of an island nation or an expensive outpost
by Man from Baker Hill
Montserrat! Is it a sustainable island nation or just an expensive outpost? The answer comes with the question; but while you consider the matter, I will try to inspire.
Shortly after the volcano erupted, The Montserrat Reporter of November 1995 published an article titled ‘Self Preservation’. The article contained the following warning. “Montserratians, anchor yourselves with the basic arrangements to stay alive and safe. You must put aside all odds and be willing to preserve yourselves as a nation. You must not allow yourselves to be scattered over the globe or to be absorbed by any other nation. You must band together, care for each other and share what you have with each other. You must plan for self-preservation”. Those words give me goose pimples. The words must have been written as an inspired warning. But as usual, who pays attention to The Montserrat Reporter?
Nevertheless, whether it was possible to heed the warning or not, we will never be sure; the reality is … the volcano caused many Montserratians to be scattered all over the globe. Today in the year 2013, it is a mere dream to expect that many persons who left during the volcano will return, to live here. In fact last year, seventeen years after the volcanic eruption, they were invited back home to share in our celebration of the Christmas Festival and to look at our development present and future. And although over three thousand returned, they left again; unconfirmed reports hinted that they took others away with them, further reducing the un-economically viable small population of Montserrat.
So, here is another question to consider. Will post volcano Montserrat ever be a viable island nation or will it become just an expensive outpost? The answer to this question depends on the collective mindset of natural born Montserratians, especially those of us who remained here since the beginning of the eruptions. In other words, the answer is in the strength our faith. For example, we must believe that the same forces that protected us from catastrophic eruptions will preserve us as a nation. We must desire intensely with faith that Montserrat will continue to develop and flourish as a viable island nation. It is that simple.
But in order for Montserrat to remain an island nation we, the older Montserratians, have to show and tell our young people that they have to band together, care for each other and help each other to achieve their fullest potential. We must explain to them that some of them must be health care technicians; some must be teachers and nurses; some will be gardeners and fishermen; some must be bankers and merchants; some will be carpenters and plumbers. We must show and tell them that they will need journalists, newspaper editors, lawyers and policemen to maintain the systems of nationhood.
Somehow we have to tell the youths that some of them have to be politicians and preachers of the gospel. And one or two of them will be the tax collectors and prison warders. Unfortunately, some of them will be prisoners and thieves and jurors, so they have to cultivate compassion.
We must explain to the young people the importance of savings, investment and partnerships; we must explain to them the pillars of national prosperity and wealth. We have to teach about honesty and discipline. We must teach them to respect each others profession. And yes they must respect their system of tax laws; because the level of respect their nation attracts depends mostly on these principles.
There is absolutely no need for them to fear that Montserrat will cease to develop as a nation. People naturally are created to evolve and to carry on from generation to generation. This is how it always was and will be. It is just a matter of belief, conviction and desire…. Yes a strong desire to continue life on Montserrat is all it takes. The goal is in sight with the desire.
However we need to select the best among the youths to be leaders for the forward journey. We must crisscross family ties and counsel the bright and the good if we want to preserve Montserrat as an island nation.
And even with the uncertainty of the volcano, we must inculcate the minds of the youths with this new thinking. They must understand and believe that it is not necessary to deprive anyone of anything. Because all that is and ever will be, is available for everybody. Our sea sand was and will be enough for all of us, no matter how rough the sea gets; as much as the sea takes away it brings back. There is more gold in the earth than what was taken out. No matter how many billionaires there are, there is opportunity for many more to become billionaires. There is more oil in the earth than has been taken out.
Our Montserratian youths must seek to attain and never seek to deprive. They must band together, care for each other and share what they have with each other. They must have the desire to serve one another. They must seek to understand development aid and project management. They must seek to understand production versus service. They must understand governance and fiscal policies and their relationship to of a system of tax laws and income redistribution. They must talk with each other, sharpen one another, and they must question their inherited beliefs. Yes, they must discuss meaningfully, teach, learn, tolerate and trust one another; have fun, make mistakes and…
Here then is my message to our youths.
Eighteen years of this volcano situation is part of a perfect plan. Do not despair or doubt yourself; better days are coming. Whatever errors or sins that caused the volcano to be in Montserrat have already been corrected. Believe! Get up, stand up, take up your bed and walk… the sins are already forgiven, evolve and grow. Ask, and you shall receive …the answers to your desires. Seek, and you will find the pathway to prosperity. . Try to understand the Laws of Creation… all things are possible; so expand your mindset. Move beyond the limits of the five senses and conventional religious teaching. Desire with conviction a sustainable island nation called ‘New Montserrat’ and it shall be given unto you. Plan for self-preservation” and avoid Montserrat becoming an expensive OUTPOST.
The preservation of our island nation depends on our collective belief system; this I believe.
