Montserrat’s new government ministers and parliamentary secretary have highlighted some of their key priorities as they begin their term in office.
Speaking during their first press conference on 4 November, they identified objectives such as providing more green spaces, improving teacher benefits, stabilising utilities, and signing the hospital contract.
Land use
Dwayne Hixon, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Environment and Sports, said he planned to support the introduction of more green spaces and play areas.
He said that same day he had plans to meet with some staff at the Lands and Survey Department to look at possibilities.
Hixon said his ultimate aim is to see green spaces and play areas made available to every village in Montserrat.
John Osborne, Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Environment and Sports, told viewers of the love broadcast he had already begun working on his campaign promise of finding extra land for farmers.
He said he had a meeting with a land owner and has a verbal agreement to secure up to 70 acres, which following formalities will be made available “hopefully sometime in the new year”.
Housing
Osborne said he is about to commission the building of a website to help people who want to provide and access rental space.
“One of the issues that we have here, especially for young people, is that sometimes they want to find their own place to stay, but they don’t know who to contact or where to go to find these places,” he said.
He explained that the Tourist Board already has a rental website set up, but it has a focus on “high end” properties.
“But what I want to do is make a more dynamic website, so anyone who even has a basement or downstairs, can list on this website, and you’ll know pretty much the availability,” he said.
The housing minister also said a project will soon begin to remove the family housing units that are in Drummonds.
Teacher benefits
Dr Ingrid Buffonge, Minister of Education, Health, Social Services and Youth Affairs, said one of her main priorities is to improve the benefits available to teachers.
“Retention of teachers is obviously one of the huge problems, and people won’t come here to work if they’re not going to be paid the salaries that are on par with those in the region,” she said.
“They’re not going to come if it’s such a nightmare just to get supplies for the school or to find housing, or if the cost of living is too high.”
Buffonge said that she aims to raise salaries, increase vacation time, and give teachers access to “certain aspects” of free healthcare.
“Our teachers need to be happy and comfortable if they’re going to be able to support students,” she said.
Stabilised utilities
Veronica Dorsette-Hector, Minister of Infrastructure, Labour, Transportation, Energy and Ecclesiastical Affairs, said the new government is “working fastidiously” to improve energy provision.
She said plans are in place for legislation to allow discussion with an investor who is “showing a keen interest” in geothermal energy.
The infrastructure minister added that she also aims to advance a project which will rehabilitate Montserrat’s springs to improve water supply.
“Our water resilience must be strengthened, as well as exploring options for commercial use to provide employment for the people of Montserrat,” she said.
Improved roads
Dorsette-Hector said the maintenance of roads in Montserrat is very important and the government is going to embark on a clean up programme as a major priority.
“With our climate change, as we have seen, our environment, our trees, they’re burgeoning, they’re they’re just expanding,” she said.
She described the growth as beautiful but added that it can hinder the sightline of drives.
The infrastructure minister said that funds are being requested in order to purchase the equipment that is required to clean up the roads.
She added that bitumen is available so work can begin soon on paving “many side roads”.
“We need to transform this country, and we can do so by starting our verges and our roads,” she said.
Employment centre
Dorsette-Hector said she is looking at expanding services at the Labour Department to create an employment centre.
The centre will create a register of unemployed people, and provide advice, help with CVs, and offer up-skilling where possible, she said.
The labour minister said her ministry is partnering with the Ministry of Youth to provide apprenticeships for young people.
She said there are several girls and young women who are interested in mechanics, engineering and other similar vocations, and she wants to provide space for them to progress.
The support will make sure “that they are economically stable and able to partake in the economy, not simply in the traditional jobs that that are available”, she said.
Hospital contract
Premier Reuben Meade serves as Minister of Finance, Local Government Immigration, Regional Affairs, Culture, Tourism, Economic Management, Trade, Information Communication and Digital Transformation.
During the press conference he flagged issues with the hospital project and promised that the construction contract will be signed sometime this month “so that we can get that project up and moving”.
He said the government will be putting a proper management system in place for major projects to allow ministers to be more involved in the discussions and decisions.
A special committee of all of the ministers will also be formed to keep them abreast of project updates, along with a subgroup for management of individual projects.
“Many a times, we have project money, but we are not spending the money. If we are not spending the money, then we can’t ask for more money,” he said.
