Montserrat island "Santa María de Montserrate", after the Virgin of Montserrat in the Monastery of Montserrat, on Montserrat mountain, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. "Montserrat" means "serrated mountain" in Catalan. Archaeological field work in 2012, in Montserrat's Centre Hills indicated there was an Archaic (pre-Arawak) occupation between 4000 and 2500 BP. Later coastal sites show the presence of the Saladoid culture. In November 1493, Christopher Columbus passed Montserrat in his second voyage, after being told that the island was unoccupied due to raids by the Caribs. A number of Irishmen settled in Montserrat in 1632. The preponderance of Irish in the
Progressive Democratic Party (Montserrat) the MLP had faced serious opposition, and saw the PDP win all seven seats, leaving the MLP without parliamentary representation. Percival Austin Bramble became Chief Minister. The PDP subsequently won five of the seven seats in the 1973 elections, but were defeated in the 1978 elections, when the People's Liberation Movement formed by former PDP minister John Osborne won all seven seats. The PDP contested the 1983 elections, winning two seats in the Legislative Council. It was reduced to one seat in the 1987 elections, and did not contest any further elections. Progressive Democratic Party (Montserrat) The Progressive Democratic Party