Water could be coming to farmers @ Paraquita Bay- Smith-Berkeley
Water tank coming- Smith-Berkeley
The Member for the Third District, Hon Julian Fraser RA, asked for confirmation that a storage tank was going to be installed in Paraquita Bay for the farmers to get water. To this, the Permanent Secretary (PS) from the Ministry of the Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change Mr Ronald F. Smith-Berkeley affirmed this to be the case.
The Member for the Third District asked where the water would come from since the Director of Agriculture and Fisheries indicated it would come from the municipal water supply system which is currently rationing water. The Member for the Third District also asked what is the capacity of the water storage tank.
Mr Smith-Berkeley indicated that “the capacity was about 400,000 gallons.” The Member for the Third District asked again where the water would come from. The PS responded that “the water would come from the reverse osmosis plant that is in Paraquita Bay.”
Hon Fraser reiterated that water is currently being rationed and a reservoir right next to the plant would get first call and asked what was the plan. The Member for the Third District also asked if the PS knew that the farmers in Paraquita Bay used to get water. Mr Smith-Berkeley affirmed he did.
Why are farmers not getting water @ Paraquita Bay?
The Member for the Third District asked if he knew why it was discontinued. The Director of Agriculture and Fisheries Mr Theodore E. James answered that “it could be assumed that it was discontinued because of the flood and hurricanes in 2017.”
Mr James in his testimony before the SFC last year noted that “the floods uprooted the majority of the piping that was placed in the roads that supported the transfer of water from the wells to the water tanks that were placed on the hill. The hurricanes further decimated the infrastructure.”
To this, Hon Fraser asked if the Director was saying that the farmers were getting water from wells in Paraquita Bay as recently as 2017. Mr James answered that “they were getting water from the Water and Sewerage Department, and that supply was assisted by wells.”
The Member for the Third District asked who was paying for the water from the Water and Sewerage Department (WSD). The Director Mr James answered that he could not say. The Member for the Third District asked if Mr James was sure that the farmers were getting water from the WSD. The Director confirmed that they were receiving a portion of water from WSD.
Community Farming programme?
The Junior Minister for Culture and Tourism and Member for the Fourth District Hon Luce D. Hodge-Smith asked if there was a community farming programme and what kind of assistance would be offered in such a programme. She added that it was suggested that “a community farming programme be started in the Fourth District and if the Department of Agriculture (DOA) would assist with the project and what would be provided.”
The Director of Agriculture and Fisheries indicated that the DOA is in support of community farming. He stated that if the land was identified, the DOA would evaluate and review the area. “If they were available in the inventory, the DOA would provide fence posts, barbed wire and fencing for that community project.”
Farmers throughout the Territory continue to complain about the lack of water, adequate support from the Government, lack of organised market and the financial burden of farming in the Territory.
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26 Responses to “Water could be coming to farmers @ Paraquita Bay- Smith-Berkeley”
Is that the only place where water is an issue?
Why are farmers on the other parts of the island not bawling?
Is the water in Paraquita Bay for farming only?
I am getting the impression that either the farmers in Paraquita bay don't know what they are doing, or they want the water for some other use.
????