‘Outstanding bills’ cause for greenhouse delay – Dr Pickering
At an opening ceremony for farmers in an Agribusiness Training Seminar today, April 15, 2013 Dr Pickering expanded on what he had referred to previously for many months as ‘intellectual property’ rights issues.
Indicating that the government is aware of questions being asked about the greenhouses, Dr Pickering noted that persons may be asking, “What is the government doing about the greenhouses? Why are these monstrosities still sitting up at Paraquita Bay and we haven’t done anything with them?”
Dr Pickering disclosed, “When I took over the Ministry in November, 2011 I discovered that there were some outstanding bills with respect to the greenhouses."
Adding clarification to his previous mentions of the intellectual property rights issues surrounding the greenhouses, Dr Pickering explained, this meant that designers of the greenhouses were going to claim ‘ad infinitum’ from the government of the Virgin Islands.
“In other words,” Dr Pickering added, “for the next two hundred years they’d be claiming money from government if we had proceeded along the same pathway.”
He reiterated that the issues needed to be sorted out before anything could be done about the greenhouses.
He also noted that government was close to coming to an agreement with individuals to whom the government owes outstanding monies for the project.
Gov’t plans private investment for greenhouses
According to Dr Pickering, once government has completed the payment process to the persons it is indebted and has a ‘clear pathway’ to move forward, it is intended that the greenhouses will be opened up for private investment.
“This Minister,” he said in self-reference, “will not advise the government that the government should run the greenhouses.”
Dr Pickering continued, “Nothing that I have read, no research that I am privy to, suggests that government can run the greenhouses.”
He suggested that farmers find ways of investing in the greenhouses once the way is clear. Dr Pickering proposed that farmers will acquire greenhouse placements in similar fashion to the way land was leased to farmers at Paraquita Bay to do individual farming. “That is sort of the principle that we have to adopt,” he added.
The Natural Resources Minister also noted the need for the expertise to be able to transform greenhouses into raw cash for the Virgin Islands.
“I’ve had any number of interests from various companies and individuals about what they can do for the greenhouses, but what I think is very clear, is that the people who know about greenhouses say that one, just one of those buildings up there can produce enough food for the entire BVI and beyond,” he stated.
Dr Pickering likened the process to a pregnancy and stated that there was a labour and delivery period that the government has to go through. “That’s where we are with this process with the greenhouses,” he said, “and I’m deliberate and determined to do it right.”
He said the project would not be completed for emotional purposes or political points adding that if it took the next six months, “then so be it”.
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18 Responses to “‘Outstanding bills’ cause for greenhouse delay – Dr Pickering”
So why was the government so bent on building them? They are a waste of money and are the last thing BVI needs in the land of sun, climate and soil. With a fraction of the money spent, farmers could have had irrigation water for their plots and would create a real farmers market. there is no need for these here.