Minister without Portfolio in the Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry, Hon. J. C. Hutchinson (2nd right) listens attentively to Rural Agricultural Development Authority Parish Manager for St. Elizabeth, Nathan Samuels (3rd left), following a tour of sections of Flagaman in the parish that was affected by fire last Friday, August 16. Others from left are Farmers Zenora Davis, Gerald Davis; Member of Parliament for South Western St. Elizabeth and State Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, Farmer Henry Davis and Mayor of Black River, Councillor Derrick Sangster.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), Hon. J.C. Hutchinson has pledged an allocation of approximately $500,000 to assist farmers of Flagaman St. Elizabeth whose crops were destroyed by fire last Friday (August 16).
The money was originally provided for his St. Elizabeth North Western constituency but will now go to the farmers of Flagaman as part of the recovery effort.
Mr. Hutchinson made the commitment on August 20 when he, along with Minister of State in the MICAF, Hon Floyd Green, who is also Member of Parliament for Southwest St Elizabeth and representatives from the Ministry, the St Elizabeth Municipal Corporation, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and other agencies, toured the farms burnt out by the fire.
The Minister explained that in contrast to the drought conditions prevailing in the southern belt of the parish, the northern section, including his Northwest constituency was receiving adequate rainfall and was therefore in a position to donate the funds allocated to him by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation’s Drought Mitigation Programme.
Describing the damage done to the farms as devastating, Minister Hutchinson noted that some 47 farmers with a total of some 200 acres were impacted, with losses estimated preliminarily at some $45 million.
Minister Hutchinson further pointed out that the first order of business in assisting the affected farmers to resuscitate their farms was the provision of mulch to aid the replanting process.
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The Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce is described as Jamaica's "Business Ministry." It's mandate is to lead the development of policies that will create growth and jobs, while achieving social inclusion and consumer protection. The Ministry, working its stakeholders is primarily responsible for business policy development, monitoring and evaluation, while giving direction and oversight to a cluster of implementing departments and agencies.
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