The Montserrat Reporter reported at press time prematurely in anticipation that geothermal drilling was due to start last week Wednesday night. The drilling was scheduled to begin began at seven o’clock on Wednesday, February 23 as announced the day before at the blessing and opening of the drilling at the bottom of Weekes near the Cork Hill main road.
It was TMR’s press night but on invitation we had travelled to Cork Hill, that was the intention, to witness the start of the drilling. On arrival at the gate, we found it closed and after unsuccessful enquires were forced to vacate the privilege, after being given strange and unusual directives as to who to contact to get the gate open.. We would not learn until the following day, too late for the press, that the engines never started and the drilling did not begin.
Director of Public Works in a report to ZJB news eventually confirmed that the rig which came from Dominica where it had been parked up for a number of months… “they found a number of issues. Some of the cables have been chewed by vermin, which should be replaced. The computer system that drives the rig failed…”
Sources said that the problems may be more than has been advertised, but Beardsley reported that parts had to be sourced from Iceland and that they had a potential new start date of March 6.
(Beardsley addreses delay)
See http://www.themontserratreporter.com/geothermal-drilling-starts/
