ZJB News Monday,September, 24th, 2001
25/09/01
International Day of the Elderly
Montserrat joins the rest of the world in pay homage to the
aged.
International Day for the Elderly will be observed on Monday
October 1st.
In support of this United Nations mandated event the Community
Services Department has organised a week of activities.
These include a message by the Honourable minister of Education
Health and Community Services, a special dinner, and a lunch
hosted by the governor.
Other events include a bus tour of the island and a day at the
beach for the senior citizens.
Bernadine Collins is a social worker in the Community Services
Department and is intimately involved with the planning.Hot key:
One of the organisations in Montserrat, which works closely with
the elderly, is observing a week of activities.
The St. Vincent dePaul Society was established in the Catholic
Church in 1883.
Its president Valerie Lewis drew attention today to the impact
an ageing population could have on the island’s resources.
In a radio address Ms. Lewis said this has major economic and
social implications.
Hot key duration: 44 secs
President of the St. Vincent dePaul Society Valerie Lewis.
Activities for the rest of week include the annual general
meeting Wednesday evening and visits to the Margetson Hill View
and Golden Years Homes.
The exclusion of women from the Constitutional Commission has
raised a few eyebrows.
The commission, headed by Sir Howard Fergus, includes four other
members, who are all male.
Before leaving for Britain, where he is attending the UK
consultative Forum, Chief Minister Osborne was asked why no
women were invited to sit on the commission.
Hot key:duration: 1 min 02 secs
Chief Minister John Osborne.
This answer did not satisfy former Chief Minister and attorney
David
Consultative Forum
More aid for Montserrat will be on the agenda when Chief
Ministers from the overseas territories meet British Government
officials later this month.
Chief Minister John osborne was scheduled to leave the island
this afternoon to attend the conference, which begins on Monday.
Three years ago the British Government pledged 75 million pounds
in development aid to Montserrat but a large portion has been
used up on consultancies.
Apart from Chief Minister Osborne the London meetings will be
attended by chief ministers from the BVI, Turks and Caicos
Islands, the Cayman islands and Anguilla.
Alongside the issue of aid for Montserrat the group will press
for greater autonomy in running the affairs of the overseas
territories and say in the appointment of governors who are
solely selected by the British Government.
The Department of Agriculture says it continues to be concerned
about the threat to livestock posed by the outbreak of Foot and
Mouth Disease in many countries around the world.
As result, Director of Agriculture Gerard Grey says the ban on
importation of animals and animal productions from infected
countries continues.
The Department of Agriculture previously published a list of
affected countries.
Mr. Gray says Japanese authorities reported a case of Foot and
Mouth Disease on Sunday 9th September.
Japan is therefore added to the list of affected countries from
which importation of cloven-hoofed animals and animal products
are banned.
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture has in place a plant
and animal quarantine programme.
On a recent Farmers Corner series Easton Farrell explained how
it works to prevent plant and animal diseases from affecting the
island.
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The Montserrat Building Society is optimistic about its future.
Two weeks ago the society announced it would pay out the final
30 per cent of depositors savings.
Restrictions on withdrawals were implemented by court order in
1997.
Then many persons were fleeing the island because of the
volcanic crisis and the Building Society was not in a position
to pay all depositors.
Cedric Osborne says the situation has improved since then and
spoke with Herman Sargeant about plans for the future.
Hot key: duration:
Cedric Osborne of the Montserrat Building Society.
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