by B. Roach
A number of Montserratians both living in the New York, and in the Diaspora, along with Dr. Sheron Burns, Bruce Farara and Bennette Roach were among the persons recognized by the Montserrat Progressive Society New York (MPSNY) at their gala 100th anniversary dinner in New York on Saturday, September 20, 2014.
Premier Romeo delivers speech
The first elected and new Premier of Montserrat, the Hon. Donaldson Romeo was scheduled as Premier of Montserrat to deliver the feature address at the gala celebrations awards banquet. The Premier was sworn in to office only a week before Sept 12 and told TMR that even with the greatest desire even up to the last minute he was unable to keep the obligation. Instead he offered to send a video of him delivering the speech, but the Society opted for a recording instead, although at worst he was willing to have Dr. George Irish who also received an award, read the speech.
In the speech (publicized in this issue) the Premier paid tribute to the Montserrat Progressive Society of New York on its centenary – to the organizers and leaders Premier Romeo expressed his delight to share in the momentous occasion with all Montserratians and Caribbean Americans at large.
He lauded the society for what he describes as an incredible and well deserving celebration one hundred years of community service, one hundred years of thriving and overcoming.
Bruce Farara receives MPS award
He reminded, “small populations have grave economic and social challenges,” he said. “In this case, Montserrat needs more Montserratians and friends of Montserrat working together to build a modern and vibrant economy to which many can return to happily live and work in our homeland…Although good governance where fairness, transparency and accountability are necessary as leadership functions, we need a flourishing economy. This can only be driven by a private sector-led agenda that cares…”
“The Montserrat Progressive Society of New York (MPSNY) – has a lot to be thankful for and much praise to offer to God, its founders and current leaders,” leaving them with his prayer from afar for each to “have a safe journey to your homes, with a renewed commitment for Montserrat to rise again.”
Mr. Jeevan Robinson
Dr. George Irish – MPS
Dr. Burns, who heads the Early Child Unit, Mr. Farara, a prominent businessman on Montserrat and Mr. Roach, Editor of the Montserrat Reporter, received awards for their contributions to early childhood education, business and journalism respectively.
The Montserrat Progressive Society, which was started by a group of enterprising Montserratians in 1914, also handed out awards to several other persons who had achieved in a several areas.
Apart from Dr. Burns, Dr. George Irish received an award for his contribution to education, James West and Louville Carty for community services, Esco Henry in Law; and Dr. Ingrid Buffonge and Dr. Icilma Fergus-Rowe for their achievements in the field of medicine.
Other awardees were Gary Morton, business and Jeevan Robinson, media.
The centenarian celebrations for the Montserrat Progressive Society of New York got well on the way since Saturday and will continue throughout this week.
Mrs. Esco Henry
Icilma Fergus-Rowe
The MPSNY was established in 1914 as a charitable organization committed to dealing with issues of mutual concerns to Montserratians and the Caribbean American Community at large.
Celebrations Committee chairman Victor Puma Lewis, while speaking of the very humble beginnings of the MPS-NY and its progress and maturity over the 100 years of its existence
said activities to commemorate the year celebrations for the 100th anniversary included a spring dance coming up, which would be Friends of Montserrat Gala and then towards the end of it, a special Friends of Montserrat benefit concert to be held at the Apollo theater on September 24, 2015. These were two of the major events along with the annual mother’s day celebration, as well as various other meetings and connections where we are connecting the Diaspora in connection with what the organization has been doing over the 100 years and what they have done to support all Montserratians here in the United States.
The MPSNY
Lewis said speaking in a ZJB radio report said, “It’s a rich history…the organization began out of the apartment of one of the Montserratians who was just helping out different Montserratians getting their feet sorted out when they came to the States. The organization grew into a major important beacon for other Montserratians to come over here whether it’s being able to get scholarship to go to school, to be able to get health benefits… Now it’s grown to where we’re now rekindling and making it be known of more things to come and hopefully we’ll be there for another 100 years and the generation that’s coming up to understand it’s all about to be able to support each other.”
He said that for the most part it’s been positive. “I think there could be a lot more activities, active members…one of the goals for this year celebration is to be able to interact more with Montserratians and the professional Montserratians who are doing allot of positive things here in the United States and around the country itself to be able to get involved and celebrate with us and also be able to give their professional services to the different Montserratians that are here,” he continued, citing there are a lot of doctors, lawyers, mechanics, construction workers, carpenters.
“They are all here. Montserratians that actually have very strong businesses throughout the boroughs of New York for,” he said, citing that they are not necessarily within the Montserratian community, “but within the whole New York area.”
