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UPDATE: PS denies animals being starved at Paraquita Bay

March 8th, 2013 | Tags: Paraquita Bay farm horses cows dead pasture caretaker
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour Ronald Smith-Berkley has refuted reports that animals are being starved at Paraquita Bay. Photo: VINO
The cow (in foreground) that died on the plot of land allegedly owned by Government. Photo: Supplied
The cow (in foreground) that died on the plot of land allegedly owned by Government. Photo: Supplied
The plot of land where the animals reportedly grazed previously. Photo:VINO
The plot of land where the animals reportedly grazed previously. Photo:VINO
One of the cows that were relocated to another plot of land at Paraquita Bay. Photo: VINO
One of the cows that were relocated to another plot of land at Paraquita Bay. Photo: VINO
More cows seen grazing on the area which they have now reportedly been relocated to. Photo:VINO
More cows seen grazing on the area which they have now reportedly been relocated to. Photo:VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour Ronald Smith-Berkeley has denied that animals being kept at Paraquita Bay are being starved in any way.

“As far as we know, no, animals are not being starved,” said Mr Smith-Berkley when contacted by this news site.

The Permanent Secretary acknowledged that he was aware that there was an animal that had died at the location but repeated that to the best of his knowledge, animals were not being starved to death.

When asked whether he felt the animals that appeared malnourished might have been neglected, Mr Smith-Berkley said he would not be able to respond to this issue.

In response to a question regarding whether someone was assigned as a caretaker to check on the animals being kept at the location, Mr Smith-Berkley related that the caretaker of the animals was "ultimately the Department of Agriculture".

He also informed this news site that the animals on site were usually animals brought there after being reported as stray animals that may have been wreaking havoc on other persons property at some point. Owners are usually expected to uplift these animals after some period of time.

According to the PS, The Department of Agriculture reportedly has an ongoing programme, which he felt was common knowledge, to collect animals that have been reported as stray animals and keep them until they are collected by their owners.

See previous story posted February 22, 2013:

Animals left for dead at Paraquita Bay Farm?

PARAQUITA BAY, Tortola, VI – Animals have seemingly been left to die on land allegedly belonging to Government at Paraquita Bay.

This news site has been reliably informed that at least one cow has died on the pasture. Its death was reportedly caused as a result of the animal’s lack of access to adequate vegetation on the land left for it to graze.

Several animals were previously seen on the plot of land where the animal met its demise but most of these have since been relocated to another plot of land with thicker vegetation.

At the location where the animal died, the vegetation consisted of little more than dirt and a few plants.

According to a source, the area previously had horses as well as cows but it remains unclear where the horses, which also reportedly appeared to look gaunt at the time, have since gone.

It is unclear what purpose the animals are serving and how often they are being checked upon.

Those now grazing in an enclosed pasture are also reportedly less in number than the animals previously located on the other section of land.

The animals are also reportedly entrusted to a caretaker who was not around at the time of this news site’s visit to the farm.

Calls to the Department of Agriculture were not immediately successful.

53 Responses to “UPDATE: PS denies animals being starved at Paraquita Bay ”

  • hmph! (22/02/2013, 15:20) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    hope they don't take that dead cow to the butcher to feed people
  • aware (22/02/2013, 15:25) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
    the multitude of vegetarian cruise ship tourists will be appalled...welcome to the BVI
    • Wonderwoman (25/02/2013, 15:26) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Yes, all those vegetarian cruiseship tourists that come off the cruise in town and hastily make their way to the land by agriculture, in Paraquita Bay to see cows... they will be SO dissapointed... (REALLY?)
  • No (22/02/2013, 15:25) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is awful. There are also a number of facebook sites currently discussing animal abuse here in the BVI, the whole world can see this, we should hang our heads in shame.
    • indeed (22/02/2013, 15:30) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      Check out face book BVI Community Page and the Help Animals in the BVI page, some shocking stories
      • weed (22/02/2013, 16:57) Like (6) Dislike (28) Reply
        So now it’s fair to conclude that this government does not care about man or animal what next?
    • Ironic (24/02/2013, 08:50) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      Here you are talking about Shame did you hang your head in Shame as well when children of the world died from drone strikes and un justified bombings? or are cows and dogs now more important than our children? and if you dont think so then why dont you make your voice heard the same why you advocate for cows,cats and dogs? Something is seriously wrong people who think this why....may the Cow Rest In Peace.
  • tom (22/02/2013, 15:47) Like (1) Dislike (14) Reply
    What next with the ndp?
    • one eye roster (23/02/2013, 07:48) Like (2) Dislike (16) Reply
      Another perfect example of how agriculture and this country have gone to the dogs.
  • ooooo (22/02/2013, 17:10) Like (5) Dislike (23) Reply
    all this since ndp came to power
  • Chris (22/02/2013, 17:35) Like (5) Dislike (1) Reply
    What....goverment letting those cow smoking weed...instead of them given them cow feed.. Poor animal.
  • reds (22/02/2013, 17:49) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Even the poor animals dying under this government
  • News (22/02/2013, 19:13) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    It might not be as clear cut as we think...no rain falls
    • talk is cheap (23/02/2013, 09:06) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      forhive "news" dem says what dem is told and paid to say.

    • labourer (23/02/2013, 11:35) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      perfect scapegoat mehson pinnochio. rain cyan talk but god don sleep. spin lawd.
  • Keke (22/02/2013, 20:24) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is just sad.Who are the people watching these animals?If they don't want these animals then they should sell them to people.They are commiting animal abuse.I am in class five and even I know this is wrong.These are grown people not kids.When kids are done with something sometimes they leave it and don't go back to it.These are adults if they don't want something then do something logical with it don't just leave it.If this just happened imagine what the future holds.
  • Ashanti (22/02/2013, 22:17) Like (1) Dislike (20) Reply

    Well well, the well gone dry - Bi Water please come to the animals rescue
  • CBN (22/02/2013, 23:37) Like (1) Dislike (12) Reply
    All that land we are fencing up in the country with Government money which is full of grass and animals are being left to die at Paraquita Bay ? Hmmm. The Chief better speak up.
  • Princess (23/02/2013, 01:49) Like (6) Dislike (5) Reply
    Do these animals belong to government? I think that is what some of you should first find out and not be so quick to blame our government. Animals die evey day from one thing or the other..but oh, I forgot, the cuban doctor and the Tola doctor in government did not go feed it or give it water...what next are you all going to blame government for? struppsss
  • mother hen (23/02/2013, 07:10) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Can anyone explain why these animals are left for dead?
    • fair and balance (23/02/2013, 12:47) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      GURESOME!!!!! Can you imagine this week after the agriculture fair?? look at the poor horse behind the dead cow...he next
  • big bird (23/02/2013, 07:40) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    Welcome to BVI, where positive change is difficult to institute.
  • too hot (23/02/2013, 08:13) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is a complete disgrace and the people responsible should be prosecuted for animal cruelty.As Gandi said , you can judge the character of a nation by the way it treats its animals. At the moment BVI has NO character.
  • jahson (23/02/2013, 08:39) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    yea take the lil money we have to build cruise pier village bigger airport an other stuff thats not needed the ppl in the bvi need help an we need better assistance in planting food an raising live stocks. FYI: thats the same cow they goin chop up an feed ppl my ppl open up your eyes time for us to take a stand for whats right an stop promoting wrong the government eating healthy why cant we also
  • move on.com (23/02/2013, 12:02) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    pure unbelieveable HORROR
  • Confucius (23/02/2013, 20:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    What kind of third world country are we living in? Somebody needs to spend time in jail for this.

    Genesis 1:30
    And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so.

    Proverbs 12:10
    Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast, but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

    This is reprehensible!
  • oUCH (23/02/2013, 21:03) Like (2) Dislike (15) Reply
    Government busy talking about bringing back agriculture, and animals are left to starve and die.. Some of the money that they are wasting doing BS, could be used to buy cow feed (hay, and corn). Every rib in that cow is showing. OMG what a place.
    • Just Van Dyke (25/02/2013, 07:52) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      And those people in Jvd are kicking up about getting rid of the starving goas on Tabago. Seems like its the humane thing to do to get them off th barren island rather than let them die for lack of pasture an water. No rain, no food or water
  • mad voter (23/02/2013, 21:05) Like (4) Dislike (28) Reply
    The NDP don't need to fix anything what they need to do is to get to hell out of office and give someone else a chance, its time people start to demand elections just like they did in Cyril days, this country cannot take another year of this administration, its time to let them go, I am fed up of giving them chance after chance to fix anything and all they do is make a total mess of it in the long run, so enough is enough demand election now.
    • @ (25/02/2013, 12:40) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      So, someone else remembers that? I thought I had just dreamed it! You are right, demand election now. given another 31/2 years, God know what this bunch will do but it won't be nothing good.
  • critic (24/02/2013, 11:45) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    My god!!! Wow!!!
  • Well Sah (24/02/2013, 17:05) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    These look like those same cows that the agriculture department recently bought in St Croix. I know those Senepol cattles are not cheap and I do hope that is not them the government leaving to starve to death after spending out tax money for them.
  • Ghandi (25/02/2013, 11:08) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way in which its animals are treated.

  • time will tell (25/02/2013, 15:24) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    Where were @ and mad voter when VIP gave the grazing pastures to Bi-Water? Yuh all sound so stupid talking crap before you look at the whole picture and see what happening. We all suffering from bad decision made by the same people ayo want back. The bad part is now no one can fix what they did and as hard as anyone tries to appease you ungrateful set of ****** all you all can see is the bottomof your shallow minds!!
  • george w. touch (25/02/2013, 16:00) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    hope that is not the meat I buy from One M today
  • qeen Bee (08/03/2013, 09:27) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    we expected this type of reaction, i'm not surprised
  • dd (08/03/2013, 10:34) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Boss man I cyah beleive yuh doin that neither... stop lie for the ndp berkly
  • farmer brown (08/03/2013, 10:50) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Buh Whaam to he?????
  • Nobody (08/03/2013, 12:46) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Even da horse in da background is nothin but skin n bones!
  • old glory (09/03/2013, 07:28) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    When are these lies going to stop by civil servants trying to cover for deeds NDP to keep their jobs? We have to stop the dictatorship NOW before it is to late.

  • question (09/03/2013, 19:41) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Who exactly do the PS and this lot think they are fooling?

  • bad boy (13/03/2013, 00:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    this is tipical bvi islander people in position that knows nothing about agri culture he need to be fired where is walwyn


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