Community

The wider public will soon have an opportunity to contribute to the drafting of the Sustainable Development Strategy and National Development Plan. Director of Policy & Planning Deonne Peters says a website, dedicated to the strategy will soon go live. She says this is part of a wider effort to engage the public following recent consultations with various groups. The Sustainable Development Strategy represents Montserrat’s 25-year long-term development framework. It sets out the national vision, strategic priorities, and transformational outcomes that will guide the island’s development. The National Development Plan will operationalize this vision by identifying the specific outputs, activities, and investments to be implemented through successive five-year planning cycles. Meantime, Consultant Dr. Andre Henry of Ideas to Business Initiative, says the consultations reveal that there is consensus on what the problems are.

A series of public consultations on the development of Montserrat’s Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) and National Development Plan (NDP) begins today, Monday. The new Sustainable Development Strategy and National Development Plan will succeed the Montserrat Sustainable Development Plan (MSDP) 2008–2020, and provide an updated framework that reflects the island’s current realities, emerging opportunities, and long-term ambitions. A press release issued by the Cabinet Secretariat outlines that the Government of Montserrat recognizes that effective national development planning depends on broad participation and collaboration. Therefore, every resident and stakeholder has an important role to play in shaping a Strategy and Plan that reflects the aspirations of the people of Montserrat and provides a clear pathway towards a resilient, prosperous, and sustainable future. Further information on the consultation schedule, venues, and participation opportunities will be shared through official Government communication channels in the coming days.  The Cabinet Secretariat encourages all interested persons to take advantage of this opportunity to contribute their ideas, perspectives, and expertise to one of the country’s most important national planning exercises. Throughout the development of the Sustainable Development Strategy and National Development Plan, the Government of Montserrat is committed to keeping the public informed and engaged. Regular updates on the progress of the consultancy, consultation outcomes, key milestones, and opportunities for continued participation will be available on the Our Montserrat 2050 website which will be launched as part of the communication efforts of the project. The website will serve as the central hub for information on the SDS and NDP, providing access to project documents, consultation materials, news, and other resources as Montserrat works collaboratively to shape a shared vision for the nation’s future. The consultation process will be facilitated by Dr. Andre Henry of Ideas to Business Initiative, in collaboration with the Policy and Planning Division of the Cabinet Secretariat. Throughout the week, public officers, members of the diaspora, civil society organizations, private sector representatives, community groups, the youth, and the wider public will have the opportunity to contribute to the development of the National Development Plan and validate the strategic framework of the Sustainable Development Strategy.