Visiting Our Home in Montserrat

Our HUGE drop in the asking price for our home has generated a lot of interest. Maybe too much. Visitors are just dropping by to see our house.

PLEASE DO NOT VISIT OUR HOUSE WITHOUT HAVING AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE APPROPRIATE CONTACT PERSON!

We have a lovely tenant who is getting (understandibly) exasperated by people who just drop by or...worse yet, call him to tell him that they have OUR permission to visit the house.

• We do NOT give anyone permission to visit our house.
• We respect our tenant's privacy.
• We refer ALL interested parties to our contact person in Montserrat.

PLEASE RESPECT OUR TENANT AND HIS RIGHTS.

Montserrat government prepares Little Bay for the restart a ferry service to the island

The Government of Montserrat has started work on Little Bay, the area for its planned new town center, to accommodate the restart of a ferry service to the island.

The Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis has revealed that modifications are being undertaken within the existing Little Bay Development Plan to accommodate such a service.Chief Minister Lewis said during a recent sitting of the island’s Legislative Council:

“All the roadways at Little Bay are within the existing Little Bay Development Plan. Several improvements are being made in preparation for the restart of a ferry service and to make the area more attractive and usable by tourists, visitors and motorists who drive through the area. We understand that modifications are to be made to the Little Bay Master Plan, and that work in the area will commence some time in 2008 or 2009. I am not prepared as Minister of Tourism to have conditions at the seafront which deter cruise ships from visiting us this year, and consider that investing $80,000 in an attempt to attract business to Montserrat, while at the same time providing employment through a community self help project as justifiable.”

The Honourable Chief Minister explained that discussions with the newly appointed Little Bay project manager have confirmed that the work being done, is consistent with the proposals being considered. He said when the proper financing is available, the quality of the infrastructure will be upgraded and improved. The eighteen million East Caribbean dollar (EC $18 million) Little Bay Infrastructure Project is the main focus of the newly formed Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC). The MDC has recommended the production of a new master plan, and a short delay of the start of work on the Little Bay Project Phase One.

Lanholder License Tax Reduced

Terrific news for people interested in buying property in Montserrat.

That huge 10% fee for landholder's license (required for all non-Montserratians) has been cut in half.

I was informed by our lawyer Kharl Markham (in Lawyer Allen's office) that the landholder's license fee has been dropped to 5%.

The 5% is calculated on the purchase price LESS the value of furnishings. The furnishings in our home are currently insured at EC$71,800 or US$26,709. Since we just put in new appliances, I think we can safely up this amount to US$30,000.

This means that your 5% fee will be on the agreed-upon selling price LESS US$30,000.

If you wish to confirm this information, you can contact lawyer Kharl Markham at
e-mail: markhamkm@candw.ms
tel: 664-491-2498
fax: 664-491-2493

The final result? The costs for closing on the property are now down to about 10% rather than 15% --- great news indeed.

Greenhouse Project in Montserrat

We have all missed the Friday and Saturday morning market with our favorite vendors and the socializing.

A new public market is being built and the operation of a vegetable greenhouse has started. With government assistance, farmers will make the transition form traditional to protected agriculture.

This is great news: we will have, once again, a reliable supply of locally grown fresh food in Montserrat .

Click here for the full article.

Additional evacuation in Old Towne

An update to last weekend's news, Governor Deborah Barnes Jones has signed the evacuation Order which will force some 50 households to find accommodation elsewhere further north.

Dome growth at the Soufriere Hills volcano and various computer modelling scenarios prepared by scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory (MVO) prompted officials to warn more households in Old Towne of possible extension of the already extended Evacuation Zone, in the southern half of Montserrat.

A release on Tuesday last week from the Emergency Policy Group (EPG) which is a level up from the Volcano Executive Group said, "Scientists at the MVO briefed the Emergency Policy Group (EPG), informed them that the dome at the Soufriere Hills Volcano is still growing on the western side of the crater."

According to the report, the Scientific Advisory Committee's (SAC) computer modelling has shown that further areas in the present safe zone could be impacted by pyroclastic flows and surges.

The result of the upgraded information, coming after residents on the southern side of the safe zone had attended meetings on the issue, is that "the authorities have determined that further areas in the safe zone would need to be evacuated."

The map, up to weekend, had not been drawn but the release mentioned that residents in the areas south of Bishop Lane, next to Alford Dyett's house, and south of the roundabout in Old Towne "are asked to be prepared to move at short notice."

There were plans for disaster officials to make house to house visits with the affected residents on the weekend.

Meanwhile amidst all the speculation, the release sought to counter and calm residents higher up in Salem. "However, it is unlikely that residents of Salem will be evacuated," the release said.

From Anne-Marie: I am trying to locate an accurate map of the area in question.

MTB Derives Beach Clean - Up

As part of its efforts to improve the tourist product, the Montserrat Tourist Board (MTB) is preparing to embark on a general clean up of Little Bay, Carrs Bay and Lime Kiln Beach.

The clean up will include among other things:
- Pruning of Trees
- Removal of garbage, debris and acacia trees
- Planting of coconut palms and Oleander plants
- Installing of garbage bins

The Tourist Board is asking everyone to be mindful of the efforts being made to rid the beaches of unsightly garbage and to make them more attractive. Your support is needed in helping to keep the beaches clean. Please be responsible for your own garbage and use the bins provided at all times.

“As we have been forced to live in a smaller portion of the island, this is a time more than ever when me must be mindful of our environment and how it is kept. The beaches are a small part of the whole, which we are encouraging everyone to keep clean. Your support can help to control the many unwanted pests – rats, mosquitoes, cockroaches among others- which have become so prevalent in our society”, comments Ernestine Cassell, Director of Tourism.

During our Tourism Awareness Launch in 2005, Ms. Yasmin White prepared a very appropriate poem, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, to reflect the pride and the need for keeping the island clean; in repeating one of the verses from this poem we hope this will help to cement what the Montserrat Tourist Board is trying to achieve.

“Cleanliness is next to Godliness”,
That’s what this emerald symbolises:
So, Mon’srat, for ever loved and bless’Sparkles clean, green – a recipe for progress.
Beauty frames her verdant complexion,
While she transcends her former appearance.
Litter free, what a glorious heritage!
Cleanliness is next to Godliness!”

Price cut on our home!

I have indicated before that the reason we are selling is my husband’s health. He is now hospitalized. We have decided to sell as soon as possible. We are dropping our bottom price way down. Yes, we regret not accepting the high offer we received during the auction, but that is hindsight.

As you probably know, our home is rented until May 2008 and we are still making upgrades. The electric built-in wall oven, the microwave and the side-by-side (ice water and ice cubes through the door) refrigerator and the washing machine are being replaced this week.

Please re-visit the website for our home at http://www.montserrat-caribbean-villas.com

If you wish to obtain a mortgage in Montserrat, we can put you in contact with the manager of the Bank of Montserrat.

Please contact me directly if you have any questions or wish to make an offer.

Regards,
Anne-Marie Toliver

Montserrat on Google Earth

Last time I checked on Google Earth, Montserrat was not there. I checked again just now...and there she is!

Then it got even better. I downloaded the version 4 from http://earth.google.com/ and there was way more information. Just take a look.

First, as you magnify the small Montserrat image, you will see how very close we are to other islands. Although our main air gateway is Antigua (north-east of Montserrat), we are also close to Guadeloupe (south-east; great shopping), Nevis and St. Kitts. On clear days we can see Nevis and on clear nights we can see the lights on Nevis.

If you magnify even more, you will see the main roads on Montserrat. The cross island road is in the non-entry zone and so is everything south of that line. Depending on the emergency level, daytime entry may be allowed into Plymouth for a sight of a contemporary Pompeii.

Where are we located? North of Olveston, down from the main road.

Let me know if you need more specific information.

Too bad we can't get close enough to actually see our house. Maybe the next version of Google Earth :-)

Apologies

I seem to be doing a whole lot of that lately. Oh well.....

It seems that yesterday's blog (dated Thursday, January 25, 2007) was read by a few as a current experience. My mistake...Blogs are automatically dated by the software and I don't even know if there is a way to change that.

The description of our arrival was drawn from our website. I was told that it is an "over-sell"-- that what I describe sounds too good to be true. Since the person making this comment knows a whole lot more about sales than I do....I took his advice and removed the description from the website.

However, I described our experience and our feelings upon arriving "back home" at the end of October, 2005. It may not have a place on the website but I thought it could have a place on this more personal blog.

More ways In and OUT

GOVERNMENT OF MONTSERRAT IS DISCUSSING POSSIBLE EXPANSION OF CARIBBEAN HELICOPTERS SERVICE TO THE ISLAND

The Government of Montserrat is holding discussions with Caribbean Helicopters of Antigua about the expansion of its service to the island.

Chief Minister the Honourable Dr. Lowell Lewis had a meeting with the operators in Antigua to discuss the proposals put forward. Caribbean Helicopters operate out of Antigua Barbuda offering flyover tours of Montserrat to cruise ship passengers and visitors to Antigua & Barbuda. It has also been providing monitoring flights for scientists at the Montserrat Volcano Observatory.

Caribbean Helicopters also have the capability to provide MEDIVAC services for Montserrat from their base in Jolly Harbour in Antigua, which may be needed from time to time for medical emergencies.

The Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Lowell Lewis explained: “Caribbean Helicopters wish to expand their current services to Montserrat, thereby adding to tourism growth and economic activity on the island. They wish to do so by offering day tour itineraries which would see them landing in Montserrat with visitors from Antigua and also conducting day trip tours to Antigua from Montserrat. The proposed expansion of Caribbean Helicopters’ services to Montserrat also comes at an opportune time with World Cup cricket being around the corner and an increasing number of cruise calls being made in Antigua.”

Discussions are continuing between the Government of Montserrat and Bosses from Caribbean Helicopters to firm up the proposal for their service expansion to Montserrat.

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Comments from Anne-Marie:

Regular helicopter access (like we used to have before the new airport was completed) would increase the number of available air services to FOUR. All to the good, making day-trips into Antigua from Montserrat more convenient. Antigua has all the shopping and services while Montserrat has the quiet.

I remember when some of us used to charter a flight to Guadeloupe for a fantastic food shopping experience. The best cheeses, wines, breads...and we filled our freezers. Sounds like this might be possible again.
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For more news from Montserrat, go to the Government Information Unit website.

When we arrived to our Private Paradise.

The following description and photos are of our own, very personal experience of arrival in Montserrat and back in our home. For us, this was most definitely our private paradise.
Your experience will probably differ -- not all plants are in bloom at all times and not all fruits are on the trees. Take your time, explore and find your own private paradise!
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We arrive at our new Montserrat airport -- our favorite way is by chartered plane on a brief 15 minute flight from Antigua's international airport. Our friendly taxi driver is waiting for us and drives us from the North of Montserrat to the lush area called Woodlands...the area in which our secluded villa is located at the foot of a rain forest.
We drove down from the main road, just a short way, toward the blue, blue Caribbean and stopped in front of a red gate. It was open and we knew we were home. A short drive up a small hill to a wide, covered and tiled carport where our luggage is unloaded.

To our right the variegated bougainvilla reach out to welcome us and our small banana grove promises the delights of our own fruits for breakfast (or maybe a sinful banana flambé?). These bananas were planted by Bill -- the flowers are my responsibility.

The path to our front door is lined by palm trees, ginger plants, haleconias, ferns, and a multitude of other plants that used to be new to us - now they are familiar friends. We walk into our house and there it is: the breathtaking views of the Caribbean that never cease to amaze us, and neighbouring islands visible on a clear day.

Our housekeeper knows what we want and there is food in the refrigerator, lounging chairs are out by the pool, our home is ready for us. This is so much better than the best hotel.

We have great views from virtually every room. Our 36’ x 30’ great room with a 14’ cathedral ceiling lets the breeze come through.

Perched near the top of a hill, we don't see another soul! We relax...and even before we unpack we walk around the garden, checking for ripe mangoes, picking a few limes for a refreshing lime drink and some fresh flowers for our first night home.

Our private pool shimmers in the sunlight... we hang up the hammocks, take a quick dip (yes, it's private enough for skinny dipping) and enjoy the wonderful peace and quiet.

Our bedroom is just up a few steps from the living room and is the next thing to sleeping under the stars. We luxuriate in our four poster queen size bed as we watch spectacular sunsets or the full moon turn a ripe orange or just listen to the sound of surf from nearby Woodlands beach.

Check out our website for more pictures and a video of our home.