Premier rejects claims of neglecting farmers

Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley has denied claims that his government has not done enough to support the agriculture and fisheries sectors amid concerns about the territory’s food security.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Dr Wheatley said the government was “extremely serious about food security,” despite public criticism that not enough has been done to address the issue.

“For very long, and it’s not just government administrations, all of us, the entire society, has taken our food security for granted,” he stated.

The Premier said his administration has developed a clear vision and allocated budget funding for agricultural development. He also credited former Junior Minister for Agriculture, Dr Karl Dawson, for his continued support of the sector and said there had been “some signs of life” in recent efforts.

“I believe that agriculture and fisheries need a dedicated minister,” he explained. “To get the industry going, it needs that dedicated focus and attention.”

Dr Wheatley said he had requested new ministerial posts from the UK government to appoint a minister exclusively to agriculture and fisheries. “We need to be able to have a minister function in that space,” he said. “In the meantime, Dr Dawson has graciously agreed to continue supporting me in the area.”

Lack of comittment?

The Premier also addressed questions about removing Dr Dawson’s junior ministerial role. He denied that the move signalled a lack of commitment to the sector and said Dawson would play a new role as Deputy Speaker in the House of Assembly.

Dr Wheatley’s remarks come during Agriculture and Fisheries Month, as regional leaders increase focus on food security. The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) has agreed to harmonise tariffs and improve transportation to help member states reduce their reliance on imports.

“We discussed that we had to accelerate efforts,” Dr Wheatley said, referencing the recent OECS summit. “We’ve mandated the Director General… to come up with a strategic strategy and to get a strategic team in place.”

The Premier also pointed to recent initiatives such as allocating farmland in Anegada and Virgin Gorda and plans to launch a central produce-buying programme at the new agriculture complex at Paraquita Bay.

“There’s no kind of shortcut around the things that we’re talking about,” he stated. “What we’ve been talking about is the way to address food security in the Virgin Islands. It’s not going to be a magic pill that we swallow. It’s not going to be an action that we can just take overnight.”