BANK OF MONTSERRAT MAKES FIRST PROFIT
The Bank of Montserrat held its 7th Annual General Meeting this past Wednesday at the Vue Pointe Hotel.
Chairing the afternoon's proceedings was Manager, Gregory de Gannes. Present at the function was the Hon. C.M. Bertrand B. Osborne, Mr. Edwin Allen, Deputy Governor of the East Caribbean Central Bank, an official from the Caribbean Development Bank, representatives from the international accounting firm Pannel Kerr Foster and Mr. Ken Boyea , Chairman and CEO of the East Caribbean Group of Companies [ECGC] and owners of the local Rice Mill.
In his address to the gathering Mr. DRV (Frank) Edwards highlighting the Bank's performances over the Fiscal years which ended September 30, l994 and l995, excerpts of which appears below:
"It is with great pride and some trepidation that I present to you today my report on the performance of the Bank of Montserrat over the last 3 years. Regrettably, we were not able to hold this meeting earlier, due to the heightened volcanic conditions which existed during the latter half of l995. I will therefore be reviewing the Bank's performance over the Fiscal years which ended September 30, l994 and l995 and briefly review un-audited results for fiscal '96.
THE ECONOMY
The last three (3) financial years were characterized by a sustained decline in economic activity for most of l994 but gradually improving during the last quarter of '95. However, as our beautiful island seemed poised for renewed economic growth, like a thief in the night, the Soufriere Hills Volcano which was dormant for 400 years suddenly roared to life and erupted. This was aggravated by two hurricanes which severely damaged our coast line, roads, crops and buildings and tragically held many Montserratians hostage in Antigua where they were relocated to avoid the dangers of our volcano. As you are aware these eruption are continuing.
The Bank was therefore seized by the enormity of these calamities, and hence, had no other option but to quickly employ crisis management measures to protect the integrity of the Bank's finances, while catering to our customers' needs. In addition, in keeping with our social responsibilities and commitment to serve all the people of Montserrat, we were pleased to assist several individuals who had no other Bank to turn to, as the others were closed.
OUR SUPPORT
We could not have done it alone, however, and special thanks must be given to the Antigua Commercial Bank (ACB) and all the other Indigenous Banks in the EC area, which helped many of our customers who were relocated to their respective islands. Indeed, we were able to set up a representative office in Antigua within 24 hours of the crisis. An incredible achievement, which was only possible because of proper planning.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
I am happy to report, that, as a result of the heroic effort on the part of the Management and Staff, we were the only Bank opened to business during the initial days of the crisis in July, l995. This has contributed in no small measure to a significant growth in our customer base and so, not-withstanding the many adverse conditions which existed and are still present, the Bank was able to reduce its Operating Losses from $995,642 in l993 to $5l6,205 in l994. By the end of fiscal l995 this deficit was completely reversed as we were able to show a Net Profit of $ll7,504 after Loan Loss Provisions of $3l7,6ll Depreciation of $l92,0l0 Provision for Corporation Tax of $50,000, and an Appropriation to the Reserve Fund of $39,22l.
THE CHALLENGE
In order for us to sustain and improve upon the Bank's current growth and profitability, we will have to invest more resources in training and educating our staff; manage frugally, dynamically and creatively, while seizing good and profitable opportunities to safely employ, the deposits entrusted to us by our valued customers. For example, we foresee opportunities being created by the successful implementation of the courageous development plans proposed for the North of the island. Fortunately, we have a dedicated and capable staff, whom as we speak, are involved in strategic planning sessions, seeking bold initiatives which will, not only, place us a the Leader in our industry, but strategically position us for the years to come.
Edwards also made special mention of the continued support by the Government, the Bank's major shareholder, for strengthening the capitals base of the Bank. He said their support was tangibly demonstrated by a further injection of capital in l995 and l996. The Bank he further noted continues to enjoy lines of credit from the Caribbean Development Bank thus enabling BOM to grant Low and Middle Income Mortgages, finance the Agricultural, Industrial and Commercial Sectors, to include the National Development Foundation (NDF) and the St. Patrick's Co-op Credit Union Ltd.
The Bank has a staff of twenty two (22), two foreign and twenty locals.
Elsewhere in this Newspaper are two stories relating to the 7th Annual General Meeting of the Bank of Montserrat.
The Bank, as and when conceived was a brilliant idea and was intended to meet the needs of the ordinary guy, the little depositor whose needs the established foreign banks failed to address or comprehend , whether by regional edict or otherwise.
The Bank of Montserrat then, was seen as a godsend, belonging to "all awee". The Bank fell on hard times shortly after the passing of "Hurricane Hugo" and had to be rescued by the Government of Montserrat which is the major shareholder, and the timely intervention of the East Caribbean Central Bank.
It is not the intention of this Newspaper to speculate as to what went wrong, or who did what, suffice it to say that major staff shake ups took place as part of the restructuring exercise. Outside help was sought and obtained and three years later the Bank is in a position of profitability realizing a modest profit of some $ll7,000.
Unfortunately shareholders have not realized any dividends on their shares for some time now, but are assured that light is now at the end of the tunnel and perhaps who knows, can look forward to better things next year, volcano crisis and the contracting economy not withstanding.
It is important to note that when the present crisis began in July l995, when the foreign banks fled and left their many customers in the lurch, the Bank of Montserrat, "the peoples bank", was up and running to satisfy the needs and demands of everybody.
When others have been downsizing, the Bank with a 'social conscience' was steadfast in its resolve, to the extent that staff increased by 3 over l995 levels.
Hats off to the Directors, Management and Staff for a job well done.
Police are investigating reports of gunshots heard in the Belham area Tuesday night. Police Commissioner Frank Hooper says they have not yet been able to identify the source or the motive for the shots.Mr. Hooper says it may have been a case of someone firing at stray dogs in the area. The Commissioner says it is difficult to offer assurance in the matter as they still do not know what the gunshots were connected. He says there was another report of gunshots in the Waterworks area a week earlier. The investigations into the shots heard Tuesday night are continuing.
More relocated children will get a chance to spend Christmas away from the shelters. 65 children ages 5 to 16 and 5 adults will spend l0 days with individual families in the British Virgin Islands. The Methodist Women's Guild of the BVI and the Montserrat branch of the British Red Cross are organizing the trip. Director of the local Red Cross, Mrs. Lystra Osborne says plans are being finalized so that the children can leave here December 20. Reports say one of the main sponsors of the program is the Rotary Club of the BVI which will meet half the cost of the trip. The Methodist Women's Guild of the BVI is raising the additional funds. The group has already arranged the program in the BVI for hosting the children who will be drawn mostly from the shelters here in the safe zone. They will be in the BVI from December 20 to January 4 next year.
The Montserrat Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union hopes the new Government will intervene in a dispute involving them and the Port Authority. This is one of the conclusions which emerged out of a union meeting Tuesday night. The Seamen and Waterfront Workers Union has a court case against the Montserrat Port Authority and the Port Board due to be called at any moment. The men are challenging what they say was their wrongful dismissal from port duties on l7th January, l995. They are hoping they will be able to enter talks with government in an effort to resolve the matter out of court.
Montserrat joined the world Monday in observing International Day against Violence to Women. The day marked the first of a l6 day celebration against gender violence which ends on December l0 - Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Although focus on the day here was low keyed, an official from the Community Services Department said it was by no means an insignificant occasion. The department hopes to bring the issue of violence against women to public attention through radio talks during the next l6 days. Emphasis would be placed on getting a "domestic violence act" which was drawn up 2 years ago, passed in Parliament.
A five-man contingent from the Lions of St Barts paid a flying day visit last Sunday to the local Shamrock Lions Club of Montserrat. The visit was a follow-up to the receipt on island by the Shamrock Lions of a container of relief supplies donated by Lions of St. Barts. President of St. Barts Lions, Agnes Houchot, who was accompanied by Past President, Raymond Magras, Secretary Ernest Brin, and members Peter Mund and Wally Friedman, in officially handing over the container, told Shamrock Lions President, Basil Walters, that she and her fellow Lions were pleased to be on Montserrat to witness first hand the effects that the present volcanic crisis was having on the island.
The St Barths Lions, along with their local counterparts, worshipped at the Zion Methodist Church in Cork Hill where they were warmly received by congregation and thanked for their benevolence to Montserrat. They later gave an interview to Radio Montserrat, then were taken on a tour of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. Later in the day they visited Plymouth, and finally Gerald's Park, where the container is presently stored.
President Walters thanked the St Barts contingent and promised that the relief supplies would be effectively distributed to the shelters and other persons in the community who were in need. Later visits to Montserrat are being planned by the St Barths Lions in their continuing efforts to assist Montserrat during the crisis.
Education officials in Montserrat and Anguilla will know by January next the final outcome of their joint meeting in Anguilla with officials from Nippissing University in Canada. Both islands are involved in a teacher training project in conjunction with Nippissing University and the U.W.I. Montserrat's Director of Education, Mrs. Oslyn Jemmotte attended the evaluation meeting in Anguilla last weekend. Mrs. Jemmotte says , it was decided that two workshops will be held during the next academic year, one in March/April and the other in July l997. UWI and Nippissing officials are to meet to discuss the requirements of Montserrat and Anguilla which have identified their specific training needs. The recommendations presented, include training for Head Teachers and tutors in the Primary Training program. Trained teachers will be further trained as peer coaches and the final component will cater for trainee teachers who are involved with the Certificate of Education training program. The UWI and Nippissing University will look at these recommendations to see how best they can be facilitated.
CS AIDA a luxury cruise liner carrying some 475 passengers, made its second call at Old Road Bay on November 26, 1996. A number of tourists landed at the beach who were immediately overwhelmed by Montserrat's natural beauty.
Activity at the Soufriere Hills volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat took yet another twist early this week as evidence for major weakness in the crater wall become apparent. The sector of the wall of particular concern is that close to the Galways' Soufriere on the southwestern flank of the volcano. Small landslides from the upper part of this rock wall have been occurring with increasing frequency and magnitude over the past few weeks, and large cracks have been noted running down the wall. A combination of the weights of rock resting against the inside of the wall, behind the year-old lava dome is contained, and the frequency of earthquakes connected with the volcanic activity has led to significant weakness of the wall.
The scientific team yesterday announced an upgrading of the volcanic risk map for the island to take into account the greater threat posed by a potential collapse of the Galway's Wall. The village of St Patrick's has been moved into the highest risk zone and is now considered to be equally at risk as the eastern village of Long Ground, where many houses sustained major damage during the explosive activity at the volcano in mid September.
The potential hazards to St. Patrick's include large flows of rock and mud which could be generated after a collapse of parts of the wall, or more dangerously, a lateral blast from the hot interior of the lava dome should the whole wall collapse. Such lateral blasts are known from many volcanoes around the world, most notably the one which started the 1980 eruption of Mt. St Helens in northwestern USA.
The team at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory are working hard to monitor the changes in the wall using visual observations and surveying techniques, although the dangers of being close to the wall hampered these attempts. Whilst efforts are focused on this problem for the time being, the lava dome in the crater is still growing and the potential for other types of volcanic activity affecting the southern part of the island remains significant.
Walters Attends Lions Conference
President of Shamrock Lions, Basil Walters, has just returned from the Multiple District 60 Mid-Year Conference of the International Association of Lions Clubs, held in Antigua. President Walters, who was accompanied by Third Vice President, Icilda Stanley, said that he was impressed with the organization of the Conference, and more especially because Montserrat has now been accepted as a full- fledged member of the District.
After some years of inactivity the local Lions have been reorganized and are seeking new members. In keeping with its charter to encourage service minded people to serve their community without personal financial reward, the Lions have already undertaken some community projects, the latest being a Walkathon last Saturday to raise funds for the Montserrat Secondary School Library Fund. This Sunday the Lions will hold a Variety Concert at the Pelican Room of the Vue Pointe Hotel. This concert will feature popular local artists, and funds will again be donated to a community project. The Lions will also play a major part in the building of the Golden Years Foundation project scheduled for Brades.
All persons who are community minded are encouraged to join the Lions by contacting any of its members.
Allen Speaks to BML Seventh AGM
Let me thank the Board of Directors who afforded me the opportunity to make a brief statement on behalf of the ECCB on this the occasion of your Annual General Meeting. Montserrat has been having a particularly difficult time over the past l7 months. If economic activity in a country derives from one or a small number of sectors, then it becomes very vulnerable to economic shocks. The best remedy in theory is to diversify the economy, but the practical relevance of this strategy is often limited by the size of the economy and in the case of Montserrat where a natural disaster left no realm of economic activity untouched, it is up to human ingenuity to craft appropriate responses in such circumstances and I must say from our vantage point you have shown great resolve and coped admirably with the situation which confronted you. As supervisor of the financial system I would wish to emphasize that prudential control by the Central Bank is in the interest both of the depositors and the financial institution themselves. Banks and other financial institutions provide financial services which require a high level of professional knowledge on their part, if you compromise on these standards you compromise on the capacity of the Bank to adequately fulfill their purpose. In most countries the Central Bank has several responsibilities but its principal objective is financial stability. Thus, its monetary policy role is pursued in the interest of stability, that is, the avoidance of a sharp erosion in the value of money. In its capacity as "settlements" bank it seeks to safeguard the stability of the payment system and as lender of last resort it seeks to prevent liquidity problems at an individual bank from spreading to other institutions. But in applying the principle of lender of last resort to the banking system there is no automaticity in its approach. The Central Bank is more likely to lend to an institution if the problem is one of liquidity rather than solvency.
It is also likely to lend if the problem is generic rather than if it is specific to a single institution. Much of this is judgmental, as to whether the situation at an affected bank is likely to have ripple effects on otherwise sound institutions within the financial system. The Central Bank elected to provide support to the Bank of Montserrat in July l993 to provide it with an opportunity to restructure itself, improve its management capability and place greater emphasis on human resource development.
The process is a long one where returns are seen in the medium rather than in the short term. In this we have had the full support of the Government of Montserrat as well as the people of Montserrat whose confidence in the institution never wavered and has been further demonstrated by the growing customer base, particularly during the ongoing crisis. This is a time for building structures and laying a strong sound foundation so that your institution becomes well equipped to withstand the pressures that can confront it in the current unpredictable environment.
Some may say that patience is only a virtue that is not readily translated into tangible reward, but reward invariably comes to him who waits.
I wish to commend the Directors, Management and Staff of the Bank for their hand work and dedication to the task in hand, and wish them continued success in their efforts to place the Bank on an even sounder footing. Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen, thank you!
Scientists Speak to Southern Residents
by Cecil Cassell
The meeting which was organised by the Government Information Unit ( GIU) on Saturday November 23 was well attended by residents of St. Patrick's, Kinsale, Trials and other surrounding areas. Also present was Montserrat 's newly elected Chief Minister and Parliamentary representative of the Southern constituency, Mr. Bertrand Osborne who was congratulated on his appointment to office.
Osborne seized the opportunity to thank his constituents for the confidence shown in him in the last three elections and promised that his government will do everything possible to assist them specially in the on-going crisis. The meeting was mainly called, to impress upon the three hundred or more persons, still living in the unsafe zone the dangers that they were facing, with the shift in volcanic activity to the South West flank of an active volcano.
A member of the scientific team, Dr. Angus Smith of the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) was on hand to give the scientific observations and possible scenarios that are likely to develop and were very worrying to the scientists themselves and the authorities.
As expected he was able to answer most questions that persons at the meeting had to ask, but the real burning issue was where would the people be relocated to if they were to heed the warnings. No one at the meeting had any problems whatsoever with what the scientists were recommending or predicting, but they were not prepared to live in the dehumanizing conditions they said prevailed in the shelters.
However there was not one person from the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) to answer or assist them with the queries, of which there were many. The Chief Minister who has been in office for less that two weeks, was therefore placed in a very precarious position when asked to answer the many questions which were put.
Many ideas and proposals were made at the meeting to assist persons who may be able to find land in the safe zone with housing. There were also heated debate about some promises that were made to persons with special needs but as said before the questions could not be adequately answered because the right persons were not invited or did not show up.
The meeting when the scientist and the chairman for the meeting Mr. Richard Aspin of the GIU, left the meeting. Since then the volcanic activity has increased and the alert level has changed from Amber to Orange. Many of the villagers if not all in the Village of St. Patrick's have now evacuated to the safe zone.
VI Senator Arrested for Killing Son
Last Wednesday, Virgin Islands Senator Adelbert "Bert" Bryan from St. Croix was arrested for fatally shooting his son, Adelbert "Pel" Bryan, 25, eight months ago.
Charged with involuntary manslaughter, the St. Croix Senator was advised of his rights by Court Judge Alfonso Andrews and released on his own recognizance. The judge, however, ordered the Legislator not to commit any criminal act while on bail or to leave the Virgin Islands without the permission of the Court.
The affidavit which outlined the police case against the senator, spoke of his unlawful and excessive use of force against his son Adelbert "Pel" Bryan, when he shot him on March 30 at the farm owned by the family on St. Croix.
According to what Bryan told the police, he was chased around a truck by his son who was armed with a machete after the two had gotten into an argument. The Senator said he subsequently pulled out a 38 caliber handgun and fired six shots at his son. The gun in question was licensed. Bryan, a retired police captain also has a license for three additional handguns.
Six shots fired at son
The charge brought against the St. Croix Legislator claims that he fired six shots in rapid succession at his son. Three of the shots hit the young man; one in the chest, another in the neck and the third in the rear of his right shoulder.
The complaint filed in the court alleges that after the first two shots, the defendant made no attempt to break off the assault on his son to determine if he had subdued or incapacitated" the young man. Moreover, as to the effect of the three shots upon the victim, the affidavit filed in the courts throws important light on the issue. "It is possible that the first wound turned the victim leftward, which allowed gunshot wound number two to enter through the right side of the neck and exit near the left ear" stated the complaint.
The entry of the third shot was reportedly through the side rear shoulder, exiting toward the front of the body.
Charge of excessive force
It may be noted that as a police captain , Bryan was a self-defense instructor, a martial arts instructor as well as an expert marksman. The affidavit presented to the court claims that the shot may have been sufficient to incapacitate the victim. "The evidence indicates that the deceased was first shot in the chest and this wound probably incapacitated the victim" Consequently the two other wounds were unnecessary and "further evidence of unlawful, excessive force by Bryan" said the document.
According to what was placed before the court for consideration, Bryan could have taken a number of steps to aviod killing his son. The senator could have left the scene to avoid the confrontation or warned his son that he had a gun concealed on his person which could have deterred his son from further confrontation moreover, he could have used self-defense measures to disarm his son before going for the gun.
Re-elected while awaiting arrest
Significantly, despite the pending charge of voluntary manslaughter for which he was finally arrested on Wednesday, Bryan was re-elected to serve in the 22nd Legislature as one of the 15 senator of the lawmaking body.
Despite his wrong-doing Bryan remains popular among certain segments of the Virgin Island population. For example, the day before, he was charged with the involuntary manslaughter of his son, Bryan returned from the U.S. mainland only to be greeted at the airport by a crowd of about 300.
As the jet carrying Bryan touched down, his t-shirt clad fans began to sing: "Welcome back, to our leader, friend and man with the vision."
Some of the welcoming crowd shouted "we love you" while others stated "solidarity forever." One fan managed to turn the affair into a black and white issues. "We want you to stick with him," he shouted. "Black people must stick together".
Suspended by the 21st Legislature
On November 5, 1996 despite the fact that charges were pending against him for the voluntary manslaughter of his son, the voters of St. Croix elected Bryan to serve in the 22nd Legislature of the Virgin Islands. That term is due to begin the second week of January, 1997.
However, on November 7, 1996 while he was still serving out his term as a senator of the 21st Legislature, Bryan went into the public gallery of the deliberative body, yanked a camera from the neck of a newspaper reporter and smashed it on the floor.
By eight o'clock that night the Legislature was all ready to vote on a motion to censure the Senator. The bill in question read". "Senator Adelbert M. Byran left the floor of the Legislature and proceeded to the public gallery thereof and forcibly wrestled the camera of Steve Rockstein, a photographer of the Virgin Island Daily News, while he was taking pictures of the Legislative Session and intentionally threw the camera to the floor thereby damaging it.
"Senator Bryan's actions were witnessed by those present on the floor and in the public gallery of the Legislature".
The document went on to say that the action of Bryan was a "clear breach of decorum" and claimed that his conduct has brought disgrace upon the good name of the lawmaking body.
The debate on the censure motion was not without rancor. At one point, Bryan shouted to his colleagues "you all dont know wha' you doing"
"This man needs a psychiatrist" responded Senator Belando, another St. Croix Senator.
In the second and final part of our analysis we will examine the history of the violence associated with Senator Adelbert Bryan which preceded the involuntary manslaughter of his son.
PROFILES OF NEW MINISTERS OF GOVERNMENT
The Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Trade & the Environment, Reuben T Meade a former Chief Minister, has been a member of the Legislative Council since l99l, as representative for Central.
He is affiliated to the National Progressive Party and was sworn in as a Minister on November l3, l996.
Mr. Meade is an Economist and prior to the l99l elections was the Director of Development for the Government of Montserrat.
Born in l952, Mr. Meade attended the Montserrat Secondary School; and after graduating attended the University of the West Indies at Mona, Jamaica. Following this he did a Masters Degree in Canada and some post graduate work in Agricultural Economics.
Mr. Meade has been a member of many groups in Montserrat including Partners of the Americas and with whom he became an International Fellow in l990 in WK Kellogs Foundation funded programme "Fellowship in International Development"
Mr. Meade has three children and is married to the Rev. Joan Meade, a local Methodist Minister and former MSS teacher.
Mr. Meade was awarded the Montserrat Badge of Honor for his outstanding work following Hurricane Hugo in l989.
Mr. Meade lives in Olveston.
South Africa: A Lesson in Healing
One of the most prominent post-apartheid activities currently taking place in South Africa is hearing the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was established by president Nelson Mandela's (Mandiba as he is commonly referred to) Government to seek justice for the numerous political crimes committed during the apartheid era.
There are daily testimonies of the most heinous acts against Blacks known to human kind. All perpetrated in the name of maintaining the status quo of minority rule. The November 1 front page of one of South Africa's leading newspapers, The Star, recounts the story of ten black youths described as "politically active" who were lured across the border to Botswana in expectation of receiving military training. They were subsequently entrapped by the authorities the use of under cover infiltrates. The ten youths, ages 15-19, had no idea what hit them when they were struck by the South African special forces who intercepted their mini-bus then injected them with poison and pushed their vehicle over an embankment up into a wall. The mini-bus was loaded with explosives and blown-up to make it appear the youths had crashed from excessive alcohol abuse and were carrying explosives for insurgency purposes.
This is only one of many chilling accounts of how police and military hit squads went to extremely violent lengths to silence the opponents of apartheid and maintain minority rule. Day after day, there are gruesome testimonies to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Victims and their families relive the nightmare of state authorized terrorism that included assassinations, vigilantes, castration, ambush and target for elimination.
However, today, the challenge to South Africa as a Nation as well as to each of us in our individual wounds of abusive relationships, daily betrayals, dysfunctional families, addictions and chronic illness is to find creative ways to heal rather than nurture our pain. Too many people and nations have used their wounds to create a comfortable personal and community identity. We have become so good at "woundology" as Caroline Myss described in her book, "Anatomy of Spirit," that we have converted our wounds into a type of "relationship currency" that maintains our anguish. Television talk shows, like the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, have become forums for reinforcing hurts and maintaining victim status.
Myss, in her book, insists that "healing means getting over the pain, not exploiting it". We must heed the words of Ivanna Trump, "don't waste time getting even, instead get ahead".
There are no quick fixes to healing, whether it be the atrocities perpetrated by the enforces of apartheid in South Africa or the families, spouses, bosses and friends who regularly betray our trust. Healing is a spiritual journey which requires taking action and developing discipline. But above all, healing is an act of faith, surrender and forgiveness. Healing is the practice of living fully in each moment and making conscious decisions to become "pioneers of our future rather than prisoners of our past".
We must not become so addicted to the power of our wounds that we fail to embrace the privilege to heal. As individuals, we often face the same challenges as nations such as South Africa in its struggles to over come the overwhelming injustices of the past. We can renew our spirits and engage health rather than nurture hurt.
Healing is the ultimate act of self-empowerment which provides an opportunity to release the past, engage future, maximize our potential and live in the present.
Dr. Laura B. Lyons, President of Career Dynamics International, a Tortola, BVI, based Human Resources Management Company, and author of "Lyons' Guide To The Career Jungle", is currently on tour of South and Southern Africa as a motivational speaker and consultant until December 19. She now hosts her own radio program in Gaborone and will return there in March 1997 for a one year sabbatical.
by Peter White
There have been a number of differing views expressed to me personally concerning my proposals for a real Constitution. I welcome the feedback and would like to thank those who have taken the time to respond to my suggestions with their comments and suggestions. I would wish all to continue to give me their views but I would also like if some would be published for all to see, and judge for themselves the merits of each case.
In the absence of published comments I shall mention some of these views and give my reaction to the problems perceived by others.
What if many people ran for the office of Chief Minister and none received a majority?
Those who lost in a bid for the post of Chief Minister should be allowed to be members of the house.
How do you determine who belongs to a constituency, especially if the volcanic activities continue indefinitely, and how do you deal with ongoing population shifts in any case? Might it not be better to do away with constituencies altogether?
Persons selected for appointment as Ministers should be qualified to take charge of a particular Ministry.
It is proposed that the Chief Minister should be elected Island wide. The term of office should be fixed at five years subject to recall. The elections will be held in three phases.
First, there should be a run off of all candidates who wish to participate, if more than two candidates register their intention to contest for the post. If only two register their intention to contest the post initially the Supervisor of Elections will so declare and a final election between the two will be held on the date appointed. In the event that only one person register their intention, the Supervisor of Elections will so declare and a final election will still be held on the date appointed.
Secondly, if more than three candidates contest the first phase and receive more than twenty percent of the popular vote, there will be second ballot with the first three contesting this phase. The first two on this ballot will move forward to a final election to be held on the date appointed. If only two receive more than twenty percent on the first ballot, the supervisor of elections will so declare and a final election between the two will be held on the date appointed, eliminating the second phase.
The third phase will consist of the final elections on the day appointed for the elections for all candidates for the house of representatives.
The Cabinet of Ministers should be appointed from among the elected representatives by the Chief Minister. The Cabinet in turn will appoint their administrative heads, Cabinet Secretaries, subject to a majority approval of the House of representatives. Their suitability for the post will be judged and decided on an individual basis. The term of office for the Cabinet Secretaries will be at the discretion of the Chief Minister and his cabinet.
Besides the Chief Minister eight representatives will be elected on an island wide basis. Their will be ten constituency representatives.
The term of office for Representatives elected on an island wide basis shall be five years to coincide with that of the Chief Minister. The term of office for the constituency Representatives shall be three years. All starting with the coming into effect of the Constitution.
The boundaries of the constituencies will be reviewed every ten years following a national census to ensure that the populations of these constituencies are evenly divided. If a petition signed by twenty percent of the registered voters in a constituency, calling for the redrawing of the constituency boundaries within the ten year period, is approved by two thirds of the representatives in the house, a review must be made of the electoral boundaries before the next due elections.
We need a system that empowers our representatives to make all the decisions necessary in our best interest as they see it.
We need a system that enables them to carry out those decisions to the best of their ability with the resources that are available.
We need to accept the consequences of our decisions and a system which makes the decision makers accountable to the electorate.
We need a system which impels the building of a consensus for the government to function but does not demand the forging of formal alliances.
We need a system that supports the striving for excellence not the rewarding of mediocrity.
We need a system that encourages growth, demands responsibility and promotes initiative.
We need real Democracy.
Following reports of increased rockfalls in the Galways area, residents from the MVO on Monday of this week concentrated their activities at the Galways Soufriere. In the limited visibility available on Monday, they noticed large cracks on the face of the wall and evidence of further landslides.
Visibility improved during the week, scientists became increasingly concerned as they saw more and more of the wall. Field teams dispatched to Galways on Wednesday witnessed a large portion of the wall measuring about 6000 square meters collapse in front of their eyes. They had to retreat very quickly as they thought that the entire wall was about to collapse.
Throughout this time there was a further swarm of volcano-tectonic earthquakes which usually indicate that there is magma just below the crater trying to reach the surface and fracturing rock in the process.
On Wednesday night , early Thursday morning, on duty scientists noticed large rockfall signals on their seismicity measuring devices and thought this might be a further collapse of the Galways wall. They quickly notified the authorities and upped the alert to Orange level.
At 4..00 am Thursday, sirens sounded in the south and east of the island and subsequent ZJB announcements warned everyone in these parts of the island to move north as there was an imminent danger of the Galways wall collapsing. Heavy rain, cloud cover and generally poor visibility hampered scientists in the field from seeing what was going on.
At first light, the helicopter with head scientist at the MVO Dr. Simon Young made a flight over the area to see what had happened. They reported evidence of pyroclastic flows down the Tar River Valley reaching as far as the new delta at sea level and far more worrying they spotted mud and debris flows down the Whites Valley and River coming from Galways wall. Subsequent investigations showed that the flow came from material which came off the wall in the earlier collapse and mixing with the water caused by the heavy rain.
The bridge at O'Garro's was nearly washed out by the mud flow and a new delta has formed at the mouth of the river. Other ghauts in the south including Fort Ghaut showed evidence of major mud flows.
All evidence show that the Galways wall is under severe pressure from the lava dome behind it. The wall is expected to collapse which could lead to the collapse of the dome behind it and/or an explosive event if gases are released during the collapse. This makes the southern area as dangerous as the Long Ground and Tar River valley areas and immediately scientists revised the risk map which is shown. All the southern area from O'Garros to Gingoes Ghaut is now in Zone A and the area from Aymers Ghaut to Gingoes Ghaut is now in Zone B and includes the Trials area. All these areas are now considered "no go" areas and should not be visited.
During the Orange alert, there should be no one living in Zones A,B,C,D. However estimates are that there are at least about l00 people living in these unsafe zones despite pleas from authorities to get out.
His Excellency the Governor and Chief Minister Bertrand B. Osborne went on national radio earlier today to explain the seriousness of the current situation in a effort to persuade the people in the unsafe zones to relocate.
Several factors since have prompted general optimism that Lara has rid himself of the encumbrance around his neck and influenced the Board into now handing him the chance, perhaps his last, to show the maturity captaincy demands. Between the end of the New Zealand series in early May and the domestic One-Day Shell/Sandals Trophy tournament in October, he had his first break from the game - and the constantly prying public eye - since his records. He was able to relax on the golf course, oversee the construction of his mansion overlooking Port-of-Spain on land given to him by the grateful government and celebrate the birth of his first child from longtime girlfriend, Leasel. He chose the name Sydney for the baby daughter in recognition of the scintillating 277 at the SCG in l993, his first Test hundred and the one he himself - and most others who witnessed it-still rates above any of the others. Fatherhood can have a settling effect on extrovert young men and, in any case, it will be further incentive for another big one in Sydney this time. His tactical shrewdness in leading Trinidad & Tobago to the Shell/Sandals Trophy title recently , as well as the obvious respect he had from his players, simply confirmed the board's initial identification of him as their captain of the future. The installation of Lloyd as manager, Walsh as captain and Malcolm Marshall as coach means a hierarchy with which Lara can feel comfortable. His dissatisfaction with previous skipper Richie Richardson and coach Andy Roberts was well documented. Under Lloyd, he said, he "felt at home.....felt like playing cricket" and he is close to both Walsh and Marshall, who took him under his wing when they roomed together in the l992 World Cup. Lloyd asserts that Lara "knows the game, has a good cricket brain and knows about cricket". He has gone through a bit of a difficult period over one or two things but I think he is coming to grips with his role as a senior member of the team," he add. Lara's staleness was evident from his carefree batting and some soft dismissals against the depleted New Zealanders. "Playing against their sort of attack was not a great motivator," he acknowledged later. There is plenty to motivate him in Australia - quite apart from thoughts of Sydney, the daughter and the cricket ground. "This is s a crucial Test series for all of us," he has noted. "We have a lot to prove and win back." And he added, he now intends to let his bat do the talking for him.
Ideal Boys have tasted victory in the last round of matches in the Carib Football league. They edged out S.D.A. Trendsetters by 4 goals to 3. Lesroy Weekes converted 2 of the 4 goals for Ideal Boys while Steadroy Cabey and Percy Roach were the other two converters. Scores in the only weekend game of the Carib Football league against Ideal Boys 4 and S.D.A. Trendsetters 3.
5 teams are participating in the l996-97 Carib Football league.
Jus wonderin who is responsible for the conflicting information we are getting on ZJB about areas that can be visited during the orange state of alert..
Jus wonderin why no one from the EOC was invited to the meeting in St. Patrick's Village last Saturday.
Jus wonderin who are the members of the volcano review committee, and what risk is involved to allow persons to be able to purchase fuel at the Delta gas station if the port workers could work at Port Plymouth.
Jus wonderin if it is true that the previous CM is boasting that he is still captain of the ship, and is he working under the mandate of the present government or his own.
Jus wonderin if the rumors are true that the EOC have thousands of dollars worth of goods rotting or destroyed by rats because they fail to give them out to the relocated persons.
Jus can't help wonderin if it is true that the kitchen and other household utensils that were sent for the shelters from places like the USVI over one year ago are still at the EOC.
Jus wonderin if the powers that be really understand what slave boat like circumstances really exist in the shelters.
Jus wonderin whether any member of Government or any other person in authority could survive one week in the present shelter conditions and how soon the said conditions will be improved.
Jus wonderin who are the Fantastic four on the radio, that the men at the Delta station gas were referring to.
Jus wonderin what is meant by this statement, the young people at the shelters are strong enough to withstand the conditions.
Jus wonderin where are the scientists from the Seismic Research Unit.
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