BVI News

Farmers, fisherfolk benefit from $300K government assistance

Minister with responsibility for agriculture, Dr Kedrick Pickering gestures to his Permanent Secretary, Ronald Smith-Berkeley. (Photo Credit: BVI News)

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour Ronald Smith-Berkeley said Government has made good on its promise to assist farmers and fisherfolks to bounce back following the 2017 hurricanes.

In a recent interview with BVI News, Smith-Berkeley said more than quarter-million dollars were made available.

“For the most part people don’t want money in their hands, they just want help. The people in the farming industry needed water tanks, posts and wires, and what have you. We also ordered materials to rebuild fishing pots.”

He continued, “So that’s what we have been doing with the $300,000 that we received.”

He said the materials for both sectors were sourced in the Caribbean region and in the United States.

Distribution already underway

In the meantime, farmers and fisherfolk have started receiving some of the aforementioned items, the permanent secretary said.

“The water tanks are in and we have started distributing those. We have also assisted one or two fishermen with assistance in purchasing engines, so we are trying to do our best with what was available.”

In addition, a few container shipments are due in the territory sometime this month with more building materials.

“We try to help as many people as we can and [with] two or three container loads of posts and wires coming in, so we should be able to help a lot of people,” he added.
Based on the findings of a Department of Conservation & Fisheries assessment, the collective loss in local farming and fishing because of the hurricanes was roughly $13 million.

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27 Comments

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  1. lol says:

    bonnie and clyde or heckle and jeckel

    Like 9
    Dislike 1
  2. LOL says:

    batman and robin

    Like 8
    Dislike 2
  3. Farmer says:

    B S or should I say more B S

    Like 10
  4. SMH says:

    It’s so strange how everything is beign funded. Why was the monies held up in the first place?

    Like 12
  5. Windy says:

    Simply buying votes. Sure can tell it’s getting near erection tine. This should be illegal.

    Like 11
  6. What!! says:

    Yes Windy , erection time is always hard!

    Like 14
  7. THE TRUTH says:

    First of all, farmers should have been offered some level of compensation for the loss of their livelihood following the hurricane.Many were not able to continue as the losses were too great.Secondly its almost two years and all we are hearing is promises. Those in authority are demonstrating that they are totally clueless when it comes to the role of agriculture in our survival as a people and a nation. It’s really sad to see that we are in such darkness.

  8. Clabos says:

    Who ever is keeping the secret of when elections is going to be will be punished at the poles.

    Like 8
    Dislike 1
    • Island man says:

      I see you don’t know your constitution or you is just another one of the VIP puppet…The governor given a time frame as April 16th to avoid having 2 election which 1 would have been a by-election for the 5th district seat and the next would have been the general election and for such date to stand the house would had to be dissolve From late December-sarly January to fall in between the 90 days as constituted

  9. CNW says:

    Shark Whisperer and Barney Fyfe.

  10. VG Farmer says:

    Don’t forget the 3 Stooges and the 4 muskerteers.

    These guys are “Jokers R U” if you ask me.

    As clueless as you can get.

  11. Another farmer says:

    Don’t forget Ralph Cramdon and Ed Norton.

  12. limit says:

    we aint stupid no moor

  13. Island man says:

    I see you don’t know your constitution or you is just another one of the VIP puppet…The governor given a time frame as April 16th to avoid having 2 election which 1 would have been a by-election for the 5th district seat and the next would have been the general election and for such date to stand the house would had to be dissolve From late December-sarly January to fall in between the 90 days as constituted

  14. OMG says:

    We’re so selfish….. Do we really truly deserve the kinda help we asking for? Would you like a person with your type of attitude behavior?

  15. Sister Islands says:

    Dont forget us over on the sister islands. All the stuff will be distributed on the Main island and WE get NONE….ZILCH…..NADA!

    Happens all the time….please do better this time around sirs.

    • Really says:

      Sister islands wish I can agree with you fully but I can’t. You should visit the main land and come over to the first district. You will see they are in a worst position than you all. They get Nothing. Straight up fàcts.
      .

  16. Concerned says:

    Will any of this funding/ materials reach the “sister islands?”Is there a Dept of Agriculture ? Who is “ Heading it?”Havent seen or heard any thing ( now election time ) money is miracously available .If this is NOT an election gimmick LETS GET IT ON because We help in getting ESPECIALLY chicken coops back in operation /Roofing materials and Fencing .We need to STOP playing Politics and understand the importance of “FEEDING “ ourselves ; From the Minister down who talked about “ eradicating “ local chickens as being a nuisance , to destroying “ cay goats “ to preserve “ sea birds “ nesting sites , to “ banning “ fish pots/traps ; We need some one to Manage our RESOURCES who understands our CULTURE and respects our way of life .

  17. Farmer from West says:

    You two misfits could go take a long hike up Zion hill.

  18. Anonymous says:

    The usual practice of placing money direction in media with a heading direction, yet, such monies never reach its media labelled destination.

  19. My help cometh from the Lord says:

    These people crazy!!! Did you visit the farms to know the extent of damage? How could you say the farmers only need a few tanks and poles? Well let me tell you something I need a lot more than that!! The farmers are suffering. This time around please put in someone who LOVES farming.

  20. Hill billy says:

    13 million in lost and only 3 hundred thousand you could put back in come on doc do better

    • Silent says:

      Please be reminded that initially they were planning to give nothing at all. Irma was the final nail that was to go into the farming industry under this regime. PRESSURE forced them to reconsider and that is how they even managed to allocate $300,000.

  21. fisherman says:

    this is complete and utter BS! as a local fisherman the so called free fish trap wire they said were given were false because we still had to pay for the wire!
    Ayo keep being fooled by this current government BS!
    Royally pissed!!

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