PM urges region to buy local

PM Skerrit said the region must buy local
PM Skerrit said the region must buy local

Prime Minister, Roosevelt Skerrit, has urged the region to consume more locally produced goods in a bid to reduce the Caribbean US$4.5 -billion annual food import bill.

He told reporters at the 36th Heads of Government CARICOM Summit in Barbados last week that although Caribbean is consuming local products, it is not enough.

“We are concerning ourselves with regards to the high food import bill from the region, but a large portion of this food, fruits and vegetables are coming from very far from our islands and these are things that we can produce [at] even higher quality if there is a deeper commitment on the part of consumers, not only governments but the consumers, those of us who go to the supermarket and the food stores to purchase items, that we demand those things from the region,” he stated.

Skerrit pointed to challenges such as phytosanitary conditions and inadequate packaging that must be addressed in order to reduce the food bill.

“The choices we make is that we do not allow it to come out of the region and at the end of the day it is affecting our entire region because foreign exchange leaves us, jobs eventually will be leaving us and instead of keeping the resources that we have generated in our economies we [are] having them repatriated to foreign companies,” he noted.

Skerrit also blamed the absence of reliable transportation for the region’s high food bill.

“Dominica supplies every country north of it with agricultural produce but the southern part we are seeking to address it with the purchase of a vessel,” he noted. “But it is something I believe that we can address among ourselves, but more broadly not only as a Barbados/Dominica bilateral issue. [It’s] a region-wide issue and I think if we are going to be serious about food security we have to look at what we are producing, what we have the potential to produce, what skills [we possess] and to see how far we can supply ourselves in the region.”

However, he said, it is all left to the consumer.

“I mean it’s a free market, one has to understand, and I think that it is left to the consumers to determine how we are going to address the issue of food security,” Skerrit said.

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64 Comments

  1. LYNNA
    July 7, 2015

    Please Mr.PM buy local buy import this place is to flipping expensive.I don’t know how Dominicans doing it.DA people always saying once you can drive in DA you can drive any where I don’t believe that I believe once you can live and survive in DA you can live and survive anywhere.

  2. Dee Dee
    July 7, 2015

    Does he really mean that or just another talking point? I don’t believe him.. He is being dishonest right there. He buys even the nail for his house overseas’ delivers his baby in American Hospital, , buys his cars from America, then drinks Loubiere water for all to see and in case you did not see, he tells you in a press conference. he is a leader because he has followers., so keep on fooling them.

  3. Skerrit's Pawhen
    July 7, 2015

    I citizen Doe hereby would like to remame Skerrit FAT BOY by the powers entrusted in me.
    From today going FWD Rosie M Skerrit is now FATBOY.
    Do I hear the Is have it madam speaker?

  4. Dominican
    July 7, 2015

    The government is fully responsible for the affairs of the land. Whether it’s this government or those of the past, the decision is always up to them to educate and address the ppl of the land.
    Mr PM, after 15+ years of your government reign in power, all these measure should be in some form of operation.

  5. The king of Moroco
    July 7, 2015

    Whose food is getting you fat fat fat, when you are 90% out of Da. Your speech is worse than fork lightening because that what you speak, pure lightening. You are a compressor.
    getting rid of public works, and importing chinese
    block sale of toilet paper from Da to venuzuela.
    laughed when the president dem rejected local bottled water
    press farmers tout pas tout
    allowed snippers to finish kill the banana industry
    you throw millions of dollars into the hands of billionaire foreign artists, whilst dominicans catching hell.
    you using passports to sell your sole to the devil

  6. July 6, 2015

    i would leave this subject alone, meaning that I would not say anything.

    But as I read that the decline of the “Banana Industry” in Dominica, is the fault of this Prime Minister, that Prime Minister, and the other Prime Minister, I have to say that, this kind of blaming is “inexcusable”

    But we, Dominicans, seem to embrace that bad habit of pointing fingers on everyone else–especially the Government–when things have gone wrong; that too is deplorable!

    The tilling of the land belong to the young people, now in their late 20 and up, when a man reaches 70 heading into his hundred or even death–he has by then lost the energy to do this work; he would also be inexperienced in using today’s machinery– needed for farming–but the younger men would be able to do so–except that they don’t want to work the land!

    • July 6, 2015

      What can the Government do, if people are able, but are not willing, for all sorts of unfair reasons?

      It is one thing to invest in a project, but it is another thing when this project will not be productive; for production has to be our goal for putting our money into investment. How much have the Government lost through its investment in the Banana Industry?

      But the Prime Minister is not only speaking about Bananas, he is speaking about all sorts of foods that comes from the ground, in all their different forms.

      If the Supermarkets’ owners are certain that they are going to get professionally grown foods from our local people, they would not have to import so much from the outside world–hence cheaper prices all in all, as we buy locally, what we cannot personally produce

      The Supermarkets owners can even maintain their own local production–by employing the local young men and women to till the land–but then again: The young people don’t want to.

  7. Concern D/can
    July 6, 2015

    Is that the same person who promised Salisbury farmers and community on several occasions to repair their feeder/farm road and when he didn’t kept his promises it resulted in a protest, which his law men fired live rounds and expired tear gas

  8. Black Nobility
    July 6, 2015

    \”All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.\”
    Adolf Hitler – Adopted by your PM.

    • Mouche Miel
      July 7, 2015

      gobbles does the same for him and Kams too see where she got?

  9. July 6, 2015

    DNO is the best.So for your comment shame they give people a chance to speak their mind on both side.I love DNO.God bless all the peeps who work at DNO

  10. jonathan st jean
    July 6, 2015

    Not a bad idea,but he must practice what he preaches.Although I live in the USA whenever I go to the supermarket I always buy the products made in the Caribbean region once they are available. This prime minister chose to buy garbage cans from the USA,instead of from a regional supplier,then he sticks the tax payers with an exorbitant bill(do you remember bin bobboll?).Mr Skerritt practice what you preach and you will be taken seriously, just don’t say things for expediency. You are an embarrassment to honourable Dominicans

    • Mouche Miel
      July 7, 2015

      Who cares Johm John? Y don’t U return and begin a farm somewhere in th east/ur home base. Instead of doing what U are doing now in the Misty woods of PA/Philly eating loads of Philly cheese steaks and coming fatter than Skerrit?

  11. Peter Potter
    July 6, 2015

    Listen to Skerrit, first he destroys Dominicas agriculture and then he urges Dominicas and Caricom citizens to consume more local produce. What’s wrong with that man. He just keeps on talking because that is all he can and even that he is not good at.

  12. Anthony Ismael
    July 6, 2015

    With the power vested in me by my creator and the tough Dominican Blood that runs through my veins day and night, I Man Jack “Rubbish” this latest round of false promies and propoganda. :-P

  13. Anthony Ismael
    July 6, 2015

    Dirty Laundry should never be shared with strangers. After promising to purchase two vessels to export agricultrual produce from farms with “Delapidated Access Roads,” the prime minister saw it fit to share the same lies and false promises with other CARICOM heads of state.

    I feel a deep sense of foreboding for my beloved Nature Island of the Caribbean. :-?

  14. Mouche Miel
    July 6, 2015

    I almost read :PM Purges DLP of original DLP ites.
    This what has happened after the collision of 2000 when Douglas became P.M ousting the UWP. with their chicken marinating in the day break. That was a joke in itself.
    Now DFP’s gang of ??? has taken over the Authentic DLP

  15. Wheel again
    July 6, 2015

    It has been a few years now since PM Skerrit promised to purchase 2 boats for transporting local produce to Barbados and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Has this come to pass?

    Enough of the talk, put talk into positive action. Let us get the farmers moving and shaking so that agriculture can bring DA much deserved foreign exchange.

    People must eat food and our farmers are very capable of producing high quality food to keep us and others healthy.

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      Skerrit! why don’t you rent Eddie’s boat? The one Rosie et Al said he purchase for himself when UWP was in office? Or maybe the UWP can use Eddie’s boat and sell provisions thruout the Caribbean together with the Ponsey scheme asthey call the opposition’s investment plan to invest $250/month. DA could sell it’s products, Opposition can make some $$$ for 2018 elections and Eddie can make some money from the boat it is alledged he purchased whislt in office.
      look like unlike Instru Eddo did not cover his tracks as everyone heard of that boat he boat lol!

      • Mouche Miel
        July 7, 2015

        is it the having secured a boat while in office the issue here or the sacasm?
        facts are facts toutes voluer!

    • Chrissie Dorsette
      July 6, 2015

      He is a little late with that advice don’t you think? A Island like Dominica that is so fertile should be exporting most things he father than importing them, we have all the means and manpower to do so, and that would bring the prices down if the products were produced on the Island.. Isn’t that what Ms Charles had started? Trying to make the people self sufficient and independant.. Just like how we have to fly to other Island for simple medical procedures which could be performed at home, having to take out loans, fo buy tickets and to pay other Countries/Island for their medical services when that money could be staying on the Island, yet he have money to build Government mansion..

  16. lucy
    July 6, 2015

    Really??? Wow!!! Just like how we buy Chinese and other foreign workers to do capital projects eh….. jobs equals more money in the economy.

    • Tjebe fort
      July 7, 2015

      You are so right and they even import their own food for these workers to keep down the cost of the contract and increase their own profits. I sometimes do think Skrit talking with a forked tongue

  17. Francisco Telemaque
    July 6, 2015

    The word phytosanitary seems to becoming a very popular word in Dominica these days, meaning we are into phytochemtstry certification. If this be the case perhaps we intend to import, and re-export a lot of plants out of Dominica: what sort of plants are we going to export, and to which island.

    To my knowledge phytosanitary certification is used to attest that consignments meet phytosanitary import requirements is undertaken by for example an National Plant Protection Organization of the United States, such as the USDA APHIS Plant Protection and Quarantine.

    United States designated plant protection and quarantine maintains the export program for the United States exporters of the United States, and foreign origin agricultural commodities. the export program does not require certification of any export; nevertheless, does provide certification of commodities as a service to United States exporters. animal and plant health inspection service,plant protection and quarantine are…

    • Francisco Telemaque
      July 6, 2015

      Animal and plant health inspection service, plant protection and quarantine are responsible for safeguarding agriculture, and natural resources from the risk of associated with the entry, establishment or spread of animal and plant pest, noxious weeds.

      Phytosanitary certification is provided to an applicant based on the phytosanitary standards or requirements of most foreign countries. After assessing the phytosanitary condition of the commodities intended for export the authorities issues an internationally recognized phytosanitary certificate.

  18. Tjebe fort
    July 6, 2015

    Boy, looking at the P.M. there, he isetting mighty fat. Must be all the local food he is eating.

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      Principally swine. Mr.Like black pudding & ferchine.

  19. Harry Mack
    July 6, 2015

    What type of hypocrisy is that? Local manufacturers are struggling to sell their products on the local market and Skerrit urges Caricom to buy local.
    Does Skerrit have the moral authority to ask Bajans, Jamaicans and Trinis to buy local, when they flood the small islands with their products?

    • Francisco Telemaque
      July 6, 2015

      Skerrit is doing nothing more than running off his mouth, babbling to the wind!

      Right now he is on a stage, displaying his stupidity, while the people from the more developed islands in the Caribbean laugh at him like a clown. The problems he is emphasizing does not exists in Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, nor Barbados.

      This man is running off his mouth talking about lost of Job; how many Jobs Skerrit has in Dominica to loose?
      In the history of the West Indies, I have never heard of any company operating on any of the Caribbean islands which left for America, Europe, nor any place in Asia!

      He is only running off his mouth trying to impress the gullible idiots who keep voting him again, and again into power. As what happen to Dragon Window, ask him if he visits with the company in Barbados, Ask him if he visits with the Shine Company, they chase from Dominica, and ask him what happened to the tram ride in the jungle? He need to shut his waste of time mouth!

  20. A Doubting Thomas
    July 6, 2015

    I agree with the Prime Minister that we must consume what we produce and we must take advantage of the medical services and facilities that we the politicians create. Dont expect us to use the hospitals in our country to have our kids. We the politicians would rather leave the hospital beds with penez and go to the US to have our kids.
    Utilize local tailors locals architects not those from Guyana. Use local timber,local engineers on our house in Viellecase Bo Bwois,Borne etc. Utilize printing businesses to create Hollywood posters for election ad ertosment boards. T shirt printing etc.

  21. help the lady
    July 6, 2015

    hold on a minute ISNT THIS THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEATH OF THE BANANA INDUSTRY IN DOMINICA now he is talking about buying local?

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      I too thought it was the British, some say Mamo others even said is even eddie wo killed the Banana industry or was it mighty DBS who wanted to realize de banana!

    • Old lady
      July 6, 2015

      Skerrit is not the one responsible for the death of the banana industry in Dominica. @help the lady, where have you been or is it that you are too young to remember that the late Dame Mary Eugenia Charles was the primary one blamed, then Edison James was blamed and now Skerrit? You need to educate yourself before you write such blatant remarks on a public website because you don’t want to sound like such a fool!

      • Titiwi
        July 6, 2015

        So sorry for you old lady, you must be old indeed, suffering from amnesia.

    • Tjebe fort
      July 7, 2015

      Skerrit not in charge of Dominica then? he is supposed to give us direction. Look, Martinique and Guadeloupe have thriving banana industries. You may say they have free entry to the EU but these days the EU does not ask for duties on our bananas either. So what is the difference. We have a messiah called Skerrit and they don’t. Best we had stayed with Britain.

  22. Doc. Love
    July 6, 2015

    This guy never ceases to amaze me. It is like he gets up in the morning and just says anything or he had a dream and when he gets up in the morning, puts the dream into effect. The man spent million of dollars on foreign artists during the 2014 general elections, today he appears to have gotten from one of his dreams and he tells Dominicans to buy local.

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      Let’s call Amazing Skerrit or amazing P.M who gives us stuff which is better than Broadway.
      ALwin ,The Education guy who did thetre cannot recall his name as I type and Alex Bruno can come together and produce a big play more so a musical utilizing calypso.
      What do you think readers?
      We can get Skerrit to play himself just as he danced the cock dance in 204-5 indeopendece when he invited Eddo to come join him & do something. It got even better when then Minister Bannis Lorraine suggested put their P.M on DVD and sell it in the Diaspora Skerro doing his cock dance lolLMAO really loaud. DA have joke wee!

    • Concern D/can
      July 6, 2015

      You’re wrong! when he at Caricom meetings he actually has good ideas and appears to be a totally different person, but after that he’s the devil again.

      • Titiwi
        July 7, 2015

        You think he is suffering from a split personality, a Jekyl & Hyde syndrome? Hmmm, interesting.

  23. dayandnightvision
    July 6, 2015

    I really don’t think that the PM’s statement was understood by some people. Or are our people so malicious that they will take any little thing out of context to push their political agenda?

    • Tjebe fort
      July 7, 2015

      Oh we understand alright but it does not make sense.

  24. Man kind
    July 6, 2015

    Is it not this same man that said agriculture was a was thing and that we should focus on other ways to bring in money and foreign exchange into dominica like selling of passports , tourism while Carnival cannot even come back to dominica .
    He is now swallowing his own words oh my god what a man indeed .

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      Like selling passports and land ?? hahahahahahah

      • Mouche Miel
        July 6, 2015

        I saw continue to see PJx 1000000000 since 2004-5with the Land transfer bobol and deceased Liverpool said ,did NADA.And the beat goes on. if deceased being not only a lawyer but DR. Like the Ambassador but in Law and chair formr of UWI’s law school and did advised or said niet what do we expect Mamo’s hence man after deceased carbon to say or do? they say in the bible it’s easier for a camel to…………. than a …………………… to enter bla ,bla ,bla.
        It is easier for the current Pres to follow Liverpool than do something about current bobol.

  25. fantastic4
    July 6, 2015

    More BS from a confused PM. He just told us if it is not the selling of passports then it is taxes – so what is he talking about buying fresh produce -who going to produce it when the largest producers on island are begging you for farm access roads? and instead you facilitate them you playing hide and seek. so from who are we going to buy? I think what he wanted to say is we have fresh passports to sell.

    • Mouche Miel
      July 6, 2015

      Fantastic ,May I add 3 spieces Economic, ordinary and diplomatic . Combinations available at higher prices. No shipping & handling charge for the next 1:00 hr like on QVC

  26. Zammmmm
    July 6, 2015

    Mr PM gooood idea but let’s face it what do we have in Dominica to buy local? What”s the production rate in Dominica? Take a look at the super market shelves? Just foreign stuff left rught n center from water go down.
    You Mr Pm must push for healthy lifestyles n good eating habits : Dominicans must stop using imported seasoning in those bottles n make use of our local seasoning with sea salt n stuff……. Think local; eat local; live earth strong n healthy………

  27. too late
    July 6, 2015

    Further when the people of salisbury asked for better roads to work their farms to produce LOCAL didn’t your police use expired tear gas and peppered their house with live rounds of ammunition?

  28. Jungle
    July 6, 2015

    apparently he is unaware of the sadly neglected state of dominica agriculture.
    maybe he could follow this simple recipe:
    financially encourage dominica agriculture. educate more young farmers. establish export markets. fix farm roads – even those in uwp territory!

  29. too late
    July 6, 2015

    Buy local? Boss rich men like you, your ministers and passport sales men alone that can buy a hand of ripe fig in Dominica now. And Why didn’t you buy a local dog? Why your child wasn’t born local?

  30. Just asking DA
    July 6, 2015

    Skerrit fool! “The choices we make is that we do not allow it to come out of the region and at the end of the day it is affecting our entire region because foreign exchange leaves us, jobs eventually will be leaving us and instead of keeping the resources that we have generated in our economies we [are] having them repatriated to foreign companies,” he noted.
    You have set the precedence.
    You have signed a MOU with China and gues wht????? all you are saying is Bull .We recently had a meat which was 40 yrs old.
    The dog population has been reduced it is said. You have given ur new friends the Sinos power over our own. Many a mom & pap store has been taken over by ur Sino friends.
    So JA you added insult to injury.
    You certainly was not vetted to be P.M you slipped thru the cracks boy!
    When we deporting ur friends we may consider sending U with them but you have to face the music here first and unfortunately u may well expire in prison b4 leaving to ur new Chinese hom .
    if only…

  31. LANSAL
    July 6, 2015

    the two tongued man strikes again

  32. Lang Mama
    July 6, 2015

    ALL you the liar talking about thee boat again. All you oooy it is left to the consumer now not promise of lies lies.
    Mr liar how much money was deposited in Barbados on November 2014. How much transportation arrangements were made out of Barbados.The money deposited in Barbados could have gone into buying the ghost boats. Sakway matere qui ous yais.

  33. Ma Moses
    July 6, 2015

    You want to close down KFC and PizzaHut? Good luck with that. Do we produce butter or even milk? Flour for our bread? Enough coffee? Maybe the P.M. only eats cassava bread. They talk about coconut oil but ours is much more expensive and poorly packaged compared with overseas. You are talking to impress people with your vision Mr. Skerrit and I only wish we could buy more at home , when available at reasonable prices bu the truth is different.

  34. zandoli
    July 6, 2015

    1. Launch a marketing campaign.
    2. Get local producers to produce good quality produce consistently.
    3. Get them to produce in sufficient quantities to meet market demand.
    4. Get them to sell at a price consumers can afford.
    5. Get the sellers of local produce to treat customers with respect – like they value their business.

    If some of these things are done, you will see positive results. Just talking into the wind will not get people to consume more local produce.

  35. grell
    July 6, 2015

    Skerrit if we are going to buy local,fix the Salisbury road so they can produce more.Did you tell the reporters how you used tear gas on your people.

    • Thanks
      July 6, 2015

      You are so embroiled in hatred for Skeritte even the air he breaths you hate. You spend your time loathing at every move he makes to spew your disdain and devilish views. At a time when the world is in financial turmoil, he has managed to keep our island afloat. People wake up, Dominicans are now leaving The American Paradise, (USVI) and a going back to DA to work. They are working in DA and paying their mortgage in the VI. Thanks PM for steering us in the right direction.

      • Shameless
        July 6, 2015

        :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: . Maybe they retired and still owe a mortgage. Maybe they have to run due to some reason. Maybe they have no special skills that would allow them to move to mainland USA. Maybe they running from from child support and alimony. Maybe they just want to be home with other family and friends. Just so many reasons, maybees etc etc. But one thing for certain is NOT because Skerro has created so many great paying jobs that Dominica is now the land of milk and honey unless of course you are a \”certain\” Mrs. Roberts in the VI\’s who has it made as long as DLP is in office.

        Some of allu just wicked!
        Assertive, NOT Aggressive! :twisted: :twisted:

  36. Ms. B
    July 6, 2015

    Really??Charity begins at home. Enough is not being done to practice the “buy local” or “support local” and further more which countries are we supplying agricultural products to when we cant even supply ourselves.

  37. IluvmyPm
    July 6, 2015

    Lol Dimitri born in America but hear him buy local!
    Ahhh skerro do u ever speak the truth.

  38. Titiwi
    July 6, 2015

    Dear mr. Prime Minister, do you wear a suit that is tailored in the Caribbean, leave alone in Dominica? Is your wife selling garments made within the community? As a consumer I want to be free to spend my money (.. not yours) where I want and on what I want. I do not mind buying local at all, especially food, provided it is available, of consistent quality and not more expensive than imported food. But Sir, you are talking out of two sides of your mouth at the same time if I may say so. Whilst you are making noise about buying local your government issues licenses to import fresh produce from outside the OECS and Caricom all the time.

    • smh
      July 6, 2015

      I do believe he was talking about food….

    • SHAME DNO
      July 6, 2015

      DNO, when and where do you draw the line. This is pure GUTTER Journalism to allow your followers to bash and disrespect the PM family. The PM wife and son are not political figures. Do you allow your readers to bash the leader of the opposition family! SHAME, shame, and shame again, you have STOOP so low your blog is now dirt. Every evil deed and word will not go unpunished!

  39. Dominica
    July 6, 2015

    Drop the prices so then I will shop till I drop.

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