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History and Government
History: Arawak and Carib Indians were the first residents of Alliouagana, ‘land of the prickly bush’, until Christopher Columbus claimed it for Spain in 1493, whereupon he named the island Santa Maria de Montserrat. It was not until 1632 that the British colonised the island, which is still a British Overseas Territory. The actual settlers were mainly of Irish Catholic origin, who appreciated the presence of an ocean between them and Oliver Cromwell. Irish surnames among the present population reflect this history. Between 1871 and 1956 the island was administered as part of the Federal Colony of the Leeward Islands.
At this point the federation was dissolved; since then Montserrat has been a British colony administered by a Governor appointed by the British government. (see Government section). The island’s internal politics during the last four decades have been dominated by the struggle between a small number of key individuals around whom political parties have been organised. The dominant figure has been John Osborne, whose People’s Liberation Movement was the largest single party on the Legislative Council between 1978 and 1991. Osborne himself served as Chief Minister throughout this period. In September 1991, Osborne’s great rival, Reuben Meade, leader of the other main party on the island, the National Progressive Party, took over as Chief Minister following the election held that month.
The NPP remained in power throughout the 1990s, but at the most recent poll, held in April 2001, the ‘New’ People’s Liberation Movement was returned to office – with Osborne still at its head – with a substantial majority on the Legislative Council. For the most part, the major political issue since 1960 has been independence. While a significant minority has backed this option, it has failed to attract most people owing to uncertainty about the island’s economic future. Its vulnerability to the elements is one reason: Montserrat is located in the Caribbean hurricane zone. However, the damage caused by hurricanes, notably Hugo in 1989, was nothing compared to that wrought by the eruption of a previously dormant volcano, Soufrière, in August 1997.
This rendered almost half the island uninhabitable, and much of the 12,000 population left the island. The reconstruction process has been a gradual one. Many original inhabitants have returned to the island, but the legacy of the eruption has been to leave Montserrat more dependent than ever on aid and support from the British government. The southern part of the island, which bore the brunt of the eruption, has been partially repopulated, but the overriding priority for the Osborne government is to bring economic and social life back to the devastated island
Government: Under the 1960 constitution, the Governor, who is appointed by the British monarch, is responsible for defence, external affairs and internal security. The Governor is President of the seven-member Executive Council. The 11-member Legislative Council is elected by popular vote to serve a five-year term.
Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.
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