House of Commons Look at Montserrat by Staff Reporter
Uncovers Many Causes for Concern
Members of Britain's House of Commons spent a month looking into conditions in Montserrat and came away astonished, distressed and apprehensive.
Their strong feelings about what they learned and their recommendations are all contained in 200 pages of documentation issued last week in London.
Astonishment appears in the report's opening point: "The Committee was appalled at what they saw in Montserrat, at the conditions people were having to endure, and at the mismanagement and confusion which have been evident throughout the crisis."
Distress is reflected in the Committee's conclusion that disagreements revealed by conflicting testimony suggest "a less than happy relationship between the United Kingdom Government and the Government of Montserrat."
Apprehensiveness recurs throughout the report but is expressed clearly in its second point: "The Committee is concerned that there is still a serious risk to people remaining in the north of Montserrat. . . . We urge that risks be made clear to all who remain on Montserrat and that vulnerable groups be strongly advised to evacuate immediately."
Genuine distress is expressed over evidence of delays in providing aid, of inadequate or substandard aid, and of what the Committee considered inequality between aid packages to Montserratians who have left the island and to those who remain.
The report can be understood most readily if it is viewed in four broad categories: What Happened and What Can Be Done About It, Aid to Montserratians, Development of the North of the Island, and Other Concerns.
Strongly influencing all of this is the Committee's obvious conviction that the worst from the volcano may be yet to come. That probability, the report warns, "is significant enough to be taken into account in any planning of the future of the north of the island."
What Happened and What Can Be Done About It?
The International Development Committee spent a great deal of time unraveling the tangled controversy over aid. It also was awestruck by the presence of the Wadge/Isaacs Report of 1987 and the fact that it had gone unheeded.
That was particularly relevant to its concern over the vast sums the British Government committed to the restoration of Plymouth after Hurricane Hugo.
The report says, "It appears that none of our witnesses was aware of the (Wadge/Isaacs) report until it was brought to their attention after July 1995. Mr. David Taylor, Governor between 1990 and 1993, (former Gov. Frank) Savage, Mr. Reuben Meade, Mr. Bertrand Osborne and Mr. (David) Brandt, successive Chief Ministers, Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office all denied knowledge of the report before the volcanic activity began."
"We must remember," the Committee says, "that HMG spent 16.8 million pounds in 1989 after Hurricane Hugo in redevelopment which was then destroyed almost the moment it was completed." It concedes that Wadge/Isaac is not accurate in every detail and that acting on it would not have avoided all loss. But it concludes:
"What is clear is that Montserrat would have been immeasurably more prepared for the crisis which has come upon it if the Wadge and Isaacs Report had been carefully read and digested. That far from being read it was hastily forgotten is an opportunity tragically lost. This sorry account must be a signal example of failure in communication, political leadership and responsibility."
When it turned its attention to entangled aid, the Committee heard a succession of witnesses, all pointing fingers of blame in different directions. Clare Short, Secretary of State for International Development, blamed delays in delivery of aid both on the Government of Montserrat and the confusion of people required for making any decision. Chief Minister Brandt not only accused Ms. Short and her subordinates but also the British Government in general. Former Gov. Savage blamed the inadequacy of his part in the decision-making on aid and conflicting priorities, particularly on housing, with the Government of Montserrat, then headed by Chief Minister Meade.
Former Gov. Savage told the Committee, the report says, that "he had written as early as September 1995 of minimum requirements to improve the infrastructure in the north of the island, including accommodation for 100 persons, a new hospital, a jetty, police station and government facilities. . . . The Government of Montserrat preferred to develop Salem and this was consistent with the then advice of scientists that the Salem area should be safe. (Gov. Savage) summarized, 'In retrospect, had I got what was asked for . . . we would have had what we needed at the northern end of the island, but had the volcano not gone that far I would have looked very foolish.' "
The Committee concludes: "Between November 1996 and July 1997 it is clear that discussion of housing projects took place within overly bureaucratic procedures and with little sense of urgency. Responsibility for this must be shared between HMG and the Government of Montserrat. It was no doubt hoped by all involved that Salem and the central area of the island would remain safe. This was in accord with the scientific advice at the time. All such advice was, however, on the understanding that volcanology is not an exact science and the volcano in the Soufriere Hills is an atypical volcano. Greater and more urgent contingency planning was called for from the early stages of the volcano's activity, as the Governor had attempted to make clear."
At one point, the Committee flatly contradicts Chief Minister Brandt's reference to delays on proposed assistance to CARICOM Village. "Mr. Brandt," the report says, "referred to a letter from the United Kingdom Prime Minister . . . which said, 'Our officials are having difficulty in getting the project together for the infrastructure,' the implication, according to Mr. Brandt, being, 'Delay the project.' We have seen a copy of the letter. It says nothing of the sort. In fact, the letter reads, "We are studying the practical aspects of your offer. We will be in touch with CARICOM shortly about this."
Mr. Brandt fared better in his challenges to Clare Short's testimony alleging the failure of the Government of Montserrat to remove sewage from shelters and the hospital. The Committee heard Mr. Brandt's response that the sludge trucks provided at first were antiquated vehicles inadequate to the terrain of Montserrat. The Committee challenged Ms. Short on that point, as well as on questions about the suitability of school buses and deteriorating tents delivered early in the emergency.
Ms. Short's defense was, "If there is an absolute emergency then to get something very quickly from a neighboring island that will make do while you get something better I think is a sensible way of proceeding."
The Committee observes: "It will of course be the case in emergency aid that equipment is bought which is not up to the standard of fully considered development projects. There must, however, be some minimum standards even for the provision of immediate assistance. We criticize DFID for the fact that these purchases fell below such a minimum."
In summary, the report states:
"We recommend that the source of future funding (for Montserrat) . . . might come from the Foreign Office or another specified department with Dependent Territory responsibilities. The important point is that responsibility and resources . . . should be in the same department. . . . Our responsibilities to Dependent Territory citizens are of a greater and different order to our more general humanitarian responsibilities to the developing world and involve different priorities."
Aid to Montserratians
Areas of emergency aid to Montserratians considered by the Committee included housing to replace the shelters it found appalling, space and equipment for education, and assistance provided to individual Montserratians as well as their families.
The report recalls the 25-million-pound development aid program approved for Montserrat by the British Government in August 1996, when the Government of Montserrat was invited to submit proposals. Those proposals did not include housing, the report says, because the Reuben Meade government was confident that funds for that purpose could be raised elsewhere. That was not the case. The Committee observes:
"The decision of the Government of Montserrat in August 1996 not to apply for aid to construct housing is a significant cause of the delay in the provision of adequate accommodation."
It recounts the election of the Bertrand Osborne government in November and mentions that within two months the new government had made a housing proposal to London., Slow progress was made, however, because of differences on where such housing should be built. The British Government proposed Little Bay, while the Government of Montserrat resisted that on the grounds that it was the only place in the north where a new capital could be built if that became necessary.
These debates were made irrelevant by the deadly pyroclastic flows that began June 25, taking more than a score of lives and eventually closing Plymouth. Soon thereafter, the report says, "HMG announced an emergency housing scheme of 6.5 million pounds. (Former Gov.) Savage concluded, however, 'it was not enough and it was too late.'"
Remarking on recent progress, the report states: "There does not seem on the basis of evidence to be any appreciable or culpable delay since the announcement of the 6.5 million pounds in July this year. Since the authorization of funds by the Secretary of State in July, 50 houses have been completed and a further 50 are under construction."
It further recommends "that all possible assistance be given at the earliest opportunity to the CARICOM project and that a decision on the extension jof the Davy Hill infrastructure be made and communicated without further delay."
Education
Committee members quickly found direct connections between the problems of housing and education in Montserrat, "since newly built schools at Lookout and Brades are currently being used as emergency shelters."
The report recommends "urgent action to ensure that the schools are properly supplied with resources and equipment. We also recommend that once emergency housing is available the Government of Montserrat make it their priority to return the school buildings to their intended use. Before July 1995 Montserrat had an enviable reputation for the quality of its education system and, despite obvious difficulties since then, great effort has been made by teachers and pupils to maintain such high standards. That tradition must not be threatened by lack of government support."
Supporting evidence for that praise of high standards, reported since the Committee issued its findings and recommendations, is the news of outstanding performance by relocated Montserratian students now attending schools in Great Britain. (see page 6)
Aid to Individuals
The Committee directly addresses the difficulties created for individual aid by changing circumstances during the crisis. It acknowledges the protests, from Mr. Brandt in particular, about the likelihood of relocation packages to make more residents choose to leave rather than stay. Clare Short had referred several times during her testimony to the unwillingness of the Government of Montserrat to support programs they considered greater incentives for relocation.
It observes: "The United Kingdom Government has rightly placed much emphasis on giving Montserratians a choice of either (a) staying on the island; or (b) relocating to another Caribbean island; or (c) relocating to the UK. However, Mr. Brandt on behalf of the Government of Montserrat claimed that it is not a fair choice between equal options. For example, a person who chooses option (c) is given an assisted passage and access to the National Health Service and social security benefits, whereas a person who chooses option (a) has access only to grossly inadequate health service and very little if any welfare benefits. This is an obvious disincentive for people who remain on Montserrat. The United Kingdom Government must address this problem by improving opportunities for people who choose to stay on the island. This can only be done by the effective delivery of relevant aid."
Special attention was paid by the Committee to the withdrawal of property insurance throughout the island and its devastation of the Montserrat Building Society. The report notes Mr. Brandt's linking the withdrawal of insurance to George Foulkes' statement in London about catastrophic eruptions with no further comment.
After reviewing the unlikely prospects of insurance renewal, and asking for a look at the behavior of insurance companies on rates and coverage previous to their withdrawal, the Committee points out:
"If HMG is genuinely committed to the viability and prosperity of the north of Montserrat, the Treasury must offer suitable guarantees which will enable current insurance cover to be maintained, and insurance companies to secure reinsurance and thus provide renewal of cover."
The Committee's two-day visit to Antigua, compared to the day its members spent in Montserrat, clearly worked in Antigua's favor. They conclude that an estimated 3,000 relocated Montserratians represent a "significant burden in a country of 65,000. Nevertheless, it was evident that the Antiguans had cared for the Montserratians who had arrived with great generosity."
Last September, the report points out, HMG waived aid loan repayments totaling 1.25 million pounds from Antigua, approved a development grant of 3 million pounds for health and education projects, and up to 1 million pounds for the development of small and medium-size enterprises for Montserratians in Antigua. "The Antigua Government," the report continues, "had expressed concern to us in a number of areas, inclding the need for the provision of tertiary healthcare, extra classrooms and teachers, community clinics, and in particular the provision of land and accommodation for Montserratians who are by now outstaying their welcome with their hosts."
Based on those observations, the Committee recommends that current aid to Antigua be fully allocated to specific projects and that "there should be a survey conducted on behalf of the British and Antigua Governments of the continuing needs of Montserratians in Antigua and their effect on the economy and social services of the country."
As for Montserratians elsewhere in the Caribbean, it says their relocation grant was calculated on the basis of six months' average Montserrat income. Further support must be considered, the Committee says, for those Montserratians who have not found employment.
"We trust that HMG does not forget," the Committee suggests, "that it retains a real responsibility for Montserratians who have relocated to Antigua and elsewhere in the Caribbean. This means HMG should respond readily and promptly to reasonable requests for assistance from Caribbean governments, including further provision for the elderly and the mentally and physically disabled in suitable and properly staffed sheltered accommodation."
Complaints of inequity about relocation grants won the Committee's endorsement. Those grants were not available to Montserratians who were employed or who relocated between the start of volcanic activity in July 1995 and August 1997, when the package was announced.
The report declares: "We consider the abatement for those who relocated before 16 August 1997 and who are employed to be unnecessary and unfair. We believe it should end immediately. We recommend that all Montserratians who have relocated to the Caribbean region, and whose savings and assets outside Montserrat are less than EC $42,000 receive the same relocation grant on the same terms, whenever they left the island from the start of volcanic activity in July 1995."
The food voucher system, it concludes, is flawed and should be replaced as soon as possible by a comprehensive system of income support.
For Montserratians relocated to Britain, the Committee expresses both sympathy and concern. It voices the hope that Montserratians in the UK enjoy the same level of benefits and support in tertiary education as UK citizens; that they receive a National Insurance number within a week of arrival: that they be assisted and advised on how to claim social security benefits and complete the necessary forms, and that particular attention be paid to the situation in Hackney, where reports of hardship among Montserratians are particularly frequent.
Finally, the Committee recommends "that it be made clear that the current provision for Montserratians in the United Kingdom will last for as along as volcanic activity continues in Montserrat. Montserratians in the United Kingdom who wish to remain after volcanic activity has ended shouild be given the permanent right to live and work here."
Development of the North of the Island
Why successive Governments of Montserrat have pressed the British Government for development of the north is reflected in the Committee's wary consideration of the entire question. Inherent in its uncertainty is its report's observation that the probability of catastrophic effects in the north "is significant enough to be taken into account in any planning of the future of the north of the island."
"We are not in a position," the report begins, "to comment on the viability of the island nor the possibilities for sustainable development. Any plan must, however, take account of the continuing dangers posed by the activity of the volcano. The north of Montserrat is not perfectly safe, merely significantly safer than elsewhere on the island. At present all planning and commitment of funds must take account of the possibility that the north itself might have to be evacuated."
"We are not sure," the report continues, "what the Government means when it says it is committed to maintain a viable community in the north." The Committee's concerns, of course, involve how much money and how lengthy a commitment.
"We are not arguing," it explains, "that any plan should minimize the financial contribution of HMG. But some judgments will have to be made as to a sustainable population in the north of Montserrat. HMG says that it will pay the fares of any Montserratian who wishes to return. There must, however, be practical constraints which limit the number who can now live there. The plan should thus be designed for such a sustainable level of population. It will also have to take account of the fact that we look forward in the longer term to a return to those parts of Montserrat at present evacuated.
In summary it recommends that funds for the island's development come from a single Government department which has both the responsibility for approving projects and the funds to be allocated.
Other Concerns
Uncertainty about possible heightened activity from the volcano is reflected in the Committee's repeated references to the Calman Report on health, on the lack of a comprehensive, public plan for total evacuation of the island, and in its declaration that the Constitution of Montserrat has proved unequal to the demands of this emergency.
On the health report by Britain's Chief Medical Officer, the Committee expresses grave concern about the possibility of silicosis. The observation that more ash falls in the north and in other Caribbean islands would result in an increased risk of silicosis suggests that the Committee considers silica to have the immediate infectiousness of a communicable disease rather than the progressively menacing consequences of frequent and prolonged exposure.
The Committee also faults the Government of Montserrat for delaying appointment of a health program manager recommended in the Calman Report because of disagreement on the lines of authority involved. It declares rather curtly: "This sort of disagreement is all too typical of recent events in Montserrat. We presume Sir Kenneth Calman made his recommendation advisedly, no doubt hoping that the program manager would have the power to take prompt and effective action without political interference. We recommend that the Government of Montserrat accept the recommendation of the Calman Report on the appointment of a program manager and end this unacceptable delay."
As for a comprehensive evacuation plan, such a plan existed but it certainly was not public. In fact, Chief Minister Brandt complained that he had seen a copy of the plan for the first time after Clare Short had mentioned it before the Committee, and then only after repeated requests.
Former Gov. Savage told the committee that he decided not to give Mr. Brandt a copy of the plan while he was a member of the opposition in Montserrat's Legislative Council but once he became chief minister he could have got a copy from the EOC. Mr. Savage also told the the Committee, according to its report, that basic information on what to do in case of an off-island evacuation had been distributed to Montserratians.
"We recommend," the Committee declares, "that a document making clear what to do in the event of such an evacuation be distributed as a matter of urgency to all Montserratians on the island. . . . We recommend that there be a single evacuation plan providing for a coordinated regional response."
About the Constitution of Montserrat, the Committee is brief and unsympathetic: "Months have passed in which overlapping responsibilities have frustrated an effective response to the crisis. The delicate balance in the Constitution between Governor, Government of Montserrat and HMG, with repeated emphasis on consultation, has merely meant there has been no one on island with full and untrammelled executive control. In the current review of the Dependent Territories, the Constitution of Montserrat must be thought through from first principles, with adequate provision for decision-making in emergencies of this kind. A concern not to offend one or other of the parties involved in these events has too often been of greater importance than the welfare of Montserratians themselves."
There is no Shortage of Culprits in the House of Commons Report
You’ll find blame enough to go around for conditions in Montserrat, according to the first report issued last week by the International Development Committee of Britain’s House of Commons. The report summarizes the committee’s findings after nearly a month of hearings and on-site visits in its investigation of the island’s volcanic crisis.
"The Committee was appalled," the report says, "at the conditions people were having to endure and at the mismanagement and confusion which have been evident throughout the crisis."
The report faults:
* the island’s total unpreparedness for volcanic activity despite the recommendations, unread or ignored, in the 1987 Wadge/Isaacs Report.
* Overseas Development Assistance/Department for International Development for having too many decision makers involved in delivering aid to Montserrat.
* the Government of Montserrat for pressing ODA/DFID for long-term development aid at the expense of immediate emergency needs.
* unacceptable separation of funding sources (DFID) from those authorizing projects (Foreign and Commonwealth Office).
* the Constitution of Montserrat as "unequal to the demands of the emergency. No one on or off the island has had full and untrammelled executive control."
(See Significant Recommendations under Features)
EDITORIAL
Sympathy in House of Commons Stops Short of Our Constitution
At King Belshazzar’s feast, the revelry was interrrupted when four words suddenly appeared on the wall of the banquet room: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin." Daniel translated, to the king’s extreme displeasure, that an angry God had weighed Belshazzar in the balance, had found him wanting and had doomed his kingdom.
<GCONTENTS>There is writing on the wall for Montserrat, particularly its elected government, in the report issued by the International Development Committee of Britain’s House of Commons. The words of warning¸ which are sprinkled throughout a report of many pages, need no prophet to translate them, for the message of potential grief is clear.
THE CONSTITUTION OF MONTSERRAT
WAS UNEQUAL TO THIS EMERGENCY
Reasons for the Committee’s displeasure are clearly revealed in its explanation of this ominous declaration. "It was possible," the Committee despairs, "for a HMG to suspend the current Constitution and introduce direct rule. That option was not taken. (Former Gov.) Savage explained that direct rule was considered but that Ministers decided that HMG would only move to direct rule ‘if (a) invited to do so by the Government of Montserrat, (b) if it was not possible to form a Government of Montserrat . . . or (c) and quite importantly, if the elected representatives locally refused to measure up to their responsibilities to the safety of the people of Montserrat.’ Baroness Symons believed that HMG needed ‘a very clear reason’ to impose direct rule. Even though a natural disaster had occurred ‘the elected government was fulfilling their function.’"
<GCONTENTS>Any thoughtful Montserratian should find enough cause for option (c) above. Clearly it is not for Chief Minister Brandt and his government to determine whether they have abandoned their responsibilities "to the safety of the people of Montserrat." They are at risk of such an indictment the next time they challenge the placement of a new permanent roadblock or a call to expand the Exclusion Zone still further. Yet that very real deterrent does not meet the need seen in the House of Commons.
<GCONTENTS>We are back to the uproar of last autum that followed the announcement of the Dependent Territories review and particularly its intent to revisit the Constitution of Montserrat. In the House of Commons, the verdict is already in. That review must give Montserrat a Constitution that provides full and untrammelled executive control in emergencies.
Any Montserratian who naively expects a revised Constitution to give such decisive power to someone he has elected to authority could also be persuaded that pigs can fly.
<GCONTENTS>Colonial paternalism is offensively clear in the Committee’s displeasure with HMG’s failure to introduce direct rule. It contemptuously dismisses that as "a concern not to offend one or other of the parties involved," rather than recognize it as a commendable decision based on constitutional principles.
<GCONTENTS>Montserrat is forewarned. The volcanic emergency provides all the justification the British Government needs to carry out the constitutional review called for last year. Surely the people of the Emerald Isle will understand and gratefully accept new limits on their quasi-independence. After all, it’s really designed to safeguard their lives and welfare.
Mr. Brandt and his Ministers face new challenges to their authority. That is evident in the intimidation already provided by the House of Commons’ contempt for the limited constitutional muscle they enjoy. They will need to be subtle and creative to exercise continued leadership.
Jose Trias Monge, former chief justice of Puerto Rico, writes in his recently published "Puerto Rico, The Trials of the Oldest Colony":
"The issue should not be whether further powers of self-government should graciously be extended to the colonies, but rather, what powers do the dependencies want to entrust to the former empire. . . . Nobody has the right to govern another. It is as simple as that."
That is not a message any more likely to be embraced by the U.S. Congress than by our impatient interlocutors in the House of Commons. But that doesn’t mean that it must not finally prevail.
Editorial Policies
LETTERS
An Open Letter to the Governor
H.E Anthony Abbott, Governor
McChesney’s Estate
Olveston
Montserrat
Dear Sir
In a recent interview on Radio Montserrat’s ‘GIU presents’, you made a brief reference to CMO Sir Kenneth Calman’s visit, and the resulting proposed health reforms,. While appreciating your sincerity to believe that you may be unaware of some of the background issues to the health situation, and from my perspective as a health commentator I am respectfully submitting some of my thoughts on this matter.
As one who has worked in the Health Department for nearly thirty years, I have seen gradual improvements in the health service over the years, and a willingness on the part of health staff to strive for improvement in both primary and secondary health care. This has been aided by many projects, programmes, workshops and other assistance from several respected regional and international organizations, such as PAHO, WHO, UNICEF,CAREC, CFNI, CEHI, and indeed the British Government.
The aim of these organizations, I believe, was to build on existing strengths and help in identifying areas of improvement with local health staff, not to put things in place ‘FOR’ the island. This assistance enhanced the skills and awareness of health staff at all levels on a broad range of health issues, and spearheaded improvements in several areas of both primary and secondary health care.
With the advent of the volcanic crisis in 1995, and particularly during 1996 and 1997, many of the improvements that had come on stream were severely weakened, and in some cases totally abandoned, due to the makeshift nature of the situation, and lack of resources; but health staff managed to keep the system going and gave of their best in spite of adverse conditions.
The recent report by CMO Sir Kenneih Calman does not pay tribute to this, nor acknowledge the positive things that were in progress before the volcanic crisis began. The short duration of his visit, and the fact that, as far as I am aware, his team did not have any meetings with middle level health staff (e.g the Public Health Nursing representative did not visit any clinics), are cause for concern and would have prevented the team from gaining an in-depth perspective.
Quoting from the CMO’s report, you stated that the new Health Programme Manager would establish a primary health system FOR the island (my capitals). The word ‘establish’ and the word ‘FOR’ imply that there is nothing to build on and no skills locally to draw on. In fact, it implies that local health staff are incapable of doing anything on their own. I believe this statement could have been more appropriately worded ‘assist local staff in strengthening primary health care on the island’, or ‘work with local health staff towards strengthening primary health care’..
Space will not allow me to mention the many other things contained in the CMO’s report that fail to do justice to the system already in place, which has been under a severe strain due to the volcanic crisis and attendant relocations. The report, which is totally negative, gives the impression that a vacuum now exists, and that it is necessary to build a totally new system from the ground up. This is far from the truth.
You omitted to mention secondary health care, which the same CMO’s report proposes to downgrade. I would like to make some points in favour of retaining a good level of secondary care on the island.
Primary health care is indeed the backbone of the health service, but to function at its best it needs to be backed up by secondary level care. Referral to the next level when necessary is a part of primary health care.
If all surgical and maternity patients are sent off the island, nurses and midwives will lose their skills and their morale, and more will leave.
It is essential to retain a skilled nursing team for many reasons, but in our case it’s especially vital for mass casualty management, which requires a highly technical and highly motivated team of nurses to be on hand. If nurses are allowed to lose their skills and their morale, who will form the core of the mass casualty team?
It is essential to retain a team of skilled midwives in case of need. (not every mother will make it to the helicopter as she may already be in advanced labour). If midwives do not have any routine deliveries they will lose these skills, and be unprepared for the occasional emergency case.
The argument that the surgeon will get out of practice and lose his skills, can be solved by a six monthly rotation. The same cannot easily be done for nurses.
Emergency surgery (such as a ruptured appendix or ectopic) cannot always wait for the helicopter. What about stormy conditions that prevent the helicopter and the ferry from functioning?
If secondary care is downgraded or eliminated, people proposing to stay on the island, or to return, will lose confidence and change their mind. The Physical Plan for Development of the North assumes a gradual return to a population of 10,000 in ten years time. This will not happen if there is no secondary health care.
The cost of helicopter charter, and of ‘service level agreements’ with neighboring islands to attend to our patients, could be far more costly to the British Government than paying a surgeon, to which the island has for years been accustomed.
Patients do not exist in isolation, but need the support of their families. If all acute cases and maternity patients are sent off island, that family support may well be totally lacking at the time when they most need it.
I hope. sir, that you will examine these comments closely. I believe you may have accepted the CMO’s report uncritically, due to ignorance of some of these issues. I hope that you will be able to influence some ot these proposals in a positive way before it is too late.
Yours Sincerely
Catherine (Katie) Buffonge
Governor's Response
Dear Ms. Buffonge
Thank you for your letter of 27 November concerning the report relating to the health service in Montserrat by the Chief Medical Officer, Sir Kenneth Calman.
It was a very thoughtful letter in which you rightly draw attention to a number of points causing you some concern. Given that you have 30 years experience in the health service I am sure they; are all relevant.
I think the best course of action is to bring them to the attention of Dr Tim Carter, who has recently been appointed the Health Programme Coordinator charged with implementing the Chief Medical Officer's recommendation. No doubt he will take them into consideration before he draws up a health plan for Montserrat.
I will ensure Dr Carter has the exchange of correspondence before him when he arrives on-island later this month.
Many thanks for bringing your views to my attention.
A. J Abbott
LOCAL NEWS
Farmers Start Work at Blakes
Seven farmers have started to work the 6 acre site at Blakes designated for farming purposes. Recently bulldozers cleared the area but left some trees standing to act as wind breaks and to prevent erosion. Farmers are now fencing the area.
It is hoped eventually that more land will be available for cultivation at the site and that the number of farmers will increase to twelve.
Final Public Forum for Development Plan
The final public forum to discuss the five-year development plan for Montserrat took place this week at McChesney's Estate.
The Government of Montserrat has drawn up the plan after public consultation. Business leaders, NGO's, government officials, and residents have made inputs to the plan at a series of public forums held over the past few weeks.
Franklyn Greenaway, physical planner at the Physical Planning Unit, told the gathering that scientific assessment of the volcano, political interpretations and statements made by British politicians all will impact the plans that are being formulated.
He said the role of the local government is critically important.
"The government of Montserrat must show leadership; it must demonstrate that it is willing to reduce the high cost of installation of infrastructure and services that are carried out by agencies under its control," Greenaway said. He said that the government must demonstrate through tangible benefits with landowners in the North that "all are partners in the development of our country."
Allan Gunn-Jones said the disposal of solid and liquid waste, the development of sporting and recreational activities, cemetery, housing, along with an upgraded air/sea transport link are critical components of the plan, which will send encouraging signals.
He hopes to send final drafts of the plan to the Government before Christmas.
Commenting on the 10,000 population projection, consultant Jane Arnot, explained that they are not predicting, rather they are using a figure upon which they can make somewhat solid projections.
Guadeloupe to Hold Simulation Exercise
Following meetings in Guadeloupe this week, which looked at emergency evacuation plans for Montserrat, authorities in the French island announced that they will hold a joint simulation exercise in communications before year end.
Montserrat officials including H.E. The Governor, Mr Anthony Abbott, the Chief Minister, Hon David S. Brandt, police and defense force officials as well as representatives of the Emergency Dept met with their French counterparts to discuss what is known as Operation Exodus.
Mr. Franklyn Micheal, Permanent Secretary for Emergency Operations, also attended the meeting.
"We had an opportunity to look at one major component of the plan. That is the communications element. We are hoping to do a quick simulation of the communication plan for a mass evacuation," he said.
He said the public will be fed with a "series of information bites," though radio programs and community meetings which would outline the "strategies and key activities which will be undertaken, if an event of that nature were to become likely."
Micheal emphasized that the plan is an ongoing activity because of the dynamic situation.
Exodus sets out the plans for an evacuation of Montserrat if the volcanic situation makes life untenable. It is hoped that it will never have to be used but in the interest of good disaster planning it is thought to be necessary to develop such a plan.
Guadeloupe will play an integral role in the plan as a staging post for Montserratians.
Labour Department Job Placement Service
The Labour Department has instituted a job placement service. Unemployed residents are invited to register at the Labour Department office at Geralds (Tel 664 491 4010) and then the department will attempt to find them positions.
A total of eight persons have registered to date and the department was able to place seven of these into jobs. Four have entered the private sector and three into government service.
One of the findings of the scheme is that there is a demand for computer literate employees and in the absence of a functioning Technical College, which use to carry out this training, several government departments are negotiating with one another to try and institute a training programme in this area.
Airport Consultants meet with Population
Montserrat met with the general public earlier this week.
At a public meeting in Woodlands they explained that three possible sites have been identified; Thatch Valley (beyond the Silver Hills), Blakes, and Geralds.
The consultants are meeting with as wide a range of Montserratians as possible before making their final recommendation to the UK government.
Factory Shell Handed Over
The factory shell constructed at Brades was handed over to the Government of Montserrat by the building contractors yesterday. The 20,000 sg ft facility will become home to several industrial enterprises who have been displaced by the volcanic action.
Truancy to be Investigated
Following repeated reports of school-aged children not attending school, the Department of Community Services announced that it will carry out a social investigation into these cases of truancy.
Some months ago the Ministry of Labour toured worksites to ensure that all employees were above the minimum school leaving age (age 14) and several children were discovered to be working. These children were returned to the classroom. However, Education officials are still reporting cases of under 14's still on island but not attending school.
The late start to school, movement of people into shelter, impending departure overseas are just some of the reasons stated for the truancy. It is hoped that everyone of legal school age in Montserrat will be back in the classroom for the start of the second term in January.
Red Cross Loses Officials
The Montserrat Branch of the British Red Cross has lost two of its long serving top officials. President, Mr Eric Kelsick and former President Mr Sydney Meade are both relocating abroad because of the volcanic crisis. There was a ceremony to thank them earlier last week at the Red Cross H.Q.
The Red Cross branch is urging Montserratians to fill key positions in the management structure to allow it to continue its role in the crisis. The main role is the care of some institutionalized elderly persons and several others within the community.
Two more Churches Handed Back
Anglicans and Methodists can worship once again in two more of their churches this weekend. The Emergency Dept has handed back over to church authorities two buildings recently emptied as shelters. They are the St John's Anglican Church and the Judy Piece Methodist Church.
The church communities have been social partners in the housing of evacuees since the very first evacuation in 1995.
New York Venue for Montserrat Calypso
The eight Montserratian calypsonians who are raising money for their fellow musicians who have lost their homes to volcanic action will appear in New York on December 13th. The show will be at The Workmen's Circle Auditorium on Grace Ave in the Bronx. Showtime is 9 pm. The calypsonians are being helped in their venture by American Airlines, who are providing rebated fares for the group.
The group will have a pre-departure show in Montserrat on Friday December 5th at Brades with all proceeds going to the same cause. If the venture is a success there are plans for similar shows in Boston and London. The group are calling themselves "Concerned Calypsonians in Concert".
Christmas Festival Site Chosen
The Montserrat Tourist Board, who are organizing this years Christmas Festival, have announced that the site for festival activities will be at Gerald's Bottom adjacent to the heliport.
The site was used in September of this year for the concert "Many Happy Returns," which saw nearly 2,000 people attend. The stage construction at the site is expected to commence tomorrow courtesy of British company Brown & Root.
Montserrat Red Cross Receives Gift from Scotland
Robertson Foote gifted persons with ailing eyesight in the shelters with several cassette recorders to provide them with an alternative to reading and television viewing.
Foote, whose son worked for public works department four years ago, was prompted to do this because of his own poor vision.
Lystra Osborne and Eric Kelsick presented his gifts to the shelters at St. Peters, Cavalla Hill and St. Johns.
The Red Cross is soliciting cassette gifts of West Indian Music and short stories from the general public. Anyone who wants to make donations, call Anna Payne at 461-2699.
Election for Citizens and Friends of Montserrat
The organization of Citizensand Friends of Montserrat is having elections for its executive on Sunday Dec. 7 at 5:30 pm at the Methodist Church Hall on Upper St. Mary’s Street.
Persons wishing to join the organisation are asked to register and pay their subscription fees at the office during office hours.
Subscription fees are $10.00 entrance fee and $20.00 general annual subscription. Corporate and Life membership is available for $250.00
New Entry Scheme Underway
The new scheme to gain entry to Richmond Hill, Foxes Bay, Delvins, Corkhill, Weekes, St Georges Hill, Woodsville, Belham, Isles Bay Hill, Happy Hill, Old Towne, South Olveston, Lime Kiln Bay, Salem, Hope, Friths, and Glebe has been introduced and is working well. The Montserrat Government is providing the trucks and manpower for the scheme which residents can apply to.
The procedure 18 is simple, a form (available at the Governor's office, Police H.Q. in St Peters, and the Emergency Dept) is filled in and returned. There will be a half day allocated to each area whilst volcanic activity is low. During this period there will be controlled entry to retrieve goods and belongings that need taking out.
It is advised that entry is at the discretion of the MVO and they make the final decision if an area is safe to enter at a particular time.
More Assistance to Build
A new arrangement would now allow persons who get the Housing Grant to acquire additiional funds to help cover construction cost.
A press release from the CM Office said that 75% of the estimated construction cost will be given to build one, two or three bedroom houses.
"If the material and labour cost for constructing a one bedroom house is $40,000 the applicant will be given 75% of the funds, Which is $30,000," the release said.
FEATURES
Randolph Sweeney Reviews Evacuee Situation in Antigua
After several months in nearby Antigua, Randolph Sweeney, from Boston village, says he is finding it challenging to settle.
"I left Montserrat because of fear from the volcano. After the June 25 eruption I felt that the place was extremely dangerous. Finance is a big hurdle for me," Sweeney told the Montserrat Reporter.
Sweeney, who is a jointer by trade, says he does not have the start-up capital to begin business in Antigua.
"Antigua has a lot of furniture manufacturers, but competition is the name of the game. If I were given the opportunity to produce furniture I think I would have been able to make it," he said.
With equipment still stuck in the Exclusion Zone, Sweeney does not know exactly how to acquire the necessary tools to establish the type of successful business he had in Montserrat. He hopes that he will be able to retrieve his "equipment sometime."
"To find a location where I can operate from in Antigua is a very important aspect," is the other problem Sweeney admits he is facing. The Reporter understands that not only is business space difficult to get, but the rental of business space in Antigua could be prohibitive.
To support himself and family Sweeney reveals that he does construction.
"For right now I am doing some construction work whenever I can get a job," he said.
Commenting on the responsibilities of the Montserrat and British Government’s, Sweeeney said he does not think that the local government can do anything.
"I don’t know if the government of Montserrat is in a position to give any financial help, because it all boils down to finance. Over the years the British Government has been financing the Montserrat Government, so I think that in terms of helping in that area help should come from the British government.
Sweeney, however, wonders if HMG might be "bluffing" the people.
"Some months ago a delegation form England came here and was talking about assisting small business people and up to today we have not heard anything from them. They said they were very anxious to see this thing get off the ground yet I have not heard or see anything concerning that program," the Boston Village man said.
He is convinced that this help is needed.
"People who want to get started here can’t go to the banks. They do not have any collateral, they do not have any property. Here is where some of the main problem lies," he explained.
According to Sweeney Antigua can provide a promising future if he gets the necessary "ingredients" in place "to make it work.’
Responding to the question of the how the Government of Antigua can help Montserratians, Sweeney said, "they are already helping by accommodating us."
"They have their own people to look for. They have opened their doors to us and we are very grateful. They can assist by making available lands where people can do farming or do certain business," he said.
"I don’t expect that they are going to give any finance, that is completely out of the question," he added.
Sweeney said he feels that Montserratians, once they are given the necessary tools, will go out and make a success of their lives.
He said he feels that the British Government should provide job and income opportunities for the people of Montserrat.
"People need to be put to work. Give them shelters, yes, but they must have something productive to do with their time. The British Government should not only focus on people in Montserrat but others who have left the island also," he pointed out.
Sweeney hopes to return to Montserrat when the volcano becomes dormant again.
"I don’t want to be in a situation where no one knows when you might get a massive explosion.
"You want to be able to operate whereby you can be reasonably certain that you don’t have constant disruption in production in your business," he concluded.
The Soufriere Hills Volcano as Seen in House of Commons Report
The risk of a Krakatoa-like catastrophe is virtually negligible (1 in 10,000)
There is further risk of pyroclastic flows, the most vulnerable area being the Belham River valley.
There are possible explosive events falling short of a Krakatoa-like cataclysm which could nevertheless have catastrophic effects on such a small island. The probability of explosive events affecting the north and causing serious injury is between 1 in 30 and 1 in 300. This probability is significant enough to be taken into account in any planning of the future of the north of the island.
Ash falls in the centre and south of the island will continue posing a serious threat to health. Heavier and more sustained ash falls in the north and other Caribbean islands are possible and would result in an increased risk of silicosis.
Volcanic activity will very probably continue for at least a few more years.
It will be years, perhaps decades, before the south of Montserrat is safe enough to be redeveloped and re-inhabited.
Volcanology is an inexact science and the volcano in the Soufriere Hills is not typical of volcanos previously studied¸for instance in the escalation in the severity of its activity over time. Consideration of scientific advice must always bear this in mind.
Adopt A Family
Displaced, dispossessed and dislocated Montserratian families can now enlist for adoption with sympathetic families in the United States.
According to a press release from the Montserrat Information Office in Antigua, the aim of the project is to assist Montserrat and the people from Montserrat who have been directly affected by the volcano and who have had to relocate to Antigua.
"The project twins families from the USA with families from Montserrat in Antigua, and this twinning facilitates the family from the USA to offer assistance to the family from Montserrat," the release said.
Direct contact between the two families will be facilitated by the MIO.
Persons who wish to be included in the project are asked to register with the MIO as soon as possible.
"It is hoped that the project will be able to assist some families in time for Christmas," the release said.
The project is a joint venture between the MIO, Montserrat Progressive Society of New York, The Caribbean Research Center of Medgar Evers College USA and the Montserrat Foundation Inc. in USA.
Politicians are not the Best Interpreters of Scientific Information
In a report written by Stephen Castle, political commentator of the Independent Newspaper in London, entitled, "Volcano Blast Likely," he wrote:
"An evacuation of the volcano island of Montserrat is back on the agenda after new scientific evidence showed the danger to the island is greater than thought.
A government scientist has concluded that within six months there is a one-in-three chance of an explosive eruption up to three times greater than previously experienced. the report, which has revived the row over government policy towards the dependent territory, shows an even chance of volcanic activity continuing at current levels. prospects of a decline continue at one in six.
Areas, which are currently regarded as "safe," including parts of the North where houses are being built, are under threat. The document speaks of the possibility of four-inch lumps of rock - large enough to kill or pierce roofs - being hurled on the supposedly safe area of St. John's. That will raise questions over government's policy of building in that area. The government of Montserrat have fought hard to win investment to build up the North of the island, as opposed to the alternative strategy of resettlement.
The new findings follow the publication of last week's select committee report critical of the government's handling of the issue. Last night Bowen Wells, conservative chairman of the committee, said, "If this is any way near true, it is very serious. I don't think there is any real future in the North whilst the volcano remains active."
Mr. Wells argued for a gradual depopulation of the island until the volcano can be proved to be dormant - a course certain to be resisted by the island's government. The Liberal Democrats' International Development spokeswoman, Jerry Tonge, said, "The island is not safe either physically or in terms of long term health. People should be persuaded as much as possible to leave and re-settle until the volcano can be declared safe,"
Dr. Tonge believes it would be impossible to evacuate islanders rapidly in a sudden emergency.
The foregoing drew the following comment from a very concerned observer.
"With the news report we are seeing a repetition of the first Foulkes/Short debacle, and the subsequent Short "poisonous scare." A scientist says something, and it is taken out of context, mis-interpreted, and then rephrased by a politician - who of course get more publicity than the scientists. We should take any politician's statement about science with a large grain of salt, and try to get back to the original sources."
"For those of us still living in Montserrat and those living on the edge to return to Montserrat in the very near future, the situation presented must be very dismal, if not most discouraging. We can listen to all the promises, but the report, quoting the politicians who are plausible in their comments, even quoting the scientists, must leave no doubts in our minds that all that have gone before now is nothing more that 'upper-lip' hypocrisy. There are people's livelihood and entire lives at stake here.
"Every single step made by the British, has always been reversed by at least a half step. If we believe that we have achieved little, perhaps we ought to congratulate those who have fought rather than roll lover. If we did not fight from as far back as August 1995, we would all have been somewhere without a place of claim.
"On the other hand, perhaps if our politicians were more informed about the volcano and asked more educated questions, like those posed to the scientists from time to time and even similar to those asked recently of them, we might be better off."
Your History In Small Doses
By Dr. Howard Fergus
The volcano has set Montserrat back in several ways. In education, for instance, we are again creeping when we were about to fly in the realm of tertiary level institution. There are now only two primary schools. This is in dramatic contrast to the year 1844, six short years after full emancipation, when there were 10. Most of these were in the now exclusion zone; they were in Plymouth, Kinsale; Frye’s, Roaches, St. Georges Church Glebe, Morris, Flemmings, St. Johns Chapel School, St. Johns Church Glebe and Hermitage.
In secondary education, there is still one school (there was none in 1844) but one was started properly in 1928 its roll was only 29 boys. This was an elite school for the wealthy and respectable. In fact when the Executive Council approved its establishment on 14 July 1925 it was for an estimated 30 boys.
The present Secondary School’s enrollment estimate, is about 180 a far cry from 29 but it represents a massive drop. It is a different kind of elite - one of courage and attachment to home land. The society can use that kind of courage to rebuild again. It is not for the first time that we have had a skewed ratio of children to teachers. Our donors must be patient for this is an important plank in the foundation of a new Montserrat.
Montserrat Children can Teach English Schools a Lesson
Reprinted from the London Times)
Duty, devotion and discipline, the stern Victorian values that once were strictly enforced by plume-hatted governors on millions of Britain’s colonial subjects, live on in the little societies where the Union Flag still flies. To the astonishment of teachers, parents and red-faced education officials, the children who fled with their families from the volcano-stricken island of Montserrat have brought with them to school in England a set of old-fashioned virtues and attitudes that have long disappeared from Britain’s inner cities.
They are attentive, respectful and hard working. Scrubbed and neatly dressed, they arrive at school on time, are properly grounded in the three Rs and respond to traditional teaching methods. In short, their extraordinary attitude has made an educational problem. Most are at least a year ahead of their British classmates, and distraught teachers are unable to hold them back. It is all so unexpected. The Caribbean, as every jet-setter knows, is a lazy paradise where holiday sun and indolence mix in equal measure. It is the last place a Briton would look to find an old-fashioned work ethic or the lingering influence of Dr. Arnold.
Such British myopia, sadly, is one reason why this country has responded so hamfistedly to the volcanic catastrophe on Montserrat. The island may be a tourist hideaway, but it is also a close-knit, God-fearing, traditional society. Schools teach reading, writing and maths, enter pupils for GCE O levels rather the easier GSCE, ban smoking and whack miscreants firmly on the palm with a ruler. These staunch people have been not a little offended to be branded in their hour of need as greedy layabouts by snidely patronising officials in London.
What should now be done with these scholarly little refugees?
They could, of course be exposed to the full range of extra-curricular activities in Britain’s inner cities, in the certainty that this would soon pull them back to the level of their classmates. They could be encouraged as role models, with native pupils urged to follow and learn from overseas example, a quaint reversal of the colonial experience. Or they could simply, be allowed to rise to the top of the form - or indeed of the form above - and presented with old-fashioned prizes. A golden elephant each perhaps, and a handshake from Clare Short?
Insurance Tips for Affected Persons
Here are a few of the questions put to me. And a few I think you may have on your minds. My answers are not legal advice, and they may, in some cases, assume facts still to be developed, but they are the best that I can now provide:
Q. If I submit a copy of my policy or other data to Baker & McKenzie (herein listed as B&Mc) does that commit me to participate? <P
A. Absolutely not. Once B&Mc has reviewed all policies and other data it will be able to formulate many more particulars which will be furnished to you and which will better enable you to make an informed decision about whether you wish to proceed any further.
Q. Why do we need legal representation when United and Nemwil have said they will ‘fairly indemnify" all claims for damages through August 28th?
A. For many reasons. The insurers may be responsible for damages beyond August 28th because the insured peril began in July, 1995, has continued to date and may continue for the indefinite future. Also, I believe that only a powerful law firm, acting on behalf of many, would be able to negotiate the maximum indemnification to which we are entitled. I have little confidence in the fairness of insurance companies which cancel after the peril insured against commences, or cut the rate of indemnification after commencement of that peril, or indicate they may not renew after the insured peril has begun.
Q. I don’t have my insurance policy, or know its number, or don’t know what physical damage my property has suffered. What should I do?
A. Telephone your property manager on Montserrat. Or get the phone and Fax numbers of your insurance company or its agent on Montserrat, and follow up with them. But in the meantime, send any facts you do have as quickly as possible to B&Mc. The rest of the data can be assembled later.
Q. If there is a joint legal action, where would it be started?
A. It does not work that way. First of all, B&Mc would try to negotiate a fair settlement for each of us who are participating, with each of the insurance companies involved, and it would do so from the strength of numbers, knowledge of just how strong our legal positions are, and the knowledge it has from having engaged in such negotiations for many years. Only if these negotiations fail will B&Mc go to court, and then to the court that its expertise determines is the proper court and the one that would be most favorable to our interests. One of B&Mc’s great strengths is that it has offices throughout the world, including a large office in London, and excellent contacts in the Caribbean. Only if negotiations are unsuccessful will B&Mc resort to litigation and will do so from a position of having the capability and resources do so successfully.
Q. Should those whose homes or other properties have already been destroyed consider participating
A. If they had insurance, definitely Yes. The purpose of this is to secure maximum fair payment for all legal damages suffered. Just send your facts to B&Mc. It will advise you on participation and cost.
Q. How many people can participate in joint representation by Baker & McKenzie
A. The more the better for each of us. The more who join in, the greater will be our strength, and the less will be each of our costs in participation. If we can get 100 participants, the cost to each will be minimal. Remember, B&Mc said it will consider representing us on a contingent fee basis, meaning that the time its lawyers spend on the matter will be paid only as a percentage of what it actually recovers for us, and each participant will pay only his share of B&Mc’s actual out-of-pocket costs. This would mean that if we have 100 participants, and B&Mc’s out-of-pocket costs go as high as $35,000US, each of us would pay only our pro rata share, keyed to the extent of our damages, or an average of about $350.US each.
Q. If I have already submitted my claim to my insurance company, will participating in B&Mc representation prejudice my present position with my insurance company?
A. If the insurance company acts properly it should not, and, in the unlikely event it does, then B&Mc would be in a position to remedy any such prejudice. Much of what may happen can not be definitely predicted. One of the primary reasons to participate is to obtain expert representation able to predict what may happen and to know how to respond properly to the unexpected.
<I>Q. Is there a deadline for submission of information to B&Mc?<P>
A. Not yet, but they need sufficient data to make their preliminary assessments so they can get back to us with more particulars about participation, so I strongly urge that you make your submission as soon as possible. Remember, you make no commitment by doing that, and the faster we get going the better. If you delay, you play into the hands of the insurance companies. There is an old saying, "justice delayed, is justice denied." Delay is the trump card of insurance companies.
Q. Since we all have different problems, different damages, zones of danger, etc., what would we be suing for?
A. Until B&Mc gets all the facts we will not know all the issues, but even at this early stage we know there are open issues under the law, such as the legality of trying to cut off liability in mid April, whether evacuation or health hazards constitutes a constructive eviction and therefore a "loss" under the policies, and what are the proper lengths of the periods of damages. Should B&Mc not be able to settle for us, we can litigate those open issues and stand a fair chance of prevailing on at least some of them, most of which would mean substantial damages for us well beyond the damages many of us have sustained from actual physical damage to our properties.
Q. Can my agent or manager on Montserrat submit my information to B&Mc for me?
A. Yes, initially. But eventually you would have to become involved. After all, this may be very important to you, and only you should make the final decision whether or not to participate further.
Q. My Sun Alliance policy is still in force. Is there any reason I should join in group representation with United and Nemwil policyholders?
A. Yes, definitely. All three policies present common important questions, and those common issues and problems can be dealt with much more effectively in a common negotiation or litigation. To the extent that there are differences among us, B&Mc will sort those out and see that they are treated equitably.
Q. I am now in the Exclusion Zone, but so far my property has suffered only slight physical damage. Why should I participate?
A. Being excluded from your property may be an insured risk. That may be one of the issues, and certainly the proper measure of damages for that exclusion may be an issue, as well as does that period of damage continue as an insured risk beyond expiration or cancellation of your policy. As for continuing damage, remember that is a factor also in determining your participation cost.
Q. My property is in Plymouth, was long ago evacuated and has been heavily physically damaged. Should I consider participation?
A. Definitely. You and all the property owners in the more heavily damaged areas may have a great deal more to gain than many whose properties lie in the less damaged areas. That includes everybody from Foxes Bay and Richmond Hill through Plymouth and south to St. Patrick’s, and east through St. Margaret’s Hill, Cork Hill, Lees, and all the villages out to Harris and Spanish Point. All property owners everywhere on Montserrat should have something to gain by joint representation.
<I>Q. I am currently in the "buffer zone" and my insurance was cancelled effective August 28th. Should I consider joining your joint action?
A. By all means submit your data to B&Mc. Make your decision when they submit the proposed participation fee. This applies to everyone in the buffer zone, whatever insurance company they have.
Q. I live in the current northern "safe zone," and my insurance has been cancelled effective August 28. I have almost no damage to date, but worry about what may happen in the future. What should I do?
A. B&Mc will have a special category for participants in the "safe zone," and it will be much lower than for those in the "buffer" or "exclusion" zones. But your main reason to consider participation is that your insurance has been cancelled, and you have no way of knowing what will happen. The joint action will address seriously the question of on-going responsibility of the insurance companies.
Those are some of the questions and my attempts to answer them as best I can. The answers are not legal advice. I no longer practice law, and I have no expertise in insurance matters.
I have left the most difficult problem in trying to get all this together until the last COMMUNICATIONS! Since I believe we will all benefit from participation, and since the more of us who participate the better it will be for each of us, the more of us who get this message the better off we will be. The problem is how to get the message out with so many of us scattered around the globe, and communications to and from Montserrat very difficult. I think in particular of the Montserratians in England, or those who have gone to other islands, as well as the expatriates in the U.S.A., Canada, England and elsewhere. To get the message out I call upon each of you who read this to help by spreading the word to as many as you can, and by using all reasonable means to do that. I believe you owe that to yourselves and to all of your Montserrat friends.
Significant Recommendations
That a document making clear what to do in the event of an off-island evacuation be distributed as a matter of urgency to all Montserratians on the island.
That it be made clear to Montserratians on the island what the risks are in staying there at the moment so that they can make a fully informed choice as to whether or not to relocate.
That urgent action be taken to ensure that schools are properly supplied with resources and equipment and that once emergency housing is available the Government of Montserrat make it their priority to return school buildings to their intended use.
That all Montserratians who have relocated to the Caribbean region, and whose savings and assets outside Montserrat are less than EC$42,000 receive the same relocation grant on the same terms, whenever they left the island from the start of volcanic activity in July 1995.
That the food voucher system end as soon as possible and be replaced by a comprehensive system of income support.
That it be made clear that the current provision for Montserratians in the UK will last for as long as volcanic activity continues in Montserrat.
That Montserratians in the UK who wish to remain after volcanic activity has ended should be given the permanent right to live and work there.
That funds for the development of Montserrat should come from a single UK Government department in which responsibilty and resources are together.
That during current review of Dependent Territories the Constitution of Montserrat be thought through from first principles, with adequate provision for decision-making in emergencies of this kind.
JUS’ WONDERIN’
Jus Wonderin if the Chief of Police will stand up for his fellow officers if his comrades don't raise salaries and hazard-allowance immediately.
Jus Wonderin why politicians are suddenly afraid of press conferences.
Jus wonderin if the governor or the Aid Office will lend the Health Department a 4-wheel drive to carry out the recommendation of Sir Kenneth Calman.
Jus wonderin if the Chief is going to formulate his short term plan after the long term plan is completed.
Just Wonderin where the Heavy Roller is rolling to.
Jus Wonderin why the Chief took the head man at Agriculture off the ferry.
Jus wonderin when the remaining people of Montserrat can start realistically planning for the future.
Jus Wonderin when the leaders will talk to the people about the 200 page report about them.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Gem Radio Caribbean
Forward all Questions, Comments and Suggestions to: roachb@candw.ag
This site was created by West Computer Works. Please read Disclaimer.