Residents and politicians from across party lines have voiced upset over a recent statement from the Governor’s Office in Montserrat on the safety of the island.
The statement came after a social worker in an open letter asked Governor Sarah Tucker for lenience and compassion for a pregnant prisoner who is due to give birth this month.
A short response from the office said it could not discuss the specific case but a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals can provide any healthcare support that is needed.
It concluded: “First and foremost, however, is keeping the people of Montserrat safe and ensuring that the rule of law in Montserrat is observed and upheld.”
It is this line that has led to some backlash, with several critics saying it unfairly implied Montserrat is or would be, without intervention from the governor, unsafe.
‘Exceptionally safe’
Shirley Osborne, an electoral candidate for the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM), discussed the comment in a political programme on ZJB Radio on 3 October.
“Of concern to many people is the… increasing talk about keeping Montserrat safe, keeping the people of Montserrat safe,” she said.
She continued: “But the reality is that Montserrat is, by any standard, an exceptionally safe place to be.”
Osborne added: “Keeping Montserrat safe is a great thing that we have been doing by ourselves for a very long time. We can continue to do it…We are capable and competent, and we can do this.”
She went on to read a statement from Edris Wade, an electoral candidate for the Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) party, in which she said Montserrat is a very safe place to live.
“We are a community that cares about each other. Despite that, we have ups and downs. We do look out for each other.”
‘Very serious’
In a recorded statement, Alaric Lynch, also a PDM electoral candidate, said on the programme that he wanted to discuss the “misconception that Montserrat is unsafe”.
He called the insinuation “very untrue” and said to suggest otherwise would be a “very, very serious statement and misinformation”, adding: “I think this is one of the safest place in the world.”
Jumping in on the issue, independent electoral candidate Charlesworth Piper gave his views on a paid political programme on ZJB Radio on 8 October.
He asked if the pregnant prisoner is a likely threat to Montserrat and said suggesting she may be is an “embarrassment”.
Montserrat-born broadcaster Mike Jarvis on a public Facebook post on 5 October also asked why the governor is concerned about the safety and security of the people of Montserrat.
In a poem, he wrote “Crime in Montserrat is very low; has always been so; so…what does this governor/FCDO representative know; that the rest of us don’t?”
Montserrat Focus requested a comment from the Governor’s Office on the statement and a spokesperson responded: “As previously stated, we do not comment on individual cases.
“We have no further comment to offer about this individual and we will not be responding to further emails on the subject.”
