Community

Excitement is building for the upcoming Montserrat Overseas People’s Progressive Alliance (MOPPA) Family Fun Day. The day of unity, culture, and community takes place on Saturday July 11th, 2026, from 12:00 to 8:00 PM at Chestnuts Park, Haringey N15 3AQ. MOPPA spokesperson Keima Allen appeared on ZJB Radio on to share information on the event. In detailing the different activities taking place throughout the day, she invited everyone to attend and participate in the many activities including “the bouncy castle, the face painting is going to be there as well, and of course we have all the activities for the kids there too. Also we have gamesletics, so lots of activities around that, sporting activities, tug-of-war events that we talked about, and of course dominoes, the traditional games too that’s going to take place.” There will also be the “live Montserrat Got Talent Taste, which we’ve already showcased some of the performers already, so we’ve got Contagious who’s going to be performing, Adrian’s who’s going to be performing, Swatanaya who’s going to be performing, a lot of people already know that too. And we’ve got some more performances that we’re going to reveal, we’ve got also the masquerades who’s going to be performing, so there’s lots and lots and lots of activities that we’re planning for the day,” reveals Ms. Allen. Entry is free and Ms. Allen says many vendors have registered their interest. “We’ve got over 30, nearly 40 vendors now, so I mean, we’ve got everything there from all the food that you want to enjoy throughout the day, so you could come on out and have a lovely picnic, all the traditional drinks as well, will be there too. Shopping, if you want to do a bit of shopping, we’ve got a couple of new vendors who are going to be doing things like pictures and memorabilia, candles, all of that, so you’ll have full-on day for everybody to come and enjoy in the park, Chestnuts Park. And of course, bus 67 takes you right there, and also you have the Seven Sisters train station, which is quite easy to get to.” Free tickets to the event can be acquired on www.eventbrite.co.uk by searching MOPPA Family Fun Day. More information about the event can also be found on Keima Allen’s social media pages.

Eight individuals on Montserrat were conferred as British Overseas Territories Citizens, while twenty-three were conferred as British Citizens on Wednesday morning. The Citizenship Ceremony for the Conferment of British Overseas Territories Citizenship and British Citizenship was held at the Governor’s Residence. During her opening remarks, Governor, Her Excellency Harriet Cross, welcomed Montserrat’s newest citizens into what she described as a growing family, thanking them for choosing the island and expressing confidence in the contributions they will continue to make to its future. Minister of Agriculture, et al, Honourable John P. Osborne, thanked the recipients for choosing to remain in Montserrat despite the hardships following Hurricane Hugo and the Soufrière Hills volcanic crisis, describing their commitment as an act of courage and faith that has not been forgotten. The ceremony was organized by the Office of the Deputy Governor, underscoring the Government’s continued commitment to recognizing and welcoming new members into the national community.

An urgent call for a new policy document on the British Overseas Territories has been gently rebuffed by the UK Government. According to reports, the UK Government insists it is “open-minded about future options” and will keep the idea “under review”. The OT’s had pushed for a new White Paper, 14 years after the last one was published, during an inquiry this year by a House of Lords committee at Westminster. James White Jr has been following the latest development.

Montserrat’s Premier is encouraging Montserratians to adopt a more positive outlook on the island’s future and to actively contribute to national development. Speaking on the What’s on Your Mind radio programme, Premier the Honourable Reuben Meade acknowledged that government has a role to play in development, but said citizens also have a responsibility to support progress, urging residents to think about how they can contribute. Premier Meade warned that constant negative commentary can discourage potential investors who may only hear criticism of the island. He stressed that while challenges remain, there are also positive developments taking place that deserve recognition.