CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (DECEMBER 17, 2009) - Vendors on Nevis can finally look forward to an improved public market facility.
The announcement came from Minister for Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Robelto Hector recently, when he spoke to the continued investments made to advance agriculture on the island during the 2012 Budget debate.
“The Charlestown Public Market that has been a sore point, we are hoping to spend some $295,000 from this budget on the Public Market. I am hoping after this we would not see persons selling on the roadside. We are going to put an end to the activity of selling in the Square, so that we can have that centralised area and use our market.
“It burns me as Minister of Agriculture when I recognise the state of the market and this government in its commitment, is making sure in this budget, we have approved funds to make sure that we upgrade the public market in Charlestown,” he said.
He also spoke of the planned upgrades for the Veterinary Clinic in the 2010, which he described as being long overdue.
“We would see an expansion and upgrade at the Veterinary Clinic. This is long overdue and in investing in the infrastructure and doing it now we ought to draw the comparison or ask the question what was done before? In this budget we are seeing some $125,000 that is going to be used to upgrade and do some expansion at the Veterinary Clinic,” he said.
Also slated for improvements under the 2010 budget Mr. Hector explained would be an investment of $45,000 in farm machinery.
He explained that agriculture continued to make a significant contribution to food security, rural development and poverty reduction and the NIA had actively supported and encouraged the growth of the agriculture, fisheries and the co-operative sector.
“This has been done through the development of policies and strategies inclusive of subsidies and incentives despite the ongoing credit crunch here in Nevis and to a greater extent around the world,” he said.
The Agriculture Minister said his Ministry supported the development of co-operatives and associations as an important tool to teach individuals how to work together and collectively empower themselves and had, therefore, aided the revitalisation of the New River Farmers Co-operative, Cades Bay Co-operative and the Nevis Sea Island Cotton Producers.
With regard to Fisheries, Mr. Hector announced that work in a near shore biodiversity programme would commence for the improvement of the island’s fish stock and the sea turtle conservation programme would be expanded.
