Family uses COVID-19 grant to help open poultry farm @ Josiah’s Bay
The new facility is called ‘Berick and Son’s Poultry Farm’ and is located in Josiah’s Bay on the main island of Tortola.
According to Premier and Minster of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D. Wheatley (R7), it’s “money well spent.”
One of the proprietors, Mr Kertis Lettsome aka ‘Big Papa’ told JTV Channel 55 on December 5, 2022, that himself and father pooled their Covid-19 grants received from the government as a down payment for their poultry building.
‘COVID-19 grant really came in good for me’- Lettsome
“I am going to say something that I never told anyone. Actually, we got two grants; one was in my name, and one was in my father’s name [Berick Lettsome] and I took them all and deposit them and sent them to the factory where I purchased this building from.”
The businessman further explained that at the time of the pandemic prices were going up on everything, “So I was able to buy the steel before it had actually gone too far that I couldn’t actually purchase it. So, it [COVID-19] really came in good for me.”
Mr Lettsome said the remainder of the funding came from Republic Bank BVI. He noted the bank told them it was the first time if was financing an agricultural project.
According to Mr Lettsome, Republic Bank said it to develop a new policy to accommodate his loan request and has since allotted $20M for others to access for agricultural purposes.
Food Security
Premier Wheatley in congratulating the Lettsome family alluded to the fact that they had lost all their properties to the hurricanes of 2017 and had decided to embark on this new venture, “and of course this is what we want to see in the agriculture sector in the BVI. We want to see this type of investment.”
He said such an investment plays a part in achieving food security for the Virgin Islands.
“We understand that persons have been doing their particular thing on their particular level, and we support that as well but it’s this type of investment that will take us into the future and that would be able to give us food security. We know what’s happening in the world today and we want to be more prepared than we are and it’s this type of facility that will help.”
Premier Wheatley said he was pleased that the Lettsome family was able to benefit from COVID-19 grants and make a deposit on his investment.
The family also benefited from the exemption on agricultural equipment.
Berick and Son’s Poultry Farm will be rearing broilers, which will be sold to K&K Poultry Farm. The new poultry farm will be starting off with twelve thousand birds but has the capacity to rear some twenty-four thousand.
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29 Responses to “Family uses COVID-19 grant to help open poultry farm @ Josiah’s Bay”
Yes, we need to stop buying those imported chicken. Are we really paying attention to the trash that is sent to us to be sold in our local supermarkets? People we need to get a hold of our health in this place. The food that were are eating is killing us; we are digging our graves with our teeth. People read labels, read labels! A lot of food items has in deadly ingredients. and it is going to get worse. Are we also realising that they are mainly sending seedless grapes here for our consumption> GMO grapes? We must realise that we are in spiritual warfare and it is going to get worse in 2023.
It is very heartbreaking to see that no government over the years has been seriously interested in farming and getting the local farmers assistance so that we can grow our own food. When famine strikes it is only the good Lord we going to have to rely on. Lord, help us. Whoever has land and can plant food should begin to plant NOW!!
this means the other poultry farm you are talk about is in partnership with this new one.. One growing the chicken the other plucking and selling
Please could someone look into that.
It’s important for our health.