A Montserrat Odyssey: Running Low on Fuel?

A Montserrat Odyssey: Running Low on Fuel?
Author

Jeevan A. Robinson

Release Date

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

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Just under two weeks ago, I wrote asking Premier Romeo if he is the man best equipped to lead Montserrat’s resurgence, in light of his evident reluctance to lead the country with authority. The follow up installation to that piece, will today look at the issues of unity in governance and collective citizen responsibility.

I remain immensely disappointed in the way political division continues to ruin the best of what this island can be. This is not to be confused with being ashamed of my country, for I believe a person should never be ashamed of their country. However, they are allowed to be expressive in their disenchantment with the conduct of the development affairs to do with the same.

With all the reports received, and the conversations that have been had with a cross-section of the citizenry, it is seeming that the full realisation of the potential of Montserrat is being suppressed by those who have become drunk on a cocktail of power, while they deliver very little for the advancement of the people and their concerns.

A contractor expressed; “I have not worked since February! Many like me are out there! I did some work before that, and they took forever to pay me, and my men. Since February nothing has come up work wise.”

I find it necessary to relay these statements, as these are the voices of the people speaking to their pain and lack of economy.

Another poignant story was that of a young person who shared their thoughts. I will omit some of the thoughts that were relayed to protect that person’s anonymity. But to summarise, they divulged that as they look around, they shudder to think what the future holds for youths.

The individual stated; “As a young person, I want to stay in my country but I am also ambitious, and with no opportunity here, what they want us young people to do? We will leave won’t we? Since last year I have been hearing of programmes coming for us young people and besides a few parties here and there, what else is there for us to do incentives wise? I may just have to leave.”

As I read those comments returned to my question, I felt the frustration coming through.

There is no society that is serious about its future that does not plan and institute engaging and responsible programmes to ensure youth attraction and retention. It is a policy and leadership responsibility to ensure the focus on youth is not only to court their votes at election time, but also to follow through in governance by putting in place incentivised programmes such as entrepreneurship and job creation drives to entice youths towards wishing to stay, or return. Without an effective youth retention strategy, a developing state such as Montserrat, is in effect planning for a future of failure.

Montserrat is a country that is the perfect paradigm for expansion and growth, but throughout all these past 20 years, something has been hampering progress. I have been at pains to identify it over the years, and now the volcano has more or less presented itself as a non-factor, our development stagnation points to several things. The ones that stand out most, in my view, are those of a divide of politics, and a social distraction that are equally stalling Montserrat’s progress.

DFID is who some say is responsible for stalling Montserrat.

But with that view, the question I would ask is how does aid such as what DFid delivers for the island, impact development towards sustainability? In a development matrix such as Montserrat’s, should aid from agencies such as DFID not also be in tandem with other forms of Foreign Direct Investment, or even home grown institutional investment?

Within the realities of rebuilding from devastation, it is often thought that there are opportunities aplenty for investors to reap rewards. So where are the investors flocking to Montserrat? Where are the investors from China and Dubai who were courted to spend their dollars here in our re-development opportunity?

Investors will seek an opportunity, and take a risk once the due diligence shows the returns are worthwhile. Do we have such a scenario to present in the Montserrat re-development drive? Are investors shying away from Montserrat because the returns on investment do not presently look enticing enough?

Earlier, I spoke of a divide of politics and social distraction that are both stalling our progress.

The divide of politics is the internal conflicts within leadership. Every political gathering is fraught with internal conflicts of some form. Could it be though, that within the ruling administration, persons are bursting at the seams with their displeasure at Romeo’s leadership?

When Parliamentary Secretary Gregory “Saga” Willock writes a letter to the Premier insulting his leadership, coupled with threats of crossing over the floor to join the opposition; it begs the question of where the interest and focus of some of those whom the people elected lies? In a letter that essentially calls out a dare to the Premier, blaming him for the current condition of the country, is Willock truly looking out for Montserrat? Or was he throwing a tantrum to get his own way.

Willock will argue that he was putting people first no doubt. However, Willock’s exuberance of posturing and rhetoric is well documented and makes for a national conversation. The facts will show that a festival 2014 budget of around EC$250k ballooned to almost EC$800k due to the cavalier approach to accountability, and disregard for process shown by this very same Parliamentary Secretary.

Is Romeo riddled with internal politics, that his efforts to put forward a face of unity and a progressive jobs mandate for Montserrat is being crippled?

I must also ask of Romeo, what is the issue regarding Hon Claude Hogan’s housing grants scheme programme, after it was announced that the programme was ready to go since July, 2015? Is this not a programme that will put people to work and ease some pain for citizens and contractors alike?

What was outlined above is but a sliver of the political divide I speak of, and equally so too the social distraction I refer to.

What Montserrat requires presently is a gathering of minds devoid of political interference and political malfeasance; putting a comprehensive plan forward for the future of Montserrat.

I think of this team, and express it so willingly because I feel we are losing the essence of our island. Montserratians born and bred, sons and daughters of our land who have come to love Montserrat as their own, have got to find a way to take the island back from the clutches of both DFid, and from those politicians who are not delivering for the people.

I would submit that the future of Montserrat does not lie in the handouts and the monies received from DFId. It is legacy of colonial mental suppression that serves us poorly.

The future of Montserrat lies in our collective sense of purpose; where we cohesively plan for the future with purpose.

There are five fundamental pillars that we can seek to build our country on, but it cannot be rhetoric and politics; it has to be backed by staunch and aggressive action. The pillars of growth that I see ripe for the future that can create jobs and restart our growth engine are;
a) Fibre optics and the resultant attraction of industries that operate in this space
B) Construction/capital projects/ infrastructure development
c) Targeted tourism marketing, and product development
d) Agriculture and agri-business development
e) and the final one being Montserrat as service provider within the financial services sector.

We have to understand collectively that in order to take Montserrat forward, the way we think about development, and our interaction with each other politically and socially - all these things have to be given a new look.

Leadership has to drive that message, and paradigm shift home to the people. A change of course must take place soon to quell the growing disquiet within the community.

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