Storm in a Teacup

There are storms, and then there are other storms.
This is not the first time, that Montserrat has seen and experienced
action and reaction from both.
Two recent hurricanes Irma and Maria recently worked their way through out the Caribbean.
The devastation they left in their wake, is still reverberating regionally and globally.
What should have become apparent from the Path that the storms took, was that the Caribbean
remains the most colonized area left on the planet Earth.
All of the colonial overlords for the region, uk, france, usa, and the dutch had areas that are still
under their colonial dominance devastated by either Irma or Maria.
Montserrat, while appearing to be in the direct path of both, somehow avoided a direct hit from either.
Montserrat's vegetation took the bulk of the damage and will suffer some of the pangs of food shortages, as Dominica, the main supplier of ground food to Montserrat, took a direct hit from Maria.
Simultaneously as Maria was making its way across the Atlantic, a minor storm was brewing in Montserrat.
To date, no clear details from the main actors have emerged.
So one can only postulate based on the events that have occurred.
Apparently some members of the present (PDM) government voiced
their concerns about the performance of the party leader and present
premiere/chief minister.
Using the powers at his disposal, the premiere/chief minister instructed the governor
to revoke the Ministerial appointment of one of  his ministers at the  MAHLE. (Ministry of Agriculture)
The following week, as Maria approached and passed much speculation, but no concrete
announcement as to who would be appointed to the ministry.
One week  later a new minister was appointed.
During that week from the 15th to the 21st of September, a minor storm in a teacup, that is
reflective of Montserrat politics took place.
Maria passed, but the events of the week occupied the People's time more so than the effects of Maria.
Most of this speculation took place, because, to date, very few have paid any attention to the "Montserrat Constitution Order 2010."
In 1989, Hugo,  the first super hurricane of the era devastated Montserrat.
During that same period of recovery, the british government took the opportunity, to impose
the "Montserrat Constitution Order 1989" on Montserrat .
In 2010 the government of the day passed into law a "new" version.
Not much has changed between the 1989 version and the 2010 version.
The 2010 version is a little more convoluted a little more ambiguous but sill maintains
the absolute authority of the governor to govern the colony at his/her discretion.
There is absolutely nothing in the "constitution" that allows for the removal of the premiere/chief minister.
That is, unless one is depending on the governors discretionary powers, to accommodate their
wishes.
The only "constitutional" avenue for the removal of the premiere/chief minister, is through a vote of no confidence.
If such a motion is successful, the premiere/chief minister then has the option to set a date for new elections to take place. In effect, the vote dissolves parliament. It does not replace the premiere/chief minister.
In a vote of no confidence, only the nine elected members of parliament can vote.
The non written but other optional way is for there to be more members in opposition,
than there are on governments side of the house. In effect, an agreed crossing of the floor
by at least 3 or more members of government.
When it comes to keeping a government afloat, one has to look at the 11 sitting
members of parliament.
The government of the day always has sitting on its side of the house 2 exoffico non elected
members, who are bound to support any legislature that is tabled in the house.
Looking at those numbers, the only way to stop the government from functioning is for more members of parliament to be in opposition, than there are in government.
That did not happen.
What took place was an internal power struggle, where all the options for success "constitutionally" were held by the premiere/chief minister.
During that week the governor declared, but did not implement an emergency act.
During that week members of the government may have been given a crash course on the "constitutional" reality of what took place.
To date, no clear explanation from any of the main players has been made available to the voters.
 A minister lost his ministry.
A new minister was appointed.
No one crossed the floor. No one spoke up in support of or against what took place.
The government had six elected members of parliament on its side of the house before the event took place.
The government still has six elected members of parliament sitting on its side of the house after the event took place.
These events that took place recently showed no indication, that those involved were seeking to collapse government or call new elections.
The only conclusion that one can gather from the sequence of events, is that those sitting
on governments side of the house, prefer things the way they are.
Such, is the nature of these minor storms in a teacup that take place in Montserrat politics.
 Montserrat will be paying the price for some time to come from the damage that Maria
has done.
Montserratians will also continue to pay the price from the damage of being governed by
an instrument that works only in the interest of colonial control.
 The "Montserrat Constitution Order 2010 like its predecessor the "Montserrat Constitution Order 1989" is an instrument that allows the colonial administrator to control in totality the affairs of the island.
It allows for elections, but does not grant AUTHORITY to those elected to govern.
It will take a political storm of tremendous proportions, for the populace to wake up to this reality.
Until such time, as the society and its politicians wake up to this reality, we will continue to be entertained by the minor storms in a teacup that OUR impotent politicians create.
We will also continue to implement laws and make decisions that forward the agenda of the administrating power.
Colonialism in Montserrat is much more devastating than any storm that has passed or will pass.
Montserrat's politicians and Montserrat society need now more than ever a plan to recover from its devastation.

HEROES DAY MARCH 17th, 2017

                      MARCH 17th, HEROES DAY 

Once again, the theme is repeated, and once again the reactionaries surface.

It has been clear that the intent of the Colonizers to turn Heroes Day into an

St.Patrick's Day holiday, Irish style continues.

This year, more money was poured into that concept than any previous year.

Taking monies away from the traditional cultural activities that are generally

reinforced in the december festivities, and putting it into  irish/european

themed activities in march continues the pressure to destroy what little is left of

Montserrat's tradition and culture.

Attrition is waged on many levels. Unfortunately, conservative reactionaries only 

seem to realize an assault after the fact.

One such assault took place on the night of the Heroes Day lecture.

Executed on the night of the lecture the organizers folded with little resistance,

and no lecture was given.

The lecture was to be given by a Civil Servant. The theme was to examine the economics

of Heroes Day being turned into a St.Patricks Day festival.

Neither the organisers of the lecture, UWI, or the lecturer, paid much attention to how

General Orders apply.

Suffice to say with an open frontal assault, the lecturer was stopped from speaking.

Suffice to say both the lecturer and the organiser collapsed without resistance.

As expected, the reactionaries surfaced. 

Their reaction to the incident, was the usual expected commentary.

Who did this?

How can this be?

Civil servants can talk in england.

Why can they not talk in Montserrat?

Find out who is responsible and take them to task.

You know, the normal righteous indignation.

March 17th, 1768 an uprising was betrayed and the leading

organisers were caught and brutally tortured, maimed and murdered

in public. 

Two hundred and forty nine years later that struggle continues on many fronts.

The difference between then and now.

In 1768 those resisting knew who their enemy was.
They knew they were involved in a struggle.
They knew at the conscious and subconscious level who
their antagonist was.
They had an agenda. They had a goal.
They knew that the shackles of physical slavery had to be removed.

They knew that if they failed they would die.

They knew that they were controlled by a system that was designed to insure

its own survival, at the expense of their destruction by any means.

Attrition, though fear was its main tool. Control through separation and 

division  its chosen ploy.

Despite all this resistance continued.
Consciously, actively, they fought to destroy a system that enslaved them.
Eventually, they overcame it.

Two hundred and forty nine years later, while the vast majority of the colonised

have overthrown the system. Montserrat still languishes in that system.

In every instance, where the system of colonialism was overthrown the People

took their destiny in their own hands.

Today, in Montserrat Government bureaucracy is the plantation.

The Civil Servants are the workers on that plantation.

The General Orders is the whip that controls the plantation.

Sadly, they seem not to know this.

They know not who their enemy is.
They have no agenda. They have no goal.
They know not what tools are used and what agenda the system has 

for its own survival and continuity.
Some slight degree of resistance exists at the conscious level.
Subconsciously, they all know something is wrong.
When blatant incidents, like this, or for instance the replacing of the 
Montserrat Financial Secretary with an englishman.
The reactionaries surface for brief moments.
For brief moments the subconscious awakens and they react.
But, because they have no agenda, they soon go back to sleep.

The colonizer no longer has any use for chains or whips.

They have so many other tools at their finger tips to control their colony.

Economics, DFID, Budgetary Aid, FCO (once known as granting aid),General Orders, Constitutional Order, Powers of the Governor, Financial Secretary, Attorney  General, Deputy Governor, Permanent Secretaries, sham Parliament, powerless Ministers, powerless Premier.

The plantation is top heavy with tools for control.

All of these tools are available to ensure that the agenda of the coloniser is implemented.

One was used. Reactionaries stepped in to fill the void.

The coloniser accomplished their mission. Because they have an agenda.

The colonised seem oblivious to that agenda. 

Eventually, they will awaken. Eventually, they will realize that they have to take their Destiny into their own hands.

Until that day, resistance continues wherever it finds room to express itself.

The SPIRIT of the NINE and all those who suffered to bring about the end of individual physical SLAVERY is still very much alive.

They have not been able to eradicate it.

So once again on this day we HONOUR the SPIRIT of those Ancestors and the SPIRIT of all who have sacrificed over the years, to keep the SPIRIT of resistance alive.  

mwongozi cudjoe cbrowne

kudjoe@hotmail.com

cudjoeb.com

cudjoeb.info