‘Overwhelming’ response as work to assist fisherfolk and farmers starts
A large number of persons involved in fishing and farming locally have responded positively to the government’s plan to stimulate the food and agriculture sector in the BVI.
Agriculture Minister Dr Natalio Wheatley said he was unable to provide the exact number of respondents but said was pleased with the response so far.
“The response to the economic stimulus for the fishers and farmers has been both overwhelming and enthusiastic. A great deal of persons have called the Department of Agriculture to register their interest in participating in the programme,” he said.
The Minister said the Agricultural Department has already commenced its assessment and collation of information from these agriculture workers. This includes information about their particular needs.
He said an inter-ministerial task force will be activated to render assistance.
“After all the information is collected, the task force, comprised of individuals from the Premier’s office, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Agriculture, Fisheries, Youth Affairs, & Sports, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, and the fishing and farming industries will evaluate the requests and make recommendations for grants, which will be paid directly to suppliers on behalf of fishers and farmers,” Dr Wheatley explained.
Government pumping $ into sectors
Earlier this month, the government announced that it was pumping $2 million into ‘The Rapid Response Fishing and Farming Production Programme’.
“It means that this funding programme will be used to purchase the supplies, among other areas, necessary to get our fisherfolks back in the water. It means that this funding will be used to purchase the needed supplies to get our farmers back on their grounds. And access to this funding means that we will ramp up production and provide the local market with the food necessary to sustain ourselves in this Virgin Islands economy,” Dr Wheatley explained at the time.
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Of course there was a huge response, the hand out something for free mentality !
As we can see there are so many farmers and fishermen here now with their curfew exempt passes !
Behind the smoke screen, rediversion is in full operation.
A similar incentive was introduced in November. As instructed I wrote a letter requesting assistance and emailed Dr. The Honorable Natalio D. Wheatley. I got no response. Not even an acknowledgement. A second email was sent in January and another in March. Still no response. It’s great to introduce incentives but it is not great if you take no action to requests and not even acknowledge receipt. Discouraged.
Last time I looked there were no farmers or fishermen here. Why give away 2 million when there are no farms? This is just like the South Sound Greenhouse. We need people that want to work to farm and fish. Import some more Filipinos’ and South American’s and give them permission to work (who do you think does all this work on the food we get from the USA???) You don’t see white guys in the USA doing this work either. Farming and Fishing are HARD WORK. Get some workers before talking this nonsense.
Sometimes we should think before we speak we do have farmers and fishermen in the BVI most of which have not gotten back their footing since Irma. They are also among the older generation so they might not b as able as they once were but nope you jump straight to importing others rather than encouraging the younger generation to get out there and lend a hand and learn how to do so some “hard work”.
Just a lil 2 cents from someone of the younger generation
bet u aint even from here and slready wanna bring more lf ur ppl from philipenese and south america. u go back home and work with them