Montserrat - The British International Development junior minister, Mr George Foulkes, was scheduled to arrive on Montserrat last night to see for himself the plight of the people of the volcano-hit Caribbean island. During his visit Mr Foulkes will tell Montserratians that the British government will do everything it can to maintain the north of the island for those who have fled the volcanic eruptions further south.
The minister has denied exacerbating the crisis and causing alarm on the island by overstating the risk of a catastrophic eruption and stressed he viewed reinforcing the north's viability ke Antigua. But the third choice - staying on the island - was likely to be the best option, he suggested.