<strong>Montserrat</strong> <strong>Survey</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Living</strong> <strong>Conditions</strong><strong>Executive</strong> <strong>Summary</strong>on a review <strong>of</strong> their Sustainable Development Plan 2008-2012 (SDP). This review provides an idealmechanism for some <strong>of</strong> the Poverty Action Programme recommendations to be rapidly incorporated intothe new version <strong>of</strong> the MSDP.2 Background and Context (Chapter 2)2.1 Geographic and Historical Setting<strong>Montserrat</strong> is one <strong>of</strong> the Leeward Islands in the Eastern Caribbean, lying 43km south-west <strong>of</strong> Antigua and64km north-west <strong>of</strong> Guadeloupe. It is approximately 102 sq km (16 km long and 11 km wide) andgrowing slowly due to volcanic deposits on the southeast coast <strong>of</strong> the island. The topography is entirelyvolcanic and very mountainous, with a rugged coastline with dramatic rock faced cliffs rising from the sea.<strong>Montserrat</strong> was populated by Arawak and Carib people when it was claimed by Christopher Columbus forSpain on his second voyage in 1493. The island fell under English control in 1632 when a group <strong>of</strong> Irishfleeing anti-Roman Catholic sentiment in Saint Kitts and Nevis settled there. The import <strong>of</strong> slaves startedat much the same time and an economy based on sugar, rum, arrowroot and Sea Island cotton wasestablished during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Slavery was abolished in 1834 following thegeneral emancipation <strong>of</strong> slaves within the British Empire which occurred in that year.Falling sugar prices during the nineteenth century had an adverse effect on the island's economy and in1869 the British philanthropist Joseph Sturge formed the <strong>Montserrat</strong> Company to buy sugar estates thatwere no longer economically viable. The company planted limes and started production <strong>of</strong> the island'sfamous lime juice, set up a school, and sold parcels <strong>of</strong> land to the inhabitants <strong>of</strong> the island, with the resultthat much <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montserrat</strong> came to be owned by smallholders.From 1871 to 1958 <strong>Montserrat</strong> was administered as part <strong>of</strong> the Federal Colony <strong>of</strong> the Leeward Islands,becoming a province <strong>of</strong> the short-lived West Indies Federation from 1958 to 1962. It is currently one <strong>of</strong>Britain’s remaining overseas territories with the Queen as head <strong>of</strong> state, a governor appointed by theQueen and a democratically elected Chief Minister.The last years <strong>of</strong> the 20th century, however, brought two events which devastated the island. In September1989, Hurricane Hugo struck the island with full force, damaging over 90 percent <strong>of</strong> the buildings andvirtually wiping out the then burgeoning tourist trade. Within a few years, however, the island had largelyrecovered - only to be struck again by the major eruptions <strong>of</strong> the Soufriere Hills volcano in 1995 and 1997.Two and half years <strong>of</strong> intense volcanic activity saw the southern, most populated and most fertile part <strong>of</strong>the island, evacuated and declared unsafe. Plymouth, the capital and the territory’s industrial, commercial,and government centre, was almost totally destroyed along with the island’s airport and hospital; manypeople lost their houses and had to be evacuated. Over half the population left and a steep economicdecline followed. Reconstruction efforts started in earnest in the early 2000s and the northern, habitablepart <strong>of</strong> the island now has government <strong>of</strong>fices, schools, a hospital and an airport along with new housingestates and much improved roads. The island however remains largely dependent on assistance from theBritish Government.<strong>Montserrat</strong> Country Poverty Assessment, Final ReportHalcrow Group Limited, July 2012.ES2
<strong>Montserrat</strong> <strong>Survey</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Living</strong> <strong>Conditions</strong><strong>Executive</strong> <strong>Summary</strong>2.2 PopulationThroughout most <strong>of</strong> its recorded history the population <strong>of</strong> <strong>Montserrat</strong> has varied between 10,000 and12,000 with a peak <strong>of</strong> 14,000 being achieved in 1946 (Table ES.1). However while the 1989 hurricane hadonly a minor impact on the population, the impact <strong>of</strong> the volcanic eruption has been catastrophic: in 1997,the population was around 3,400 – only 30% <strong>of</strong> the 1991 figure. By 2001, it had ‘recovered’ to around4,500 and to 5,000 by 2006 2 . The impact <strong>of</strong> the eruption on the geographic distribution <strong>of</strong> population isshown in Figure ES1.With a population as small as this, the start <strong>of</strong> completion <strong>of</strong> large construction projects can leadsignificant changes in population, as workers and their dependents arrive and leave; population growthrates can thus fluctuate significantly from year to year. Since 2000, live births and deaths have bothaveraged around 50 annually implying that there is a negligible natural increase in the population.Table ES1. Population Change, 1881-2006Figure ES1. Population Distribution, 1991 and2001Year Population AnnualGrowth rate60001881 10,0831891 11,762 1.6%1901 12,215 0.4%1911 12,196 0.0%1921 12,120 -0.1%1946 14,333 0.7%1960 12,167 -1.2%1970 11,458 -0.6%1980 11,606 0.1%500040003000200010001991 10,639 -0.8%1997 3,338 -17.6%2001 4,491 7.7%2006 5,031 2.3%0Plymouth1991 2001Rest <strong>of</strong> StAnthonySt George(St John'sMongo Hill,Barzeys)St Peter(isles Bay/Happy Hill)The population <strong>of</strong> all age groups has declined since the eruption but these changes have not affected allage groups equally. In 2001, the main changes were the much increased proportion <strong>of</strong> population in theworking age groups and a corresponding decrease in the population under the age <strong>of</strong> 15 whose proportiondeclined from just over a quarter to under 20%. By 2006, the proportion <strong>of</strong> the elderly had decreasedlargely due to the increased proportion <strong>of</strong> under 15s. The increased number <strong>of</strong> children implies both ageneral stabilisation <strong>of</strong> the population and that migrants are increasingly bringing their children. Howeverthe very low proportion <strong>of</strong> 15-24 year olds (11% compared with 17% in 1991), is clear evidence <strong>of</strong> a‘brain-drain’ as school leavers depart to find tertiary education and employment <strong>of</strong>f the island.2 Initial results from the 2011 Census give a population <strong>of</strong> around 5,000, i.e. little change since 2006.<strong>Montserrat</strong> Country Poverty Assessment, Final ReportHalcrow Group Limited, July 2012.ES3