Monday 23rd May, 2011: The farmers of St Patrick have called for a concerted effort by all concerned, to assist them with the marketing of their produce.

The call came as the farmers and business owners of St. Patrick met with a team from the Opposition New National Party (NNP) led by former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell; along with former Minister of Finance Senator Anthony Boatswain as well as NNP executive member and prominent St. Patrick businessman, Mr. Prescott Swann. The successful meeting which took place at the St. Patrick Anglican School on Thursday last saw farmers and business persons from all parts of the parish coming forward to discuss their problems and what they saw as the way forward.

Several other issues brought up by the farmers included the need for soil testing to determine what type of fertilizer is needed as well as the need for irrigation and the continuing problem of praedial larceny. Farmers also continued their call on the Ministry of Agriculture to be proactive in their approach to the development of the agricultural sector in Grenada.

In his presentation former Minister of Finance, Senator the Honorable Anthony Boatswain stated that one of the main problems facing the Grenadian economy, is that currency is not circulating as it should. He itemized several reasons for this such as the inability of the current NDC administration to bring to fruition several projects started or planned under the NNP government. He mentioned the Grenville Market Square and Meat Market Project which was due to start in 2008 and which would have injected some thirty five million dollars into the Grenadian economy.

Senator Boatswain also mentioned the St. Patrick Port Project which would have injected eighty five million dollars and the stalled Farm Road Project to be undertaken by the Consolidated Contractors Company (CCC) at a cost of some fifty three million dollars. Each of these projects he stated would have provided jobs and as such injected money directly into the local economy not withstanding the international financial crisis. He echoed the call made earlier in the week by former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works Senator Gregory Bowen for a resolution to the impasse between the NDC administration and CCC.

The former Finance Minister also spoke of a situation in Grenada where individuals have been depleting their savings held at the various lending institutions in order to meet their monthly obligations as many are now unemployed. This he stated was a dangerous trend together with the lack of movement on government’s behalf to reclaim the millions of dollars lost by local investors in the failed CLICO/BICO fiasco. He stated that this was money that should have been in circulation in the Grenadian economy. Senator Boatswain also referred to the hostile investment climate which potential foreign investors met on arrival to Grenada. He referred to the many instances in the past where operatives of the NDC had attacked potential investors to Grenada such as those involved in the Levera Project, Port Louis Project and Calivigy Island Project. He described the policies of the present administration as not being conjunctive to building a healthy economy.

Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell spoke of the present state of the Grenadian economy and described the meeting as one where the opposition reaches out to the people of Grenada to hear their concerns and at the same time indicate the direction that the party believes that Grenada should go. Dr. Mitchell also referred to the lack of foresight by the present administration in not retaining the many projects started under the New National Party Administration.

He explained that on coming into office in 1995 the NNP retained the projects started under the NDC because they were not NDC or NNP Projects but Grenadian Projects. The New National Party continues its round of meetings and will be staging a protest march on the issue of Grenada’s high cost of living.

The march will be staged in the northern parish of St Patrick on Sunday May 29th from 3.00pm and will be followed by a mass rally at the St. Patrick Bus Terminal.