Banana farmers told do not to take the distribution of fertilizer as social welfare

Seven hundred sacks of fertilizer will be distributed to banana farmers as part of Operation Plant Back.{{more}}

However, Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is advising persons not to take the distribution of the fertilizer as “social welfare.”

…”You get something either free or at a low cost that you going sell them back. Because some things do happen, you know and that has happened before. People sell them.

“Now you can’t do that…” the Prime Minister stated.

He, however, informed that the arrangements for the distribution may not be finalized until closer to the end of the month, but the fertilizer is already on island.

The Prime Minister also disclosed that he has been in discussion with senior officials at the National Insurance Service (NIS) in relation to an initiative where an estimated EC$1 to $1.5 million of credit will be put in place for banana farmers who are a part of the replanting process.

“Again, we don’t want this to be like other credits in the past where you take it and don’t use it for the purpose. We have to be … tighter with it in its allocation,” Gonsalves said.

The PM also said that the proposal, which is being spearheaded by Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar, will first have to be addressed during the meeting of Cabinet which was held last Wednesday.

“We will give agreement to it in principle to set the ball rolling. It will take a couple of weeks to get the I’s dotted and the T’s crossed,” he added. (AA)