Faces, Voices and Places in Montserrat

Abstract

As the population of Montserrat continues to rebuild and immigrants arrive (especially those from other Caribbean countries), the question remains whether progress made in the provision of health and community services has been equitable. Concern was expressed over children, particular from nursery school to secondary school, who arrive to school hungry. This led to the identification of other possible challenges facing immigrants which include language barriers, inadequate housing, intermittent food insecurity, obtaining affordable day care and discrimination. In order to capture the stories of these vulnerable families (both Montserratian and non-nationals), interviews were held to discuss issues such as nutrition and food security, access to health, education, social services, gender issues, housing conditions and other issues as they arise. Such dialogue is needed in order to develop a true understanding of the issues facing the vulnerable populations in Montserrat, how the system affects them (or doesn’t), how location affects access to health services, how the challenges may differ for Montserratians versus non-nationals and finally, what key interventions could prove useful in their situation. It is important to highlight those social inequities affecting health among the population of Montserrat and help to direct policy decisions toward alleviating such disparities. As the current target for 2020 in Montserrat’s Sustainable Development Plan is to have a population of 9,000 (almost doubling the current population), therefore giving these immigrant populations a voice remains imperative.