Manu-
Montserrat is heavily dependent on remittances and external
financial assistance and has felt the North American recession.
The private sector remains depressed. Tourism makes a small contribution and efforts are being made to increase this. facturing is on a very small scale. Agriculture is essentially a subsistence activity with the exception of cotton and some small quantities of fruit and vegetables grown by smallholders for export, unfortunately to islands which produce the same things!
Constraints on Development
1)
ii)
iii)
iv)
v)
The Government's weak recurrent budget position.
Lack of skilled and experienced staff.
The limited capacity and financial problems of two important development institutions the Development Finance and Marketing Corporation and the Land Development Authority.
Small domestic market and poor external communi-
cations.
Tradition of emigration and of high level of dependence on remittances from overseas (mainly Britain).
British Aid
Total British aid to Montserrat over the last few years is
as follows:
£000
1975
1619
1976
1305
1977
1280
1978 (estimate)
1055
Montserrat enjoys a relatively high standard of public services. For this reason most British aid over the next two years will be devoted to increasing self-sufficiency and improving employment prospects in the private sector.
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