Barbados Advocate Agricultural Co-Operation
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Established October 1895 Court Martial continues on Friday PAGE 5 Thursday April 29, 2021 $1 VAT Inclusive China assisting Eye on La Barbados with BOOSTING agriculture Soufrière Growing concern about volcanic mudflows going into hurricane season By Krystal Penny Bowen CO-OPERATION A REGIONAL scientist is concerned about the possible increase in lahars or BARBADOS and Hunan, China Company Limited. Institute and the Centre for Food volcanic mudflows in St. Vincent as the have signed a Memorandum Referring to the donation, Minister of Security and Entrepreneurship at The island approaches the hurricane season. of Understanding (MOU) on Agriculture and Food Security, Indar University of West Indies Cave Hill Yesterday, The Barbados Advocate agricultural co-operation. Weir, noted that it is representative Campus,” he noted. spoke to Director of The UWI Seismic The signing took place yesterday of the robust relationship between His comments came as he said Research Centre (SRC), Dr. Erouscilla morning at the headquarters of the Barbados and the People’s Republic of that the Hope Agricultural Training Joseph, about the matter via Zoom. Barbados Agricultural Management China, which dates back to 1977. Institute will act as a partial training The volcanologist noted with the rainy Company (BAMC), with Permanent “Since then, the relationship has ground for students of the Barbados season and the large deposits of ash in Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture grown significantly,and has produced a Community College and the Samuel red and orange zones, these materials and Food Security, Terry Bascombe, number of co-operation initiatives. Some Jackman Prescod Institute of will be remobilised for months. signing on behalf of Barbados; and Wu of these included exchanges of training Technology, as they seek to complete “[This can cause] continued lahars or Lan, Deputy Secretary of CPC Hunan opportunities, academic scholarships, their associate degrees, diplomas and mudflows in these areas and this will Provincial Committee, who joined the medical staff deployment, as well as certificates in agriculture programmes. definitely impact the infrastructure ... event virtually, signing on behalf of several infrastructural projects. Two He went on to say that The UWI’s that has already been damaged in the China. The event also saw the BAMC infrastructure projects that readily Centre for Food Security and red and orange zones,” said Dr. Joseph. receive a donation of a new cane come to mind, and I’m sure you will Entrepreneurship will seek to harvester from Chinese firm Zoomlion understand why, are the eagerly CONCERNS on Page 6 Heavy Industry Science and Technology awaited Hope Agricultural Training CO-OPERATION on Page 3 Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Indar Weir, gets a firsthand look at the new cane harvester. Looking on are Ambassador of China to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng and Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Peter Phillips. 2 • Thursday April 29, 2021 The Barbados Advocate The Barbados Advocate Thursday April 29, 2021 • 3 Efforts on to transform sugar industry BASED on current lowing a brief ceremony Government subsidies projections, the state- at the BAMC, during have continued to in- owned Barbados which they received a crease, whilst we try to Agricultural Man- donation of a new sugar- grapple with the changes agement Company cane harvester from the that are necessary to (BAMC) is expected to Chinese firm Zoomlion transform the sugar in- become profitable by Heavy Industry Science dustry. The sugar indus- the year 2025. and Technology Company try in Barbados can no Moreover, if a recom- Limited. The occasion longer go on as a bulk mendation that is ex- also marked the signing producer for sugar that is pected to be made to of a Memorandum of exported at substantial Cabinet is approved, the Understanding on agri- losses to the BAMC. BAMC will transition cultural co-operation To that extent, the to become a new entity between Barbados and Government is moving to called the Barbados China. transition the industry Energy and Sugar During the ceremony, from one of bulk sugar Company (BESCO). Minister Weir told those production to a value According to Minister of gathered and those join- chain industry,” he stated. Agriculture and Food ing via video conference He went on to say Security, Indar Weir, from Hunan Province, that going forward, the shares of this company, China, that the harvester industry will no longer which would take over has come at a “very criti- be producing bulk sugar Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Indar Weir, speaking at yesterday’s the running of the sugar cal stage” in this coun- for export, and has al- ceremony. cane industry, would be try’s economic transfor- ready started the process made available to ordi- mation, as efforts are of transformation, by rum industry, and will first time in its history, Minister Weir said that nary Barbadians and the ongoing to strategically producing sugar for do- also be seeking to take an opportunity for value this transformation is private sector to pur- transform the sugar in- mestic consumption and advantage of the oppor- chain development, right expected to result in the chase, thereby reducing dustry. sugar for export for direct tunities that are avail- through the entire value BAMC earning more for the Government’s com- “The sugar industry in consumption in the inter- able in renewable energy. chain system. Barbados sugar and molasses, mercial footprint. Barbados, as you know it, national markets. Weir “The by-products of the is now poised to trans- while they also focus on He offered this expla- has been for many years added that they are also factory will also be used form the sugar industry value chain development nation to The Barbados operating at a substantial focused on the production to produce fertilisers, giv- into a sugar cane indus- and embracing renewable Advocate yesterday, fol- loss to the Government. of molasses for the local ing the industry for the try,” he said. energy. (JRT) New harvester welcomed CO-OPERATION from Page 1 encourage and facilitate innovation in Caribbean agribusiness and food production, including finding new and creative uses for local and re- gional plants. Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary of CPC Hunan Provincial Committee, Wu Lan, ex- plained that Barbados is an important partner of China and referring to the MOU, said that it will further deepen bi- lateral exchanges and co-operation between the two countries. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Terry Bascombe, signing the MOU on “We sincerely hope Ambassador of China to agricultural co-operation yesterday at the BAMC’s headquarters. Witnessing the proceedings were (from that Barbados and Barbados, Yan Xiusheng, left) Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Peter Phillips; Minister of Agriculture and Hunan will further as he addressed those Food Security, Indar Weir; Ambassador of China to Barbados, Yan Xiusheng; and Zhang Xueqian, Economic strengthen exchanges gathered. and Commercial Counsellor, Embassy of the People’s Republic of China. and co-operation in agriculture, economy, ginning of co-operation These disruptions, he trade, culture, education, on agriculture between said, result in significant tourism and other fields. the two nations, and that downtime and puts BWA to make a 4-inch connection So that the potential of the MOU represents the added pressure on their the co-operation can be start of a new era of de- limited resources. His at Middleton, St. George fully released as our velopment. comments came as he friendship grows from Also addressing those said that in addition to THE Barbados Water As a result, residents time. strength to strength,” present was Chairman the harvester, they will Authority wishes to in- and businesses located in Residents are asked to she said. of the BAMC, Winston receive technical support form the public that it will Middleton, Hope Park, store an adequate supply Adding to her com- Best, who welcomed the from Zoomlion through be making a 4-inch con- Fairview Heights, of water to help during ments, Ambassador of new harvester, noting training of the BAMC’s nection in Middleton, St. Workmans and the sur- this period. China to Barbados,Yan that the aged harvesters staff in the operations George today, Thursday, rounding districts may The BWA apologises for Xiusheng, noted that the currently in use are con- and maintenance of the April 29, between 9 a.m. suffer low pressure or a any inconvenience this donation marks the be- stantly breaking down. harvester. (JRT) and 5 p.m. water outage during this work may cause. 4• Thursday April 29, 2021 The Barbados Advocate Struggles of workers to be highlighted on Labour Day THE Caribbean about that,” Denny indi- “There are also issues workers and to make Movement for Peace cated. in relation to workers who large sums of money off and Integration will be “We have vendors who are working within the the backs of workers and shining the spotlight are being harassed daily private sector and they pay them less for their on a number of strug- and we are very con- are finding it very, very labour and in some cases, gles which Barbadian cerned about the vendors. difficult to be able to make most of these companies workers have been fac- They are using this whole the kind of money that are making a lot more ing on account of the COVID-19 situation to they were making before, money than they are ac- COVID-19 pandemic, take advantage of poor because of the many pres- customed making. They when it hosts its vir- working-class people who sures that they have to go are making a lot more tual Labour Day Rally are vendors.