Dear Mr Brandt:
I am a Montserratian living in England. I choose to write to you bringing forward some comments in light of some recent developments in Montserrat.
I’ve learnt from The Montserrat reporter that recently you’ve aired a statement on ZJB, which has caused an upset. In your statement that it was mentioned, “In this day and age should we have a white governor, a white attorney general and a white commissioner of police?” and this was considered by the Attorney general to be slanderous and racist statements and unpleasant, derogatory comments aired on the radio station and for this the manager of ZJB was asked to apologise by the Governor or Deputy governor.
Well if the deputy governor and other Montserratians living at home think that those remarks are racist well they haven’t heard anything as yet. I am of the view that is an unfair system in Montserrat compared to the U.K.
I am employed by the London Metropolitan Police Service as a police community support officer. My goal was to become a full police officer. I have been kept from becoming a PC due to discrimination and bullying instigated and covered up by senior staff. I was once told by a police inspector who was instigating staff to discriminate against me,” I acknowledge that you are in an uncomfortable situation. You should not expect them to change for you.” Although I had filed grievances nothing was done about it.
Although we Montserratians carry British passports and are considered to be British nationals, a Montserratian cannot just migrate to the UK and join a police force or get any prestigious job regardless to their experience and qualifications. No. They got to be living in the country for three years doing jobs like bar tendering and janitor. But the British nationals can come to Montserrat and not only join our police force. They don’t start off as a constable but pass everyone to ranks such as superintendent, deputy commissioner and commissioner. If Commissioner Foster were transferred to the U.K. and directly posted as commissioner in one of their police forces it would kick up a storm up here. No doubt about that. In the U.K. they look out for their own born nationals giving them first preference and that is a known fact. But in Montserrat the British nationals can come and take up senior positions we are not allowed to voice our views. The situation is unfair.
In the U.K. there is a political party named the British National Party (BNP). The BNP is explicitly racist. One of there policies is that all people who are none whites return to their countries of origin along with their generations. This they refer to as ethnic cleansing. Although explicitly racist the BNP is recognised as a national political party in the U.K. They are normally aired on the BBC and sky news stating their racist views and no one is asked to apologise. I remember during the 2010 general elections they were aired by a hiden mic during their campaigns making a lot of racist remarks like, “Don’t go to that house. She has black children. “He is going to bring his entire tribe over here.” It is so suprising how quickly the attorney general and the governor became so offended by remarks which were not racist. Just wondering if it is because the BNP is not racist to the caucasions they are recognised as a national political party and entitiled to their views.
I do agree with born Montserratians filling the posts of Police Commissioner, Attorney General and resident governor. If a local can be deputy governor then one can just as well be resident governor and not a British national.
The entire system is indeed unfair. To deal with the matter starts with acknowledging it and speaking out. I remember times when the late John Osborne and Chedmond Brown were campagning for independence. Now I understand what they were talking about. If I knew what I now know before I came to England I would not have left Montserrat.
UK Montserratian.
