Montserratians are eagerly awaiting the completion of the CARICOM Village at Davy Hill in the north of the island.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister the Hon. Lester Bird and CARICOM Secretary-General Mr Edwin Carrington toured the project on the north side of the island during their one-day visit to the volcano-stricken Member State of the Caribbean Community on Tuesday. Of the 25 pre- fabricated houses being provided by CARICOM with the assistance of Cuba, 15 are about 80 percent complete.
The northern sector has been deemed safe from the emissions of the Lang Soufriere volcano, which erupted in July 1995 and has claimed more than 20 lives and caused massive destruction of property including the devastation of the capital of the island, Plymouth. The southern and central sectors have been declared unsafe for habitation.
Prime Minister Bird and Secretary-General Carrington, who was accompanied by Mrs Carrington, met with His Excellency Governor Anthony Abbott and Mrs Abbott, Chief Minister. the Hon. David Brandt and Mrs Brandt, Cabinet Ministers and senior officials. They conveyed the Christmas wishes of the people of CARICOM to their brothers and sisters in Montserrat. Mrs Carrington also handed over a package of toys to Mr Brandt for distribution to the children of Montserrat.
Secretary-General Carrington said the visit, to share the spirit of the Christmas season with the residents of Montserrat, “though short was a very good one” and the government of Montserrat was quite pleased that the rest of CARICOM had not forgotten them in this season of Goodwill.
“The Montserratians are eagerly looking forward to the completion of the CARICOM Village. Hope has replaced despair and the Community must therefore do everything possible to complete this project. The neat three bedroom units will go a long way towards providing suitable accommodation for those who have chosen to stay on the island,” said the Secretary-General.
“All the pledges of assistance to construct the CARICOM Village have not as yet been fulfilled but I am optimistic that very soon in the New Year, those will be made good and the Village will be complete,” the Secretary-General added. “Seeing the situation at first hand” the Secretary-General said, “the team felt reassured of the viability of the new Montserrat community.”
Prime Minister Bird, whose country has been at the forefront in providing assistance to migrating Montserratians, was especially warmily received. Antigua and Barbuda has ensured school places and provided living accommodation and jobs for those Montserratians who have migrated to that country in the wake of the volcano.
