Early today the Governor’s Office issued a surprise release which follows:
“Her Excellency the Governor, Elizabeth Carriere, will be leaving Montserrat in early January 2018 to take up a senior position with an international development non-governmental organisation (NGO) to work in Africa on programmes related to development, social justice and gender equality.
By the time of her departure Ms Carriere will have completed two and a half years of her three year appointment as Governor.
The release reported the Governor, speaking of her new appointment and her departure from Montserrat, she said:
“I have thoroughly enjoyed my work as Governor of Montserrat and am grateful for the opportunity to work in this role and in this special place. Montserrat will always remain close to my heart. However, I have to look forward to what comes next after my role here. My next appointment will return me to Africa to work in areas of development that are of great importance to me – social justice, economic empowerment and gender equality. But the latest I can take up this position is January 2018. Sadly, this means that I will have to leave Montserrat early, before my three year term is completed. I am making arrangements to leave the UK Civil Service and take up this position by the beginning of 2018. I will be able to say more about this nearer the time.”
As we reported two weeks ago referring already thinking of her departure, prophetically perhaps, to her legacy, we recall reporting statements on her arrival to Montserrat, near exactly two years ago, when she responded to the welcome speeches, noticeably stressing on Good Governance.
The process of selecting the next Governor has begun and Ms Carriere will work closely with her successor to ensure a good handover, and hopes that progress continues in the important areas of her work.