August 25, 2017
The Montserrat Reporter was to learn within the last week of a conversation reportedly taking place in Montserrat, that does more to exacerbate the ignorance exhibited by those responsible for the future of Montserrat, let’s say from all sides.
The conversation given in rough terms is that Montserrat should dump or separate from the UK.
Anyone can say anything but should be able to explain and offer some plan no matter how rough to achieve this.
Whatever the thought is behind that conversation, one thing is certain, if that reaches our ears, it reaches others and in particular HMG, DFID and related. At first there was little interest in the source of the conversation, but it sounds little less than some of the expressions we’ve head coming from would be or even leaders in our community, whatever they are hoping to be.
When we flashed back last week there was so much more to recall. The Montserrat dilemma is really a simple one. But the UK stiff upper lip syndrome is quite a big problem, which when understood and realised cannot be that difficult to overcome or deal with. It is obvious we do not deal with that very well. We can get current with what has gone on since 2009, 2012, aggravated two years later and other than what Ms Marshall can take responsibility for, Aide Memoire 2014, a simple study of that period, bring to focus the status quo prior to 1995, all HMG expressions since the crisis began, the 1999 White Paper which was claimed to come about because of Montserrat, these people who cannot explain themselves as to how and where they plan to take Montserrat, should be shunned.
Talk is nothing more than talk until the political leaders can be ‘honestly’ engaged. What kind of challenge is that? Waiting for two more years is backwardness as we suggested last week. Knowledge is power.
If what exists is not a preponderance of ignorance then let honesty and less corruptible conversations take place. We ask again. How did the plan for 2008 – 2020 fall by the wayside. Twenty-four months had gone by and when the Premier in December announced at the Financial Aid Mission (FAM) held two months earlier than usual, the final aid settlement which was to be agreed by early February, 2017.
It was then the Premier announced, “the most important results from this FAM relate to the Capital/Development Programme. GoM will submit a five-year Capital Programme on priority capital projects and the timeline for these projects.
Those included: “The Breakwater and the land side development for the port will be developed in stages, Geothermal energy, The Fibre Optic cable project;” and he concluded, “we have to worked together to lay a foundation for the economic transformation to come and to fulfil our national vision of a friendly, vibrant, healthy, wholesome, prosperous, entrepreneurial and peaceful, God-fearing, God-blessed community.”
So much from this report in February 2014 – a simple study of what has happened since then will turn heads if the corruptible can get a change of heart. “The meetings will also review the ho 2014/2015 budget estimates including domestic revenue projections and policy objectives, discuss an approach to multi-year recurrent budget settlement, performance of the capital projects portfolio, as well as agree a model and content for Sustainable Group Plan MOU Phase 11.”
Discussions will also focus on the review of retention issues, establishment and non-establishment numbers, Government of Montserrat public sector reforms and reviews, and pensions.
Who is paying attention. Any feedback?
