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 :-)