,000 words for articles and 5-8 minutes for television and radio reports.

All features submitted should have been published between October 1997 and October 1998.

The entries, which will be judged by a five-person panel made up of journalists, media practitioners, natural resource managers and scientists, will be assessed for excellence in research, creativity, appeal, clarity and presentation. The closing date for all entries is November 30, 1998. All features submitted must be accompanied by an application, which can be obtained from the OECS Natural Resources Management Unit and should be directed to the coordinator, Information and Data Base Management, OECS Natural Resources Management Unit, P.O.BOX 1383, CASTRIES, ST.LUCIA.

Dome Collapses, Ash Are Hardly Surprises

Just over three weeks ago, the Acting Governor, Dr. Howard Fergus, declared that the Government had decided to allow the reoccupation of Salem, Friths, Olveston and Old Towne.

Since then there have been at least two fairly large ash clouds which drifted towards the northwest, engulfing Old Towne and parts of Salem and Olveston. Some local news broadcasts surprisingly referred to these as somewhat "rare occurrences." The fact is that there have constantly been ash clouds resulting from the unstable and disintegrating dome mass at Soufriere Hills.

Last week on Tuesday morning, the sky was clear and following rumbles from the Soufriere Hills, there was a huge ash cloud behind which, the discerning in Old Towne could see pyroclastic flows, which were rolling down the northeastern side of the volcano. This was little different from more recent occurrences, except that there was a northwesterly wind which blew the clouds of ash toward the recently, officially occupied Old Towne, Salem, Olveston and beyond.

The Montserrat Volcano Observatory Report for that day read in part:

"Activity increased earlier today with a collapse of material from the northern part of the dome. This caused pyroclastic flows in two of the valleys which surround the volcano and ash falls on the western side of the island.

"The collapse caused pyroclastic flows which went into Tuitts Ghaut and Tyers Ghaut. The flow in Tyers Ghaut extended to within 200 meters of the Molyneux road, while the flow in Tuitts Ghaut reached Paradise Estate.

"Observations from the ground and helicopter indicate that the ash cloud associated with the collapse event reached up to 25,000 feet. The cloud drifted towards the northwest and deposited ash in areas extending from Woodlands to Weekes, with most of the ash falling over Cork Hill, Old Towne, Olveston, Salem and the Belham Valley. Ash fall was also reported on Nevis."

At about 10.40 o'clock on Tuesday night, there were reportedly two explosive sounds from the Soufriere Hills, following which more ash clouds were sent into the night sky, but these drifted more westerly, sparing most of the areas affected the previous week. This time the fallout was much coarser, and there was more gravel than ash descending.

Senior Scientist Dr. Rowley agrees this might have been an explosive event, which is just more of the same, as the material just under the surface of the dome remains very hot. "The volcano must still be considered as very active, even though there is no growth, there is the disintegration of the dome, which makes it still very dangerous," he said.

This activity took place more on the western side of the dome as reported in the MVO report for that period. This, Dr. Rowley says, confirms his position and advice that there should be no sightseeing in Plymouth and the flanks of the volcano.

"In addition to pyroclastic flows, which can occur at any time because of the instability of the dome, there is also the chance of mudflows which are extremely hot, occurring especially that we are presently experiencing much rain," the senior scientist at the MVO said on Thursday.

He said that Plymouth is being covered from mudflows and many of the buildings still standing have been undermined and are in very unstable conditions.

LABOUR SPEAKS

By Hylroy L. Bramble

The following Labour Speaks edition is carried by The Montserrat Reporter, as it does normally when it believes the matter to be one of interest to the public.

Usually it is a reprint of that as broadcast on ZJB. This one has not been heard on the radio station because, according to Mr. Hylroy V. Bramble, this is a new version of a previous edition which was turned down by the Manager as not fit for broadcast on the station.

This edition is an version revised in an effort to comply with the radio station manager's wishes. Mr. Bramble says it was also turned down on the claim that it is no different from the previous one.

Greetings everyone, welcome to another edition of Labour Speaks.

I have received information that DFID intends to hold true to its proposed intent to clean Bramble’s airstrip for use. I understand that they are saying it is to be cleaned now to be used in emergencies. However, we all know that is just to pull the cap as to the real purpose over our eyes. If they clean it now for emergency use, we know what airport our lords and masters will be giving us.

Now, Bramble Airport lies directly under the volcano. One can see a path wider than any of the world’s largest jet strips coming straight down the mountainside. I again ask why would any sane person want to reuse Bramble Airport at this time when there is still potential danger to not only the airport, but to those who would work there and use it? It is imperative that not one more life be taken by this volcano. Montserratians, to be forewarned is to be forearmed.

On June 25, 1997, workers and persons at the airport merely escaped the pyroclastic flow that took the lives of some of our brothers and sisters. The airport was operating as normal on that day. It was business as usual. The aircraft carrying Governor Savage had already landed and hastily took off. The order to evacuate was only issued when the flow was seen going over Harris. Workers got out with just seconds to spare. To this day most workers from Bramble Airport are still traumatized by the events of that day. Are these people without hearts? Are they human?

When they say that the airstrip is to be cleaned for emergency use, I take it to mean that they would expect the C-130 (the military plane) to be used, because of its short landing and takeoff capability. However, I have it from an educated and informed source that the C-130 could not land at or take off from Bramble with a full load. In fact the pilots have been known to complain of landing and taking off from Bramble. So, in all honesty, would any general worth his salt send his men into a situation where they cannot get out of danger as fast as they possibly can. By the way, the military plane, even with its short landing and take off capability, will never be able to land and take off from a 600-meter airstrip. Montserratians beware.

Hurricane Georges, as we all know, brought with it a lot of much-needed rain. This was the main contributing factor to the destabilisation of the mountainside overlooking the airport. We all know what happened. Down came the mudflow(s) straight through the old terminal building locale, over the taxiway and over the center of the runway. Pyroclastic flows have come within a few yards of the runway and destroyed the terminal building.

Fellow Montserratians, this is what Her Majesty’s Government want to clean and give us to use. Remember, none of the workers at Bramble is related to any British official, so why should they care? Montserratians open your eyes.

Now, I further learnt that it is intended that public works men and equipment carry out this task. Mr Minister of Works, I hope that you will not consent to such an outlandish request; outlandish because these same workers who will be expected to do this work are persons with families; outlandish because the people of Montsertrat have spoken and said no return to Bramble Airportp; outlandish because the scientists have said it would be at least three years before they can consider returning to Bramble Airport.

Now, if Bramble Airport is considered by DFID officials to be safe and usable, why would their plan be to put the control tower on Jack Boy Hill? Could air traffic controllers, from that distance, tell what are cattle or what are sheep on the runway? Not really, So we are adding another element of risk to the equation. A control tower has to be placed where air traffic controllers will have a clear and unobstructed view of the runway with the naked eye, not binoculars. Binoculars for them are instruments of last resort.

Brothers and sisters, the Government of Montserrat must stand up and show us that they were elected by the people and not Her Majesty’s Government. They must have an injunction served on DFID to stop these outlandish ideas of cleaning Bramble Airport for use, whether emergency, temporary or permanent. Bramble Airport would never again in history be considered safe, once the volcano continues to be king of the hills and only the good Lord could dethrone him. Just wondering, if, when DFID cleans the runway, there will be an emergency exercise to test its usability and who will take part in such exercise? I sure hope it would not be our local police and defense forces and other personnel. We cannot let anyone jeopardize the lives of our friends and families to prove that they are the ones who call the shots. We have to stand firm in our conviction that under no circumstance do Montserratians consider Bramble Airport to be fit for use, whether now or in the future.

Montserratians Awake, Work, Unite. What one says let all say. What one does, let all do the same. It is our country, it is our lives, it is our destiny. We know what is best for us, we know what we want. Let not our convictions be swayed by the men from England who are here today and gone tomorrow. Even if they live here they will neither be jeopardizing the lives of their families or friends. It is our lives, it is the lives of our families and friends.

Thank you for listening to Labour Speaks.

SPRYNET - Hint of the Week:

Updated Lately?

One of the easiest ways to improve the speed, performance and reliability of your computer is to visit computer and software manufacturers' Web sites every few months and look for the latest versions of the software that you're using.

Most hardware and software companies make small changes to their programs in response to bugs that aren't discovered until after the products are released. Companies also respond to changes in the industry: most modem manufacturers now offer free V.90 upgrades to anyone who bought a 56k modem before the new standard was introduced.

Printer manufacturers upgrade the drivers which translate what you see on your screen into print. Very complex software programs like CorelDRAW may even issue supplementary CD-ROMs that improve or

streamline the performance of the original product.

How do you know what version of a product you're using now? Simply start the program in question and click on the word Help at the top of the toolbar, then on About [name of program]. You'll see the version number displayed. Then go to the manufacturer's Web site and look for a software/driver update area. If the version number you see on the file being displayed at the site is higher than the version number that's running on your computer, download the new software.

Most updates of this kind are self-installing.

If you're not sure of the kind of modem or sound card you're using, go to START/Settings/Control Panel/System (Win95/98) and click on the Device Manager tab. Then click on the icon that represents the

hardware you want to check out. DO NOT CHANGE any of these settings!

Definitions: A 'patch' is a fix for a specific problem. An 'update' fixes several problems, adds features and/or improves performance. An 'upgrade' is a major change. The first two are traditionally free; upgrades you usually have to pay for.

Youth and the Aged

Herman ‘Cupid’ Francis

October 1998 marks the start of the Year of the Older Person. This is a group of people who are often overlooked worldwide, despite the hardships they have endured and the many sacrifices they have made for family and country. In the eyes of the very young, a thirty year old already has one foot in the grave, so it does not take too much imagination to understand the existence of what we call " the generation "gap"

Some time ago, I had the pleasure of listening to Cupid’s calypso, seen on this page. The lyrics will always be relevant, but they seem somewhat more poignant at this point in time, when we learn in statistical reviews that the over 60’s now make up almost twenty percent of our current population. So what can we do to stop this feeling of being left on the sidelines which so many older persons experience? I was very moved by the words of a grandmother as she referred to a letter from one of her grandchildren… It was as if he gave me a mansion!…

If only more of the younger members of our community could realise how easy it is to bring real joy to the heart of an older person, and how much they too can gain in return. Of course, older persons also have a responsibility to live by standards that are worthy of emulation. The point is, that when the energy and enthusiasm of Youth combine with the wisdom and experience of the Older Person we have an opportunity to bring out our best for the upliftment of the society as a whole.

Pat Ryan

By Dr. Howard A. Fergus

University of the West Indies

I have never seen a study on what motivates people to go into active politics -- whether it is love of service, a drive for power, the attractiveness of a high profile job, a sense of destiny or a mixture of two or more of these. It may well be that family connections do play a part in some cases. This is, perhaps, why we have Papa Vere Bird and two big baby Birds in Antigua, Grantley and Tom Adams of Barbados and Norman and Michael Manley in Jamaica.

There are enough family connections in Montserratian politics for the phenomenon to be regarded as significant. The most visible is the father and son Chief Ministers in W.H. Bramble and P. Austin Bramble. But then, Eustace Dyer, who entered politics in 1966 and became a government minister, was a nephew of the famous Michael Walkinshaw of Salem; and former Chief Minister and now Member of the Legislative Council Reuben Meade is the son of T.E. Meade, who won a seat in the legislature in 1978; former Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne’s father, M.S. Osborne, was not an elected member of Council but like his own father, J.R. Osborne, he was a nominated member. Further, Bertrand Osborne’s uncle, R.E.D. Osborne, was also a member of Council. In fact, the present Minister Rupert Weekes also followed in the steps of his father, J.J. Weekes.

I do not claim this to be an exhaustive list and I have not included those who sought and failed to obtain office. For instance, Charles Howe of St. Johns did fail in 1973, where his father, J.J. Howe, had succeeded in 1966. But I believe I have established significance, even though not necessarily a causal relationship. However, persons are influenced by their environment, and it could be that growing up in a milieu of politics and national governance may have played a role in this occurrence of kinfolk politicians.

Health & Happiness

Why Does She do That?

Great Expectations

We can definitely understand how frustrating it can be to feel that you put forth so much effort and get so little understanding in return. But sometimes we underestimate what a maze of needs relationships really are. Too often our "doing right" falls far short of what women need in a relationship to make them feel cared for and loved.

If you thought the L-word was hard to wrap your mind around, here's another change-up we're going to throw your way. Often what is missing is the I-word – Intimacy -- that sense of emotional sharing, caring, and commitment that goes beyond the more superficial parts of a relationship, such as the number of times the two of you dine at your favorite expensive restaurant. While activities like that are important, they're not enough to fill the void created by a lack of intimacy. It might also help you to know more about what you expect from a partner. This may mean you need to understand yourself better. Try asking yourself these questions: What is it about me that continually pushes me toward women I can't satisfy? How comfortable am I in an intimate, stable relationship? What uncertainties do I have? Sometimes fears of intimacy and commitment get in the way of our ability to find the right partner.

Take heart, guy. It is possible to find a woman who knows what she wants and knows how to communicate that to you in an unthreatening way. What many women are looking for is a man who is serious and willing to commit, who knows himself, and who is capable of engaging in a healthy, honest, and mature relationship.

Give and Take

Some men (women, too) see themselves as opponents rather than partners in a relationship, says Frank Pittman III, M.D., author, psychiatrist, and family therapist in private practice in Atlanta. "They may fight unfairly with violence, insults, or withdrawal, or they may fight fairly with logic, emotions, or excessively good manners. But they're trying to win, trying to be the 'good' partner and prove that the other person is unworthy of them."

Relationships are about giving and receiving. Just follow Dr. Pittman's lead. I regularly remind my wife what a fool I am. "Problems arise when people try to pretend they never do anything wrong," Dr. Pittman explains. "Everyone needs to be laughed at, to be told when they're full of crap."

I try to avoid getting angry. "I used to encourage people to vomit out their anger to increase communication in marriage, but that doesn't work," says Dr. Pittman. "It's better to be aware of when I'm getting angry so I can identify the hurt that's underneath the anger in terms of ‘I feel bad when you do this.’ "

I watch movies in which there are no car crashes or explosions.

Marvin's Room, Dead Man Walking, First Wives Club. "These are movies that are aimed primarily at women but that men desperately need to eavesdrop on," he says. "There's something about looking at relationships from a step away. It broadens your perspective and helps you develop a sense of humor about life's conflicts and tragedies. You realize these things can be survived."

COPING WITH COLDS

While antibiotics can be very useful in treating bacterial infections, such as a strep throat, they’ll do you little good if you have a garden-variety, virus-caused cold. Your best course of action then is to rest as much as possible and let your body’s natural immunity kill the virus.

Michael Castleman, author of "The Healing Herbs," has some suggestions for easing your misery, culled from top cold experts. First, identify your symptoms and treat each one specifically. Some -- though not all -- over-the-counter products can alleviate certain cold-related annoyances. And natural remedies can make an effective complement to over-the-counter products.

LIQUID -- Drink lots of it and increase the humidity of your environment. When you have a fever, you perspire profusely and need to replace the water loss to avoid becoming dehydrated.

WARM DRINKS soothe sore throats and help relieve congestion. The beneficial effects of a hot toddy probably owe more to the hot water, lemon, and honey than to the whisky. Chicken soup accomplishes similar relief. Gargling with warm water helps, too.

VITAMIN C -- Take supplements as soon as you feel a cold coming on in order to reduce the severity of symptoms, says Castleman. Most experts recommend about 2,000 mg per day.

HERBS -- Goldenseal and echinacea are gaining popularity as cold fighters. Studies show that echinacea is particularly useful against infections, and goldenseal appears to stimulate the immune system. It is often prepared in the same tincture as echinacea.

"Only take these herbs when you need to fend off a cold," advises Castleman.

A new Israeli study shows that elderberry extract (available as Sambucol in health food stores and pharmacies in the United States) is effective against some flu viruses.

Caution: Don’t confuse elderberry extract with elder flower tea, which can have a laxative effect.

ZINC -- According to a recent study, zinc gluconate lozenges, available over the counter in drugstores, relieved cold symptoms 42 percent sooner than lozenges containing a placebo.

The drawback: The taste made some volunteers feel nauseated, so take lozenges on a full stomach.

Dianne Lange

NEWS RRELEASE! NON-SURGICAL LIPOSUCTION NOW AVAILABLE IN U.S.A

DATELINE Columbia, SC Sparks International, an import company based in South Carolina, announces a breakthrough herbal product that creates immediate, permanent fat-loss for a fraction of the cost of liposuction surgery and is now available in the United States for the first time.

"Now Americans don't have to resort to the pain and expense of liposuction surgery to get immediate results on stubborn fat and cellulite." explains Sparks president, James Yates.

"Our revolutionary herbal gel is gently rubbed into the skin. The liposome formula quickly penetrates to the fatty tissue where it liqefies the excess fat on contact. The body then treats the liquefied fat as a waste product and eliminates it naturally through urination. The fat stays off as long as people just eat sensibly."

"Another great advantage," Yates continued, "is that our product retails for $149.95 and is guaranteed to work in 24 hours.

"Although our product is new in the United States, it has been sold internationally for four years. The statistics on over one million international customers show an average permanent fat loss of 1 to 1-1/2 inches in each fat-prone area -- stomach, hips, and thighs -- with just one application.

"We're very excited about introducing it to the public, because now people on limited budgets can enjoy the immediate, dramatic results that once only the rich could afford -- without surgery -- and without spending a fortune."

Establishment of Production Task Force in the Ministry of Agriculture

The Ministry of Agriculture is moving to enhance its relationship with the Montserrat public.

A Production Task Force has been established within the ministry as a vehicle by which the Department of Agriculture is allowing stakeholder participation as it seeks to fulfill its mandate.

The purpose of this Task Force is to work with the Department of Agriculture, the farming community and other stakeholders to facilitate, direct and coordinate production and livestock- related activities of the department and other collaborating agencies and individuals.

In this regard, the Ministry of Agriculture, through its various departments, is undertaking a series of comprehensive development programmes to take the ministry into the next century.

These include a draft extension programme and an Agro-forestry planting Grant Scheme Promotion Bulletin.

In the case of agricultural production, in February 1997, the Government of Montserrat undertook a review of the public sector with a view toward streamlining its staffing level and to increasing efficiency within this sector.

Sustained progress in agriculture is dependent upon continuous transfer of technical and non-technical information to the farming community.

Conscious of the low level of technology used by some farmers, it had been the objective of the extension division within the Ministry of Agriculture to assist farmers on improving their farming skills, so as to be able to play a meaningful roll in the department’s overall objective, "which is to increase food production and reduce the food import bill through a programme of food import institution.

Since the onset of volcanic activity, residents and particularly farmers have been forced to engage themselves in backyard gardening, the key production pattern currently.

Prior to July 1995, the extension division, with its limited resources, managed to service the farmers on island who were at the time rising to the challenge of increasing production. However, with the volcanic crisis, the subsequent loss of two-thirds of the island resulted in a loss of most of the productive farmland.

Now, the extension division is moving to change its approach and seeks to chart a course for agricultural extension for the short and medium term.

Historically, the Department of Agriculture has operated on a divisional basis. This system has its advantages but in an era where "team" is the big word, the department is moving away from the divisional approach to what is now called the programme mode.

This system no longer expects one individual or one division to accomplish a task, but rather programmes are defined and a team approach is applied to see that the task is accomplished.

The concept is not new to Montserrat, because it was used for the production of white potatoes and onions. The Task Force Approach will advance the objective of increased production.

Meantime, the Department of Agriculture is launching a new grant scheme to encourage the use of trees in agriculture (i.e Agro-forestry). This scheme will be funded through the DFID Watershed and Forestry Management Project.

Recognising the long-term nature of investments in tree planting, the scheme will offer direct financial assistance to farmers to help offset the initial cost of planting and tending tree crops.

The scheme is expected to have two components, one to support orchard fruit production, the other to assist the establishment of fodder banks linked with livestock production.

The scheme will operate through a two-year contract between the farmer and the Department of Agriculture. The farmer must agree a planting and management plan with the Department of Agriculture, which he/she will follow over a period of two years.

In return, the Department of Agriculture will grant aid his/her work through a fixed sum grant in three installments. Agro-forestry development of the site must not conflict with wider objectives of agricultural strategy or the national Physical Development Plan for North Montserrat.

The meeting was scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the evening of Monday 28^th September, but on his arrival at the office of Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, Minister of Agriculture, Trade and the Environment P. Austin Bramble was informed that because of an 8:00 p.m. curfew, a 7:00 p.m. meeting was not practical.

Mr. Bramble immediately sought and obtained the assistance of the St. Kitts Government Information Officer to put out a notice to bring forward the meeting to 4:00 p.m.

However, because of the lateness of the notice, only four persons turned up for the afternoon meeting. At 7:00 p.m., another five persons turned up. After consultations with the Chief Minister, Mr. Bramble decided to re-schedule the meeting for 4:30 p.m. on the following Thursday. The arrangements were made and on his return from Tortola, the Montserrat Agriculture Minister was able to meet with about 20 Montserratians at the old boys school in Basseterre.

Minister Bramble explained that following the devastation caused in St. Kitts by Hurricane Georges, it had come to the attention of the Government of Montserrat that some Montserratians had been affected. He explained that the Government of Montserrat wanted to help but in order that an effective case might be put forward for funding, there was need for accurate and comprehensive information on the numbers affected and extent of the losses.

Of the people present at the meeting, only one had actually been affected. The lady in question had lost her roof and her husband had lost his clothes. Also mentioned were the cases of one lady who was now forced to live in a shelter with her four small children, and James Weekes and his blind wife.

They had been living with Mrs. Weekes’ uncle, whose roof was blown off. As a result, they are now homeless. While the members of the audience did not have the full information about all those who had been affected, they were quite certain that there were cases of Montserratians living in the worst hit parts of St. Kitts who had suffered and were therefore in need of assistance.

It was recommended that the Government of Montserrat should appoint a Montserratian in St. Kitts, on a reasonable stipend and with some provision for transport, to travel around the island and ascertain the exact condition of Montserratians who had suffered from the recent hurricane.

It was felt that once the information was available, the Government of Montserrat would be in a position to make an informed decision as what it might be able to do to help. The people then continued to voice their strongly felt grievances.

The following issues were raised:-

1. There was universal disappointment and disillusionment because in their view there had been no follow-up on discussions with previous representatives of the Government of Montserrat to whom they had spoken. There was the very strongly expressed belief that the Government of Montserrat had abandoned them.
2. They charged that the Government of Montserrat had no system in place to maintain contact with its citizens who had relocated to St. Kitts because of the eruption of the volcano. It was suggested that the Government of Montserrat might establish a focal point in each island through which formal contact could be maintained with Montserratians living in neighbouring islands. At present, the only place in St. Kitts to which Montserratians could turn was the office of the Honourary British Consul. That Official might provide some minimal assistance on a part-time basis during the hour between nine and ten on week days.
3. They charged that the discontinuance of the support allowance after six months had caused severe hardship for many of those who had evacuated to St. Kitts, and that some were actually in a state of destitution. The point was made that people who had been forced to abandon their own homes or had left the environment where they could supplement their income through their kitchen gardens, their mountain farms and their livestock, could not now survive, having to pay such high rents and purchase all their food. It was repeatedly emphasized that there was no difference between evacuees in the United Kingdom and those elsewhere. It was represented that the current British policy was resulting in substantial numbers of the people falling through the cracks, and it was requested that the Government of Montserrat present a forceful case to Her Majesty’s Government for an appropriate policy adjustment. At least, there should be an extension of the relocation package to cover everyone with inadequate income. Special mention was made of the serious condition of senior citizens who were no longer employable or able to work.
4. It was represented that a permanent Liaison Officer should be appointed to be linked between the Government of Montserrat and its citizens overseas.
5. It was requested that arrangements be made for the Ferry to make a once a month trip to St. Kitts to give Montserratians resident there an opportunity to visit home.
6. It was suggested that representation be made to Her Majesty’s Government for a small Business Loan Fund for Montserratians relocated to St. Kitts/Nevis similar to what is being done in Antigua.
7. Government of Montserrat ministers should schedule time on a monthly basis to discuss the situation of relocated Montserratians, and that some system should be put in place to keep the evacuees informed.
8. There was confusion among Montserratians about the option of coming home because in the first place they had no lace to live here, and secondly because of the very mixed signals which seemed to be going out from Montserrat about readiness on island to receive returnees.
9. The Government of Montserrat should open negotiations with the Government of St. Kitts for an arrangement for qualified elderly or indigent Montserratians to be taken into their CARE HOME.
10. Other issues raised included the situation with Belham Bridge and the chances of people returning to their homes in Foxes Bay and Cork Hill.

Montserrat Delegation visits St. Kitts

A five-member delegation headed by Acting Chief Minister the Honourable Rupert Weekes paid a recent one-day visit to St. Kitts.

The purpose of the visit by the delegation was first of all to view first hand the damage caused by one of the century’s worst storms and secondly to make two presentations.

Principal Nursing Officer Sister Valerie Lewis and Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Communications and Works Errol Irish were also part of the visiting team from Montserrat.

The team was met at the Robert Bradshaw International Airport by the Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mike Bentley.

The team was then met at the Island’s main medical institution, the Joseph N. Franz Hospital, by Minister of Health in St. Kitts the Honourable Dr. Earl Assim Martin, Principal Nursing Officer Henrietta Douglas, Principal Tutor Maureen Solomon, Departmental Sister Agnola Dasent and Operational Manager Lorna Adams.

Acting Chief Minister Rupert Weekes handed over five boxes of medical supplies to Dr. Martin on behalf of the Minister of Health in Montserrat, the Honourable Adelina Tuitt, who could not make the trip, and the Government of Montserrat.

In saying thanks, Dr. Martin expressed the gratitude of the Government and people of St. Kitts to their counterparts in Montserrat for the generous donation.

Dr. Martin said the gift was a demonstration of the solidarity between the two countries and a tremendous gesture by Montserrat at a time when the island is suffering its own disaster.

Meantime, Sister Lewis presented a cheque for EC $1,000 to the Nurses Association of St. Kitts from their counterparts in Montserrat.

Sister Lewis reflected on her early years when she trained at the Joseph N. Franz hospital and her other close ties with the two-island federation.

She said it was only fitting that she made the presentation on behalf of the Nurses Association of Montserrat.

After the presentation ceremony, the Montserrat delegation was taken on tour of the institution, which suffered heavy damage during the passage of Hurricane Georges.

The team also toured some of the hardest hit areas such as Cayon, Keys and St. Peters in the presence of NEMA’s Director Bentley, who pointed out the devastation in the aftermath of Hurricane Georges, and explained the steps St. Kitts was taking towards rehabilitation.

Acting Chief Minister Weekes also met with Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas at the airport. Dr. Douglas was just coming back from Washington, where he held meetings with the World Bank, the OAS, UNDP and the IMF, seeking assistance for the rehabilitation of the island.

Mr. Weekes said the damage which he saw in St. Kitts reminded him of Montserrat’s experience with Hurricane Hugo in 1989. He said, though, he was heartened by the high spirits of the people of St. Kitts, and that this goes very far in terms of the positive attitude towards the rebuilding efforts.

UK Overseas Territories Disaster Management Study Team visits

A UK Overseas Territories Disaster Management study team is scheduled to visit Montserrat from October 17^th to 20^th .

The team, comprising John Adlam, Dr. Barbara Carby and Stacey Thompson has requested appointments with a wide range of local officials at proposed times at the Emergency Department in St. John’s or at McChesney’s Estate in Olveston.

The Purpose of the study is to "assess the disaster management capability in the UK Overseas Territories in the Caribbean, to identify areas of best practice and problems or deficiencies which still need to be addressed, and to recommend ways in which improvements might be made either through local resources or with assistance from the UK or other donors or regional agencies.

The team will be met on arrival at the Geralds Heliport on October 17^th by the Commissioner of Police Christopher Burgess and Permanent Secretary in the Emergency Department Franklyn Michael.

Initial discussions will be held with the Permanent Secretary in the Emergency Department and Head of the Governor’s Office at the Emergency Department in St. John’s.

Meetings will also be held with the Emergency Operations Group, the Logistics Officer in the Emergency Department, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and the Chief Scientist at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

The UK Overseas Territories Disaster Management Study team will engage in a helicopter overflight with the Chief Scientist, and participate in site visits and field tours of both the Exclusion and Occupied zones.

Over the four-day duration of the visit, the team will also hold meetings with Permanent Secretaries in the various Government departments and other Heads, His Excellency The Governor, the Honourable Chief Minister, Utility/Infrastructure Organisations and Community Groups.

Government Holds Meeting with Contractors

The Government of Montserrat held a meeting with local Contractors and representatives of DFID and Brown and Root at Look Out October 14^th.

Present at the meeting were Acting Chief Minister the Honourable Rupert Weekes and the Minister of Housing the Honourable P. Austin Bramble, Alan Jenkinson of DFID and Mike Dodd and Phillip Boydell of Brown and Root.

Acting Chief Minister Weekes said the purpose of the meeting was to give feedback on a proposal sent to DFID London on behalf of the local contractors.

He said in July this year, discussions were held with British Officials on expanding resource capability with the inclusion of a contractor from neighbouring islands.

Mr. Weekes said DFID officials were concerned about the capacity of the local labour force to construct the fifty concrete units in a timely manner at Look Out. He said it was also agreed there be no delay while local contractors were occupied on the first twenty-five units in phase three-A.

The Acting Chief Minister also said DFID officials raised a number of concerns on matters of questionable quality of finish on the first fifty houses built by local contractors. He said Her Majesty’s Government officials thought there was a need to ensure some effective price competitiveness in the process.

Mr. Weekes said however, now that the time of completion was approaching, the contractors have stated that they will be in a position to start and finish phase three-B in a timely manner.

The Acting Chief Minister and Minister of Communications and Works said in a discussion with contractors, DFID and Brown and Root officials and Government Ministers, it was agreed that with the passage of time, the situation has changed.

He said the Government of Montserrat then approached DFID asking for the decisions to be reversed in view of the prevailing circumstances. Mr. Weekes said reasons for such were given.

The Acting Chief Minister said a reply was received from DFID London on October 13^th.

He said that after much intense discussion, the Montserrat Government’s proposal was accepted on certain terms, the main one being that in order for the house-building programme not to be disadvantaged or delayed, the Government of Montserrat will do all it can to ensure local contractors will construct the houses in a timely manner.

Minister Weekes said the conditions have now been explained to the contractors and they are in agreement. He also said DFID Montserrat has been informed.

It was also agreed that tenders will be sent to local contractors within two days so as to speed up the process. Contractors also thought that DFID should be approached to extend contracts by two Calendar weeks to make up for time to that would be lost over the Christmas holiday season.

Mr. Weekes says the Government of Montserrat is pleased with the outcome of negotiations, as it continues to pursue what is in the best interest of everyone.

He says Government is anticipating that all the parties concerned will live up to expectation.

Meantime, Housing Minister P. Austin Bramble concluded that the meeting with the contractors was successful and productive. He said he was sure that the contractors themselves were aware and understood their responsibility.

The Housing Minister said he was confident the contractors will perform according to the task set before them.

Mr. Bramble said this would provide an ideal opportunity for the local contractors to rise to the occasion. He said at the end of the day he was certain that all parties would be well satisfied.

And speaking on behalf of the contractors, former Chief Minister Reuben meade said the news that locals will be able to build the other houses of the phase three-B project is indeed welcomed news.

Mr. Meade, who represents L and M Construction said hats off to the Government of Montserrat for being able to convince DFID London that local contractors are very much capable of completing the job within the 90 days time-frame.

He said a number of workers would’ve been out of work after this week if overseas contractors were given contracts.

The former Chief Minister said they’ve committed themselves to providing those additional houses within 90 days from the time they take possession of the site. "So that means by the end of January or early February next year, all of these houses in phase three would be completed.

Mr. Meade said the current phase which they’re working on, assuming the windows get on island within the next week or so, would be completed by October month-end at the earliest, mid-November the latest.

Questions and Answers

What happens if the millennium bug is not corrected?

The potential impact of the millennium bug on consumers includes damage to personal and financial records, the miscalculation of transactions impacting savings, bank accounts, mortgages, errors in invoicing from utilities, errors on payrolls and salary payments. Safety is also at stake: failure of a computer application in an aircraft, a traffic control system, a power station or an intensive care unit can put human lives at risk.

If companies fail to solve their millennium bug problem, this could affect the economy which is now highly dependent on the correct and continuing operation of processes which are reliant on computer driven systems.

What kind of equipment can you expect to have problems in the Year 2000?

It is serious problem for the Information Technology (IT) industry and for anyone using computers, embedded systems or any date dependent device. The list of items that can be potentially affected by the year 2000 problem includes, but is not limited to, mainframe and mini computers, personal computers, telephones, fax machines, washing machines, VCR’s, elevators, traffic lights and even life support systems.

Northern Water Project progressing smoothly

The DFID-sponsored Northern Water Project is moving ahead at a steady pace.

Technician Emile Duberry, who has been contracted by DFID to manage the project says his team is working feverishly to complete phase one of the two-phase programme.

He says the project consists of two reservoirs, one at Dick Hill which is of a 500,000 gallons capacity, and the other of a 200,000 gallons capacity at St. Peters.

Mr. Duberry says pump stations will also be built at St. Peters and Baker Hill; plus about 12,000 feet of pipeline to lay from St. Peters to Dick Hill.

The Manager of the Northern Water Project says presently his team is concentrating on getting the pipes from St. Peters to Dick Hill through the land and not following the road in order to make a shorter distance to the north.

Mr. Duberry says as far as the laying and jointing of the six inch duck-tile iron pipes are concerned, they’ve reached the Seventh Day Adventist shelter in Mongo Hill.

He says with one more hill to get up to the reservoir at Dick Hill, about 60 % of the pipeline has been laid.

The Manager of the Northern Water Project says there’s a road-side section at Baker Hill to be completed. "This has been left for last because it would involve the interruption of traffic" he added.

He says the Montserrat Water Authority (MWA) is presently experiencing alot of problems in satisfying the people in the North and has since put a water-rationing system in place.

Mr. Duberry says this has come about because the existing system was not designed for this large number of people in the north plus it’s a system of over 20 years old and should’ve been already revised and updated.

He says this is what they’re trying to do at the moment.

Mr. Duberry says the two phases of the project - Water One and Water Two - when completed, will ensure an adequate supply of water to the north. " Water One is dependent on Water Two to get the kind of service that we want in the north because Water One is taking it from St. Peters to St. John’s, which is mainly the transmission line and storage" he explained.

"Water Two would then take the water from the springs and bring it to St. Peters’ reservoir to be distributed to the Northern area."

He says unless both phases are completed the system will not be adequate to supply the north with water.

The Manager of the Northern Water Project says Water One is expected to be completed in January 1999, but they’re awaiting word on the approval of Water Two. "When we get the green light for Water Two, my team will go to the springs to collect more water and bring it to the various storage tanks to be pumped to the north" Mr. Duberry said.

"After both phases of this project is completed, the north of the island should enjoy a better and more efficient supply of water.

Montserrat meets Nevis in Leeward Islands Football Match

Montserrat will meet Nevis in a first-round Leeward Islands football match in Antigua, its home base, this weekend.

The game, to be played at the Antigua Recreation Ground in St. John’s, is scheduled for Sunday October 25^th.

The Montserrat squad has been involved in extensive training over the past months, both at home and in Antigua, in preparation for the upcoming Leeward Islands Football Association (LIFA) competition.

The championship is being played on a home-and-away basis with the two teams meeting each other again in Nevis on November 1^st.. Montserrat and Nevis are pooled in Group "C".

In the second round of competition, the winner of Group A,which groups St. Thomas and Anguilla, will meet the Winner of Group C on November 7^th, while the winner of Group B ,which pits St. Croix and the British Virgin Islands (BVI), will play Antigua, who had a first round bye.

Only two teams will move forward from the playoffs to the finals.

The finals will be played over two days, November 21^st and 22^nd, in St. Maarten.

St. Kitts will qualify as present LIFA champion and St. Maarten as host country.

The Montserrat team is scheduled to leave for Antigua on Saturday.

VOLCANO LIMERICKS

Sorry, No Petrol

Even the smallest of nations

Have amply supplied petrol stations,

While this island, alas,

Has a surfeit of "gas"

The EMD’s glib explanations.

To: E-mail Alarmists

We don’t need your emotional flaps

From abroad with each dome collapse.

If you haven’t been here,

Don’t tell us what to fear.

We live here and we are not saps.

JUS' WONDERIN'

Jus wonderin if the Department of Public Works has declared everything south of Hilltop as its own Exclusion Zone when it comes to road maintenance and pothole repair.

Jus wonderin what the connection is between Clare Short's statement, referring to Montserrat, that "it is not feasible to compensate them for everything they have lost," and their representatives’ enquiry into the continued existence of the Montserrat Building Society.

Jus wonderin when the more experienced Superintendent Douglas will be named Deputy Commissioner.

Jus wonderin if the post of Deputy Commissioner will eventually be abolished and the "I act this time and you the next" be used as has been being done with the Deputy or Acting Chief Minister.

Jus wonderin if the simplification of the Customs procedures will be accomplished before the 1999 Budget.

Jus wonderin why it took some ministers so long to act and then the acting gets such quick action.

Jus wonderin whose the hero who has this famous nusery rhyme for every young woman he meets.

Jus wonderin what could be happening to Dominica's volcano all of a sudden.

Jus wonderin why Salem still looks like a Ghost Town.

Jus wonderin if the new six inch hard drive with no memory of president Bill's computer will soon be on the market.

Jus wonderin why the president stopped playing the saxaphone and now plays the whormonica.

Jus wonderin what it will take to cool down the fire-engine of the chief.

Jus wonderin who’s the employer who can’t practice hands-off with his employees.

ADVERTISEMENTS

DEPUTY COMMISSIONER OF POLICE

ROYAL MONTSERRAT POLICE FORCE

Applications are invited from suitably qualified persons for the post of Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Montserrat Force.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Deputizes for the Commissioner of Police in his absence from the Force;
• Is responsible for the collation and investigation of all complaints against members of the Force;
• Holds the position of being responsible for the day-to-day discipline of the Force and has the autonomy to finalize most disciplinary matters whilst only referring to the Commissioner those most serious breaches of the Discipline Code;
• Is the Personnel Manager for the Force responsible for all matters pertaining to the recruitment, training, welfare, housing and selection for promotion of officers and civilian staff;
• Works directly to the Police Commissioner;
• Is responsible for day-to-day public relations and media liaison;
• Will implement and administer an Annual Appraisal System for all staff, both Police and Civilian, within the Royal Montserrat Police Force;
• Administers the Annual Leave system as final arbiter.

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATIONS

The successful applicant should:-

• Be a serving Police Officer of Superintendent rank or in a Caribbean police force and be fully aware of the cultural and political issues pertaining to Montserrat;
• Have completed successfully a Strategic Command course, (or recognized equivalent), at a Police Staff College;
• Hold good academic qualifications and have been educated to at least sixth form level but preferably beyond;
• Show an all round varied police experience at management level and preferably in both operational and administrative spheres of operation;
• Have excellent communication skills, coupled with similar interpersonal skills, in order that they may communicate effectively both inside and outside the Force and at all levels in society;
• Show a flexible approach to problem solving;
• Amply demonstrate that they have the ability to manage change within the Force;
• Be fully endorsed by their own Chief Officer as suitable for the post;
• Ideally have the potential for further advancement in the Police Service;
• Show that they have the necessary drive and determination for the post;
• Demonstrate their ability to be able to handle multiple issues effectively;
• Demonstrate their ability to conform to the highest tenets of leadership.

SALARY

• Salary is fixed at M8, that is EC$50,460 per annum. In addition, the following allowances are payable:-
• Travel Allowance EC$450.00 per month
• Lodging Allowance EC$240.00 per month
• Plain Clothes Allowance EC$110.00 per month
• Fire Allowance EC$ 25.00 per month
• Uniform EC$ 45.00 per month

APPLICATIONS

Applications should be addressed to:

The Commissioner of Police

Police Headquarters

Mahogany Drive

Montserrat

To reach him no later than 30 October, 1998.

CARIBBEAN EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS

APPLICATION FOR EXAMINATION WORK

Vacancies exist for appointment as Assistant Examiners (Markers of Scripts) in the CXC General and Basic Proficiency Examination in:

• Agricultural Science (Single andDouble Award)
• Biology
• Building Technology
• Caribbean History
• Chemistry
• Clothing & Textiles
• Electrical Technology
• Electricity/Electronics
• English Language
• English Literature
• Food & Nutrition
• French
• Geography
• Home Economics: Management
• Information Technology
• Integrated Science (Single Award)
• Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering Technology
• Metals
• Music
• Office Procedures
• Physics
• Principles of Accounts/Bookkeeping
• Principles of Business
• Religious Education
• Shorthand
• Social Studies
• Spanish
• Technical Drawing
• Typewriting
• Visual Arts
• Woods

Minimum Qualifications

A degree, diploma or certificate of international currency, conferred by a recognised university, technical or vocational institute.

Age Range

25-60

Minimum Experience

Two years teaching of the subject at the level to be examined provided that such teaching did not cease for more than two years.

Allowances

Honorarium and out-of-pocket allowances as approved by the Council, in addition to travel and accommodation expenses for examiners working away from home.

Application Forms

EXA 1 obtained from the Registrar, CXC Headquarters in Barbados, the Officer-in-Charge at Western Zone Office in Jamaica and from the CXC Local Registrar in the Ministry of Education in all other Participating Territories.

Previous Applications

Persons who have applied previously should not apply again but must inform the CXC Headquarters of any subsequent change of address and additional qualifications gained or of any desire to be considered for participation in other subjects.

Closing Date

Applications from prospective markers of subjects to be examined in 1999 should reach the CXC Headquarters, the Garrison, St Michael 20, Barbados, by November 15, 1998.

UNITED INSURANCE COMPANY LTD

UNITED INSURANCE COMPANY LTD has begun to offer Insurance coverage for ALL CLASSES of business - Property, Motor, Travel and Liability Insurance.

96% of claims presented have been paid and the few which remain outstanding are in the hands of our Adjuster and will be concluded shortly.

Our record has been excellent for settling claims with speed and efficiency and to the satisfaction of our customers, and we have tried to maintain this record even with this long and drawn out volcano.

Our office is located in Woodlands and our numbers are:

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

This site was created by West Computer Works. Please read Disclaimer.

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