Should gov’t evict unproductive farmers from Paraquita Bay?
The prospect of removing long-term farmers from plots of land at the government’s Paraquita Bay location due to the absence of any evidence of production is being highlighted once again.
This time, the issue was brought to the fore by First District Representative and Junior Minister for Agriculture, Dr Karl Dawson, who spoke with reporters at a press conference earlier this week about the issue.
“There was a committee established to look at the question of the [Paraquita Bay] estate, if you will, because, you know, we have a situation where, aside from the issues concerning water, you have various persons assigned — some of them in a very loose way — to various plots,” Dr Dawson explained.
According to Dr Dawson, some of those plots are not productive at this time and the government wants to ensure that persons who really want to farm are the ones who will have those plots.
The Junior Minister further explained that a number of persons have applied for farmlands who are anxious to farm, but don’t have land to do it.
Dr Dawson said a report from the committee will be going to the government shortly and a consideration will be made over how to implement it going forward.
Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley, who is also the substantive Minister for Agriculture, spoke earlier this year on the issue of squatters occupying land at Paraquita Bay and promised that the government’s committee will be empowered to remove them.
“One of the tasks I gave them was being able to come up with standard leases for everybody who are in Paraquita Bay. Everybody who has a standard lease for land, they have to adhere to the conditions of that lease and one of those conditions is that it has to be for agricultural purposes. No squatting whatsoever will be tolerated,” Dr Wheatley stated at the time.
According to reports to the Standing Finance Committee (SFC) late last year, Paraquita Bay Crown lands that were subdivided and given to persons for farming purposes “have been transformed into living quarters in some instances”.
Farmers have complained bitterly over the years about a lack of support from the government to have a consistent source of water at the Paraquity Bay location and have shared that this has negatively affected their output and their livelihood.
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YES….I thing they need to submit a plan that include minimal production. If minimal production is not being met then they need to be re-evaluated and appropiate action taken.
Hmm
Get rid of a nonproductive worker? Sounds like that policy should be applied to the rest of the labor force
and yes!
Government is the reason most of them can’t produce in the first place. Years of begging for what is a simple thing in developed countries “WATER.
BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLY HOLDING UP GOOD LAND WHA SOMEBODY ELSE WHO IS SERIOUS COULD USE
some land occupants are not producing for one of 2 reasons:
1. Not all of the lands is being utilized for farming purposes and yes, these should be taken back.
2. As a farmer, the biggest threat is the lack of water. Yes, I have a holding tank, but this tank is empty if there is no rainfall. The land is not mine and I cannot connect my own water. I have no issues paying for water that I use either. But it is really hard to spend time clearing land, planting stuff, paying for a helper and then watch everything die because you only get water a couple days a week. Alot of the public don’t understand how Pari work and say all kinda things
Water is the major issue. Government/Agriculture Dept. pretend not to notice the elephant in the room. They need to fix that issue before issuing any threats. They turn off the water, plants die then they complain about lack of production. SMH
That shouldn’t even be a question for debate, why are they holding land if they are not using it for the intended purpose?
YES YES YES AND YESS
All those who are talking about water, Govt is not responsible for supplying water to farmers. Farmers need to apply to W&S for water for their plants and animals
is apartments part of farming?
Methinks theres other business conducted up there. Dogs chained 24/7 aint protecting bananas
I think this issue has too many layers for it to just be YES/NO.
Government in essence is to be blamed for the farming crisis essentially.
Anyone who knows about Paraquita Bay knows that water will always be an issue.
Government should have instated a holding tank policy whereby the tanks installed would supply the farmers ONLY and the levels for watering should be checked monthly to ensure there is sufficient for farming. Still, farming is not an integral part of BVI’s mainstay and so it will always fall on deaf ears and lazy feet.
Is this a joke? its crazy that unproductive farmers have not been evicted up to now. How you gonna be given land specifically to farm on and don’t even have to produce nothing. Only in this backward place you see things like this.
Still baffeled why wells, many of them, and holding tanks that can be replenished from the wells have not been exhausted in this instance.
You saying Government/Agriculture does not place the responsibility on the right institution. The WATER AND SEWERAGE DEPARTMENT is responsible for ensuring water is distributed with the proper pressure so farmers and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries can get water. We all like to talk but we do not talk facts. When was it ever the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries mandate to produce and distribute water? The farmers and the rest of the public keep blaming the wrong Department.
All these excuses about water… You mean to say government done give you land to farm on you cant pay for your own water? You cant have your own lil reservoir or tank on the property that stores the water for your farm lot? The government should take back the farm land from anybody who not farming plain and simple.
Have a one on one conversation and find out what the issues are. What are their needs in order to be productive..Then go from there.. Give those that need assistance assistance, give them the opportunity and the help with a 12 – 18 months time period to show positive growth and results, if not then. They failed themselves and the land should be taken back..
Which plant can grow without water? There is a real disconnect between the government and the people.
when the so-call farmers come to Guyana to farm on our land, we will show allyo how farming is done. They will go back to B.V.I knowing how to plant rice too.
1/ Plenty land..2/ Plenty water..3/ Lot of Unemployed men & women.. All makes farming EASY!!!
@Agriculture?
Those dogs really protect those bananas.To those who are inquisitive please don’t go there with the intent to take what you did not plant. During COVD a white Mazda car frequented that area , only to find seventeen (17) hands of bananas missing. I will say to those who can have a watch dog do so.
@water please,
I feel you hurt for water. I love to plant, but Pari is no fun place to plant, if the rain don’t fall and pari have water a sprinkler will have to work four hours each day the most to keep that place moist, the sun ain’t playing either. Certain fruit trees and vegetables need constant water and moisture, and the government should provide water, activate those well up there, that type of water is what needed for the plants. Broccoli, eggplant,spinach, squash, okra, all need water with good mineral, such as iron, magnesium, calcium,phosphate and potassium and enriched soil will give the best food. Rotating the crop in short order is the best right now in Pari.
This heat will be until end of October, rainfall is very limited this year, so would be the crops.
That is the thing everybody has WSD connections. Turn on the valve no water
I ain’t a farmer. Have studied the area. Have familirize the mind withe problem. It is well known. Have been saying it for years, why the hell don’t they use the wells???????? Make it make sense, please.
1) hold another non stop party to fix it
2) take another trip to Guyana to fix it
This country is being run be moomoos and jack donkeys.
NO!!! What the government should do is get their behind OUT of Guyana and fix the shiddz in this country. AAARRGGGHHHH!!!! When does stupidity end???!!!
My great grannie, her borther and great grandpa and his cousin farmed and I don’t recall them having water issues. They never watered those plants because the good Lord did. However, they also knew what crops to plant in that area that was naturally moist, but not soggy wet. The perimeter on the left and right of the wxpansive site had natural culverts, that I think helped a great deal when rainfall was lacking.
There were sweet potatoes, pigeon peas, lima beans, mangoes, edos, guava, guava berries, avocado/pears, sugar apples, soursop, all assortment of bananas and plantains, Tanya, cassava beans yucca, the staining kind of cherries with the cashew nut, limes trees, and sugar cane in abundance. I now hold some small lots
of that land which reverted back to virgin land and would be willing to lease to only serious farmers. Location..beautiful East Central.
Who is asking for free water? Can your tenant move in your property and do what they want without following procedure? Parawuita bay own by government and the plots not in other people name to request water meter to be connected
Thou fool. Where were you when your great grandparents were farming without watering what they plant. Even if ayo talk crap ayo got to find something to say. Why you don’t go try it. Get whatever seeds or slips of your choice and look up the sky and don’t water them. Make sure you post before and after pics too. You dumb dumb
Folks like you who condone and support issues should research before you type piddle.
So you haven’t gotten it through your thick skull that you should ask our government to put the finance in place to correct the water situation? You’re either slow or dumb geez
The mentality :
Even though it is there as waste land not producing by the person for years NOTHING will be done if it is under the name of an indigenous BVIslander . They are entitled productive or unproductive our Govt will never do anything.
If a non BVIslander begin to work it and it get productive the owner take it away … This is not so for everyone but in over 50 percent cases . I am not wrong it is the trend
3rd reason for not using is because they sublet it to others
4th reason is they living on the land
Govt should evict farmers who built 2 and 3 story concrete mansions on gvt farm land like they own the land! Claim the buildings and don’t give them a penny! Instead offer to send them to jail.
Therewas a time when it rained abundantly in Tortola.
Believe it or not, there was a time when guts ran almost year round in Tola.
Then the weather began changing.
Up to the early 1950’s, there was good periodic rain fall.
Then it all changed by late 1950’s. Began to rain less and less.
Kept getting less andless to where itis today. S, climate change is not a new phenomenon. It has been. happening for a long time.
And rivers and manatee in SCB. Tola is certainly becoming drier, we may be able to sustain hardy crops ( sugar, tobacco?) but not drought intolerant fruit and veg
I don’t need to farm. I am college educated and employed in a professional position. If I had time on my hand I just might have tried your suggestion. Do you have slips to give me when I am retired and ready to experiment as you suggested?
If I stepped on your toes my apology, it certainly wasn’t my intention. Let me know if you are willing to provide the seedlings. I was certainly serious about leasing the land for farming.
I agree with you. Except that, I was born in the late 60s. My great grand parents baby sat me during the day. I went out into the farm/ground with them as a preschool age child in the early 70s and they didn’t water their seedlings because there was plenty of rain in the 70s also. For the plants that were closer to the house they threw the water from cleaning fish on the plants. Now as an older adult I’ve discovered in places like Peru and Argentina where they try to farm organically, fish emulsion (blended up raw fish parts) is what they use as fertilizer. So my great grand parents knew what they were doing.
I understand global warming is real these days and have lessen the effects of rain in the bvi. My folks got their drinking water from a well that ran year round also. I was always amazed at how water was always flowing into the well, but I could not figure out or see where it was coming from. God certainly was watching over the people of the bvi through the years and still is inspite of man made disasters effect on the environment.
There are lots of apartments and machine shops there instead of farms… Just kick them out!
Alot of people on the form land doing now,they are building wood houses and live in them,no forming whatsoever,they just accupide the land just not to pay rent,get raid of these people from there and let the forming begin,set of a proper water facility and a poultry form aswell,this gov will spend the money on festival but wouldn’t have invested in doing a forming business,they went guyana so they could pay cheap labor but still it will cost alot to ship it back to tortola,Greenland have alot of space aswell..VIP you could do better,stop building properties for people who didn’t contribute nothing this economy,look at the ones you give out for fisheries?