more energy put into arguing among ourselves,
At her monthly press conference Her Excellency Governor Elizabeth Carriere after expressing disappointment that she had achieved less than she expected since her arrival on August 5, last year.
There are some positives she reported, but she may have hinted at including top public servants hindering progress. “I am sorry to say I have witnessed what seems sometimes like more energy put into arguing among ourselves, refusals to act, litigation and other such activities than simply putting our shoulders the wheel and getting on with it together…”
“But we have some good things happening here and we can and in my view focus on making these happen in the interest of people of Montserrat and Montserrat’s future,” she said, noting that, “Getting the economy moving again is not a simple matter there’s no quick fixes with this, nor is this something that could be done for Montserrat.”
The Governor reminded, “As I have said from the beginning it’s up to Montserrat to use the talents, the skills and the initiative we have to use our natural resources including our environment wisely and to capitalize through wise management on the investments that are being made in Montserrat by private investors, the U.K government, the EU and other sources of funding and support.”
While speaking to positives she noted the progress made regarding children and vulnerable who are still not protected, “in the way we would wish.” She said, “some of our institutional arrangements and social infrastructure need upgrading or changing but on the positive side I should add that some of that is already underway.”
In keeping with her tenor of disappointment, she lamented, “But change happens slowly and there appears to be a fair amount of resistance or reluctance or confusion around some of these changes.”