Herman Sargeant

The Montserrat Association for Persons with Disabilities (MAPD) joins the global community in marking the International Day of Persons with Disabilities 2025 under the theme “Fostering disability‑inclusive societies for advancing social progress.” This theme speaks directly to Montserrat’s future: the island cannot achieve real social and economic progress while disabled people continue to face barriers in work, education, health, transport, housing and public life. MAPD welcomes the fact that the Government of Montserrat has now agreed a National Disability Policy and that the new Population Policy recognises disability inclusion as essential to Montserrat’s development. Together, these policies identify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as the “north star” for action and sit alongside existing protections in the Labour Code, the OECS Building Code, CROSQ standards and the Montserrat Constitution. The challenge now is to move from frameworks on paper to real enforcement, so that non‑discrimination, reasonable accommodation and accessibility requirements are implemented in every ministry, workplace and public service. Steve Weekes, Vice President of MAPD, said: “We are grateful for the opportunities we’ve had over the past year to contribute to policy developments on the island, and there has been a very noticeable increase in consultation since last year’s draft National Disability Policy. With this year’s theme of ‘Fostering disability‑inclusive societies for advancing social progress,’ we are calling for that consultation to be matched by concrete action, proper enforcement of existing standards and real investment in accessibility, so that disabled people on Montserrat – and those who wish to return – can live, work and participate on equal terms.” MAPD is actively seeking new volunteers on island and in the diaspora to help with advocacy, peer support, outreach and practical accessibility projects. Anyone wishing to get involved, seek support or discuss partnership opportunities is invited to contact MAPD through our Facebook page @montserratdisability.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Environment, Youth and Sports Daphne Cassell welcomed a Bio-security Training Workshop for the UK Overseas Territories earlier this week. The workshop took place under the project “Enabling Effective Biosecurity in the UK Overseas Territories.”   Speaking at the launch Mrs. Cassell stated that the week’s agenda reflected the complexity and urgency of the biosecurity challenges the OT’s face, from invasive alien species, that are real, immediate, and in some cases, already causing significant harm. She noted that Montserrat has witnessed first-hand the serious damage caused by a number of invasive species, including the red imported fire ant, that has impacted both agriculture and recreational spaces, while rats have been observed preying on the eggs of national bird – the endemic Montserrat Oriole. The chytrid fungus, that has tragically led to the extinction of the Mountain Chicken in the wild on Montserrat, sweet potato weevil, and melon worm continue to destroy agricultural crops, were also highlighted, along with feral chickens which are known to compete with native birds for food resources and contribute to agricultural losses.   Meanwhile, the croton scale has taken a toll on the horticultural sector, affecting both livelihoods and the aesthetics of landscapes. Mrs. cassell says, in response to the threat posed by invasive species, the Ministry has initiated a number of targeted control measures aimed at strengthening the island’s national biosecurity system. These include the development and implementation of a risk assessment and biosecurity protocol for the importation of sand and aggregate, enhanced inspections at ports of entry and the systematic treatment of fire ant infestations across all residential areas of Montserrat. The Department of Environment has also launched a public awareness campaign to engage communities in early detection and prevention efforts of invasive species. To protect vulnerable wildlife, particularly nesting seabirds, Mrs. Cassell revealed that the Department of Environment has implemented a trapping and removal programme targeting feral cats in key coastal sites. This intervention is helping to reduce pressure and restore breeding success of seabirds in sensitive habitats. Additional surveillance protocols have been introduced, including weekly inspections of imported aggregate mounds and mitigation measures such as mandatory treatment plans for aggregate shipments. Officers have also conducted site visits to source countries to assess biosecurity risks at origin and strengthen upstream controls. Overall the Permanent Secretary said, these efforts reflect the ministry’s broader commitment to building a resilient, science-based bio-security framework to protect Montserrat’s environment, economy, and way of life.

The Financial Services Commission (FSC) Montserrat is bringing to the public’s attention a fraudulent website that has recently been discovered impersonating its official website. The FSC has stated that its official and only legitimate website is: www.fscmontserrat.org. The FSC reports that a false website, www.fscmontserrat.com, has been created by an unauthorized third party using publicly available information in an attempt to mislead the public. The Commission said that this website is not affiliated to the FSC and any information, forms, or contact details displayed there should be treated as fraudulent. The Financial Service Commission is assuring the public that there has been no internal breach of FSC systems or data. It adds that this incident is an external impersonation effort, and appropriate steps are being taken to have the fraudulent domain removed. The local financial regulatory body warns that to protect against any fraudulent activity, stakeholders should always verify that they are accessing www.fscmontserrat.org before submitting any information. The FSC is asking that stakeholders be cautious of email messages or documents referencing the fake website or using unfamiliar email addresses, and to report any suspicious communication to the FSC Montserrat immediately at info@fsc.ms. The FSC states that it remains committed to safeguarding the integrity of its operations and maintaining transparency with its stakeholders.

The first phase of the Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) and Hazardous Noxious Substances (HNS) Training, facilitated by Ambipar Response, here, has been deemed a tremendous success. The three-day training, which began on Friday, 7 November 2025, and concluded on Sunday, 9 November 2025, brought together 27 personnel from the Montserrat Port Authority (MPA), Marine Unit of the Royal Montserrat Police Service (RMPF), the Montserrat National Oil Response Team, the Royal Montserrat Defense Force (RMDF), and the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA). Participants were introduced to key aspects of HAZMAT and HNS incident management, including risk identification, response techniques, and equipment use for both terrestrial and marine environments. Topics Covered included • Introduction and Background • Labelling, Causes, Fates, and Effects • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and Gas Monitoring • Site Set-up and Equipment Use • Tactical Response Strategies The training focused on building capacity among local response agencies to safely and effectively deploy equipment, mitigate environmental risks, and use personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with international safety standards. Upon successful completion of this phase, participants will be awarded an IMO-equivalent Certificate of Competency in HAZMAT/HNS Response, recognizing their enhanced capability to respond to hazardous material incidents across Montserrat’s terrestrial and marine areas. Meantime, the second phase of the training, focusing on the management of Hazardous Noxious Substances (HNS), commenced on Monday, 10 November 2025, and will conclude on Tuesday, 11 November 2025. This segment builds on the practical skills developed during Phase One and emphasizes incident command, response coordination, and strategic decision-making in managing HNS events. It aims to further strengthen Montserrat’s readiness and resilience in addressing environmental and maritime emergencies. The training, held at Port Little Bay and the DMCA Headquarters, was funded by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in collaboration with the Montserrat Maritime Administration (MMA) and the Montserrat Port Authority (MPA).

Her Excellency the Governor has expressed deep sorrow and solidarity with the people of Jamaica and the wider Caribbean following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa. In a letter shared with civil servants on 31 October, the Governor wrote: “The devastation wrought by Hurricane Melissa across Jamaica and the region has left me shocked and saddened. It has been heart wrenching to see the trail of devastation across the Caribbean, claiming lives, destroying homes, and disrupting communities. I extend my deepest condolences to anyone who has lost loved ones, and to all who are suffering in the wake of this unprecedented storm. I wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you and your families in this moment. I know how hard it is to be away from home at a time like this. This is a time of profound sorrow, but also of unity. In the face of adversity, the Caribbean spirit remains unbroken. We have seen extraordinary acts of courage and compassion: from first responders risking their lives to protect others, to neighbours helping neighbours through the darkest hours. As the Jamaican proverb says, ‘Wi likkle but wi tallawah’ — we may be small, but we are mighty. Please know that my thoughts are with every officer and every family affected by this storm.” In response to the hurricane, the UK Government has mobilised a comprehensive support package for the region, including: • £7.5 million in emergency humanitarian funding, enabling the delivery of over 2,800 emergency shelter kits and 1,700 solar lanterns to affected communities. • Deployment of HMS Trent, a Royal Navy vessel pre-positioned in the Caribbean, to assist with disaster relief in Jamaica and the Turks and Caicos Islands, a UK Overseas Territory. • Pre-positioned emergency supplies in Antigua and Barbuda are being rapidly deployed across the region. Montserrat is included in the UK’s regional preparedness planning, ensuring swift support is available if needed. • UK humanitarian and logistics experts conducted preparedness visits to Montserrat earlier this year to assess disaster readiness and strengthen local response capabilities. The UK remains steadfast in its support for the Caribbean, working closely with regional partners to ensure that aid reaches those most in need and that all Overseas Territories are prepared and supported during this hurricane season.