The public is invited to provide feedback on the Government of Montserrat’s Draft Montserrat Population Policy.
The policy has been published here for public review and feedback is encouraged.
According to a release from the Cabinet Secretariat in the Office of the Premier, the population policy aims to address demographic challenges, enhance population resilience, and ensure the island’s sustainable development. “The policy aligns population growth with key economic, social, and environmental objectives, focusing on strategies to improve quality of life, manage migration, ensure demographic resilience, and build a robust data ecosystem,” the release explained.
The policy was developed as part of the UN Joint Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Fund Programme for the Acceleration of the SDGs in Montserrat and Barbados and was derived from the statistical findings of a Population Situation Analysis (PSA).
Extensive consultations were carried out from February to September 2024 with a variety of stakeholders. This included government representatives, private sector leaders, civil society organisations, and international partners. Each provided valuable insights and perspectives, ensuring that the policy reflects the diverse needs and ambitions of the island.
Keep reading for key points in the policy:
Policy Outcomes:
- Improved Quality of Life: Enhance living conditions through investments in health, education, and social protection to retain residents and attract newcomers.
- Managed Migration: Develop a ten-year skills-based immigration plan to attract skilled workers, support return migration, and engage the diaspora.
- Demographic Resilience: Create conditions for family formation, improve access to reproductive health, and support higher fertility rates.
- Data Ecosystem: Establish robust systems for monitoring demographic changes and evidence-based policy adjustments.
Challenges Addressed:
- Population stagnation and decline due to volcanic disasters and emigration.
- An ageing population, high non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and a low total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.6 children per woman.
- Integration challenges for migrants and limited return migration from the diaspora.
Strategies and Interventions:
- Promote healthy lifestyles, improve healthcare, and enhance education to boost workforce readiness.
- Introduce family-friendly policies, financial support for new parents, and incentives for childbearing.
- Strengthen labour market strategies, including skills mapping and training programs aligned with economic needs.
- Provide incentives for diaspora engagement through investment opportunities, cultural exchange, and residential tourism initiatives.
- Improve housing, infrastructure, and digital connectivity to attract residents and businesses.
Immediate Priorities (2025–2027):
- Job creation to attract and retain residents.
- Infrastructure projects like a new hospital and port.
- Enhanced social housing and education.
- Renewable energy initiatives to reduce costs and improve sustainability.
The Montserrat Population Policy outlines several possible incentives aimed at supporting families and new parents. These include:
Financial Incentives
- Tax Breaks: Families with dependents under 18 years old may receive tax relief.
- Removal of Medical Fees: Eliminating medical and hospital fees for childbirth.
- Financial Counseling and Microcredit: Programs to help families manage finances and access credit.
Support for Parents
- Parental Leave: Providing maternity/parental leave, with a focus on supporting single-parent families.
- Practical Support for Childcare: Community-level incentives to provide practical assistance such as housekeeping and childcare services.
- Access to Affordable Baby Products: Ensuring availability of low-cost, good-quality baby items and food.
Housing and Living Conditions
- Safe and Affordable Housing: Ensuring newly formed families have access to quality housing.
- Retire-in-Montserrat Program: Encouraging families, including those in the diaspora, to return with housing incentives.
Education and Early Childhood Development
- Early Childhood Education: Expanding access to universal childcare and early childhood education programs.
Encouraging Positive Family Dynamics
- Promoting Parenthood: Communication campaigns to positively portray parenthood and encourage family formation.
- Engagement of Men in Family Roles: Efforts to shift gender roles and encourage shared responsibilities in family dynamics.
The Montserrat Population Policy recommends focusing on the following types of jobs and sectors to attract and retain residents:
Key Job Areas and Sectors:
- Healthcare:
- Recruit healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and specialists, to improve healthcare services.
- Engage diaspora healthcare professionals for remote consultations, training, and telemedicine.
- Education:
- Create roles for educators and vocational trainers aligned with local labour market needs, such as digital literacy, healthcare, and green technologies.
- Involve diaspora educators in knowledge transfer and curriculum development.
- Construction and Infrastructure Development:
- Focus on roles related to the completion of key projects like the new hospital, port, and Little Bay development.
- Address labour shortages for contractors working on essential infrastructure.
- Renewable Energy:
- Attract workers with expertise in renewable energy to support energy cost reductions and sustainability efforts.
- Tourism and Hospitality:
- Develop jobs in tourism by revitalizing this sector, including roles in service, management, and tourism promotion.
- Enhance sports tourism by upgrading facilities and hosting events.
- Technology and Innovation:
- Promote careers in emerging fields like artificial intelligence, digital transformation, and IT services.
- Support roles for remote workers, particularly targeting the diaspora.
- Agriculture and Food Sovereignty:
- Create opportunities in sustainable agriculture, food production, and local food processing to enhance food security.
- Public Sector and Governance:
- Fill critical roles in public service, focusing on governance, administration, and planning.
- Provide short-term attachments for government employees, including diaspora members, to develop new skills.
- Social Services and Community Development:
- Expand jobs in social work, youth programs, and services for vulnerable populations, including older adults and persons with disabilities.
- Entrepreneurship and Business:
- Support private sector growth by attracting entrepreneurs and creating public-private partnerships.
- Promote mentorship programs for local entrepreneurs involving the diaspora.
Strategies to Attract and Retain Workers:
- Conduct skills mapping to align training and education with labour market demands.
- Develop public-private partnerships for internships, apprenticeships, and job placements.
- Market new job opportunities to the diaspora through roadshows and campaigns.
- Provide incentives, such as tax relief and housing support, to encourage skilled workers and families to settle in Montserrat.
Public feedback is needed to ensure the policies are inclusive, practical, and effective in addressing Montserrat’s demographic and economic challenges. The draft policy and survey are available online through https://forms.gle/9DBRC4Ci4xxNr8GC8.
The survey closes on December 20.
Read the policy here.
For additional information, please contact the Policy and Planning Unit at 491-2066 or email cabsec@gov.ms.
