The history of banana production in Saint Lucia offers clear proof that the St Lucia Labour Party has always demonstrated more interest in political office at any cost than in the particular interests of banana farmers and their contributions to our country’s economy.
As far back as the 1970s, in the time of Sir John Compton, the Labour Party has treated the banana industry as a political football.
The undeniable truth is that throughout the mid-70s and the 1990s, the strategists of the Labour Party concentrated on encouraging farmers to fight among themselves at their own expense and at great cost to the nation’s economy.
Finally, on the advice of one prime minister, the farmers gave up on bananas in favour of investing in vehicles to service the tourism industry, only to be betrayed by the same SLP government!
Fast forward to more recent times. After consistently attacking the UWP’s plans for revitalizing the sector, the Philip J. Pierre administration convinced local farmers that they had somehow stumbled upon a new way forward.
The truth soon hit home that once again the resilient banana producers have been kicked in the teeth by the SLP, this time led by Philip J. Pierre and his Agriculture Minister Alfred Prospere. Their notorious incompetence has resulted in the death of a March 2021 arrangement negotiated by the
Allen Chastanet administration to ship bananas to a supermarket chain in the UK.
Prospere was quick to claim credit when in August this year Saint Lucia started shipping bananas to the UK, never mind the hard work of the Allen Chastanet government that had invested millions in assisting the National Fairtrade Organization and the Banana Productivity Improvement Program.
With help of the SLDB, the Chastanet government approved $4.5 million to ensure farmers were paid on time and that they produced high-quality fruit. Prior to the 2021 general elections, and in the aftermath of Hurricane Elsa on July 2021, the UWP government approved more funds from the CIP for the
NFTO and provided technical support to help hard-hit farmers recover.
No surprise that the efforts of the UWP administration were never acknowledged, even as Prospere boasted about having shipped 2000 crates of bananas to the UK. Not a word about the cessation of vital necessary support to farmers following the elections—which resulted in the inability of farmers to meet their quota.
In consequence, Waitrose decided to further cut their order to just one container—1000 crates. Even then, it was difficult to meet that amount, all thanks to the SLP government’s neglect and incompetence.
With no other choice, Prospere now seeks to blame his government’s failure on the UWP. But the people know better. The SLP has once again treated banana farmers with scant regard once they had been elected to office, as occurred in 1997.
Having failed to persuade farmers the UWP is responsible for their current woes, Prospere and the St Lucia Labour Party are now crying about shipping costs.
As usual, the SLP has taken to blaming everyone else—the Ukraine war, inflation, rain, Allen Chastanet, the farmers—when it is their incompetence that is obviously responsible for their failures and the effects on the country generally.
The United Workers Party, from the onset, understood that a robust agricultural sector is foundational to the fulfillment of our national development. The UWP prioritized agriculture as part of our Medium Term Development Strategy, secured the commitment from Fyffes in order to increase market access and penetration, and focused on improving quality.
It was also the UWP administration that developed a finance mechanism to facilitate trade with Trinidad and Tobago, now also working to the benefit of farmers.
The United Workers Party was never hesitant to explore new markets for our bananas and other agricultural produce. As prime minister, Allen Chastanet and his agriculture minister spearheaded efforts to dialogue with the French and Dutch in the best interests of our farmers.
With the Banana Productivity Improvement Project, the Allen Chastanet government focused on addressing the decline in productivity and establishing efficiency of our country’s banana industry. The UWP government focused on the following areas:
- Expansion of Acreage under cultivation
- Pest and disease control
- Increased productivity of banana farms
- Establishment of a Sustainable Finance Mechanism for inputs
Not only did the United Workers Party secure sales for our bananas while focusing on quality control, we were also upfront with farmers about the realities confronting the sector and the work that needed to be done.
Our efforts included working closely with Taiwanese and simultaneously focusing on the seven-crop program.
All was in place for the success of the sector, if only the SLP had chosen to put the farmers ahead of its own selfish ambitions and followed the plan already in place.
Our banana farmers are now left out in the cold, amidst increasing concern about our cocoa production and the future of the seven-crop program. Based on reports, the United Workers Party is immensely concerned about the immediate future of the National
Fairtrade Organization, widely reported to be on the verge of collapse.
It is vital that the Philip J. Pierre government steps up and gives the sector necessary assistance. Dreaming up scapegoats for their failures will further affect not only the livelihood of farmers but also exacerbate the several social ills currently afflicting our country.
SOURCE: United Workers Party
….and here we go again the invincible UWP trying to defend their stellar record oh we can’t and have done no wrong…..in other news there was another accident today involving….
I was a banana farmer . I was also a firm supporter of SLP. When I saw the SLP encouraging the distruction of banana sheds and plantations of farmers who ignored the calls for banana strike by the BANANA SALVATION COMMITTEE I lost trust in them. Things got worse for us when they privatised the industry and sold SLBGA’s assets.
Bwahahahahahahaha! The usual UWP nonsense1
We all knew that the slp never wanted to see the banana industry go forward. 1997 really showed us that when in 2011 they try to shut it down now they have succeeded in 2022. Now we all get to find out the truth that it was the works of the uwp that lucia bananas is being sent to Trinidad and Antigua as well. Slp always taking credit for uwp hard and pushing lucia in the gutter with every chance they get.
Let us hope we do not lose our UK contract. SLBGA assisted small farmers with inputs on credit. The small companies could not do this. I tried cocoa but found that banana is a faster revenue earner and brings a lot more money per acre
You are Lying !
I am an independent voter. My comments are based upon my personal experiences as a farmer. When I read the stupid comments of the CROW and LUCIAN HIGH GRADE it leaves me to wonder whether they ever planted or sold bananas or whether they are morons
……..In earnest, this is why they need to be back in power again?? Dream on Clown, dream on, we all have the right to dream, but sooner or later you will wake the f&$@% up only to realize IT”S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN; but keep campaigning in your dreams Clown, there, there, there.
isn’t it funny though, that they took credit when things were going right and now they want to pass the buck. If you were the reason for the increased shippage, then surely that means you were in charge, so how now is the opposition to blame for incompetence…. where’s the logic?
dude there’s no logic in being responsible for the good and saying you were in charge, then as things go sour blaming someone else.. aren’t you still in charge whilst they’re still the opposition?
………It’s The Most Honorable Lucian Highgrade Pig Breath, so what did you plant in your life George the Farmer?? I will bet you can’t even plant a strand of grass to save your life. I have planted Bananas for personal consumption, and they are doing quite well along with all the other veggies you should pass by heights sometime and feast your eyes you would be impress.
smh everything the uwp do to improve saint lucia once slp put their hands on it it gets stopped. Slp has shown a history of bad vibes way back when. I can never forget the days when land was cheap to buy and john compton was advising people to purchase the lands so they can have a piece of saint lucia one of the odlum brothers telling the people to dont buy the lands because compton that own the lands and wants the money for himself and alot of them listen to odlum and they never purchased then when they cant buy land now they crying and the land was way cheaper than it was now
I am not in favor of none politics critiques and not responable for their blames.
But regarding the statement, there is nothing new from since the bandana farmars went on strike in the year when our Prime Minister Sir JMC gave the police footmen order to kill a dear mother only two sons,then the story continues…..
You are lying !