The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The government will spend $455,000 to renovate Family Island packing houses in an initiative set to start on May 1, a Cabinet minister said yesterday.

Michael Pintard, minister for agriculture and marine resources, told the House of Assembly: “The long overdue renovations to packing houses in San Andros, Clarence Town and Lower Bogue, Eleuthera, will commence May 1, 2020. Contracts have already been initiated in the amount of $454,840.”

“We intend, in the new Budget cycle, to complete the renovations of the other packing houses and, as signalled in previous contributions in this House, we are expecting that we will be able to come with an RFP (request for proposal) to give Bahamians who have an interest in a public-private partnership with government to operate such packing houses. That is something that can take place.

“We believe that there are agri-business persons as well as cooperatives of Bahamian farmers who have the capacity to effectively operate the feed mill, the packing houses, without disadvantaging the people we presently serve.”

Mr Pintard added that he expects the abattoir to re-open today, while telemedicine will be made available for New Providence farmers to discuss issues with their livestock. The Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, meanwhile, is still facilitating import and export permits for livestock.

To combat the “threat” to the fisheries industry, Mr Pintard said he will “continue to police” the sector. His ministry is pledging $254,520 in an effort to secure an additional three vessels for Abaco, Bimini and Grand Bahama to help the ministry deal with “threats from the north and south”, along with “threats from within” caused by persons who use inappropriate fishing practices.

Mr Pintard reiterated that “farmers and fishers are essential for food security in The Bahamas”. Once all medical protocols have been put in place, he aims to create fish markets in addition to encouraging persons to buy Bahamian.

He added that private and public resources will be channelled to local producers who manufactuer various canned preservatives, in addition to funding livestock producers who have “the capacity to cut meats to the specification that have been outlined by wholesalers and retailers”.