From A Concerned Grenadian: Greetings! Fellow Farmers, Business Owners, our Government and Grenadians. This is an “URGENT CALL” to address the future of the Nutmeg Industry in Grenada. We must exclude all politics and self-interest. I suggest that over the next few weeks or more we truly engage in a lengthy conversation to involve all stakeholders in this matter via the media and other forums. At the end of this exercise the hope is that there will be clear solutions as to the directions, re-structuring, re-planting, production, housing, processing, by-products production, management, marketing, sales, distribution, the current financial status and projections so going forward our farmers and families will gain significant revenues. This is not only an opportunity for the Media in Grenada to host such stakeholders discussion, in fact these forums will help create a new birth of economic value to impact every home in Grenada for decades to come. Nutmeg was first brought to Grenada 166 years ago and the Grenada Co-Operative Nutmeg Association (GCNA) was established 62 years ago to sustain quality production and bring economic security to the farmers and other stakeholders. One will have to agree that we have fallen short of these goals and it is about time much moral effort be embraced by passionate Grenadians at home and aboard to “REVIVE” the Nutmeg Industry so that within the next three to five years a national plan would have been implemented to impact every home and business in Grenada. We need committed individuals who will look beyond their self-gains and build a “Business Model” based on the fact it’s “True, Real and Valuable” for our national well-being. Therefore, this is a call for all sectors of our population from students, parents, farmers, public, private, Grenadians abroad and supporters to work for necessary changes in re-building the Nutmeg Industry in Grenada. The discussion can be explored by focusing on the following areas: 1. Review of the Nutmeg Industry over the last 70 years, its ups (successes) and downs (failures). Develop solutions on how to improve and sustain it. 2. Evaluate the role of GCNA and adopt the necessary changes for the next 5 to 10 years, 11 to 25 years and the years beyond. 3. Identify the proper Association Board members and Management Team with at least a 30 years “PLAN” for the Nutmeg Industry that looks out for the interest of all stakeholders. 4. The role farmers have played and the roles they need to play going forward. 5. Re-birth and mentorship for new farmers from planting through the sales process. 6. Identify the cost at every stage of production versus the investment and returns. 7. Create innovative incentives to assist local agro-businesses in the production of by-products for export as a means to increase self-employment, bring added value and economic growth. 8. The need to re-engineer the Statues governing the Nutmeg Industry so that no Grenadian farmer or business organization is locked out from producing by-products while business organizations outside of Grenada can purchase our raw materials to realize reoccurring revenues. The goal is to change the status quo where we currently earn one dollar to be able to earn twenty plus dollars on each unit. 9. The need to research and write grants to the World Bank, European Union, Canadian Government and other Countries and Organizations for funding to re-build the Nutmeg Industry due to losses since Hurricane Ivan, on the basis that our Industry was producing one-third of the whole world’s production. These funds will help develop our Industry from propagating to processing. 10. The absolute necessity to re-structure the GCNA so that the Nutmeg Farmers will have significant ownership in the Association going forward. This will be an incentive for farmers to invest more dollars in the overall production and processing of Nutmeg in Grenada. 11. The absolute need to establish a Nutmeg Research Institute in Grenada responsible to provide all elements impacting the production and processing in a long-term plan and strategies for the entire Nutmeg Industry. The current global economic picture is clear evidence that the Nutmeg Industry and the rest of the Agriculture Sector in Grenada need to create and implement a “Sustainable Economic Model” in order to bring far better returns on our investment. With the right structure, right management, right investment, right processing partners and right markets we will only rise to the top. May God guide and bless us. Hope to see the Nutmeg Industry at the top. This is a “CALL” for “Conversation and Sustainable Actions” for the Nutmeg Industry. By Kenneth J. Nedd, Miami Florida