When Premier Meade two weeks ago, lashed out before leaving for participation in the annual Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC), at Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) saying he was sick and tired of their many questions, which he regarded as rubbish. He said that he, “had enough of studies and consultations,” as he thought it was, “…time for us to start moving forward on developmental issues and stop studying things to death.”
The many questions he referred to were seemingly in connection with Montserrat’s involvement in the OECS and by extension to CSME and CARICOM. In the midst of all that he and his government are hounded by the Opposition Leader, Don(aldson) Romeo that they do not consult enough on pertinent national matters with the people of Montserrat
On that question of consultation, Romeo wants the Premier before signing any treaty to satisfy that the people of Montserrat are conversant with what is involved in joining be it OECS or CSME, or any matter which touches deeply the country.
However, regarding these studies that the Premier has expressed such deep frustration, the population, which as far as Montserratians (indigenous), those born here are now less than the all-time low of 1997 (approx. 3700 which included just over 600 non-Montserratians), would share the frustration as it is often said “we have been over consulted”.
‘Too many consultancies,’ they would say, but the question more appropriately should be, ‘how have we benefited from the consultancies?’ If one were to consider that it is rumoured that presently there are even less resident Montserratians as described above today (rumour because no official figures have been presented since the census over two months ago), it can be said that the consultancies have not borne any fruits.
The big problem however is that very little is known about the reports from the consultancies. The accusation that the new Constitution would still have been debated if it had to go through a referendum is quite real. Reports are not generally published, hardly discussed, although they may be found in some archive or on very dusty shelves hardly if at all considered. That has become worst and hence the frustration. But who should be blamed for that? All that really did is give HMG more excuses, “for us to start moving forward on developmental issues and stop studying things to death,” to quote the Premier again.
In January, 1998 Chief Minister Brandt repeatedly said that the British promises are not followed by action and he has come not to trust them. “the word “commitment” has become a ‘bad-word’ in Montserrat.” (see http://www.montserratreporter.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=50)
Brandt was chief minister for only a few months when he said, “In my association with the British sometimes, it seems that they have grown accustomed to telling Montserrat politicians, ‘This is what we have decided and you have to agree to it.’ Interestingly, at the time we reported this, “…but other elected members, Hon. Reuben Meade and, Brunel Meade were on the other end of the position…”
