by Bennette Roach
Chief Minister (CM) Reuben T. Meade on Wednesday, July 25, 2010, held only his second press conference since taking office in mid September last year introduced the topic of a new Public Sector Management system, which he said they had just completed.
During the press conference after dealing with the major issue of Public Sector Management (and reform) the CM fielded questions from the small local press corp. Generally questions dealt with the Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC), the new and somewhat controversial Montserrat Constitution, the Economy and the government’s plan for the next five years to address these issues involved therewith.
While speaking to the Public Sector issues the Chief Minister took time to assure public servants that that there were no immediate plans to cut Civil Servants from the Service, but he noted the word ‘immediate’, suggesting that such matters as outsourcing, or a worsening of the financial situation with aid to the island could bring this about, one way or another.
He warned that there must be change within the Public service and way things are conducted. He said there must be dramatic change to ensure accountability, encourage collective decision making and drive improve performance. “We will no longer tolerate or hide non- performances that is within the public service.
Recently the Chief Minister had been talking about the purchase of a new Electricity Generating plant which he reported would cost the island $30,000,000 ($30M) via a loan being negotiated with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). The question of Geothermal energy which had gathered much momentum within the past year as studies have been progressing on whether there was a developable geothermal resource on Montserrat.
Not too long ago as Commitee for the Redevelopment of Montserrat (CRM) who had aligned themselves with a government structured Energy Committee had been forging along especially after experts agreed, “yes, from what we have seen there is a viable resource on the island.”
The Chief Minister, when he did not include the development of geothermal on the island in his economic strategy response in the next five years, was asked where geothermal energy ranked. He responded as follows: “We are the point where we have the geotechnical studies…Geothermal was not spoken of within that five-year framework. We have invited MUL (Montserrat Utilities Ltd.) to take the process forward. We have indicated to MUL to go ahead, have the discussions, seek out the investments and the investors and move the process forward, government will provide the support.”
He added that there had been one investor already on island, one interested party from the UK. “We have asked them to go and have a discussion with Iceland or wherever the technology is…there are a couple others who have made the request and we’ve said to MUL to go ahead and deal with it…keep the politics out of it.”
CM Meade concluded that with regard to the overall exploitation and bringing it on line, “We do not anticipate that will happen in under five years and hence the reason I did not speak to it within the five year period as the question demanded.”
