Last Updated on May 18, 2020, 2:33 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Farmers are of the view that 2015 to 2020 has been the worst period ever in the agricultural sector highlighted by a shortage of feed, widespread deaths in livestock and poultry, accumulated losses in millions of dollars and a demonstration pointing out the incompetence of outgoing Minister of Agriculture, Hon Eugene Hamilton and failure of Prime Minister Dr the Hon Timothy Harris to keep promises made.
“Suddenly, he has become aware he is the minister of agriculture and interested in our welfare as farmers after almost five years of ignoring us and not responding to our pleas for assistance in several areas. Now with a general election, he and Dr Harris remember there are farmers,” said one irate crop farmer.
Just this week, one farmer complained bitterly to PAM chairman Jonel Powell about the high cost of fencing wire.
“I would like you to ask Mr Hamilton because it is very hard and you all say you all want people to farm in their backyard. The wire that the Department of Agriculture has cost EC$700 and it was for EC$450 under Labour. I would like to know how it jump so far to EC$700,” a concerned farmer said Thursday on Freedom 106.5 FM Issues programme. Another farmer in an invited comment said water is also a problem despite recent assurances by Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris that consumption of water by farmers will be waived, “but water is scarce.”
“Harris lied to us. He gave farmers a Timmie on water and free Bayticol. Where is the water? There is very little water in some areas. It is not reaching us the farmers, both livestock and crop, as the pressure of the water has been reduced, and the water people have been complaining about drought conditions and locking off the water. We had to demonstrate to get the Bayticol,” said the individual, who wished not to be identified for fear of victimisation.
Another said the Team Unity Government was never interested in agriculture and pointed out that of the 50 shade houses constructed by the previous Labour Administration and destroyed by the hurricanes in 2017 were never replaced.
A poultry farmer in Phillip’s, part of the constituency that Harris represents, was among farmers who lost hundreds of laying hens as the Department of Agriculture was unable to supply chicken feed such as broiler, starter, and finisher. Devin “Buckie Got It” Richardson, a small livestock farmer, has also complained of the frequent unavailability of the Department of Agriculture to provide feed for his stock when required.
Scores of livestock farmers recently slammed the Hon Eugene Hamilton over the state of the federation’s livestock industry which has been crippled by disease resulting in hundreds of cattle dead and millions of dollars in losses. “We the livestock farmers are suffering,” said Mr Politics Dorset in a recent call-in programme to Minister of Infrastructure Hon Ian Patches Liburd.
Dorsett said he had to burn another cattle due to massive tick. Dorset like scores of livestock farmers complained of the lack of bayticol to treat their livestock which was dying by the hundreds and accused Mr Hamilton of abandoning the livestock farmers.
In December 2018, Dr Harris misled the nation when during his 2019 Budget presentation he said the agricultural sector in 2018 grew by 11 per cent. But in an overview of agriculture in March 2019, Director of Agriculture, Melvin James said there was actually an 11 per cent decline in agricultural production.
In March 2020, farmers mounted a demonstration outside the Church Street office of Prime Minister Harris accusing him of insulting them. They complained they were asked to sign a paper for free Bayticol.
“When we had a pandemic breakout wid de animals and now de animals dem dead off, dey come round give Bayticol! Well, I got lice? Me got bug or cockroach?! Me no got nuff water pon me farm and many farmers no got no water pon dey farm so what they saying here ain’t benefit to much of us so why dey going give us water [payment waivers]? Dey insulting the farmers’ intelligence and abusing it highly too…If ya’ll going compensate the farmers, I want my own cheque,” farmer Floyd Lee is quoted in The Labour Spokesman.
“Just recently some money was given for Bayticol (and) out of it a brand new pick up was bought. How much was the cost of the pick-up, nobody knows (and) how much was saved, nobody knows and we are the ones who are feeling the burden and we want some respect in demanding some attention that they listen to us…We are saying listen to us; pay us some respect.
Come talk to us, but all we’re getting is snubs and insults all along, and we can’t take it anymore! This is just one measure; other things are going to come,” said President of the St. Kitts Farmers’ Cooperative Solomon Morton.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
