Urgent matters for Minister Shaw

THE EDITOR, Sir:

An open letter to Minister Shaw.

Please accept hearty congratulations and welcome from the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) on your new assignment as minister of industry, commerce, agriculture & fisheries. It is our hope to seek an early meeting with you in order to discuss a framework of cooperation, partnership, support, and transformational activities that can allow the sector and the economy to grow and transform the lives of our farmers and the rural citizenry. The JAS believes the agricultural sector is the lifeblood of the Jamaican economy and the pillars on which sustained economic growth can be achieved for Jamaica.

Against this background, we look forward to you leading from the front in order to ensure that there is a spirit of unity in the sector and among farmers. We would also like to see support in the areas of the rural and farm road networks, a reform to the laws to address the $6 billion that farmers are losing as a result of praedial larceny, and an allowance for providing expediting land and title reform that could unlock access to credit all of which are critical to economic transformation for this sector.

Last year, the JAS called on the Government to make available a line of revolving credit of $1 billion at four to five per cent interest rate for the farmers, similar to the scheme implemented by the EXIM Bank for the medium-size stakeholders in the tourism sector, as well as $1 billion in the budget of the ministry dedicated to farm and rural road networks. The JAS would like to engage you on these matters, among others.

Norman W. Grant, OD, JP

President