DFID
Montserrat Team on Island To Be Restructured
By
Helena Durand
DFID head-man Barry Kavanaugh and HE Governor Longrigg
The Government of Montserrat will soon have more
say in the management of the island’s financial affairs, and the release of
some resources that can be made available for developmental projects here,
according to a joint press release from Government House and the Department for
International Development (DFID (Montserrat).
By 2002, the release said, the Montserrat-based
DFID group will be halved, leaving four Montserratians and two United Kingdom
appointed staff in post.
Among the UK staff to leave will be Barry
Kavanagh, who has been Head of DFID Montserrat since May of last year.
Mr. Kavanagh explained in the release that the
local adjustment “reflects discussions with the Government of Montserrat. It
represents a step towards realizing the twin goals of more self-determination by
Montserrat and less direct management by DFID, which are shared fully by our two
governments.”
He said it did not signify a reduction or
weakening of DFID’s “commitment to support the people and Government of
Montserrat in the many difficult development challenges for them that lie
ahead.”
DFID Montserrat was set up in 1997 to assist in
the coordination and management of UK support during the volcanic crisis. A team
of 12, comprising six Montserratians and six UK-appointed staff, currently runs
it.
Mr. Kavanagh said the role of the office
originally was helping with emergency needs of the tragic disaster that struck
the island and its people. The nature of that work, he said, “required a
substantial presence on-island by DFID personnel. While there is still much to
do, and our resolve to help remains as firm as ever, the nature of the challenge
is changing.”
He noted that Chief Minister John Osborne and
London’s Secretary of State for International Development, Clare Short,
recently discussed the establishing of a new phase in which “the focus will be
upon sustainable development and increasing self-sufficiency for Montserrat. We
are adjusting our staffing to meet the new challenge and by economizing on the
cost of our in-country office, we can also release some more funds for essential
development projects.”
This move comes on the heels of a statement by
His Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg at the culmination of a week of
activities held to honor Sir Howard Fergus.
In his statement, Governor Longrigg said, he saw
the problem of dependency among countries, including Montserrat, as a serious
one.
He said dependency sours relationships between
those who are helping and the helped.
“Those who are being helped think that their
problems will go away if they got more help, but more help (mainly I’m talking
financial help here), more help creates more dependency and more dependency
creates more resentment.
"And the people who give the money can’t
understand why the people that receive it are not more grateful and become
suspicious about the ever-increasing demands and therefore, more and more (how
should I put this) officious about insisting that it’s spent correctly.
"The whole thing is a vicious circle and all
this increases the humiliation felt by those forced to accept charity and a
suspicion of the motives of those who give it, and increases the irritation of
the people who give it with the reactions of the people who receive it.
And in such circumstances, there’s a natural tendency to look for
someone to blame and here, of course, if we’re now talking specifically about
Montserrat, the target is obviously, the UK and DFID.”
The Governor reminded everyone that the volcanic
crisis was not anybody’s fault, “it happened.”
He placed special emphasis on a point which, he
said, is regularly overlooked.
"The UK and DFID on one hand, and Montserrat
and Montserratians and the Montserratian Government on the other, share
genuinely a common aim, which is to get
Montserrat standing on its own feet again and getting rid of this dependency
culture. Everybody shares that
aim. There is no insidious plan.
"I mean, if you think about it, it’s
obvious. … The UK, it obviously has an interest in the fact that a more
healthy Montserrat means that they have to afford less medicine for them.
That’s putting it at its most cynical.
But to me, it’s blatantly obvious and people forget it. And I want to
underline it again: we share the
same aim. We all want to get
Montserrat back on its own feet as quickly as possible.”
Since the onset of the crisis, DFID has committed
over £135 million to Montserrat. Much of the money has been used to establish
basic infrastructure, in the ‘safe’ northern areas of the island, to help
return some normalcy to economic and social life.
DFID has earmarked an additional £72 million,
between now and 2005/06, for further development.
The release stated that DFID’s London-based
team for Montserrat “will remain largely unchanged,” and that some of them
will be visiting the island this month on the next three-year Country Policy
Plan (CPP).
While here, they will use the opportunity for
discussions with representatives of the Government of Montserrat on the detailed
implications for the changes in DFID’s management arrangements.
Past
CM, Past Governor, Dr. Carol Tuitt Honored
By
Helena Durand
Former Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne, Dr. Carol
Tuitt, and former Governor of Montserrat Frank Savage were presented with
insignias at an investiture ceremony yesterday at the Governor’s residence.
Mr. Osborne received the Officer of the Most
Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE); Dr. Tuitt received the Montserrat
Certificate and Badge of Honour, as did Mr. Frank Savage.
His Excellency the Governor Anthony Longrigg said
although the OBE title may be considered something of a misnomer, because there
is no longer a British Empire, “in keeping with our ancient tradition, titles
of Orders of Chivalry do not change…The Most Excellent Order of the British
Empire is an order for all citizens of the Commonwealth.”
Former Chief Minister Bertrand Osborne was
recognized for his, “Long and distinguished service in the Montserrat
Legislative Council. It is also a recognition for a lifetime of service to the
Montserrat community,” Governor Longrigg said.
Mr. Osborne was instrumental in the setting up of
the Credit Union, and was one of the earliest Presidents of the Montserrat
Chamber of Commerce.
As Director of M.S. Osborne Ltd., Governor
Longrigg said, “Mr. Osborne is a model corporate citizen. His community
involvement is therefore a very well-rounded one.”
Mr. Osborne has also won the post of Chief
Minister on two successful occasions.
Dr. Carol Tuitt was recognized for service to her
country.
She began her career in 1974 as a primary school
teacher. Trained in Barbados, she was later appointed as a Trained Teacher of
the Montserrat Secondary School.
“Her lifelong ambition was to become a
psychologist” Governor Longrigg said. She therefore pursued further training,
graduated and earned her doctorate in Applied and Professional Psychology.
Governor Longrigg said, “She chose to return to
Montserrat to work for her people, spending six years as school Psychologist in
the Ministry of Education.”
During her tenure in office, Dr. Tuitt undertook
several school projects aimed at encouraging academic excellence, good written
and oral communication skills, discipline and high self-esteem.
These included the "Dare to Dream
Programme" for Primary students under the age of 10 and "Simply the
Best," which was introduced in 1989 for the secondary school. That
programme continues today and is an incentive for students who are selected
annually. They are publicly recognized for their studious dispositions and their
excellence in learning. She also contributed in the area of culture.
Former Frank Savage’s award, Governor Longrigg
said, is an, “Exceptional act… intended to register in a significant way,
national appreciation for the quality of his administration in Montserrat during
the most trying hour.”
Governor Longrigg noted that Mr. Savage had had
the challenge “of being Governor when the Soufriere Hills volcano erupted and
ushered in an unprecedented period of loss, deprivation and hardship, and
trauma, from which Montserrat, as we well know, is still suffering to
overcome.”
He said although he has only been here for six
months, “it is already obvious to
me, what that terrific time in the height of the volcano time must have been
like.”
Governor Longrigg reminded the audience that the
Montserrat Certificate and Badge of Honour was introduced in 1988, as it was
felt that there were residents of Montserrat who had given meritorious service
to the community and could not be accommodated in other awards.
The introduction he said was timely, as in the
following year in the aftermath of Hurricane Hugo, many people gave exceptional
service to the country and several awards were made.
Visitors
to Pray for Spiritual Rebuilding of Montserrat
A one-week prayer conference will begin here next
week on the theme, "Rebuilding the Walls-Prayer Conference," featuring
a team of ministers and laypersons from across the Caribbean, and from New York
and Boston.
They are expected to meet and pray at the various
churches here, working in collaboration with the Montserrat Christian Council.
These services and prayer confereness will be held throughout the island every
day beginning on Monday, November 5 thru Sunday, November 11. On the final day
Sunday they will worship with all the major churches where they held services
during the week. They services will be during the day and mostly in the evenings
beginning at the St. John's Anglican Church 7.30 p.m. and moving South to the
Roman Catholic Church in Salem on two occasions. Most of the evening services
begin at 7.00 p.m.
The aim of the prayer conference is to seek the
Lord for the spiritual rebuilding of the island.
Minister Marcia Weekes BSc, CPA, who is part of
the prayer team, said that in the scriptures, the woes and sadness of the world
are not attributed to the "bad" people, but are direct consequences of
the failure of the Lord’s chosen to do their part.
She said if “God’s people listen and do as He
wants them, there will be less wrongs in the world” as they are the examples
the worldly people need to follow.
Her passion to pray Montserrat into spiritual
redevelopment came long before she even knew the island. In 1999, while
attending a prayer conference in Barbados, she said, she had a vision of a long
train, which was revealed to her as the Caribbean chain of islands, and an
unsteady middle car was Montserrat, the middle island.
Some three months later, she met with Laurine
Fenton, a Montserratian in New York, who was a part of a prayer group called the
Harlem Prayer Watch. It was then that Mrs. Weekes decided, "I had to visit
the island.”
Her husband Dave Weekes was sent to Montserrat
soon thereafter to set up a Social Security programme, and joined him later
despite the discouragement of some Christian friends in Antigua very nearly
discouraged her from doing so.
“I was prepared to see people living very shabbily and the
entire island a devastated rubble," she said. "But when I alighted at
the port from the ferry, I was so amazed to see that Montserrat is like every
other island. The people were normal, friendly and living like anybody else,”
she said.
She and her husband stayed for some time, and now
she is here again, and says she will return.
Firearms
Amendment Recommitted to LegCo
The recently amended Firearms Act, over which
Chief Minister John Osborne and Opposition Member of Parliament Reuben Meade
differed during and after its passage by Legislative
Council, has been recommitted to LegCo for further reconsideration.
So far as The Reporter has been able to
determine, such recommital is unprecedented in Montserrat.
The Reporter has been unable to get a comment
either from the Chief Minister or the Governor on what aspect of the Act is to
be reconsidered.
A source
close to the Governor’s office said the Governor may not wish to influence the
proceeding before the matter has been reconsidered.
At the time, Chief Minister Osborne expressed
pleasure with the steps taken by his Government in amending the Firearms Act,
noting that before the change it had been too harsh.
While Mr. Meade had expressed misgivings at the
haste with which the Osborne government took the Firearms Act before LegCo.
Before the Act was amended, anyone convicted of
possessing an unlicensed firearm or ammunition automatically received a minimum
prison sentence of two years.
Just recently, Rexford Davis and George Farrell
were sentenced to two years' mandatory imprisonment for being in possession of
unlicensed firearms and ammunition. Following a public outcry, the Governor,
acting at the behest of the Chief Minister, suspended their prison sentences,
noting then that, “should they commit a further offence within two years, the
existing two-year sentence will be added to whatever sentence is imposed for a
subsequent offence.”
As amended, the law would have given the Judge discretion when passing sentence on first offenders convicted of illegal possession of firearm and/or ammunition.
DFID at Last
Seems to Understand What We Need, Our Leaders Too?
For the past five years at least, Montserratians
have been struggling, firstly to continue to occupy the land of their birth
despite the destruction of the southern half of the country, and then with the
ensuing constraints and difficulties of rebuilding and upgrading the northern
side, which had been sparsely inhabited and only partly developed. A small
number of Montserratians and residents were left to struggle with this when more
than two thirds of the population relocated or evacuated to Britain, North
America and neighbouring Caribbean islands.
We now seem to have gone full circle, with
Montserrat being hurried back and asked (for some time now) to become
self-sufficient and get back to pre-volcano standards. Does this mean to the
decades of the eighties or the nineties?
This week a press release, which notably excluded
in its origin the Government of Montserrat (GoM) said: "The UK and DFID on
one hand, and Montserrat and Montserratians and the Montserratian Government on
the other, share genuinely a common aim, which
is to get Montserrat standing on its own feet again and getting rid of this
dependency culture. Everybody
shares that aim. There is no insidious plan."
That is, very interestingly for the first time,
an admission of what has been sounded in calypsos and drama, and a concern to
many: that DFID was like another government in Montserrat. The release says:
"... It (the restructuring - the decrease in local DFID staff) represents a
step towards realising the twin goals of more self-determination by Montserrat
and less direct management by DFID, which are shared fully by our two
governments,".
All of the right claims were made, such as:
"It does not signify any reduction or weakening of DFID's commitment to
support the people and Government of Montserrat in the many difficult
development challenges for them that lie ahead," an admission also that
they are aware that there are difficulties ahead.
Close examination, however, will show that this
merely reverts to a previous untenable situation that the DFID team's presence
on island was supposed to alleviate. The truth might well be that the team did
not quite live up to its intended purposes, a major part of which was to speed
up the approval of projects. But if we take the previous Governor Abbot's early
statement, that we are lucky that Britain has come through financially in the
time it has, then that would negate the claim of ineffectiveness. One thing the
CM by refusing immediate comment seem not to have missed what is about to
happen.
Let's look at a December 1999 Evaluation Report
published by the Department for International Development (DFID), in which the
summary of the main findings and key lessons states: "The private sector
collapsed and economy became largely dependent on British aid."
At no time did Montserrat express any
ingratitude. Our leaders went out of their way, far too often in this regard,
expressing thanks for a situation which was an obligation and a responsibility
on the part of Britain. Ah yes, there have been complaints about the speed of
the aid, the quality of the aid, and the meaningfulness of it. It might well be
noted that even other Caribbean islands have been jealous of the £75 million
that Montserrat has received or allocated over the period so far. No wonder DFID
is ever so quick to remind us of that. But the truth is that anyone visiting
Montserrat to evaluate this aid and what it was supposed to have done will find
it wanting.
The report referred to above said that
"HMG's assistance to the island's people has been a success in comparison
with many other recent natural disasters elsewhere in the developing
world.." But in the next clause of the report in states, "that success
has to be qualified by less satisfactory aspects of the response and its
consequences."
It explained, "the economy is virtually
non-existent." That was December 1999, and two years later, it is in fact
much worse. The question we need to deal with is, how did that happen and how
did that happen?
On Saturday night the curtain was brought down at
a banquet in honour of Professor Sir Howard Fergus and Lady Fergus and there
were some key speeches made. First reports deplored the Governor for what was
considered an inappropriate speech. Worse, the Chief Minister, who recently has
been busy seeking praise and credit for his past spent time, suggested the he
does not understand why he too has not received honours going back to his
bright-light conversion in the hills of St. Peter's.
Some argued that the Governor was taking
advantage of his audience on a theme that "dependency
and more dependency creates more resentment," and "the people who give
the money can’t understand why the people that receive it are not more
grateful and become suspicious about the ever-increasing demands."
Did this have anything to do with the fact the
Chief Minister John Osborne has thrown up his hands saying, "We have
nowhere else to go and only Britain to depend on, and we have to take what they
give'"? Did they get it right?
The Chief Minister is using an approach that says
we have virtually come to a dead-end. His rejection of some of his party
members' position as not that of the government's and his own personal desires
or inabilities are hurting this island, because of the approach he has chosen.
He truly needs to find a mechanism to know the true feelings and desires of his
people, as our most recently acclaimed hero put it in his welcome address to
Governor Longrigg:
"Our people want to work, they want to build
their own homes and if we give them the tools they will rebuild their lives and
our economy, yes and our respectability."
The government and the people of Montserrat
together must know what those tools are and, yes DFID, through your systems, it
is not too late to acknowledge that and be straightforwardly honest with us; and
yes, Montserrat, you must break the syndrome and do an about turn and be firm
with what you believe in.
Except
for the editorial, opinion articles expressed in these pages are not necessarily
those of the Montserrat Reporter editors, employees or advisers.
Readers are encouraged to submit commentary articles.
All viewpoints, unless libelous, in poor taste, or anonymous, are
welcome. Send your contributions to
The Editor, P.O. Box 306, Olveston, Montserrat, W. I., e-mail: editor@montserratreporter.org
or monrep@candw.ag. Manuscripts
will not be returned unless accompanied by a return stamped envelope.
The Montserrat Reporter is a privately owned independent newspaper.
Jus
Wonderin items may be called in at telephone 491-4715 or Fax 491-2430
Incarnating
The Love Of God
…whoever
believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than
these…John 14:12
Jesus is the love of God incarnate. His works
reveal the compassionate heart of God. We also are called to reveal God, to
incarnate, to "enflesh" God's love in our own time and place.
Just as Jesus did in simple ways as well as the
more dramatic miracles of his ministry, we, too, can work simple miracles of
love when we consent to let God use us as fully as possible. While some among us
experience God's dramatic healing power flowing through their hands, eyes and
prayerful words, all of us can heal and console in less dramatic ways through
our own hands, eyes and prayerful words. We reveal the love of God to each other
every time we set aside our own priorities and focus intently on the needs of
others. With fully attuned eyes, ears and heart, we incarnate the love of God
for others, including our family members, neighbors, coworkers, as well as
anyone whose needs we strive to meet.
Jesus, help
us yield to God's Spirit as you did and to become the channels of God's love and
peace that each of us uniquely can be.
James McGinnis
Looking from
Poland For Unused Postcards
Dear
Editor,
My name is Jerzy Matuszczak. I am a 45-year-old
man from Krakow, Poland who collects unused postcards. I have already over
25,000 in my collection.
I would like to ask your help to get me some
postcards from Montserrat and the other Caribbean islands.
Thank you all for kind help.
CM Osborne Says
Antigua Reneged on Work Permits
Chief Minister John Osborne has called for a
meeting with Prime Minister Lester Bird of Antigua, after saying he learnt last
weekend that Antigua has not been fully following its work permit agreement with
Montserrat.
Mr. Osborne made that announcement on the
Observer Radio in Antigua, after addressing the Annual General Meeting of the
Citizens and Friends of Montserrat at the Methodist Church Hall in St. John’s
on Sunday evening.
He said in the radio interview that he understood
that even if Montserratians do not pay for work permits, they are still required
to have them. He said that is contrary to the agreement worked out between his
Government and the Antiguan Government many years ago.
According to Mr. Osborne, despite the fact that
this long-standing agreement is not documented, he is disappointed to find that
Montserratians were not being allowed to work without work permits there.
“Indeed, it was during my years as Chief
Minister that our Governments agreed to waive the need for work permits in a
tripartite arrangement, which included St. Kitts and Nevis,” he said.
In St. Kitts –Nevis, Mr. Osborne said, thanks
to Prime Minister Denzil Douglas, Montserratians do not have to pay for, nor
produce a work permit to become employed there.
Despite his disappointment with the AGM, Mr.
Osborne expressed sincere gratitude of both his Government and people of
Montserrat to the Government and people of Antigua and Barbuda, “for the kind
hospitality they have extended to us over the past seven years.”
He said he appreciated the unusualness of people
having problems in their own households being able to, “move into somebody
else’s home to live, work, go to school, build other houses, have access to
health care and form your own organization almost without obstruction.”
St. Augustine
Takes 1st With Police, Fire Poster
By
Helena Durand
Eleven year-old Samantha Ammon of Grade 6 at the
St. Augustine Primary School captured the coveted first prize for the Police
& Fire and Rescue Service poster competition.
The school also received the Challenge Trophy
sponsored by S.Y.S. Enterprises.
Second prize went to 11-year-old Chole George of
Grade 6, also of the St. Augustine Primary School.
Third prizewinner was 11-year-old Roscoe Sinclair of the Brades Primary
School, and the consolation prize went to 8-year-old Christelle Lewis of the
Lookout Primary School.
Mrs. Idabelle Meade, Minister for Education,
Health and Community Services, presented the awards.
The competition was part of the Police Week of
activities, "Join in the Rebuilding of Our Community-Community Week
2001," which ends tomorrow.
Woman Police Constable (WPC) Sharon Lindsey, who
coordinated the competition, called the entries “remarkable.”
She said there were 46 entries from the St.
Augustine Primary School, eight from the Lookout Primary School, and four from
the Brades Primary School.
Constable Lindsey said judging was difficult
because the posters were all so creative, so certificates were presented to all
the participants.
The first, second and third prizes were sponsored
by T.K. Construction; Wall Trading and Hixon Pool Services respectively.
OTs and HMG Reach
Accord on Tax Issues
The Overseas Territories and Her Majesty
Government have agreed on a position as it relates to the European Union (EU)
Initiative.
That agreement was reached at last week's meeting
in Tortola, which was attended by Chief Minister John Osborne, Comptroller of
Inland Revenue Mr. Haycene Ryan, and other leaders of the Caribbean Overseas
Territories.
They met with Treasury Minister Dawn Primorolo to
discuss the EU Initiative on the taxation of savings income, the Global Tax
Agenda, the EU Tax Package and the United Kingdom Objectives.
A report on EU Tax Developments, such as Mode of
Conduct on business taxation, and a timetable for the implementation of the EU
Tax package was also looked at.
4 Young Men
Charged In Foxes Bay Break-ins
Four young men were arrested and charged with
burglaries in Foxes Bay on Monday.
Superintendent of Police John Douglas said since
receiving reports of the break-ins, “police surveillance and patrols have been
increased in the area.” He added that “a substantial amount of the stolen
items have been recovered by the police.”
Mr. Douglas said he believes the increased police
presence in the Foxes Bay area has deterred further incidents, particularly as
persons coming out of the Day Time Entry Zone carrying anything are questioned.
He said some persons were questioned about
certain things, which were in their possession on their way out of the zone,
“but it turned out to be legal.”
The young men, who are out on bail, will appear
before the Magistrate on Monday.
Meanwhile police investigations continue.
St. Johns
Accident Costs Man Both Legs
Montserrat
Police reported this week that 62-year-old Thomas O'Garro of St. Johns has lost
both legs as the result of a freak road accident last Thursday on the St. Johns
road.
Mr. O'Garro and Victor Fergus of St. Johns, also
in his sixties, were airlifted to Antigua for medical attention after the driver
of a crane owned by Port Authority allegedly lost control of the vehicle and hit
them at about 4:20 p.m.
A third man, William Howe, also in his sixties,
was reportedly squeezed between the crane and an adjacent wall. Police said he
suffered no injuries.
Both men returned home this week and are
currently hospitalized. Fergus has had one of his legs restructured.
Some residents of St. Johns who were present at
the time of the incident, vary in their opinions of whether the accident could
have been avoided.
One person said, “It’s a habit they have,
[men, young boys] always sitting on the road, and don’t want to give vehicles
room to pass on the road.”
Another said that at the time of the incident
people called out to the men to move away from where they were to allow the
crane to pass, but they refused.
Yet another witness to the accident said, “They
were not sitting on the road, and by the time anyone realised what was
happening, the crane was on them. I could see from the way it was coming down
the road something was wrong.”
Rising Egg Production Points to Food Security
By Helena
Durand
Montserrat is well on its way to becoming
self-sufficient in egg production, according to
Agricultural Development Officer Justin Cassell.
He said there is an average of 2,000 eggs
produced monthly; about 70 percent of local consumption, and approximately
27,000 are produced annually.
He attributed this success to the work of poultry
farmers and an egg marketing promotion project engineered by the Department of
Agriculture.
“Under the programme, some EC$19,000 have been
allocated to assist egg producers in expanding their chicken houses, procuring
chickens, and accessing drugs and other veterinary supplies,” Mr. Cassell
said. The Department of Agriculture also provides technical assistance to the
poultry farmers.
Prior to the volcanic crisis, he said,
“Montserrat was self-sufficient in eggs. We were about 60 percent
self-sufficient in chicken meat as well. We are now moving toward recapturing
that status.”
The Department of Agriculture has predicted that
Montserrat will be self-sufficient in eggs by March 2002.
Statistical data reveal that in the years1999 and
2000 respectively, Montserrat imported an average of EC$80,000 worth of eggs,
while in that same period it imported approximately EC$1 million in chicken.
Efforts to enhance the move towards food security
on Montserrat include road maintenance in the two major farming areas of Blakes
and Olveston Mountain, to give better access to farmers; the irrigation project,
and the introduction of Adonis, a new specie of tomato.
Mr. Cassell said the acreage of land prepared is
a sign of increased production.
The irrigation project is right on schedule, he
said, with two new dams constructed and filled to capacity in the Olveston
Mountain.
He said that 100 storage tanks will soon be here
for island-wide distribution to participants of the project.
The new variety of tomato, [Adonis], is replacing
the locally produced variety, which is highly susceptible to the Gemini virus.
Mr. Cassell said the virus has already caused
complete crop loss but that the Adonis has shown tolerance to the virus. This
new tomato will be tried by several farmers and is expected to be on the market
by January 2002.
Efforts toward food security on the island are
hampered, however, by heavy rains that erode soil, destroy crops and flood
farms.
Acting Director of Agriculture Melissa Ryan said
other constraints include loss of prime farm land in the south, loss of farmers
who have migrated, and the long, severe drought experienced earlier this year.
As a result, Montserrat has not been able to satisfy the local market with
agricultural crops such as dasheen, cabbage, tomato, sweet pepper, and other
crops.
“Hopefully, we should see an increase in the
volume of agricultural crops in the near future,” she said.
Panday, Maharaj
Still Vying for UNC Label, Control
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC - Sacked Trinidad
and Tobago Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, who is leading a faction of the
ruling United National Congress (UNC), said Wednesday he is confident about
retaining the party's name and symbol for use in the December 10 general
elections.
He made the comments following a meeting with the Elections and Boundaries
Commission (EBC) seeking to convince the EBC that his faction should be allowed
to contest the elections under the UNC banner.
A faction led by Prime Minister Basdeo Panday, who apparently has the support of
the financial members of the party, met with the EBC yesterday on the same
issue.
Before that meeting, Mr. Panday told his
supporters in the UNC that if he loses the
party, it would be like divorcing a woman he loves. But he said, "life goes
on."
The Panday faction has registered two names of political organisations and
revealed a logo of a hummingbird to loyalists.
Mr. Maharaj, who has the support of 12 of the 23-member executive, said the
constitution was so clearly defined that no one should have difficulty
understanding that the executive constitutes a 12-member quorum responsible for
administration of the party.
He expressed confidence that the EBC would find in the dissidents' favor.
Mr. Panday, meanwhile, said he expects an easy
win at the polls even without using the rising sun symbol of the UNC. He said
the new symbol would not be revealed to the public until the issue of the UNC
has been settled.
Antigua Rescinds Looming Lay-offs
ST. JOHN'S, Antigua, CMC - The Antigua and
Barbuda government will no longer retrench workers on November 15, but workers
with two salaries will be asked to give up one, Prime Minister, Lester Bird
announced yesterday.
Mr. Bird said that instead of laying-off workers, as he had indicated in July
this year, the Inland Revenue Department would pursue the collection of more
than EC$100 million (US$37 million) owed to the government by some companies and
individuals in outstanding taxes.
"The rich must not prosper even more at the expense of the poor," the
Prime Minister said. "Nor should those who pay their taxes in full be made
to carry the heavy burden of those who don't."
He warned the tax evaders that if appropriate arrangements are not made with the
Inland Revenue Department, the Commissioner of Inland Revenue has been
authorised to "name and shame" them in the Official Gazette, and to
take legal action.
Mr. Bird public workers, however, that while government has taken a decision to
keep them, they should not regard their jobs as untouchable.
OAS, IDB Urge Support To Aid Suffering Region
WASHINGTON, CMC - The Organisation of American
States (OAS) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) issued an urgent call
yesterday for support by the Inter-American community for countries that have
suffered economic consequences arising from the September 11 terrorist attacks
on the United States.
The call was made by OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria and IDB President
Enrique Iglesias especially for the countries of the Caribbean and Central
America.
In a special session of the Permanent Council, Mr. Gaviria called on the OAS'
development agency -- The Inter-American Agency for Cooperation and Development
(IACD) -- to establish new mechanisms for special support, and on the Tourism
Unit and other OAS offices to focus support for projects aimed at stabilizing
the situation, and reversing economic recession and unemployment in the region.
He underscored the importance of "making good use of the experience of the
Inter-American Drug Abuse Control Commission (CICAD), which has developed
effective mechanisms against illegal money transfers as a means to address the
problem of money-laundering as part of the war against terrorism," the OAS
said in a release.
Mr. Iglesias presented an economic snapshot of the hemisphere, and said the
"International Monetary Fund is looking at a recovery in the second half of
2002 and anticipates growth rates of 2 percent, which would be very good news
that would have an impact on our countries."
Anti-Terrorist
Campaign Draws Pledges to FATF
The
Financial Action Task Force, in its emergency meeting in Washington, received
strong international support for its efforts to combat the financing of
terrorist activities.
FATF
President Clarie Lo said at the opening, "Our mission is to strangle and
cut the supply of money and assets that is the lifeblood of terrorists."
Adding
his agency's support for the FATF, Ron Noble, Secretary-General of Interpol,
noted that as trillions of dollars pour through banks and financial institutions
daily, those institutions and their employees need better guidance to track
money-laundering activity.
Mr.
Noble noted that, as of 11 September 2001, Interpol instituted a Financial and
High Tech Crimes Assistant Directorate which will help Interpol and the FATF
"by bringing the expertise of a worldwide police organisation to address
money-laundering and other serious crime issues".
U.S.
Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill told the delegates: "FATF is uniquely
positioned to take up the challenges of terrorist financing. Our goal must be
nothing less than the disruption and elimination of the financial frameworks
that support terrorism and its abhorrent acts".
He
recommended that the FATF adopt special recommendations that will set the
international standard for combating terrorist financing, that all countries
swiftly comply with these standards, and that there be regular public reports on
the state of play in identifying and take action again terrorist financing.
The
FATF is an independent international body of 29 member countries whose
Secretariat is housed at the OECD.
Jamaica Sees
Growth Despite Attacks on U.S.
Jamaica, CMC - Despite the potential negative
impact of the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, the
performance of Jamaica's economy for the first eight and a half months of this
year should ensure positive growth for the entire 2001 calendar year, Jamaica's
Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, has said.
Up to August, revenues for the fiscal year were running at 5 percent above
budget, Mr. Davies told Parliament on Tuesday..
"As a result of the events of September 11, revenues for the month fell to
5.3 percent below budget. Of greatest significance is international trade, which
fell to 16 percent below budget. The impact of September's downturn has brought
the figure for the first six months of the fiscal year - April to September
inclusive - to 2.9 percent above budget," Dr. Davies said.
He noted that the Cabinet was currently assessing a range of options in order to
ensure that core services in education, health and national security were
maintained, and that critically needed capital works were completed.
Three
Park Dolphins Arrive in Antigua
Antigua
-- The arrival of three dolphins signals the opening soon of a new era of family
fun and entertainment with opening of dolphin park operated by Dolphin
Fantaseas, which was granted a license to operate earlier this year.
News
of the park brought the customary protests from a small group, who argued that
the mammals ought to be left in the wild and not kept in man-made pens. However,
the government had already made a number of preliminary checks and studies,
having put a special committee in place headed by Davin Joseph, to oversee the
care and supervision of the dolphins.
"We
have done everything possible to ensure that the mammals and the environment
will be safe," Mr. Joseph said, adding that, the company operating the park
is spending thousands of dollars in this venture, and will not get into
something that would harm the mammals.
The
arrival of the dolphins has created a great deal of excitement among nationals,
tourism officials, taxi operators and visitors who are anxious to visit the
park. Several schools and other civic organisations have called Dolphin
Fantaseas about visitation times.
The
presence of the dolphins could open a new link in education for children, says
teacher Penelope Daly.
"Dolphins
are the most intelligent of sea creatures and they do have a way with children,
especially children who are autistic or have some form of disability," she
said. "I traveled to Anguilla earlier this year to look at the dolphin park
there (when I learnt about it) and spoke with the officials, and I am fascinated
by reports of the link between the dolphins and the learning process in
children. It is reported also that children who come into contact with dolphins
are up to 6-7 times brighter than those who don't. That fascinates me as a
teacher."
Bud
Crames, the man in charge of the mammals, says the dolphins are adapting to
their new Antiguan home quite nicely and a number of steps are being made to
allow the mammals to "sound out" their new environment before the
gates open.
St. Maarten
Continues To Add Sports Facilities
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) - Commissioner of
Sports Franklyn Meyers is very pleased that the Three Regions Upgrading Project
Phase 1 will be getting underway soon.
"I promised when I took office that every
district would have sports facilities allowing the neighborhood youths the
opportunity to have a basketball court in their area," Mr. Meyers said. "During
their free time they would have facilities readily available that would allow
them to use their time in a productive manner and keeping them out of
trouble."
The Commissioner of Sports added that there are
plans for sports facilities as well as the upgrading of sports facilities in
four other communities."Sport's is an alternative to the ills that exist in
our communities," he said.
"We have come a long way, also with the
assistance of the private sector, to ensure that our youths and health conscious
persons have facilities at their disposal that they can utilize to their
benefit.'' he said.
Antigua Marks 20
Years With Plan to Aid Economy
Antigua, CMC - Antigua and Barbuda was
celebrating its 20th anniversary of political independence yesterday amid what
Prime Minister Lester Bird described as very "troubled times" in the
world.
In a broadcast to the nation, Mr. Bird referred to the September 11 terrorist
attacks on the United States and the resultant negative impact on economies
around the world, especially the tourism-dependent ones.
He said Antigua and Barbuda had not escaped the effects of a slowdown in the
global economy, which started even before the deadly attacks on Washington and
New York.
He outlined a five-point plan intended to cushion the impact of the recession on
the people and lay a foundation for the future.
The government will propose: an extension by the banks of five years on
mortgages for home owners; a lowering of interest rates on borrowing to
encourage investment in the productive sector, and a freeze on wages for the
next 24 months, with a review within a year.
"For its part, the government is already working to stimulate the
economy," the prime minister said. As regards the government's initiatives,
Mr. Bird said it was maintaining employment in the public sector and giving
hotels EC$2.5 million (US$925,000) in bed nights taxes over the next three
months, so they can offer a more competitive price in the tourist markets.
The government is also absorbing a large portion of their utilities and the
hoteliers have a duty to keep their workers, Mr. Bird said.
Mr. Bird said the government's main objective is to protect the jobs and income
of Antiguans and Barbudans by filling the hotel rooms over the January to March
period.
He said the country had achieved much over the past 20 years and if the
government and people put their heads together, the Caribbean nation could
overcome the current economic challenges.
Barclays, CIBC
to Create New FirstCaribbean Bank
Barbados, CMC - Barclays Bank PLC and Canadian
Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) have signed an agreement to combine their
retail, corporate and offshore banking operations in the Caribbean, it was
announced on Wednesday.
The agreement, signed on Tuesday, will result in the creation of First Caribbean
International Bank (FirstCaribbean), they said in a news release.
They said implementation of the combination is subject to, among other things,
the receipt of certain approvals from government and regulatory authorities and
shareholders of CIBC West Indies Holdings Limited (CWIHL) and CIBC Bahamas
Limited.
Michael Mansoor, President and CEO of CWIHL was reported as saying, "We are
confident that a FirstCaribbean combination will bring great benefits to our
customers, employees and the broader communities where we are located. We expect
the transaction to complete during the first quarter of 2002."
During this period, it will be business as usual
for the two companies customers," said Charles Middleton, Barclays Regional
Director of the Caribbean.
"As soon as we can, we will begin the process of combining our two
organisations. This will involve a period of detailed planning, and subsequent
implementation which will be effected over 24 months."
FirstCaribbean will bring together two leading financial services businesses to
create a significant Caribbean presence and enable it to play a key role in the
financial services industry in the region.
"The Boards of Barclays, CIBC and CWIHL believe that this combination is in
the interests of their respective shareholders and will provide benefits and
opportunities for customers, staff and the relevant businesses above those which
could be achieved by either operation on a standalone basis," the release
said.
Rain-drenched
Jamaica Tallies Losses in Millions
Jamaica, CMC - Jamaican are authorities reported
millions of dollars in damage to roads and properties that was caused by heavy
rains earlier this week..
The rains associated with a tropical depression resulted in flooding in many
low-lying areas across the island. At least 163 persons had to flee their homes
for emergency shelters in at least five parishes.
A spokeswoman for the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management
(ODPM) told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) late Tuesday that it was still
receiving information on emergency needs.
Officials said heavy rains destroyed bridges and roads leading to communities.
About 14 persons were removed from rooftops Monday by members of the Jamaica
Defence Force in a helicopter after officials failed to bring them to safety
using boats.
Regional
Transportation Is Theme of Miami Talks
WASHINGTON, DC, CMC - Consistent with its mandate
of promoting free trade and private sector-oriented solutions to hemispheric
issues, Caribbean Latin American Action's (CLAA) upcoming 25th
anniversary conference in Miami in December will tackle difficult transportation
issues.
The first session, entitled
"The Impact of Transportation Infrastructure on Regional Trade and
Integration," is scheduled for December 5.
Panelists and attendees in this session, will examine ways in which economic
integration in the region has been hampered by deficiencies in intra-regional
transportation infrastructure.
Recent port improvements in the
region will be examined, as well as the effect that these improvements have had
on the growth of trade.
The second session is entitled "Are Customs
Services a Deterrent to Free Trade," and will take place on December 6.
Panelists will discuss proposed regional customs standardization and its role on
the growth of trade, the efficacy of implementation of such systems in emerging
markets and reforms in areas such as corruption, training and compensation.
CLAA is a non-profit advocacy group that promotes free trade and private sector
oriented solutions. The Silver Anniversary conference will gather more than
1,000 business and governmental leaders from throughout the region.
More than 300 in
Saba Sign Book of Condolence for U.S.
THE BOTTOM, Saba (SGIS) - Commissioner of
Education Lisa Hassell is very pleased with the interests shown in the Book of
Condolence that came about due to the tragic events of September 11 in the U.S.
"I came up with the idea in order to
demonstrate our solidarity with the American community here, abroad and in the
United States," she said. "The events of September 11 have touched
everyone, and we wanted to show our solidarity with the U.S. via this small
gesture."
The condolence book, the cover of which displays
"God Bless America," was taken to Saba University School of Medicine
where the students had an opportunity to sign it. It was also made
available at the recently held Lion's Club Church Service.
The book will be sent directly to President
George W. Bush at the White House.
St. Maarten
Officials Attend Disaster Management Course
GREAT BAY, St. Maarten (GIS) - Commander of the
St. Maarten Fire Department/National Disaster Coordinator Winston Salomon opened
a two-day senior level disaster management training course got on Monday.
The course brought together senior government
officials and figures from the public and private sector including the
representatives of the 10 Emergency Support Functions (ESF) which is part of the
Island Government's Disaster Management system.
The course objective is to look at disaster
management systems, the importance of drills, legislation and regulations to
manage a disaster, the Island's Disaster Management Plan, and the national
disaster structure at the Federal Government level.
The second part of the training for senior level
management was held Wednesday.
Sometime in 2002, a large disaster management
exercise will be carried out.
Dominican Government, Police Discuss Pensions
Dominica, CMC - The Dominica government and the
Police Welfare Association (PWA) began talks this week in the first step towards
resolving a long-standing dispute over police pensions.
The PWA, led by Chairman Cleville Mills, and Chief Personnel Officer Juliette
Lewis, representing the government team, met to discuss the composition and
mandate of a Technical Committee to be set up to look into the matter.
The two sides last Friday agreed in principle to set up the committee to help
bring an end to an 11-year dispute after about 100 junior police officers
reported sick last Thursday, disrupting police operations across the country.
The PWA wants government to honour a 1990 agreement in which it claims
government consented to take to parliament amendments to the Police Pensions
Act, so that officers who joined the police force after February 1, 1976, would
be entitled to a pension, in addition to their social security pensions.
Trinidad Elections Head Tells UNC End Wrangling
Trinidad, CMC - The two factions fighting for use
of the name of Trinidad and Tobago's ruling party and its symbol in the December
10 general election, have been told to settle their differences since time is
running out.
Elections and Boundaries Commission (EBC) Chairman Oswald Wilson said the United
National Congress (UNC) would have to make decisions soon since their deadline
is Nomination Day on November 19.
Two sides, one led by political leader and Prime Minister Basdeo Panday and the
other by deputy political leader and sacked Attorney General Ramesh Maharaj, are
battling over the use of the party's name and the rising sun symbol in the
elections.
Both sides have claimed a stake in the use of the name and symbol - although
supporters of Panday have registered at least two political parties with new
symbols - should the issue over who should legitimately contest the elections
under a UNC banner is tied
up in the court.
Mr. Wilson said he hopes the differences could be settled soon by the
politicians and did not rule out the use of the court. He stated, however, that
it was not the business of the election commissioners to decide on it.
Two Trinidad Policemen Jailed in Extortion Attempt
Trinidad, CMC - Two Trinidadian policemen and
another man were jailed for six years on Monday after they were found guilty of
trying to extort money from a businessman who was threatened with fake cocaine,
which turned out to be flour.
Constables Vijay Bhola and Leon Wiggins and labourer Vishnu Hardial were found
guilty by a nine-member jury of attempting to extort TT$70,000 from businessman
Chaitlal Singh.
Justice Melville Baird told Bhola and Wiggins that they abused their power and
prostituted their authority and degraded their police uniform and motto to
protect and serve.
By Peter Adrien
It’s either Hooper or Muralitharan! The outcome
of this battle could decide who wins the three-match Test series between the
West Indies and Sri Lanka. The battle will be between the best spinner in the
game and the best player of spin in the game. We are in for a contest!
Yes, contrary to the conventional wisdom in some
quarters (including this column), a mixture of commercial and political
considerations have landed the West Indies team in Sri Lanka. And they are
already warning up for the battle – a battle which would affect their
placement in the ICC Test Championship grip.
Our attention therefore must be focused on the
battle at hand – the battle between bat and ball; the battle between
the masters of their crafts; the battle between hardened gladiators; the battle
between two small states dominated in one form or another by foreign hegemonic
powers that monopolise the international leisure and sports industry.
But who are the favourite horses? At least, on
paper, Sri Lanka is the front runner. On the basis of performance, on the basis
of credibility, on the basis of form, on the basis of balance of skills, on the
basis of home-court advantage, the country formerly called Ceylon is favoured to
win the Test series.
Although cricket is a game of glorious
uncertainties, which oftentimes, make our analyses and predictions look stupid,
any true West Indiansthinking with their head rather than their heart will
confess that the former 1996 World Cup winners have the better mix for success.
And it would take exceptional performances from
captain Carl Hooper, the most equipped player of spinner bowling in the game and
the most complete batsman in competitive cricket; something special from the
injured, the unfit and under-performing Brian Lara, who remains one of the best
in the international sport, together with some timely support from the young
rising stars, particularly the light-footed Ramnaresh Sarwan, the resilient
Marlon Samuels, the hungry Chris Gayle and, the aggressive Leon Garrick, to
overcome the mystic of Muralitharan.
But even if the two master craftsmen – the
superstar Brian Lara and the performing artist Carl Hooper – supported by the
bundle of youth talents, were able to resist or withstand or even outplay the
most threatening bowler in the world – Muttiah Muralitharan - who will bowl
out Sanath Jayasuriya, Marvan Atapattu, Avishka Gunawardena, DPMD Jayawardene,
RP Arnold and RS Kaluwitharana, the ball beaters?
Perhaps, the refreshing news is that Muttiah
Muralitharan cannot bowl at both ends, and apart from Chaminda Vass, the
pedigree seamer, the collective batsmanship of Lara, Hooper, Ganga, Gayle,
Sarwan, and Garrick could, on a good day; destroy the Sri Lanka bowling unless
Muralitharan is prepared to bowl a marathon spell.
Frankly, who is going to restrict or stop or
cut-down the merciless ball-beaters of Sri Lanka led by Captain Jayasuriya
himself? Is it Marlon Black? It is Reon King? It is Pedro Collins? My faith is
built on no one else but Dinanath Ramnarine, and his repertoire.
But you know what? Even with my trepidation, I
find in me a latent conviction that with the class of Carl Hooper, the
batsmanship of Brian Lara, and the confidence of our young brigades, West Indies
would not be easily rolled over. And indeed, should the Sri Lankans allow
political developments and their periodic inconsistencies overcome them, they
could have a very difficult time doing battle with the confident Windies.
At the time of writing Sri Lanka was getting the
ideal preparation for the Windies. They were doing well in the triangular
Champions Trophy in Sharjah. They had overwhelmed Pakistan by seven wickets in
their second match, thank to an innings of 88 from Avishka Gunawardena, one of
their champion batsmen.
After dismissing Pakistan for 176 in 46.2 overs,
the cavalier and aggressive Sri Lankan batsmen triumphed over the Pakistani
three-pronged attack of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar. Akram to
win the with 12 overs to spare, even if they managed only 29 runs in the first
10 overs, and lost the devastating skipper Sanath Jayasuriya in the 14th
Marvan Atapattu consolidated with Gunawardena to put on 78 for the second
wicket. Gunawardena hit 13 boundaries before he was dismissed by Shoaib in the
37th over. But by then a Sri Lankan victory was a formality, with only 16 more
runs required.
I strongly suspect that even though Sri Lanka enters the race as favourites, we
are in for an exhibition of art and craft.
Why? Many of the performing artists have much to prove. Lara has to prove
that he is still with the greats. Hooper has to prove that he, like old wine,
gets better with age. Darren Ganga has to prove that he has matured into a Test
opening batsman. Sarwan and Samuels have to prove themselves as Test materials.
Chris Gayle wants to dominate the world. This is the disposition which spurs the
present West Indian team – the type that has been missing since under Richie
Richardson in 1991. Carl Hooper has brought the “best” out of the
youngsters. To God be the Glory!
But Muralitharan after the 519 wickets is set by
Courtney Walsh, and he likes bagging them in clusters. Murali is on race with
Warne? This quest will inspire him on his home-town courts.
Yes, it seems no war in Afghanistan and no
politics in Sri Lanka will rob us of the treat. And we hope that the economic
and political interests will work out their differences to allow us poor mortals
to witness first battle beginning on November 13 at Galle.
Peter Adrien
is an author, a syndicated sports analyst
and freelance photographer. He can be contacted via telephone (869) 465-4813 or
E-mail: Adriens@caribsurf.com
PHOTO
CAPTION: Muttiah Muralitharan stands between West Indies and victory (Photo:
Peter Adrien)
No Signs of Abdication By the Queen of the Bray
By J.
Donald Brandt
Clare Short, the Secretary of State for
International Development and coiner of the infamous slander, "Next they'll
be asking for golden elephants," has once again demonstrated her remarkable
penchant for misrepresentation.
In a recent article in the British periodical The
Spectator she deplored President Bush's choice of the word
"crusade" to characterize the efforts of the quickly formed coalition
to eradicate the evil manifested in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World
Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington.
Her criticism contrasted sharply with the
eloquence of her boss, Prime Minister Tony Blair, when he declared Britain
firmly in support of the international campaign against organized terrorist
networks and those nations that support them.
With her back defiantly turned to the outrages of
Sept. 11, in which commercial airliners were diabolically used as explosively
flammable missiles against buildings containing thousands of unwitting
civilians, including many Britons, Ms. Short declared her opposition to military
action because it could lead to civilian deaths.
When the Blair government failed even to issue a
disclaimer to Ms. Short's insolence, much less a rebuke, The
Weekly Telegraph was prompted to ask editorially, "What does Washington
make of a British cabinet minister expressing such views with impunity?"
Unlike Ms. Short, I am old enough to remember
with awe the magnificent eloquence of a giant of a British prime minister,
Winston Churchill, who thundered in 1940, "Victory at all costs, victory in
spite of terror, victory however long and hard the road may be, for without
victory there is no survival."
Had any member of his government protested in a
publication that his rhetoric was inappropriate or that civilian deaths might be
in prospect, Sir Winston's likely response is beyond me because I lack his
fluency, but I am supremely confident it would have been a withering and
memorable reprimand.
More than two centuries ago, the delightful
writer Richard Brinsley Sheridan gave us The Rivals, in which he introduced us to Mrs. Malaprop. She will forever personify those pretentious people
who confidently misuse a word that sounds like another, with hilarious results,
such as allegory for alligator.
I do not pretend to have Richard Brinsley Sheridan's ingenuity, and Clare Short's frequent intemperate outbursts certainly lack Mrs. Malaprop's comic innocence. Nevertheless, I immodestly propose that we begin referring to the Secretary of State for International Development as Ms. Construe.
Week of Celebrations -- Overkill?
By
Claude Gerald
The one-week frenzied mixture of pious and
secular activities, honouring Sir Howard, Montserrat’s first and probably
ultimate Knight, did end. The resources devoted and the scope realized have been
unparalleled in our history; and this high profile storm of recognition that
imports noted speakers and sponsors other inputs costs the nation and tickles
the imagination.
Some observers are in
a quandary as to what exactly was being celebrated. Was it his knighthood as
distinct from his varying roles in the public sector over the years? And
either categorization genuinely compel this ostensible devotion of time
and energies from a relatively insecure and disoriented populace begging
mercifully for direction at all levels? It smacks of being overkill, an
exaggeration, a disproportionate demonstration of what ought to have been a tad
more than a footnote for a goodly gentleman described often, even by himself, as
loaded with humility and conditioned by his rurality. Sir Howard, the
quintessential critic may could have well been embarrassed by the adulation. Or
was he?
Significant scholar
that he is, he would easily recognize that a knighthood is weightless in a
decimated former Empire and Mother Country that proclaimed ‘rule Britannia
rule.’ More so the honour is liberally dispensed to an assortment of
Anglophiles of some questionable character and influence, particularly in the
U.K. itself; this is hardly celebratory. And though his involvement in several
spheres of the society has been long and profound, it is the recent
Professorship conferred on him by the University of the West Indies that is as
substantive as granite and should not attract controversy. A Professorship
molded in the British tradition is a rare, special and most significant honour
bestowed on this Montserratian by the UW.I. And the first for a Resident tutor
in a non-campus territory. It is an enviable recognition in Academia.
Poignantly, this is an Institution that practices "pulling teeth" in
the awarding of the hallowed rank of Professorship. Though the process in not
necessarily devoid of academic politics, one can rest assured that it is
rigorous and torturous and those who escape successfully deserve a bow.
Sir Howard is not the
most cerebrally gifted Montserratian of his time or any other time. Rather he is
a dogged and purposeful academic with unquestionable devotion and tenacity to
literary pursuits and research. This is the bread and butter of those who wish
to excel in that sphere and he would have spotted early the formula and used it
steadfastly to his success. His academic success is premised on grinding hard
work and facilitated by a firm grasp of English language usage and an
understanding of Latin, being the root of English. This is a legacy-rich quality
that shows that when mediocre talent is combined with fixity of purpose and
regular industry, it will infallibly result in gratifying success. In other
words the professor has effectively functioned within his limitations and thus
maximized his academic potential, not the easiest of skills to master.
Congratulations aplenty.
He applied a similar
approach to the position of Speaker of the House, an innovation credited to the
unmatched political wisdom of Mr. Austin Bramble, Chief Minister then. His
length of stay as Speaker is a Commonwealth first. Montserratians have come to
associate an oneness with him and the position. Time will indicate the worth of
his tenure, as other speakers who stress quality versus length of service enter
the Parliament here and elsewhere.
In this
identity-seeking society, one has to be so careful about the foundation that is
established for honouring its citizens. Watertight standards must be set and
met. A key cornerstone and perspective must revolve on people development. Given
all his involvement and his personal growth, how has Sir Howard measured up on
this score? You would think that
this celebration is synonymous with someone who has shaken up the Richter scale
of the island’s consciousness for our everlasting good. That our woes are over
and that Sir Howard’s coming was as fortuitous to our well-being as the
freshest of breeze. That he liberated our minds from his cockpit of learning or
selflessly from the Long Ground of his soul stood down the oppressors in a
plantation economy.
W.H. Bramble, the pace
setter and Father of the Island, recently managed to eke out a three-hour token
remembrance at the prompting of a Salemite with a sense of history. Thus on the
question of proportionality, this extensive gala of kudos and praises flunks the
case massively by comparison. If we are not careful we will misguide the
populace into distinguishing what is or is not valuable.
Sir Howard has been
found wanting in terms of impacting on the average Montserratian anywhere.
Accusations of aloofness and denseness, of convenient silence, passivity and
disinterest, and fostering his development are legendary. He was most ideally
placed, like no other, to make a difference in the direction that this island
takes as he had the ears, despite his apparent neutrality on political issues,
of a succession of policy makers for over 30 years. So singularly powerful, he
could have weaved magic.
Defensive talk of not
wanting to compromise his varied positions, as Acting Governor, Speaker of the
House and writer, cannot sell. So
he shuts up on issues of undesirable excesses in politics, alleged corruption
and other cancerous ills over the years, since his kingdom-building would have
been prematurely toppled. This is a choice that he has made actively and
knowingly with no justifiable censuring. A genuine patriot for top notch
recognition promote people’s interest first and foremost, a standard that must
be seen and felt, and which must course through the veins of every national as
everlasting evidence of a citizen’s worth. The higher the dedication, the
higher the recognition. And that recognition must powerfully pull even the most
unconvinced person in the direction of the honouree’s deeds sustainably over
time.
A monumental
personality spanning several spheres, Sir Howard’s true measure requires time
and space for a significant analysis. Bonafide writers schooled in development
issues will make that a reality for posterity.
Claude Gerald is an agricultural economist, with an abiding interest in
the socio/economic and political development of Montserrat.
Open
Letter to Governor Anthony Longrigg
Dear Sir:
As a proud Montserratian, having listened to your
recent negative comments about the attitude of my people towards the conduct of
the British Government in response to the volcanic crisis, I find it necessary
to bring to your attention, and to the attention of others who think like you,
some underlying facts relating to the Montserrat volcanic experience and the
British government.
A previous Governor of Montserrat once stated,
that he had not been appointed Governor to represent or defend the interests of
the British government on this island. He
advanced two reasons why this was so.
The first was that because the British government
was one of the richest and most powerful governments in the world, it had the
resources, the manpower, the military power and the legal power to take care of
its own interests.
His second point was that because he had no
personal background experience of Montserrat, no personal interest in the future
of Montserrat and since he would be on island only for a few years, he was not
in a position to understand or share the perspectives, the hopes and the
aspirations of the people who had lived here all their lives, and for whom this
island was home.
In response to the question, what then was his
function? He replied that on behalf
of the people of Montserrat, his duty was to uphold the constitution in order to
ensure acceptable standards of justice and integrity in the administration of
the colony, and to manage on behalf of the people of Montserrat those matters
which under the constitution were the responsibility of the British government,
e.g., Internal Security, External Relations and the others.
While it might be true
that your brief was different, the two above-mentioned arguments still seem to
make sense. It is still true that
the British government is big enough and strong enough and wealthy enough to
take care of its own interests.
Sadly your
pronouncements confirm that you have no interest in understanding the
perspectives, the hopes or aspirations of the people of Montserrat. For this no blame should be attached to you personally, for
the blame must rest fully with the ill-advised and short-sighted policy on which
your brief was based.
I should like to point out that your assertions
of ingratitude on the part of the people of Montserrat for British generosity
portray a profound misunderstanding of this population. Such a serious
misunderstanding is not only unfortunate but also even dangerous in the
individual who exercises such extraordinary power in this island.
We as a people are profoundly grateful for the
massive assistance that we have received from the British government.
We recognize that had it not been for British generosity our society
would long have collapsed to a greater extent, and we are and will be eternally
grateful to the British government for what they have done in our interests.
However, our gratitude cannot change our
recognition that as generous as the British government has been, its response
has not been consonant with the total needs of the people of Montserrat for
assistance to regain economic viability.
The catastrophe suffered by Montserrat and
Montserratians has no parallel or precedent in the history of the world.
Never in the history of the human race, except in the case of the people
destroyed by a flood as mentioned in the Bible, has any country lost such a
large proportion of its assets.
Neither by war, earthquake, hurricane, fire,
volcano or any other event has any country in history lost together 60 percent
of its land space, 65 percent of its housing, 85 percent of its infrastructure,
95 percent of its productive capacity etc, etc, etc.
The devastation and losses suffered by this
island as a result of the eruption of the volcano is, in proportion, literally
50 times greater than what was experienced by the continent of Europe as a
result of World War II. The United States provided an economic
assistance package under the Marshall Plan, an entirely new program, to take
care of that situation.
The British government’s response to the
infinitely greater economic needs in Montserrat has been the provision of
social, infrastructural and budgetary aid through the DFID process.
The Secretary of State for International
Development is indeed a truly kind-hearted and caring lady who is inflexibly
committed to alleviating poverty around the world.
Within the mandate of the Department of International Development, she
has been exceptionally generous to Montserrat.
However, it is a fact that DFID was not
established to deal with situations like the crisis caused by the eruption of
the volcano in Montserrat. When
DFID was set up to deal with the problems of poverty and deprivation in the
poorest countries of the world, aid to British Dependent Territories (a
minuscule fraction of the DFID budget) was conveniently accommodated under the
umbrella, but no one had any concept of a devastation, disruption and loss on
the scale of the volcanic crisis in Montserrat.
The Secretary of State for International
Development has, therefore, no option but to provide aid to Montserrat in
accordance with the policy framework that governs DFID.
We acknowledge that notwithstanding the constraints, she has nevertheless
been extremely generous and may even have stretched her legal limitations.
Despite the generosity of the good Lady and DFID
officials both here and in London, there are areas of serious failure in the
response of the British government. One
failure is the fact that much of the monies outlaid have not been spent in the
best interests of either the people of Montserrat or the taxpayers of the United
Kingdom.
Monies have been provided to keep things going
day to day, but with no effort to maximize the benefits to the people of
Montserrat for both the present and the future, and reduce their dependency on
British taxpayers.
One classic example is the operation of the
ferry. DFID officials rebuffed
repeated suggestions and appeals for the purchase of a ferry and arrangements
for its local operation. They
deliberately refused to acknowledge that such a course would have cost British
taxpayers infinitely less in the long term, would have contributed to a more
lasting resolution of the island’s communications needs and would have given
the people of Montserrat a much needed morale boost.
Instead they insisted on the continuation of the wasteful rental
arrangement.
Now they use the argument, that the operation of
the ferry is too expensive, as a weapon to force the hands of the Montserrat
Government in the matter of the location of an airport.
The expenditure on the “temporary” Government
Headquarters Complex is another example, and a truly independent and objective
enquiry will undoubtedly unearth other examples.
It is difficult to escape the conclusion, that
aid money was spent with deliberate intent to minimize the benefits to the
people of Montserrat and maintain them in a state of dependency leading to the
ultimate collapse of the society.
Under DFID rules, expenditure of aid as direct
assistance to or for the establishment of economic projects is prohibited.
However, it is a fact that even in the rich developed industrial
countries, including the United Kingdom, public funds are sometimes pumped into
private companies if they are deemed to be important to the national economy.
Clearly there could be no greater justification
for the investment of public funds in “economic pump priming” or rescue,
than in a country which has lost more than 90 percent of its productive assets
as a result of a natural disaster.
Failure to recognize this fact can only be the
result of a policy aimed at the ultimate collapse of the society.
In making this assertion I am very conscious that
the massive aid expenditure on infrastructure will be pointed to as evidence to
the contrary, however, the undermining and destruction of a society under the
camouflage of generous aid is not unprecedented.
The British government knows better than anyone
else that without a productive sector this society will rapidly deteriorate and
eventually die. They also know that
without substantial direct economic assistance Montserrat cannot regain
viability.
While we cannot reasonably expect the British
government to restore our economic capability, we feel that in our circumstance
a robust dose of economic “pump priming” is not only justifiable but
essential.
Rather than recognizing that the volcanic
eruption in Montserrat created an absolutely special situation, even more
dangerous and serious than a military invasion, the British Government placed
the Montserrat case in the hands of DFID, to apply exactly the same policies and
procedures as they had been using in Montserrat before the eruption of the
volcano. It is undeniable that this
constitutes a massive policy and response failure on the part of the British
government.
In conclusion I should like to point out that it
is a monumental disservice to the people of Montserrat to interpret justifiable
differences of opinion about British aid policy as ingratitude for British
generosity. On these two issues,
the positions of the people of Montserrat are as different as are the issues
themselves.
Signed
Sylvia White
On behalf of proud, self-respecting
Montserratians everywhere who have the capacity to stand on our two feet and who
recognize that addressing one’s problems, rather than ignoring them,
is the best way forward.
This is just a gentle reminder regarding the ash in the environment.
Workers engaged in outdoor activities in areas
where ash is impacted should consider the following precautions:
The
Health Department cannot over-emphasize the importance of using appropriate
gears when dealing with ash.
Daytime Entry to Foxes Bay
A trashed house sure gets your attention,
And even police intervention,
But when forced entry's found
With contents strewn around,
You angrily cry out, 'PREVENTION'!
Utility Probability
Electric and water, you know,
Will soon be a unified flow.
But don't start to stew,
Higher rates take review;
Relax, they're delaying that blow.
Jus wonderin if PS means permanently stupid.
Jus wonderin why some nurses can't act like a
nurse.
Jus wonderin why one of them continue to bring
scandal and shame and disgrace to the profession.
Jus wonderin why they don't pick on someone their
own size any way.
Jus wonderin why they can't deal wid who they
should deal with like the 'better' half.
Jus wonderin if police week was successful or not
and if the public will judge it.
Jus wonderin if they use it to enforce laws
rather than encourage non-breaking of laws.
Jus wonderin why dem give the winners piton and
the losers vita.
Jus wonderin if they got the vitality they were
looking for.
Jus wonderin since the turn-out was fairly good
if that’s enough to put on similar displays.
Jus wonderin if it is true there is one or more
officer making money the illegal way; don't they know that is cheating.
Jus wonderin if jus wonderin will help show some
love and understanding.
Jus wonderin what baggage the pxxx officer rolls
when walking.
Jus wonderin which of the wpcs is left wanting
for questionable conduct.
Jus wonderin which of them passie think they are
all that.
Jus wonderin if pretty face and bad character go
for anyone of them.
Jus wonderin if ladies think drinking beer and
laughing loud is becoming lady-like behaviour
Jus wonderin if they would rather not be seen
than heard.
Jus wonderin if some man and woman are just
control maniacs and if they know who they are.
Jus wonderin what good that attention will do
them.
Jus wonderin wha de young people dem problem be.
Jus wonderin how long we must wait before we
really know who the contestants are.
Jus wonderin if we could live like de Spanish, de
Jamaicans and Guyanese dem.
Jus wonderin wha name dem a go give de new
airport.
Jus wonderin why dem say red is danger when women
look so dangerously sexy inna it.
Jus wonderin wha a go on in de young people dem
head now a days.
Jus wonderin who checking on dem
school child wey a keep de Banks road so hot.
Jus wonderin if we are really in the days when
school children now washing, cooking and cleaning for men.
Jus wonderin if now they doing community
policing, they will look into these matters.
Jus wonderin what the school really gone to.
Jus wonderin if I should say poor de teachers or
poor de parents.
Jus wonderin which one really need sorry for.
Jus wonderin what the money was really spent on
and why no one is calling for an investigation into the ½ million dollars CM
Osborne said he spent to bury W H Bramble.
Jus wonderin who the quantity surveyor is, and
how much was paid for the information
Jus wonderin it look like de white paper is more
for de women dem dan de men dem.
Jus wonderin wha de difference between a lover
and a sex partner, wha so different about dem.
Jus wonderin if me wey north be, wey south day,
and wey de hell dem put awe.
Jus wonderin me want fi do de heel and toe, be
one pappy show, run John Bull and go on like one Jackass now and den.
Jus wonderin if jus wonderin does laugh at dese
nonsense jokes.
Jus wonderin if de fan knows it put wan smile
gloomy face dey wey come in ebbry marnin and look like dem can cut rock wid dem
looks.
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