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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Minister’s Press Briefing
Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources &
Local Government
for
FAO/CARICOM Ministers of Agriculture Meeting with The
Director-General of The Food and Agriculture
Organization of The United Nations (FAO)
Roundtable Discussions and Tour of The Bahamas
Agriulture and Marine Science Institute (BAMSI)
23rd February, 2015
Ministry’s Conference Room
Island Traders Building
East Bay Street
Nassau, New Providence, the Bahamas
Good morning.
Ladies and Gentlemen, during May of last year, the 33rd Regional Conference of Ministers of Agriculture for Latin American and the Caribbean took place in Santiago, Chile.
As a result of that Conference, CARICOM Ministers were of the view that the issues facing the Caribbean were lost in the mix of the overall conference where major food producing nations like Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Brazil and Uruguay were the dominant players and that CARICOM Ministers of Agricuture needed a The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, and Local Government Island Trades Building East Bay Street P. O. Box N-3028 Nassau, N. P., The Bahamas Phone: (242) 397-7400 Fax: (242) 322-1767
forum of their own, to discuss Carribean issues, hence the genesis of this meeting of ministers scheduled for tomorrow at the Hilton Bristish Colonial Hotel here in New Providence.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this meeting was organized by FAO’s Sub-Regional Office in Barbados, headed by a Co-ordinator, Dr. Deep Ford and Dr. Jerome Thomas, FAO representative to The Bahamas stationed in Jamaica assisted by Dr. Godfrey Eneas, The Bahamas Ambassador to FAO.
This meeting is historic because it is the first of its kind ever to be held anywhere. All Ministries of Agriculture in CARICOM will be represented, mostly by Ministers themselves, but some by their Parliamentary Secretaries or Permanent Secretaries of their Ministries.
In addition to the attendance of CARICOM Ministers, a representative from Brazil, one of the largest Agricultural producing countries, is expected to attend and make a presentation.
Also in attendance will be The Director-General of FAO Dr. José Graziano da Silva will be here to interface with Ministers and listen to their concerns, and the issues affecting Caribbean Agriculture. The Director-General is also expected to address CARICOM Heads of Government meeting later this week.
On Wednesday between the hours of 9:30 am and 4:00 pm the D.G. of FAO and Ministers or their representatives will make a formal visit to North Andros to visit (BAMSI) The Bahamas Agriculture and Marine Science Institute(BAMSI). They will tour the commercial/tutorial farm, the campus buildings completed or under construction, the marine farm under construction and meet the students and faculty of the school.
We look forward to two productive days of fruitful discussions and interactions of Agriculture Ministers and at the end it is hoped that the Carribean position as it relates to its relationship with FAO, will be solidified and the already good co- operation arriving Agriculture Ministers of the Carribean will be strengthened.
Thank you for your participation in this Press Briefing this morning.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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