Rainy Season in the Southern Grenadines

Editor: The rainy season has begun in the Southern Grenadines. It signals the beginning of the growing season. The culture dictates that certain practices would obtain as the people secure their food for the next two years.
Any animal on the loose is tied or fenced in. Sometimes this necessitated plaiting of ropes or reinforcing fences. Pens and coops are built for fowls. Sometimes fowls are tied until the pens are built. Even then it became necessary to watch the germinating corn and peas from birds.

Mannequins made of stuffed human clothes are placed in the garden for this purpose. Moreover, there was no better protection than having a child watch over the garden. This was a fun time in Union Island as children perch themselves on a tree shaking the branches and singing, “Ai Ba Natty blackbird come out a Rawfall bay, pass straight and go your way, mapoo ripe a Banta, pick a mapoo.”

Beryl has blown away most of the trees, and many stray animals roam the island threatening the food security. Some people expect that these stray animals would end up in the food kitchens to feed workers and senior citizens. Excess meats could be utilized by prisons, hospitals and school feeding programmes.

Besides the regular cultivated crops, there is a need to repopulate the island with fruit trees and flowers. Additionally, it is not in the interest of public health to have animals feeding in the garbage dump.

Agricultural Extension Officer, Allan Williams visits regularly to provide support to local farmers, but what progress can be expected with so many cows, goats, sheep, pigs and fowls roaming freely?

While it is the responsibility of the owners to control their animals, the forest ranger, Darius Baptiste, the police, and the Ministry of Grenadines Affairs and Minister, Menarva Browne, need to act where owners are delinquent. In this way productivity will return, and food would be grown to help to feed a hungry population.

Anthony G. Stewart, PhD