Over the past eight weeks, the various key groups have partnered to make significant progress toward the completion of Phase 1. Emergency works have been completed and the project is moving forward quickly.  The drainage ditches are quickly coming to fruition, while the retaining walls are moving forward rapidly, the utilities are being put into place and road systems are being readied.   The recent efforts to provide a diversion road to build the new roundabout are the most recent visible signs of change on the site.

“There is a palpable sense of enthusiasm now” noted Colin Heartwell, CEO of Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC) “and I want to congratulate PWD, DLN  and Millennium for their efforts to get the project organized and to the contractors on site who are pulling together to get the work done. It’s been a great display of common commitment to the project.”

On the site, the regular Management Committee meetings have resumed along with MDC’s regular Technical Task Group meetings. Various modifications to the implementation plan have been discussed and agreed and action is moving forward.

MDC has had the Master Plan on display since April 18th, along with a virtual walk through of the project.  More than 200 people, visitors and residents alike, have provided their comments and thoughts, with most expressing great enthusiasm and excitement for the project.  Some very exciting, but modest modifications have been suggested that will add some spectacular vistas to the site.  The cricket pitch has now become a key ‘focal’ point for the project and an integral part of the town center’s future.

As well, MDC has brought in design consultants to work on the architectural “theme” of Little Bay and held consultation sessions to incorporate the communities’ ideas. The design personnel are also looking at the previous Buchanan report and other documents to ensure the Corporation builds on the wealth of ideas already brought forward by the community over the years. The Design staff will be back on Island in early July to provide their ideas and to showcase a 3D virtual fly through model of the site.

MDC has commissioned a study to evaluate the market potential and economic feasibility of the project and sought expressions of interest from local business people.  More than 53 firms have expressed a desire to be a part of the excitement of Little Bay and MDC will be working with these firms over the next several months to help make their involvement in Little Bay a reality.

“We are thrilled to see the business interest in the site” noted Chairman Kenneth Scotland “and we want to ensure that those who have an interest can be accommodated. Phase 1 will be coming to an end in a few months and MDC will then move on to arrange to develop properties, offer lease purchase options and support new business proposals as a way to encourage local firms to be a part of this new town center.”

MDC is also working with the Montserrat Tourist Board to move forward with a fisherman’s marina in Piper’s Pond and wants to get an Environmental Impact Assessment done on the area in an expeditious manner.  Julian Daniel, the Deputy Little Bay Project Manager noted that “this will provide us with the core information we need to produce an outstanding safe harbor that can support the local community and act as a icon at the entrance of the overall project.”

Finally, MDC has participated with the Port Authority on the detailed design contract for the new harbor and is looking forward to the project moving forward.  “There have been several good proposals put forward” said Mr. Heartwell “and I am hopeful that a decision can be made shortly. We expect the successful contractors will be on site in a few weeks and we believe there will be significant progress before the end of September.”  Funds have been identified to do some construction on Port lands over the next year and MDC will work to ensure this complements the activities being undertaken on the Little Bay site.

Exciting times are ahead for Montserrat at the Little Bay site and everyone is encouraged to watch how the site evolves in the coming weeks.

MDC is owned by the people of Montserrat and is the nation’s premier property developer. The Montserrat Development Corporation is dedicated to creating a unique and high quality development for the country, one that we all can be proud of.

Ms. Terri Parent, CEO of the Women’s Enterprise Institute is an internationally certified business trainer and is conducting the training courses while she is in the country over the period to June 27^th.  Ms. Parent conducted the first training module to Board members on June 16^th as part of an annual strategic planning retreat.  The second module will be provided on June 23^rd.

Mr. Kenneth Scotland, Chairman of MDC, noted that “the program provided some valuable information about the roles and responsibilities of Board members, reminded us of critical elements of the position and allowed us to share ideas on how to be a more effective Board.” Board members indicated they felt the program was useful and beneficial to their work.

MDC has also offered the training to the Cultural Center Board and Ms. Parent will be providing those Board members with training during the week of June 22^nd to 26^th.

Ms. Parent will be offering the additional nine training modules to the Board over the next several months in conjunction with other training activities. 

Ms. Parent is an internationally certified small business counselor and facilitator and maintains a broad network of contact amongst business and government leaders in Canada and abroad.

Ms. Parent also provides advice to clients in a range of aspects of business development activities including the preparation and presentation of business plans, market research, market planning, path finding to various sources of financing and various other aspects of business.

Colin Heartwell, CEO of MDC, indicated that Ms. Parent’s trip provides local business people with a great opportunity to get expert and truly confidential business counseling and he urged business people to take advantage of the visit.  He noted “Ms. Parent is an internationally recognized trainer and counselor and is well positioned to assist local firms to improve their business operations.”

During her travels to the Island, Ms. Parent has indicated a willingness to visit business premises and meet interested entrepreneurs to talk about their business operations.  As well, Ms. Parent will be touring some businesses to do research to assist MDC on customizing its business training programs to meet the needs of the local business community.

Ms. Parent will be doing information sessions on mentoring on June 15^th and actual mentoring training later in the week, based on expressions of interest by business people.  Ms. Parent will be available to do one-on-one counseling at various times between June 17^th and 22^nd, including weekends if desired.

If anyone is interested in getting one-on-one business advice or would like to have their business showcased in Ms. Parent’s research work, please call Ms. Kathrina Piper at the MDC offices at 491-4700 or send an email to info@mdc.ms. 

June 8, 2009

The Montserrat Development Corporation hopes to unite experienced business people with entrepreneurs seeking assistance in order to exchange ideas and learn from the experiences of others.    MDC wants to ensure that both mentors and protégé’s demonstrate their interest in supporting business development by coming out to an introductory seminar and participating in the training programs.

“We need to ensure we have people registering for the program”, said Kenneth Scotland, MDC Chairman “so we encourage you to let us know if you are interested.”

The question you might ask is Why Mentorship?  Well the answer is that mentorship:

• Strengthens the intellectual capital of the organization.
• Contributes to effective succession planning.
• Builds on resources and expertise within the organization.
• Adds to retention strategies for high potential employees.
• Decreases costly turnover and “brain drain”.
• Provides support for other management initiatives.
• Increases individual and team performance.
• Creates a closer match between vision and reality.
• Improves learning curve during implementation of change.
• Provides diverse and extended opportunities for leadership.
• Helps women and minority groups break through “glass ceilings” or “concrete barriers”.
• Helps senior people avoid feeling that they have reached a plateau, renews vigour.

In achieving these results the small business people who are the protégés are provided with

• Advice/direction through greater self knowledge.
• Accessible role models.
• Increased self confidence and career aspirations.
• Knowledge that the organization values employees as individuals.
• Develops broader perspectives on business culture and expectations.
• Ongoing support, encouragement and nurturance.
• Improved accuracy of communication and communication network, leading to better management of knowledge.

At the same time the business people who act as Mentors get a lot of benefits including:

• Exposure to new ideas.
• Incentives to keep up-to-date in terms of their own business.
• Increased personal reputation by being surrounded by talented people—this will in turn attract other talented people to work with that mentor.
• Opportunities to reflect on skills and practices, and refresh management skills and knowledge.
• A challenging learning experience.
• An opportunity to broaden understanding of the organization.
• A stimulating, rewarding and enjoyable experience.
• Clarification of a mentor’s own learning needs.
• Self-esteem to individual volunteer and a feeling that they have built a legacy.

The Montserrat Development Corporation wishes to build a culture of mentorship in Montserrat and encourages business owners to avail themselves of this “free” service.

If you are interested in learning more about mentorship, plan to attend a one hour workshop entitled “The Value of Mentorship” to be held at the Bladen House on June 17, 2009 or to get more information on the program call the Montserrat Development Corporation at 491-4700. Mentoring and protégé training will occur on June 18^th and 24^th.   

Kenneth Scotland, the MDC Chairman noted that “mentoring is a process that matches a well established and experienced business owner with entrepreneurs who are starting out in business or need help with their business operations.”  The mentor and protégé as they are called delve into the core of the business and work together to develop a Plan of Action to guide the business forward. Mentors usually require four or five sessions to assist to develop the plan.

Mentors and protégés then often work together over a longer period of time create a successful business.  Mentors assist entrepreneurs to improve their business operations, decrease costly turnover, and develop marketing and sales strategies, proper accounting and good packaging and design.

MDC would like to hear from experienced business people who are interested in being mentors and from Montserratian entrepreneurs who are seeking to be connected to mentors.   Efforts are being made to identify as many mentors as possible from within the country, but MDC will also be reaching out to Montserratian diasporas and other business people in an effort to find a range of talent that can support local businesses. All mentors will be put on a single data base and then matched with those business people who express an interest in being protégé’s.

“This is an effective and inexpensive way to provide business advice.” noted Colin Heartwell, the MDC’s CEO.  “More importantly, we can use modern communications techniques like the internet to link local business people to expert mentors in other areas, thereby giving them a chance to learn business operations without the threat of competition.”  Mr. Heartwell went on to say that the key to the program is to find willing mentors and eager protégés to participate.

MDC will be holding training courses for those persons interested in being mentors or protégés in mid-June.  Persons interested in giving business advice or those wanting to receive it should contact Kathrina Piper at MDC at 491-4700 or stop by the office at Bladen House and sign up for the program.

The Business Mentoring Service is part of MDC’s ongoing commitment to “A New Way of Doing Business”

The Chairman and Board of Directors are pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Colin Heartwell as the new Chief Executive Officer of the Montserrat Development Corporation. Mr. Heartwell has been in office at MDC’s Headquarters at Bladen House since April 16^th, 2009.

Mr. Heartwell has been a senior executive engaged in economic development in rural areas and small island states for more than twenty-years.  Amongst his lengthy experience in private sector development and investment promotion were seven years as Chief Executive Officer of the Turks and Caicos Islands Investment Agency in the Caribbean and two years as head of TradeInvest Timor-Leste, the world’s newest island country. During his time in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mr. Heartwell was able to attract more than US $2 billion in investments and more importantly those very same investors have actually expended more than $4 billion since their arriving in the Islands a decade ago.

Mr. Heartwell also worked for several years as Director General of a regional development agency in Western Canada responsible for venture financing programs worth more than $350 million, has been an advisor to government leaders in the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and China for several years and was a project developer in China and the Caribbean through his consulting company “THinc.

“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Heartwell to Montserrat”, commented the Chairman Kenneth Scotland “We believe he has the right combination of education, experience and skills to move forward on Little Bay Estates and support our Private Sector Development activities more actively.”  

MDC has a mandate to turn Little Bay Estates into a new and exciting national capital to replace the one lost to the volcano. The Corporation believes the area can become a unique Caribbean community that will act as a catalyst for strong economic growth and development in the country.  As well, MDC has a responsibility to support the country’s entrepreneurs and to find ways to sustain the business community and to ensure new businesses to grow and develop in the country.

“Little Bay Estates should be developed to support future economic growth, while providing opportunities for Montserratians to participate in that growth”, said Mr. Heartwell. “Moreover, every effort will be made to ensure that growth in the new town does not come at the expense of those firms with properties operating outside of the Little Bay Estates. We want to maintain and expand the existing business community.”

Key priorities for Mr. Heartwell in the next few weeks will be to:

1. Get approval for the Little Bay Master Plan and acquire control over the site.
2. Design and implement a five year development plan for the project and collaborate with Government and DFID to arrange project financing.
3. Begin selling the concept domestically and internationally, while developing a small “showcase” site.
4. Identify and open a small business incubator in Brades to assist entrepreneurs looking for business space.
5. Develop a good small business advisory and counseling service out of the Bladen House Headquarters building to help business people to start and expand their businesses,
6. Launch a new business financing program to improve access to capital for small and medium business ideas and
7. Assist efforts to find ways to significantly improve access, which is critical to all aspects of the development of Montserrat.

MDC is a Limited Liability Company wholly owned by the Government of Montserrat and dedicated to a “New Way of Doing Business”.

Several dignitaries including the His Excellency the Governor, Ministers of Government, Permanent Secretaries, Heads of departments, the CEO and representatives of the Board of the Montserrat Development Corporation (MDC), as well as members of staff. Representatives from the private sector, the community and visitors to the island were in attendance to witness the historic occasion in the re-development of Montserrat.

Pastor, Dr. Emanuel Kure opened the ceremony in prayers.

Addresses came from the His Excellency the Governor Mr. Peter Waterworth, the Honourable Chief Minister Dr. Llowel Lewis, Hon. Charles Kirnon, Minister for Communication and Works, Hon. John Osborne Minister of Education, Contractor for the project JE Galloway Construction and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms. Laurine Fenton.

The Chief Minister in his speech congratulated the Hon. John Osborne for his foresight many years ago when he made the decision as the then Chief Minister to purchase the land now slated to be the new town.
In her remarks, Ms. Fenton said that Phase 1 Infrastructure contract was a project jointly funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the European Union. Phase 1 will guide the overall development of Little Bay and provide serviced land to facilitate the development of the main town centre civic quarter containing many of the most important Government functions as well as bringing onto the market place significant commercial floorspace.