Over the past week and since the change of the MDC Board which suggested that the new Don Romeo Government recognized that continuing with the old Board might not be ”going forward”, there have been much by way of attacks and some fiery responses.
The attacks came in statements, and by letters and responses, some captured well in publications on MNIAlive.com and confirmed and authenticated to us via our own enquiries and feedback.
We publish directly some of the statements, letters and comments.
The following is a political statement by Hon. Leader of Opposition on Montserrat, Reuben T. Meade
Greetings my brothers and sisters, I shall address some issues briefly as we move ahead into 2015. It has been more than 120 days since the last elections. We have sat and observed without comment to allow the new administration headed by the Honourable Donaldson Romeo to learn the ropes of running a government. They had promised that they would hit the ground running but unfortunately it was raining so they landed in mud and got stuck.
They promised transparency and consultations but there has only been wet ash on the windscreen so transparency and open government is lost.
They claim that MDC was not performing properly and claim they have a report that is so secret that it cannot be seen even by the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. If they wanted to get rid of the MDC Board and put their own people in just say so. If they want to shut down MDC also say so.
They cannot get projects moving even having had them approved and funded and left for them to implement by the former administration. They fail to comply, with many elements of the procurement rules. Anything that was put in place by the Reuben T Meade administration and working is being dismantled.
I am simply asking the Honourable Premier to please break his silence, come out of hiding and tell us what is happening to our island after more than 120 days in office. If he is under pressure from his colleagues he can let us know. There were approved projects left on the books kindly tell us what is happening to them?
A)The Hospital Project;
B)The MSS buildings;
C)The Port Development;
D)The new fast ferry;
E)The Davy Hill apartments;
F)The drilling of a third well;
and progress on geothermal among others. What is the status of these and the others?
You promised a salary increase for civil servants or did you?
You promised a re-introduction of increments or did you?
You promised an increase in welfare payments or did you?
You promised transparency and consultation or did you?
You promised so much.
We don’t expect them all to be delivered in so short a time but please, we beg you. Please tell us something.
We start the new year expecting to pay our motor vehicle licenses but are told that you will not accept our money until February. Does that mean we get January free? The law says we should have our vehicles licensed in January. Has the law been changed? I notice new legislation being proposed at the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly – being rushed through without consultation. The norm is for one reading then the bill is published in the gazette to allow debate and discussion by all affected and interested persons. However, they refuse to allow us the opportunity to look at the legislation before rushing it through three readings at one sitting. Is this what was promised? Is this the consultation that they promised? The new road traffic bill should not be rushed. I ask that this bill be presented for its first reading and a period for consultation to take place, which is the norm. Motor vehicle licenses can continue as per usual this year and the change brought in next year. What’s the rush?
I am simply asking the Honourable Premier to kindly speak to us on the above issues and stop hiding from the people. You are our chief representative so we want to hear from you. If your colleagues are threatening to overthrow you then tell us as well.
– See more at: http://www.mnialive.com/articles/statement-by-the-hon-leader-of-opposition-on-montserrat-rueben-t-meade#sthash.oAuLty0K.dpuf
Response To The Fairytales In Reuben T Meade’s ZJB Statement Aired Recently
Reuben Meade asking for and talking about transparency? Oh my God! Does that man have a conscience or a moral compass even?
Mr Editor,
I would have liked to write this letter under my name, but I am a servant of the people, and this place we live in is small so in case I get victimised I will write this under anonymity.
I ask your indulgence please Mr Editor, to simply respond to what I heard on ZJB radio this morning coming from the lips of now ex and very bitter leader of the opposition, Reuben T Meade.
Reuben Meade asking for and talking about transparency? Oh my God! Does that man have a conscience or an ethical compass even?
Reuben T Meade on my radio today saying that he left approved projects? Mr Meade are you serious? Did you write that statement or did someone write it for you? For if you wrote it you would very well know that you went on the radio this morning and bamboozled the people of Montserrat with political BS!
Mr Editor, I know for a fact that Meade left no approved Port Project. None! He knows it. I know it, and any thinking Montserratian knows it. That was a blatant disregard of the facts from Mr Meade.
Mr Meade also knows, Mr Editor that the reason why the MDC is having problems now is because of issues that are now coming to light under his administration! Why does Mr Meade not tell the people of Montserrat the truth and tell us just why he put tourist board under MDC. Was it not to get access to the tourism funds for MDC to continue doing a piss poor job of developing the private sector of this country?
Mr Meade it was you who told us Dubai investors were ready to invest in this country and marched happily with them on your screw up that is Piper’s Pond saying they ready to build buildings because they want to invest in us. You, Mr Meade flew to Antigua telling us about MoU with these Dubai people to build them buildings. Ok then Mr Meade, where are the Dubai investors? Where is the MoU or any form of agreement? Why can’t we find it anywhere here in government? Is it down by your house? Where is it Mr Meade?
The Hospital Project, Mr Editor, Mr Meade knows nothing of that and how it got initial approval! What Mr Meade did to Mr Colin Riley is a downright shame. I am surprised he still campaigned with MCAP. Mr Meade knows and I know that he had nothing to do with hospital project and when he took it from Mr Colin Riley to control it, the business case for the project was poorly done and not meeting standards why now DFID have placed that project on hold.
Good God Reuben! Stop playing politics with the people of Montserrat and tell the damn facts!
Reuben you have a nerve to now talk about procurement? Really? You Reuben gave the Radio ZJB building to a construction company that you so conveniently now work for. Not only that but I know and you know too Reuben that they are now asking for more money to finish the building. What procurement rules did you follow Mr Meade when you GAVE that project to your chosen firm? Tell the people of Montserrat the facts Reuben. And your procurement people who let so much pass under your watch and now acting like they are by the book – shame on them! Shame! Shame! Shame on them!
You talk about Geothermal Reuben but the third well you mention had some form of approval, not full approval, and you very well know that DFID took it away from your MCAP administration. You can go on radio and try to use your persuasive manner of speaking to dispute these all you like but you know and I know these are the facts.
The ferry also you very well know was not fully approved when you left office.
I cannot understand how a man like you who calls your countrymen brothers and sisters, who loves God – yet you go on ZJB radio and bamboozle the people of this land?
I know Reuben and you know that you are playing politics to destroy any real advancement on this island.
Why don’t you come on ZJB and tell us how you left this country? The financial state you left our Montserrat in. You can’t do it. I dare you to go on ZJB Reuben and talk about that!
Disgusted!
A Servant of the People
James Observation · Top Commenter
Reuben Meade’s level of hypocrisy and dishonesty has never known any bounds. So no one should be surprised by his boldface lies and hypocritical statements yesterday.
Mr Meade came on radio yesterday for one reason only. The bitter old man felt that he was being upstaged by Jermaine Wade, who has declared himself to be the Opposition spokesman. After all, how could the office attendant be seen to be saying more than the leader of the Opposition.
While Mr Meade has asked Romeo to answer a series of questions, perhaps his supporters could ask him some very practical questions as well.
Mr Meade said: “There were approved projects left on the books kindly tell us what is happening to them? A)The Hospital Project; B)The MSS buildings; C)The Port Development; D)The new fast ferry; E)The Davy Hill apartments; F)The drilling of a third well;”
So ask Mr Meade the following: Mr Meade, how exactly is the DFID approval for funding of a project communicated to the Government of Montserrat? Where does one find those approval documents?
We know that RTM likes to expose the contents of his email on radio, so next time he writes a speech, perhaps he could include in it the correspondence from the DFID Minister, where he was told that the Port Development was approved.
Show the people the approval documents Mr Meade; use your proven internal sources to get them if you left any such thing behind.
Tell us Mr Meade, How much was approved for the MSS Buildings? I wonder if the Permanent Secretary of Education was informed. No! So who holds that information?
The Hospital project was cocked up under Mr Meade’s watch, after he took it away from the Ministry of Health. Colin Riley say so. The proposed funding never got final approval; but it sounded good on the political platform.
The Davy Hill apartment project was initiated behind Government Minister Farrell’s back.
Money was promised to Social Security that the government did not have, and as a result people were moved into the Davy Hill houses as an election bribe. Lawd, if only Religious Minister Farrell would free his conscience and tell the public about that fiasco.
Sure, a politician will always be a politician. But RTM knows that he ran on a platform that said Salary increases and Social Welfare increases were not possible. He also knows that the new government is operating on his old government’s budget until the end of March. He knows he went on a spending binge and virtually emptied the Treasury in an effort to try to buy votes in the election. So it takes an especially dishonest man to come now to challenge the new government on a salary increase and increments, when he knows that the budget talks have not yet been concluded with DFID.
It is a special hypocrite who rushed through legislation in 3 quick readings to abolish the Tourist Board and place Tourism under MDC; who now comes to criticize a Bill initiated by his former Minister Kirnon. That Bill is simply seeking to move quickly to facilitate changes that Kirnon talked about extensively while in office and on radio during the campaign. Mr Meade has no shame.
One Last question for RTM.
How much money does L&M need from the Romeo Administration to finish the ZJB building that you awarded to your company without tender? What is the overall cost of that twisted project?
