The Montserrat Reporter

PIN Notice

 This is a prior information notice (PIN) only: publication and call for competition will only be conducted when final approval is given for programme design and funding.

The UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) intends to fund the provision of a new submarine fibre optic cable for the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean. The new cable will link with the neighbouring islands of Antigua and St Kitts and Nevis. Due to volcanic activity the island has been without fibre optic connectivity since 1997 and has since relied on a precarious and expensive microwave link with Antigua. The lack of fibre connectivity has been one of the main constraints affecting Montserrat’s prospects for economic growth.

The key outputs envisaged for this programme are:

• The provision of a submarine cable, laid between Montserrat and Antigua and Montserrat and St Kitts and Nevis. This will require the necessary preparation works, including but not limited to obtaining required permissions and Environmental Impact Assessments. The cable will be the property of the Government of Montserrat.

• The laid fibre optic cable connected to landing site and ready for connection to on island infrastructure.

• The provision and maintenance of effective fibre optic service for the island of Montserrat.

• Effective communications and partnership with key stakeholders: DFID, Government of Montserrat Department of Information Technology and E-Government Services (DITES), Government of Antigua, St Kitts and Nevis.

DFID would like to ask the market a series of guiding questions about the tender and would like a written response to them. These questions can be found on the DFID Portal https://supplierportal.dfid.gov.uk/selfservice/ using the reference number PO 7271. Further information and supporting documentation is available via the supplier portal.

Parties interested in submitting a written response or requiring any other information should register interest via the DFID Portal. Written responses should be received no later than 14:00 UK time on Monday 10^th August 2015 and should be no more than 5 A4 pages in length in Arial font 12.

After we have reviewed the written responses a Partners/Suppliers Information Day is planned at DFID’s offices in Brades and Whitehall with the aim of further gauging interest in the project, engaging with the market to gain expert opinion, exploring possible approaches and increasing DFID’s knowledge on how best to proceed with this programme.

This is Information Day is indicatively planned for Thursday 27^th August (9:30 local time and 14:30 UK time), and will be confirmed within the coming days. The two hour session will include a presentation and Q&A session regarding the programme and the services required. This will be an opportunity for interested parties to learn more about DFID, the role expected of any appointed supplier, and to discuss innovative approaches to programme delivery

Partners/Suppliers are encouraged to register on the DFID Portal and use the ‘Dialogue/ Clarification’ function on the DFID Portal in advance of this meeting to raise initial questions or recommendations.

For logistical reasons, the deadline to register an intention to attend the engagement session is Monday 24^th August. Attendance should be confirmed via the ‘Dialogue/ Clarification’ function on the DFID Portal.

Cool and calm:

A married couple is driving along a highway doing a steady 60 miles per hour. The wife is behind the wheel. Her husband suddenly looks across at her and speaks in a clear voice. ‘I know we’ve been married for twenty years, but I want a divorce.’

The wife says nothing,Keeps looking at the road ahead but slowly increases her speed to 65 mph. The husband speaks again. ‘I don’t want you to try and talk me out of it,’ He says, ‘because I’ve been having an affair with your best friend, And she’s a far better lover than you are.’

Again the wife stays quiet, But grips the steering wheel more tightly and slowly increases the speed to 75 He pushes his luck. ‘I want the house,’ he says insistently..

Up to 80. ‘I want the car, too,’ he continues.

85 mph. ‘And,’ he says, ‘I’ll have the bank accounts, all the credit cards and the boat!’

The car slowly starts veering towards a massive concrete bridge. This makes him nervous, so he asks her, ‘Isn’t there anything you want?’
The wife at last replies in a quiet and controlled voice.
‘No, I’ve got everything I need,’ she says.
‘Oh, really,’ he inquires, ‘so what have you got?’

Just before they slam into the wall at 85 mph,The wife turns to him and smiles. ‘The airbag.’

Moral of the Story :
Women are crazy!!!!

We say: Don’t mess with women

An  ‘ugly’ woman walk into a store with her 2 kids, yelling at them.

The store clerk pleasantly said, “Good morning ma’am and welcome. Nice children, are they twins?”

The ugly woman stops yelling and said, “Hell no they are not, one is nine and the other is seven. Why the hell would u think they’re twins, Are you blind, or just stupid?”

The clerk replied, “I’m neither blind nor stupid ma’am, I just can’t believe someone would ‘makeout’ with you twice!”

Candlelight vigil to welcome the ‘Chief’s’ body at Little Bay

The New Year rolled in with unusual of death announcements of two long serving members of the People’s Liberation Movement (PLM), political party which was led by John Alfred Osborne who himself died on January 2, 2011. He was followed by one of his strong  party colleague and supporter, Noel ‘Dada’ Tuitt, who served as a Minister of his Government for three consecutive terms from 1978 to 1991 while he served as Chief Minister for the same period.

The two PLM stalwarts were remembered by the Reuben Meade Government Executive at their first  Executive Council meeting for the year as the members observed two minutes silence as a mark of respect for the both Dr. John A. Osborne and Mr. Noel Tuitt.

According to a statement from Government House, the Executive Council expressed its condolences to the families of their deceased colleagues.

During this week there concerns about flags being flown or not flown at half mast as customary show of respect to state officials when they die. There was also the question as to whether there will be a ‘gun salute’ at the state funeral service. Regarding the second concern Government House officials explain that the gun salute is reserved for persons who have served in a military capacity.

It was then confirmed by officials that the Union Jack will be flown at half mast on the days of the funeral and burial of Mr. Osborne. However we could not obtain information as to why the Montserrat flag was not flown at half mast all the time, since the death of Osborne.

Meanwhile, announcements of and preparations for the burial of the former Chief Minister got under way. The expected announcement that Mr. Osborne would receive the expected honour of a state funeral came early in the week.

The former long serving Montserrat Chief Minister died in the state of Kentucky in the United States of America on January 2, 2011 after a long illness and hospitalisation from July last year.

(GIU) – A candlelight vigil will be held on Sunday January 16 at 6:30 p.m. to honor the life of the former chief minister Dr. John A. Osborne who passed away earlier this month in the United States.

The body of the former chief minister is scheduled to arrive by sea on Sunday evening and hence the vigil will take place near the port at Little Bay.

Chief Minister Reuben Meade said in a radio broadcast that the government is organizing the vigil which will feature steel band music as the late leader was a pan player. The general public is also being asked to wear the national colors of green and white and bring candles, lighting sticks of even their mobile phones to use throughout the evening.

There will be several tributes from family and friends of the Dr. Osborne, who was the island’s longest serving leader of government.

The family has chosen to bring the body home by sea as Dr. Osborne was a boat builder and shipper and loved being on and near the ocean. Following the arrival, the body will be taken by members of the Royal Montserrat Defense Force and the Royal Montserrat Police Force to the mortuary at the Glendon Hospital where there will be a round the clock honor guard until the Official Funeral Service on Friday, January 21, at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.

Dr. Osborne will be laid to rest on Saturday, January 22, 2011 after a private family ceremony at the St. Peters Anglican Church.