British consumers urged to support Fairtrade

Consumers and consumer activists in Britain have been praised for their support for Caribbean Fairtrade bananas and urged to continue that support for the embattled industry. This was the tone of an address made by WINFA Coordinator Renwick Rose to a Fairtrade Conference in London on Thursday, February 19th, 2009, held at the Queen Elizabeth Conference Centre.{{more}}

Rose was one of a number of prominent speakers who included Britain’s Minister of State for Trade and Development, Gareth Thomas, Justin King, Chief Executive Officer of the giant supermarket chain, Sainsbury’s, Dame Harriet Lamb, CEO of the Fairtrade Foundation, as well as Fairtrade producers and activists.

The Conference was organized by the Fairtrade Foundation under the theme: THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS AND FAIRTRADE SMALL FARMERS, SMALL FARMERS, BIG SOLUTIONS. It is one of a number of activities being held to mark Fairtrade Fortnight which will be officially launched at London’s South Bank on Sunday, February 22nd, 2009. Rose and Fairtrade farmers of Dominica Stephanie Joachim and Cornelius Lynch of St. Lucia are expected to attend the launching.