Issuu

Friday, May 17, 2013

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The world and its cravings are passing away, but the person who does the will of God remains forever. - 1 John 2:17 (CEB)

Geothermal Vol. XXVIII No. 16

Week Ending Friday, May 17, 2013

Price $2.00

resource confirmed Well completed...resource to be tested by Bennette Roach

“The well is now fully secured” is the latest exciting news as hopes for the sourcing of geothermal energy became reality and preparations are very much underway for drilling a second Well at the other site nearer to the unoccupied Cork Hill village. Official reports following our story of April 26, 2013, ( http://

www.themontserratreporter. com/geothermal-drilling-hoping-for-well-1/ ) which said that “the resource could be close to expectation, or just hope,” now say after tests, “The results were very encouraging and it was unanimously agreed to stop drilling and to line the production area of the well. A 7″ steel, perforated, liner pipe was installed from 1,111M down to the bottom of the well (2,298m). The April 26 story then, said prior to equipment breakdown, drilling had gone down 2,298 meters with the

cont’d. on page 3

Headlines...

Tae Kwon Do exam exercises...pg 2

Under the Mango Tree...pg 7

DFID must remain Vigilant...pg 3

Kids Korner...pg 8

The Caribbean after Chavez...pg 5

MMSP Assoc donates helments - pg 12

Bank of Montserrat Your Bank. Your Future.

LAND LOANS Enquire about interest rates from our Loans Department (664) 491 -3843

www.bankofmontserrat.ms

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Students display and perform Tae Kwondo activities and exams

by B. Roach The old Salem Primary school was the venue for a display of tae kwon do activities while the Montserrat Tae Kwon Do School put on its first full set of examinations for 2013 on, Sunday, May 12. Making yet another visit, which he said has spanned over 20 years, Grand Master Hyun OK Shin originally from Korea but residing in the U.S.A., presided. The students grading ranged from White Belt to Black belt. The Order of Range is set out as follows: White Belt Yellow Belt Green Belt Purple Belt 3rd Red 2nd Red 2 Kup Brown 1 Kup Brown

+1 Brown ++1 Brown (Candidate Black) 1st Dan Black 2nd Dan Black 5 Dan Black (Master) 36 Students performed in the examinations. 32 students received belts from yellow to ++1 Brown (Candidate Black). The exams took the form of and consisted of Basic Movements, Tae Kwondo Forms , Combinations and Free Fighting.

Two students received their 1 st Dan Black Belt – Aaron Lewis and Warren Cassell Jr., while Luke Edgecombe tested for the 2nd Dan Black Belt. The Instructor for the Montserrat Tae Kwon Do School Leonard Lynch (Master) received his 5 th Dan Black Belt and is now Montserrat’s first Tae Kwon Do Master.

Photos: Young men, ladies, boys and girls go through their taekwondo exercises in examinations

TERRITORY OF MONTSERRAT HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE A.D. 2013

OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF MONTSERRAT IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE A.D. 2013

PROBATE

LEGAL NOTICE

In the Estate of JOHN JOSEPH WEEKES, also known as JOSEPH WEEKES, deceased

In the Estate of ANN CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH FROSTON, deceased NOTICE is hereby given that after the expiration of fourteen (14) days from the date hereof Application will be made in the Registry of the High Court of Justice for Letters of Administration in the estate of ANN CHARLOTTE ELIZABETH FROSTON deceased who died on the 04th April, 2011 be granted to Sarah E Silcott of Sweeney’s Montserrat lawful Attorney for Louis E Froston of 86 Munroe Street, Roxbury, Mass. U.S.A. son of the deceased.

NOTICE is hereby given that after the expiration of fourteen (14) days from the date hereof, application will be made in the Registry of the High Court of Justice for an Order that Letters of Administration to the estate of JOHN JOSEPH WEEKES also known as JOSEPH WEEKES late of Drummonds Montserrat who died on the 3rd of March 1979 at Geralds Montserrat be granted to KHARL MARKHAM of Allen Markham & Associates Banks Montserrat, the Lawful Attorney of GILBERT ABRAHAM EMMANUEL WEEKES the son and Personal Representative of the deceased.

ALL persons claiming to be beneficially interested therein are requested forthwith to send particulars thereof to the undersigned.

ALL persons claiming to be beneficially interested therein are requested forthwith to send particulars to me the undersigned.

FURTHER, any person objecting to the issuance of Letters of Administration to the Applicant should notify the Registrar of the High Court, Brades, Montserrat not later than fourteen (14) days from the date of this notice.

FURTHER, any person objecting to the issuance of a Grant to the Applicant should notify the Registrar of the High Court of Justice no later than fourteen (14) days from the date of this notice.

DATED this 03rd day of May 2013

DATED this 7th day of May 2013

Hogarth Sergeant Solicitor for the Applicant

Kharl Markham Allen Markham & Associates

Friday, May 17, 2013

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DFID must remain vigilant with Project Management Issues on Montserrat By Claude Gerald Development proceedings at our fictitious town centre continue to paint a picture of suspicion in resource use management and an arrogant disregard for moral and ethical standards in the work place. The procurement of labour at least at the site is in defiance of set rules and regulations. Tendering processes are being undermined with the Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC) acting as its own contractor, employing at will, workers of certain affiliations and persuasions. Physical Planning laws are subjected to scornful slight and disregard to quicken the desire to expedite profit margins and by relation, hasten losses in environmental capital. Emerging is a mosaic of ghost institutions in the form of Project Implementation Unit's, designed to further erode built in checks and balances against unfair practices in tendering for employment. It is felt that key operators allied to MDC are seeking to exploit at public's expense, a syndrome that Jack-theWarner can take pride in authoring. Is the combination of the opportunistic John E. Ryan, Executive Chairman of (MDC) and his side-kick the Premier, Reuben T. Meade, a man programmed to naturally engage in dealings that raise questions of their probity value, nicely positioned to make capital of their respective positions? Their ways of doing business are characterized by varying measures of personal interests' conflicts with MDC executive chairman reportedly getting involved in procurement outside his soon to be expired role; given a fearlessly knowledgeable and responsible

Montserrat, their ambitious involvement in people development projects, which ought to rest on robust accountability and transparency, would have been derailed. Construction trading remains an abiding focus in their lives on Montserrat. Mr. Meade despite his denials is believed to be still a key decision maker in L&M Construction, a company he formed after his descent as Chief Minister in the 1990's. His admitted partnership in the company that frowned on election nomination regulations for which he escaped in a weird court battle attempt with editor Bennette Roach as complainant challenger, is still a sore issue in the minds of many with knowledge, who claim he lied in securing his nomination in 2009. Those party stalwarts who excused their leader, did so out of blind loyalty and are belatedly admitting to faulty evaluations of their leader's position then. Though Ryan has dabbled in construction for near 25 years, securing significant contracts, his record in this endeavour remains shabby in work quality; outside his suspected insider trading connections, gaseous learned posturing and a disarming personality that floors some, he would not have enjoyed his pre-eminence in such diverse social services or be able to pull rank as frequently as he does. Ryan as far as is known still retains a contingent working crew to his beckoning. In this management setting it is unreasonable to fashion optimistic feelings of people-welfare gains on any social investment undertaking like Little Bay development. The duo, given their historical business profiles on Montserrat

First well completed cont’d. from page 1 potential of going to 2,400 meters if required. This was after a 2,000 meter depth had been anticipated. At that level the director said, “if that shows, we have already past the hottest point in the well and start to cool off slightly, then there would be little point drilling down any deeper…” Senior Geologist Paul Brophy was due on island,

bringing “…some very sensitive instruments with them, that can test the pressure and temperatures down the well.” PWD director, Ron Beardsley now also reports the geothermal Well, references as ‘Mon-01’. He confirms that between last Saturday and Sunday geophysicist Thorstein Egilson using specialist measuring tools surveyed temperature

and pressure in the #1 Well. Egilson’s report was studied by GoM Geothermal Adviser Mike Allen, Senior Geologist Paul Brophy, Senior Geophysicist Graham Ryan and Geothermal Drilling Project Manager George Scheid. To come at the Well is, “testing the capacity of the well to generate geothermal energy.”

NOTICE TO PAY OFF TO: The Personal Representatives of the Estate of James White deceased and/or The Estate of James White deceased We, as attorneys at law for Montserrat Building Society Limited and on its instructions, hereby require you to pay to Montserrat Building Society Limited at its offices at Brades, Montserrat, West Indies, the principal money and all interest accrued thereon and all fees, expenses and charges incurred in connection therewith now pending under the Charge dated the 1st day of May 1990 on the property known as Parcel 36, Block 11/1, Salem Registration Section, and made between Montserrat Building Society Limited on the one part and James White deceased on the other part. And you are hereby given notice that if such principal money, interest, fees and charges are not paid before the expiration of three months from the date hereof, Montserrat Building Society Limited shall sell the property comprised in the Charge in accordance with the provisions of Section 72 (2) b of The Registered Land Act of the Laws of Montserrat. Dated this 8th day of May, 2013

Beardsley confirmed to TMR, “We did the testing to temperature and pressure, and based on those results it was agreed that we will line the well as it is, there is no need to try drilling any deeper…” adding, “we now leave it for roughly a month to stabilize …once that time expires we will then do a flow test on the well and that’s really what will tell us what resource we have.”

cont’d. on page 11

cannot be trusted to act in the public's interest as expected. Construction is the core to a realized commercial centre at Little Bay. Trust and confidence runs parallel. On this we are tumbling already at the edge of the abyss. It is a historical fact that neither power broker trusts each other. But convenience is their watch word and wedded in their DNA is the ability to exploit talents to create synergies, that are not altruistic and people empowering. Each is talented in brokering and advantaging a situation, which calls for collusion and together their machinations can gain momentum, tinkering with legal and ethical barriers if needed. They have clashed many a time since 1980, with a memorable open-secret fallout in the lead up to the 2009 elections, resulting in the Premier distancing himself and others he influences from the Lyme, an entertainment business establishment of Ryan, built on lands with long lease arrangements that can be eye brow raising. It must be understood that John Ryan is not a political animal, never linked to any political grouping. He is sure to appear as lilies in spring, once a government is formed. Feisty and soulless, with a knack to cultivate others, he micromanages and woos to his fancy, when and whom he pleases. John Ryan is now a resurrected man of significant global influence on Montserrat , dwarfing a throwback to his halcyon years of the early eighties when his detractors dubbed him the 'Henry Kissinger of Montserrat', for his energies and appeal as a highly traveled public servant in a regime ripe for his brand of exploitation. Tenaciously he triumphs when the season lends to growth and dominance. Note worthily he rose to the position of Financial Secretary by-passing the mathematician Kenneth Lee, economist Jim Bass amongst other eligible contenders in a political directorate that initially treated him as a son of Lucifer. Ryan left office prematurely for reasons not yet clear and entered the business world with more competitive knowledge due to his various positioning in government. DFID the once sleeping giant is now awakened to protect British taxpayers', in a time of global austerity in what rightfully is its business. The development agency may not be able to alter the practice of the politics of bad mindedness that is inherent but it can very well bring impropriety to book at Little Bay, by various means available, to ensure resource management satisfies equitable criteria at least, as it enforces proper stewardship in its partnership with the people of Montserrat. Public Works, where the 'former' top accounting officer is facing growing attention in the handling of project

cont’d. on page 10

OVERSEAS TERRITORY OF MONTSERRAT IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE A.D. 2013 LEGAL NOTICE In the Estate of ELIZABETH O’GARRO, deceased NOTICE is hereby given that after the expiration of fourteen (14) days from the date hereof, application will be made in the Registry of the High Court of Justice for an Order that Letters of Administration to the estate of ELIZABETH O’GARRA late of St. Albans 120-48 198th Street 11412 United States of America who died on the 13th of July 2009 at Queens Hospital Center, Queens New York United States of America be granted to KHARL MARKHAM of Allen Markham & Associates Banks Montserrat, the Lawful Attorney of KATHY J. KING the daughter and Personal Representative of the deceased. ALL persons claiming to be beneficially interested therein are requested forthwith to send particulars to me the undersigned.

___________________ Jean E H Kelsick KELSICK & KELSICK Attorneys at Law for Montserrat Building Society Limited

FURTHER, any person objecting to the issuance of a Grant to the Applicant should notify the Registrar of the High Court of Justice no later than fourteen (14) days from the date of this notice.

Principal money, interest and legal expenses due at the 30th day of April, 2013– EC$24,700.82

Kharl Markham Allen Markham & Associates

DATED this 7th day of May 2013

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Opinion

EDITORIAL Progress comes only with responsibility For some time now, months, even years there have been some events, occurrences, publications, debates, reports and inactions, which have rolled by seemingly unnoticed by most, but not by everyone. Not by everyone we say, but there is a problem. For the few who notice, a good many of them will say or do nothing, others will give a view point, while still others will say to us, will suggest that we write about this or that! The response often is, we do not have the resources to do justice, why don’t you write and we publicise? This is not about us, but everyone. However, what is the general complaint? “There is little or no leadership!” they would say. Leadership among whom or by whom, we would enquire? You have seen that mentioned in one way or the other. It may well be difficult to pin that comment down, but generally when it is made reference is to government. Just like the government and leaders around government have been quick to say these days, the time is here to stop expecting government to do everything. Generally, though, that statement is about something specific, since when it comes down to the discussion, Montserrat is at a place where such statements can be confounded in many instances. The Commissioner of Police during his last press conference agreed concern that while crime figures have been decreasing, there is an escalation in a certain kind of crime, which is not common to Montserrat. He was not just referring to very violent homicides that have taken place recently. In considering this we will remember our numbers are very small. The recent events, utterances, and even the silence of our leadership do leave a gaping hole and if nothing is done or no corrective action taken, things will only get worse. The tendency to attach importance and seek to assist institutions and sectors that are relevant only to some is a serious mistake, in that it is not usually to the benefit of many but rather to the few. When the complaint was made that the merchants were hiking the prices of their goods well before those goods attract new tariff, up or down, the Premier advised the people should boycott and go to Antigua to shop,, or get themselves in shopping cooperatives. Big problem. The price control department had been shut down and there is no protective legislation in sight for consumers. When the Premier was questioned about what could be done to curb the increased air fares, he responded that this is a free enterprise market. And, so it has been for everything. Outsourcing is supposed to be of benefit to an economy, but we cannot get it started. The Memorandum of Understanding signed on May 1, 2012 to bring about public reform about how we do business was not, um, really directed at the ‘local’ private sector. Of course not, when there are certain projects or contracts to be meted out, little attention is paid to how they are advertised locally, because, could it be that it is already known who will win the bid? The blind eye, or the attitude that is not our business, or we have no control, or it is the media that should lead, when the blind eye is being turned in the opposite direction, directly and indirectly, will bite this island, as it has been. When no attention or understanding exists the progress becomes invisible. The British Government, DFID and FCO joined with local Government when it is convenient every time to determine who is in control of what and when. The government says it runs its own affairs, but what Montserrat needs is money and it cannot generate that without ‘begging’ which the Premier says is an abomination. DFID says, oh no, that is the government’s responsibility for this or that, but government cannot lift a finger, because they (DFID) have to ‘justify’ or approve the spending. FCO says we do not know about these conventions that we have signed and committed you to, but your government has to conduct itself according to its laws in seeking development. But, they admit, development for Montserrat must be a ‘partnership’, between HMG and GoM.

The Montserrat Reporter Published by: Montserrat Printing & Publishing, Inc. - Editor: Bennette Roach Office: Davy Hill, Mailing Address: P.O. Box 306, Davy Hill, Montserrat, W.I. Typeset and Printed by Montserrat Printing & Publishing, Inc. - monp_p@candw.ms. Tel. (664) 491-4715 Fax: (664) 491-2430 E-mail: editor@themontserratreporter.com or monrep@candw.ms - Web Site: http://www.themontserratreporter.com

Former Chief Minister has Concerns on Gun Hill’s demolition” Gun Hill is about to disappear. Just like Rifle Hill in Little Bay, most of it its base is millions of years old of solid granite. It has protected the Carr’s Bay Basin for thousands of years. I hope they will leave at least 30 feet of the cliff side standing. Rifle Hill in Little Bay cost $3 million to take down instead of the estimated $700,000. I hope we are not going to make the same mistake again as we did with Rifle Hill and the airport site at Geralds, where millions of dollars were spent unnecessarily, to cut out million years old granite, to be replaced with substandard, compacted material., What is sad, is that there is insufficient information available from an environmental impact study that would indicate the effects that the removal of Gun HIll

will have on our coastline. It is a pity that once again, as happened with the Gerald’s Airport, that Donor Agency deadlines are being used as an excuse to waste money. What is the point of removing the Hill, trucking and storing it, when it will not be needed for a whole year. If we need to use up the EU money quickly, it could easily be used to put a submerged reef/Break water just outside the fishing boats anchored in the shadow of Rendezvous Bluff. This would render the whole of Little Bay and the existing jetty calm and useable in all weather and achieve the original purpose that we believe the EU funds were given for. A project with an already approved environmental impact study report,

Below: Gun Hill

an affordable project that I understand does not meet the requirements of a potential foreign investor and has therefore been abandoned.

Support

A comment in support on this post to an email group says: “…think I also heard the archaeologist talking about a very large gun battery (?) found on Gun Hill, which would have to be removed in a hurry to preserve it before they start. I have been wondering if that hill served a purpose, protecting the bay, maybe acting as a partial breakwater. It does seem an awful waste of money to break it down, when already so much was spent on Little Bay. I think a hill is a natural thing that we have, so why spend money to remove it instead of using it and working around it?

Our Scripture Verse Today Run A Little

The world and its cravings are passing away, but the person who does the will of God remains forever. - 1 John 2:17 (CEB) T h e Lo rd h a s b l e s s e d m e , enabling me to be a wife, a mom, and a grandmother. However, I have struggled from time to time with low self-esteem. Because I do not have a college education or a career outside my home, sometimes I see myself as not having anything to offer the world. Other people have so much more to offer, it seems. Recently, as I read Jeremiah 9:2324, I experienced an epiphany; I grasped a new perspective on how we

should evaluate ourselves. God said we are not to boast in the wisdom we possess, the strength we have, or the riches we’ve accumulated. Our education and whatever career or job we have are included as part of our wisdom and possessions. Just as we are not to boast, we also are not to be ashamed for our lack of a college education or a high-status job or career. If our value to the body of Christ could be measured, it should be measured according to our service to others. Karenn Voorhees (Kansas, USA) Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, you came and served the world. Help us to see the ways we can follow your

Friday, May 17, 2013

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The Caribbean after Chavez

by Edgar Nkosi White

It’s ridiculously easy to remove a man from the earth.What is not so easy is to remove his memory. Chavez is dead. That much at least is clear. I neither believe nor disbelieve that the U.S. may have had any role in his death, but the fact that the allegation is even credible and in the realm of possibility itself speaks volumes about the age and the world we live in. Given the amount of time, effort and money that has been spent by the CIA in recent years to dislodge Chavez from power as well as the general euphoria in Miami on the announcement of his death, foul play is a distinct possibility.No clear evidence can come to light in less than fifty years, by which time, the world will have moved on to much more horrific and contemporary outrages.What is of more interest to me is how the passing of Hugo Chavez will affect the Caribbean in general and particularly, the three most dependent of its allies: Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica. Haiti especially will be impacted by the absence of Chavez because Haiti is the most vulnerable of the three. Haiti has never been allowed to recover from the devastation of the earthquake it experienced three years ago. This incredible occurrence took an estimated 300,000 lives and left a homeless population of over 350,000. Add to this catastrophe a sudden cholera epidemic which thus far has claimed 8,000 lives and over 640,000 stricken ill. The irony of all this of course is that the cause of cholera has been traced back to the very U.N. Peacekeepers who came to bring aid and relieve the suffering. (It was St. Bernard of Clairvaux who said:“Hell is full of good wishes and desires.” How right he was.) What is interesting is the fact that the U.N. can’t be sued because of its immunity, as stated in its 1946 convention, a very useful clause to have in your constitution if you want to make certain that no one can prosecute you. All of this, despite the fact that cholera has a very clear finger print and can be easily traced. This particular strain of cholera was unknown in Haiti until the U.N. Peacekeepers arrived from Nepal in 2010 and carelessly deposited the waste from their campsite into the Artibonite(Haiti’s largest river) and thus polluted the drinking water. Yet they cannot be held accountable. Haiti’s response to the epidemic has been a campaign of posting signs in creole stating:“Lave ak men ou ak savon,”which means wash your hands with soap, wonderful advice except for one

Edgar White thing, there’s no available clean water for free. The only clean water is bottled and sold privately by international or local NGOs for profit. The poor have to travel some fifteen or twenty miles to find a stream and pray that it hasn’t been contaminated, and this is the reason why the cholera has spread so quickly. The U.N., of course, doesn’t feel that they are responsible for water management and so the private firms are free to do as they like in the midst of this devastation. The U.N. is there only to erect tents and maintain order and no one seems concerned with the fact that three years after the earthquake adequate housing has still not been provided. (Does anyone remember Hurricane Katrina and the private police in New Orleans or am I the only one plagued with memory?) Now, where does Venezuela come into all this?It is only the fact that Hugo Chavez has provided oil through the Petrocaribe Accord—which effectively eliminates the middleman and offers generous time repayment plans—that Haiti has been able to function at all. The people have to pay for water and sanitation trucks. The more expensive the oil prices become, the more expensive will water become and therefore the less accessible. Privatization will kill more and more of the poor and effectively leave all goods and services in the hands of the Creole middle class who don’t give a damn about the diseased tent-dwellers in their midst. The sad thing about cholera is that it is not the bacteria itself which kills you. It is the dehydration.The body is starving for water, clean water. That’s the simple cure. A combination of saline solution and fresh water could save countless lives. In Haiti, poverty is a death sentence.The more rain that falls, the quicker the cholera spreads. Now is the rainy season. The question is: how long will it take the right wing Venezuelans to dismantle every positive program Chavez bequeathed? Menudo, Chavez’s successor, knows well what a fight he has awaiting him. Many have vowed

to not allow to a step back into the dark ages.Yet, the first thing that will be sacrificed is foreign aid programs and certainly Haiti will suffer. What we will witness is, in effect, ‘petrocide,’murder by oil. The second country in the Caribbean under threat is, of course, Cuba. Venezuela has long been Cuba’s lifeline since the Russian collapse and America’s relentless embargo which is constantly being renewed by those ever busy boys in Miami the Cuban lobby who are always about the Lord’s work. It has been estimated that if all the money which has been spent in the last fifty years on assassination attempts against Castro was collected, it would be enough to put ten men on the moon and maintain a colony there. Suffice to say that there are those who’ve not wished Fidel well. It is because of the U.S. embargo that Castro has had to purchase all goods in cash, leading to so many shortages. Likewise, it’s only because of Venezuela and its generous subsidies that Castro has somehow been able to withstand the many difficult seasons of draught and hurricanes and has still been able to maintain the highest literacy rate in Latin America, as well as the

best medical schools. In exchange, he has been able to export doctors around the entire Caribbean and has always been there in times of crisis and has certainly been a savior, especially to Haiti and others in the region. No one else has done this except Medecin Sans Frontieres (Doctors without Borders) which operates out of France. Now, with Chavez gone, Cuba will have to depend solely on tourism to keep itself afloat, mainly those from Canada and Russia who are very attracted to the island and are unaffected by the U.S. Embargo. There is also the Cuban diaspora who faithfully send remittances. Yet Cuba knows that shortly, life will become much more difficult without Chavez. Next door to Cuba is Jamaica which has been experiencing crushing inflation due to the collapse of tourism and the world economic slump. Fewer people are filling those beaches these days and a rise in oil prices would certainly spell further catastrophe. Venezuelan oil has made the difference. They are experiencing power cuts because of the rise in electricity prices. People are already taking to the streets. Police are called upon regularly to maintain order because people are stealing electricity. If the Pet-

Hugo Chavez rocaribe subsidies cease, the next stop will be oil theft and arson. We hope that the pressure doesn’t reach to that point. Yet the degree of poverty is still nowhere that of Nicaragua or Haiti. I estimate that it will take at least two years for the right wing in Venezuela to dismantle the foundations of Hugo Chavez’s social policies. By then, I hope another country will step forward in the region.Will it be Brazil, which at present is experiencing a booming economy due to its discovery of oil, billions of barrels of oil? Will Brazil be generous and do as Chavez or will it continue its policy of relentless agribusiness which has meant destroying its rain forest and indigenous people all to the greater good of McDonalds? Just how important is the

ozone level when compared to a big Mac? Only time will tell. Then there’s Mexico, surprisingly wealthy due to its auto and telecommunication industries and vast supply of resources (especially gold and silver mining) as well as boasting the world’s richest man, Carlos Slim. However, Mexico is not likely to share the sort of Bolivian vision which inspired Hugo Chavez. In the end, the Caribbean will surely miss Chavez but his spirit will be a constant source of inspiration which can never be totally destroyed regardless of attempts to do so. Chavez’s ghost may yet prove to be more of a problem to topple than his existence. Edgar Nkosi White is a Montserrat born playwright and novelist. His novel, The Rising is available on Amazon.

A public cemetery, soon, and Lookout school Building 6 project to resume

There is light for the long planned and awaited new public cemetery. The work has started on the new cemetery in lower Look Out, overlook the sea, and Minister of Health, Hon. Colin Riley says it will have up to 1,500 burial spaces. He told ZJB news earlier this week, “The cemetery is under construction. I

was on site looking at the construction work. What we are doing is ripping up the site removing a lot of the heavy boulders and then over the time we will fill it back and get it prepared,” revealing also, that the burial ground is expected to be fully operational by July 1, this year.

New Public Cemetery being constructed

He said than entranceway is being developed, “…and we will have 1500 burial spaces which we are hoping will last over 30 years,” he said. The Minister said that his Ministry is being cautious as large infrastructure projects, sometimes you run into delays because you meet on-site situations,

cont’d.on page 6

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Opposition leader Romeo questions MDC procurement practises, notes disproportionate representation on Procurement Board While The Montserrat Reporter (TMR) and other members of the Montserrat media were asking the the Hon. Premier Meade questions regarding procurement, and specifically actions of the Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC) in the procurement

or lack thereof regarding the construction of four shops at Little Bay, the leader of the opposition Hon. Donaldson Romeo was busy with an investigation of his own. (see: http://www.themontserratreporter. com/premier-misfires-on-procurement-gom-loses-

Lookout School Rehabilitation Project

cont’d from page 5 which force engineers to rethink. The result is that “we are saying within probably the next 4 to 8 weeks we will be ready to prepare the cemetery for its first burial.” Meanwhile, following the court battle over the procurement in the contract of construction work on building 6 of the Look Out Primary School expansion project was recently concluded in the Appeal Court. Procurement bids are being sought and with that, Minister of Education, the Honourable Colin Riley is hoping that construction work can start in the next three to four months. In his most recent press conference the Premier reported the approval of additional funding and a time extension to the project. He revealed there would be, “new management and supervision arrangements which outlined the Ministry of Finance as the Contracting Authority and PIU as the project supervisor.” (see: http://www.themontserratreporter.com/ premier-misfires-on-procurement-gom-loses-appeal-in-court/) Minister Riley has expressed optimism that the entire project would be completed by 2014. The rest of the project is to be retendered and will now have two completion phases, the first in September this year and the second a whole year later. The overall investment from DFID now stood at £2.475 million and would provide additionally: Refurbished, furnished and equipped buildings at Lookout School; A multi purpose sports hall with changing rooms; IT classroom; Library, and Improved facilities for staff. He agreed the procurement problems are now behind them (although there are whispers about the matter being taken further to the Privy Council by government). “It went into court and now it’s out of court so we are not worried about the past, we set that aside and now we’re goanna deliver a high-quality indoor sports facility for the Lookout school community and part of the reason we are building it at that location is that lookout is now our largest village and getting larger…” he said.d

Building 6 site off to the right - Building 5 in view

appeal-in-court/) That led him to write to His Excellency Governor Davis and the MDC board expressing concern that there are, “indications that MDC is acting as its own Contractor, and has apparently not held a tendering process under the applicable SRO 11 of 2012 (in particular paragraphs 19(1) and (2)). The media had brought to the attention of the Premier that

the MDC may have been acting in contravention of the Procurement Rules, as appears briefly below. SRO 11, 2012, Paragraphs 19(1) and (2): “Procurement by corporations and certain other bodies 19. (1) A corporations or other body in which the controlling interest is vested in the Crown may conduct procurement proceedings according to its own

cont’d on page 9

MP Dondaldson Romeo

Friday, May 17, 2013

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Children celebrate their successful showing of Under the Mango Tree Producers of Under the Mango Tree production brought the full cast of children to a video showing of the production after which each child received a copy of the video. The event took placeSaturday, May 4as the cast with their Director and Musical director, AlysJenkins and Rebecca Chalmers respectively, had a fun-filled evening as they played games, watched the video and then ceremoniously received their video while Alys congratulated and described one by one their performance. The music director explained the reason for the celebration. “We want people to know how we spent the money that they use on their tickets. We bought 30 DVD’s as a giveaway,” she said adding the thought was that was one of the best things they could do, “so the kids had a memory to take home.” Below is the full cast of the production. Director Alys Jenkins Musical Director Rebecca Chalmers Production Team Peter Filleul, Sian Wynne, Doug Anderson Design Team Helen Lloyd, Terri How, Shan Murrell CAST OF UNDER THE MANGO TREE Jacob Angelique

Jermahri Meade Kieara Ryan

The Orioles

Beyonce Osbourne Rhonda Allen Akyla Davis

Mermaid of Chances Peak Rhonnieka Sweeney King of Redonda Rhoniil Lewis Watts Daniel Daley Fatau Yo Carisa Brudy Erin Chelsea Key Christopher Columbus

Kyle James

Arawaks & Chorus

Africans & Chorus

Janea Golden Karina Beni Stephanie Greenaway Keon Christopher Dashaun Bassaragh Adjani Lewis Josue Dufrene

Kenisha Burnett Javicka Adams Janine Syers Jwane Lewis Mckayla Baptiste Kayla Baptiste Teresse Weekes Dante Daniel D'Vynne Henry Petreen Brudy Youseline Dufrene

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Friday, May 17, 2013

Kids time - In your own korner Hello everyone – It is kid’s time with Auntie Lyka “In Your Own Korner”. Well count down to end of year exams. I urge you to Read. Read as much as you can and for as long as you can. Dr. Seuss said “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn, the more places you’ll go.” Do have a good week.

Any Caribbean parent will tell you that “back chat” in a child indicates a character deficiency, which can apparently lead to the end of the world. Given the severity of the infraction, the common practice in my parents’ generation would be to slap the living back chat out of the kid.

The Back Chat Blues by Kenya Jacob, 13 yrs

To avoid scenarios like this, it is best to smile and nod along with what important people are saying. Do not misunderstand my previous statement though; it is good to stand up for what you believe in, however, if the only reason one is disagreeing is to be disagreeable, it is best not to disagree (still following me?).

Back in the day, back chat could severely endanger one’s physical well being. If a child with a mother of Caribbean heritage gave back chat, the aforementioned child could be regularly found picking their teeth up off the floor. Not only would this have provided an unsightly appearance in the child, it sometimes got the child’s parents in serious trouble. Back chat is no laughing matter and I, for one, plan to follow my mother’s advice and “leave dem thing whey yuh pick it up... real quick”. Today times are different, so when I did the unthinkable back chat crime by adding my own inappropriate statement to a instructive statement my mother made, I was hauled inside and forced to write this speculative essay reviewing the consequences of back chat. Upon reflection I have found that back chat is the nonsensical response given after a statement is made, an order is given, or a question is asked by one’s elder. It is a singular impediment of character that can hide a thousand great qualities. When someone constantly back chats they are usually cast off as disagreeable, argumentative and uncooperative (unless they’re studying political science). These are not very attractive qualities to possess; they have caused many people to lose opportunities, jobs, and friends. What you say, the manner in which you say it and the time you choose to voice your opinion causes others to make positive or negative judgments about you. Rather than back chat, energy should be spent developing the key positive qualities of conscien-

acceptance has been revoked and your free Harvard sweatshirt must be mailed back ‘instantaneously’, because your reputation has pursued you.

tiousness, respectfulness, cooperativeness, and agreeableness. These character traits induce good listening skills, create a healthier environment and provide opportunities. The way one is viewed in society is essential to social development and advancement. This means that if you give back chat to someone today, you are that much closer to being written off as an ungrateful, uncooperative wretch tomorrow. Furthermore, bad karma travels around town. People love to discuss things - especially fellow people - so the best thing to do is to stay on everybody’s good side by doing the right thing. This works well since as a child there are many people with higher authority than you. If highly-positioned people in your community get wind of the idea that you are an uncooperative, ungrateful wretch, there can be serious fallout. Say you were a model student, getting straight “A’s”, the head of the debate team and an all-around good person. You were on the upward arc of fame and fortune - then suddenly - the president of the Harvard Acceptance Committee calls to inform you that your

In conclusion, it is not a good idea to get in the habit of “back chatting”. Nip it in the bud so you will not have to be punished like I am being punished, spending my time writing this essay when there are so many other things that would be more enjoyable. The aftermath of back chat is always disastrous, especially in today’s world of more sophisticated punishments. So for all you back chatters out there: It is best to take heed of the speech of your elders, and allow them to become a beacon in the darkness that is youth. Opposition is futile, and will hinder you in your life’s journey; not your parents. Take it from someone who is on the road to recovery. Kenya Jacob is the Canadian-born child of Trinidadian parents. An 8th grade “A” student, she has received many academic awards and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society in the United States. Kenya enjoys public speaking; one of her proudest accomplishments to date is standing before 2,000 people to give an address at an annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemoration. Kenya loves school, especially her great friends. Her favorite school subjects are drama, chemistry, mathematics and dance. Kenya is a proud member of the Ifetayo Youth Ensemble where she plays the drums, sings and acts. Her parents are her greatest cheerleaders.

Crossword Puzzle

Pre-School Corner

Hello to you my preschool friends. This week we will trace and colour the maple leaves. Do enjoy.

Find the missing angle.

See you next week right here

In Your Own Korner. Where we will have fun Kids write your stories, tell us about yourselves. Email or post - Write to Aunty Lyka, at P.O. Box 306, Davy Hill, or send email to: kidstime@themontserratreporter.com

Friday, May 17, 2013

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UK government moving ahead with funding of geothermal and other major projects in Montserrat

By Nerissa Golden wealth Office (FCO), Mark Simmonds, the (GIU) -- The United UK government has Kingdom is making reaffirmed its commitgood on its commitment ment to finance future to support Montser- capital projects for rat’s redevelopment the island as long as and move towards fi- they were clearly justinancial independence. fied and sustainable. In a letter to Premier “…We agree to move Reuben Meade, signed ahead in implementing by Department for In- other components of the ternational Develop- Strategic Growth Plan ment (DfID) Minister of (SGP) to help MontserState, Alan Duncan, and rat reduce its financial Parliamentary Under- dependence on the Secretary of State at the UK,” the letter stated. Foreign and Common-

The ministers reiterated that all investment decisions must be based on the following: that they “(i) are financially and economically viable, both individually and taken as a whole; (ii) contribute to reducing budget dependency; (iii) account fully for the contingent and reputational risks, and (iv) clarify any institutional changes and other arrangements required to make the SGP a success.”

DFID must be vigilant cont’d. from page 3 resources, is now tasting the wrath of DFID, in sanctioning and ordering a stoppage of development funds to that Ministry, halting road and other projects. It may well be not the beginning of the end but the end of the beginning in the agency's wake up call to ensure efficiency in its relationship with the territory. DFID ought to be mindful of the way Allan Stan-

ford's cricket development funds to Montserrat were administered, under a certain Cricket President and take stock accordingly. Montserrat was unique in the OECS in troubling the accounting arm of Stanford's visionary experiment with cricket development in these islands. History will begin to judge this international development agency with more favour if it continues to project strength. It must continue

to strategize, to use legal and diplomatic means in righting the glaring inequities rampant in areas that DFID has more than passing interest. The mismatch between direct budgetary plus development support and what is being achieved since 1995 ought to be improving. Nothing less should suffice.

The UK government said it will proceed with the implementation of other SGP components as follows; “i. Geothermal – Depending on the results of the exploration phase, we will move ahead with a planning, design and appraisal phase for the installation of the generation capacity, involving the private sector where appropriate. “ii. Access – We have agreed that an improved ferry service should be provided and have adjusted the budgetary aid settlement proposed

sired depth on the first geothermal well and moving to drill the second one. In four weeks, after temperatures have stabilized they will test to estimate the capacity of the well to generate geothermal energy. Discussions between the access coordinator and ferry operators are continuing to look at plans for a faster ferry for Montserrat. At the same time, efforts are being made to map out a marketing strategy to attract day trippers and other visitors from neighbouring islands.

MDC procurement” where it says that “DFID will be stipulating the importance of open and transparent procurement procedures that deliver VFM (Value for Money) and drive down costs in the project MoU.” “The GoM will undertake the procurement of all goods and services under this arrangement and will perform all procurement in accordance with GoM’s procurement rules, guidelines and procedures. This includes use of a Procurement Board, chaired by the Financial Secretary and including DFID representation. The current threshold of open competition is EC$100,000 (approx £24,000). All procurement below this threshold will be reviewed and approved by the MDC Board . . . Since all procurement will be undertaken by GoM/MDC, standard DFID/ EU rules do not apply, nevertheless, DFID will be stipulating the importance of open and transparent procurement procedures that deliver VFM and drive down costs in the project MoU.” DFID will be stipulating the importance of open and transparent procurement procedures that deliver VFM and drive down costs in the project MoU.” In his letter the opposition leader argues: “A competitive bidding process, as the DfID Business Case points out, is one of the best ways to assure cost effectiveness and transparency. Unless it can be proven otherwise in this instance,

I call on the MDC Chairman and Board to bring its present arrangement for the construction at the Little Bay Fisherman’s Village in line with the applicable procurement regulations (SRO 11 of 2012) to which MDC is legally and contractually bound.” There is the claim that the MDC acting as its own contractor has employed workers mainly belonging to one MDC official and use the officials construction trucks to transport material. There is also the rule which requires that such government entity conducting its own procurement process must do so under rules which require it to obtain permission to do so from the central procurement board and by directive from the Minister of Finance who, “may only give directions to the procuring entity, the Public Procurement Board or the Departmental Tenders Committee prior to the deadline for submission of tenders.” This suggests that the entity must have sought tenders for the project some time before their own request to act. Then, in the letter to His Excellency, the Legislative Assembly member noted that there are three members who serve on the MDC board serving on the five member procurement board, and asks the Governor who makes the appointment to help resolve his concerns regarding the procurement issue

MP Romeo questions MDC Practices cont’d. from page 6

rules or regulations, provided that those rules and regulations are approved by the Public Procurement Board. (2) Despite sub regulation Claude Gerald is a social commentator on Montserrat. (1), if the rules or regulations Find him at ceegee15@hot- of the corporation or other public mail.com body conflict materially with these Regulations, these RegulaCARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT tions shall prevail.” Romeo also notes in his letter to the MDC board SRO 11 of 2012, on single source procurement: “Single-source Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified procurement” nationals of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States “23. A procuring entity may engage in single-source procureand Associate Members of the Caribbean Community to fill the ment if— following position (funded by the Global Fund) with assigned duty (a) the goods or construction station in Guyana: is available only from a particular supplier, or a particular supplier (i) Administrative Officer, Global Fund has exclusive rights with respect to the goods or construction, Full details of this position may be obtained by accessing the and no reasonable alternative or following web sites-www.caricom.org; www.caribank.org; www.oecs. substitute exists; (b) the services, by reason of org; www.crnm.org and www.caribbeanjobsonline.com their highly complex or specialized nature, are available from only Applications in English Language with full curriculum vitae details, one source; including nationality, work experience, educational qualifications (c) owing to a public emergency or national disaster, there and/or expertise, language proficiency, coordinates (including email is an urgent need for a goods, addresses) of three referees (at least two of whom must be familiar service or construction, and it is with the applicant’s work), and other relevant information, should be impractical to use the prescribed addressed to the Executive Director, Human Resource Management, methods of procurement because Caribbean Community Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, of the time involved in using those Guyana and sent by email to applnhrm@caricom.org. methods . . .” He then refers the board to DfID Business Case regarding The deadline for the submission of applications is 9 June 2013. MDC funding 2012-13: “GoM &

STAFF VACANCY

for final approval to reflect the increased access subsidy required. We will consider the case for long-term improvements once the economic and financial case has been made. “iii. Fibre optic cable – GoM should work on the planning, design and appraisal phase. If a viable economic and financial business case that fully explores private sector participation is made it will be considered for funding. The public works department recently announced that they have reached the de-

cont’d on page 10

Page 10

Friday, May 17, 2013

New US immigration bill could Caribbean foreign ministers to meet in Trinidad benefit Caribbean nationals

Nelson A. King

WASHINGTON D.C., United States - The United States Congress has started formal consideration of a sweeping immigration reform bill that creates a “path to citizenship” for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants, including Caribbean nationals. The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to finish work on the bill this week adopting Republican amendments aimed at stronger border security. The immigration bill requires the US federal government to gain almost total control of the border, authorizing money for drones, Customs and Border Protection officers and prosecution of illegal entries. Under the bill, new guest worker programmes would be established, particularly for lowskilled workers, and employers would be required to verify the legal status of all employees. In exchange, Caribbean and other immigrants now in the US without legal status would be eligible for provisional status if they paid fees, fines and taxes. They could gain legal residency 10 years after the border was declared secure. After 13 years, they would be eligible for citizenship. The eight senators in the bipartisan group that drafted the bill - four of whom are on the 18-member Judiciary Commit-

tee - were successful in fending off changes that would derail the bill. Immigration advocates and legal experts say no previous Congressional effort to change immigration law has offered such a broad, swift reprieve to immigrants deported by the US. The bill would give a legal second chance to thousands of Caribbean and other deportees without serious criminal records who have a child, parent or spouse with a green card or American citizenship. Many deportees brought to the United States before their 16th birthday would be eligible to return as well. An amendment from Alabama Republican Senator Jeff Sessions, who is among the bill’s most vocal critics, has sought to strip out the deportee reprieve. But other opponents have welcomed it as a political godsend, describing it as such an overreach that it would make the entire immigration bill easier to defeat. Some Democrats and immigrant rights groups have pledged to defend the deportee return, characterizing it as an important step in righting a wrong. “We have had four million people deported since 2002 and close to two million since 2008,” said Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immi-

grant Rights of Los Angeles. “This is the only way to reunite families that have been destroyed by our outdated, broken and cruel immigration policies,” she added. The Senate bill would reduce future deportations by giving millions of immigrants in the United States provisional legal status. But a Senate aide involved in legislative negotiations says deportees would not be granted an automatic right of return; they would have to apply. He said Caribbean and other deportees would be ineligible if they had been expelled for criminal reasons, or if they were convicted of a felony or at least three misdemeanors. The waivers would be granted at the discretion of the secretary of homeland security. Immigration lawyers, however, say that could mean approvals end up being inconsistent, adding that some immigrants would likely not trust the system that had deported them. “It’s arbitrary. It depends on who picks you up, when, and where they pick you up,” said David Leopold, general counsel for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “So who will become eligible or ineligible in terms of illegal reentry is really luck of the draw,” he added.

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) foreign ministers will meet in Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday to review the region’s strategic bilateral relationships, the Guyana-based CARICOM Secretariat has announced. It said that the two-day meeting of the Council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR) will be followed by the Community Council meeting on Thursday. The Secretariat said that the foreign ministers will review the Community’s strategic bilateral relationships including those with countries in North and Latin America, Europe, Asia and the wider Caribbean and will also hold

discussions with their counterparts from New Zealand and the Dominican Republic. The Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs and Special Envoy of the Government of Japan will also attend the meeting. The Secretariat said that among the agenda items for the meetings include international development cooperation, preparing a coordinated approach to 2013 and 2014 multilateral engagements with a focus on hemispheric and international organisations as well as an update on the situation in the Turks and Caicos Islands. The CARICOM Secretariat said that Thursday’s meeting is also in preparation for the CARI-

COM Summit scheduled for Port of Spain, July 4-6. It said the meeting “begins on the date of the 40th Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Chaguaramas which established CARICOM” and that the foreign ministers “will review and approve the agenda for the Heads of Government Meeting and will receive an update on the arrangements being put in place. “The Council will also consider issues related to the reform process in CARICOM including work being done on a Community Strategic Plan and progress of the change process at the CARICOM Secretariat,” it added.

cont’d from page 9

regarding procurement issues on Montserrat. This was noted in this year’s February UK Aide Memoire on Montserrat Budgetary aid discussions”2013/14, where it is stated: “A number of procurement and contract management issues arose in year which significantly affected the delivery of both capital projects and government services. There appears to be problems with (i) the adequacy of the procurement regulations; (ii) the lack of procurement and contract management guidelines; and, (iii) limited technical expertise in GoM resulting in misinterpretation of the existing regulations as

evidenced by delays to Lookout School, (see the court matter) and the A1 road upgrade, (which saw the suspension of funding by DFID). Up to press time Mr. Romeo reported he had not received a response from either the Governor or MDC Board, but following the press conference where the issue was first raised, there have been reports of meetings. The MP had also reported that officials from the MDC had told him that they were operating in the interests of cutting costs by carrying out the project themselves.

Romeo on procurement

with the MDC. He tells the Governor: “… there seems to be two of its Board Members, Mrs. Angella Greenaway and Mr. Kenneth Scotland, who sit on the Procurement Board. In addition, Mr Cox, a senior officer of the MDC sits on the Procurement Board (note the attached). This seems to be a majority of the Procurement Board’s five members, or at any rate a highly influential group coming from a single institution that necessarily falls under the Procurement Board for projects.” There have been several complaints prior and continuing

CARIBBEAN COMMUNITY SECRETARIAT

STAFF VACANCIES Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified nationals of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States and Associate Members of the Caribbean Community to fill the following position with assigned duty station in Barbados: (i)

Senior Project Officer, Communications, CSME Unit

Full details of this position may be obtained by accessing the following web sites-www.caricom.org; www.caribank.org; www. oecs.org; www.crnm.org and www.caribbeanjobsonline.com Applications in English Language with full curriculum vitae details, including nationality, work experience, educational qualifications and/or expertise, language proficiency, coordinates (including email addresses) of three referees (at least two of whom must be familiar with the applicant’s work), and other relevant information, should be addressed to the Executive Director, Human Resource Management, Caribbean Community Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana and sent by email to applnhrm@caricom.org. The deadline for the submission of applications is 9 June 2013.

Programme Manager, Services, Tourism and Transport Project Officer, Maintenance, Administrative Services

Full details of these positions may be obtained by accessing the following web sites-www.caricom.org; www.caribank.org; www.oecs. org; www.crnm.org and www.caribbeanjobsonline.com Applications in English Language with full curriculum vitae details, including nationality, work experience, educational qualifications and/or expertise, language proficiency, coordinates (including email addresses) of three referees (at least two of whom must be familiar with the applicant’s work), and other relevant information, should be addressed to the Executive Director, Human Resource Management, Caribbean Community Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown, Guyana and sent by email to applnhrm@caricom.org. The deadline for the submission of applications is 2 June 2013.

Friday, May 17, 2013

First well completed The PWD director also confirmed that the repairs of broken down equipment were completed before the latest tests and that while not getting hot water as desired it was satisfactory with the other signs. “What we’ve always had is decent temperature so we were less concerned about getting a hot well…So at that point, we know we have temperature and we know we have fractures in the rock,…” responding that they had to repair to be able to pull out of the first well. But there are sceptics, so TMR asked, a month from now, “what happens if your flow test fails, what will happen to the first well?” Beardsley responded: “If we, at the end of one month, we’re not getting the flow through into each of the well that we’d expect, so that we’re not under heavy pressure, then there are things that we can do

to stimulate the well and encourage it to start flowing,” adding somewhat dismissively, “But the expectation is that, that will be the case anyway.” Immediately after the testing had been reported, confirmed and accepted, the Iceland Drilling Company (IDC) who is executing the drilling work since February 2013, began the dismantling of the site and moved everything moved to the second well referenced “Mon-02″ in preparation for drilling. As of today (May 17), our pics show the Well head at the now almost vacated first site and final clearings being carried out, along with the rig being set up at the #2 site.

Page g 11

cont’d. from page 3

Mon-01 well headsealed

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Friday, May 17, 2013

www.themontserratreporter.com

MMSP donates helmets to Aunt Madge Child Care centre children

The Montserrat Motorsports Association (MMSA) president in the presence of the Hon. Minister of Sports Colin Riley made a donation of two children helmets to Aunt Madge Child Care centre in Woodlands on Thursday, May 16. President of the Association, John Osborne in brief opening remarks told the small gathering along with the little children, “MMSA, we are not just an association that deals with motorsports only. What we wanted to do this year was focus on our outreach program and one of the things that we thought of was, we should do outreach to the children as well, because safety is actually a big part of our association.” He referred to his boyhood days, when they thought, “helmets weren’t cool…today I brought my personal helmet with me to show the children that helmets could actually be fun and cool,” he said. “Hold on let me show you guys.”

Following remarks from the Minister of Sports, who said it was his third visit to the centre for the year, Osborne gave helmets to two of the children. The Minister said he would share brief remarks of what the activity was about. share just a few brief remarks about what today’s activity is about. “Primarily it’s about good citizenship and leadership. Montserrat Motorsports is one of our best run organizations of all of the sporting disciplines and they have been doing an excellent job of organizing themselves for the future,” he said, adding that the sport has been in the world for over 100 years and I’m happy that Montserrat is now joining the international movement to promote the machines and how well they can perform, it’s a testimony to human ingenuity, innovation, and that’s what we want our children to aspire towards excellent careers that really are going to make a difference for our country,” he said to the children. He mentioned also another reason for the event, “…to encourage and promote responsible driving and we have to look after our children and make sure we keep them safe so we drive within the limits of the law.” Madge Donoghue head of the Child Care centre accepted and thanked the association.” I accept these valuable helmets for the children of Aunt Marge Child Care…we thank you very much, and also, we know safety is very important for the children and I’m sure

JUS WONDERIN

Jus wonderin why shoot cattle and leave the carcasses to rot WHEN the meat can be utilised to help the retirement homes, the old age pensioners, the poor and distressed, and jus anyone willing to buy. Jus wonderin if is true the geothermal “experts” have been told not to talk to CRM. Jus what is there to hide and what happen to Transparency and Accountability. Jus wonderin which set of financial rules the M D C is using, if is SRO11/2012 Jus wonderin when will the “ NO EXIT” sign by the Ferry Departures lounge be removed, since the roadway has been blocked by the MDC partitioning. Jus wonderin when the “Right Turn Arrow”

will be removed from the T junction outside government headquarters. Jus wonderin which one of them flags BOM flying for the anniversary celebrations is their logo or represent their logo. Jus wonderin if is not long time ago the British say they goin build port for Montserrat, so where in the world private sector build port. Jus wonderin if is only now they taking survey levels of the road from Salem to St. John’s. Jus wonderin if is now them stop the road project. Jus wonderin if the premier throwin the minister them under the bus.

Minister of sports - Colin Riley speaks of excellence

the children are going to appreciate it very much and the parents and staff…” She also thanked the media and the Minister for coming to witness the event. Raymond Samuel delivered a vote of thanks following which Miss Meredith Lynch, vice president and events coordinator of the association, who chaired the proceedings brought them to a close by thanking everyone for participating. The MMSA leaves for Nevis on Friday night to take part in the annual car racing events there. The TMR photos show some of the cars due to for Nevis to participate in the races.

in the future Photos of the helmet donation and MMSA cars off to Nevis for weekend race