Migration

Following the evacuations many people left the island of Montserrat and migrated to other countries or islands. Above is a map including approximate migration numbers as of March 1998 when approximately 7,500 people, two-thirds of the original Montserrat population had left the island.
Click on the map above for more detailed information about the information above.

Chronology of Migration & Population

Chronology of Migration

The Elderly and Migration: Reasons for Staying and Leaving

For much of the elderly population the question of whether or not to leave the island was a complicated one. Factors such as family, mobility and health, connections off island, financial stability and personal attachment to Montserrat were all ones that could cause someone to stay or leave the island.

Family: Since much of the younger population was leaving the island, especially women and children, many elderly were losing family members due to the migration off island.

Mobility and Health: The factor of mobility and health is one the greatly stratified the elderly population. While younger and more active population were able to pack up and leave, the elderly were often stranded and left behind because they were unable to leave their homes or move without assistance. Included in the issues of mobility are those of health. Extreme health conditions pushed many of the elderly off the island as Montserrat lost some of it’s most skilled practitioners and surgeons. For more information on health issues and migration view the Health Care page.

Connections off Island: Having family or friends off island during the exodus from Montserrat was a huge factor in migration. If older members of the community were able to contact someone in the UK or even the US during the crisis and were therefore able to set up accommodations for themselves off island their chances for movement off island was much greater. Especially in the UK, with such a high number of immigrants, knowing someone once you arrived made the transition that much smoother and more accessible.

Financial Stability: With the loss of insurance coverage, it was difficult for senior citizens to start over. One who could not secure housing on the island were forced to move abroad in order to collect upon social security benefits in the UK, US, or other Caribbean islands.

Attachment to Montserrat: Some simply refused to move, regardless of financial situation or connections off island. An elderly Montserratian has deep roots in an island they understand. Learning a new culture in a new land is a daunting task at the very least. Others could not imagine the notion of being “home” without being on Montserrat.

Oral History Transcript Excerpts

Excerpt 1: Why to Stay on the Island

KP: Why did you stay?
Narrator: Oh, well. [2 second pause] The option of starting at my age, late sixties, the option of starting again was not…very good. My wife did not want to go away, to…to…to, to go, to go, she didn’t want to leave Montserrat. And so we just decided that we would be among those on the last boat, on the last boat going out. Here we are.
KP: And you’re very happy you stayed?
Narrator: Yes, I’m happy, because…yes…we’re building a new house yes so and we uh. And so my wife got what she had always wanted a house with a very big view of the sea. So, so am I.

Excerpt 1: 75 Year Old Woman Migrates

CT: Did some people originally go to the shelters and then decide to leave after that?
RF: (Yes). Yes. Some were in churches…
CT: Mmmhmm.
RF: A church buildings were used as shelters…and they took the package and went. Some were in shelters, tent-like shelters…they left…go to England. There’s one lady, she left this morning an, and I’m seeing her, I’m seeing here for the first time since, since we left houses in ninety, in ninety-six….I last saw her in ninety-five, when we were in Harrises.
CT: Wow.
RF: and I….
CT: You saw her for the first time today?
RF: Umm….during this season ‘cause she come back from England.
CT: (During the season..) Ah.
RF: Yes, I was, she had her seventy second birthday….and I was able to, I was able to bake a big pig for her. Her, her children came and they asked me to bake a pig for the party. She left this morning.

Excerpt 2: Staying Behind for God to Protect Them

RF: It happen in 2001, and it happen in 2003. Yea. (pause) But back to the evacuation. People – people were very stubborn. The government passed an evacuation order set to work (?)– all personals (?) come to the north. And you have people stayed back in the areas. Old people – people seventy plus – stayed back in the area and said God will take care of them.
CT: They didn’t want to leave their homes?
RF: They don’t want to leave their home. God promises that he will never forget his people, right? But this is natural disaster. This is nature. And these people stayed there.

British Assistance During Migration

When migration off island began it seemed that those leaving would be sure to return. Yet, as the volcanic crisis progressed it seemed inevitable that much of the population leaving the island would not return to their homes in Montserrat. As an overseas colonial territory of Britain, the British government provided assistance and guidance to the Montserratian government and citizens. While the British felt that complete evacuation should be the decided option, the characteristic resilience and resolve of the Montserratian people kept many of them on island (Fergus 152). Beginning in August 1997 the UK began to offer assistance to the Montserratians wishing to move the Britain. While the original Assisted Passage Scheme required indicated that Montserratian’s would have no automatic right to live in the UK it did provide them an “exceptional right to remain” in the Britain for up to two years. This original scheme provided full access to the UK benefits system, but required all those moving off island to pay their own fare an also find a British sponsor who would provide for them once they arrived. A few days after this plan was presented to the Montserratian community, the volcanic crisis greatly progressed and more citizens were displaced. In response to this, the British government revised the plan and provided air fare as well as removed the requirement for a British sponsor. Upon this change 2,733 people left the island. Carib World Travel assisted in the planning of transportation from both Montserrat to Antigua and Antigua to Britain. While travel planning went smoothly many Montserratian felt lost in the process of migration to the UK.

Although the British had assisted in bringing Montserratians to the UK, the process of assimilating was much more difficult than many expected. In response to this, it wasn’t until November 1997 that a publication was issued to assist Montserratians in the preparation for their migration. Upon arrival most Montserratians expected great assistance, but little was found. Travel Care, the Heathrow-based social work charity, did their best to meet immigrants who did not have connections the in UK. In many ways this connection was what assisted Montserratians the most. Without a connection in the UK, immigrants were put on a housing list with all other British homeless citizens and struggled to find suitable housing. While the British did their best to serve the immigrants from Monsterrat, their efforts often fell short. Because of this organizations, developed by Montserratians, such as the Montserrat and Friends Organization of Birmingham was set up to assist immigrants in adjusting to life in the UK.

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