Editorial – December 19, 2014 :
It has always been a consideration that a succeeding government is often hesitant, reluctant and even unwilling to do the necessary back checking, fact checking, investigations of its predecessor’s activities, good corrupt or otherwise. The question then comes, is it because they wish to do likewise or worse and so the next succeeding government may go on and do likewise?
Besides the desire to firstly be honest about statements about good governance and transparency, it must serve a new government well to be very aware, beyond the political rhetoric of that was good, not so good, bad or downright destructive, the result of corrupt practices. It is not that nobody benefits from corrupt practices, but we mostly know what the Bible teaches about those benefits. Our concern where that is concern is how nearly all of these people say how much they love their children, profess belief in Christianity but die leaving their children to suffer the retribution these dishonest parents deserve.
Taking a look at two documents, the first being the Single Programming document for OCTs, submitted by the European Community (EC) by the Government of Montserrat (GoM) and another nameless document, not yet in public circulation, the question is inescapable, “what went wrong.”
That first document was produced just over a year after the Reuben Meade government took office, October 2010. It addressed: the National development strategy which encompassed The Montserrat Sustainable Development Plan 2008-2020, representing an agreed and coherent policy framework over the 12 year period, outlining national development priorities and providing a framework for resources allocation towards the development of the island.
The Sustainability Roadmap – a medium term strategy complementing, cutting across and developing certain aspects of the SDP, aimed at enabling Montserrat to move towards sustainability and achievement of the longer term goal of eliminating dependence on budgetary aid. There are 5 pillars of the Roadmap: Institutional Development; Economic and Financial Management; Private Sector Development; Infrastructure and Services and Population, Capacity and Skills.
It was indeed a comprehensive document, speaking to: Challenges – The most important economic challenge facing Montserrat over the next three years will be to maintain a steady level of growth and pursue the objective of fiscal sustainability; and EC response strategy – Based on the analyses of Montserrat’s challenges, GOM’s development strategy, programmes by other international development partners, in particular DFID, and taking into account the EC’s comparative advantages and strengths…
What went wrong? We have said over and over that “Sustainable Development” is akin to a ‘bad word(s)’. The first document was produced in 1998 and might have gone well but for the stupid disruption (the political curse). There have been others since some of them never reaching finality in their production. And by the way, only through prayer you get rid of curse. Ask the MCC. Then the reality that ten years later after 1998 we learn there was never any firmness in the acceptance of these plans because of the uncertainty of the volcanic crises.
It was at this point the MCAP government was given a chance after it did not keep its mandate to work with Lewis to move forward and well into the future. The fact is they took over at this welcome time, but the penchants for not following rules and agreed plans are a curse and even those who follow must be careful, that the culture is not too deeply bred.
The Don Romeo government will have been in power 98 days since election and will expect a rating.
The other unnamed document spoke to such things similar to the first, giving background and detailing thoughts and plans. Generally it acknowledged, that good government must promote economic development, productivity and enterprise while holding education, health, welfare, children and youth as vital foundational priorities, and also husbanding our natural, socio-cultural and economic surroundings and resources; as well as, Without substantial external support there is no likelihood of Montserrat achieving its ambitions.
Much of what is to be done or can be done are already on the table, but a fresh start is needed, where anything can be done, do what you like, but do it right, Do the right things, knowing as the UK Parliament said: “. . . in the case of Montserrat we do not merely have the unfortunate losses of a few thousand individuals but an imperilled society. The normal rules cannot apply.” And they continue to acknowledge that.
