OECS Bring Gifts for Montserrat
by Bennette Roach
An Organisation of East Caribbean States (OECS) Mission headed by Director General Swinburne Lestrade made a one-day visit to volcano ravaged Montserrat on Monday this week. He was accompanied by Messrs George Goodwin, Director Functional Coorperation, Mr. Francis Burnett, the managing director of Eastern Caribbean Drug Service, and Mr. Paul Payne, who is the head of our Technical and Vocational Education and Training Project, all of which are based in St. Lucia.
In his own words Mr. Lestrade explained the purpose of their visit to Montserrat:
"We are here in the first instance to meet with the Chief Minister and members of his Cabinet and other officials of the Government of Montserrat to do a number of things. Generally, of course, to assure our solidarity, to discuss with the Government and the Chief Minister some of the issues of the day as they affect Montserrat, some of the specific technical cooperation needs of the people of Montserrat.
"We're here also to inform, perhaps in a more coherent way than was done in the past, of some of the activities taking place at the level of our organization, of our Secretariat, which are specifically intended to assist the people of Montserrat."
The Director General and his party had just met with Governor Abbott and the Chief Minister and then briefed the small press gathering on his meeting up that point with the government: "We met with the Chief Minister this morning and we discussed the work that we've done in the area of agriculture, agricultural diversification, our export development.
"We discussed the role of Montserrat and other non-independent countries in the context of the Lomeh Convention, under which much technical and financial support is provided by Europe, through the Lomeh Convention, to the countries of the Caribbean. We also discussed the work of our Natural Resources Management Unit, which is lending some assistance to Montserrat in the area of fisheries, increasing the fisheries catch and in other aspects of fisheries development."
He also described briefly some items of concern expressed to them by the Chief Minister: "We heard from the Chief Minister some of the continuing requirements for technical assistance, and in particular we touched on the area of technical and vocational education and training, as well as the wishes of the Montserrat Government to improve its formally welcomed the party to Montserrat expressing appreciation for their continuing support, himself reporting to the press some of the concerns he raised with the mission.
"I talked to them about the re-staffing of the Technical College and the introduction of computer science in our schools., and in talking to them I had almost forgotten that a son of the soil had some expertise in the area," the Chief Minister said.
He continued referring to the OECS officers, "...They have represented us in arenas where we are not able to represent ourselves. They have represented us in Brussels and in other parts of the world, and without specific mandates from us in particular areas."
Mr. Brandt during this the brief statement told of his governments commitment to the region in the face of the volcanic crisis: "We have a tremendous responsibility as the Government of Montserrat, and in discharging that responsibility we are going to incorporate and seek the guidance of experts like you because we cannot make it wrong, we have to make it right... We do not have the expertise and what we want to build in Montserrat is a model, because several of the other Caribbean countries, they too have natural disasters, they too have volcanos."
Mr. Brandt called on the Director General to impress upon their leaders that we devise some common policies to deal with a problem such as this and in expectation of the presentation which Mr. Lestrade was due to make said, "_it is a custom, a tradition in Caribbean countries that at Christmas we have gifts. But to us you have been our Santa Claus even before Christmas, and it will be with great appreciation that I accept the check that you deliver, for and on behalf of the Government and the people of Montserrat."
In a response and before passing over the check of $7,000 from the OECS staff at the Secretariat to the Chief Minister, Mr Lestrade revealed, " We have also been trying to make for a more efficient organization.We have been restructuring and reorganising, the major aspect of which, has been the closure of our office in Antigua and the merger of the activities of that office into the OECS Secretariat in St. Lucia."
The OECS head also was also pleased to announce that a letter from the Embassy of Japan, confirms the Japanese Governments decision to donate emergency aid materials in the form of light water tanks, power generators and radios, to the tune of US $60,000. "That's to assist those persons in Montserrat who are most affected by the volcano emergency," he announced.
Mr. Lestrade touched briefly on the fact that there are other islands in the Caribbean also having problems though not similar to the volcanic situation, but economic hardships, making mention of the banana situation in the Windwards.
In a presentation ceremony, he later presented the check for $7,000 to the Hon. Chief Minister, which he said came, "from the staff of our Secretariat, of our institutions in St. Lucia, Dominica and Antigua." Following this there was another presentation of a gift of computer equipment made to the Minister of Health, the Hon. Adelina Tuitt by Mr. Frances Burnett who told the Minister that there were funds to the tune of $85,000.00 available upon request from a special fund at the OECS Secretariat.
While here the Mission made several tours which included the health facilities and the Little Bay jetty.
by B. Roach
"The issue should not be whether further powers of self government should be extended to the colonies but rather what powers do the dependant territories want to entrust to the former empire ... Nobody has the right to govern another. It is as simple as that." - Jose Trias Monge
The foregoing quote seems quite simple to follow and understand. Panelists at a forum organised by a select committee headed by local attorney George Kirnon, who recently served in the Attorney General's office, had that quote somewhere in their minds as they made presentations to an appreciable group of concerned and interested residents of Montserrat at the Brades Pentecostal Church on Sunday night.
The panel comprised Dr. Howard Fergus, Hon. Reuben Meade, Messrs. Kenneth Cassell, Bennette Roach and Norman Cassell; empanelled to share their thoughts on the following.
Constitutional Status:
Which of the four basic variations would you prefer - a continuation of the status quo, integration into the UK along the lines of the French overseas Departments, Crown Dependency status or independence?
Citizenship:
If UK citizenship is sought would you see a need to continue to impose immigration controls over UK citizens, or would you remove or modify existing controls?
The matters arose from the UK Foreign Secretary the Rt. Hon. Robin Cook MP who has ordered an enquiry into UK policy towards Dependent Territories. As a part of this enquiry the views of the Government of Montserrat have been sought in relation to the two main questions above.
Each panelist spoke to the matters, sometimes deviating from the theme as some suggested these were not the most pressing matters for Montserratians and that the questions posed may well be not those that would be of interest to Montserratians when considering a future constitutional status.
Several ideas and thoughts were put forward by the panelists who for the most part all felt that some form of new constitutional status is desirable but should be obtained in a step by step process towards a final determination of self governance.
Thoughts were provoked as to whether and how powers should be transferred to local elected members, and questions were posed to arouse the thoughts of Montserratians.
The moderator, George Kirnon at the beginning sought to explain the purpose of the meeting saying that with Christmas just around the corner it is hardly a good time to focus on matters of a constitutional nature. But the issue of Montserrat's future constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom is of such seminal importance as to warrant sober reflection even during this festive season. He then described briefly the questions that were being considered.
At the end following questions he explained that the purpose was not to get a vote on any of the matters but an opportunity for his committee to report back to government, trying to get an idea of how Montserratians were thinking with regard to the questions.
The questions had been put to Government who were required to respond by January to the British Government like all the other British Dependent Territories were required to do.
Two small sheets of questionnaires were circulated towards the end of the meeting, but the response was slow as most seemed to feel that they were uncertain that they had interest in the direct questions. They were advised to write any thoughts they had and return the forms.
"Let us Resolve to Remain Resilient and Strong"
For us here in Montserrat, it is not so much whether Simon Young and Steve Sparks made the comments, but the fact that the suggestion was made at all. More important is the comment about the £41 million that the British Government has committed and promised to spend in aid to develop the North and assist since the crisis - whenever.
It is more than obvious that the British Government might welcome these comments, and so much the better if they should be factual. It would more than justify their crawling attitude in spending the funds already committed.
That attitude might have been our biggest and worst problem of the year.
The tragedy in the fact that we have lost the lives of more than 20 or so people directly from the treacherous hazards of the volcano may compare, if not now, in the long run with the number of persons, young and old, who have died and will die from the indirect hazards of the crisis.
There have really been two major disasters this year, the deaths all told, and the slow and deliberate delaying tactics of the British in releasing funds for projects, while they efficiently continue to spend millions of pounds successfully depopulating the island.
But, what about the fact we have lost Plymouth and all the other villages in the southern half of the island? We expected to lose them. That some of us as late as August, entertained some hope that this would not happen, encouraged the lethargy in forward planning for the island.
Now we are experiencing, not a quiet volcano, but a quiet northern side of the dome since August, much to the chagrin of some wishing despots. We have a reduced population with zero unemployment and not enough labour.
What then can we expect during this season of Christmas, which over decades has been a time of festivity and joyousness for Montserratians? Again, not this year, our third Christmas season spent in evacuation and relocated conditions, still facing many of the problems we began with.
The reality now is that many of us will never return to the homes and businesses we knew. It must be a sad time of reflection for all of us, as we have been all negatively affected in some way.
Some of us will see the questions Robin Cooke has asked us to address as imposing added pressure on our already burdened minds.
We are being referred to as being resilient and strong, but as we turn the new year and we try to really remember the reason of Christmas and practise the true spirit of Christmas, it will be time to make a new resolve also to prove our resilience, show our efficiency and get down to the drawing board for a strategy and a good plan to chart our way forward. We must not continue to appear to need others to decide for us our future as to what is good or not for us.
A sanitation worker for many years made a comment at the Constitutional and Citizenship meeting on Sunday night: "What we need to build back Montserrat is for us cooperate with one another," he said. It brought an ovation from the entire audience.
There is usually a great deal of cooperation among us at this festive season of Christmas. Let us keep that spirit throughout the next year and the years to come and move away from the 'smallness culture' following those welcome words of advice.
Dear Editor:A short time ago you have been so kind to publish a letter of mine that I had sent two weeks earlier to the Chief Scientist of the MVO, to the Chief Minister of Montserrat, and to the Governor.
In this letter I had challenged the reasons for the evacuation of Salem and Old Towne. I had explained that the laws of physics do not support the different volcanic scenarios that were given as justification for the harsh measures of the authorities.
I received the following responses:
The Governor's Office sent me a note stating that my letter was received, however,...it would be more appropriate for the chief scientist to respond."
The office of the Chief Minister informed me that "decisions (of the government) will be guided by the information provided by our scientist....Although we are aware of your concern, the best approach for us is to work together. It is best to err on the side of caution, rather than to sacrifice lives"
There was no response from the scientists.
However, in a recent radio interview the current chief scientist of the MVO, Professor Steve Sparks, did elaborate somewhat on volcanic ballistics (hot flying rocks from volcanic explosions). He informed us that the longest flight path of a volcanic ballistic rock ever recorded on this planet was five kilometers. That rock, he said, was about one meter across, and it was expelled from one of the largest volcanic explosions the world has seen. Professor Sparks also said that an explosion of this magnitude in Montserrat would be extremely unlikely.
Now, this is good news for Salem which is seven kilometers away from the volcano. If a one meter big chunk of rock cannot fly further than 5 kilometers in the "worst case scenario". Salem is also safe from smaller ballistic rocks. The reason for this lies in the laws of physics. If the only difference between two flying bodies is their size, the bigger one will always fly further. That is caused by the fact that the surface to weight ratio is larger in the smaller body. From this it follows that the drag of the air is relatively larger in the smaller body, which than is slowed down faster that the larger body. An essay experiment will verify this fact: Take two rocks of the same kind into your throwing hand, one rock large, the other one much smaller. Throw them simultaneously. The larger rock will fly a little further than the small one.
So, I still do not know why parts of Salem and Old Towne are so dangerous places to be in, and why we have to endure such draconian measures.
Wolf Krebs,
Woodlands
Get Out of My Way, I Just now Arrived
Dear Editor:Since the volcano disrupted life on this wonderful island 2½ years ago, forcing residents from their homes and crowding many into deplorably inadequate shelters, a great deal of concern has appropriately been voiced about the unhealthful effects of stress. One would assume, therefore, that the Government of Montserrat would seek every method to avoid creating additional stress for an already hard-pressed population.
Anyone who assumes so will abandon that assumption at his or her first attempt to retrieve a filled LPG bottle for an empty left earlier at Carrs Bay. The process is a shambles of disorganization, discourtesy and disdain.
First of all, one is fortunate to be listening on those infrequent occasions when Radio ZJB is informed that the Carrs Bay operation is underway. And one would expect that to arrive at Carrs Bay early would be an advantage. That is an idle dream.
Last Monday, the writer arrived at Carrs Bay at 8:30 a.m., to join a small crowd of people awaiting the arrival of the first truckload of gas bottles. The truck arrived shortly thereafter. The young woman who accepts the money and writes the receipts for replacement bottles remains in the cab of the truck. Outside her window quickly forms a clamoring throng shouting and tapping on the sides and windshield of the truck to attract her attention. How she herself retains her composure throughout a morning of this turmoil is a wonder.
It is incomprehensible first that the government is not aware of this pandemonium and second that nothing has been done to correct it. Anyone who has completed basic military training could organize the process at Carrs Bay in 15 minutes.
A simple queue, formed as each customer arrives, would not only assure an orderly throng but also deal fairly with people on the basis of when they arrived. If that is too simple, someone could pass out numbers as people arrive and the young woman in the truck could then proceed to deal with them in that order.
As it stands, there is neither order nor fairness. The writer made his attempt on Monday because a Montserratian friend, whom he paid to pick up an earlier 100-pound bottle, made it quite clear that he was not eager to repeat the experience. No one who has been there will fault him for that.
Now the writer faces a dilemma. He has not received a replacement for a gas bottle left at Carrs Bay on Nov. 21. Since that time they have begun issuing numbers to people who leave empty bottles, although those numbers have nothing to do with the order in which they are later called. In my case, only my name appears somewhere in a ledger.
The maddening result is that after 2 hours and 15 minutes at Carrs Bay, the writer was no nearer to the window of the cab of that truck than he had been just before 9. He is not a bulldozer in a crush of people, having been indoctrinated by stern parents that elbowing and shoving through a crowd are the heights of rudeness.
Thanks to the inattention or indifference of the authorities, the writer not only has been unable to acquire a replacement bottle of gas but also probably will find, if he ever gets to the window of that truck, that they no longer have a record of the empty bottle he left.
Just once he would like to hear someone on Montserrat insist that late arrivals go to the end of the line. But for that to happen, first there would have to be a line.
J. Donald Brandt
Woodlands
Dear Sir,
As an enthusiastic philatelist, I am interested in contacting people in your country similarly inclined, with whom to EXCHANGE POSTAGE STAMPS, and write to enquire if this could be possible through the columns of your esteemed newspaper.
Should this not be possible, would you be kind enough to send me a list of cities in your country where it is likely that a PUBLIC LIBRARY and/or UNIVERSITY exist? There is no need to include addresses.
Any assistance you may be good enough to offer will be much appreciated.
Yours truly,
Stuart G. Sly P.O. Box 92 PASTEUR Buenos Aires (6077) ARGENTINAWhy is There no Change in Size of Exclusion Zone
Now that most people left in Montserrat and some abroad are fairly sure that the British and their surrogates have so far proved to be more harmful to us than the volcano, we can venture into some of the more callous aspects of what is being done here in the name of that often heard clich‚ saving lives.
While the Water Authority is trying to install a six inch pipeline in the north of the island, the miles of pipeline and other infrastructure in the south as far as Lovers Lane and towards Richmond Hill are left to decay because of the flawed policy of the total exclusion zone.
A policy hatched by the Governor and some of his Civil Servants. This policy was thought of at the time as a mechanism for saving lives, but was directed some believed as the means of panicking the population into a situation where the ultimate goal of total evacuation would be made easier. The idea was that by moving Cork Hill and the other places south, they would not cut off should pyroclastic flow reach the Belham.
Now after six months and at times intense volcanic activity, there is still no evidence that any flow other than mudflow has reached Belham, What then is the reason for the continuation of the total exclusion zone in these areas? Is it to justify the salaries of the Emergency Department? It is hard to believe that C. M Brandt and his Ministers are in total agreement with this policy they more or less inherited, but then it was this same David Brandt that went on the radio and made that solemn appeal on the 5th September and asked his fellow Montserratians to leave their houses knowing there was no shelter in the North, and that a hurricane was on the way, we know now that there was no added danger, no new information, just the politics of fear practiced on earlier occasions and so successful in getting rid of a couple hundred more Montserratians, and bringing the magic number closer. The reason for that call then was "scientific advice."
It is hard for someone with the responsibility for lives to do any less. Therefore we must question the motives of these scientists, and their ability to interpret scientific information in a measured and professional way, and once the decision is made stand by it. The MVO had already lost it's credibility after the cataclysmic fiasco in August. No wonder the call fell on deaf ears. The Civil Authority had to fulfill their mandate to get everyone to Lawyers River by the deadline, with the intense pressure on those wayward rum shops taking the brunt, with the Emergency Powers Act being waived left right and center, the impression was the behavior of the volcano was not the prime reason , therefore was a higher directive. This last move was too much for most businesses, some folded and went into exile to regain some self confidence. Pleas for sympathy, help and compensation met with a blunt reply "when there are floods in London no one gets compensation." Of course floods do not last for two years, not even Noah's. But this is history, speaking of which, the Hon. David Brandt should read his paid advertisement for July 25, 1997. We know since then he has become chief and has sworn to serve the queen, her heirs and successors, none of whom are Montserratians.
Who defends the case of the common man?
With the continuos and deliberate leak of information, from London, about compulsory evacuation to other places and heaven forbid London, no one come on the radio to say that we have a choice.
The ministers of government and top civil servants are all involved in the evacuation, and there will be no RAV 4 on this trip. Some one said the British nearly had 200 hundred of them last week.
It is time to show some understanding for those who had the courage to refuse the one way ticket to two years of internment without trial, another British invention.
To be autocratic and dogmatic is really too much. Sometimes politicians should listen to things other than their own egos.
Silent Observer
HMS Newcastle Gives Christmas Party for Children
The West Indies Guard Ship HMS Newcastle made a return visit to Montserrat this weekend, the second in their current tour of duty.
Commander Nick Lambert and the 270 man crew were due to finish construction work in St Johns in conjunction with the Royal Montserrat Defence Force. This will complete a week's work by a contingent of 27 men, currently on island, made up of Royal Marines, navy personnel and a detachment of paratroopers currently on attachment to the ship.
The party, which included a visit to the ship, a beach barbecue and sports, culminated with a visit from Santa Claus via the ship's helicopter.
On Sunday, Little Bay was the scene of this unique event in the best traditions of the Season of Goodwill.
Sailors from the West Indies Guard Ship HMS NEWCASTLE, together with their compatriots from the Royal Marines, Parachute Regiment and United States Coast Guard donned pirates' fancy dress to bring a little Christmas cheer to 150 children aged between 5-16, from this beleagured Caribbean island.
The marines, paras and coast guard are presently augmenting Newcastle's regular sailors in their operations in the area. The highlight of the party was when Santa Claus (Charge Chief Petty Officer Michael Rollings) was winched down to the beach from the Ship's Lynx helicopter to distribute presents to the children
Newcastle's Commanding Officer, Nick Lambert said, "It's a real treat to see the smiles on these kids' faces today. Many of my sailors will be missing their own children at home this Christmas so it's an enjoyable event for them too. I'd just like to wish all the islanders and our own families back home in UK a very happy and peaceful Christmas."
Further reports on improving Radio Montserrat (ZJB) air space reach say that the station is currently carrying out test broadcasts on 91.9 FM in an attempt to reach all areas of the central zone. This new frequency is in addition to 95.5 FM which is currently being used. In addition some remedial work is being done to allow the 92.3 FM signal also to be heard.
With these three test broadcast FM bands it is hoped that ZJB will be heard all over Montserrat as a vital part of the emergency information service. ZJB currently broadcasts 24 hours per day as it has at various times throughout the crisis.
As a few Montserratians overseas continue to raise funds to assist their homeland in its time of disaster, we picked up the following from the Slough and Langley Observer of Friday, December 19, 1997.
A Caribbean island now known worldwide after being struck by a disastrous volcanic eruption has not been helped by incompetent Governments, it's former Governor said on Saturday.
David Taylor, addressing a gala evening in aid of Montserrat, told his audience he went there in 1990 when the island was recovering from Hurricane Hugo.
"It's peaceful, prosperous and beautiful, free of crime and the people had natural charm and courtesy. They are well educated and skillful workers and it is sad that Montserrat has only become known as a place of disaster, death and destruction."
He continued: "It has not been helped by the incompetence of the Montserratian and British Governments."
In the time of Hugo we served them well but this time we have not. We have failed them."
Mr. Taylor, who governed for four years, said there was still an opportunity, however, to rebuild the island, and praised Montserratian Jadine Glizenhim for bringing the story of the volcano stricken island to Slough and organising the gala evening.
Jadine, a tourism management student at Thames Valley University, where the event was held, still has family and friends on the island and said she felt compelled to do something for her people. Among others, she thanked Windsor historian Tony Matthews, for giving her the idea for the evening and her brother, chef James Skerritt, who took a week off work to organise the food.
The evening, which was also attended by MP for Slough Fiona Maetaggart, featured vibrant Caribbean rhythms from 'calypso king' Tabu from Montserrat 'the silken enchanter' Caibo from Grenada and the Hayana Boys Steel Band from St. Vincent and Barbados, as well as Trybe Vybe, and the colorful Shades of Black Dancers, who demonstrated limbo dancing - some of it with fire - and managed to get members of the audience joining in.
There was a charity action in which a bottle of House of Commons whiskey, signed by the Prime Minister Tony Blair, was sold for 55 pounds.
Then tenor Wills Morgan gave a mixed programme including a moving rendition of 'Nessum Dorma'.
He was followed by Bill toppers. The Jordan Family, who performed songs like 'One Love One Heart' and 'We are the World.'
Jadine hopes to donate £5,000 for Montserrat and Saturday's gala evening raised more than £2,000 towards it.
A raffle by Mirage Jewelers, to be drawn on December 22, has already raised £250 and if you want to contribute, cheques should be made payable to: "The Montserrat Volcano Fund' and sent to Jadine Glitzenhim, 16 Charles Gardens, Borderside. Slough SL2 5QX.
Flea Market Comes to Montserrat
Montserratians here will be able to bring and buy items at inexpensive rates during 24-25 December.
Plans are now on the way to have a massive flea market at Sweeneys during this period.
According to organizer, Julianna Meade, the idea came about as she was brainstorming for ways in which she can help her country.
"I know that here are a lot of people who have relocated and have left their stuff lying about. Instead people can utilize them for perhaps a small fee," she said.
The market is open to anyone who wants to buy or sell.
"In order for you to take part you need to register to Julie's Beauty Salon, for a small fee," she said. Persons can register over the phone. They can call 491-3388.
Meade said registration is necessary because it helps the organizers to make adequate preparation.
Meade says that this project will give her an idea of of how many craft and confectionery and other business-persons who are still in Montserrat.
Depending on the outcome of this project, Meade indicated that they will decide whether or not to run future markets of this kind.
Teachers and students of the Montserrat Secondary School are looking forward to improved conditions in the new year.
The Government of Chief Minister the Honourable David Brandt is making the school building and port-a-cabins at Look Out available for the new school term in early January.
The building, originally built as a primary school, has been used as a mass shelter since August 15th but the 65 persons occupying the compound are being moved by the Emergency Department into five newly completed family units at Manjack.
Commenting on the move to open the school Chief Minister Brandt said this is in keeping with the Government's stated objective to provide the best possible learning environment for the island's children.
He said at the same time the Government will press ahead with plans to empty the shelters and move the remaining 700 shelterees into better living conditions.
Government sources suggest that the site works at Brades for the port-a-cabin government headquarters are progressing satisfactorily. The cabins will be placed on site in the New Year and the entire complex will be ready for occupation by February month end.
The new complex will house all government departments with the exception of the Emergency Department, which will remain in St Johns.
RMDF Construct Units for Special Needs Persons
The Royal Montserrat Defence Force is constructing three units for special needs persons. The units are being pre-fabricated at Defence Force HQ and will be placed on a site at Geralds not far from the hospital.
In related news, all shelter units being constructed at Davey Hill and Manjack are finished and have been handed over to the Emergency Dept. These units will be used to free up space in existing church shelters.
Motorists can look forward to new and improved roads in the new year. The Department of Public Works is hoping to start the resurfacing of the northern main road in early 1998.
Deputy Director of Public Works Stuart Manser, says work will start as soon as the new Hot Mix plant is ready and bitumen becomes available from Trinidad.
According to Mr. Manser the plant, located at Brades, is about 98 percent complete and a few more parts are awaited from the United Kingdom to finish the commissioning.
Mr. Manser says the bitumen is being imported from Trinidad but this has to be shipped to Montserrat in special tank trailers and none is available currently.
In the meantime work is continuing on the northern main road with the placement of drains and other improvements.
Food Vouchers for Montserratians in Antigua
The Antigua And Barbuda Red Cross have announced that they have received financial assistance from the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) to start a five month long food voucher programme for Montserratians evacuated to Antigua.
The Red Cross will provide some 3,000 evacuated Montserratians with food vouchers twice a month to a value of EC$75 each time to be spent in five supermarkets identified by the
Antiguan Red Cross. The vouchers will not be exchanged for alcohol, tobacco or electrical items.
The project has been developed by the Antigua & Barbuda Red Cross in association with Mr. Ian Heigh, the programme delegate of the British Red Cross. Both are extremely thankful to ECHO and state the programme is likely to start by year end.
Meantime in Montserrat, food vouchers have been phased out and are no longer distributed. From this month, a revised list of claimants will be paid a cheque each month as income support if they qualify.
The phase-out has been criticised by economic analysts here as a negative step towards aiding the commercial sector of the island. While recognising that the Chief Minister had called for this before he became Chief Minister, it is felt that circumstances have changed drastically to allow cash, which instead of the being spent on the island will be spent otherwise or hoarded.
The commercial sector has also been critical of the growing assistance by government that makes it possible for residents to leave the island to shop elsewhere while merchants are left struggling after seeking to make much required items available to the public.
Students Message of Commitment from MSU
The Caribbean Students Organisation of Midwestern State University is pleased to present to the St. Augustine School a gift of US$2,500.00.We are aware of the difficulties which Montserrat has been experiencing over the past years and the apparent impact the volcanic crisis had had on the lives of children.
Our organisation want to make some contribution to the education system in Montserrat and have therefore agreed to adopt the St. Augustine School. It should be noted that when the decision was made, it was the only school which had re-opened for the new year.
This partnership will be a continuing effort and we pledge to give support to the further development of education in Montserrat.
Our fund-raising activities include a car wash and Carib-fest which gave persons in the community an insight into Caribbean culture. We have also opened an account in one of the local banks where persons can contribute to the fund.
We feel that this is an excellent way to promote Caribbean integration and among the Caribbean Diaspora, and show our solidarity with and concern for the people of Montserrat at this most difficult time.
On behalf of the Organisation we extend best wishes to the staff and students of the School and look forward to the day when Montserrat will once again resume normalcy.
Gerald Park Venue for Christmas Festival
The Festival Village at Gerald's Park opened last night with a film show for children. The first live show is scheduled for December 28th when popular Bajan group "Krassfyre" will perform.
Calypso Show onDecember 30th and the Festival Day Show for December 31st are other live shows scheduled to be held at the park.
Methodists Receive Housing Assistance
The local Methodist Church which is part of the Methodist Church in the Caribbean and the Americas has been benefiting from the assistance of the Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.Reverend Joan Meade hosted three members of the United Methodist Church who visited to follow up on their continuing plans of support to the local church in the wake of the current volcanic crisis.
Larry P. Powell, Sr. International Catastrophic Disaster Consultant to the organisation's Committee on Relief, who says it was not his first trip to the ravaged island said, "I've seen this thing progress and it is daunting." He has been visiting just after the start of the eruption and for several times since then to now.
Arthur Walker, a U.S. citizen, serves with the Volunteer in Mission organisation of the Church and was making his first visit sees a community, " with a strong and very positive attitude among the people in the commencement of the rebuilding process. I see also the emotions of people who have been torn apart and separated from their families and who want to be together."
Powell, who hails from Las Vegas, Nevada, says the main purpose for their visit is their interest in, "how our church interfaces with the Methodist Church in Montserrat and how we can provide some relief in the circumstances here. We have been working with Reverend (Joan) Meade and the authorities to see how best the resources of the United Methodist Church and others can be used to assist.
"We've done some things in trying to assist in providing some housing relocation and some funds for relief efforts.
"The Methodist Church here has plans to provide additional housing for geriatrics and housing for those with unmet needs and transitional housing."
For his part Walker says from his end Volunteer in Mission: "We organise the volunteer team that responds to a disaster. It is the organisation that will organise teams that will come in about the middle of February. They will come in to work on the Cavalla Hill project, which is in progress with the foundation being constructed. We will then expand from there as we see the need and the community requests of us. We have a medical wing also who will come in from time to time and assist."
Commenting on the way he now sees the situation in Montserrat, Powell says: "There is still an amount of sorrow that I feel in my own heart. When I came here first I thought that this thing would go away in a short while. But I have seen it develop over two years while more people become displaced and that is very disheartening. On the other hand, as I have arrived this time to see the re-construction and the new construction going on, the will of a core people who decided to stay on the island to see this thing through."
Powell expanding on the service that Volunteer in Mission offers' says also: "We are offering to the community a wide range of resources, medical care of varying degrees as well as access to a large depository of goods and services."
And commenting further about his findings of conditions in Montserrat, he said, "I sense a totally different attitude among the people where there was a sense that they will have to give up their homeland, but now I sense the belief that they will be able to overcome this."
Reverend Meade joined the visitors as they left the island on Tuesday on her visit to St. Maarten, where she will take part in an Education Council meeting of the area.
Pan-Caribbean Project to Benefit Montserrat
Some of the Caribbean leading musicians and calypsonians are coming together to form the first ever Pan-Caribbean Project to benefit the people of Montserrat.
The initiative, to be known as "Family in Action for Montserrat" being undertaken by Air Jamaica, was launched in Barbados Thursday.
According to the airlines Eastern Caribbean Manager Tom Hill, the artistes will be flown to New York before year end to record two tracks, which will be released on compact disc and video tape to be marketed throughout the world.
Some of the region's leading entertainers who have signed up for the project are Trinidad's Mighty Sparrow, Kitchener, Black Stalin, David Rudder, Barbados' Mighty Gabby, Mac Fingall, Edwin Yearwood and from the Eastern Caribbean Becket, Arrow, and Jaunty.
"This venture will unite this stellar ensemble of Caribbean talent to produce a song, the proceeds from the sale of which will go to a fund for the benefit of Montserratians", Hill told a news conference.
The music and lyrics have already been written by Gil Figaro, Chairman and Founder of the Sunshine Music Awards programme.
Hill said that the enterprise had been fully endorsed by the Barbados Tourist Authority and had the full backing of business in Barbados and in the USA.
A Prominent Businessman Leaves
Kelsick may be to Montserrat what JC Penny is to America - only that Kelsick is no more. It is fully closed.
Eric Kelsick, Manager of O R Kelsick, left here for Trinidad last Wednesday.
"All that I had in Montserrat is up in ashes, both in Plymouth and in Dagenham," he said, "It's a difficult decision to make."
He said he has to quickly relocate because of the crisis. He does not know if he will be back. The future is uncertain to him.
As a victim of the volcano, he admits that the trauma is unprecedented. He also feels that there will be no return to Plymouth and surrounding areas. Areas where most of his assets are.
Speaking to the Reporter, Kelsick , while acknowledging his belief that the North is safe, said: "One cannot rule out the possibility of a major eruption." As such he feels that the British should make adequate preparation to save lives.
The Reporter salutes this major pillar who has served his community in so many ways. He has served on many statutory bodies here. He was a long serving member of the Montserrat Port Authority Board and the Social security Boards. the Red Cross Society recently honored his service to the organization in a ceremony recently. We pray that his future endeavors be fruitful.
Antigua Red Cross Hosts Party for Evacuees in Antigua
Montserrat evacuees in Antigua was treated to a Christmas party Tuesday night. The party was hosted by the Antigua and Barbuda Branch of the Red Cross.
Over 500 persons are turned out and the Montserratians were treated to music from their homeland and a selection of local food and drink. The children received Christmas gifts.
Montserrat is again suffering from cooking gas shortage. The Christmas rush caused the bulk terminal and Emergency Department to exhaust their supplies of LPG.Some bottles collected last week have been sent to Nevis for filling but these are not expected to be back on island before year end. Residents are urged to use their gas sparingly over the holiday period.
Sturge Park did Come to the Bronx
The double doors at the Workman's Circle opened. The DJ's sounds were just being over taken by the boom from the base of the short rastaman. The keyboards began to talk to each other. Belsie on lead guitar bent back swung around, head in air, guitar reaching for the ceilings plucking on the strings not missing a beat. The percussionist kept them all in tow. Two ladies of quite opposite configuration (one almost petite, one not so almost petite),sent their voices across the room penetrating us. The type of vibes which sends signals to the brain instructing it to go on automatic, because this body is going to take over and do what it damned well pleases. Thus began the night.
It was truly a typical night at Sturge Park. Some men stood around the bar treating each other and talking about - you know what.
Some just sauntered around the room, spirits in hand probably trying to attract the eyes of the delightfully clad lasses. Lasses standing in pockets around the room harboring the same intentions, this time towards the men. Some guys just held their Guinness or Heineken swaying slightly, looking cool.
I hope that I am describing a typical festive scene in Montserrat, because that's all it was, pure and simple. No group of people anywhere does it better, and I do not apologise for my bias.
The place was just jumping. These performers brought the volcano ashes to New York, for the place was hot on a cold December's night.
Owen Roach and Gus White were at their best. They both emceed the proceeding ad libbing masterfully keeping the people entertained. Gus White was espicially on tract as he took us down memory lane singing a verse or two from the old time calypsonians as far back as calypso competition was instituted.
The night, however, belonged to the calypsonians. Profesionalism could almost be an understatement. They sang, they danced. The baseman untethered moved anywhere he jolly well liked. Belsie had enough rope to backup jump and spin, back jump and spin and he did.
It was supposed to be a benefit due to the catastrophe engulfing Montserrat, but there were no sad ballads. No sorry stories, no crying or wringing of hands. Montserrat exists wherever its people are, and we are ambassadors like these performers bring tidings of upbeat visions. Montserrat is upbeat, not beaten.
I can only say to those other cities are awaiting these talents, you are lucky for the best is yet to come, they can only take you higher.
Caypsonians Back from New York
Peak excitement is what local calypsonians returned with after performing in New York last week."I personally feel that I achieved what I wanted to achieve. It built my confidence in getting out there in the outer world as a performer. I can sit down and write commercial things to suit the market out there," Earl "Hustler" Brown told the Reporter.
He said the reception was extremely good and he has learnt how to change his style to suit the outside market. (For details of the show see story Sturge Park did come to the Bronx). He feels that he may be on a route of international fame blazed by renowned soca star, "The Mighty Arrow."
Owen Roache, organizer of the trip, revealed that another tour is slated for early in the new year. The tour will take the calypsonians to England where Montserrat communities are based.
In the meanwhile Roache says the calypsonians are home to entertain Montserratians during the festival. They had a well received show last Saturday night, the People's Choice, at Brades.
Guyana, Cana - The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat last week expressed "deep regret" at the death of prominent Guyanese criminal lawyer, Sir Lionel Alfred Luckhoo QC CBE.Sir Lionel, 83, died Saturday in North Carolina, United States. The Stabroek News reported that he suffered a heart attack.
"On behalf of the Caribbean Community, the Secretariat and on my own behalf, I extend our heartfelt sympathy to the Luckhoo family, and the government and people of Guyana at this loss," the Secretariat said.
It said that Sir Lionel, who came from a family with a longstanding legal tradition, carved his own niche in legal history by earning the acknowledgement as the "most successful" criminal lawyer with regard to acquittals in murder cases.
During the 1950s, Luckhoo led the National Labour Front, a conservative political party, but his career as a politician was not successful.
He served Guyana in the Legislative and Executive Councils, as Mayor of Georgetown, and as High Commissioner to the United Kingdom in which position he also served the people of Barbados.
In the 1960s, Luckhoo was High Commissioner for Guyana. Twelve years ago, he founded his own Christian Ministry in Dallas, Texas, and ceased the active practise of law as he traveled extensively spreading the gospel worldwide.
Chief Minister Knocks Budget Debate
Hubert Hughes, has criticised parliamentarians for debating the 1998 budget in his absence.The budget of around 83 million East Caribbean dollars (1.00 EC$ = 0.37 US$) was presented by Finance and Economic Development Minister Victor Banks last week Tuesday.
In a departure from normal practice, the budget was debated and approved the same day.
Hughes, who was out of the country, was expected to arrive Monday night but flight problems prevented him from doing so. He told reporters on Monday that he was dissatisfied with the manner in which the exercise was undertaken. "I am dissatisfied because the budget should not have been debated behind my back," Hughes told reporters. "I am dissatisfied because the opposition had not represented the people on that budget because democracy demands that the opposition does its work," Hughes said. He questioned the seriousness of the House of Assembly members in addressing the fiscal package because of the short time in which it was approved.
"The budget speech had not been seen by the opposition until it was being read by the minister of finance. How you can answer to such a speech that you had not seen. You have to study it against the figures (and) against the actual estimates of accounts," Hughes added. He said that Deputy Governor Roger Cousins should have protested the parliamentarians' action.
"I am dissatisfied basically with the British representation in the House because the deputy governor should have got up and protested," Hughes said. The chief minister said he was upset that he did not get a chance to view the estimates properly, "or to have a say in what went down to see whether I could ask for certain things to be amended while they were debating and so forth." "Then again, we did not have the presence of the man who was responsible for compiling the budget. He had to go away on business,"Hughes said, in an apparent reference to Director of Finance Ralph Hodge. "But I understand that the leader of the opposition (Osbourne Fleming) was intent on having it debated the same day and he forced the issue."
Mrs. Chedi Jagan - Guyana's New President
Guyana, Cana - The Elections Commission on Friday last week declared the People's Progressive Party (PPP)/CIVIC the new government and Janet Jagan as President of Guyana.
Chairman of the elections commission Doodnauth Singh announced that with a little over 37,000 votes to be verified the incumbent coalition PPP/CIVIC had captured the government with 191,333 votes.
The presidential candidate of the winning party automatically becomes the new president.
Janet Jagan, 77-year-old wife of the late president Dr Cheddi Jagan, becomes the South American republic's first female president.
The People's National Congress (PNC) of ex-president Desmond Hoyte had won 144 359 votes in the general election held Monday.
Armed police clashed with crowds on Thursday in separate incidents. The independent Stabroek News reported Friday that 13 people were injured during the tension-filled incidents, sparked by delays in determining the winner.
The outcome of the general election was challenged in the high court Monday.
Three orders requested by the main opposition People's National Congress charged there was massive rigging of last week Monday's poll.
One order sought to prevent President Janet Jagan from assuming office on the grounds that her swearing in was unlawful.
Another calls for the Elections Commission chairman's declaration of Jagan as president to be declared void and contrary to Guyana's constitution.
Elections Commission Chairman Doodnauth Singh denied charges of any wrongdoing, saying everything complied with the constitution.
The judge upheld the orders prohibiting Mrs. Janet Jagan of the People's Progressive Party/CIVIC, from taking office. She however went on to grant the veteran politician leave to file an affidavit in answer to an application by the People's National Congress (PNC) - her main rival in the election - seeking to restrain her from performing duties as president.
The decisions by Chief Justice Desiree Bernard followed her granting of an injunction Friday after hearing an application by PNC General-Secretary Aubrey Norton to have quashed a declaration by Elections Commission Chairman Singh, that Jagan had won the elections and was the elected president of Guyana.
Singh and Chancellor of the Judiciary Cecil Kennard - who swore in Mrs. Jagan as president Friday - were also granted leave to file affidavits in response PNC applications.
After Singh on Friday morning had announced that Jagan was the winner of the poll, the PNC moved to the court, contending that the announcement was arbitrary, unlawful, ultra vires and void and contrary to the provisions of the Guyana constitution.
The PNC has insisted that there was "massive fraud" involving the manipulation of the computers, verification of results and in some cases the counting.
The party is calling for a re-verification of all 10 administrative regions of Guyana including Region Four - Demerara Mahaica - where it claims majority support.
Singh, whose home was being guarded by armed security forces over the weekend, said that his decision to declare Jagan president was in keeping with the constitution because her People's Progressive Party/Civic alliance had polled 191,332 votes while the PNC had won 144,359 votes.
Even if all the remaining 37,000 votes had gone to the PNC, that party could not command the presidency, he said.
Along with the subsequent injunction, the Chief Justice moved to prohibit the Chancellor of the Judiciary from swearing in Mrs Jagan. She additionally sought to bar Mrs Jagan from assuming the office of President and entering upon the duties of that office on the ground that the declaration of the Elections Commissioner was unlawful.
However, by the time the orders were served on the parties that afternoon at State House, Justice Kennard had already sworn her in at a private ceremony, an hour before, at the office of the Elections Commission.
Friday's orders required that the respondents or their representatives appear before the Chief Justice Monday morning.
Hearing was set for December 30.
Following up the Elections Commission has agreed to call in the political parties which contested last Monday's general election to verify the vote count in all 10 electoral districts. The opposition has insisted that the poll was rigged and incomplete.
President Janet Jagan started to appoint her new Cabinet Monday in spite of the standing of a court order barring her from performing the duties of president. Sources say five ministers and the head of the Presidential Secretariat took the oath of office before Jagan.
The ruling Peoples Progressive Party (PPP)/Civic Monday accused the main opposition Peoples National Congress's (PNC) leader Desmond Hoyte of making "wild inflammatory statements" against the government which has been declared the winner of last week's general election.
Jamaica's Prime Minister Makes History
Prime Minister P.J. Patterson's party won an unprecedented third term in a landslide victory Thursday of last week. Despite the fatal stabbing of one poll worker, several shootings and numerous charges of fraud, it was Jamaica's most peaceful election in decades.
The weeks leading up the election have been marked by the relative absence of violence with only isolated incidents reported by the police - a fact recognised by all three leaders at Wednesday's function.
More than 800 people were killed in the 1980 campaign, while in 1993, armed gangs burst into polling stations and grabbed ballot boxes.
Others including former US President Jimmy Carter and former Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Colin Powell who joined the observer mission Wednesday had urged
Jamaicans to "come out and vote" and to do so peacefully.
"We say P.J., P.J., P.J.,'' festive members of the People's National Party chanted at their Kingston headquarters to the beat of a reggae victory song.
The Jamaica Labor Party leader, former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, conceded defeat after Patterson's party was declared winner of 35 Parliamentary seats, while the Labor Party received only six, according to provisional results.
Before the election, Patterson's party had 51 seats in parliament, Seaga's seven and the National Democratic Movement of Bruce Golding, who broke away from Labor in a crisis over Seaga's leadership two years ago, had two. The PNP had been expected to take as many as 50 of the 60 available seats in this election.
This loss again could jeopardize the future of Seaga's party, which lost to Patterson's in 1989 and is troubled by a leadership crisis. Seaga was prime minister from 1980-1989 and was a key supporter of the 1983 U.S.-led Grenada invasion.
Seaga, 67, said he would have to re-evaluate his position as leader of the opposition party, which he has headed since 1974.
On Thursday night Patterson said the elections were a victory for democracy.
"When you are victorious you can be gracious,'' he urged cheering supporters. "I hope that tonight we are not only turning a page but opening a brand new and exciting chapter in the annals of Jamaican politics.''
He said it was "a clear signal to all who are too blind to see that the country wants an end to political violence, confrontation and divisiveness.''
Nearly half of Jamaica's 2.4 million people were registered to vote in the election, held to choose 60 legislators from 197 candidates.
It was the first Jamaican election monitored by observers, both local and foreign.
Jobs and the economy were key issues. Jamaica's poor rely on party patronage for jobs, houses and land. Unemployment is at 16 percent, and the government spent $700 million this year bailing out collapsed financial institutions.
"It's just a disgrace,'' Electoral Advisory Committee member Maxine Henry-Wilsons said of the killing of a poll watcher.
But she added, "For the most part (the lack of violence) has been a positive development in the electoral process.''
Jamaicans hoped the vote would end the serious violence and fraud that marred past elections.
To help keep the peace, Carter led a delegation of observers that included Powell, the son of Jamaican immigrants and former chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, and World Boxing Association heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield.
The former U.S. president credited ordinary Jamaicans for the calm.
"The Jamaican people have insisted that the elections be peaceful and politicians, who want to please the people, have gone along,'' Carter said.
Businesswoman Undeterred by Volcanic Adversity
Surviving the staggering blows of four relocations, business woman Julianna Meade, says she is determined to stay in Montserrat and fight."I got absolutely no help. I had to move and rebuild all my own. This caused me to close down for two weeks, however, that is not what is affecting my business. It is the migration that affects me most. It has affected both my clientele and working staff," she explained.
She said the greatest challenge she faces is lack of skilled workers.
"The young people, for one reason or other, do not want to get into the business of cosmetology. They are afraid of the long hours of standing. This forces you to operate on your own - do the work yourself," Meade told the Reporter in an interview.
Interestingly, Meade expanded her services to include laundry service.
"I saw a need for a laundry service since I was in Salem and that is going very well. I think that I have provided a well needed service. It is going well. All my beauty services are still available, only that they are not as readily available as they were when I was in Salem. There I had more staff," Meade reported.
Training young people in skills that can be used in the development of the country is a vital need identified by the experienced businesswoman.
"We do need trained cashiers and trained secretaries. We now have to train every single person on the island in order for them to be marketable," she observed.
Giving more incentive for people to leave the island and curbing the incentives for people to stay is what the British government focused on, Meade pointed out.
"They can send people here to assist in creating projects that can lead to employment and skills. If we are to stay here then we need support from them in every way. Training, however, should be of topmost priority," she explained.
Meade also indicated that business persons should be given incentives to remain on island.
"As business people, we should be provided with some encouragement or be reimburse, because we are here trying to keep the country going. I understand that the business people in Antigua will be getting something to help them. If we all pack up and leave the country what will happen?" Meade said.
What keeps this woman here, in spite of the tough challenge she is faced with?
"I would prefer - volcano and hardship - to be in Montserrat. My freedom, the fact that I can run out my car door unlocked, the lack of crime, the fresh air in spite of the ash - I don't have any inclination to live abroad. I cannot undergo the hustle, and the bustle and the time keeping again,' she said.
Speaking to young persons who want to stay Meade has sound advice.
"For those who are in school, I will tell them to stay and learn as much as they can so that you can create employment for yourself. I would also encourage the unemployed youth to get themselves into some sort of apprenticeship. It does not cost anything to be apprenticed. In the end it is what you know, what you have in your head that counts. Nobody can take that from you," she said.
Problems Montserrat Grapple With
Requests for housing accommodations, food and baby items are what the Community Services Department is inundated with."Person who need medical attention also come to us for help to go abroad," says Darnley Estwick, the Department Head.
Estwick says that people are now struggling to cope in the shelter situations primarily because they are accustomed to having certain private privileges, that cannot be accessed in the shelters.
"Montserratian are so accustomed to being free and accustomed to move around that when it comes to having to waiting on some to use stove or a bathroom, it creates some difficulty," Estwick said.
The department resorted to counseling to help persons to adjust to the difficulty of adjusting Estwick said.
Estwick revealed that the relocation process has given rise to a peculiar problem among school aged children.
"A number of young school children are not returning to school but are applying and receiving certain jobs, especially in the construction field. I think it is bad, because some of these youngsters are the stalwarts of tomorrow, and if they fail on their education now, this may prevent them further down the road to take up certain positions in the society," Estwick explained.
To curb this practice, Estwick says, they are checking various job sites, to find children who have been consistently absent from school.
Another problem that is cropping up, according to Estwick, is the issue of children who "seem not to be under any proper parental control."
"I am talking about children in the 13-16 age groups. These are the ones who are posing a lot of problems. You speak to them; you speak to the parents and there is no cooperation. They don't seem to understand that they need to have a proper education in order to get into the job market. We however are trying our best to cope with these propels," Estwick pointed out.
Estwick admitted that they have few programs in place, due to lack of facilities. He intends to get such tools as a video camera, TV, and recorders to run programs with young people. He says they are in the process of organizing youth clubs to provide a forum in which young people can channel their energies.
He calls on persons who are willing to help to come forward and offer help to young persons.
"I realize that we cannot do it alone. We need people who have the knowledge and the skill who can volunteer some of their time, we will be willing to accept their contribution," he said.
The Sunday Times article attributed to Dr. Simon Young his report that work on Montserrat had left him with respiratory problems that could become widespread on the island. Dr. Aspinall's response follows:
"Several months ago Dr. Young was working on the crater rim at Chances Peak when a sudden hot cloud of ash engulfed him and one or two of the other scientists who were up there, including some of our own Montserratian staff who were up there with him. He unfortunately took a breath of this hot ash and it did a slight scorching of the bronchial tissue in his lungs and triggered incipient asthma. He apparently was slightly inclined to suffer from asthma and this event has triggered asthma. He received medical treatment from which the advice and prognosis is good, that he will recover completely from the effects of the ash, provided he does not suffer any more similar experiences. . . .
"Dr. Young hasn't suffered this effect from normally moving around in the north of the island or even Salem. He suffered it by being on the crater rim at the time of a hot ash emission.
"He himself did not wish this issue to be made public. Unfortunately, in a public meeting a few weeks ago where he was giving a presentation on the volcano he suffered a coughing fit of quite an extreme nature. When somebody sympathized with him for having got such a bad cold, he said, 'Well it's not really a cold. It's actually damage that I got from inhaling ash.' So that is how the story of Dr. Young's injury from the volcano came into the public domain, and we regret that it is being used and trivialized to make other points."
When asked by the interviewer about those who accompanied Dr. Young, Dr. Aspinall explained:
"They weren't quite as close to the edge of the crater rim as he was and I believe that two of them had their ash masks around their necks and could put them on very quickly. I think Dr. Young had his ash mask in his rucksack and it took him those extra seconds, one or two breaths, to actually get his protective stuff out. It's an object lesson for all of us that we cannot take chances with a thing like a volcano. The others were slightly better prepared and were able to react that much more quickly."
In his Dec. 12 ZJB interview, Dr. Aspinall read the following statement from Prof. Steve Sparks:"Jonathan Leake's article, 'Volcano May Force Evacuation of Montserrat,' in the Sunday Times of 7th Dec., speculates on discussions in last week's scientific conference in Antigua on the volcanic eruptions on Montserrat. Most of the statements in the article are simply incorrect or inaccurate. The journalist in question tried to find out what was going on but failed. None of the scientists have warned that the island may have to be evacuated. The task of the scfientists is to provide the best possible scientific information to those who have to make decisions within the governments of Montserrat and the UK.
"The journalist's speculations on what was discussed at the conference and any implications are without foundation. Scientists have never said at any time that there is a strong chance that eruptions would affect the north. The view in August was that the probability that eruptions would affect the north was low. The north of the island does not receive much ash because the prevailing winds do not often blow the ash from the volcano to the north. And at the present time the air quality on Montserrat is good.
"The results of the meeting of the scientists on Antigua will not be released prior to being presented to the governments of Montserrat and the UK and prior to receiving permission from those governments to make them public. The use of old, direct quotes from many weeks or months ago, unrelated to the meeting, in such a way as to imply that these statements reflect the current thinking at the meeting is mischievous.
"Personally, I have never knowingly stated that the people of Montserrat would find it hard to stay even without further eruptions, as claimed in the article. I know that the people of Montserrat are resilient, they are patriotic and have a strong will to see their country survive and thrive despite the volcano."
By Howard A. Fergus
Do not fault a young man wrapped in yellow
print; enough ashes on his plate.
Not in his teeth. I mean the weight
Of missionarying volcanoes at a price
Wearing masks in Montserrat and Chile
A compromise of breathing and identity.
Trading words with brand new leaders
Artless in the grammar of volcanic
Effluent and the signal for the panic
Is a boor; not as in Botha and Mandela
Scientists keep their sullied coats at home
Cold hands are clean in native dome
The Brits have paid the peepers
Of instruments, for David quite a boon;
But his wand is silent. Goliath's sing in tune.
Scientific art deserves a place
In this serious comedy, making quite a stir
Starring now in Fleet Street "Montserrat, Pappyshow"
At the end of the D-day we must kiss the spine
Of scientists who by definition know
Whether we fry by fire of exile tastily slow.
We need another tongue, an obeath of words
Like Paul's gainsaying the ship master,
Some untutored wisdom to light the final laughter.
Villeins to this charred plantation
We need a watchman in the night
To se the fire coming, the welcome round of light.
Atheist, you say? No!
Not even revolutionary like Castro!
The problem really is,
That I just cannot see
How fete and jump up
Mix with volcanic activity.
Traditionalist? Maybe!
Culturally stable? Definitely!
I love a celebration;
One Christmas won't change me.
But how can I have fun,
With the Aid friends giving we?
You say festival? I am there!
You want fete? Just say where!
But this thing could look silly
So help me figure out
How I'll jump and spree
With ash mask around me mouth.
Jump... for tourist to see?
Fete.. With returning family?
I still searching for a reason
You remember last year
Curiosity turned commotion
Now they aren't holidaying here.
Masquerades dancing before I born
Street jams been going well long
But so too is ham and turkey
So too is candle light
So too is souse and sorrel
And don't talk about Silent Night!
For this special Season
I'll dig deeper in tradition
I'll gather pieces of my culture
From the days long gone
And, I will praise my redeemer
Who on Christmas day was born.
RHH
(To be sung to the tune of "O Little Town of Bethlehem")
O little isle of Montserrat
We hardly see thee lie,
A plume or two obscures our view
As all your ash flows by.
Yet Britain reassures us
What's needed you'll receive,
Clare Short will pay till they can say,
"Now all of you must leave."
As long as you are viable
Assistance still will come,
Why, total what's been spent and vowed,
It's quite a tidy sum.
Clare's iffy on an airport,
It costs more than you're worth.
But wait a while, there's still a chance
They might exclude the north.
This season all us islanders
Should revel as before,
For Christmas and our carnival
Are precious island lore.
So what if life's uncertain,
We're here, so let's not grieve,
Clare Short must pay till they can say,
"Now all of you must leave."
(To be sung to the tune of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful")
Oh come all ye cynics
Displaced and resentful,
Oh come ye, oh come ye
From Ram's Emdee.
Come and confront him
Newly named our governor.
Oh come let us implore him,
Oh come let us implore him,
Oh come let us implore him
Hopelessly!
Just look what we've done now
Voicing our displeasure
By marching indignantly,
Unarmed but loud.
What does he tell us?
"Think of law and order."
Oh come let him implore us,
Oh come let him implore us,
Oh come let him implore us
Piously!
Now comes the committee
In the House of Commons
All eager to underplay
Clare Short's contempt,
Read their conclusions,
See how they hold Montserrat,
Prepare to clear the island,
Prepare to clear the island,
Prepare to clear the island
Stealthily!
Now come Montserratians
Tell them how determined
We are to remain here though
They wish us gone.
What's the volcano
Next to British subterfuge?
So come let us refute them,
So come let us refute them,
So come let us refute them
Adamantly!
(To be sung to the tune of "I Saw Three Ships")
I saw three ships come sailing in
To Little Bay, to Little Bay,
I saw three ships come sailing in
To Little Bay in the morning.
The ships came in but couldn't dock
At Little Bay, at Little Bay,
The ships came in but couldn't dock,
And one of them was the ferry.
So how would we evacuate
From Little Bay, from Little Bay,
So how would we evacuate
If Britain got what it's hoping?
It looks as though we'll have to stay
On Montserrat, on Montserrat,
It looks as though we'll have to stay,
And that's what we've all been saying.
Kelsick - On the Montserrat Dilemma
"Montserrat is in a bad state," says one of Montserrat's leading lawyers, John Kelsick.
Kelsick was not referring to the charred mountain of Chances Peak. He was not speaking about volcano-buried villages of the east; nor did he have devastated Plymouth in mind. The politician/lawyer was commenting on the island's unenviable economic ruin.
"Nothing is being produced. If you don't have some means of bringing cash from outside, you are doomed," Kelsick said.
Kelsick feels Government should speedily organize food production to offset the huge food import bills and the outward flow of the local currency. He has little confidence in the much-talked-about tourist factor. Kelsick says we should "foster the growth of the off-shore banking system."
"The whole talk of tourism is a lot of nonsense. You are wasting money. We can never attract the type of money-spending tourist here. We have no hotels for them to relax in pleasure and luxury; no entertainment is available and what beaches do we have? The few rooms, we have, are full of British technocrats. There is a problem with food and where can we drive them? Half the island is inaccessible?" The nearly six feet middle aged lawyer explained.
LACK OF PROPER PLANNING
Kelsick blamed the Reuben Meade administration and the British Government for the sorry state of affairs.
"There was lack of planning by the Reuben Meade Government and the attitude of the British Government had been a wait-and-see, spend-as-little-as-you-can, while encouraging people to leave," Kelsick explained.
He pointed to the initial small wharf structure, John Adlum, former head of Aid Management Office, had in mind for Montserrat as evidence of this fact.
"He, (Adlum) utterly refused to put down warehouse structure at the jetty. Plus the wharf was not designed to land goods, only for people to board a boat and leave," Kelsick said.
He said the British intention could be clearly read in actions. Adlum's attitude, he said, was to make things as unpleasant as possible.
"The old saying 'actions speak louder than words' is applicable here. Don't listen to what they say, look at what they do," lawyer Kelsick said.
Action And Public Debate Necessary
Kelsick commented that both Bertrand Osborne and Reuben Meade administrators fell because they entertained the notion that you "should not bite the hand that feed you."
"There must be public debate. They must keep the pressure up. The people must pressure the politicians and the politicians must pressure the British Government to put in the infrastructure necessary to rebuild the island," Kelsick said.
Kelsick pointed to the fast actions of HMG after the June 25th tragedy and public demonstrations.
"Let's face it, it is only when the international press in America, England and France exposed the scandalous situation here that they really took action. All they do is talk," the lawyer explained.
Kelsick said he feels Montserratians are too docile. He says the Chamber of Commerce is ineffective.
"We must thank the Romeo brothers for providing leadership. The masses of the people are not articulate enough. They need leaders. Look at the hospital. We need a sterile surgical unit. Not in a wooden building either. What if we have an emergency. We can't simply drive across to another island. We have a sea to cross. What if weather conditions make it impossible? The Government should be raising Holy Hell about this," he said.
"Sending Prince Andrew and other officials down here is a lot of hypocrisy. What we want is to have basic infrastructure so that we can continue to have a community here," he added
Concentrating on building up the North and providing support services to support a viable community are some of the things Kelsick feels the British should be doing at a much faster rate.
He said Minister Clare Short, who seems to be particularly interested in providing help to Asian and African countries, should remember that Britain has a political and moral obligation to her dependency - Montserrat.
"It is up to the people to lobby the politicians to do something. Demand to see them. Mount deputations, make a row in the papers and on the radio. Similarly organizations like the Unions and the chamber should do something. The sad thing is that Montserratians simply chat and do nothing,' he lamented.
He commended CM Brandt for his out spoken position on several issues.
"The English are not stupid. All they need to do is nothing. The government need to keep the pressure up. It is only as you lobby in the international press and they feel embarrass that you will get any action," Kelsick concluded.
by Dr. Howard Fergus
In the early 1950s before the onset of mass migration to the United Kingdom.Montserrat was a thriving agricultural island. Profitability to the poor and in some cases oppressed labourers was the problem, not productivity. What needs more research is the comparative production of various areas of the island although we know in a general way that the central and south-eastern sections were more fertile and produced more.
In the Leeward Islands only Nevis, with 3,400 acres, outstripped Montserrat in
Cotton cultivation in 1953. The following year the Nevis acreage dropped to 2,460 While Montserrat's went from 1,920 acres in 1953 to 2,947 in 1954, thus gaining the lead.
Tomato was another major crop and 183,888 pounds were exported in 1953.
There was a dramatic drop the following year, but this was due to apathy caused by the low price for the commodity.
The years 1953 and 1954 were not the greatest for lives due to recent drought and attack from blight and scale insects; and yet 2,973 fresh limes, 30,635 gallons of lime juice and 699 pounds of ecuelled oil were exported in 1953.
Sugar cane was also in the calculation, but these were dying years. Two hundred acres of cane produced 20 barrels of muscovado sugar and 1,900 gallons of rum in 1953. In 1954, with 150 acres under cultivation, 51,529 gallons of rum valued at 9,626 were produced.
A variety of food crops were grown both for local consumption and export, the latter valued at $12,882 in 1954.
Montserrat has an interesting history of agriculture. The volcanic eruptions have reconfigured the landscape of much of the island. Part of the challenge of post-eruption development will be to correspondingly rethink and reform agriculture to get maximum from the types and quality of soils available.
No Total Evacuation for O'Garro
"Tell them that we do not want to leave," says Phillip O'Garro as he jubilantly shoved his fist in the sky displaying a triumphant symbol.
O'Garro said that he feels that Montserrat is relatively safe at this time, and as such, he said, we continue to occupy the North. This, he affirms, is validated by recent scientific report.
"People all over the world have learnt to live with their volcanoes, and we need do the same. There is talk about silicosis, but many of us are not exposed to that level of ash for the period it takes to develop that problem. People are living and surviving in major cities where there are high level of carbon monoxide, yet they don't run to some place else," O'Garro pointed out.
The diehard Montserratian feels that infrastructure needs to be quickly put in place to facilitate the rapid growth and development of the North of the island. He feels that many who have left will quickly come back to the "land of their nativity."
"Enough has not been done by the British. They need to speed up the building of the houses, else when evacuees return there will be no place to put them. We will have a situation similar to what happened when Cork Hill and Salem moved," he commented.
O'Garro feels this way because "there is nowhere as calm, peaceful and quiet as Montserrat," In addition to that he says most people who leave will not be able to acquire land and build houses in foreign places as they did here in Montserrat.
"The meager income they get in UK can never help them to own anything," he said.
Commenting on what can be done in the immediate future to help the rebuilding of the country, O'Garro says Britain can use war-time strategy and put in an air strip, which he feels is essential to the development of the country. He also emphasized the need for politicians to "stop the bickering and fighting and start to share ideas on how to develop the country."
Mrs. Watts Contribution to the Teaching Profession
Mrs. Watts reasons for entering the teaching profession were two-fold. Firstly, it provided a window of opportunity for her to pursue her love, which is Home Economics.Secondly, the teaching fever spread through the Cassell's home, and she caught it. Her mother was a teacher. Her brothers, Oswald and Kenneth , were teachers and her sister Veronica was also a teacher. Mrs. Watts then spread the fever to Justin.
So in 1960, with big steps and ambition, Miss Cassell, as she was then called, launched her teaching career at the Kinsale School, under the leadership of Mrs. Mary Tuitt.
But at last after four weeks, she nearly fell off her chair at school, when she opened her pay envelope. It was a small drop in the bucket, EC$67.20.
From Kinsale School, she was transferred to the Wesley Primary School, where Mr. Richard Greenaway (Teacher Dick) was the head teacher. Here she served as secretary of the P. T. A.
In 1965, she entered the Leeward Island's Teacher's Training College at Golden Grove Antigua. There she met the Reverend Rosalind Morgan, in her final year.
Having performed brilliantly, she graduated in 1967 with a Certificate in Education (Teacher Training) endorsed and blessed by the University of the West Indies.
On her return to Montserrat, she assumed duties at the St. Patrick's Primary School, during the administration of Mrs. Catherine Greenaway, (Teacher Kitty). From here, she worked at the Maple Leaf School in Plymouth under Miss Bernice White, then Mr. Alfred Lee. In 1973, her dreams were coming alive, for she entered the Jamaican School of Agriculture to pursue Home Economics.
She made history, being among the first Home Economics students and the first batch of females to enter the college.
Being a woman of exceptional scholarship, she graduated in 1975 with flying colours; chalking a First Class Honors Diploma in Home Economics on the blackboard and rating second , on the list of graduates.
Having completed study she was attached to the Plymouth Junior Secondary School, as a Home Economics Mistress.
In 1979, Mrs. Watts acted for two months as Principal of that school.
Having performed creditably, high commendation flowed from the lips of the Chief Education Officer, Miss Alfreda Meade.
In 1981, she entered the Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax, Nova - Scotia. There, she participated in and left her stamp on The Caribbean Association and the Drama Club.
She graduated in 1983, holding a Bachelor of Home Economics Degree, and majoring in Family Life- Studies. Among her shining achievements, were her placement on the Dean's list, and her attainment of an incentive award.
On arriving home, she was placed at the Montserrat Secondary School, as a Home Economics tutor. She was also the sponsor for the Drama Club.
In 1986, she was appointed Department Head for Technical and Vocational Studies at the Montserrat Secondary School. In 1987, she was again tranferred to the Plymouth Junior Secondary School, where Mrs. Dorothy Greenaway was the Principal. There she was responsible for the School's Lunch Programme.
In 1988, Mrs. Watts pursued a three month course at the Wolverhampton Polytechnic in England, where she soared to new heights of success. On completion of that course, she attained a Certificate in Social and Life Skills.
The A. C. P, or Associate College of Preceptors title was also conferred on her; by the college of Preceptors.
She was appointed Senior Teacher, on her return to the Montserrat Secondary School, Church Road Campus. In January 1990, she acted as Vice Principal of the Dagenham Campus of the M. S. S, and she continued to make great strides in her progress, when in February of that year, she was made Vice Principal of that Campus. At Dagenham, she actively engaged, in many fund-raising drives for the school.
In September 1990, she again stepped across to the Church Road Campus of the M. S. S. as Vice Principal. Then she had two stunts, performing the duties as Principal of the M. S. S., in 1991, and 1992. Each stint, lasted for three months.
With this seemingly unending list of achievements, Mrs. Watts visited Rome in 1993. Having had audience with the Pope, and having received his blessings, she returned to Montserrat, with a new vision. She was determined to give the education system several shots in the arm.
So having been appointed Principal of the Montserrat Secondary School, in February 1994, she continued to make her marks on the Secondary System.
She made several innovations in the system during her term in office as Principal. She launched the Montserrat Secondary School Year Book in 1994.
Being a former Orange House Captain in her day, and a keen sports woman, she tried to improve the image of the houses by ordering coloured T-shirts of each house, with the school crest on them, for the students.
The graduation ceremony too was given a face-lift, as students enhanced their appearances with graduation gowns.
The Programme "School," a twice weekly radio broadcast, that was aired on Radio Montserrat, was also Mrs. Watts brainchild. Mrs. Watts stood tall as an administrator, during the volcanic crisis. As she used her talents they were multiplied. She motivated the students. She devised contingency plans for the school and she organized stress busters, in the form of counseling sessions, for the teachers.
Seeking available space to start school, they (she and her co-pilot Miss Kathleen Greenaway) could be seen scouting about Salem and its environs, long hours. They exercised faith. They were very creative. Sometimes garages were converted into schools. They were successful. Thanks be to God, who gave them the victory. They are National Heroes. When the mission of starting school this academic year seemed impossible, Mrs. Watts rose to the Challenge, and this time, with gloves on, she tackled the job with unusual gusto.
Having attained a certificate in Youth Ministry, Mrs. Watts was able to relate very well to the students. Some students refer to her as being helpful, kind, honourable, loyal, strict, inspiring, confident, a bright star and deserving the award of Teacher of the Year. The children rise up, and call her blessed.
She has naturally earned the respect of the teachers. They see her as being efficient, diplomatic, multi-talented, dynamic, God-fearing, supporting, energetic, creative, kind, concerned, democratic in leadership and a good team player.
Mrs. Watts also served on several educational committees, locally, and regionally. She was a member of the M. S. S. Board. She attended Caribbean Examination Council Meetings, and OES meetings on Education.
She participated in Family Life Education Seminars. Her long arms had also reached the Montserrat Union of Teachers Executive, where she served with distinction in her capacity as President. She was successful in increasing the union membership to almost 100% by visiting schools and trying to win teachers into the union. She fought for increased salaries for teachers, and represented the teachers at the Caribbean Union of Teachers Conference, in Barbados
With the help of Guiana Union of Teachers, the M. U. T was able to gain placement, and scholarship for a local teacher at the Guiana School of Agriculture.
Mrs. Watts has been 37 years deep in her calling; and has left a very impressive track record in education. A record that no statistician or economist, can accurately measure. But what kept her going for so many unbroken years?
Firstly, as a Christian, she knows that "Greatness is service." Secondly, the Catholic school motto, has impacted her greatly - "What ever is worth doing is worth doing well." And thirdly, the support from her family has been tremendous. Her retirement has ended another chapter, in the History of Secondary Education in this country.
We will miss her off the education landscape. But her works, her name, her wishes, her inspirations, her very essence, will always remain with us. We are proud of her, her achievements, and what she stands for. Let us give her all her flowers now, when she can see them, touch them, smell them, and appreciate them.
The Catholic Church, has already blazed the trail, by giving her the Papal Award this year, for her mammoth contribution, to the church. Let us take pattern.
Mrs. Watts, we congratulate you, for the quality of service which you have delivered to the teaching, profession. We salute you, for being one of the brightest, and the best of the school administrators. We thank you for your professional life - a book, from which we can pull a page.
Now as you join your retired Cassell brothers and sisters, (all past stalwarts of Civil Service), and here I want to really hail all the Cassell brothers and sisters, who have really made a yeoman contribution, in the Civil Service, and to the wider community.
We wish for you, Mrs. Watts, long life, good health, and many happy and fruitful years of retirement. May God crown your years with joy.
Mrs. James: My husband and I have been married for four years now, and sometimes I feel that our marriage is not working. What can I do to help save our marriage?
Doctor Drakes: Success and happiness in marriage, do not come by the waving of some magic wand. Marriage is what the marital partners craft of it.
Husbands and wives must be willing to pay the price for a happy marriage. The price is high, the payments are perpetual, but the value of the product far exceeds the cost.
CHRIST AS CENTRE
A marriage relationship needs to be Christ-centered. Without this, the relationship remains just human and mediocre. You and your husband must committ yourselves and your home to a higher-power. This would bind you together as partners, in a stable, successful and meaningful relationship.
CHILDREN AS FULFILLMENT
Marriage, properly consummated , and maintained, gives an insight into happiness and pleasure. Children in the home should be a source of joy, and the culmination of mutual love between parents.
COMMON INTERESTS
You and your husband need to strengthen the marital bonds through shared interests. Both of you should strive for similar tastes in friends, values and goals.
LOVE
Both of you should make a special effort to show love to each other. When individuals experience love, they glow with a radiance that affects them physically, mentally, socially and spiritually. For the lack of love, thousands committ suicide each year. Some flock to the divorce courts to free themselves, so that they can begin their search for love again. Mental hospitals hold many, who have slipped beyond the reach of sanity, for want of human affection.
ACCEPTANCE
Both of you need to accept each other. You should view each other as persons of worth. You should respect each others opinion. You need freedom to be your respective selves. You should express acceptance words. You should appreciate each other's personality and character, and mention areas where hopes are fulfilled. Nagging and criticism, increase problems in the home.
Mrs. James, these are a few pointers to help improve the tone of your marriage.
Another time I will give you some suggestions, for a happy married life.
Chief Minister's Christmas Message
MESSAGE AT THE CELEBRATION OF CHRISTMAS 1997 AND NEW YEAR GREETINGS BY THE HON. DAVID S. BRANDT CHIEF MINISTER OF MONTSERRAT
Fellow Montserratians, at home and abroad, visitors, friends, I bring you seasons greetings and a message of hope for the new year, 1998.
The celebration of the birth of the Saviour at this time reminds us that Christ is not only always in our Christmas, but he has been a beacon of hope in our lives over the past year. During 1997 our dreams and aspirations have been coloured and redirected, indeed transformed by the awesome power of nature.
Just as Christmas remains unchanged in our focus on the birth of the son of our Heavenly Father who continues to watch over us, so has the strength of character, the fortitude, tenacity and resourcefulness of Montserratians have remained founded on solid rock. We have been dispersed and divided, but not defeated.
We have witnessed the escalation of volcanic activity to new and dangerous levels in 1997 and although there is no indication that the crisis will end soon, I hope we have past the peak of activity which has destroyed our capital and most of the south of our island.
The death of nineteen of our brothers and sisters and the other indirect casualties of the volcano; the destruction of properties in the unsafe zone; and the existence of less than ideal conditions in which hundreds of our people live, remind us of the challenges we have faced to date.
Despite those painful events there is a lot to be thankful for. We are thankful that we still have life and that if God continues to have his way, we will continue to have life and hopefully in more abundance in the future.
We are thankful that we still have an island of fresh beauty, rich in warmth and still well endowed with some of the world's most hospitable people. We are thankful that we have a Government which has spearheaded our people's will and ability to deal with the continuing crisis. My friends 'once there is life there is hope', and in 1998 we have to strive to keep that flame of hope alive. I know your will is strong and ultimately we will prevail.
Many of the problems we faced in 1997 will not disappear at the start of the new year. In fact, we will renew our joint efforts to make the year 1998 the turning point for the betterment of our lives on this island.
Indeed we made progress in 1997. We were successful in getting insurance companies to speed up the processing of claims for properties damaged or destroyed in the unsafe zone. In addition we were able to benefit from the advice of an insurance expert supplied by the CARICOM Secretariat to assist us in our dealings with the insurance companies.
Indeed even our British partners have leaned more in our favour in the disbursement of humanitarian aid and general assistance towards keeping Montserrat alive. With their support we can take the come-back fight to a new and brighter level in 1998.
Improvements to housing, health and education will continue to occupy our time and efforts in the new year. Under the Emergency Housing Programme: fifty more houses are due for completion early in the new year; the CARICOM Village has finally gotten the green light and is coming on-stream; and with the help of the European Union we will construct ten more housing units at Davy Hill.
The completion of these projects will make housing available for at least 300 more displaced Montserratians including those who may wish to return home. At the same time, we will spare no effort to provide jobs for all our people.
Many parents will be pleased with our plans to improve education in the new year. With the relocation of the remaining persons from the 'Look Out School' these buildings will revert to their original use. The improved conditions will benefit both staff and students who I am sure will uphold the proud and impressive record of the Montserrat Secondary School.
In order to bring life back to normalcy in 1998 the following must be put at the forefront of government and the people working as one:
the aggressive pursuit of our continuing efforts at broad-based consultations;
the dissemination of all policy information which could affect safety, health and the well-being and future of Montserratians;
The challenges of this time afford us the opportunity to spread the Christmas spirit of love and sharing.
I urge you to remember the less fortunate in the community especially those in the shelters.
There is no better time to express your love and show that you care. Take some time out and visit one or more of the shelters. Take a gift with you or take one of senior citizens from the geriatric shelters for a drive. These small activities are only examples of how we can show we care for each other.
Christmas in Montserrat is also a time of enjoyment and merriment. Let us be moderate and show tolerance and understanding in all that we do because all hands are needed for the tasks before us in 1998.
I take this opportunity to express my humble appreciation to all Montserratians for standing firmly behind their government in the past year. Special thanks to the men and women of the Royal Montserrat Police Force, the Royal Montserrat Defense Force and members of the Search and Rescue Unit for demonstrating courage beyond the call of duty to help their country.
Special thanks are also in order for the many public servants who have demonstrated their usual excellence under less than ideal circumstances including the lead agencies executing various development projects in the north of the island, the nurses, teachers and anyone who has been involved in ensuring that our beloved country stays afloat during this trying time.
During these our seasonal celebrations let our focus on the Christ in our lives and in our Christmas guide our every action and may the peace and joy of Christmas translate into a truly bright and prosperous new year.
Ladies and gentlemen, the time has come for us to prepare a plan of action before we go to the table of discussion on our political future. I have asked the question "what is your view of our reality on Montserrat?" both on the political platform and in private conversations. I would like to give my own answer on that question here and now. I see our future as being very dark and unpredictable, but at the same time I can see a light shining in the direction of self-determination, but we must be capable, willing and able to cut a pathway to our future and that takes deep thinking and planning. The pathway that I am speaking of must be built on the foundation of democracy and the definition of who we are as a people must be the cornerstone of whatever form of democracy we may take.
What is democracy? The modern concept of democracy assumes the political equality of all individuals, the right to private freedom, and to petition authority for redress of grievances; a country so governed as that form of government in which the people rule themselves, either directly or indirectly, through representatives.
That I believe should be the guiding light in our thoughts as we plan our future. At this point we are looking at a constitution that does not explain our political future, and our continuation as a people. Are Montserratians an endangered people? At this point in our history, you and I can see that we, the people of Montserrat, are mentally fighting for our identity, and our future as a people of distinction. In order for us, our youths, and the next generation to have a strong sense of our political foundation I believe that it is of great importance to bring to the table of discussion and to the people and now, the need for constitutional reform, including the definition of the word Montserratian, and our role on Montserrat as a people, the addition of new laws to a continuing base of laws, and the amendment of some old laws constitutionally. Because as a people, we can no longer ignore our natural [not artificial, not acquired or assumed] right to be identified constitutionally as Montserratians, in any theory or any law within our social, cultural and political future. Ladies and gentlemen, remember what this is about, we have been asked to plan the future for Montserrat. Ask yourselves this question - where does the Montserratian come in? Before we make any major decisions I do believe that this question should be answered first and constitutionally, and then to understand our political system, we must first look at its construction. The foundation of our political system is based on the structure of our written constitution and our form of government. Section 10(2) "Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the Executive Council shall have the general direction and control of the Government of Montserrat ... [Government as defined:- the exercise of authority; direction and restraint exercised over the actions of human beings in communities, societies or states; the administration of public affairs]. Section 9(1) "The executive authority of Montserrat is vested in Her Majesty." Section 9(2) "Subject to the provisions of this Constitution, the executive authority of Montserrat may be exercised on behalf of Her Majesty by the Governor, either directly or though officers subordinate to him, but nothing in this section shall operate so as to prejudice the provisions of any law in force in Montserrat whereby functions are, or may be conferred on persons or authorities other than the Governor." Oath of Affirmation of Allegiance [the tie to obligation of a subject to his or her sovereign or government; the duty of fidelity] [fidelity: - careful and exact observance of duty ... firm loyalty to the sovereign]. According to Section 39 in the Montserrat Constitution Order of 1989 ... no member of the Legislative Council shall take part in the proceedings of the Legislative Council until he or she has made and subscribed before the Legislative Council an oath of affirmation of allegiance in the form set out in the schedule to that Constitution.
(1) Oath of Allegiance: - I . . . . do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God.
(2) Oath of Affirmation of Allegiance: - I ..... Do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, her heirs and successors according to law.
(3) Oath for due execution of Office: - I . . . . Do swear that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her Heir and successors in the office of (.. ) so help me God.
(4) Affirmation for due execution of Office:- I .. Do solemnly and sincerely affirm and declare that I will well and truly serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second, Her heirs and successors, in the office of (. . .) so help me God.
So as you see our political representatives are denied the fundamental right [the foundation of principles] to lead and protect the Constitution that provides for a Governor appointed by Her Majesty the Queen, an Executive Council and a Legislative Council, but at the same time our elected representatives have no power to legislate. As you can see with me, our Legislative Council is an administrative body of the British Government, owing its duty and allegiance to the British Crown. Section 68 explains:- "Public service" means the service of the Crown in a civil capacity in respect of the Government of Montserrat.
To be continued.
Richardson - Walsh Should Stay On
Antigua, Cana - Former West Indies cricket captain Richie Richardson says he would like his predecessor Courtney Walsh retained for next year's English tour despite the team's 3-0 series whitewash against Pakistan.
The Pakistanis won the third and final test by 10 wickets on Tuesday after winning the first by an innings and 19 runs and the second by an innings and 26 runs.
"I would like to see Walsh continue. I got a lot of blame for the team's poor performance when I was in charge. It is only now that people are realising that it is not the captain who makes you win or lose. It is the material you have," Richardson said.
Richardson also rejected suggestions by commentators and cricket pundits that the great fast bowler Curtly Ambrose, who is missing the current four-nation one-day tournament in Sharjah because of injury, should call it a day. "I still think that he is our best bowler...Once he is fit, he should be selected to play against England if he wants to. When you are rebuilding, you don't get rid of all your old horses," remarked Richardson.
"The problem is not just with the present team. Ten years ago if we had the vision we would have restructured our cricket to deal with the present situation. We did not protect our cricket," the right-handed batsman said.
Richardson is suggesting that the West Indies Cricket Board set up a "pyramid system" and a cadre of coaches to harness and groom talent from the Under-15 level to test standard.
"Our future players should be properly prepared by the time they reach the West Indies team. There should be separate coaches to work with the youth teams who will report to the senior coach under one programme that follows from the grass roots level right through the top," he said.
Richardson, who was criticised by former colleagues, administrators and the media during his reign as captain from 1991 until 1996, is calling for an end to "insularity" which he thinks "is one of the biggest problems affecting West Indies cricket."
"The insularity has not afforded us the chance to exploit our abilities. If we were more concerned about West Indies cricket before our individual territories, things would have been better," declared Richardson.
"When things get bad people look for all sorts of reasons and excuses, but I think it is when you are doing well that you should guard against your problems.
Jus wonderin whether any police officers heard the squealing tires of speeding cars between Salem and St. Peters Saturday night.
Jus wonderin why the British Government waited for the busiest time of the year to ask Montserratians urgently what sort of future relationship with Britain they desire.
Jus wonderin how long us ordinary Montserratians will know what's in the new volcano report before all the chief scientists gather somewhere to draw up their next requested reappraisal.
Jus wonderin why an oversized rubber dinghy should be considered an adequate shore patrol and sea rescue craft for the Royal Montserrat Police Force.
Jus wonderin if anyone thought about declaring holiday-as-usual work schedules inappropriate for an island in crisis.
Jus wonderin why the owners of the Antilles Express haven't considered carrying paying passengers to and from Guadeloupe on weekends.
Jus wonderin if MVO scientists draw hazard pay while they wait at a locked checkpoint for an officer to arrive with the key.
Jus wonderin about the rubber dinghy again. How effective will it be if the ferry need some urgent assistance, like being towed to the jetty with an engine problem.
Jus wonderin too, how difficult it is for a bullet to pierce the rubber dinghy.
Jus wonderin how much money has been spent on the ferry/s and the helicopter/s.
Jus wonderin if it is true that Montserratians are being offered British passports in England.
Jus wonderin who really ordered the de-boating of the DA.
Jus wonderin if the Hon. CM and the Hon. Central Rep. planned the attack in the house on the British delaying tactics - jus wonderin what both of them can do working together for a change, to improve the situation.
Jus wonderin why the British do not keep their promise and pay people's passage to return to their homeland.
Jus wonderin why the Governor had to chaperone the chief to ZJB to refute the scientists alleged statements.
Jus wonder if the Information officer will still exchange Christmas gifts this year.
Forward all Questions, Comments and Suggestions to: roachb@candw.ag
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