“We no longer have supporters. This is not United Alliance versus the rest. This is Montserrat versus the rest and we will work together to make this country develop to its full potential for us, our children and grandchildren,” Meade said, soon after he was sworn into office by Governor Sarah Tucker.
Meade, 70, who served as the island’s first premier between 2010 and 2014, and had also served as chief minister of this British overseas territory on two occasions between 1991 and 2010, promised an inclusive administration.
“We promise you to be a government of the people. Your government. You will never hear us saying my government. It is your government. We pledge to serve you honestly and with compassion,” he said.
He said part of his job will be to continue training the members of the UA as they each continue their growth in their political life.
“I am extremely proud of their development over the past six months,” he said, adding that he is confident “they are ready to serve you, the people.
“As a consequence we will have a rotating deputy premier allowing each of them to gather the experience they need to serve you, the people of Montserrat,” he said.
The first person to be sworn in as Deputy Premier is Veronica Dorsette Hector, who is also the Minister of Infrastructure, Labor, Transport, Energy and Ecclesiastical Affairs.
The UA won five of the nine seats in the Legislative Assembly followed by the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) with three seats and the outgoing Movement for Change and Prosperity (CMAP) winning one seat. Two other uncontested seats that of the Attorney General and the Financial Secretary, will make up the 11-member Legislative Assembly
Meade told the ceremony that the government is all about growth and development and that “we don’t want to be speaking to you, we want you also to be speaking with us”.
He said among the first tasks of the government will be to prepare for the annual budget, telling public servants who were present at the ceremony “we have a lot of work to do.
“We are at the beginning of a budget cycle and we must prepare ourselves for that budget cycle. So starting on Monday my colleagues and I will be visiting each and every ministry together,” he said, adding this will be followed by a meeting with all senior public servants in a retreat on Tuesday “for us to be able to go over whatever plans and policies that are in place…
“We will be working as a team, not just the Cabinet colleagues, but you the civil servants,” he added.