September 28, 2016: We are taking ownership and responsibility in moving forward in the next year’ – striking words from the Agriculture Minister, Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat to County and Field Officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, the Agricultural Development Bank and the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) at a meeting held on Tuesday 27th September, 2016 with some one hundred (100) officers. ‘I spent my time this year on the road with the farmers and fisherfolk all over the country’, so Senator Rambharatpromised that ‘this coming year, it is my intention to take personal responsibility for making sure people do what they should do; I will spend time working with the Counties and the county officers to get what we do in the Counties in the position where we can provide support services across the board’. Officers were urged to collaborate on the services offered to farmers and avoid the tendency to work in silos.
The Minister shared his views and updates on various issues with the Officers, including the Government’s ‘Farm to Table’ policy; NAMDEVCO’s successful Farmers Market programme; plans for the apiary sector; and plans for improved Information and Communications Technology at the Ministry so that ‘a farmer, a fisherman or a State Land user can go to a Ministry office and swipe a card and all their information is available, which will be achieved [through a project] aimed at improving data capture, improving transmission of information, and reducing the reliance on paper files to administer the land portfolio in a way that is efficient’.
The Minister closed his two-hour long presentation to the attentive group with the words ‘our mindset should be I work because of you. We have many opportunities to do better’. The interactive session saw Officers expressing support for the Minister’s statements and policy guidance, while outlining concerns that need to be addressed if they are expected to deliver.
Also present at the meeting were Senator Avinash Singh, Parliamentary Secretary; Mrs. Angela Siew, Permanent Secretary; Mr. Claudelle Mc Kellar, Deputy Permanent Secretary; Ms. Patricia Maharaj, Chief Technical Officer; Mr. Winston Rudder, Chairman, Agricultural Development Bank (ADB); Mr. Dennis Ramdeen, Chairman, National Agricultural and Marketing Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO); Mr. Wayne Inniss, Deputy Chairman, NAMDEVCO; Mr. Sheivan Ramnath, CEO, ADB; Mr. Ayoub Mohammed, CEO, NAMDEVCO.
Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries addresses the audience.
END
For further information please contact:
The Communications and Events Unit
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
868-622-1221