MESSAGE BY DR.THE HONOURABLE KARL DAWSON JUNIOR MINISTER OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS IN THE AREA OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES

ON THE OCCASION OF

THE ELMORE STOUTT HIGH SCHOOL AGRICULTURE EXPO

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, 2024

Good day.

I greet the Minister of Education and Culture, Principal, other leaders and staff of the Elmore Stoutt High School, and most notably, the staff and students involved in the agriculture programme and largely responsible for today’s exhibition. I was very much looking forward to this event, but I am currently off-island attending to a personal matter.

I congratulate you on today’s exhibition. This accomplishment confirms the truth in the well-known saying, “Where there is a will, there is a way”. The hard work of the students and the dedication of leaders such as Mr Cecil Hodge and Mr Gordon cannot be commended enough. The benefits of the agriculture activity at the school are many. I offer a few;

1. the active engagement of students in a positive co-curricula activity as opposed to involvement in activities that do not contribute to their development.
2. contribution to increased agriculture production in the territory as we seek to feed ourselves more and reduce the import bill
3. the production of safe and health;
4.  food that can be made available for any feeding programme at the institution
5. igniting passion for agriculture in young persons that may lead to them choosing the field as a career or pursuing agricultural production as an activity that complements their career.

During my tenure as Junior Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, we are seeking to re-energize the sector through greater engagement with producers and users of agriculture products, facilitating learning conversations between producers so that each one can help one, and clearly determining and communicating the Government’s policy concerning the sector so stakeholders can be clear about what to expect.

A key part of this thrust must focus on you, the young people. While there have been individuals from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries who have lent and continue to lend support to the school programme, our overall commitment must be higher. Our newly adopted mission for the Department is “to promote and facilitate the production of safe and healthy food”. Facilitating this production requires investing time and other resources in our youth.

I pledge to do my part in encouraging and supporting this programme and advocating on your behalf. We plan to include an online forum that would expose interested students to the opportunities for agriculture education offered by various schools in the region during Agriculture and Fisheries Month to be held in March. I hope all those involved in the Agriculture club or enrolled in classes will find it possible to attend.

I congratulate you all once again and wish you a successful exhibition.