Caribbean News Now!

By Nerissa Golden

BRADES, Montserrat (GIU) -- Officials from the government of Montserrat will this week meet with Mark Lowcock, the permanent secretary for Britain’s Department for International Development (DfiD) as he visits the island for the first time.

The purpose of Lowcock’s visit is to see the extent of the devastation caused by the volcano and understand the economic and development opportunities and challenges facing Montserrat. He will also set the parameters for future self-sufficiency to include more efficient management of the public finances, combined with strategic investments aimed at reducing dependency, improving access and facilitating economic activity. He will also be discussing progress on the Strategic Growth Plan and MoU Reform Agenda.

Lowcock, who has been with DfID since 1985, was scheduled to arrive on Tuesday evening and is expected to meet on Wednesday with Premier Reuben Meade, the GoM ministerial team, Financial Secretary John Skerritt, Attorney General Esco Henry and Cabinet Secretary Angela Greenaway.

He is also slated to take a helicopter tour of the Exclusion Zone and Plymouth to see the extent of damage caused by the volcano. He will also visit the new geothermal site, which began drilling operations last Saturday, to review the operations and discuss future development plans as outlined in the SGP.

Other areas to be discussed during his two-day visit are the fibre optic project, private sector investment prospects in the new town in Little Bay and the Carrs Bay Port Development. He will also be taken on a tour of the Glendon Hospital and review the hospital redevelopment project with the Minister of Health Colin Riley, Permanent Secretary Elijah Silcott and Chief Medical Officer Dr Mike Owen, and the project implementation team.

He is scheduled to leave island on Thursday morning.

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