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Premier Parry At Nevis Agriculture Day 2012

Charlestown Nevis
April 05, 2012

Premier the Hon. Joseph Parry has said that he is pleased with the direction agriculture is taking in Nevis, especially in terms of support given to the farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture, and he is encouraging Nevisians to invest in farming.

Reflecting on the well attended 18th Agriculture Open Day held at the Villa in Charlestown on Thursday, March 29 and Friday March 30, Premier Parry said: “That exhibition was a demonstration, what we use in the local parlance as a ‘show off day’, to demonstrate what the farmers have achieved, and what the Ministry of Agriculture is achieving.”

Premier Parry, who was addressing the nation on Tuesday, April 03 on his weekly live radio program In Touch With the Premier on Choice 105.3 FM out of Nevis and other radio stations in the Federation, advised everyone in Nevis to continue to support the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture.

“Now we have shown off, for now we have demonstrated,” said the Premier, who is credited for having drafted the internationally-used agricultural concept known as the Nevis Model when he was a permanent secretary in the first NRP government. “We have to get back to work, to reach even higher heights, and I am quite sure that we will, and I am asking everyone in Nevis to continue to support the Department of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture.”

After listening to the Permanent Secretary of Agriculture, Dr. Kelvin Daly who is a trained agriculturist with a doctorate degree, and the Director of Agriculture Mr. Keithley Amory address farmers at the Open Day, Premier Parry said that it pleased him to hear what the two agricultural officials had to say in relation to growth of the agricultural sector in Nevis.

“One thing that struck me, that he (Dr. Daly) said, in 2006 we were producing 4000 pounds of potatoes on Nevis,” observed the Premier. “I found that strange because I know that farmers normally grow potatoes and cassava. Those were the standard crops they grew in their day for produce and food and he says now they are doing 60,000 pounds of sweet potatoes.”

The Premier revealed that with the help of the Japanese and the Taiwanese, the government was in the process of establishing fresh water wells that will allow the farmers in Indian Castle and New River to proceed with serious irrigation, and to enhance their productivity and output. Other areas earmarked for the establishment of fresh water wells include the Cades Bay and Prospect areas, and the Premier said he hoped that it would also include the St. James area.

“The whole idea here in working with the farmers,” outlined Premier Parry. “Not just working with them in terms of irrigation, but to also include extension service, providing technical advice – how to go about producing, how to go about planting, how to go about reaping, and how to market the produce.”

His advice to farmers was that they should aim at producing food all year round, saying many of the hotels in Nevis are using locally grown fresh foods. He noted: “All the hotels have used fresh Nevisian foods, and I am very pleased for that. Of course we want to feed ourselves and we want to feed the tourists who come here.”

Premier Parry applauded Dr. Daly’s efforts in teaching Nevisian farmers to understand the dynamics of supply and demand in production of food. Referring to a farmer who had called a radio station to say that he had destroyed tomatoes that he could not sell as a result of glut, the Premier advised that it would have been better to donate them to the hospital, or the schools and the senior citizens meal programmes.

“That is something that Dr. Daly is struggling with, to get people to understand that farm prices fluctuate,” said the Premier. “In other words, they rise and they fall according to demand and supply. When the weather is bad, and the supply is low, farm prices go up. That is all over the world and when the weather is good and there is plentiful, the prices come down.”

The Premier finally reminded his listeners that the Japanese will be in Nevis in June to sign a note with the government, and then they will be going out to tender, and later this year maybe around September/October the construction of the fisheries complex will start. He said the fisheries complex was expected to be completed within eighteen months.

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Produce On Display At Nevis Agriculture Day

Charlestown,Nevis
March 30, 2012

Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Joseph Parry says that agriculture has been established as a new success story.” He said prior to 2006, agriculture had been done for many years on a very limited basis.

Speaking at the 18th Annual Agriculture Open Day on Thursday, held under the theme, “Strengthening Cooperative Enterprises for Sustainable Agricultural Development,” Mr. Parry noted that the department has to its credit many achievements including: food safety for the island, providing hotels and restaurants with locally produced food, and marketing of local goods which are packaged and sold on Nevis and further afield.

The Premier said that in the last six years, there has been a renewed growth in farming on Nevis influenced by the Ministry of Agriculture under Minister Robelto Hector and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Kelvin Daley, with assistance from the Taiwanese government, and the island had witnessed modern technology and a positive move forward in producing and promoting local products on Nevis.

“We want to see made in Nevis on our shelves in supermarkets across the island, and it will be achieved,”commented Premier Parry.

He said it was under the then NRP led by then Agriculture Minister, Mr. Arthur Evelyn that Nevis had the first Land Distribution Program in the OECS, which empowered Nevisians to own land at a relatively inexpensive rate.

Lands were also leased to farmers so that farmers were given security of tenure in Nevis.

Premier Parry contended that when the NRP left office, the administration of the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) simply encouraged residents of Nevis on backyard gardening.

“Nothing is wrong with backyard gardening, but we see a viable industry that can be a pillar of economic growth in Nevis, and that is what we are striving to do,” said Premier Parry.

During the Premier’s brief remarks he congratulated the patron of the 2012 Open Day, Mr Luther Williams, whom he said had been a strong advocate of the fishing industry on Nevis, and an open supporter of the Nevis Reformation Party over the years.

“Mr. Williams has been an outstanding fishermen and farmer. He is also a supporter of the NRP who assisted in organizing and making the fishing cooperative thrive on the island of Nevis. I personally thank you for your hard work and support,” said Premier, Joseph Parry.

Special awards were also given to Lydia Huggins, Mark Lessard, Calvin Walters and Geoffrey Gosling.

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Hydroponic Farm In Nevis

Basseterre, St. Kitts – Nevis
February 02, 2012 (CUOPM)

What is destined to become a major tourism attraction on St. Kitts and Nevis and the Caribbean, is designed to lure the international visitor who want to escape in revelry.

Pointing out that the international visitor is not monolithic, St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas said the international visitor who comes to St. Kitts and Nevis is not monolithic.

“Some are interested only in sea and sand.  Others in history and architecture.  Still others seek ‘escape’ in revelry. There is a significant segment of travelers, however, that is interested in nature, in traditional herbs and medicines, in the flora and fauna of the countries that they visit.  And this Agro-Tourism Demonstration Farm was designed specifically with that segment of the international travelling community in mind,” said Prime Minister at the ground breaking ceremony at Sir Gilles. (Here is a link to the demonstration video: http://bit.ly/wRL0du Dr. Douglas said the agro-tourism project will present to the young people another face of agriculture to which precious lands can be put to planting and growing that can be an important and meaningful source of revenue and inspiration.

“Indigenous plants from St. Kitts and Nevis will be showcased alongside indigenous plants from Taiwan. And special plants whose medicinal properties were long known by our ancient African forebears will be growing alongside plants whose medicinal properties were long known by the ancient Asian forebears of our Taiwanese partners.  Friendship and partnership at its best. Sugar, the plant so indelibly woven into our history, will also have a place here – a place of fun and challenge in the carefully designed cane-field labyrinth, shaped like our two countries, from which locals and visitors alike will try to find their way,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

Dr. Douglas, the Parliamentary Representative for St. Christopher 6 noted the project, which had its genesis when he led an Official Visit to Taiwan last year, in search of expanded opportunities for Kittitians and Nevisians, said it has borne fruit.

“Some 20 acres has been set aside for this magnificent project that will draw nationals from across the Federation, and travelers from around the world, to learn from and enjoy the wonders of nature in this carefully laid out facility. Today, after almost one year of meticulous planning and preparation, we open the preparatory office,” said Prime Minister Douglas, who added:

“Ours is a Government of vision.  For us, liberation means expanded opportunities.  Empowerment means broadened horizons for Kittitians and Nevisians in all fields of endeavor.  And this project pushes forward this very important mandate.”

The project will take two years to complete and is located just opposite to the sub-station of the St. Kitts Scenic Railway.

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