Thursday, 18 July, marked 29 years since Soufriere Hills volcano in Montserrat began erupting – a catastrophic, years long event that devastated the town of Plymouth and claimed 19 lives.
On the morning of the anniversary, Premier Joseph E Farrell delivered a message of reflection and hope to commemorate the occasion.
It reads: “‘Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.’
“Citizens and residents of Montserrat, the wider diaspora, our supporters across the globe and friends of Montserrat, I started my message to you today with a word from James chapter 1 verse 12 because it provides clear instructions on how to deal with times of trouble.
“At the same time, it is inspiring and a source of hope as it promises us victory if we remain loyal and committed to a greater purpose.
“Today as we reflect on what we can all agree was the start of Montserrat’s darkest hour – a period of uncertainty and a great test of our faith in God and love for country, I want us to also recognise the many blessings and victories which have been bestowed on us, and the promises of more to come.
“On Tuesday, 18 July, 1995, the Soufriere Hills Volcano roared to life transforming Montserrat in unimaginable ways – our island and our lives have been changed forever.
“For those of us who lived through it, our responses to such a distressing experience may vary from day to day.
“We sometimes block out the memories – perhaps to cope; we sometimes yearn for what was – perhaps to feel that familiar bond with the people and places of the past; and we sometimes become eager about Montserrat and our future, because we have an undeniable desire to rise as a country and as a people.
“And so, as Montserratians where ever we are, we have remained steadfast to this greater purpose of the growth and success of Montserrat and its people.
“The social, economic and developmental impacts were so severe that we are still dealing with them today, 29 years on.
“We are all familiar with those struggles and challenges that we continue to face, but as we navigate through this test, we have also reaped many blessings.
“We do not often think of these when we reflect on the loss and destruction caused by the volcano. Therefore, I want to highlight just a few blessings in the context of the losses:
“Our population dwindled from 10,600, pre-volcano to 3,338 in 1997, and now to 4,386 as of 2023 – a real challenge for us economically, but the mass migration of our people also resulted in many of our Montserratians gaining a world class education, work experience and expertise which may not have been available to them here on Montserrat.
“These individuals are now poised to contribute and support Montserrat’s development efforts, and indeed many have been doing so.
“As a government we continue to explore ways to strategically incorporate Montserratians living overseas in the development thrust of the island.
“This is the focus of our upcoming diaspora investment summit scheduled for 24 July during the Calabash Festival.
“It is a cornerstone of the Government of Montserrat’s comprehensive diaspora strategy which is symbolic of our commitment to strengthening ties with the Montserratian global community, encouraging investment, and recognising the invaluable contributions of Montserratians and friends of Montserrat residing abroad.
“For those of us who stayed, the volcano created new opportunities for us to gain expertise in scientific fields. We now have experts in volcanology and related fields.
“Many of us have also gained a wealth of experience in various professions; often times performing multiple roles which have exposed us to new skills and knowledge beyond what is typically afforded to individuals working in environments in which there is an abundance of human resources.
“Montserrat is also recognised as having a centre of expertise in volcano monitoring and scientific research, through the world class volcano monitoring service provided by the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO).
“The establishment and work of the MVO has positioned Montserrat among leading scientific researchers in the Caribbean, and the world.
“Although we continue to develop, all of the redevelopment efforts which have been undertaken over the years to include housing developments, new ports of entry, a new government headquarters, schools and a business district, among others, have given us the practical expertise in building a country from the ground up.
“Indeed, we are experts in rebuilding in our own right, and can provide best practices and lessons learnt to other places which have or may experience wide scale destruction.
“I am sure you can think of other ways in which blessings, successes and positive outcomes have resulted from the unpleasant experiences brought on by the volcanic eruption.
“As a resilient people, whether home or abroad, we have survived, we have endured and we have overcome; and there are many more blessings to come as He has promised.
“I thank all Montserratians and friends of Montserrat for being resilient, persevering and for seeing the development of Montserrat as a goal.
“As an island and a government, our successes have been made possible through support from our partners and counterparts across the world.
“The UK government continues to provide aid to Montserrat, along with financial support from other partners to include regional and international organisations and agencies, Montserratians living overseas, citizens and residents.
“As we work steadfastly towards our success and that of Montserrat, we must do so together.
“We must all collaborate and work in partnership for the betterment of this land – if we do so, we will continue to reap blessings, as promised.”
