9 • Continued from previous page location known as Foxes Bay to reach a public “standpipe” with running water, to do the laundry. That meant washing by hand. I felt informed but it increased my sense of isolation, my sense of loss and a deep feeling of regret for not being home to assist with the clean up or really just to be there. My family was clearly traumatised and as the days progressed you could sense they were getting quite exhausted from it all. But there were also the stories about the kindness of neighbours and friends. They spoke about the group of men who came and covered the destroyed portions of our roof and even assisted in repairing it when that time came later. My mother and others cooked for the teams of workmen from the Public Works Department who worked tirelessly to ensure that roofs were covered with plastic and that roads were cleared. I lived for the calls home and all of the stories; some of which were quite funny. The stories that kept me updated with how the island was rebounding. The news items that we heard and saw on television in Jamaica were more sensational and never as detailed or informative as those telephone calls from home in Montserrat. It is amazing how nature bounces back. I reached back home in December; three months after Hurricane Hugo wreaked havoc on my island. The trees were lush and green again. The mountains looked verdant from a distance, the seawater looked blue and inviting. The only visual impression I got that a hurricane had devastated the island was the large number of homes that still had blue plastic sheeting on the roofs. My home from the outside was practically back to normal…. except when I went looking for my clothes. Many of my clothes were missing. In discussions with my sister, I found out that it was just too much to get them all washed and dried in the days following the storm so everything that had mildew was dumped. They regaled me with stories about improvisation, including using an old sugar factory vat for laundry. They tried to make me understand what it was like to live for weeks without running water or electricity. What it was like not being able to iron clothes. It is now almost 40 years later but the trauma of Hurricane Hugo still lingers on in our beloved island. It has been 30 years since the onset of volcanic activities here in Montserrat in 1995, but the impact of Hurricane Hugo remains at least in our minds. Every time Radio Montserrat gives notice that a hurricane is in the region one sister, who lives here, literally panics. Her preparations are a frenzy of activity and her mental anguish is clearly evident. Both of my sisters now just tolerate corned beef after having that as one of the staples they ate for weeks during the aftermath of the hurricane. I still love corned beef but then I did not experience Hugo the same way. My response is a lot slower and a little more laid back as I am convinced that there is no need to fill every available container with water or cover every appliance with garbage bags. One sister’s often screaming response to my tardiness is that I know nothing about hurricanes! Melissa O’Garro is a native Montserratian with a passion for nature and outdoors. That passion motivated her to pursue a career in Agriculture, later completing a Bachelor of Science degree in General Agriculture from the University of the West Indies. She later completed an MSc in Marine Management at the University of Dalhousie in Nova Scotia, Canada. Following those periods of study, she returned home to Montserrat to contribute to the development of the Agricultural sector in particular and the Montserratian community in general. Her passion and commitment to task helped her progress up the ranks over the years. She was the first woman appointed to the position of Director of Agriculture. She served in that capacity for 15 years and to date, remains the only woman to have held the post. Melissa is a member of a large family whose patriotic public service, voluntary efforts and cultural prowess are renowned locally, regionally and internationally. She remains dedicated to the well-being and welfare of her daughter and the celebrated extended family.In her quiet moments alone, Melissa enjoys reading or simply relaxing by the sea enjoying the calming sounds of the waves.
10 Publizr Home