Margaret Mary ‘Annie’ Dyer-Howe was a Montserratian politician and former Cabinet Minister.

Early life and education

Margaret Mary ‘Annie’ Dyer-Howe nee Corbett was born in Montserrat on 18 November 1940.  She attended the Saint Augustine all-age primary school.  She has an M.Sc. from the University of Bradford in Management Research, Global Warming, and Climate Change and an Executive MBA from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill School of Business, Barbados. 

Career

She served as a teacher in the school between 1959 and 1961 before migrating to the United States.  Returning to Montserrat, she worked as General Manager of the Montserrat Water Authority from 1994 to 1998.

Dyer-Howe entered the Legislative Council through winning a by-election in 1979. In 1983, she was the second Montserratian woman to become a Minister of Government when she was appointed Minister of Education, Health, Community Service, Women’s Affairs, Culture and Sports and served until 1991.  From 2001 to 2001 she served as Minister for Trade, Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, and as Minister of Finance from 2001 to 2002.  Dyers-Howe acted as Chief Ministers on several occasions (May 2001, June 2003, September 2003, June and July 2004). Several landmark decisions including comprehensive secondary education and the opening of an Old People’s Home are associated with her tenure.

A remarkable politician, Dyer-Howe was equally outstanding in civil society. She was Vice President of both the Old People’s Welfare Association and the St. Patrick’s Credit Union and President of the Catholic Social League. Internationally recognised, she was drafted into the planning committee for the World Conference on the UN Decade for Women.

She was also a businesswoman, former manager of the Montserrat Water Authority, plus a driving force and founding member of what was then the original St Patrick's Village Day Festival.

Personal life

Her first husband Michael Dyers (m. 1964) was an MMP until his death. She later married second husband Robert Howe (m. 1984).

Honours and awards

She was awarded the Montserrat Order of Excellence in 2018.

Death

Margaret Annie Dyer-Howe died on 7 April 2019.  She was 78.