Agriculture & Fisheries Senator GRENADA

  29 JUNE 2021, ST GEORGE’S: Today we celebrate Fisherman’s Birthday in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. As the Senator for Agriculture and Fisheries, I wish everyone an enjoyable celebration. I want to applaud the efforts of fishermen, the fishing industry, and seamoss farmers, contributing to this economy as the number one agriculture export. We need to pay full homage and full recognition this so truly deserves.  I recognise the hard work of those who have gone before; those who have passed and who were lost at sea; the ailing; the elderly; those who have retired, and of course, their families. I recognise the youth and the women who keep taking the trade up. I recognise the vendors involved in selling the fish and the various persons in the supply chain, and needed inputs. I recognise the government for its infrastructure, ice machines, lights and other pending and forthcoming infrastructure, as well as the hardworking staff, the Minister and PS for their continued supp

9 June 2021, ST. GEORGE’S: On Tuesday 8 June 2021, Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair presented two motions in the Senate.  The first motion: “that the activities and projects items presented in the now approved Estimates of Revenue and Expenditure for the Fiscal Year 1st January to 31st December 2021 be presented in a quarterly timeline to improve planning, implementation and monitoring.”   After rigorous debate, this motion was temporarily withdrawn to facilitate an amended version for future tabling.  The second motion contained two parts: “that the Minister for Agriculture be caused to act immediately in accordance with the powers vested in him under Section 4 of the Agriculture Compensation Act of 1995 to review and update the Crop Compensation Schedule of 1995 so that farmers can be justly compensated when they suffer crop loss or damage”  and “that section 4 of the act be modified to protect our farmers’ investments by specifically seeking a time by which the Crop Compen

  7 JUNE 2021, ST. GEORGE ’ S: At the last meeting of the Senate, on Wednesday 2 June 2021, Senator Roderick St. Clair presented a petition. His motion for Government’s holistic review of the agreement between the government and Caribbean Agro Industries, for the benefit of farmers, was passed. The government submitted answers to several questions that were presented. These answers will be shared in future releases.  The Senate continues its meeting on Tuesday 8 June at 10 am. At that sitting, the senator will present his last motions, working on behalf of the farmers and fisherfolk. END

7 JUNE 2021, ST, GEORGE’S: Agriculture and Fisheries Senator Roderick St. Clair met with fresh produce exporters on Monday, 7 June 2021 to address a major challenge to the industry – freight. The current freight arrangement is unreliable, limited and truncated.  Callalloo, breadfruit, breadnut and soursop are some of the main items exported. The fresh produce exporters have a capacity to export 50,000 – 60,000 pounds weekly, and members of the sector must have their bulk cargo exported in a more efficient manner. The sector employs 500 – 600 people with $150,000 in salaries into the economy and $300,000 paid directly to farmers.  The senator has noted their concerns, and the negative impact this situation has on the farming community, as Grenada is losing export market opportunities; farmers’ income is lessened and the foreign exchange is significantly affected, especially in this current situation. The exporters want to see a plan to improve the volume and frequency of freight leavin

  5 JUNE 2021, ST GEORGE’S: Queen Elizabeth II has awarded two farmers the British Empire Medal (Civil Division) for their service and contribution to agriculture in the Queen’s Birthday Honours.  I congratulate farmers Evans Gooding and Leonard Joy Peters whose efforts and tenacity have been recognised through this significant award.  Mr. Gooding is the president of the North East Farmers Organisation (NEFO) in New Hampshire, St George. NEFO is well recognised locally, regionally and internationally as a leading farmers’ organisation because of his leadership and representation over the years. I have known Mr. Gooding for about 10 years, especially within the Caribbean Farmers Network. We attended several conferences together and worked on various initiatives and projects. He is dedicated to his farming and to structure and organisation.  Mr. Peters of La Sagesse is a longstanding farmer that I have personally known over two decades, and he has been farming for longer than that, and h

  The Senate Order Paper of the 10th Parliament 4th Session to be held on Wednesday, June 02, 2021 at 9 am, lists a petition by Senator the Honourable Roderick St. Clair on behalf of farmers, for the review of the existing agreement between the Government of Grenada and the Caribbean Agro Industries Limited so that farmers can have more affordable feed.  The Senator has questions for the Leader of Government’s Business, Senator the Honourable Simon Stiell, unanswered at Sitting of the Senate held on Wednesday January 27, 2021, concerning Praedial Larceny, Farmers ID, and vendors; land policy; fisheries ice machines through a grant from the Japan International Cooperation System (JICS); the National Poultry Policy and finally on the Pestilential activities of rodents.  Senator St. Clair poses three new questions for the Leader of Government’s Business, which require written responses on the Praedial Larceny Fund; the Farm Machinery Pool of the Ministry of Agriculture and the position of