Governor and wife, Cathy say their goodbyes
by Bennette Roach
Governor Peter Andrew Waterworth arrived in Montserrat and assumed duties as Governor of this Overseas Dependent territory, Montserrat on July 27, 2007. He departed the island on Thursday, March 3, 2011, leaving the new deputy Governor Sarita Francis to carry on until the new and substantive Governor Adrian Davis, arrives in mid-April.
When the Governor departed, he did so as in his own words frustrated and disappointed by the lack of progress on key development projects. “…lack of progress with obviously Little Bay. The outline is on the ground, but by this stage, I would really have hoped to see the buildings actually up. Not just about to start going up,” he said.
The Governor emphasizing his own failure referenced Secretary of State Mitchell’s much spoken about whirlwind visit to Montserrat and further described his frustration and disappointment. “…the big things that I hoped would happen while I was here haven’t happened,” he noted, pointing directly to geothermal and the harbour (the port) at Little Bay.
The Governor was giving what Radio Montserrat, the only media house he spoke to since his second press conference in 2008, described as his farewell message to residents. The Governor during that message said he was repeating his Christmas message which appeared only in his newsletter as against the usual publication in The Montserrat Reporter. (No Christmas message from the various Ministries were published as ususal.)
The Governor became equally insulting when he referred to the Secretary of State’s message that “the status quo cannot carry on, and the big checks are not going to be available…” Not surprisingly many understood that statement and had no quarell, but then he suggested that the conversation must be about the Secretary of State’s willingness to write checks. “…and he was very clear about that, but that sort of got drowned out in some frankly, silly language about insults.”
Governor Peter Waterworth
The Government declined direct comment on the ‘Secretary of State’s insults’, in a discussion of Radio Montserrat, involving Chief Minister Meade, Minister Colin Riley, Bennette Roach, TMR Editor and Justin ‘Hero’ Cassell, press officer. The ministers while saying there may have been some ‘poor choice of words’ chose to move beyond the insults. And discussed matters arising from Minister Mitchell’s visit.
The Governor in the meantime on the eve of his departure following up calling “silly”, those who chose to challenge the Secretary of State’s words, added, “There was no insult and no insult was intended.”
The Governor did not find anything to boast about but Deputy Governor Sarita Francis reportedly said that the highlights of the Governor’s service were in the area of reforms to the public service, over which he had direct responsibility.
The Governor reportedly visited several departments this week including, the Police, MVO and the Attorney General Chambers, the human resources unit. There were also two farewell functions organized by the members of the Legislative Council, and the other by heads of sections that form directly under the Governor’s control.
Governor Waterworth will answer for himself as to his failures, when soon after his arrival he spoke of challenges as well as those for himself when he invited the media, “to keep him and Ministers and others in authority in Montserrat accountable.” The Governor like some of his predecessors kept himself away from the media.
His failure is highlighted when at every turn the Chief Minister talks about the inefficiency and ineffectiveness of public servants. Immediately after the Governor’s arrival, he said that the public service will have to respond to a culture shift: ”The civil service isn’t just important in terms of service delivery… it pervades every part of life on the island…getting the public service right, the delivering of efficient and economical service for all its customers…it needs to be working as a modern accountable and effective public service.”
In his departing message he said, “I think the chief minister and I were sitting there, and we both heard exactly what he was saying,” speaking about Montserrat standing on its own two feet and not waiting like little birds for the mother bird to feed them.
Among his disappointments was his failed attempt to ‘reform’ the public service. He had hoped that the shift, “will not be too much of a culture shift.”
