Former Speaker Condemns Decision to Abandon Montserrat Parliament Building Plans

Former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Charlena White, has issued a scathing public statement condemning the government’s decision to redirect funds earmarked for Montserrat’s first dedicated Parliament building, calling the move “a step backwards” in the island’s democratic development.

White delivered the address via a special broadcast on ZJB Radio this week, joining a growing chorus of opposition voices outraged over the reallocation of approximately £2 million in UK aid, originally secured under the Capital Investment Programme for Resilient Economic Growth (CIPREG). The funds are now to be used to refurbish the Montserrat Cultural Centre.

“As former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, I feel a sense of responsibility to speak out and to document my thoughts for the records,” White said. “This week, as the world pauses to celebrate democracy… I can’t ignore the painful irony that here in Montserrat we’ve taken a step backwards, moving away from one of the most basic and visible signs of our democracy, a home for our Parliament.”

For 30 years, Montserrat’s Parliament has operated from temporary and rented venues. White described the ongoing use of borrowed spaces as symbolic of a deeper disregard for the institution. “That’s three decades of being treated like a guest in our own country,” she said. “We’ve talked about democracy, yet we’ve kept its home without a roof.”

She also rejected claims that the funds had to be reallocated due to budget constraints, noting that other major capital projects, including the new hospital and port, had begun with partial funding and were expanded over time. “The Parliament building is no different… We’ve made space for other priorities this way before, and all we’re asking is that the Parliament be treated with the same level of seriousness and commitment.”

White recalled that the Parliament building project had already gone through extensive cross-party consultation and received unanimous support following a parliamentary benchmarking exercise during her term. She credited her predecessor, Shirley Osborne, for raising the issue and noted that ten design submissions had been received before she left office.

“This wasn’t a partisan move. It was a shared decision and a shared vision,” she said.

She emphasised the symbolic weight of the initiative, particularly following the 2022 visit by the Speaker of the UK House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle. “His historic visit… was not just ceremonial. It was a powerful signal that Montserrat’s Parliament was being seen, respected, and supported. That moment wasn’t for the cameras, it was for the future.”

Hoyle, who recently reiterated his support during a 30th anniversary reception at the House of Commons to mark the Soufrière Hills eruption, said, “Hopefully I will return to address your Parliament from your new Parliament building.” His remarks were delivered in the presence of Montserratian dignitaries, diaspora leaders, and UK government officials.

White said the government’s move to shelve the project “without consultation, without notice, and without respect for the process” was a betrayal of years of advocacy at home and abroad.

“Parliament is not an arm of the Executive. It is an equal branch of government,” she declared. “We cannot continue to borrow dignity by squatting in rented rooms. It is time we claimed our own.”

White closed with a call for public awareness and unity: “This is not only about a building, it’s about a national symbol. It is about who we are. We owe it to our forefathers who built this democracy and to the generations that will follow to protect and preserve the institution that carries the voice of the people.”

Listen to her full statement here.