Bowman promises NDP will fix banana industry

“We are going to put back the farmers in their lands; we are going to give back the farmers their independence!”

This was the assertion of Curtis Bowman, the New Democratic Party’s (NDP) candidate for Marriaqua, as he addressed party supporters at a political rally held last Saturday in Mesopotamia.{{more}}

Criticizing the Unity Labour Party’s (ULP) candidate St Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince for his stance on the issue, Bowman said: “We are not going to see what we can do; we are going to fix the problem in the banana industry.”

This was a recurring assertion expressed by several of the candidates who addressed the audience at the rally.

Bowman explained that as part of the NDP’s proposed policy to revive the agriculture industry, once it wins the upcoming General Election, 1,000 acres of land will be replanted with banana plants and made available to local farmers.

In addition to this, banana farmers will receive a supplemental $500 per month as “income support” while the industry regains momentum.

Also giving brief remarks at the rally was Roland ‘Patel’ Matthews, the parliamentary representative for North Leeward, who reiterated that the NDP will be “taking agriculture forward,” not only in the constituency of Marriaqua, but throughout St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Of all the agricultural crops we grow in SVG, banana has the potential to take us out of the economic dire straits that we are in quicker than any other crops,” Matthews insisted.

He further said that the NDP is currently in discussion with persons in Brazil to introduce a hybrid species of paw-paw (papaya) to SVG. He explained that a species of paw-paw is in demand in the United States – commanding $150 per pound.

“That crop will do well in St Vincent and the Grenadines,” he enthused. “We are bold in our outlook, and we will take the initiative to ensure that our farmers are taught the technique, and grow this crop to make money.”

Advira Bennett, who was the NDP candidate in Marriaqua in 2005, also addressed the rally.

Bennett alleged that the Black Sigatoka disease that has ravaged the local banana industry could have been nipped in the bud, but the current administration allowed it fester, which “destroyed banana”.

“When Black Sigatoka was first discovered, it was discovered on one farm in Rabacca, and a plan was drafted up to eradicate it immediately. Montgomery Daniel… take it and he pushed it in his desk for two years… while it [black sigatoka] busy spreading like wild fire,” she alleged.

“Now, we have to spend millions of dollars now to get rid of the disease. They should have fired him; and because they didn’t fire him, we getting rid of them!” (JSV)