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Green house project to be audited, says PS Smith-Berkeley

What's next for the greenhouses is anyone's guess. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The Ministry for Natural Resources and Labour (MN&RL) has requested the Internal Audit Department to do an audit of the Greenhouse project before a decision is made on the next step forward.

This is according to the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Ronald Smith-Berkeley when he appeared before members of the 2012 Standing Finance Committee (SFC). He was responding to 3rd District Representative Hon. Julian Fraser’s query as to the status of the project, which many now call a white elephant.

Hon. Fraser also stated that the Ministry needed “to know what they are going to do with those things, next thing you know it become prohibitive to go near to it”.

However, PS Smith-Berkeley disclosed that moving forward, the Ministry needed to have a better understanding of what happened and “where we are financially”.
The audit will cover both Tortola and Virgin Gorda projects.

The project was a brainchild of former Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Omar Hodge and faced stiff opposition from farmers and several concerned residents, who were of the view that the project would affect the livelihood of farmers.

However, in an interview with Hodge in late 2010, he had pointed out that the Territory’s import bill for food was extremely high and stated that with mass production of several cash crops grown in the VI, fresher produce will be available to the community.

But on August 9, 2011, the then Minister informed this news agency that the greenhouses would not become operational that year because the project was awaiting the arrival and installation of a water tank that was being sourced in Miami but could not give a time line and had said, “It will take some time as money for that project is small”.

11 Responses to “ Green house project to be audited, says PS Smith-Berkeley”

  • mother hen (21/04/2012, 08:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    All deeds useless audits and we the people never see the reports! Strupppsss
  • qc (21/04/2012, 12:30) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    now now now what the NDP looking for? Leave Oma alone deman ayo done retire he!
  • VAMPIRE (21/04/2012, 19:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    WE WANT TO SEE THE WORK ON NIBBS ESTATE COMPLETE ASAP
  • che (21/04/2012, 21:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Strupes,now is de chance we have been waiting for..medical marijuana,I hear its a cash crop...solve s lot of problems and decreate a few...
    • True (22/04/2012, 10:42) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      If people really realized the TRUE potential of cannibas (marijuana is the propoganda name) our world would be a lot further ahead. But because a some greedy pharmaceutical companies; inventors and industrialists of the cotton gin we are in the mess we are in today. Wonder why the US Gov't made cannibas which is a natural substance illegal back in 1937 although it has been around for thousands of years??!! Do not just think of cannibas as getting high but think of its other applications - making rope, clothing which are both much stronger than cotton. Oil, its medicial applications for asthma, cancer. It is a great antioxidant for the bady and fights off bad cells. Research it folks and learn for yourself!
      • me tired (23/04/2012, 07:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        All you mentioned above can be alway done with the HEM plant!!! It a cousin to cannibis but does not carry "the high" as its cousin cannabis! - As you said research it as well.
  • ndp attack dog (22/04/2012, 08:29) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Is this why I voted for the ndp?
  • teacher jacky (22/04/2012, 14:53) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    But tis aint going no where the former ps is ndp!
  • big sister (23/04/2012, 06:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    yea yea audit it we want to know where dey $$$ gone!


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