Roger Clarke, Manager of DFID Montserrat in London
after moving from their first location in Olveston on the McChesney property, which at one time also housed Government House.
Roger Clark, Manager for Montserrat at the Overseas Territories Department in London, says that the decision to relocate DFID’s office from Manjack to the Governor’s office in Brades was a matter of efficiency. “The British government only has one agenda for Montserrat. That’s to help this island to move towards economic self-sufficiency and to bring a better standard of living for the people here,” Clarke said..
He said another objective of the relocation was to help Montserrat towards economic self-sufficiency. “And so, we feel by moving into the Governor’s office we will be able to work more closely together with the Governor and his team on that common agenda (Montserrat’s self-sufficiency),” he said, confirming that there has been great improvement in what had been a disappointing, burning issue and long distraction to Montserrat’s affairs, that of a poor and sometimes non-existent relationship between DFID and FCO (Foreign Commonwealth Office).
Mr. Clarke was quick to point out that there was no takeover of, or replacement of DFID in Montserrat by FCO. “But, he said, “it doesn’t mean that DFID is closing down and handing over to the foreign office. DFID still will have a programme team running their systems to Montserrat from the UK”.
Sources have confirmed however, that DFID’s local staff has been reduced to only two members of staff. Two young women had been released and the engineer who formed part of local staff will return to the UK.
