The British government is about to force five British overseas territories in the Caribbean to lift a ban on homosexuality, despite strong opposition from local leaders.

The Sunday Times in England reported this week that the Foreign Office will act before the end of the year, citing Britain's obligations to the European Convention on Human Rights.

The move will affect the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Anguilla and the Cayman Islands, which have devout religious populations and are the last British overseas territories banning homosexual acts between consenting adults.

Penalties vary between a fine in the Caymans to life imprisonment in the Turks and Caicos Islands, although the laws are rarely invoked.

In current developments in Montserrat this week, Acting Chief Minister the honourable Rupert Weekes was vocal on the issue of the legislation being passed by the local parliament. Mr. Weekes was as vocal as his boss the honourable David Brandt when he said that he will not be party to any government that pass the legislation in Montserrat.

Following concerns last week that inaccurate and distorted news broadcasts surrounding the Soufriere Hills volcano and its alleged potential for a big and imminent eruption, preparations for the upcoming Organization of Eastern Caribbean States Heads of Government Summit to be held here next week are progressing well.

He says so far only one member state has indicated that it will not be represented at the three-day meeting, that country being the British Virgin Islands, which will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its parliament at the same time.

The Honourable Chief Minister David Brandt, along with the Chairman of the OECS, Dr. Keith Mitchell, and Secretary General Swinburne Lestrade are expected to give remarks at the opening of the summit.

The opening ceremony and subsequent meetings will be held at the Vue Pointe Hotel during the three-day summit.

Mr. Hamilton is therefore asking the public’s cooperation when the convoy with delegates is traveling between Sweeneys and Old Towne.

This week British news reported that before the end of the year Britain will carry out its Homosexuality White Paper wishes on five of its dependent territories which refuse to enact legislation to lift their bans on homosexuality.

These principles had some key areas for change: Citizenship -- to look sympathetically at the possibility of extending citizenship; Financial regulation to present proposals for independent and properly resourced regulatory authorities; and Human rights, to ensure compatibility with the commitments which Britain has made on their behalf.

It must be understood that this new and modern partnership was to be based, "on consultation and mutual understanding," as stated in the White Paper.

There were few problems with most of the others and discussions have been ongoing.

The financial regulatory matters had to do mostly with off-shore banking centers in the territories. But the one matter that seemed not to require, from the British point of view, any consultation except to demand that we pass laws to legalize homosexual acts between consenting adults in private.

Montserrat is one of the five OTs which said they will not change the homosexuality laws, referring always to the island’s "character, its culture and its religious beliefs." But there has been no room for discussion. Britain now says it will enact and impose this legislation on the islands. In the Caribbean it is not only the five OTs which outlaw homosexual acts as being unnatural and therefore having no legal acceptability; Trinidad is another example.

Here we are dealing with strong traditional societies many of which hang on dearly to traditions and beliefs in an age when cultural colonialism from the U.S. and even Europe is a major concern. Britain can only be pretending to have the best interest of our people at heart. Mr. Cook and Baroness Scotland cannot think that in this age of sovereignty, when even in the UK there is heated debate about the threat to sovereignty on the EU  and the currency question, that they can justifiably make such impositions on these five islands, so small and so heavily dependent on the UK, for their survival in a sense.

It was Baroness Scotland herself who said that gone was the time when Britain told the OTs what to do. Everything was to be by agreement between the parties. If this relationship with Britain is to be a mutual partnership it should be thus, and no European culture and desires should be enforced on a people who hold themselves up as having their own individuality. That must be wrong.

Baroness Scotland has said that once Britain maintained ultimate responsibility for the colonies, they would also have to abide by the provisions of international pacts such as the European Convention on Human Rights and the United Nations International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Nehemiah 8:9-12

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Nehemiah 8:10

It was not easy growing up in a small Arkansas town during the depression of the 1920s and 30s. Many businesses failed, including my father’s. God took care of us through it all. My mother and dad prayed and gave thanks daily that God would care for us, strengthen us, and provide for the needs of our family of seven. It was to my parents’ faith that my sibling and I learned to endure many hardships and to rely on Christ.

As I have grown older and looked back on life, I can see that everyone has good times and also times of grief, discouragement, and despondency. However, there is one constant in all this; When Christ is at the center of our lives, his love and patience see us through every trial.

I believe that difficult times can help us to grow in our understanding of God. During hard times, God opens our eyes to see that joy does not come from a life without trials and heartaches. Joy comes from deep, abiding faith that increases as we mature in our relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, open us to your joy even in hard times. Help us to cling to the promise that you will never desert us. Amen.

"Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning" (Psalm 30:5)

Leone Hinton (Tennessee)

Prayer Focus: SOMEONE WHO NEEDS JOY

Dear Editor,
During this Tourist Week, while villages are being challenged to beautify their respective areas through an island-wide cleanup effort, I feel it necessary to point out a national pollution and health travesty. I am referring to the unabated, unchallenged, and apparently commercial dumping of debris and building materials at Dr. Woods Road.

At the bridge abutment about 2/3 of the way down, some people have selfishly and irresponsibly chosen to use the downside of the road as an unauthorized dump. Based on the content and amount of debris already dumped, this is not a minor, isolated offense. It appears as though commercial interests, people hired by others to take building debris and other assorted garbage to the island's only official dump site, have chosen the easy way out and declared Dr. Wood's Road their own personal dumpsite.

This is an extraordinarily selfish act by people apparently uninterested in their island's appearance or the health of its people. Not only is this site a foul-smelling eyesore, it is also a major health hazard, a breeding ground for mosquitoes and rats that needs to be dealt with. It is an embarrassment to the people of Montserrat that this is allowed to continue unchallenged and an embarrassment that anyone would consciously choose to be so selfish to do this in the first place.
A concerned citizen

Hospital compound in St Johns

Health Education Coordinator Almae O’Garro marked the observance of World Diabetes Day Tuesday by urging members of the public to pay more attention to the symptoms of diabetes.

It is estimated that 250 persons or about 5 percent of Montserrat’s population suffer from diabetes.

The St. Patrick’s Co-operative Credit Union (SPCCU) continues to plan for the future.

President Bennette Roach opened the workshop while Mrs. Roselyn Cassell-Sealy, Executive Director, gave an update of the current status of the SPCCU. Mr. Renford Douglas, CEO of the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions (CCCU), was facilitator for the one-day retreat.

Residents of Montserrat are feeling the effects of a flour shortage that developed this week, according to a ZJB news report.

Customers were being turned away from some bakeries and supermarkets from Tuesday night because flour stocks were depleted.

By Cathy Buffonge
For the past several weeks, writer and dramatist A-dZiko Simba was on the island under the "Scholars and Artists in Residence" programme organized by the University of the West Indies throughout its non-campus territories. The idea behind this programme is to enable Caribbean scholars and artists to spend a little time on the various islands, so that their skills and enthusiasm can be passed on to others.
During A-dZiko's stay, she held several workshops on story telling, poetry and short story writing with teachers, schoolchildren and interested members of the public. To bring this activity to a close a most enjoyable event, in the form of an informal story telling and poetry performance, took place at the Vue Pointe Hotel recently.
Pat 'Belonger' Ryan was first on stage, and recounted a tragic historical story set on Trants Estate in slavery days, which had been passed down orally over the years, and was first written down by Sonja Osborne. Pat also mentioned several old stories about the Salem area in former years, which had been preserved and passed along by Mr. C.T. John.
Several people described their experiences attending the sessions, and their appreciation, with some having written poems or short stories for the first time. Ron Barzey read two poems he had written -- one romantic and one on the volcano. Several people read their short stories, portraying imaginative situations, some based on real life, including Nurse Cooper, Shirley Spycalla, Herman 'Cupid' Francis, Dr. Lowell Lewis, and of course A-dZiko herself.
Veteran poet Anne Marie Dewar read one of her lesser known poems, and Dr. Howard Fergus read several poems from his recently released book, "Volcano Song - Poems of an Island in Agony." Dr. Fergus explained that all profits from the book would be going to the Old People's Welfare Association.
Children were an important part of the occasion. A group from the Brades Primary School were on hand to show off their creative writing and art work, with each child having made a book describing what they would like to be when they grow up. Ashton, Rowmando, Trisena, Amanya, Maressa, and Shannel read what they had written, while Afaree, Shjavere, Donella and Tiffany also had their work on display
Besides working directly with some of the children, A-dZiko had also worked with teachers, who passed on the skills and ideas to their pupils. Brades Primary teacher Edith Duberry read several poems written by her class, demonstrating how, with encouragement and guidance, activities like these can help children to express their thoughts and ideas creatively.
A-dZiko has been active as a writer, performer and dramatist, both in the Caribbean and the UK, and has lived in Montserrat on and off for several years, where she has been involved in story telling and other creative activities with children. She is also one of the principal actors in the drama group Plenty-Plenty Yac Ya Ya.

"The Right To Development" is the topic of the Fifth Sir Arthur Lewis Memorial Lecture, which will take place in St Lucia on November 22. This year’s lecture will be delivered by Kari Levitt, Professor Emeritus of McGill University in Canada.

Professor Levitt is an economist of some 60 years standing who has lectured and published widely on issues of economic development and Caribbean political economy. She has been an advisor to the government of Trinidad and Tobago, and a visiting professor at the St. Augustine and Mona campuses of the University of the West Indies.

The event, organised and hosted by the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, will mark the opening of the 11^th Annual Conference with Commercial Banks, which will take place on November 23 and 24. The theme of this year’s conference is "Building a Safe and Efficient Retail Payments System." It will be attended by representatives of the 43 commercial banks in the Eastern Caribbean currency union.

Included in the programme is the ECCB’s Best Corporate Citizen award ceremony, which recognises the contribution of commercial banks in member territories to economic and social advancement. Last year’s winner was Antigua Commercial Bank. The winners of the ECCB’s annual essay competition and OECS Under-23 Netball tournament are also honoured at the ceremony

Jamaica, CANA - Women accounted for more than 75 percent of the graduates from the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona Campus in Jamaica this year.
A total of 1,804 women received degrees, diplomas and certificates when the UWI held its 2000 graduation ceremony on Friday night. Of the 2,358 graduates, only 554 were men.
Chancellor of the UWI, Sir Shridath Ramphal, described the small number of males in the university system as being of "great concern to the university".
"(This) should be a matter of great concern to the entire society," Sir Shridath said.
During the ceremonies, the UWI conferred honorary Doctor of Laws degrees on three outstanding individuals: West Indies fast bowler Courtney Walsh, the Bahamas' Governor General, Sir Orville Turnquest, and Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Pakistan-born Dr. Nafis Sadik.

ROSEAU, Dominica, CANA - Residents of Portsmouth, northern Dominica, will go to the polls December 11 to elect a new parliamentary representative.
The by-election is to fill the seat made vacant by the death of former Prime Minister Rosie Douglas.
At an 11 a.m. news conference Monday, Prime Minister Pierre Charles announced November 24 as Nomination Day and December 11 as Election Day.
"It is the intention of the leadership of the Dominica Labour Party to hold this election at the earliest possible date so as to bring closure to this formal period of mourning by the family, relatives, friends and associates of the late Prime Minister," Mr. Charles said.
Mr. Douglas died on October 1, from heart problems due to hypertension.
The new Prime Minister said that while he looked forward to a "hard fought but civil" campaign, he was confident that Dominicans would emerge from the process with an even stronger resolve to continue the work started by the coalition government.
Two of the parties have already declared their candidates. The Dominica Labour Party (DLP) has picked Rosie Douglas' nephew, attorney Ian Douglas, as its candidate.
The opposition United Workers Party (UWP) has nominated Portsmouth businessman Patrickson Corbette as its candidate.
Corbette who contested the seat on the UWP ticket in the January 2000 general election, lost his deposit, receiving only 136 votes against the 1299 votes for the late Rosie Douglas in the January 31 poll.
In the 2000 general election, Portsmouth saw a 96.1 -percent turnout of its 2,766 registered electors.

A major area of challenge for the Caribbean's sugar industry is generating electricity power using bagasse, a byproduct of sugar cane, a top industry official said on Monday.
Karl James, chairman of the Jamaica-based Sugar Association of the Caribbean Inc (SAC), said this process, also known as co-generation, had proven to be one sure way of earning more money for the sugar industry.
"If Guyana, Belize and Jamaica go ahead with co-generation as another component of industry sustainability, then sugar cane with both high sucrose and fiber must be one of the targets of the (West Indies Central) Cane Breeding Station," James said.
Mr. James made the comment while addressing the 6th International Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ISSCT) Cane Breeding Workshop at the Grand Barbados Hotel.
He said that Caribbean sugar producers wanted to be in a position to supply the 300,000 metric tons of sugar consumed on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) market.
James said to achieve this, Caribbean sugar-producing countries must increase their refining capacity and co-generation was one way of achieving this objective, especially in the larger industries.
"SAC producers achieved a production level of 826,019 tons in 1999/2000 crop; 685,877 tons were exported, leaving 130,142 tons for sale on the domestic markets," James said.
"We need to produce a total of 1 million tons consistently on an annual basis in order to satisfy all the markets available to us," he added.
Dr. P. Seshagiri Rao, director of the West Indies Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station, told the Caribbean News Agency (CANA) that co-generation was one way of earning more money for the sugar cane industry.
"Instead of using oil, you can use sugar cane bagasse to generate electricity and you can sell to the local market. In Barbados, they are looking at it, producing more electricity from the sugar factory and selling it to the power company," he added.
Dr. Sao said that over the past five years, Caribbean producers have been looking at producing varieties that have high sucrose and high fiber. The aim is to reduce their high production costs, he said.

U.S. Congresswoman Maxine Walters, a California Democrat and a member of the Black Congressional Caucus, said last week that should Republican leader George W. Bush become the next president of the United States, relations with the Caribbean could suffer.

Ms. Walters was speaking to reporters at an opening reception of the Fifth Annual Carib News Multinational Business Conference at the Wyndham Hotel in Montego Bay on Thursday night, at a time when the outcome of the closest presidential election in U.S. was just beginning to become a vigorous struggle over vote counts in Florida.

The outcome of the increasingly rancorous challenges and counter-challenges remains unresolved

Ms. Walters said she foresees drastic changes during a Bush administration to immigration laws, one of the issues that the Black Congressional Caucus is fighting against in the current session of Congress.

"We are trying to get permanent residence for immigrants who have been in the U.S. for years. We are trying to equalise the Immigration policy, as there is a difference between Cuba and everyone else. We now have legislation pending which we are trying to get passed, but it is being mightily resisted by the Republicans," she said.

In support of her view that the Caribbean could be worse off, she referred to one of the presidential debates during which Mr. Bush had stated that Africa would not be a priority and, when asked about Haiti, he said that he did not think the U.S. had any business involvement with that country.

"I think that is typical of the kind of thinking that comes from him and would come from his administration that some how, they would have no interest in the Caribbean, or in Africa or in these countries of colour," Ms Walters said.

The Congresswoman said she believes that if Bush succeeds, he will appoint Colin Powell Secretary of State or to another high office. This would be good, she said, but in the final analysis, Gen. Powell would remain a Republican and would not be diametrically opposed to the policies of his party.

"Our challenge is always to confront whomever is in power as it relates to the concerns of the people of colour and to talk about domestic and international policies," she said.

A total of 38 members of the Black Congressional Caucus attended the conference.

By Peter Adrien

Are we match-making or match-fixing? This is a vexing but an honest enquiry that we must make. We have been match-making from colonialism. Match-making was formally introduced to the Caribbean culture by the Indo-West Indian population who came as indentured labourers following the abolition of slavery and the labour shortage that resulted. Their social system demanded that they preserve their ethnicity, safeguard their social structure and perpetuate the property and caste system through match-making (within the matrimonial custom). The practice of arranged marriage has had significant influence on Caribbean social life.

All social classes in Caribbean society have in some form or fashion been involved in match-making for spiritual, social, economic or political reasons. It is common practice for a mother, father, brother, sister, uncle or aunt to arrange or match-fix the marriage of a cousin and a friend; a nephew or niece to match-fix a half-sister and the postman or for a fellow worker to match-fix a girlfriend and a boyfriend.

In the context of our dominance of international cricket and in the context of our superior cricketing art and science that allowed us to dictate the pace and outcome of the game, humbled the best of opponents and taught the cricketing world how to play, we have been calypso match-makers. But cricket match-fixing is not akin to Caribbean cricket folklore, and we are indeed dumbfounded at the possibility of our new generation players being involved in fixing the outcome of our games. This would be a crime against the "collective conscience" - a betrayal of the national trust punishable by death.

After reading the CBI Report on Cricket Match Fixing and Related Malpractices released on November 2, 2000, I must confess that I was forced to revisit the issue, attempt to separate my head from my heart, and accept my obligation as a journalist, to educate my readership on the global corruption and provoke the West Indian cricket high-command to act rationally.

The crisis facing international cricket is "far more sinister than the 'body line' controversy." International cricket is no longer the gentlemanly, honourable and aggressive game that was played by George Headley, exalted by C.L.R. James and glorified by Tony Cozier. The romanticism associated with the game has been replaced by an orchestrated manipulation that is driven by greed and commercialization. The deciding factors are no longer the glorious expectation of the game produced by altruistic and nationalistic men fighting for national supremacy but by cartels and an underworld similar to those that control the international drugs, narcotics and prostitution. (See the works of Peter Adrien).

The biggest earnings are not derived from gate receipts, rights, merchandising and endorsements but from the bookies, punters and players. We have become mere victims, not knowing when the output or the outcome is authentic. It appears to large extent that we are taken for a ride after paying large sums of monies, which we worked very hard for. It is true that "increasingly, in the playing fields around the world, the music of a sweetly timed stroke is being replaced by the harsh cacophony of ringing cell phones. Players are either induced or threatened to under-perform for large rewards.

Match Fixing "is used as an omnibus phrase to denote the following: (i) instances where an individual player or group of players received money individually/collectively to underperform; (ii) instances where a player placed bets in matches in which he played that would naturally undermine his performance;(iii) instances where players passed on information to a betting syndicate about team composition, probable result, pitch condition, weather, etc.; (iv) instances where groundsmen were given money to prepare a pitch in a way which suited the betting syndicate; and (v) instances of current and ex-players being used by bookies to gain access to Indian and foreign players to influence their perform for a monetary consideration." (CBI Report, p.3) The racket involves both 'fixing' matches and 'performance fixing' of individual players and every actor in the game is involved – players, past players, managers, coaches, umpires, curators and commentators.

The burning issues are whether the current West Indian players are involved in the unprofessional conduct and what should be our new response to the developments? With such an all-inclusive racket, who can safely pinpoint a culprit except with unquestionable evidence and confirm his involvement in match-fixing? There are many cases for and against. In the evidence for, it is very difficult to determine conclusively that a person was involved in deciding the outcome of a game because he spoke to someone, whether directly or through an intermediary, with respect to his present disposition, the team’s morale, the dressing-room decision, the toss, the weather, the likely outcome of the match, who turned out to be a bookie or punter were involved in determining the outcome of a game. Second, even where the accused has been identified, how do we make a judgment in a matter without two or three witnesses? Third, how do we determine when the player has under-performed?

In the evidence against, given the wide-ranging involvement, any player, manger, coach, umpire, groundsman (at their moment of weakness) could be lured to manipulate the outcome of a game. Second, contact between the bookie and the accused or punter and the accused, establishes a ground for questioning the accused’ involvement in the scandal.

The CBI Report confirmed: "A number of foreign players were introduced by Manoj Prabhakar to bookie M. K. Gupta @ M. K. @ John who either offered or paid money to them. Some of them are: (i) Alec Stewart, (ii) Brian Lara, (iii) Mark Waugh, (iv) Dean Jones, (v) Hansie Cronje, (vi) Arvinda D'Silva, (vii) Arjuna Ranatunga, (viii) Martin Crowe, (ix) Salim Malik." (pp.35-36.). As you know, Persons from Australia, England, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies were mentioned. Some of the mentioned players have been banned; some have been fined; and some have been cleared by their respective authorities.

The Report noted "West Indies: MK has stated that Prabhakar had tried to ‘telephonically introduce' him to Gus Logie, who, however, refused to talk to MK. Prabhakar has confirmed this in his statement. MK discloses that Prabhakar introduced him to Brian Lara. Prabhakar has accepted this in his statement. According to MK, he paid a sum of $40,000 to Brian Lara to underperform in two one-dayers when West Indies toured India in 1994."(p.45).

What do we accept? Are there grounds for prosecuting of the West Indian players? Given the inconclusive evidence, to preserve the integrity of West Indies cricket, to safeguard the young players, to reduce uncertainty in the near-demoralised camp, the WICB must launch an enquiry into match fixing. This is not an acceptance of guilt but an endorsement of our international integrity, which is being questioned.

While I have argued that we are clean, and still believe that we are clean, the developments demand a pro-active stand. It will not be transparent and accountable to leave the matter to the ICC.

The problem demands good stewardship from Pat Rousseau.

PHOTO: Pat Rousseau, the WICB boss is challenged to be accountable (Photo: Peter Adrien)

FOOD – GUIDELINES TO GOOD EATING 

By Lystra Fagan, RN, RM

Our bodies are built up from the food we eat. There is a constant breaking down of the tissues of the body; every movement of every organ involves waste and this organ of the body requires its share of nutrition. The brain must be supplied with its portion, the bone muscles and nerves demand theirs. It is a wonderful process that transforms the food into blood and uses this blood to build up the varied parts of the body, but this process is going on continually, supplying with life and strength each nerve, muscle and tissue.

Food touches practically every aspect of our lives and affects how we feel physically and emotionally. By eating well we take care of ourselves on the most basic level. Eating has enormous emotional importance for women because we are still usually the ones who have the responsibility for budgeting, planning and cooking for others in our households. Food often takes on magical powers of nurturance.

Food can be a source of problems as well as joy. It’s hard to get practical, reliable information about what is best to eat and often hard to find what we need. Even when we know how to make good choices we may not have enough money to eat well.

You might be surprised that many nutritionists think we eat more poorly now than at the turn of the century. Even today those persons who have enough money to buy whatever they want choose their food poorly. We used to eat more whole foods, such as whole wheat rather than white flour. Food generally was minimally processed, that is, changed little from its original state. This change usually involves the kind of cooking or preserving that could be done in a home kitchen. Now we have technology to refine and process foods, i.e. to change it radically in ways we never could before. We also used to eat more complex carbohydrates, food with a lot of starches and/or natural sugars and fibre. Now we eat fewer carbohydrates (starches and sugars) and more is refined, like cane sugar. Because of dietary changes previously mentioned we may be making ourselves more susceptible to various diseases and sufferings. Current research suggests many links. Many of us have found this research compelling enough to change when we have found that changing what we eat improves our health.

Here now are some general eating guidelines.

1. Increase the level of complex carbohydrates from 45 to 60 percent of our total calories. These foods include grains, legumes (peas and beans) fruits and vegetables.

2. Decrease refined sugar intake to no more than 10 percent of our calories.

3. Decrease fats to 20 percent from about 40 percent. Reduce saturated fats 20 percent to 7 or 8 percent of calories. Saturated fats are fats which are solid at room temperature. Animal fats, hydrogenated (hardened) fats and two vegetable fats, i.e. coconut and palm oil. Most of our saturated fats come from red meats, cheese, ice cream, whole and 2 percent milk. Unsaturated fats are those which are liquid (oils), like corn, safflower or sesame. Those which are monosaturated are liquid at room temperature but solidify easily in the refrigerator, like peanut, canola or olive oil.
4. Reduce cholesterol in foods to 300 mgs per day, about half of what it is now. Cholesterol is found only in animal products, mostly in egg yolks (one yolk fills the days limit) and organ meats (liver, brain, etc).
5. Reduce salt (actually sodium).
6. Cut proteins in half to 10-12 percent of the calories you eat, unless you have specific needs.
7. Avoid excess caffeine, especially if you are pregnant. It is found in coffee, chocolate, black tea, some herb teas such as matle and many soft drinks, especially cola drinks, as well as in other with caffeine listed as an ingredient.
8. If you drink alcohol at all, reduce your intake to no more than one drink a day.

REMEMBER WE ARE WHAT WE EAT!

Where are we and where are we headed?

For some time now I have been observing the progress of the Opera – "The Life and Times of a People Called Montserratians". For me the tale began (with suitable fanfare and music) at a time when the people of the Caribbean were attempting to recognize and define the world around them. I think, as a whole it can be said that they have recognized, but have yet to fully define, that world.

Montserrat, although part and parcel of the process, has found it difficult to maintain a link that is tight and strong enough to keep us in step with the emergence of recognition and defining themes that surround us. In some ways, this difficulty has been useful, one might even say helpful, in creating a distinctive look and feel for the Montserrat product, but in many ways it has failed us.

The pressures that have kept our link tenuous have made it difficult for us to reach the level of recognition realized by our neighbors. For us, the trials and tribulations of our neighbors have not been seen as object lessons; rather they are seen as devoid of any relevance to our situation unless we follow their path. We fail to understand that we travel the same river and are affected by the same rapids whether we like it or not.

We may feel we have a choice because we have been often told that we are different. We are, but not to the extent that we travel above the flow and not in it. We may be on different sides or midstream alone, but we are still in the flow.

That being said, where are we and where are we headed? I have asked this question many times.

Who are we and what will we become? That too needs to be answered.

Until we can achieve a consensus on the answers to those questions, we will fail to recognize and define the world around us.

Today we find ourselves in a total struggle to survive. Who are we? A people called Montserratian. Where? Everywhere.

Can we describe a Montserratian? For some, the answer to a question such as this would first mention a geographic location for where those people reside, and then further embellish this with what makes them unique as a result of their location, or, some other inspirational clothing that wraps and protects their being. We have woven no such cloth and our location is being destroyed.

We have the makings of the cloth; we need to work the loom. We have a location, but the destruction must cease. We can, even if we must rebuild and fortify our location, be it actual, virtual or both.

Events have forced all of us to address these issues in one form or another. We need to help each other to find a way; to find the best way to face and resolve these issues in whatever guise, so that we find the answers, make the cloth and build the fortifications.

Let's start with our Location. We need to make it hospitable for those we would wish to call Montserratian. We need to make it inclusive of those who cannot physically reside there at present. We need to make it attractive for those who were forced to reside elsewhere to still call it home. We need to make it possible for all to help in the construction of whatever wrappings, trappings and armor are required.

In short, we need all whom we would dare to wish to call Montserratian to work to recognize and define a world for us.

Where do we start? Do we need to start from scratch? Is there a foundation on which we can build? I have already stated that we do have the makings. We just need to work at it in a manner that will move us forward together.

We need to redefine our goals and mark our milestones. We need our architects to consolidate our wishes, our dreams and our needs and develop the plans for the construction of our Montserrat. No plan can be properly devised without full participation of all concerned. This is not to say that all ideas must be incorporated but it does say they must be considered.

The architects must be innovative, imaginative but sound. There is, or was, a first time for everything. If we must be first, let it be so. However, valuable lessons exist in the past. Let us take full cognizance of those that may be useful. The old foundation may be well entrenched, but is it square? If not, can we make it square? Is it strong? If not, can we make it strong? If we must build anew, after thorough examination, so be it.

We must realize that faults that develop in the roof structure may be due to a crooked foundation upon which crooked walls were raised. If we want a proper structure, we need to fix it from foundation up.

Our foundation was designed and built for use by others for their own best interest. Their abiding interest was not, is not, and will not be for our own best interest. If we choose to use this foundation without fixing it to suit our own purposes, we will never serve our own best interest. We cannot fix it from the roof down.

We have the opportunity now to build from scratch or at the very least; we have access to the foundation. Let us fix it. Let us reach a consensus of what we want. Let us determine our needs. Let us get the plans drawn and let us build together.

We have many Architects. Let them collaborate and draft the plans so we can all find our rooms in this house in which we all need to live, perhaps as a guest sometimes, but we must all feel at home. When we are satisfied with the draft, let us do a maroon (plenty of fish and goatwater) and build Montserrat.

I call for a grand performance of the Opera where all the characters are called on stage to perform as one. To place all contending ideas before us all, so that we may all see, hear and inwardly digest their contents and arrive at a consensus of what we are, where we are, and what we want to be.

Let us call a convention for all who we call, or would wish to call Montserratian, a grand retreat both physically and virtually, to profess our vision of Montserrat and commit to our participation to its end.

It is natural for some who read this to question the base of reality upon which this piece was written. We need concrete ideas, more so we need practical activities, that generate income so we can build homes, eat food, clothe our children, educate them, and prepare them for life such as it is.

We need a framework for action. We need to identify our strengths and weaknesses. We need to act.

However, we need to act with a plan. We need to know what a column supports when we build it to ensure it is the right size and strength to do the job.

Sometime between 2001 and early 2002, Montserratians will go to the polls for the twelfth time since they were granted adult suffrage in 1951, and for the second time since the social and economic upheaval caused by an erupting volcano. A number of individuals have announced their intention to contest the elections, and two parties led by Mr. John Osborne and Mr. Reuben T. Meade have also been mentioned. They did not, however, announce the names of party members.

The present Legislative Council contains representatives of three parties - The People’s Progressive Alliance of John A. Osborne, The National Progressive Party led by Reuben T. Meade, and the Movement for National Reconstruction led by former Chief Minister P. A. Bramble, who recently resigned as a Nominated member.

It is ironical that three parties seem viable in a parliament of seven and in an island without a history of strong party organisation. Third parties fare badly in the Caribbean as evidenced in Barbados, Jamaica and even Antigua. Parties in Montserrat survive because they make few pretensions about structure, democratic functioning and permanence. Typically they are prominent around election time in order to facilitate the election of a government in a multi-party liberal democratic system. Significantly with an election some 14 months away at most, no party slate has been announced.

It is my view the prevailing socio-economic conditions in Montserrat, notwithstanding the relapse into a grant-aided status, render the situation fertile for party formation. One of the deficiencies of the Montserrat party culture is that factions do not appear to develop around national issues and shared principles, and typically people vote for individuals, some of whom are persons proposed by a dominant leader. It would be imprudent for me to identify possible major issues at this point, but there are such issues and values around which groups can coalesce; and this is what real parties are about.

Parties at this time may prove advantageous. They may bring greater stability to government and end coalition governance, although no one can be sure. We have enough to do concentrating on a new electoral system and can do without the babel and dissonance of 15 or more individual voices singing in 15 different tunes. Parties formed around issues under a leader will help us to better focus our minds on the choice of a government. There is, of course, a place for some independent candidates, but for the majority, party groupings ought to be the norm.

In Montserrat, Warren Cassell was not considered a "bright" student. So at 16 he was relegated to the dreaded Pre-Vocational Programme (PVP). That meant he couldn't cut it in academics and was moved from the standard high school programme into a more practical, technical or vocational programme that would better cater to his "natural abilities."
In theory this was no big deal. In practice it was the kiss of death, a badge of dishonor he would be expected to wear for as long as he remained in Montserrat. As a student it meant he was second best, if not second class, and neither academia nor the rest of society was likely to consider that judgement too hasty or too flawed.
Young Warren knew in his heart he wanted to become a lawyer, but never told anyone for fear they would laugh him to scorn. But fate would have him meet Esco Henry, at the time a very young lawyer with the reputation of being one of Montserrat's best legal minds.
He quizzed her earnestly and Esco told him that to get admitted to study law he must pass a minimum of five General Certificate of Education (GCE) subjects, three at "O" (ordinary) level and two at "A" (advanced) level. Even more importantly she told him she was starting an A-level class in law at the University of the West Indies School of Continuing Education in Dagenham and urged him to attend.
He did, found the subject fascinating and, abandoning all caution, set his goal. He was going to become an Attorney at Law.
So began Warren Cassell's odyssey from PVP to LLB, on to law school and finally to being called to the Bar in Montserrat on Friday November 11, 2000.

Warren with some of his former teachers and being congratulated by the Hon CM David Brandt

Being in PVP, he wasn't even on the right track for O-levels or university. The journey he was contemplating was akin to making it out of hell through purgatory and eventually all the way up to heaven. But Warren is nothing if not determined, courageous and undaunted by hard work. His inspiring story is perhaps best told in his own voice:
"After I made up my mind to become a lawyer, I knew if I stopped to question it, to allow myself a moment's doubt, I would have chickened out. My mother always told me, 'one day at a time' and that's the approach I took. It also helped that in 1989 my family had moved right next door to Mr. David Brandt in Olveston. He was at the time a practicing lawyer and when he learned of my ambition gave me great encouragement.
"While still in the PVP, I identified subjects I thought I could pursue at O-level and solicited the assistance of some teachers. Other teachers saw my willingness and volunteered to help me. They were Miss Mignon Moses, Mrs. Claudia Skerrit, Miss Beverly Bramble, Mrs. Elicia Daniel and Mr. Hughon James. With their help I worked like hell preparing for the O-levels. I registered privately to sit the exams and passed French, English and Accounts.
"I then requested, on the strength of having passed three subjects while in PVP, to be put in 5th form to pursue other O-levels. I needed at least two more to be eligible for 6th form where I would study for my A-levels.
"My request was granted and I had one year to prepare for Literature, Social Studies, Agriculture and Mathematics. I was also studying Law at U.W.I. At the end of that year I passed three more subjects. With a total of six O-levels, I was one step closer to my goal, or, so I thought.
"The principal at that time was not convinced I was 6th form material. She told me, "I teach A-level English and History. They are heavy subjects and I am not convinced you could handle them. Besides, you don't have an O-level in History."
"I was most distressed because the year before some of my friends were allowed to take A-level History without having done it at O-level and more so because I strongly believed what I had read that very week in Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
"Miss Yvonne Weekes, the English teacher, was called into the principal¹s office and asked about my abilities. She told the principal I had successfully passed O-level Literature in one year while the other students had two years to prepare. This, she claimed, showed I was quite capable. So, with great reluctance I was sent to 6th form with a warning that if my grades weren't satisfactory I would be asked to withdraw. I felt like I was on probation.
"After year one in 6th form, I was asked to repeat 6B since my work suggested that "I was not ready for 6A". I repeated 6B but made it my business to keep abreast of the work being done in 6A. I made up my mind that I was NOT going to spend three years in 6th form. My plan was to register privately and sit the exams with my colleagues at the end of the second year.
"I registered privately for 'A' level English and History and got the support of the West Indian History teacher Jeanelda Howson. My American History teacher said I couldn¹t pass. But by then I had read such books as Norman Vincent Peale's 'Power of Positive Thinking' and Dale Carnegie's 'How to Stop Worrying and Start Living,' and was immune to such negative statements about me.
"I sat the A-level exams early in 1994 and the papers went to Cambridge University to be marked. Meanwhile, the staff at the Montserrat Secondary School met to discuss the upcoming year. It was said that I was still not up to A-level standard, despite the two years I spent in 6B and they considered asking me to withdraw altogether.
"The results that year embarrassed the school, for I passed both A-levels while some students who had been promoted to 6A failed. How could someone who was not even promoted to 6A for two years in succession, who they were contemplating throwing out of school, pass two A-levels? You may think this should have said something to officialdom about how students are assessed. But no. Another student who subsequently had to repeat 6B was prevented from attending 6A classes, since in the school's opinion there would be 'no more Warren Cassells.'
"I was another step closer to my dream and nothing could convince me now that I was not going to make it. Some people saw my attitude as arrogance. But it really wasn't. I had gained great confidence - something much needed in this society, given the plethora of negative comments especially within the education system.
"I worked at Radio Antilles for a year, before being accepted to the faculty of law at U.W.I. in 1995. After sleepless nights and a few supplemental exams, I acquired the Bachelors of Law Degree. I saw it as no big deal and had acquired a bad taste for exams. But I had come too far to quit. In two more years I acquired the Legal Education Certificate from the Norman Manley Law School, Jamaica. I look forward now to being called to the Bar and to a career in law.
"This may not have been possible without the extraordinary support and encouragement of my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Stedman and Claris Cassell; family members; wonderful neighbours like Mr. & Mrs. Brandt; those teachers I've already mentioned, plus Mr. Ronald Allen and Mrs. Camilla Watts. Those teachers assisted me out of the goodness of their hearts and in stark contrast to what seemed to be the school¹s official position. Those who represented MSS always seemed to resent my efforts.
"I have come to realise that success has a lot to do with failure. Our society ridicules those who fail. I believe that if you have difficulty dealing with failure, you will have difficulty dealing with success. I had many failures from Secondary School to Law school. But I was in good company. Thomas Edison, who created the light bulb, attempted over 2,000 times and when he was encouraged to give up because of "failure" he said that those experiments were not failure but rather lessons.
"History is replete with examples of those who failed initially but pushed forward steadfastly to eventual victory.
"To students, whether in the PVP or academic stream, I say set your goals regardless of what you¹re told you can or cannot do. If you're in PVP and it's your dream to be an economist, find out what¹s required and take it step by step. It may take several years, but try and let every action bring you one step closer to your goal. Further, set goals that would satisfy you and no one else.
"I was constantly told 'we have so many lawyers already.' My response always was, 'So what! There's lots of room at the top.'
"Finally I leave all aspiring students with some words that my mother wrote in my autograph book when I was 13:
" 'Consider the world a mountain, look where the millions stop, there's always a crowd at the bottom, press on, there's room at the top!' "
When Warren Cassell was called to the Bar last week I determined to be among those there to witness, applaud and celebrate his victory ­- with this admonition:
The attainment of a degree represents the end of a long and arduous journey but don¹t regard it as such. See it rather as the start of an even longer and potentially more challenging journey. Understand that today, those not committed to life-long learning will get left behind.
Montserrat is full of challenges, not the least of which is the need to reform the education system to make it next to impossible for any child to get left behind and to bring it more in line with the demands of a rapidly changing world. Warren, see what you can do to help bring this about.
Montserrat cries out for an independence of spirit that will lead to both political and economic independence. See what you can do to help bring this about.
The Caribbean could never come close to achieving its true potential until we can forge ONE Caribbean. This is a major challenge, particularly for those with legal training and minds. See what you can do to help bring this about.
And finally this:
Walk good!

By Jeevan Robinson

It can probably be argued that there were substantial reasons for shelving general elections on Montserrat next year. I do presume that if this were entered for serious discussion there would have been due points of consideration on both sides.

However, the story of Montserrat, admittedly, does continue to evolve and the electoral process by all means is a constitutional right enshrined in the island’s statutes.

To have shelved general elections without the consensus or consent of the electorate would have been nothing short of a travesty. It would have curtailed the people’s free will and defied the objectives of living in a supposed democracy.

That being said, elections are going to be an occurrence, and to capture a phrase used in last week’s editorial, the "political maneuverings" have begun. Reading the leading story in last week’s publication, with similar sentiments even further duly expressed in the editorial, it does seem like the rhetorical political culture of old is once again shaping to guide the discourses of this upcoming general election. I am essentially referring to that political culture of blame and senseless character assassination.

It is indeed understandable that the electorate will require individuals of worthy character as potential future representatives. Beyond character integrity though, there are far more pervasive issues. Issues such as political vigour, leadership and representative qualities, visionary pronuncements and a proactive approach to see these through. Also moral and ethical aptitude. Considering the delicacy and the strategic importance of selecting our next crop of representatives, rather sublime issues such as which local representative Ms Clare Short trusts more than the other should not prove to be the guiding forces for the candidates.

I do take the stance that before the electorate can adequately appreciate the virtues of the varying personalities that are declaring their candidacy for the next election, voters must pay particular attention to the plans brought forward by these candidates that will define the way forward. In particular, it is especially helpful to examine from the outset what the candidates -- and I understand there are many! -- who want to be elected to power will do that is so contrasting from this current set of leaders to take the island forward progressively.

Never will I assume in my articles to be an authority on any issue but I write primarily on issues that I have a passion and an appreciation towards. Others are based on a pure emotive response. Expressed opinion in context, after all, is afforded in our democratic country! Is it not? I affirm my stance there because I do think that the answer to Montserrat’s problems does not lie entirely with who is steering the ship at the top. Government and Politics should not be the sole deciding factors as to whether we rise from the doldrums to prominence again.

Of course there may be rather profound reasons for discontent with whomever we have as political leaders, as it is allowed in the political process. My argument basically lies in the fact that now, with re-development at the helm of our focus, we should not as a people be seeking to cast blame or disharmony. The electorate must in good stead be mindful of any such vile attempts by political candidates to bring the level of play down to such petty and opportunistic grounds.

In previous articles this has been a focal point of my discussion and it is still very much so, as what we as Montserratians must start doing is pay attention and give support to those who are visionaries, yet not just visionaries but visionaries with focus and advocates of nation building. The need to create a cohesive network to see the island through the next couple of years has never been more pertinent than now. The time to say and agree to things in principle I do believe has passed its sell-by date and it’s time for increased pro-activity. So what if Ms. Clare Short asserts that Mr. Brandt is not one of her favourite politicians? The fact is she could have said that sentiment of probably any other politician whom she finds disfavour with.

The will of the people is expressed in their democratic right to choose individuals to represent them in parliament and at the highest levels of negotiation. In a situation that the people of Montserrat decide to vote for change, then let that change be reflected in the selection of suitable and adept individuals who were voted in not because they told the better jokes or had more bad dirt to dish about the other candidates. Instead, those individuals should be voted for because they have got a solid plan for the future; a plan, which after careful consideration and a rigorous cross-examination has proven to be of merit and indeed feasible.

Jus wonderin' when the Third Panelist is going to remove HIS big yellow bus and why it wasn't removed when the other derelict vehicles were picked up.

Jus wonderin how many more songs a go sing pan e.

Jus wonderin what will be done with those old tents at the Gerald’s park.

Jus wonderin if a new company is coming in why de phone company is so nice.

Jus wonderin if visitors that are come for this Christmas season will panic with an eruption of enjoyment.

Jus wonderin if Montserrat will be full with all liars.

Jus wonderin when and if they will call the Montserrat Masquerades the "Royal Montserrat Masquerades."

Jus wonderin why the government vehicles seem not have brakes and properly working indication lights.

Jus wonderin if the police are reporting the drivers of these vehicles, when other civilians don't stand a chance .

Jus wonderin why that COS' hard work on the OCES Heads meeting is a look in the near future.

Jus wonderin when the radio station will get a full-time manager.

Jus wonderin who is trying to help with public relations before he leaves next year.

Jus wonderin if the chief is looking or cannot get any Indians.

Jus wonderin how these ministers seem so despicable towards each other so!!

Jus wonderin if their might be some love on the side.

Jus wonderin who the Guyana man be whey do the school chile dat.

Jus wonderin if they did fly out de chile fu medical treatment.

Jus wonderin what problems there are now with the new culture.

Jus wonderin why so many people think the lady will not win her seat.

Jus wonderin how come the agriculture minister work so very closely with the nominated minister.

Jus wonderin the chiefs are planning a one party system for next elections.

Jus wonderin if the Gay Laws is best Christmas present the British Government could find to give us to herald in the new millennium.

Jus wonderin if there will be any welcome recipients of the Christmas gift.

Jus wonderin if ministers of all kinds in Montserrat will come together on this one.

Jus wonderin how a certain journalist was helped out of Montserrat.

Jus wonderin who besides who bring him here got hit from his destitution.

Jus wonderin if they were really destitute or jus the finale of a grand scheme.

Jus wonderin what the good and popular CMO did in Montserrat that cause him to receive that kind of treatment from his employers.

Jus wonderin if he remember the warnings that he has to dislike those he worked to help in order to keep in favour with his employers.

Jus wonderin if he is planning to leave Montserrat right after his contract ends since he now knows the job is not his any more and where he will live since they didn't tell him about the house.