Food security under threat with pandemic - Cromwell Smith
Mr Smith was at the time speaking during an October 19, 2020, edition of his ‘Umoja’ radio show on ZBVI 780AM where he also urged the local business community to not just think about profits, rather, unite and take their social and community responsibilities more seriously in the current climate.
Pandemic & job loss
”What’s happening right now… the pandemic has got everybody, put a whole bunch of people out of work,” Mr Smith said, adding that society could further break down should individual businesses fail.
“We might not even be able to import food because if we get to a certain point where Dominica and Saint Lucia and America start saying well, we need the food for our people we can't be shipping none out, what [are] we going to eat? Where the boat will come from?” Mr Smith questioned.
He said in the VI; however, there is a lack of trust in the business community where people don’t understand the importance of businesses and businesses don’t understand their role.
“If you don't provide a job for me, I can't pay my rent, I can't pay for my food, I can't pay for my clothes, I can't send my child to school… the whole society breaks down if your business is not successful,” Mr Smith remarked.
Support for the BVICCHA
He called for more support for organisations like the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association (BVICCHA), a body that can speak with one voice with more impact and influence on policies in the current economic climate given the importance of businesses.
Smith said business owners should therefore unite for the forward movement of the country and take more social responsibility while ensuring that organisations like the BVICCHA push policies that would be beneficial to the territory and the community as a whole.
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10 Responses to “Food security under threat with pandemic - Cromwell Smith”
Mr. Premier, can you enlighten us on the above commentary?
Social networking , cronyism nepotism etc
Some of the factors that contributed to the decline included a)rising population ( population increased from approx 8K in 1960 to 30K in 2020), b)water challenges (VI is a water challenge community), c) indifference to agriculture, d) changing economic base, e)retiring of older farmers, f)stigmatizing of agriculture, g) limited arable land, h) repurposing of arable land to other uses, ie, housing,.........etc. Moreover, though the VI may not be able to be self-sufficient in food production, it should aggressively take reasonable and practical action(s) to increase food production to reduce food import bill and enhance food security. It can a look at green houses, hydroponic, aquaculture.........etc.
But BVI government has increasingly begun to compete with the private sector.
Everything is scanned for an opportunity, and public employees use their position to Hamper or steal concepts for their own benefit.
The same association he speaks of was ignored by the government, as were other associations that offered ideas, plans and ways forward to safely minimize the Economic damage being caused by Covid.
Ignored completely, due to The arrogance Of the current administration.
Our public sector is bloated, inefficient and increasingly and blatantly corrupt.
So perhaps the territory needs to take a hard look at itself, with the notion that “any way I can get it” may not be a sustainable one.
The pride before the fall.
so let us not condemn the host1 its' real. Presently you cannot get items that is needed
The Premier is trying his best but ,he will at this time, have no control over if this happen.
Jesus is speaking! He, is the first and will be that last voice and we will bow...
We will have no choice stop the liberal attitude.