(TMR file photo) CM Osborne purchasing fresh vegetables at new market

The family of former Chief Minister John Osborne has issued a formal statement in respect of his recent illness and hospitalisaton in the United States.

“In response to the many inquiries about the health of former Chief Minister John A. Osborne, his family wishes first of all, to thank everyone for their concern, their expressions of empathy, their prayers, and their wishes for a full and speedy recovery.

“Mr. Osborne has been hospitalized in the United States for the past six weeks undergoing testing and treatment for an illness for which he had received preliminary care in the hospital at home (in Montserrat). Over the past weeks, he has undergone surgeries of varying levels of seriousness, and has baffled and astounded his physicians on several occasions with his ability to rebound and recover. One surgeon noted that, “He is a remarkable man.”

“It has been a difficult and painful time for him, and a challenge for his doctors as they continue to attempt to arrive at a firm diagnosis and, following that, to deliver a prognosis for his recovery. Currently, Mr. Osborne is in critical, but stable condition, and the people of Montserrat will be kept informed as this improves.

“He is being attended to by a team of some of the most meticulous and capable physicians, and by his family, and the expectation and hope is that he will make a good recovery.”

The former Chief Minister served Montserrat for over 40 years as an elected member of parliament, having served as Chief Minister from 1978 – 1991, and again from 2001- 2005. He retired in 2009 and did not contest the elections last September.

Many well wishers are hoping that the veteran gentleman will make a full recovery.

by Associated Press,

Adapted for Montserrat:

Montserrat gets lashed by rain

Nantes River - Salem main road, blocked by boulders from flood waters

Hurricane Earl lashed the northeastern Caribbean on Monday especially northwards as a still-growing Category 3 storm on a course that could threaten the eastern United States later this week.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said Earl, which formed on Sunday, was already a major hurricane with sustained winds of 120 mph (193 kph), and it was likely to keep gaining force.

The storm’s forecast track would run north of the Caribbean, then bend to the north, roughly parallel to the U.S. East Coast. The hurricane center said it is early to say what effect Earl would have on the U.S.

Flooding was the result as it thundered, lightening and rained all night from about 5.00 p.m. yesterday. Roads from the north to the south suffered damage as bridges and ghauts were blocked from the flood waters and boulders that came crashing down.

Clearing the mouth of the bridge to allow water flow -

Nantes River was blocked and the flood water flowed over on the road and found its way like the river and down into Rams Enterprises basement storage. Heavy equipment were still working on that bridge at 2.00 p.m., clearing it to ready it for the continuing threats of rain.

Runaway Ghaut was blocked from mudslides, which made the road impassable from both sides. Casava Ghaut suffered most damag, ed as he bridge barrier was broken after it became blocked and the result was boulders and other debris also blocked that passage.

Runway Ghaut - mudslides blocked the road

By mid-day tosayall these were cleared and traffic was passing free while the clean-up and temporary repairs were carried out.

Cassava Ghaut bridge broken from the overrun water

Far in the north the port suffered much damage, not from the sea waters but from waters rushing off the hills.

At Carr’s Bay Romeo Wayside hardware store suffered damage from being flooded. This was the result as Manager Julian Romeo explained, “from the blockage in the nearby ghauts.” This was not the first time this has happened, but no one heeds the complaints that this should be corrected to prevent the flooding that results.

For Montserrat and other islands of the Lesser Antilles Fiona is looming as this time it is about 1000 miles to the east. The hurricane centre reports say that there is a 90% chance this system becoming a tropical cyclone within the next 48 hours as it moves generally westward at about 20 m.p.h.

The eye of the powerful storm was passing close to the tiny British territory of Anguilla, where police said the wind blew the roofs off buildings and damaged utility poles.

“The winds are whistling outside,” said Martin Gussie, a police officer involved in coordinating the emergency response. “When the gusts of wind come, each time it sounds stronger.”

In Antigua, powerful wind and rain destroyed at least one home and at least eight people had to be evacuated, though there were no reports of critical injuries. Emergency response officials said about 350 people were in shelters. Local weather authorities reported at least 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain and 10-foot (3-meter) waves.

In St. Maarten, the storm toppled trees and knocked out electricity to much of the island but there were no reports of serious damage. Heavy gusts of wind swirled debris across streets that were empty due to a government-imposed curfew.

Alisha Daya, a 24-year-old tourist from Milwaukee, said she wore earplugs Sunday night but still had trouble sleeping because of the noise from the wind and crashing waves at the Oyster Bay Beach Resort in St. Maarten.

Cruise lines diverted ships to other ports in the Caribbean and Mexico as a customary precaution for tropical weather. Antigua’s V.C. Bird International Airport closed, and regional airlines LIAT and WINAIR suspended flights.

Hurricane warnings were in effect for Anguilla, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, St. Maarten, Saba, St. Eustatius, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques.

By late Monday morning, Earl was about 165 miles (265 kilometers) east of San Juan and headed west-northwest at 15 mph (24 kph), according to the center in Miami. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 60 miles (95 kilometers) from its center.

Earl has grown rapidly in strength, fueled by warm ocean temperatures of 86 F (30 C).

Earl could bring battering waves and storm surges of up to four feet (1.2 meters) above normal on some islands, as well as downpours that threaten to unleash flash floods and mudslides.

Forecasters say there is a chance the hurricane could brush the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region toward the end of the week, with its closest approach to North Carolina on Thursday or Friday. In any case, the U.S. East Coast is likely to see pounding surf.

Meanwhile, the Category 1 Hurricane Danielle was weakening far out over the north Atlantic.

See some more pictures if you have Facebook acct: here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=193121&id=530273301&l=910abf29c8

Source: Associated Press

Earl's location Sunday a.m.

NOAA UPDATE: AT 1100 AM AST…1500 UTC…THE CENTER OF HURRICANE EARL WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 17.2 NORTH…LONGITUDE 58.4 WEST. EARL IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST NEAR 17 MPH…28 KM/HR. A TURN TOWARD THE
WEST-NORTHWEST WITH A GRADUAL DECREASE IN FORWARD SPEED IS
EXPECTED DURING THE NEXT DAY OR SO. ON THE FORECAST TRACK…THE
CENTER OF EARL WILL PASS NEAR OR OVER THE NORTHERN LEEWARD ISLANDS
TONIGHT AND MONDAY.

Tropical Storm Earl is barreling toward several islands in the eastern Caribbean and likely will become a hurricane later in the day.

Meanwhile, the Category 1 Hurricane Danielle was bringing dangerous rip currents to the U.S. East Coast.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami says Earl could make landfall over the Northern Leeward Islands as soon as Sunday night. It likely will strengthen into a hurricane later in the day.

Forecasters warn the storm could bring battering waves and storm surge reaching up to 3 feet above normal tide levels in some areas. Hurricane warnings and watches had been issued for several islands.

Earl was 370 miles (595 km) east of the Northern Leeward Islands and had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph).

Firstly, A Correction

It took a while to find where we erred in ‘fact’ in the above headlined story in the August 13 issue of The Montserrat Reporter (TMR) as we were so advised by a spokesman for the CRM (Committee for the Redevelopment of Montserrat). The error was in the last paragraph of the article, and we must apologise to the Committee therefor.

It however offers an easy opportunity, not only to correct the error but also to expand, on a matter that is considered to be a most important development in the economic and everyday life of Montserrat.

The article stated: “…MGC could source a complete generating plant for Eighty thousand pounds, approximately EC$350,000.” The figure of £80,000 was in connection with the availability of a ‘reconditioned diesel generator’ similar to those still in Plymouth.

Sam Rhys Williams, whose expertise among others is in Electrical Engineering, is one of the CRM members and director in Montserrat Geothermal Co. (MGC). He explains that CRM carried out extensive research and advised government of the availability a complete new generating plant at a cost of EC$12 million approximately £2.86 million at today’s exchange rate.

He said that also available out of the U.K. at a price of $8 million are four reconditioned one (1) mgw generators, which in his opinion would be a better choice, since two of these can carry Montserrat with two available as standbys. Also available are two – two (2) mgw generators (also reconditioned) at a price of $6 million. These three options have been submitted to government as alternatives to meet any compulsive immediate need that may be necessary.

Of course all of this CRM argues must be taken on board with the consideration that Geothermal energy could be available in a reasonably short space of time.

by Eliot Kleinberg

Editor’s Note: Montserrat in recent weeks have seen an unusual amount of thunder storms which have left the ground very saturated, so that the lightest shower of rain brings the ground to near flood levels at times.

The impending Tropical storm Earl seems from forecasts, that Montserrat will be spared strong winds even as the storm grows to a hurricane; but rain and plenty of it might deluge the island.

The following is written for Florida, USA, but we may just find it more than relevant for some areas of our tiny and mountainous  island.

When people think of hurricane impacts, they often think of wind. But, of course, water is the biggest killer, and often is the biggest cause of damage, since it doesn’t take much.

Here are some tips from the folks at Stanley Steemer of South Florida, who say only two inches of water can cost up to $7,800 in repairs. We’ve covered much of this in the past, especially in our annual hurricane preparation guides, but it bears repeating, especially now that we’re in the height of the season.

1. Know where your house is vulnerable, find the cracks, and use a fresh layer of sealant to fill them.

2. Be especially focused on cracks around your windows and doors. It takes only a little water to get into your house to cause a big problem.

3. Use sandbags. Even if you are not in a flood zone, it is always a good idea to sandbag the area under your doors, both front and back.

4. Lift up any loose items on the floor (rugs, furniture, etc.). Keep them high and dry in case water does come in.

5. Lay blocks under your furniture so they are lifted off the ground. A few inches above the water can lead to several thousands of dollars in savings.

6. Cover what you can. Buy tarp or plastic to cover your furniture. It takes only a little roof leak to cause expensive damage.

7. Immediately following a storm, if you do suffer water damage, don’t waste any time. Call an expert to help you. The longer water sits in your home, the more damage to property and danger to your family (bacteria and pollutants) it will have.

8. Most homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage. Talk to your insurance provider about your policy and consider if you need additional coverage.

9. Have your roof carefully inspected at least once a year by a licensed roof contractor or a capable handyman who should check the roof thoroughly for missing shingles, degraded roof components, separation of the roof from chimneys and exhaust pipes, and other roof problems.

10. Make sure that your outdoor lot grading takes water away from your home or business and not toward your home.

Marijuana plants of all sizes removed from upper Waterworks mountain

On August 16, Inspector William Thompson of the Royal Montserrat Police force invited the media to show a sack of what they said was full of cannabis sativa (marijuana) plants that they had removed from an area “up and beyond the reaches Waterworks,” on the way to Kilicranke.

The Inspector said they had carried out surveillance from intelligence information, which led them to the area where they removed some 403 plants that measured from a few centimeters to three feet tall.

Sack containing the uprooted marijuana plants in heights up to 3 feet

Thompson also informed that they had carried out a similar exercise the previous week, that time in the Centre Hills area where they destroyed and removed 153 plants that were more mature than the current batch. That area, he said, was closer to the main road from Runaway Ghaut in that they were able to walk to the area in approximately one and a half hours.

The police said they did not know who cultivated the plants, which in both locations were laid out in nice rows in nicely cleared forest areas. The plants according to the police, were always cultivated close to a water source.

The Inspector said he was unable to give any idea as to the value of the ganja plants they were about to destroy as this is usually determined when the plants are processed and ready for sale.

Illegal Gaming and Liquor licences

Reporting on other criminal activities, Inspector Thompson revealed that they were continuing to make their police presence felt in the communities in an effort to reduce the incidence of crime. He said that on the weekend just concluded they had apprehended five persons (all male) allegedly for illegal gaming at a “business enterprise.”

He said that the matter had been causing some concern and involved the question of persons abusing their liquor licence privileges, by keeping their business places open after closing hours. Not only was the illegal gaming practice becoming a concern, but there was also the issue of noise pollution caused by some persons at their business places after they should have closed.

The police reported that no charges were laid against the apprehended persons and later reports said that monies taken from these persons for the alleged illegal gaming had been returned. One such person who considered himself a victim reported that he did not receive all the money that was taken from him as it was done in two instances, but as he was uncertain of the exact amounts he decided not to pursue any further action.

Settlement offers said to ‘derisory’ and ‘wrong’

(l-r) William Bramble, P S Eugene Skerritt. Minister Roselyn Cassell Sealy, Govt. MP Eastern Farrell, FS John Skerritt, C M Dr. Lowell Lewis, Govt. MP John Osborne, standing: Ross Honey

The matter became a serious potential loss, from one that was supposed to bring much benefit and revenue to Montserrat. The latter was the belief of Ministers in the Dr. Lowel Lewis government two years ago, and it is also believed that it might have caused at least one person their seat when general elections were held last September.

It all had to do with a matter which landed the Government of Montserrat in court when International Pairs Ltd. (IPL) followed-up on what they believed was an accepted proposal that they could successfully market and promote Montserrat Internationally and bring some much needed revenue to the economy of the ravaged Volcanic Island.

International Pairs Ltd. is a UK company based in Hampshire. It takes claim that it runs one of the largest Amateur Golf competitions in the World with yearly Tournaments on five continents.  In early August, 2008 Mr. Ross Honey, CEO of IPL, Mr. William Bramble, technical consultant to IPL, and Mr. Owen Roach, Lawyer to IPL visited Montserrat, with their proposal.

They held several meetings including one where present at the meeting were the Hon. Chief Minister Lowell Lewis, Minister Roselyn Cassell Sealy,  The Hon.Eastern Farrell, the Hon. John Osborne, The Hon. Financial Secretary John Skerritt and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Eugene Skerritt. (See photo)

In a few short months later, following the involvement of H E Governor Waterworth and DFID. IPL would slap a suit against Montserrat joining the Hon. Attorney General, Minister Roselyn Cassell-Sealy and Chief Minister Lowell Lewis. The claim for over £200,000 was for loss of profit, and incurred liabilities and expenses, after government had failed to carry through with its commitment to fund the proposal.

According to information from one side, “at the last case management conference the Master (in the High Court) told both sides that the matter should be settled.”

Between June 11 and August 9, this year there two offers by the Attorney General James Wood to IPL to settle the outstanding claim. According to IPL they referred to the first offer as, “derisory”. The second offer was made following the visit of Ross Honey, William Bramble, Owen Roach, along with their attorney David Brandt, “hoping to reach an amicable settlement,” They held meetings with the Attorney General. IPL, while they considered the first offer insulting, referred to the second offer as “wrong”, it being about twice the original offer but far below the claim amount.

While there has been no serious or official charge of wrong doing, in the months following the disappointing halt of the proposal, there were finger pointing, investigations and calls for the resignation of Minister Sealy, unsupported by Government Ministers, except later when Chief Minister Lewis called on her, “to do the right thing.” Questions were asked in the Legislative Council whether it was true that UK Government had called on the chief minister to dismiss the minister.

The matter has been outstanding since and had been ‘played around’, via statements publicly and in the Legislature. It featured prominently when DFID’s Sue Wardell visited Montserrat for the first time in February 2009, calling on the Government to put its house in order on several counts.

The matter also featured in several different ways in the 2009 general election campaign, and it is generally believed it was the reason that MCAP’s leadership was handed over to the present Chief Minister Reuben T. Meade just prior to the elections.

CEO Ross Honey had lamented on different occasions as they awaited settlement of the matter, that he would be still willing to involve Montserrat in a way it can benefit from participating in the promotion package.

Quite early in the dispute IPL said in a release: “The most frustrating thing is that by now the effects of the activation of the marketing plan would have been seen and the people of Montserrat would have already been enjoying the benefits…What a wasted opportunity for Montserrat!”

During their recent visit to the island, discussions with the IPL team revealed, “everything  IP  said that we were going to do for Montserrat, we have since done in other countries…..for example one of the investors who we had to come to Montserrat has since built a 5- star hotel in the South of France, 100 homes, [ an entire Eco village in Malaysia] and is now building 100 more houses in Brazil…..”

The team claimed that they are now official partners with Virgin Atlantic Airline, and Hertz Car Rental and that they do business with the Jamaican, Mauritius  and the St. Lucian Tourist Board. “By now the people of Montserrat would have been reaping huge benefits…,” they concluded.

US Basketball coaches at work in the Emerald Isle - Courtesy GIU

GIU – Two basketball coaches from Ohio are on island this week as part of the Reach One Teach One basketball camp for junior and senior players. Lead Coach, David Shoemaker said they will be looking out for outstanding players who could possibly be recruited to play basketball at colleges in his state.

Shoemaker said at the opening ceremony on Sunday evening that he has invited the local organizers to coordinate a visit of a team of the top players to Ohio for the month of October. “I can’t guarantee you that you will be selected by a school but I can assure you, they will get to come and see you. It will be up to each of you to work hard and give it your best,” the coach told the athletes.

The camp is being hosted by MC Media Inc and the Warren Cassell Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Sports and began on Monday at the Brades basketball court. Presently there are 50 junior players who are being coached in all aspects of the game from 9am to noon each day until Friday. The senior players number 30 and meet each evening starting at 6pm.

Beresford Mack of MC Media Inc, said his organization and the Warren Cassell Foundation have already begun to make the plans to get the top players to Ohio later this year. He encouraged the athletes to consider how much they wanted a future in the game and to be prepared to work hard during the week of training to gain as much skills as possible from the coaches and to maintain this once the camp was over.

Montserrat youths at work with Basketball coaches from the US = Courtesy GIU

Assisting Coach Shoemaker is Coach Joshua Anderson, who is on island for the first time. Coach Shoemaker visited Montserrat 15 years ago to work with the players prior to their travelling abroad for international tournaments.

Coach Shoemaker and Beresford Mack agreed the goal was to get Montserrat back on the international scope by improving the standard of the athletes playing the game here.

Source: MTB

The Montserrat Tourist Board (MTB), in conjunction with the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO), has started a training programme for taxi drivers, tour guides and tour operators.  The programme began on Monday August 16 at the Lookout Community Centre, and will end on Friday August 20, 2010.

Mrs. Bonita Morgan, Director of Human Resources of the Barbados-based CTO, and who is also a highly qualified trainer, is serving as the facilitator for the training.  The content of the programme covers customer service excellence, as well as the honing of tour guiding techniques, delivering quality service and improving communication skills.

“This training programme is part of the overall efforts at the MTB aimed at improving the skills of frontline personnel working in the tourism sector, so that they can continue to offer the high quality of customer service and friendliness that Montserrat is known for” said Director of Tourism, Ms. Ernestine Cassell.

by Bennette Roach

– Hon. Don Romeo says that is still not enough and too late

After over six weeks since the Government of Montserrat relented, and postponed the passage of a Resolution in the Legislature that committed a 2010 draft Constitution for Montserrat to Her Majesty’s Government for enactment, there is the announcement that the government has initiated a campaign to “educate the general public about the contents of the proposed draft Constitution Order for Montserrat.”

On June 29, 2010 following an all day “debate’ in the Legislature it was clear that the government would yield to the call led by new ‘kid’ parliamentarian Donaldson Romeo, to allow more time to the people of Montserrat to familiarize themselves with the changes, additions, and nuances of the new draft Constitution. Independent media and voices particularly from the Diaspora had joined in the call for more study and getting to know the issues that made up the draft Constitution which provided little while his leader supported the government’s arguments and their position why there was more than enough time for the populace to have discussed and comment on the draft Constitution.

Just prior to the Resolution debate the Reuben Meade government named a Constitution Implementation and Advice Committee (CIAC) which only this week begun a campaign to educate the general public about the contents of the proposed draft Constitution Order for Montserrat. The first such meeting was held last night where reports suggest that speakers and in particular the Attorney General were accused of being unable to speak in the interest of Montserrat.

According to Alric “Jim” Taylor, Chairman of the CIAC every effort will be made to connect with the public through various forums and media.

But MP Donaldson Romeo is far from pleased at the efforts of the government where the announcement said that the CIAC, of which he was appointed a member, would initiate a campaign to “educate” the general public… Romeo told The Montserrat Reporter that it is clear the government has no intention to consult with the people on the draft Constitution, which had been discussed behind closed doors and almost in secret, for at least the last three years.

After the Resolution passage was halted, the new parliamentarian, who is constantly derided by CM Meade in the Legislature and elsewhere because he seeks to get expert opinions where necessary, had said that he would wait to see what action the Government took to discuss and consult with the public on issues regarding the latest draft of the Constitution which they had expected to pass through the Legislative Council.

According to a GIU release which said, “Following the decision in the Legislative Council in June to give an additional three months for public debate and discussion, the committee (CIAC) was asked to lead the education campaign on the new draft document.”

The release said further that in July, ZJB Radio Montserrat in collaboration with the Government Information Unit (GIU) began airing a series of infomercials called “Your Constitution Minute”. These spots have now been converted to YouTube videos with the text and information on how persons can share their views on the new laws. The videos are available at www.themontserratreporter.com and on the Government of Montserrat website at, www.gov.ms as well as on the Spirit of Montserrat fan page on Facebook.

Several requests for printed copies of the draft Constitution have so far been ignored, while Chief Minister Meade maintains that the draft is available via the internet on several government related web sites. The CM says that he thinks it would be wasted money to have them printed as he is of the opinion, “probably overcome by my belief in the use of the internet,” that very few people would actually read the document. Still, persons are still encouraged to download a copy of the draft Constitution Order from the internet. Copies have also been made available at local Health Centres, churches and the public library. A personal copy can be requested at the Office of the Chief Minister or the Deputy Governor’s office.

At the press conference the CM had also said that in an effort to “take the politics out of the matter” he was engaging the Speaker and the Clerk of Council to oversee the publicity of the draft.

Mr. Taylor along with representatives from the Attorney General’s office, including Parliamentary counsel Ms. Barbara Vargas will be part of a panel, which will lead weekly town hall meetings. The first town hall session was scheduled to be held last night, Thursday, in Salem at the Shiloh Pentecostal Church at 7:15pm. Other meetings are scheduled to be held in St. Peters, Brades and Look Out communities every Thursday in August.

All of the meetings will be recorded for replay on radio and the local access channel on Cable TV.

The debate on the new constitution is expected to resume in late September when government hopes to pass the Resolution which sends the draft on the HMG for enactment.

Meanwhile Resident Tutor at the University of the West Indies Open Campus, Gracelyn Cassell has called for positive debate on the new draft Constitution Order for Montserrat.

She notes that as members of a free and democratic society Montserratians need to exercise the rights to which they are entitled, and as such should make an effort to read the document and make meaningful contributions and suggestions.