Speaking at the consultation Minister of Rural Transformation, Hon. Selmon Walters said for the people who make money from farming their livelihood today is being threatened because of the new market regime for Caribbean people in terms of accessing market overseas.

He said there is a need to do things differently in order to make sure the people who farm the lands still make money and ensure a decent livelihood. He said the fallout from bananas has created a rural to urban drift and has created a housing problem in the town. He said the government wants to stop this movement by ensuring the rural communities generate money. Minister Walters said the government is embarking on a project to do these in the district to make sure that money is made in the country or rural districts, hence the need to develop a rural development plan.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Rural Transformation Shirla Francis said the Ministry of Rural Transformation has been given a mandate to develop a short term, a medium term and a long tem development plan for the development of the rural communities. She said they are therefore going around to every rural community to get the residents input as to how they would like to see their communities develop. She added that the final goal is to make the communities economically viable.

Wilberforce Emmanuel, Rural Transformation Development Committee Member said he believes that anything can be achieved if the people of the rural areas aspire together. He told the participants of the consultation that they must grab the opportunities available to them now because if they do not then the opportunities are lost to them.

The next consultation will be held at the Anglican Parish Hall in Georgetown on Sunday February 18th 2007.