On March 23, 2024, a delegation consisting of HE Governor Nigel Phillips, Chief Minister Julie Thomas, and Chief Secretary Susan O’Bey returned to St Helena after an official visit to Montserrat. The trip was organized by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office to foster relations between the two Overseas Territories.
During their stay in Montserrat, the delegation met with HE Governor Sarah Tucker, Premier Easton Taylor-Farrell, members of Parliament, and various officials and community representatives. These interactions aimed at understanding mutual challenges and opportunities while exploring areas for collaboration between St Helena and Montserrat.
The delegation participated in several events designed to strengthen social and cultural ties. They attended the annual flower show and tea party hosted by the Montserrat National Trust and toured the Montserrat Volcano Observatory. However, a planned visit to the Plymouth Exclusion Zone was canceled due to adverse weather conditions. On March 17, they joined in celebrating St Patrick’s Day Parade as part of Montserrat's largest national festival.
En route back to St Helena, the delegation also met with High Commissioner to Antigua Karen-Mae Hill OBE.
Chief Minister Julie Thomas shared her thoughts on the visit: “Concluding a highly successful week in Montserrat, I am pleased to have been able to engage in so many detailed and enlightening discussions and make so many valuable connections with the Montserratian Parliamentary leaders along with their civil service counterparts. These will be critical in further strengthening our ties with the people and government of Montserrat.”
She further noted: “Discussions on topics of governance, policy and corporate leadership, fiscal policy, outcome framework and programme management of the Montserrat Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (similar to St Helena’s EDIP) will help our Executive Council with future decision-making approaches and best practices. Equally, I know that our counterparts in Montserrat found great value in hearing about the enormous strides that St Helena has made in our blue and green agendas, development in terms of access and the steps we are taking to strengthen our essential infrastructure; areas of which are similar in priority for both islands.”
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