PVIM says it will ‘greatly’ cut cost of food in BVI
The Progressive Virgin Islands Movement (PVIM) believes it can “greatly decrease” the cost of food in the British Virgin Islands.
At-Large candidate Curnal Fahie, the man the PVIM has presented to champion the undertaking, proposes to cut food costs through subsidies.
“We have plans to help to subsidize farmers to produce fast-growing animals like sheep and goat and pigs and poultry as well as fast-growing crops like cucumber, pepper and lettuce,” Fahie said.
This strategy, he said, will help to reduce the millions worth of food that is imported into the BVI annually.
Fahie said the PVIM also has plans to offer low-interest loans to fisherfolk.
He said these loans are for “fishermen to buy boats so they can go out further and fish and, again, provide more food for the territory”.
Fahie was speaking at a PVIM rally in the Third District community of Sea Cows Bay on Saturday.
The PVIM does not have a candidate to contest that constituency. The Ronnie Skelton-led party is fielding nine of the total 41 candidates contesting the 2019 General Elections.
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAaaaa
Best comment ever!
I like that he wants to work with local agriculture. Give it a chance people. At the very least we will be eating less pesticides and artificial hormones.
Probably won’t make a dent in the price of food though.
Wow, I hope people ain’t eating what he selling because it don’t make sense at all. While I am all for helping farmers and fisherman this will do NOTHING to lower the cost of food in these islands. Just another political snake oil salesman. The words that come out of politician’s mouths these days, they must thing us BVIslanders idiots.
This one has been spouting nothing but foolishness since he’s been announced as a candidate.
Blue d***l talking f**t stay in the pulpit u make no sense blowing more smoke than a chimney de goin lower cost bla bla bla.these guys dont even speak to or care about people but themselves
What a load of nonsense. People look to the real issues
Pastor please! Tell us if you support the gambling center that is proposed for the cruise pier area please. I saw you walking around at horse race looking lost. Do you support parimutuel betting Sir?
Check the interview he did on 284 Media ‘Just for the Record’
The territory needs firm, strong, elephant strong consumer protection legislation with tiger teeth and lion claws in that will stand up to business and corrupt politicians in the interest of the working people, who are tired of being rob of their 4.00 MINIMUM WGAE salary for food.
The people need real solutions to their real problems, not fantasy promises.
Bring us some consumer protection legislation that will fight big food conglomerates who control the food markets here. Bring us legislation that will get them to cap their their prices and humomgious profits.
Then, we will begin to feel less pain.
and he endorsed the cuban?
Stop son, please stop it now. I can’t and simply refuse to hear it. That is one of the main reasons I am not going to decide who I am going to vote for untill the day of elections.As a voter, I am sitting back watching, listening,paying close attention and taking notes of each Candidate. I am a believer in it’s in the past,and that is where it should stay. The past only holds one back. I am not voting based on the mudslinging, the talking or the trying to sway votes. I am giving my vote to the team that is going to work for the Country and the people no matter the color of your skin or where you were born. Remember, you are working for the people of this Country. We the voters is hiring you.please don’t fail the Country.
Vote for the best person Monday, not by Party! There is no good Party willing to represent our country!
They don’t have to think that the people of the Virgin Islands are idiots! They know that they are idiots because of their actions time and time again, once again they want you to be what they really want you to be.
Fast growing animals, lettuce, cucumber and water-melon and I guess that everyone will be dying from hunger!
Undoubtedly, producing more food in the BVI will reduce food import, lower the import food bill and enhance food security. In the recent past, the BVI was relatively self-sufficient in food production and even exported food to the USVI. Prior to transitioning to a service-based economy starting in the mid-60s with tourism, subsistence agriculture (including fishing, small stock raising, charcoal production, working ground) was the the primary economy.
During the period that the BVI was relatively self sufficient in food production, the population was much smaller and more arable was available. However, the population has increased to approximately 30-36K, the acreage of arable land reduced (converted to other uses, ie, housing), number of people engaged in agriculture diminished……….etc.
Further, the cost of a proverbial basket of goods have skyrocketed. This rising cost is painfully felt by residents at low end of the economic ladder. Compared to other locales, a $100 bill is not going to buy much in the BVI. The BVI imports almost everything so what can be done to lower the cost of living, including food. Government can take some fiscal policies action, ie, lowering duty on food, subsidizing transportation cost, incentivizing fishing and agriculture, promoting other means of food production, ie, green houses, hydroponics, aquaculture, small plot farming ………etc.
Moreover, in regards to lowering duty, merchants must be committed to lowering cost; government can do somethings to lower the cost but merchants also has a key role to play. If the lowering duty does not lower price needle, it will be all for nought. Clearly, lowering duty will have an opportunity cost, ie, lower government revenue, ie, perhaps. Another area of concern that must be addressed is the production cost of local food compared with imports. For example, the production cost of Chiquita, a multinational corporation, producing a pound of banana will be much lower than of a local farmer. The local framers will have to find ways to differentiate themselves, ie, fresher, organic, healthier……etc foods. Additionally, supporting and spending local has a multiplier effect on the economy.
The high and rising cost of living is imposing hardship on the poor and lower middle class. Consequently, reducing the cost of living must be more than a campaign sound bite; active and strong actions are needed to bring relief to the long suffering consumer.
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Too long – try to be briefer.
@The General, no doubt my primary school classmate can speak for himself but doubt he will respond, especially since he does not know who you are. . Based on conversations with him, he will probably say that each one is entitled to his/her opinion. I’m not his mouth peace but here is my $0.02. Readers are leaders as the saying goes. Another saying says: do not sacrifice clarity for brevity. If we do not have a passion for reading, politicians and others will always feed us bull shir, a 6 for 9. If we do not like to read, there will always be a need to recruit from abroad to fill positions that Virgin Islanders should be able to do. A general will fail to lead effectively if his/her followers/troops disdain reading.
Let’s lead like eagles, not careen off the cliff like buffaloes.
I never studied economics have a degree but I do have common sense. All political parties talk about food security which is ideal but the production cost will be impacted by varying factors. Example the cost of electricity unless harnessing the power of the sun, water cost, labor cost, packaging, delivery, and the list goes on. Unless they make some drastic changes in legislation and do some more homework then this option will not be a cheaper cost. They also need to look at new and emerging technologies that can help reduce cost, Ai, automation etc.
But with so many representatives owning suprettes, markets, outlets and the like, is this statement practical..
That dilemma has been the hindrance for true reductions for years. And I dont believe that a change in political characters will correct this anytime soon.
While the Pastors concerns are credible, right now, I dont see how, this issue can be a go-go for this country.
A consumer concerns agency, if implemented, will represent a true interest in the every-day concerns of the people and begin the conversations neccessary, for the proper overall of concerns affecting the populace at large.
This is the only way to go!
if he can cut cost of food. then i can sell s**t
because people going to buy it.
The amount of locals who want to grow produce is to small to even talk about anything like that. Also locally grown food will not be any cheaper rather more expensive.
I was there a couple of months ago, went to buy a pineapple,when I was told $15.00, I almost flipped over. In the States the most you pay for a pineapple is $2.99 or two for $7.00.
Only $3.99 in Riteway. Only £1 in UK and that includes transport.
Talk what you want say what you want, ,to me PVIM is a dead party on is so.
I was there a couple of months ago, went to buy a pineapple,when I was told $15.00, I almost flipped over. In the States the most you pay for a pineapple is $2.99 or two for $7.00.
Would price control lower the price of goods and services, ie, food, appliances, electronic equipment, clothes, rent, entertainment, furniture………etc? To lower cost, should government get in business to compete with the private sector? Should lower duty come with price control? The last time duty was lowered consumers didn’t get any relief and the duty had to be rescinded. Socialism may be a bad word to some but it is in the BVI, ie, NHI, social security……..etc.
Why r the food costs so high? Folks who went to St Marrteen and St Kitts after Irma report much cheaper food prices in those islands. Why are our food prices so high?. Time for the truth to come out about food price gouging. A few food importers are killing us with grossly inflated prices. But because they are sticking together we are being robbed. To any seeking my vote, I say stop this rip off for food and I will vote for you.
This guy is talking crap, there’s a food monolopy in the BVI where only one food market is the sole wholesale distributer yet that same company is in every district as retailers. Have you met whit this wholesaler already sir?
No matter how bad a problem is, you have to start somewhere in order to fix it. One aspect of fixing the problem of high food prices and high cost of living is to reduce the demand for imports and sole dependency on price-gouging monopolies. This candidate is proposing just that–a start to the solution.
Not starting to try to address it, but instead just sitting around criticizing every person’s attempt to fix it will get us exactly where this Territory is today.
A million critics, but very few stand up to actually do what this candidate is doing. It is a shame that people who claim to want help but themselves lack the drive and courage to publicly contribute to positive change, like this candidate is, would then turn around and try to bury someone who is literally trying to help them. WAKE UP! The man is proposing change to help you! What is there in that to complain or slander him about?
There is no more middle class, it is rich or poor. Have or Have nots.
I wonder if anyone ever notice local produce is way more expensive than imported produce…All the countries that was once ahead in agriculture is moving into tourism there is no more real benefits in agriculture on a large scale like it once was technology has taken over…
So far I have been listening to all the candidates and parties and I like NDP. I think some of their district candidates are very weak but their at-large team present themselves very well and each of them have professional backgrounds that can add value to the Territory. If PVIM and others want to be taken seriously they need to be realistic. Have they done a survey or any study to ascertain how much food is consumed in the BVI on a weekly? Monthly? Annual basis? Have you seen the trash cans on a daily basis? You really think there is enough land in the BVI to not only feed us but all our tourists as well? And even if we did have it, you really think it will drive food cost down? Wow man wow!
To produce at a level big enough to lower prices of goods across the country, you need massive scale and access to clean water. The footprint needed would be multiple acres, all of which would need irrigated and maintenance. You should be looking at technology to solve this problem. Freight Farms or similar could make a place like Anegada an agriculture powerhouse by producing acres of edible crops in a fraction of the space and using mini Al water.
Tell us how. Talk is cheap