The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Local Government and Member of Parliament for the Mayaguana, Inagua, Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay constituency V. Alfred Gray pushed uncertainties surrounding his fate in the House of Assembly aside Tuesday night, instead highlighting his government’s plans to use the agriculture and fisheries industries to diversify the Bahamian economy.
Addressing hundreds attending the PLP’s 47th annual convention, Minister Gray told delegates that a country without an agricultural base as part of its economic development is a country that is headed for an economic disaster.
“It is unhealthy, almost crazy to rely on any one sector of the economy for our national survival,” the Minister said. “The possibility that the major supplier of foods and other manufacturers to The Bahamas may not always provide what we need, makes it imperative that we give immediate attention to our food security.
As Minister then, my mandate is to ensure the long-term sustainability of food production, to provide a national level of food security, to provide linkages to other sectors, to reduce foreign exchange losses, to provide employment and maintain the income of small farmers, and to sustain the development of farming as a means of developing and maintaining our family island communities.”
With this, he said the government has created a number of incentives designed to push the industry ahead, among them government guaranteed loans.
“The government is offering guarantees (up to 80 percent) for bank loans for agricultural purposes, Minister Gray told delegates Tuesday night.
At the same time there is free land clearance assistance for up to 50 percent of the acreage to be cleared, duty free imports of farming equipment and supplies, leases of crown land throughout The Bahamas for agricultural purposes, credit (up to 60 percent) from our fish and farm store, as well as technical and educational assistance for farmers.”
Scholarships will also be awarded to graduating students willing to study agricultural science.
According to Minister Gray, Bahamians must get more involved in these crucial sectors if the government is to succeed in its efforts to diversify the economy.
“I invite every Bahamian to become involved in this national effort, because there is much money to be made, if you are willing to work, ” he said.
But while apparently thrilled about the prospect of redefining the economy, Minister Gray remained tight-lipped regarding his ongoing election court case with FNM MICAL candidate Johnley Ferguson.
It is an issue however that remains fresh on the minds of some delegates, particularly those from the Family Islands .
“Both Mr. Gray and Mr. Ferguson are very nice men,” said one South Eleuthera delegate. “But the PLP won that seat fair and square, and all we’re doing right now is just waiting to hear that it’s all over.”
According to an Acklins resident, “we did everything we were supposed to have done to qualify to vote, and time will certainly tell and prove us right.”
Over the past few weeks, both PLP and FNM lawyers have argued that a number of MICAL voters should not have voted in the constituency during the May 2 general elections. The FNM is challenging 24 votes while the governing PLP is challenging 42 votes.
By Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
