OFFICIAL OPENING – Bottom Photo: Minister for Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Honourable V. Alfred Gray participates in the opening of the Grand Bahama Agri-Business Expo on Friday at Goombay Park. The Expo is dedicated to the memory of Dwight Sawyer. Left to right in the photo are: Harcourt Brown, Senior Undersecretary, Ministry for Grand Bahama; Chevrita Campbell, Chief Councillor, City of Freeport; Mr. Gray; Mrs. Dell Sawyer; George Smith, Chief Councillor, West Grand Bahama; Brenda Bullard Colebrook, Expo Chairperson; Telford Mullings, 1st Assistant Secretary, Ministry for Agriculture and Marine Resources and James Taylor, committee member. (BIS Photo/Andrew Miller)

FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister the Hon. V. Alfred Gray said Friday that Bahamians must do more to decrease our dependency of foreign food imports. The Minister was in Grand Bahama to officially open the Grand Bahama Agri-Business Expo 2015 at Goombay Park, March 27- 28.

Under the theme: ‘Progressing Toward Food Security, Our Food, Our Future, Our Bahamas,’ the event has attracted a large number of participants, and a sizeable turnout from schools throughout Grand Bahama.

The Minister said these Expos are being held in several of the major Family Islands, having started in New Providence three weeks ago, where thousands gathered on Gladstone Road to view produce from the agriculture, fisheries, handicraft and straw work sectors.

“Here in Grand Bahama, from what I can see, you are doing a good work. You are participating in the economy of our country, and you all are really doing what you should be doing to make sure that this country feeds itself in the shortest possible time,” he said.

Minister Gray commended the work being done in Grand Bahama and paid tribute to the late Mr. Dwight Sawyer in whose memory the event is being staged. An outstanding Bahamian farmer and Grand Bahama resident, Mr. Sawyer passed away in August of 2013.

Mr. Gray said that “Mr. Sawyer was a legend who did his part to ensure that farming took prominence in whatever he did. I believe his farm will continue through his family’s efforts. I am advised that one of his grandsons is pursuing a career in agriculture and that is commendable,” he said.

Continuing, the Minister pointed out that the Island of Grand Bahama has lots of land and an abundance of water.

“My concern is that we buy too much from outside The Bahamas, always believing generally that if it is foreign it is better. You know and I know that that is a myth. We can grow just as much, we can grow just as good as those things we bring into The Bahamas if we dare to do so.

“Because I believe that those of you who have big yards, those of you who have estates and you pass those yards and estates and what you see, lawns and acres of grass and flowers and rocks, but how many of us ever stop to know that you can’t eat grass, you can’t eat flowers, and the rocks you put as beautification you can’t eat that either.

“So what you need to do is remove some of the grass, some of the flowers and plant a little part made up of cabbages, onions, tomatoes in your yard, so that if any day you cannot afford to buy rice and can’t afford to buy flour, you can go out in your back yard and make a salad and go on the rock of any of these beaches, catch one Grant (fish) and you gat Grant, cabbage and grits. Isn’t that a meal?” he asked.

The Minister also drew attention to the Bahamas Agricultural and Marine Science institute (BAMSI) at North Andros, the brainchild of Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Gladstone Christie.

He said that BAMSI, which was started a year ago, has already begun to produce 565 plus cases of bananas which are sold in Solomons stores in New Providence already lessening the need to bring in much of that product. He also advised that Solomons has a contract with BAMSI that for the next year they will buy all the bananas that BAMSI can produce. Minister Gray publically thanked Solomons for their support and advised that at BAMSI they are producing a vast amount of other products including papayas.

Minister Gray invited students to consider a career in agriculture. He noted that BAMSI started with 45 students and now has 50, representing fourteen islands around The Bahamas. That number of students according to the Agriculture Minister is expected to double when school closes and opens in September.

He also advised that currently those students are enrolled at the institute free of charge and are given free housing, food and recreation. “They are on scholarships. I am not sure how long the Government can continue the scholarship side of it, but I encourage you to get in right now on the ground floor,” he said.

He also advised that students must also meet certain academic requirements, so if they do well in school they can get Government support.

If just $100 million of the $900 million spent on food imports each year stays in The Bahamas, he felt that’s good going, and encouraged Bahamians to support local farmers.