Montserrat is a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands,the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about 16 km (10 mi) long and 11 km (7 mi) wide,with roughly 40 km (25 mi) of coastline. It is nicknamed "The Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" both for its resemblance to coastal Ireland and for the Irish ancestry of many of its inhabitants. Montserrat is the only non-fully sovereign full member of the Caribbean Community and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States,though it is far from being the only dependency in the Caribbean overall. Staying a part of the United Kingdom proved especially fortuitous in the late 1990s,when the southern half the island had to be evacuated. Its capital and international airport were devastated by a volcanic eruption but many were able to travel to the U.K.,which also helped rebuild. Within ten years important housing,government buildings,and a new airport were established in the north,though the population remains about one third of what it was before the eruption.
Politics of Montserrat takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democratic dependency,whereby the Premier is the head of government,and of a multi-party system. Montserrat is an internally self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The United Nations Committee on Decolonization includes Montserrat on the United Nations list of non-self-governing territories. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the Legislative Assembly. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. Military defence is the responsibility of the United Kingdom.
The West Indies Federation,also known as the West Indies,the Federation of the West Indies or the West Indian Federation,was a short-lived political union that existed from 3 January 1958 to 31 May 1962. Various islands in the Caribbean that were part of the British Empire,including Trinidad and Tobago,Barbados,Jamaica,and those on the Leeward and Windward Islands,came together to form the Federation,with its capital in Port of Spain,Trinidad and Tobago. The expressed intention of the Federation was to create a political unit that would become independent from Britain as a single state —possibly similar to Canada,the Federation of Australia,or the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Before that could happen,the Federation collapsed due to internal political conflicts over how it would be governed or function viably. The formation of a West Indian Federation was encouraged by the United Kingdom,but also requested by pan-Caribbean nationalists.
The Conservative Party of Canada,colloquially known as the Tories or simply the Conservatives,is a federal political party in Canada. It was formed in 2003 by the merger of the two main right-leaning parties,the Progressive Conservative Party and the Canadian Alliance,the latter being the successor of the Western Canadian–based Reform Party. The party sits at the centre-right to the right of the Canadian political spectrum,with their federal rival,the centre-left Liberal Party of Canada,positioned to their left. The Conservatives are defined as a "big tent" party,practising "brokerage politics" and welcoming a broad variety of members,including "Red Tories" and "Blue Tories".
William McKeeva Bush,is a Caymanian politician,former Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands and former Premier of the Cayman Islands. Bush,the former leader of the Cayman Democratic Party,is the elected member for the constituency of West Bay West. He is the territory's longest ever serving political figure with service spanning over 35 years,previously serving his tenth term in the Parliament of the Cayman Islands.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Manitoba is a centre-right political party in Manitoba,Canada. It is currently the opposition party in the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba,following a defeat in the 2023 provincial election.
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador,Canada. The party is the provincial branch,and affiliate of the federal Liberal Party of Canada. It has served as the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador since December 14,2015. The NL Liberals were re-elected to a majority government in the 2021 provincial election.
The Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island is one of three major political parties on Prince Edward Island. The party and its rival,the Liberals,have alternated in power since responsible government was granted in 1851.
The Alberta Party is a political party in the province of Alberta,Canada. The party describes itself as centrist and pragmatic in that it is not dogmatically ideological in its approach to politics.
The Montserrat national football team represents Montserrat in international football. Football is the second most popular sport in Montserrat,after cricket. The team plays at the Blakes Estate Stadium. The Montserrat football team was formed in 1973,and has entered the World Cup qualifiers since the 2002 edition,being eliminated in the first round on each occasion.
The Soufrière Hills is an active,complex stratovolcano with many lava domes forming its summit on the Caribbean island of Montserrat. After a long period of dormancy,the Soufrière Hills volcano became active in 1995 and continued to erupt through 2010. Its last eruption was in 2013. Its eruptions have rendered more than half of Montserrat uninhabitable,destroying the capital city,Plymouth,and causing widespread evacuations:about two-thirds of the population have left the island. Chances Peak in the Soufrière Hills was the highest summit on Montserrat until the mid-1990s,but it has since been eclipsed by various rising and falling volcanic domes during the recent volcanic activity.
The Virgin Islands Party (VIP) is a political party in the British Virgin Islands. It is presently led by Natalio Wheatley. It is the oldest active political party in the British Virgin Islands,and it has won more general elections (seven) than any other political party in the British Virgin Islands.
Reuben Theodore Meade is a politician from Montserrat who has served as the Premier of Montserrat since 2024. He previously served as the island's first Premier between 2011 and 2014 as well as Chief Minister between 1991 and 1996 and 2009 to 2011. A member of the United Alliance,he used to be part of the Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP). He previously led the now-defunct National Progressive Party.
Manasseh Damukana Sogavare is a Solomon Islander politician serving as Minister of Finance since 2024. He served as the prime minister of Solomon Islands for a total of nine years from 2000–2001,2006–2007,2014–2017,and 2019–2024. Sogavare has served in the National Parliament representing East Choiseul since 1997.
The Movement for Change and Prosperity (MCAP) is a political party in Montserrat.
Donald Edward Farrell is an Australian politician and former trade unionist. He is a member of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and has been Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State in the Albanese government since 2022. He has served as a Senator for South Australia since 2016,after a previous term from 2008 to 2014.
Alexander Easton is a Northern Ireland politician who has served as Member of Parliament (MP) for North Down since 2024. He previously served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for North Down from 2003 to 2024.
Donaldson Romeo is a Montserratian politician. He is currently a member of the Legislative Assembly and served as the island's Premier from September 2014 until November 2019.
Andrew Alturo Fahie is a British Virgin Islands politician who served as Premier of the British Virgin Islands from 2019 to 2022. He was also the chairman of the Virgin Islands Party in the British Virgin Islands from 2016 to 2022. He was convicted of a range of charges relating to conspiracy to import cocaine into the United States in 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Montserrat was a part of the ongoing global viral pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19),which was confirmed to have reached the British Overseas Territory of Montserrat on 17 March 2020. The first death occurred on 24 April 2020. By 15 May,all patients had recovered. On 10 July,a new case was discovered. On 7 August,there were no more active cases.
