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Projects under the Banana Accompanying Measures (BAM), program will soon commence with the disbursement of EC$18 million.

Projects include: the construction of a greenhouse facility and improvement of the feeder road at Montreal, upgrade of the Langley Park banana packing facility, construction of on-farm infrastructure for banana and livestock, and a food science laboratory at the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College.

Plans to implement these projects were disclosed at a press conference at Cabinet Room on Tuesday, 21st June.  In attendance at the press conference were: Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; European Union (EU), Ambassador to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and Barbados, His Excellency Mikael Barfod; Minister of Economic Planning, Hon. Camillo Gonsalves; Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Saboto Caesar; Director of Planning, Mrs. Laura Anthony-Browne; Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr. Raymond Ryan; Co-ordinator of the BAM program, Mr. Ricardo Frederick; and other staff of the Ministry of Agriculture.

His Excellency Mikael Barfod, stated that it was a pleasure for him to be in the country to “announce the signing of contracts” for the projects under the BAM program.  According to Ambassador Barfod, the disbursement of the funds meant that St. Vincent and the Grenadines, in collaboration with the EU, have utilised ninety-eight (98) percent of the 9.93 million Euros originally allocated under the program.

Furthermore, Ambassador Barfod described the plans of the Ministry of Agriculture as both challenging and ambitious, especially in regards to the greenhouse park.  He stressed that the EU has provided strong support and will continue to work with the Government to ensure that structural changes are made to unleash the agriculture potential to create wealth and jobs, and ensure good nutrition for the benefit of the nation.

Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, said that he is happy that the allocation of funds under the BAM program has come this far.  He noted that these tendering processes have several challenges.  To this end, Dr. Gonsalves paid recognition to Co-rdinator of the BAM program, Mr. Ricardo Frederick, who, according to the Prime Minister, is the person who, over the past several months, has been really pushing this, and who has gotten a lot of work done.

The main objective of the BAM program, stated Prime Minister Gonsalves, is to reduce the levels of poverty in our country through increased production, investment, exports and employment in the agricultural sector.  These, he said, will be done through strategic interventions under the program by increasing banana, livestock, fruit, and vegetable production.

In his comments at the press conference, Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Saboto Caesar, called the announcement of the disbursement of funds under the program a great day for farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the agriculture sector on a whole.  Minister Caesar assured Ambassador Barfod, that the funds under the program will be put to good use.

Minister Caesar used the opportunity to mention plans to recommence banana exports to the United Kingdom (UK).  According to the Minister, currently, we are over producing for the regional market in terms of bananas and it is time for us to set the framework as to how we are going to export to the extra-region.  He added that the Ministry has started to address certification issues. He further stated that  this is going to put the farmers in great stead for us to return to the UK market.  He expressed his appreciation for the BAM projects, which he said has been pushing to return to the UK market.  He emphasised that farmers will be the beneficiaries under these upcoming initiatives under the project.

Additionally, the Minister referred to a conversation he had with the Chief Executive Officer of WINFRESH, Mr. Bernard Cornibert, about a study which will be conducted in St. Vincent and the Grenadines to lead to the cultivation of some 250 acres of bananas.

The operational period of the financing agreement for the BAM is 60 months.  It began on 19th March 2013, and will end on 18th March 2018.

Source: API