Montserrat Today
For Monday/Tuesday April 20/21, 1998
Presented by the Information Unit of the
Government of Montserrat's Emergency Department
A newsletter published for E mail subscribers three times weekly by the Emergency Department, Governor's Office.
THE VOLCANIC EXPLANATION:
The level of activity at the Soufriere Hills Volcano remains at a very low level with just a few volcano tectonic earthquakes occurring at depths of around 3.3 km below the dome.
MVO staff are currently preparing a GPS site in the South Soufriere Hills and also installing a gravimeter at Hermitage.
Dust levels at all monitoring stations remain very low.
SCIENTISTS REVIEW VOLCANO:
The six month review of the activity at the Soufriere Hills Volcano is currently underway at the B.G.S. in Nottingham, England. The last such review was held in early December.
Attending the meeting are a number of MVO Chief Scientists and senior staff from BGS and the SRU (UWI). Their preliminary findings and reports are expected by the end of this week.
BUDGET ON THURSDAY:
Chief Minister the Honourable David S. Brandt, will present his Government's budget on Thursday April 23, 1998.
The statement on the government's revenue and expenditure, policies and programmes for the upcoming financial year will be made before members of LEGCO at the temporary Council Chambers at Mc Chesney's Estate.
Last year's budget totaled EC$112.6 million, which included EC$54 million on capital projects financed by the British Government.
Last week HMG announced that it is supporting the Government's budget with £8.45 million in budgetary aid.
During his speech on Thursday, Mr Brandt is expected to outline Government's programmes to improve education, health, transportation, housing and the economy. The budget will be debated on Monday April 27th.
NEW GAS BOTTLES ORDERED:
A container full of new LPG gas bottles has been ordered in the USA to help alleviate the current shortage of gas bottles being experienced on island.
A number of gas bottles have not been retrieved from the exclusion zone, some were lost at sea during heavy sea swells when being shipped to Nevis and even more were lost during the recent fire at the filling depot in Nevis.
The bottles, which have already been shipped to Montserrat, will be put into the general pool of bottles in an effort to improve the service.
SWIMMERS GRADUATE:
Over the Easter vacation, some 60 school children were taught to swim in a programme put together by Community Services and the Montserrat Red Cross.
Nine pools were used and some 20 volunteer instructors worked in the programme. On Sunday last, the graduates of the course and their instructors were awarded Certificates by Minister of Education & Community Services, Hon Adelina Tuitt at a ceremony at Woodlands.
Following the ceremony, the children gave a swimming display watched by their proud parents.
ROAD RESURFACING CONTINUES:
The road resurfacing programme on the northern road from Hilltop to St John's continues. The new hotmix plant is in full production and currently PWD staff are resurfacing the Brades to Carr's Bay section of the road.
It is estimated that the full stretch of road will be completed inside two working months and this includes the repairs and installation of drains.
More information later in the week..........................
Published by the Education & Information Unit, Emergency Dept St John's Village, Montserrat, Leeward Islands, West Indies. Tel: 664 491 7166 Fax: 664 491 2474 E Mail: monmedia@candw.ag Richard Aspin, Unit Co-ordinator.