Topic: News

The Montserrat’s premier of the film Under the Volcano featuring George Martin– a great record producer, arranger, and musician happened on October 1 – 3, 2021. The first evening saw Government officials and persons from the private sector. The other two evenings were open to the public. The film highlighted the islands beautiful landscape with little snippets of its culture but mainly concentrated on the journey taken by Sir George Martin with the building of the recording studio known as Air Studios on Montserrat and the number great musicians who came and recorded in Montserrat. Some of these stars and groups included Paul McCartney, Elton John, Stevie Wonder, the Rolling Stones, the Police and Dire Straits etc. The movie was quite interesting not only because of the realization of great set of music which was recorded in Montserrat, but it was interesting to see how these musicians were able to blend in comfortably with the local community without any worry of security concerns.

The Emerald Community Singers, is a Folk Choir founded by the late Dr. George
Irish on September 15, 1971. The group held its first performance on December
of that year at the Shamrock Theatre (Cinema), in Plymouth.

Over the last 50 years Montserrat’s culture has been enhanced with
performances by the Emerald Community Singers who have used their stage to
showcase Montserrat’s musical heritage, through religious and folk music both at
home and abroad in numerous music festivals. Some of its earliest members
included the late Dr. Vernon Buffonge, Mrs. Edith Bellot Allen who was one of the
leading voices of the group and Ms. Veronica Hickson.

The Emerald Community Singers current interim leader is Mr. Herman (Cupid)
Francis, local musician and former calypso king of Montserrat.

At

The Sir George Martin Auditorium, MCC

The Office of the Legislature held its 6 th annual orientation week for first form entry students to the Montserrat Secondary School under the theme – “ A cord of three strands is NOT EASILY BROKEN”.

The activities started on Tuesday 24 th August and ended on Friday 27 th August 2021. The first 3 days at the cultural centre saw presentations from a number of persons from both the public and private sector who spoke to them on different topics aimed at assisting the students with their transition from the primary school level to the secondary school level. The week ended with a hike and beach picnic to one Montserrat’s popular beaches – the Rendezvous beach.

Graduation Ceremony Class of 2021

Montserrat Secondary School

Graduation Ceremony Class of 2021

18^th August, 2021

Some sixty-six students will be graduating from the Montserrat Secondary School for the school year 2021. The ceremony will be held in the Sir George Martin Auditorium at the Montserrat Cultural Centre. Highlights to the ceremony includes the Principals report presented by Mr. Toney Allen ( Principal), the Academic awards, performances by the MSS Dance Group and a musical interlude by the MSS school Band and the graduating class.  The valedictory address for the class of 2021 will be given by Shay-Reese Chambers.

The PRIME Expo which was hosted on July 23 and 24, 2021 by the Trade Unit in the Office of the Premier in collaboration with the Montserrat Arts Council was ‘dubbed’ to be a huge success. The event which was staged in the Sir George Martin Auditorium of the Montserrat Cultural Centre started with an opening ceremony which included remarks from the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Daphne Cassell from the Office of the Premier and special remarks from the Minister of Agriculture Mr. Crenston Buffonge who represented the Premier. The opening ceremony also saw an exciting dance performance by the Matrix Dancers. The closing of the event on July 24th included a fashion show which showcased clothing made from the local seamstresses with a performance by Trevon Pollard the local festival Soca King and a local band.

There were over 25 producers who showcased products over the two days. The participants came from different sectors of the private sector to include artisans, agro-processors, horticulture etc. The event allowed the producers the opportunity to not only become aware of the wide array of other locally produced goods and services but also gave them the opportunity to establish links and expand market reach for their products locally by engaging directly with clients or future customers.

Brades Primary School celebrated with its 28 graduating students on July 14, 2021 during its Graduation process at the Sir George Martin Auditorium in the Montserrat Cultural Centre. The top student in Mathematics, Science and Language Arts was Jaazani Hackett. Top student in Social Studies was Tay’Juan Grant. The class valedictorian is Jaazani Hackett. Congratulations to both of these students and to all of the graduating class of 2021.

Members of the public are invited to comment on the Draft
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) Addendum for
the Montserrat Port Development Project in Little Bay. Discussions in
respect of the Addendum will be held on June 29, 2021 at the
Montserrat Cultural Centre, Little Bay at 7pm.
The draft ESIA addendum is in line with the Fourth Schedule of
Montserrat’s Physical Planning Act and the Caribbean Development
Bank’s (CDB’s) Environmental and Social Review Procedures (2014). 
The ESIA Addendum is currently available for scrutiny and comments
at the following locations:

1. The Montserrat Public Library (Hard copy)
2. The Montserrat Port Authority (Hard copy)
3. The Government of Montserrat website https://www.gov.ms/wp-
   content/uploads/2021/06/Montserrat-Port-Development-Project-
   Environmental-and-Social-Impact-Assessment-Addendum.pdf
4. The Ministry of Communication, Works, Labour and Energy
   facebook page and
5. Government Information Unit Facebook page
   You can be part of the discussions this evening by using this link:- (4)
   Montserrat Port Development Project Town Hall Meeting – YouTube

Minister of Finance, Hon. Joseph E. Farrell will host a town hall meeting on Thursday July 1,
2021 starting at 5:00p.m. to allow for public discussion on the challenges being experienced by
the Montserrat Social Security Fund.  The meeting will be held at the Montserrat Cultural Centre
in Little Bay.
The Social Security Fund is currently experiencing difficulties which would have “serious impact
on its ability to meet its obligations” as the Fund is projected to deplete its reserves by 2025.

Saturday December 12 saw the coming together of the 24 calypsonians to battle for the Calypso Monarch 2020 on Montserrat.  The competition took place at the Montserrat Cultural Centre Auditorium.  Due to the Government’s COVID protocols there were no audience present however the competition was streamed live for persons to watch.  The defending champion is Steve Weekes  the ‘Ice Man’. 

The calypsonians addressed a variety of topics to include – ‘2020’ serious times and the local Agouti and Iguana problems here on Montserrat.  

Ten (10) calypsonians made the final cut at the end of the evening.  They were: – Keithroy ‘De Voice’ Morson, Trevon ‘Ttrevvie’ Pollard, Herman ‘Cupid’ Francis, Delroy ‘Delz’ Joseph, Kelvin ‘Tabu’ Duberry, Stevel ‘D Rod’ Rodney, Baptiste Wallace, Reinford ‘ Kulcha Don” Gibbons, Brian ‘I-Cultural’ Charles and Kenneth ‘Lazor’ Greenaway.

The Trade & Quality Infrastructure Division of the Office of the Premier launched its Business Registration and Compliance Handbook on Wednesday 9^th December at the Montserrat Cultural Centre.  The book brought together the basic principles and processes that one needs to do when considering starting a business on Montserrat.  The book outlines each step from the idea conception, to the implementation and the compliancy aspects of business operations on Montserrat.  The book launch was led by the Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Premier Mrs. Daphne Cassell with supporting remarks given by the Honorable Premier Mr. Joseph E Farrell.