Still no compensation for farmers
President of the Farmers' Association, Khoy Smith. Photo: VINO
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Some six months after assessments of the damages they had suffered during Hurricane Earl and floods, and two months after Premier Ralph T. O’Neal promised that he was going to look into the matter, farmers have still not received any compensation.
Approximately 115 had submitted their names for possible compensation but President of the Territory’s Farmers Association, Khoy Smith, in an invited comment told VINO as far as he knows nothing was given to the farmers.
Responding to a caller on February 28, 2011 on VIP Radio programme, Mr. O’Neal had said he did not know what was causing the delay and had indicated that he would speak to the Chief Agricultural Officer himself and also remind the Minister for Natural Resources Hon. Omar Hodge.
A local farmer displaying his produce.
“… the teams were set up to investigate the losses in fisheries, agriculture, homes, et cetera and they were to make recommendations. Some of them have come in to the Ministry of Finance and they have received compensation and I don’t know what is the delay in agriculture and fisheries…I will make some investigation to find out what is the delay. Like you, I learn delay is danger and if another hurricane will come and catch us, God forbid,” Premier O’Neal had stated in response to the caller who had identified himself as a farmer.
It is not clear if fishermen were compensated.
Efforts by VINO to get a response from the Premier’s Office as well as from the Chief Agricultural Officer and Minister Hodge on the issue were unsuccessful as they could not be reached for comment.
Meanwhile, Mr. Smith said the affected farmers did not choose to sit and wait for help from Government and instead made efforts to continue with their livelihood as they had “mouths to feed” and a market to supply.
“Of course the farmers would still welcome this compensation that was promised to them,” he said.
14 Responses to “Still no compensation for farmers”
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115 persons submitted for claims – seems like some serious dishonesty going on there. How many commercial farmers are there in the BVI, my guess is no more than 10.
On top of that why should farmers get compensation when other business don’t? What is so special about farmers?
“JPOKERS” Hush your dead backside. The government promised the famers compensation so they should deliver and deliver fast before the elections….
Why should the government give them taxpayers money to run their business? They already waste far too much money on the few farmers that there really are. All business have the the responsibility of insuring their goods, it is not for a government to bail them out for their own poor planning.
to Joker: Oh shut the hell up, you too stupid to know that BVI commercial farmers come in several genders, races, and status and there are more than 200 of them. It is only when that chicken you at last night which was butchered 30 years ago or that lettuce you ate for lunch today that was watered in china with urine water then preserved in Clorox 8 months ago so it can reach you looking ‘crisp’ both make you hopelessly sick, that you will begin to seek you the same neglicted local farmers in hopes of finding fresh organic and sensibly farmed and butchered products to give your body a fighting chance.
When i started reading your post i thought you must be an idiot, what 200 commercial farmers? Do you understand the meaning of commercial? But as i read the rest of the post i realised that you are either totally misinformed or suffer from a brain disorder.
200 farmers. LOL.
Government (NDP,VIP, UP) in the BVI have never taken the farmers seriously. They play games with them for political reasons. How come they are the last to get compensation?
If farmers were able to produce enough produce or even farm raise enough chicken, pigs and cattle there would be no need for importing food?! If we do not import food, which company(ies) will be losing profits? Companies with strong ties to Government officials. Wake up people!!!!
they’re getting free land and water, now they want free money?? well sah!!! and besides, this man always dissing the government
Boy go sit down! Either insure your farm or take your loss! Government focusing on getting biwater in the door, they not studying you and your 5 plaintains!!!
Come on this government can do more than one thing at a time…ayo think tis dey NDP in power??? NDP can only do one thing…give written speeches fly in from DC. Famers keep speaking up you need your $$$$$$$.
Real Talk hush…dem school children dem say you cannot afford 5 plantains so leave the people dem alone
I am a part time farmer and no one came to my home to access. How unfair…that big belly man needs to go
so fool if they have not come to you why not go to them?
Khoy just like his mother and his late grandmother….. a lot of noise and everything being a problem.