OAS partners with Government for Agro project
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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OAS Director for St. Kitts & Nevis,Starrett Greene
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The Agro/Eco-tourism Project (AETP) submitted to the Organization of American States (OAS) for consideration in 2006, received approval earlier this year and is currently being implemented in the rural areas across St. Kitts.
The project is a joint venture between the Policy and Planning Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, Tourism Authority, Ministry of Social Development, and OAS along with Michigan State University.
The AETP, conceived by the SSMC Transition Management Office (TMO) in 2006, was one of the many courses pursued regarding employment opportunities for displaced sugar workers.
According to Keith Phillip, AETP project manager, the venture is expected to identify potential areas for investment, job creation and income generation in the rural communities of St. Kitts, while seeking to facilitate social, sustainable tourism, and sustainable environmental development.
OAS Representative to St. Kitts-Nevis Starrett Greene, in an interview with SKNVibes, stated that the major activities of project are to take an inventory of the social, economic, physical and human resources in the rural communities of St. Kitts that are linked to the sugar industry. ~~Adz:Right~~
“Hopefully, over a period of time, we’ll be able to document most of the assets which have historical or cultural significance with a view to obtain funding to develop them. There are too many things in our community that are just left to die and no story is told. There may be some old relics, instruments or artifacts which have the potential for development.
“If we can develop these assets, people from the respective communities can manage them and they may provide good sources of employment. Let’s not take them for granted; let’s see how we can restore them for us to enjoy.”
Greene informed that the OAS invested EC$130,000 for one year, and has provided experienced research personnel from Michigan State University to assist in data collection and analysis as the project capitalizes on the natural and man-enhanced assets of the rural communities.
