A resolution brought forward by Opposition Member Donaldson Romeo calling for urgent discussions on increasing support for Montserrat’s vulnerable, pensioners, and working poor was voted down by a majority in the Legislative Assembly during the June 2025 sitting.
The resolution titled “Consideration of an Increase in Support to the Income and Salaries of the Vulnerable, the Working Poor, Pensioners, Public Servants and Other Affected Persons in the Public and Private Sector” was introduced by Romeo as a non-binding motion urging government departments to initiate dialogue on adjusting financial support mechanisms in light of ongoing economic pressures.
Four members,, Opposition Leader Paul Lewis, Nyota Mulcare MLA, Parliamentary Secretary Creston Buffonge, and Romeo himself supported the resolution. However, six members voted against it, including Premier Reuben T. Meade, Minister Veronica Dorsette-Hector, Minister John Osborne, Parliamentary Secretary Dwayne Hixon, Financial Secretary Kenya Lee, and Attorney General Sheree Jemmotte-Rodney. Minister Dr. Ingrid Buffonge did not vote.
Romeo’s motion drew on data from the Government’s own reports, including the 2013 Situation Analysis of Social Welfare and the 2021 Government of Montserrat Salary Review. These documents state that the current estimated cost of living on island is approximately EC$2,485 per month for a single person, significantly higher than the support levels available to many vulnerable residents.
During the debate, Romeo said the aim of the motion was not to force spending but to prompt “an urgent adjustment to support for the vulnerable, pensioners and especially our working poor and their dependents.” He emphasised that the request was for dialogue, not policy or budget allocation, and noted that inflation, shipping costs, and international crises have all contributed to a widening gap between income and basic living costs for many residents.
“Not a demand for money, just a call for dialogue,” said Romeo, who argued that inflation, stagnant wages, and the rising cost of basic goods were pushing too many residents below the poverty line.
Despite this, six members of government, including Premier Reuben T. Meade, voted against the motion. Minister Dr. Ingrid Buffonge abstained, and four opposition members voted in support.
Premier Meade acknowledged the hardships faced by many Montserratians, saying, “I understand the plight of poor people. I come from poor people. I used to sweep the streets in Salem to help my step-grandfather.”
However, Meade maintained that action must be grounded in evidence and sustainable planning. “No amount of talking in here is going to convince the FCDO to give us more money to do anything until we have the data to back it up. That’s what is happening.”
He noted that an enhanced poverty assessment is currently underway and said any increases in social support will be more defensible once that process is complete. Meade also reminded the House that the social welfare allowance was last increased under his previous administration, from EC$600 to $900.
Several government members echoed these concerns. Minister of Agriculture John Osborne pointed out that the opposition had opportunities to implement phased increases in social welfare when they were in power.
“Had those recommendations been acted on between 2014 and 2016, when the mover of this motion was premier, the increase needed today would not be so large.”
Parliamentary Secretary Crenston Buffonge supported the motion’s intent but said “We cannot simply snap our fingers… in a fragile economy still dependent on aid, we must build an economy that generates our own revenue.”
Deputy Premier Veronica Dorsette-Hector acknowledged the lived experiences behind the motion, saying, “These scenarios are not foreign to me… I have seen the pain. But we must work through structure and planning.”
She affirmed that the government intends to improve support to vulnerable residents, citing plans to enhance the social safety net and reduce cost pressures through import duty reform and increased job creation.
Minister of Education and Social Services, Dr. Ingrid Buffonge, who left the room without voting, praised Romeo’s advocacy but stood by her government’s economic strategy. “There is obviously limited money… while waiting on government to raise salaries, we must do all we can to promote foreign direct investment and economic growth.”
On this week’s broadcast of Eyes on the Country, host Jermaine Wade described the rejection as a failure of leadership. “A resolution not for applause, not for politics, but for the people… not a demand for money, just a call for dialogue. Not a liability to the government, just a motion for meaningful conversation, but the government voted no.”
Wade accused members of lacking empathy and disconnecting from the struggles of ordinary citizens. “They said no to you the people surviving on pennies… to the pensioner choosing between medication and food… to the family that has to choose between paying rent or buying food.”
Listen to the full Legislative Assembly meeting, here.
Listen to Eyes on the Country, which includes the statements from the Opposition in Parliament, here.
Read the full resolution with supporting documents, here.
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