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August
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- Volleyballer Realizes Dream
- Under 17’s Take A Bow
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- St. Jude, We Cry For You - Pt1.
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18 comments:
Again, your zeal in pursuing and learning in areas outside your basic field of learned competence should be applauded.
The simplistic thinking of those who just want to do import substitution is amazing. The lack of familiarity with development economics is showing. Beyond that, perhaps not familiar with the economics of International Trade and International Economics, they seem to be very much unaware of the economics of scale, on one hand, and transportation cost on the other, in terms of production centres.
Unless and until, the various talk-show hosts get somewhere way beyond their ignorance of plain wishful thinking, we will continue to face the current drought of useful ideas from all quarters.
This drought is especially acute and severe with respect to the current holders of all the senior posts in the major political parties. It too represents a major stumbling block for sustained growth, and to ever reverse significantly the fortunes of this dismally contracting economy.
The idea is not complete import substitution as that is not at all feasible in the Saint Lucian context but the local production of a certain percentage of what we eat as self sustaining economic activity for the farmer, the diversification of our agriculture, efficient land use, development of a niche market for organic foods, a reasonable reducing our food import bill is still a relevant economic objective. We have the basic infrastructure for a "new agriculture" the one that is more technologically inclined - we are talking about the science of increased crop yields, of sustainable agriculture, aquafarming, greenhouse technology etc. It would be a good idea to reintroduce an annual National Agriculture, Manufacturinng, Science and Technology Fair. Particularly recognizing the feats of young farmers, young entrepreneurs, scientists, etc. We must find a way to accord agriculture a pride of place in our economy and society.
....teach the sciences in the schools: agri science,botany,zoology,animal husbandry and poultry science...just to name a few related areas.
I have been visiting st lucia for years from the UK and have been making these points to my friends there. There's certain things that are outside your control:
1. International trade treaties which cut you off from the preferential deals with the UK. This is where the rot set in.
2. Size of your land. You simply don't have the sq footage to do volume.
The problems are compounded by your planning laws. My heart sinks when I see 80% of st lucia up for sale for real estate/developments. You need to zone off areas for future development ONCE AND FOR ALL. This will allow larger parcels of land to be used for agriculture which will give economies of scale. Domestic growing should be encouraged too. You don't want the whole island to have urban sprawl. This allows areas to have their own feel.
Finally you haves to take some pride in developing a good food culture. This is just as important for economic power as the beaches. You've got all this local produce which you're not using. Try growing mangos in the UK!
Farmers or better, entrepreneurs must tread very carefully with this greenhouse idea in our water-stressed environment. There is room for specialty production in niche markets as the entrepreneurs in Soufriere have clearly demonstrated.
I believe that they approached the CTSC arm of the CDB. More entrepreneurs should take advantage of whatever is available in terms of quality production, labeling and marketing.
Agriculture is a many faceted problem in St Lucia.
The potential is massive but so are the problems most of which stem from our culture and people.
First - we do not have the leadership required to implement a successful agricultural policy. A set of opportunists in the political field and the civil service do not have the WILL or courage or stamina to see through a successful policy. It is only about their salaries and perks and the high life and re-election. Peters make the same mistake of touting the bureaucrats who he expects to implement policy but like the politicians they see these issues as only ways for them to fill their pockets. I am not sure that if given a chance that Peters himself proves not to be able to walk the walk because all of his ilk have no practical skills and get caught up in being part of the elite when in power.
Secondly- a people without the work ethic who accept praedial larceny as normal who have no respect for personal property will kill any attempt to grow a new industry. The same mendicants who have their hands outstretched for a government freeness will be the very ones who will kill a new industry.
Thirdly- an inability to assess and utilize taxes and govt policy to maximize the potential of and protect an agricultural policy. This again comes back to the lack of interest of politicians. Kenny Anthony was infameous for pointing out how he wasted hundreds of millions pumped into agriculture but it all failed. This was a result of a lack of respect for money and fiscal descpline, no follow up, management and entrepreneurship ignorance, arrogance and a purely political agenda to ensure his pockets were always filled with a high salary and perks.
WE are the problem and so far we do not even have anyone to lead the charge.
Name just one person in St Lucia today that 10 years from now we will be able to say that he/she stopped the decline.
There is no one and we will be a much worst basket case in 2015 and 2020.
I said this up to 10 years ago and it is coming to pass.
Quite a number of great ideas were raised above but we are fools to think that politicians will see them as anything but election gimmicks. We are the fools to not understand that the tools are there but we simply do not have the leadership to fulfill any of the potential.
A) The proper programs in schools and university to support agriculture.
B) A national agricultural fair.
C) Development of niche markets.
D) Proper use of marketing. NTN and such should be developing programs promoting agriculture.
But as I said. The will nor the courage nor the descipline nor the agenda is there from the political leadership and our people are just there waiting for handouts.
This is a lost cause and even the constant writing by Peters is a waste of time and energy.
If the focus is on AGRI-business instead of agriculture, then there is a much brighter future. Are we asking Saint Lucians because of bad political choices to just roll up and die?
The PM's background is just mono-crop agriculture. So what else did you expect?
Everyone can see it now that the current PM is clueless about turning this ship around. Jawboning it in the circus tours around the country just won't cut it. He is clearly bankrupt of any ideas and has clearly outlived his purpose as a finance minister. He best days are clearly behind him. Not even NICE and STEP will save him and his Fidel Castro's Cuban-styled en rouge-nistas.
But serious, what is Jimmy Fletcher doing in all those ministries under his portfolios? Would he not serve better in agricultural research? The man has a PhD in plant pathology but has not spent one day in a lab. Isn't this a waste of talent? He is certainly a misfit where he is now.
Why do we keep saying that Kenny has 'outlived his purpose'!
Kenny has NEVER LIVED HIS PURPOSE!
From 1997 to now with NCA COSTOVERUNS GRYNSBURG ROCHAMEL and massive debt he has been a failure from May 1997 when he first came into power!
The only difference is that his accumulated catastrophies and consistant lack of governance skills has finally bankrupted us financially socially and morally.
So stop saying he was once competent. He has been consistently useless.
!!:12
Very good synthesis
!:46
Your tasteful extension of this articles conversation shows good form
The island needs strong independent thinkers/researchers.
Is there an independent ticket slot allowed on the ballot of Lucian General Elections?
WILL I VOTE A TRINIDADEN NAME JOHN PETERS INTO THE HOUSE?
HE WAS A NO GOOD 4 JOHN COMPTON.
THIS MR. KNOW ALL IS NOW SINGING 4 A Position from Allan.
Let me hear from all the elements of bullshiters on this blog.
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Anonymous said...
Bravo! Bravo! Bravo entrepreneurs! Women leading the way!
You have learned and have taught the rest of the population, in this era of monumental government egregious financial waste and blundering, a very critical lesson for NATIONAL economic survival:
Export or perish!
Granted the comprehensive lack of economic skills displayed by this and past administrations, the onus is on our productive sectors to produce, to the extent of always having to overcompensate for the egregious governmental financial losses imposed by our numerous morons in leadership positions -- likewise their political leeches and yard fowls.
Note that nobody has said anything here about leaders.
Leaders lead. Others simply blindly and/or idiotically swallow, follow, or copy.
For the SLP, it has remained characterized by incredible squandermania, with an unending series of egregious financial losses: the NCA scandal; Frenwell/Rochamel debacle costing the country $45+ millions; then the Black Bay land recovery of our lost patrimony handed over on a platter, costing $85 million for its recovery; and then it is the Grynberg costing $500+ millions and counting, with the legal fees yet to be determined.
What a litany of damnable financial waste!
In many a private sector entity, the accountable finance officer responsible for this litany of unforced financial blunderings would not have lasted one day after Frenwell!
S/he would have been asked to resign, and even generously paid to relinquish the post!
Saint Lucia has had just too much of a high threshold of tolerance for damnable incompetence!
For the UWP, it is the incalculable disappearance of monies PERHAPS channeled into the pockets of some ministers (who will remain nameless) from the INTERNATIONAL financial flows that followed the Hurricane Tomas relief. That is even after TNT declared itself a non-ATM machine.
Globalization says: export what you produce and import what you need. Just be certain that the flows of income from exports outweigh the outflows from your imports and/or payments.
With the evidence INCREASINGLY tumbling all over our ears, needless to say, management of this at the macro level is way beyond the tether of the ministerial composition of the past, and moreso with this current administration.
Therefore, it behooves ordinary Saint Lucians from all walks of life, to rescue our country, by learning very quickly to bypass the CONTINUOUS abysmal economic ignorance of our governments.
Saint Lucia today, has been left very little choice other than to IGNORE THE CHOICES that all those extremely pathetic, very moronic and grey-haired doting fuddy-duddies in both parties present as leaders, until they gain the capacity to select to leadership positions, ONLY those with the innate capacity to bring to this country, VERY POSITIVE NATIONAL developmental change. This is in preference, and in direct contrast to their customary short-sighted and myopic self-serving, and damnable customary, already-paid-for decision making and fait accompli selectees.
These veritable political yes-men and ignoramuses have been wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
In the meantime, the very smart among us, as those entrepreneurs most certainly are, must learn to export our way out of the status quo's damning morass of abysmal ministerial stupidity and ignorance, and their unfathomable disgusting incompetence.
August 10, 2014 at 10:13 AM
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A point this writer was trying to make among other things, is that there is a need for more resources to be devoted to the development of agribusinesses instead of to our spectacular failing attempts at mono-crop agriculture.
fix the soufriere coconut oil factory and produce oil ! :-(
And you all voted for over 30 years for a Venci and even crowned him father of the nation. Like Charlemagne he gave himself the title of citizen. The dotish idiots of Saint Lucia do not understand nationalism. They remain mentally just slaves. Look even today, who leads the 98% black population, with token representation of females in government. Most Saint Lucians have no real sense of national pride and dignity. They find those in a bottle of alcohol or a beer bottle.
Then there was Panamanian George Mallet. Just another of Compton's electoral broomsticks. One foreigner brought in another.
They even knighted him for giving the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which he occupied, its much-needed smile as his most significant and lasting contribution.
Even today, the Chamber of Commerce remains little more than a collection of glorified commission agents.
Therefore, what's wrong with Mr. Peters?
john peters my assssssss?
The point made in the article to produce where we have advance brings it to the point.
Since we are limited on flat land area we also have to look into how to use our mountain area. And there comes COFFEE !!!
This can be our next brown gold and require lots of labor.
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