Montserrat Today
For Monday November 17, 1997
Presented by the Information and Education Unit
of Montserrat's Emergency Department
THE VOLCANIC EXPLANATION:
Over the weekend the seismic activity at the Soufriere Hills Volcano has been relatively low with just a few hybrid, volcano tectonic and long period earthquakes. There have been regular rockfall signals for most of the weekend and the majority of these have been from the Galways area.
Visibility of the dome was poor for most of the weekend but an ash plume was spotted on Saturday and Sunday which was blowing towards Plymouth. However, for the most part, ash levels have been very low for the weekend.
The dome is still growing, mainly in the Galways area, but dome growth can switch rapidly at any time. This can put all areas of the exclusion zone at risk and no one should enter the zone.
NEW SOLID WASTE SITE:
A new permanent solid waste site is to be developed at New Windward and will be brought into operation almost immediately. This will replace the temporary site at Little Bay which will eventually be cleared.
BRITISH TEAM VISITS:
A three member delegation will be in Montserrat later this week to review existing British emergency projects. Coming are; Andy Bearpark the head of Britain's Emergency Aid Dept (E.A.D.) who has visited the island several times before and, visiting for the first time, Richard Teuten the newly appointed head of the Montserrat Unit at E.A.D. and John Kerby the Department for International Development (D.I.F.D.)'s new Director for Eastern Europe, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
The visit is one of familiarization and to review the programme and to visit existing projects, including the housing projects at Davy Hill and Look-Out.
The delegation will also look at the cost estimates for the Montserrat programme as well as the management arrangements for the British funded aid programme to Montserrat in the ongoing volcanic crisis.
ALL SCHOOLS BACK IN SESSION:
For the first time for the 1997 / 98 Academic year all sectors of the education system are back in school. Remaining students returned to the classroom today. Schools in operation are as follows:
St John's Nursery School at the St John's Day Care Centre St Augustine RC Primary School at Palm Loop, Woodlands Brades Primary School at new buildings on playing fields Montserrat Seconadary School at sites at Brades & Look-Out
It is expected that for the start of next term, all classes of MSS will be at the Look-Out site. The Montserrat Technical College is not expected to operate this academic year because of a lack of demand for classes.
NDF SMALL BUSINESS FACILITY IS MOVED:
The National Development Foundation's Small Business facility is now situated at Davy Hill. Construction finished two weeks ago and the final touches are now being put to the sewage disposal system for the site. The site will be home for the businesses of eight small entrepreneurs and will open to the public shortly.
More information tomorrow....................................