Police gift seniors with fruit trees
PRESS RELEASE: Activities to mark this year’s observance of Police Week continues this week with the planting of a fruit-bearing tree in the yard of two seniors living within each of the policing districts in part to replace those destroyed during the hurricanes of 2017.
In Road Town, Commissioner of Police Michael Matthews personally made this delivery on Friday to former educator and owner of Scott’s Educational Institute Mrs Yoland Scott, who was elegantly dressed for her expected visitor.
The Commissioner was joined by the Deputy Commissioner, his staff officer and other officers assigned to the Police Headquarters.
He used the opportunity to listen to events of the 95-year-old stalwart’s past on her back porch.
“It was a privilege and a pleasure to meet such charming ladies – Mrs Scott in Purcell Estate and Ms Decima Smith in Lower Estate. It was indeed an honour to have the opportunity to spend time and hear about the lives of these treasured members of our community. They have lots of history, knowledge and wisdom to share,” the Commissioner of Police said.
He acknowledged the contribution of the Department of Agriculture in making this outreach possible. During this year’s Police Week activities, officers were also able to reach out to seniors through its Seniors BINGO Night, to the youth through its debating competition and Talent Expo, to families in needs at Family Support Network through a food drive, to communities through social nights at the various police stations and to the differently able through a fundraising walk to assist with the BVI Autism Centre.
Through funds raised the RVIPF was able to give $7,500 to replace some of the centre’s educational aids and other resources damaged during the hurricanes of 2017.
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We must/should be ashamed of ourselves that a foreigner has to come ad plant a fruit tree in our seniors yard.
This should have been done by, along time ago, and should be a continuous ritual all across these islands.
But no, we rather wait for someone not of us to do and show us some basic common sense.
Sadly, that which has brought us this far, fruit trees, agriculture, farming and fishing has been neglected for decades now.
If we do not stop, take notice and redirect our priorities, we will one day pay dearly for our own food providing negligence.
You chatting f**t about being shame. I’m sure Matthew and James recall my complaints about the illegally parked vehicles in that same Purcell Estate area they were planting trees. Yet to date none of them have addressed it. It seems like they are busy planting trees, which is a good thing don’t get me wrong, but getting rid of the garbage in the streets would compliment their tree planting efforts!
The BVI has progressed in many ways but has regressed in regards to agricultural production. Up to the early 60s, each household, especially in the country side, had at least a small agricultural plot of land. These farmers would reap and take their produce to the central market in Town to sell; some would take produce to St. Thomas. “Proging” produce, ie, potatoes…..etc was a cooperative/community effort. The transition from a subsistence agricultural economy to a service-based economy started in the mid 60s with tourism; financial services started to blossom in the 80s.
The transition to a service-based economy created new jobs and new job skills and improved the standard of living and quality of life. This transition started the decline of agriculture. Several factors contributed to the agricultural decline: 1. converting of arable land to other uses, ie, housing, 2. retiring of aging farmers, 3. lessening/stigmatizing of agriculture as a means of earning a living, 4. increasing of agricultural import, 5. emerging of supermarkets, 6.competing of agricultural imports with local production, ie, production cost ……etc. Residents mostly shop now at supermarkets for agricultural produce, not at the central market.
Moreover, the BVI may not be self sufficient in food production due to an increasing population and increasing demand, reducing of arable land, increasing competition from imports…..etc Nonetheless, it should produce as much food as practical to reduce the food import bill( keeping money local has a multiplier effect on the economy) and enhance food security. The Department of Agriculture has a key role to play in reviving agriculture to increase food production.
??? to the RVIPF for its fruit tree replanting effort.
Nice one, I hope those seniors live long enough to see those fruit trees bear fruit.
Mind the young limes falling off the trees leaving the ripe ones. Hope you live too.
Plant a lot of trees it a good thing for all the world
Trees save the world