Shirley Osborne
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Dear Montserratians,
The Americans have a saying, “Don’t get angry, get even.” America is said to be the wealthiest country of them all.
My father taught me, “Don’t le’ people get you vex and mek you do stupitniss. Make sure you let the anger pass before you do anything – and you don’t have to tell anybody what you’re going to do, either.”
My father also warned me how very quickly, and upon how very simplistic reasoning, people could turn against me.
After she was dumped for a younger model and had made herself some money of her own, one former wife of Donald Trump is said to have advised that, “Success is the best revenge.”
The reality is that a home-based airline is of economic, medical, political – and emotional – benefit to Montserrat.
The harsh reality is that we have far greater need for a home-based airline than any other island in our region. They all have, among other things, larger markets and better hospitals.
When Richard Branson wanted Virgin America to enter the American market, the US government said, we have airlines of our own, thank you very much, we will not facilitate your competing with them. The US Department of Transportation required that the company alter its ownership structure to clearly reflect that it was 75% owned by US citizens. (www.centreforaviation.com)
Shelley Harris, in making to the Foreign Affairs Committee the particular submission she did, was totally out of line; in fact, she crossed every single line there is. I remind us all, however, that with very few exceptions, everything she said in her submission is also said by Montserratians – by ourselves. Even the things she said about the ferry!
She said things that Montserratians actually say! Should we have been saying those things about ourselves? Are we not aware that people listen when we talk about ourselves? And that they will use that information as and when it suits them? Let us be reminded now, then.
Jeevan Robinson says that I support FlyMontserrat and that I am wrong to do so, because in his reasoning, my arguing for the continuance of FlyMontserrat is arguing in support of Shelley Harris’s statements. I will not dignify that accusation and illogic with a counter.
He dares, however, question my commitment to Montserrat. To that, I will simply submit the evidence of my life, of my work on island and of my representation overseas of Montserrat, to date. I will also guide Montserratians to the two submissions I made to the FAC – one personal, the other a report on two (2) public consultations which I hosted on the matter, from my office as the Speaker of the Montserrat Legislative Assembly.
It would not be out of place for me to ask, I think, “Had Mr. Robinson, personally or as the media house that I, for one, am very proud to think of as Montserratian, bothered to make a submission to the Foreign Affairs Committee, might that not have, however slightly, countered Mrs. Harris’s charge about the state of Montserratian media, if nothing else? Especially given the criticality of the media to democracy, transparency and scrutiny of the powers that be, and Mr. Robinson’s frequent avowals that he is committed to these? Furthermore, would we not all be absolutely devastated to find out that I am wrong, also, in believing that MNIMedia is Montserratian?” I know I would be!
Mike Jarvis is a Montserratian journalist of some reknown, a source of pride to us all. I reiterate my recommendation that he go direct to the official sources, to wit, the Montserrat Financial Services Commission, for all information about the shareholders of FlyMontserrat. Matters of public record. Journalists go to source. I will not be baited, I will not be made to call people out to satisfy public appetite for blood, nor will I be part of any naming and shaming exercise, as is clear is being called for here. He would there, he knows, find out what, if any, pecuniary or other personal interest I might have in FlyMontserrat.
This matter of Shelley Harris’s submission has now wandered and expanded and become something else entirely and that is well. Provides an excellent opening for national self-examination. It deserves a substantial and definitive “dealing with” by Mrs. Harris and by the people of Montserrat. I have said what I needed to say about that. I shan’t be repeating myself. Mrs. Harris will do whatever she decides.
Montserrat must do what is in our best interests. We must, therefore, respond with strategy, not merely lash out in anger. We must answer with our heads, not our emotions. I’d invite us to consider the economies, indeed the general state of, for example, Italy and Greece compared to, say, Germany and China: Italy and Greece – passionate, emotional people; Germany and China – strategic, “head-deciding” people.
Dear Montserratians, I ask that we not provide the proof of Mrs. Harris’s assertions that we are mere children unable to govern ourselves rationally and intelligently, that we are incompetent and in need of supervision from a “parent”, however “benevolent”. We must be careful that we do not, ourselves, add to the injury already caused by this submission of hers.
We must respond, therefore, not merely react.
We should, in doing so, look to the Government of Montserrat which is a major shareholder in FlyMontserrat. I have been arguing, publicly and privately and very strongly, for years, that the Government of Montserrat needs to honour its commitment to Montserrat and to the company of which it is a part by participating in the decision making on the board of FlyMontserrat. The Government of Montserrat has chosen not to. We are where we are, largely because the Government of Montserrat has reneged on its obligations as a shareholder, and a major one at that!
In fact, Government of Montserrat has declined, consistently, categorically and in as many words, to support Montserratians on the board of and employed by FlyMontserrat who have been asking repeatedly – incessantly, even – for Government of Montserrat involvement and support to help improve the airline and its service to Montserrat and make it truly a Montserratian enterprise.
I can say without fear of any credible contradiction, official or otherwise, that had Government of Montserrat supported rather than thwarted Wendell Pond and other shareholders, FlyMontserrat would now be a top-class, though small (and quite likely larger), airline and we would not now be here. Had the government honoured its obligations and provided that support, FlyMontserrat would have, years ago, become a national institution of which we would all be proud beyond words.
Government of Montserrat support for the Montserratians on the board would be a very good start –and resolution, even – to this matter.
Confident in the power of Montserratians to pull through this challenge and reveal a much strengthened, more strategic Montserrat,
I am,
Shirley M. Osborne
Montserratian and nothing less
