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A planned early morning prayer service carded for Salem had to be cancelled due to ashy onditions caused by an overnight explosion at the volcano. However, the national prayer service at the Brades Pentecostal Church's Arts & Entertainment Centre went ahead as planned. There were musical renditions from Voices, The Emerald Community Singers, Calvin Riley and presentations by Her Excellency the Governor and the Hon Chief Minister.
The Christian Council members presented the prayers and readings and Pastor Ruthlyn Bradshaw gave the homily. The two hour service was well attended and gave a great start to two weeks of activities to commemorate the anniversary.
The activities in both Montserrat and the UK include workshops, concerts, lectures, discussion groups, church services and a major scientific conference to be held on island.
The eruption on the day of the tenth anniversary caused many areas to suffer ashy conditions which were later relieved by some heavy rains. Following a meeting of the Volcanic Executive Group (VEG) the following statement was issued:
"Further activity was observed early on the morning of Monday 18, July at the Souifriere Hills Volcano. On this occasion, ash venting and pyroclastic flows combined to cause dramatic ash clouds which reached to at least 20,000 feet. Winds blew the ash plume in a northwesterly direction causing significant ash fall in Old Towne, Iles Bay, Salem, Olveston, Woodlands and St Peters. The maximum depth of ash measured by scientists in inhabited areas was 1.5 to 2.0 mm.
The 3 am event came with little or no warning.
The activity on 18 July was characterised by an explosive eruption which almost certainly led to pyroclastic flows (pf's) to the sea in Tar River. In line with previous events at earlier stages in the volcanic activity (example in March 2004) the explosion was followed by a series of hybrid and volcano-tectonic (vt) earthquakes. Activity has now returned to background levels.
There are no restrictions on movement other than in the Exclusion Zones. However, as areas are very ashy, residents in affected areas are asked to wear ash masks and to drive cautiously. Ash masks are available from clinics and police stations in the affected areas.
The MVO has collected ash samples from the affected areas to determine whether or not the material was new material from depth in the volcano or older material from the dome. The samples collected will be examined over the course of the next few days. However, ash samples collected after the 28, June and 3 July 2005 events showed no evidence that new magmatic material was involved.
Scientists reiterated that the risk to areas in the north of the island remain low."
Commercial flights into and out of the new Geralds Airport commenced on 11, July 2005. WINAIR, the St Maarten based airline, is operating the new service between Montserrat and Antigua and also to St Maarten. There will be four flights per day into and out of the airport.The first commercial flights attracted a crowd, estimated at over 1000 people, to witness the flights and a special ceremony to celebrate the days events.
The Hon Chief Minister, Dr John Osborne proudly told those assembled " Montserrat is now open for business, we are transforming adversities into opportunities".
The Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Hon Baldwin Spencer was a passenger on the inaugural flight and he too addressed the gathering.
A host of political leaders from overseas, regional air traffic, airline and airport personnel attended the ceremony as did Her Excellency the Governor, Mrs Deborah Barnes Jones who also addressed the ceremony.
There were special presentaions by EU and DFID officials who provided the funding for the new airport and terminal. WINAIR and BAJAN HELICOPTER representatives also made presentations. Airport Project Manager, Hon Claude Hogan proudly acted as Chairman of the morning's events.
Since the inaugural flight, services have been running smoothly and passengers are enjoying the short flight between Montserrat and Antigua. The helicopter service has now been disbanded and the ferry service is scheduled to come to a close by the end of July.
H.E. the Governor, at the end of the first week of operations, told listeners to Radio Montserrat that she was very pleased at the way operations had proceeded during the first few days and congratulated all concerned.
Photo shows officials speaking after the first commercial flight lands.
Monday 25 July will be Open Day at the Governor's Office in Brades.The Governor's Office will throw open its doors so that members of the public can meet the staff, see the office at work and get to know more about the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
There will be displays, presentations, webpage demonstrations, videos and chat sessions. The morning sessions will be turned over to children taking part in summer school activities who, in addition will be able to take part in the Commonwealth Games Baton Passing Ceremony carded for the office car park that morning. The children will then tour the building as part of Open Day activities.
In the afternoon the office will host a party of senior citizens from the Evergreen Club and at 2.30 pm the general public are invited to attend.
This will be the first Open Day at the Governor's Office since it moved to Farara Plaza in Brades.
The Look Out Primary School held its first ever Graduation Day Exercises on July 12th, 2005 at the St.John's Anglican Church. There were 35 students who graduated at the ceremony, seventeen boys and eighteen girls.The ceremony started with a hymn and a prayer by Rev.Telford Matthew, and then the welcoming of the chairperson. The chairperson was Ms. Maureen Estwick, and she started her remarks with words of encouragement to the graduates and congratulated them on reaching thus far. She urged them to open their minds to the new environment and subjects to which they would be facing at the Secondary School. She also gave them a quote for them to remember " reach up and out". Miss Estwick also offered advice to the teachers and parents. Firstly she commended the teachers for the great job they have been doing with the students and she also admitted that they have not been commended enough. To the parents she emphasized that educating students is not only the responsibility of the teachers, but parents should play a part at home, investing time in their children and teaching them good principles and discipline.
Miss Edith Duberry the Head Teacher of the Lookout School gave the School's Report, highlighting the school's events, programmes, achievements, awards and prizes. She also gave few words of advice to the graduates. She told them to be disciplined at all times and to let the school motto "The Top Is Reached By Striving" still be their motto as they start out to a different school. Miss Duberry also reached out to the parents, to work together with the teachers for a better school in the future and to continue to encourage students in their endeavours.
"Gain a proper education - make your life and your family's life better by getting a proper education to better yourself and the community. A proper education makes your life a lot simpler. Education is one of the most effective steps of striving to the top" are a few of the wise words of wisdom from the guest speaker, Mr. Anton Doldron. He gave the feature address bestowed upon the graduating class. Mr. Doldron firstly congratulated the graduating class. He encouraged those who did not have formal education to use their skills and talents to good use and better themselves. He also imparted on them to take advantage of the opportunity they have, and not to waste that opportunity and their parent's money.
The speeches were followed by presentation of prizes and certificates and there were musical and poetry presentations by the students. The vote of thanks was offered by graduating student, Sharmaine King.
Photo shows the Graduation Class.
DARE is the Drug Abuse Resistance Education programme which started in Montserrat in 1985. It is a community funded programme taught by Police Officers to the top class in each of the island's three primary schools. The current DARE officers are PC Kelly and WPC Tuitt.
The Graduation Ceremony this year was held at the Brades Pentecostal Church's Arts & Education Centre and was attended by parents and well wishers. The chairman of events for the afternoon was Mr John Jeffers from the Ministry of Agriculture and a member of the DARE Committee.
The guest speaker for the afternoon was the Hon Minister of Education, Health & Community Services Mrs Idabelle Meade who urged children to keep away from alcohol, drugs and tobacco. She reminded the young people that cigarette manufacturers traget them in their advertising. She reminded them that tobacco use can cause cancer adding that as Minister of Health she has seen the painful affects of this disease.
Chairman of the local DARE Committee, Richard Aspin briefed the audience on the programme giving its history over the last 20 years. Montserrat became the first country outside of the USA to start the programme after it was introduced to the island by Partners of the Americas in 1985. Mr Aspin had seen it at work in Oswego, New York and persuaded the DARE Academy in Albany, New York to train Sgt John Mathew of the Royal Montserrat Police Force to become a DARE officer. He held the post until he retired and was then replaced by PC Kelly and later WPC Tuitt. DARE officers in the region are now trained in Barbados at the Regional Training Centre based there. Mr Aspin urged the audience to continue to back the programme financially as it is a community based one which needs the public's support.
Certificates and prizes for the programme were distributed by Commissioner of Police, Mr John Douglas and several students presented some of their essays. There were musical interludes by the youths and all the Graduates in their DARE Tee shirts sang their theme song.
Mr Frederick joined the Royal Montserrat Police Force (RMPF) in 1966 as a constable and retired as a Senior Sergeant in 1999. Mr Frederick retired to Seven Sisters in London and was working as a Security Guard in Central London. He was on his way to work on the London Underground when the bombing occurred.
Mr Frederick known as 'Soul' to his friends in Montserrat was a keen calypsonian and appeared on stage locally for many years as 'Vision'.
Mr Frederick leaves to mourn a son in Montserrat, Fire Officer Wade, two brothers one of whom was also a member of the RMPF but who now lives in New York, and his parents in Grenada. He had recently visited Grenada with his brothers to repair their parent's home which had been damaged by hurricanes last year. Mr Frederick's body is to be taken home to Grenada for burial.
Her Excellency the Governor, Mrs Deborah Barnes Jones sent messages of condolence to Mr Frederick's family and Commissioner of Police of the RMPF, Mr John Douglas paid glowing tributes to the work of Mr Frederick during his many years in the local force.
MAY HE REST IN PEACE.
Her Excellency the Governor has supported a number of activities from the NGO community over the past several months.The Rasvalley Basketball Club received a donation for uniforms to allow them to take part in the 2005 Montserrat Basketball League.
The Montserrat Girl Guides received monies for airfares to allow the Commissioner to attend important meetings in London and Malta.
The Cudjoe Head Community Club has received a grant to allow the staging of a Craft Exhibition as part of Cudjoe Head Day activities.
The Emerald Shamioles Youth Masquerade Group were assisted with airfares to get the group to England where they are taking part in activities to commemorate ten years of volcanic eruption.
The Special Needs Unit at the Brades Primary school were given a small grant to allow them to purchase a VCR/DVD player for the school.
Several Church organisations have received funds to allow youths to travel to summer camps. The Catholic Church's CYC were assisted in getting their group to Cologne, Germany where they will attend World Youth Day activities which will be attended by the Pope. In return for their donation, the CYC members are painting a house for a member of the elderly community.
The Shiloh Pentecostal Church and the Beulah Wesleyan Holiness Church both received donations towards sending members to youth camps in the Caribbean over the next few months.
Photo shows Miss Julie Chalmers of the Beulah Wesleyan Holiness Church being presented with a cheque by Staff Officer, Mark Patterson.
In late June, a barge took from Montserrat a large quantity of aggregate produced by Phoenix Inc at its quarry in the Little Bay area. This commodity became the first major export from Montserrat since the start of the volcanic eruption ten years ago.The aggregate was shipped to Antigua to an affiliate company of Phoenix Inc and, according to the Company's Chairman Mr Vincent Cassell, the event symbolised one of the first major signs of self sustaining economical activity witnessed by residents of Montserrat in the last ten years.
Company officials, it is reported, are aware of the supply and demand of the mining industry and are capable of filling that need. Phoenix Inc are hoping to export two shipments per month up until the end of the year as well as meeting local demands. Local builders will benefit from the local product as import tariffs on similar products imported from abroad will be eliminated.
Phoenix Inc is about one year old and quarries an area about half a mile to the east of the Port Authority buildings in Little Bay.
Photo shows materials stockpiled at Phoenix Inc ready for export.
When a country has a trade surplus this means that it is exporting more goods and/or services than it is importing. A trade surplus is an advantage for an economy given that it provides avenues for the generation of foreign exchange earnings and general economic growth and development.
In the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union (ECCU), the decline of traditional exports such as sugar and bananas coupled with the challenges faced by the tourism industry (our major export industry) and the high demand for foreign goods, give this region a trade deficit. A trade deficit implies that the region is importing more that it is exporting.
How can we reduce our trade deficit? As a region there are several things that we can do. These include: reducing imports by consuming more domestically produced goods and boosting exports by increasing the efficiencies of industries and differentiating our tourism product. Measures to enhance the productivity of our export industries including initiatives geared at niche tourism such as sports, eco and culture as well as buy local campaigns will likely result in a reduction in the trade deficit.