Lowell Lewis
Tuesday, July 15, 2014
I rise to speak on this Motion on behalf of the Government and people of Montserrat.
It is an honour for me to be here, to represent the Government of Montserrat at this historic first working session of the OECS Assembly.
My presence here was a last minute decision, being a Member of the Opposition in Montserrat. This illustrates the resilience of the people of Montserrat and how we can make participation in these regional institutions affordable.
It brings to our attention the importance of ensuring that in our institution, we make sure that the business of our people continues uninterrupted, whether elected Members cannot attend either for ill health or any other reason.
I welcome the presence of the youth at the session.
It is important for us to show that we are moving into the modern world by using modern technologies, to ensure that participation at these meetings can take place even in the absence of Members.
Perhaps, our communication specialists could make sure that the next time we have a meeting, we have screens in this room, which will allow absent Members in the other territories, to speak to us and to participate. Having a live Wi-Fi link is certainly something that needs to be part of the technology available to allow this regional institution to function properly.
The Premier in Montserrat has set precedence before, by sending the former Leader of the Opposition, to represent him and sit on the podium with other Heads of Government, illustrating, that in the region, we are all one people, and that despite having differences of opinion, there are several things that we have in common, and one is the desire for regional integration.
Madame Speaker, I believe I can speak on behalf of the Government of Montserrat, because we have just received the budget statement from the Honourable Premier.
As you know that the name of the post is changed since our new constitution was introduced and the budget statement clearly states his position and his government’s position, which I will now quote.
Before quoting his statement, I will mention that, as already has been said today, the United Kingdom has given Montserrat entrustments to participate fully in the OECS, and that implies that we have already been given permission to sign and agree to the freedom of movement.
You-all also know that most Montserratians are not in Montserrat, I reckon 80 percent of our population is around the world, living and working and enjoying the freedoms of living in other communities.
I think it will be selfish and unfair for us to even contemplate a situation where we did not think it was right for other people who want to come, especially our brothers and sisters, to come and enjoy the privileges which we ourselves enjoy in other countries.
That also applies to other members of the region, the many hundreds and thousands who live and work in many other parts of the world.
The Honourable Premier stated in his budget statement
"On the order paper for this Sitting of this Honourable House we will present the OECS Economic Union Bill. This Bill emanates from the Revised Treaty of Basseterre. Once passed, Montserrat will accede to the OECS Economic Union Treaty.
It should be recognized that Montserrat is an original Member of the OECS since its inception in 1983 and this move is in keeping with the continued improvements within the OECS family. We will be no worse off; rather it creates opportunities for Montserrat".
I take issue with that statement and even though I represent him, he knows I have to tear his budget apart later this week when I debate it.
He should have said Montserrat will be better off by virtue of our association with the OECS. And this Assembly also needs to send that message to all our people that we will be better off as a result of this institution.
Madame Speaker, through this Motion, we are expected to focus on the challenges that we are faced with in terms of freedom of movement.
The first item we probably need to consider is the cost and I think it is very important for us to realize that everything costs money and that this Motion is not about freeness; it is not about free cost; it is about freedom of movement.
Somebody has to pay for the cost of facilitating this freedom of movement – the officials who make it happen, the fuel we burn and all those other items which are part of the activity of freedom of movement.
What we have to do is focus on how we can reduce the cost.
I believe that we need to follow the examples that we see in the developed countries where activities form the focus and the stimulus for freedom of movement. We know what happens every weekend in the United Kingdom and other places where footballers and football fans, travel throughout the country on trains and buses.
We need to look at an OECS, that deals with freedom of movement in such a way that is linked with activities.
In 1939 my father won the 100m race in St Kitts and Nevis in the inter-island sports meeting for school children. If our fore-fathers could do that in 1939, we here in the present day should certainly be able to organize affordable ways of having our people meet, to interact in many ways, whether it be sports, religion or education.
We already see the examples with the Leeward Islands debating competitions, preparing our future leaders, some of whom will perform in this very hall.
I am making this point to state that we, as leaders, must focus on these activities that will make freedom of movement become a reality.
In fact, I congratulate the Government of Antigua for joining with Montserrat in actually the start of what is one of the most important freedom of movement activities that has taken place.
We were able to secure funding from the European Union to build a ferry docking facility in Saint John’s Harbour, specifically to deal with inter-island ferry travel between Barbuda, Montserrat and Antigua. This can be expanded to include Dominica and Saint Kitts and Nevis. I would like us, in this grouping, to use our political influence to approach international agencies, who want to see us doing things to get our young people off the streets and gainfully employed.
In coming together with an OECS Assembly special projects to get this inter-island ferry service going, we will make possible, cheaper freedom of movement between the territories.
Madame Speaker, this is an opportunity which, I think, we must not give up.
This activity, the Inaugural meeting of the OECS Assembly, has been described today as a massive leap forward. It is a giant step which we have to take.
We do realize that there has to be a balance, that in this world, there is good and evil, and we must make sure that the safety of our people is secure, with regulations and systems in place to avoid hardship.
With these few words, Madame Speaker, I indicate that through the entrustments that the Government of Montserrat has had from the United Kingdom, and through the people of Montserrat’s moral obligation, to return the kindness that has been afforded them throughout the world and the region, I believe our parliament in Montserrat will support this Motion fully.
