Montserrat General Information Area: 102 sq km (39.5 sq miles). Population: 5000 (official estimate 2000). Population Density: 49.0 per sq km. Capital: Plymouth (mostly destroyed by pyroclastic flows, August 1997). GEOGRAPHY: Montserrat is one of the Leeward Islands group in the Eastern Caribbean. It is a volcanic island with black sandy beaches and lush tropical vegetation. There are three main volcanic mountains on the island and Chances Peak is its highest point at 915m (3002ft). The Soufrière group of hills house the volcano which began erupting in July 1995 and to date is continuously active. The Great Alps Waterfall, previously one of the most spectacular sights in the West Indies, has been destroyed by the volcano. Government: British Overseas Territory since 1632. Head of State: HM Queen Elizabeth II, represented locally by Governor Anthony Longrigg since May 2001. Head of Government: Chief Minister Dr John A Osborne since April 2001. Language: English. Religion: Roman Catholic, Anglican, Methodist and other Christian denominations. Time: GMT - 4. Electricity: 110/220 volts AC, 60Hz. Communications:   Telephone Full IDD is available. Country code: 1 664. Outgoing international code: 011. Phone booths are operated by coins and phonecards. Mobile telephone TDMA network not compatible with GSM handsets. Coverage extends over the northern half of the island. Handsets can be hired from the network provider, C&W Caribbean Cellular (website: www.caribcell.com). Roaming agreements may be in force even with GSM network providers, allowing those with non-compatible handsets to use their own SIM cards in a TDMA handset. Fax/telegram Cable & Wireless (WI) Ltd runs international links. Internet Main ISP is Cable & Wireless (website: www.cwantigua.com). Post The Main Post Office in Brades is open Mon-Fri 0815-1555. Press The Montserrat Reporter is in English and is published weekly. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC: MHz 15.19 12.10 6.195 5.975 Voice of America: MHz 13.79 9.455 6.130 5.995 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British 1 No Yes Australian Yes No Yes Canadian 1 No Yes USA 1 No Yes OtherEU Yes No Yes Japanese 1 No Yes PASSPORTS: Valid passport required by all except: 1. nationals of Canada, the USA, France and its dependent territories, and the UK and its dependent territories who may enter as tourists with a valid national ID card or other form of identity (birth certificate and return ticket) for a maximum stay of six months. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) nationals of countries referred to in the chart above; (b) nationals of Commonwealth countries; (c) nationals of UK Dependent Territories; (d) nationals of French Dependent Territories; (e) nationals of Algeria, Andorra, Argentina, Bahrain, Bolivia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Monaco, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, San Marino, Surinam, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Vatican City and Venezuela. Types of visa and cost: Tourist and Transit; cost depends on nationality. Validity: Depends on nationality. Application to: UK Passport Agency (see Contact Addresses section) or nearest British Counsellor. Application requirements: Enquiries to The Chief Immigration Officer, Government Head Office, Olveston, Montserrat or nearest British Counsellor. Working days required: Enquire at Passport Office. Note: All passengers must hold a return or onward ticket to a country to which they have a legal right of entry and sufficient funds to cover the period of their stay. Passengers not in possession of a return or onward ticket may be required to leave a deposit on arrival. Passengers not complying with any of the entry regulations listed above may be deported. Temporary residence: Enquire at Chief Immigration Officer, Police Headquarters, Brades (tel: 491 2555). Money Currency: East Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of EC$100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of EC$1, and 25, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. US Dollars are also accepted. Note: The East Caribbean Dollar is tied to the US Dollar. Currency exchange: There are three banks on Montserrat. Credit & debit cards: Major credit and debit cards are accepted. Travellers cheques: Widely accepted. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars. Currency restrictions: There are no restrictions on the import of local or foreign currency if declared. Export of local and foreign currency is limited to the amount imported and declared. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the East Caribbean Dollar against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 3.93 4.11 4.27 4.29 $1.00= 2.70 2.70 2.70 2.70 Banking hours: Mon-Thurs 0800-1500, Fri 0800-1500, depending on the bank. Duty Free The following goods may be imported into Montserrat without incurring customs duty: 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars*; wines and spirits not exceeding 1.14l*; 168g (6oz) of perfume; gifts up to a value of EC$250 (only once per 12 months). Note: *Tobacco products and alcoholic beverages are only available to passengers 17 years of age or over. Public Holidays Dec 25-26 2002 Christmas. Dec 31 Festival Day. Jan 1 2003 New Year’s Day. Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day. Apr 18-21 Easter. May 5 Labour Day. Jun 9 Whit Monday. Aug 4 August Monday. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Dec 31 Festival Day. Jan 1 2004 New Year’s Day. Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day. Apr 9-12 Easter. May 3 Labour Day. May 31 Whit Monday. Aug 2 August Monday. Dec 25-26 Christmas. Dec 31 Festival Day. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever No No Cholera No 1 Typhoid and Polio No N/A Malaria No N/A 1: Although a cholera vaccination certificate is not normally a requirement of entry to any country, following WHO guidelines issued in 1973, the Montserratian authorities may require one from travellers arriving from infected areas. See the Health appendix for further information about the cholera vaccination. Food & drink: Mains water is normally chlorinated, and is safe to drink. Bottled water is available. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat. Other risks: Bacillary and amoebic dysenteries are common. Hepatitis A is present. Outbreaks of dengue fever may occur. After an ash fall, the ash-laden air may cause breathing problems for persons suffering from respiratoy problems such as asthma. Health care: Since the destruction of the Glendon Hospital in Plymouth, a temporary hospital has been established in the village of St John’s on the north of the island. Montserrat is a UK Dependency and a limited reciprocal health agreement exists with the UK. On presentation of proof of UK residence, free treatment is available at the general hospital and at state-run clinics to those aged over 60 and under 16. Dental treatment is also free for school-age children. Private health insurance is recommended. For specialist treatment, visitors are required to travel to neighbouring islands (eg Antigua or Guadeloupe). Travel - International AIR: The nearest international gateway is Antigua. Approximate flight times: From Montserrat to London is 8 hours 30 minutes, including an hour’s stopover in Antigua; to Los Angeles is 9 hours; to New York is 6 hours and to Singapore is 33 hours. International airports: WH Bramble Airport (MNI) has been closed since August 1997 owing to volcanic activity. A heliport has been established at Gerald’s Bottom in the north of the island. Carib Aviation and Montserrat Aviation Services operate helicopter services to Antigua six days a week, two to three times daily (travel time – 20 minutes). A new airport is to be built by 2004. Departure tax: US$10 or equivalent. Children under 12 years of age and transit passengers who continue their journey within 24 hours are exempt. SEA: A high-speed ferry service operates regular services between Little Bay, Montserrat and Heritage Quay, Antigua (travel time – 1 hour). Travel - Internal SEA: Charter yachts are available. The main harbour is at Little Bay where a new jetty has been constructed. ROAD: Traffic drives on the left. There are good road networks to all towns. Montserrat has 203km (126 miles) of well-paved roads, but driving can be difficult for those not used to winding mountain roads. Bus: Minibuses are available for sightseeing. A bus service between villages and the town is provided by privately owned minibuses. Taxi: There are fixed rates for standard journeys. Drivers can act as guides and a number of different tours can be arranged. Car hire: This is available at the heliport and at Little Bay Port. Documentation: A valid foreign licence can be used to purchase a temporary licence at either the heliport or Salem police station. Accommodation HOTELS: The Montserrat Springs and the Flora Fountain hotels have all closed because of the volcano. However, the Vue Pointe is operating once more although as a precautionary measure it may close when the Exclusion Zone is extended to include parts of Old Towne. A newly built, 18-room hotel has recently opened in Sweeneys. There are a small number of bed & breakfast establishments. Contact Montserrat Tourist Board for more information (see Contact Addresses section). SELF-CATERING: Villas and apartments are available throughout the island; Montserrat Tourist Board can provide a list. All accommodation bookings must be confirmed with a 20 per cent deposit. A service charge of ten per cent and a seven per cent government occupancy tax is added on to all accommodation bills. Introduction Note: Many of the previously famous sights on Montserrat have been either destroyed by the Soufrière Hills volcano or are currently off-limits. However, there are still opportunities for quiet beach holidays, watersports, eco-tourism and volcano viewing. Check with Montserrat Tourist Board for information. When Catholic-Irish settlers arrived in Montserrat sometime between 1632 and 1633, fleeing from persecution on nearby St Kitts, they nicknamed it ‘The Emerald Isle’ because of the lush green giant ferns and forests climbing the sides of Montserrat’s two volcanoes, and the island’s resemblance to Ireland. Place names like Cork Hill and St Patrick’s (not to mention Potato Hill) still bear witness to the Irish influence. THE COAST: Owing to volcanic outbreaks, most of the capital, Plymouth, has been destroyed, leaving many tourist attractions off-limits, including the 18th-century Old Fort on St George’s Hill (300m (1000ft) above the town). However, the island offers diverse and beautiful beaches in a quiet and friendly atmosphere. Rendezvous Bay contains the only white (coral) sand beach in Montserrat; sand in the other bays is of volcanic origin and may be grey or black. Several bays offer excellent opportunities for snorkelling and a variety of watersports; others are totally undeveloped (though plans for some of them exist, and those who like their scenery untouched should make the most of current opportunities). The Sport & Activities section gives further information about watersports and sports in general. Pelican Point on the east coast is home to the island’s only breeding colony of the spectacular Frigate birds. Dutchers Studio in Olveston is closed, but is due to reopen soon. INLAND: Most of the southern part of the island is off-limits, owing to the continuing eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano. This spectaclar and unusual sight can be seen on helicopter trips (see Sport & Activities section for further details). The lush interior of the northern part of the island contains several places of interest, which can be seen on guided scenic walks (see the Sports & Activities section). Montserrat’s national bird, the icterus oberi (a species of oriole), can be seen at Centre and Silver Hill in the north of the island. Sport & Activities Hiking: The Montserrat Forest rangers offer a wide range of guided walks and hiking tours in the northern part of the island. Popular routes are the Cot trail (which runs through an oki banana plantation to a historic family house), Runaway Ghaut, the Centre Hills trail, and the Silver Hills trail (which passes through one of the island’s oldest volcanic centres). Trained guides are available to inform hikers about the flora and fauna. Contact Montserrat Tourist Board for further details (see Contact Addresses section). Volcano viewing: Day tours of the volcano area are available. Experienced guides take the visitor to safe vantage points from which they can observe the Soufrière Hills volcano. The Montserrat Volcano Observatory can also be visited (tel: (664) 491 5647; fax: (664) 491 2423; e-mail: mvomail@mvo.ms; website: www.mvo.ms). Caribbean Helicopters also offer helicopter tours around the volcano (tel: (268) 460 5900 (flight information); fax: (268) 460 5901; e-mail: helicopters@candw.ag; website: www.caribbeanhelicopters.net). Watersports: Most villas have their own swimming pools. Beaches are of ‘black’ volcanic sand. The surrounding waters are excellent for scuba diving. Both deep and shallow dives are available. Equipment may be hired or purchased on the island. Snorkelling equipment is available in resorts. Villa owners or agents can arrange professional instruction, and the tourist board can give details of dive schools. Sea-fishing trips can be organised through hotels or directly with specialist operators. Cricket: This is popular and matches are played from February to June. Social Profile Food & Drink: Dining options in Montserrat are varied, with a choice of international or local specialities. The island specialities are fresh seafood and mountain chicken – not actually chicken, but the leg from a local species of large frog (Dominica is the only other island where these frogs can be found). Barbecues are popular and other local dishes include pumpkin soup, goat water (comparable to Irish stew), aubergine patties, salt fish, crêpes and dishes made from abundant local fruits. Waiter service is normal. Most bars serve imported beers, spirits and wines. The local rum punch liqueur is Monserrat Rum Punch. There is also an abundance of local fruit drinks available. Nightlife: There are numerous clubs open in the evenings and at weekends. Shopping: Locally made items include jewellery, needlework, ceramics, glassware and some interesting artefacts made from coconut. Local arts and crafts shops are dotted throughout the island. Shopping hours: Mon, Tue and Thurs 0800-1200 and 1300-1600, Wed and Sat 0800-1300, Fri 0800-1700. Special Events: For more information, contact Montserrat Tourist Board (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of events in Montserrat during 2003: Mar 17 St Patrick’s Day, nationwide. Apr 21 Easter Monday Road Relay. Jun 14 Queen’s Birthday Parade. Jul 5 Look Out Day. Aug 2 Cudjoe Head Day. Aug 30 Roman Catholic Fete. Sep-Oct Tourism Week of Activities. Oct 25-Nov 1 Police, Fire and Search & Rescue Week. Dec 31 Festival Day. Social Conventions: Casual clothes are acceptable. Beachwear should be confined to the beach or poolside. The lifestyle is generally peaceful, combining many English influences with West Indian. The people are usually friendly and relaxed. All visitors are made welcome. Tipping: Service charge and government tax are added to restaurant and hotel bills. Business Profile Economy: The island is still recovering from the volcanic explosion of January 1997 which destroyed much of the island’s productive capacity. Previously, Montserrat had a diverse economy. The agricultural sector produced vegetables, cotton and livestock. The industrial sector, which employed one-third of the workforce and earned the bulk of Montserrat’s export income, was concentrated in food processing and the assembly of electronic components. In the service sector, data processing and financial services were two important growth areas. For the time being the economic priorities for the island are reconstruction and improvement of the basic living conditions for those islanders who remained during the eruption or have since returned. However, there is now a limited amount of land that can be used for either agriculture or reconstruction. Foreign aid – principally a US$125 million package from the UK which came on stream in 1999 – has been essential. Business: A short- or long-sleeved shirt or safari suit is suitable for most business visits. Office hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1600. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Development Unit, PO Box 292, Brades (tel: 491 2066; fax: 491 4632; e-mail: devunit@candw.ag; website: www.mninet.com/devunit). Conferences/Conventions: Contact Montserrat Tourist Board for further details (see Contact Addresses section). Climate The climate is subtropical, tempered by trade winds. There is little climatic variation throughout the year. The heaviest rainfall occurs between September and November; however, the heavy cloudbursts serve to refresh the atmosphere and once they are over the sun reappears. Required clothing: Tropical lightweights are worn, with light woollens for cooler evenings. A light raincoat or an umbrella is useful. 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.