Basseterre, St. Kitts Nevis
September 26, 2007 (CUOPM)
The Saint Kitts – Nevis government is to allocate more land for farming to another 45 former sugar workers.
Minister of State with responsibility for Information, Sen. the Hon. Nigel Carty also reiterated government’s commitment to provide homes to the ex-sugar workers who are in need.
“Two years after the closure of the sugar industry, government conducted another assessment of the progress of the former sugar workers, particularly looking at the employment status of each worker and the economic activities in which they have become involved. A more detailed assessment has also been made of the housing needs of the ex-sugar workers as government immediately intends to assist in the provision of homes for those former sugar workers who are in need,” said Carty in the post Cabinet briefing.He said that the recent assessment revealed that there are about 45 additional former sugar workers who are interested in obtaining more land for farming and Government is committed to providing suitable land for these workers in the shortest possible period of time.
Minister Carty disclosed that the Ministry of Agriculture is working with the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the International Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), CARDI (the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute), and the Taiwan agricultural support services to provide greater support to ex-sugar workers who have ventured into farming.
The study makes the second comprehensive assessment since the closure of the sugar industry which has been conducted to assess the progress of the workers and to devise strategies for improving their social conditions.