Minister for Agriculture, Matthew Walter, is of the opinion that the mindset toward agriculture in Dominica needs to change.
Speaking at the launch of a program geared at providing technical support to farmers affected by the December 24th storm, Walter further stated that the private sector’s interest in agriculture is not visible.
“We do not see the interest of the private sector in investing in agriculture,” he pointed out. “I think we must stop giving lip service to agriculture, we must begin to tell the people and to show the people that agriculture is vital to any economy, that agriculture can make and build good families. We have to begin to change the mindsets.”
According to him, the Division of Agriculture must implement measures to ensure that farmers are up to date with what is needed to control pest and diseases. He noted the division must also ensure that farmers exercise the relevant cultural practices which will ensure that they (farmers) increase production which in turn will bring about profits.
“The transformation of the agricultural sector is contingent on the collaborative effort of our partners, the stakeholders and the farming community,” he remarked.
He added further that benefits through agriculture will only come about if it is planned well.
“People must understand that agriculture is a business just as any other commercial activity that you were doing,” Matthew stated. “People have to understand that agriculture is a science and they have to begin to employ scientific principles and methodologies to ensure that we achieve productivity to increase production and to be able to compete at all levels.”
Look Mr Walter, stop insulting Dominicans. Stop making fools of Dominicans. You were in this Government for years not one thing you did esp for agriculture, now that you are on ya way out you have become so caring and loving so concerned. You are just another reason why this Government should just varnish and never come back into power.
It seems to me, you are campaigning for UWP so keep talking. Suddenly, Mr Walter is in fire, whatever you had lately keep taking it, because folks like you are real examples of papishow and mamaguy… But wait My Brother, God will deal You with all of You! The Sad thing is that You Guys boast of Christian Faith and You all Church going efforts, well God is a God of Justice and Truth……….. God cannot lie! After You all kill agriculture, you are now coming and play hero, Man go and enjoy your gains … because such things dont last long…… Shame on You Mr Walters, Big Shame on You….
Cant even find a good banana farm in your own village or constituency…….. Man Give Dominicans a break
Change begins with each one of us. We. An change and in turn cause a change in the Ministry and the office of the minister. When we come here and vast him, the government etc, what are we doing? Going nowhere. Wake up ppl and stop this crap. Pray for wisdom and insight and move with purpose and stop looking to a minister to crate change for you. Be he change you want to see.
Sorry for the typos…but the message is clear
After the World Trade Organization, WTO ruled that Britain could no longer offer its former colonial holdings preferential treatment, Dominica has never recovered. We were a one-cash crop producer who suffered a knock-out punch.
Sufficed to say, our leaders were never astute enough to help us chart a new way forward after the WTO punched us in the gut. Bear in mind that we paid Charlie a hefty salary while he lived in Brussels for all those years. What was our return on that investment? Did Charlie really understand the impact of the WTO’s decision and what it would mean our farmers and local economy? Or was he just enjoying the high life on tax-payers backs and collecting cash to build his mini-mansion back home?
Decades later, elected officials are still talking “Foolishness” about reviving the agricultural sector with the same ad-hoc decision making process that we employ in the tourism sector and the “Phantom-international-airport.”
The “Dame” took care of her boy because we all knew that he could never win an election in Dominica after what transpired in 1979.
Maybe people like me should not remember our local history for what it is. Maybe I should return to my nest with my delusions of reality.
Mr Walter, i truly hope you mean and believe your statements, as i seat here in in my bubble bath , i started to ponder on the days when our Survival , meaning the Dominican farmers survival was mainly Agriculture.
Our nation was a healthier nation because of it, young men were more ambitious then especially the country young men ,now a days the country young youths are interested in drugs and seating by the roadside being idle.
The foods of the soil was best for the land in many aspects,
meaning the high level of obesity i see in Dominica , because of the overly proceeded foods, this generation will not live past 60 or 70 and that more sicknesses will arrive from not eating enough fresh fruits and vegetables to maintain good health and in return have a healthier nation.
I must also say that going back to Agriculture is the only way for each Dominican to improve their lives.
Imagine , if every Dominican play their part and plant their vegetable garden, plant one sour sop tree in their yard , plant one pupai tree in their yard , plant one fig tree in their yard , one guava tree , one mango tree no one will go hungry , and as a result less dependency on handout.
I don’t hear Agriculture being focused in the school system enough either, lets bring back the focus in the schools.
Lets have summer programmes for the kids like in the days of packing shed when , we as kids would have our boubou jobs packing grape fruits and selling them.
my dream for the people of Dominica is each and every one , play your part, Politicians play their games , but play your part for a better , healthier nation.
The Minister was following the Labour party manifesto.
You forget you cry when gave you that office you never do any thing good for us grow up
A man with no mindset talking about people changing their mindset.
Election coming all Ministers talking Now………
Mathew:
What in tarnation is wrong with you? I am fed up of reading your stupid comments here. For too long you have been quiet. The people of Paix-Bouche have labeled you as Minister peep-peep pop-pop to insinuate that the only conversation you have with them is the tooting of your vehicle’s horn when you drive up or down the road. It is only during election time that you know people. How can you have the audacity to speak on agriculture in your exit? When the only agriculture you know about is hiring Haitians to work on your pig farm? You ignored the farmers in Paix-Bouche, the fishermen in Anse-De-Mai,
Bense, and Anse-Sol-Dat, and the fishermen and farmers in Calibishie. You did absoloutely nothing to aid in agriculture and yet you speak about it! Did you just get a revelation or did you bump your head?
I fed up man.
Matthew is the first one giving lip service for 10 years now.
Government must implement policies. I will give you a few ideas.
Agri need land labor and capital. Hampstead estate lying unused. it use to be an income generator in the past and sent many kids in Mr. Matthew constituency to school. I am not saying this because i hate the douglas or is jealous but to point out the lack of utilization of agri resources. Mr. walters does not have the balls to put them to task to develop their own property for their good and good of the agri industry.
Secondly we may have to go back to a plantation system and change oour agri model that has more of an agri industrial approach so the many agri scientist in Dominica can be practically employed. I know too many young folks withh Phds, masters and Bsc in agri in dominica and instead of using their knowledge in a practical way are all lookiing for admin job. As a matter of fact the PS in agri is a douglas and is part of the non productive hampstead eastate. What kind of message you sending.
What i need to see is all these Agri scholars in dominica giving testimony on how they are making a sustainable living on farming and thhat will encourage more young people. I am frankly tired of all the talk there needs to be bold government actions and actions from those who have advanced knowledge in agri.
I think we need to try and secure markets for our products first. Don’t make sense produce a good product invest money in best scientific agricultural practice, pesticide fertilizer and all then nowhere to sell it.
Plus I hope our farmers out there have more sense than our police officers. Because farming industry doesn’t attract the best and brightest either.
That is the reality.
Walters . you must be related to Linton with your verbal approach to problems.
You must change your mindset on Agriculture. An element of power of any country is the ability to feed it self and have a good export industry based on Agriculture.
The duty of the Ministry of Agriculture is to motivate the farmers , and to provide technical assistance and markets to the farming community. Every International organization and some governments are willing to give Dominica the necessary assistance for Agricultural Assistance ,because we have a comparable advantage in fighting world hunger. The Ministry of Agriculture should have a partnership with the agricultural community . Can you imagine that Dominica is importing fish ,chicken and pork to name a few.
We can build a great economy on the import substitution ,and export of food and fish.
Where have this guy been,Matthew get a life, what the heck do you know about farming,dude shut the hell up.
Mathew, do yourself and this country a favour, felinquish your post, step aside and encourage this socalled PM to announce election date. I really think you all are doing our beloved country a disservice. And the sad thing is , the more you guys stay there the more our country slips away from us.Really sad!
and the sadess thing is the paixbouche people who support this can’t of cochonie, i Wonder if he listen to his self when he speaks.
Where was he all the time. All of a sudden he is out SHAME on you , leave d people and say nothing every word that comes from you people ( Farmers like me asking , where was MATTHEW WALTERS) . Hope all is well good redance.
You need to get out of your office and out into the field so that you can actually know something.
Two days in a row Mr. Walter has taken the title for the most blows on DNO hardly any of His fellow DLP Members saw it fit to defend Him probably because they know the truth and left Him to take blows that he deserves!
Mr. Minister comment again go for the ha trick!
“People have to understand that agriculture is a science and they have to begin to employ scientific principles and methodologies to ensure that we achieve productivity to increase production and to be able to compete at all levels.”(Walter Matthew).
Walter you have just prove in the quote above that you are an waste of time; may I suggest you explain to those of us who wish to know what sort of science you have in mind that involves agriculture that most people do not know of! For your information, the only science involves in agriculture is simply this:
There is a time for planting and a time for reaping; and the greatest science involve in agriculture is nothing more than the resting of the land. It is a scientific fact that when a portion of land is worked, or cultivated for a period of seven years, at the end of the seven years, cultivation must cease, the land must be rested, not worked, or cultivated for a period of seven years!
In the event land is cultivated indefinitely for years as we have done in Dominica, for the past sixty (60) years or more all the farm land has become nonproductive, all due to a lack of the nutrients in the soil, it is all used up and depleted, when that happens we quickly turn to the chemical fertilizers. Indeed fertilizer will force crops for a few years, nevertheless, the crop yield will be less, and less each year, those of us old enough remembers what a Stem (bunch) of Bananas looked like in the 1950’s to what they look like in 2014, there is no comparisons.
Another thing is that the soil most suited for bananas, may not be suited for the planting of Cabbage, or potato’s, eddo’s (tanya), or sweet potatos.’ Proof; English potato’s cannot survive in Dominica, so too the banana plant cannot survive in England, nor in Los Angeles unless they are grown in a greenhouse.
You can babble about agriculture until you drop there is nothing you can do to get any agriculture produce as they were in the days when we refer to Bananas as green gold, unless you stop cultivation of the land for another sixth years, and that is a scientific fact, you can babble agriculture as much as you wish, work on the nerve of those people you can fool; but if you talk with any agronomist, or an agriculturist, someone who have a degree in agronomy, or agriculture, if they wish to be honest with you they will state it to you the way in which I have!
If agriculture was as vital as you claimed, China would not have shifted from an agriculture based economy to becoming an industrial power, the same apply to Russia, an the former soviet block, If agriculture was such an prosperous business as you proclaimed, Cuba would have one of the largest economy in the Western Hemisphere; whoever we find Cuba to be one of the poorest nations within the Western Hemisphere, and not even you can deny that; so, I advise you to stop piping crap
If you have a scientific method that can be used to produce more, I challenge you to state it, make me look stupid, prove me wrong, let me be the Dominica joke of the century, I am bold about it because all you have spoken is nothing more than baloney, hogwash!
Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
Mr. Telemaque u have a good knowledge on agriculture and most if not all of what u said has a lot of meaning and weight, how ever i did not see you mention crop rotation, i am not a agricultural specialist but i do believe that some crops do restore the nutrents that has been taken from the soil, yes it wont be 100% back to the way it was but i think it is worth looking at rather than resting the soil for 7yrs
How could we expect a man who is unable to pronounce the word “Agriculture” to have any impact!!! The man obviously does not understand what needs to be done with this sector. He just puts words together and hope it sounds right. As a matter of fact this Government has absolutely no respect for agriculture. Just imagine Matthew Walter (no disrespect sir) is Mibister for Agriculture and Johnson Drigo (no disrespect sir) just recently acted Minister Foe Agriculture? It’s just sad how this government has treated this industry with so much disdain. Truly sad.
” I AM FOR CHANGE, ARE U?”
Assertive, NOT Agressive!
Wow, Matthew seem to have just realized after fifteen years, what his job was supposed to be. He is still though, looking for someone else to set the tone and direction of the Agricultural Sector, not understanding that this is his role. Had he done his job, he would not have to be asking the private sector to invest, because they follow the ‘money”! The farmers were “the big men of the country” , used to buy vehicles cash, and had deposits that banks didn’t know what to do; how has things changed!!
We bon dieu! Is there a mistake on the date of these comments?
I mean to say that sounds like something he said when He first became the Minister! Matthew change that same ole tune please,I cannot believe your record is stuck “we must begin”? How many years have You been beginning? Oh no doh come so,utter rubbish ,I just cannot believe my eyes! If Skeritt hears of this comment his skin should be crawling unless of course he too has agriculture on the back burner!
Walters, go park yourself in a corner. After you kill agriculture you saying that.
Starting on you stop paying lip service to your Staff, yes we who you promised so much and is yet to deliver proper offices with computers and a vehicle per Agricultural Region just to name a few and fooling Farmers at Regional Meetings. You are not the only one at the helm in Agriculture who pay lip service but it starts with you and goes down. When things go well YOUR STAFF never get praise but THEY supposed to be MIRACLE WORKERS with very little.
Matthew you remember that little song our church choir used to sing? Here are the words with some slight changes. Maybe it’s time for you to sing it to your new jesus.
Not my brother, nor my sister,
but it’s me, Skerro
standing in the need of prayer.
Boy you never thought your jesus would disappoint you. Sorry my par rep you might just be paying for comparing mortal man with to the REAL Jesus. Hope you and others learn
standing in the need of prayer;
it’s me, it’s me, O Skerrit
standing in the need of prayer.
Not the elder, nor the deacon,
but it’s me, O Skero
standing in the need of prayer;
not the elder, nor the deacon,
3 Leader:
Not my father, nor my mother,
but it’s me, O Lord,
All:
standing in the need of prayer;
Leader:
not my father, nor my mother,
but it’s me, O Lord,
All:
standing in the need of prayer. Refrain
4 Leader:
Not the stranger, nor my neighbor,
but it’s me, O Lord,
All:
standing in the need of prayer;
Leader:
not the stranger, nor my neighbor,
but it’s me, O Lord,
All:
standing in the need of prayer. Refrain
All full texts • Compare texts^ top
He does drink nah? Why is he talking nonsense about an industry that his own party killed?
HE didn’t take his MEDICATIONS MAN! Stuppesssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!
Matthew, your self named and elevated jesus must had been in the pit latrine for 14 years and that’s why he never answered you prayers. Maybe you need to go down on your knees just like when he knocked you to your knees at the ministry during that fight. Maybe if you do it voluntarily he might hear you and change his mind about you and your son come next election. Roselyn must be laughing at you boy.
Regardless of your political affiliation the man is saying the right thing. I grew up being told that I had to go to high school so that I would not have to work the land like my parents did. Time to change that old colonial mentally. Start instilling the attitude in young people that they can make a respectful living from agriculture.
Neutral, Its not so much about Political affiliation, these comments just don’t resonate with Mathew Walters.
Can you imagine the devil saying to you let us go and worship God Almighty. Awahhhh, the two don’t go together…
Water and Oil
Jesus and Satan
Mathew Walters and Agriculture
@neutral,……….He may be saying the right thing, so he is aware of the problem, but he is the man incharge , so he should find solutions.
Go back to the national anthem: it says a lot about hills an valleys and mountains. I have never heard anything about plains and flat in that cherished song. Our parents steered us away from agriculture because of the many difficulties they encountered living as farmers. Truth be told you have to be a bat or an acrobat to farm in dominica.
boy Mathew stop talking foolishness. which idiot will listen to you. i am a hard working farmer getting no assistance i live by the sweat of my brow. Why don’t you come with a solution rather than a problem. what incentives are you’ll giving the private sector ain’t it the ministry of Agriculture who has to take up their responsibility why ask the Private sector to shoulder it.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaiiitttt? is that that that the the the same Mathew Walters that that that is the the the minister of of of Agriculture?
The the the same Mathew Walters from from from Paix Bouche?
The the the one that that that kill agriculture in in in Dominica?
Awahhh wee!
Best Comment of the year!
It is remarkable the kind of transformation some people like Matthew Walter can go through at the mention of “ELECTION”. This is the same person who has been the minister responsible for Agriculture over the past years, in fact the scourge of the black sigatoga was introduced into Dominica under his watch, he has been a minister of this administration from its inception, when they boldly and loudly declared that agriculture was a has been industry.
Itt is this same government of which Mr Walter has been apart, that has presided over the decline not only in agricultural production, but in marginalizing the industry, and giving the impression that only the very poor and illiterate persons were engaged in agriculture.
I wonder at this time whether he had a visit to the top of mount Espanol. or diablotet where in the presence of some burning brush he received this new insight that there is suddenly need for a new and different approach to agriculture, or is it the arrival of the fertilizer from morocco.
Surely, Matthew I hope you will start by getting the minister of finance to at least make provision in the budget, or get supplemental appropriations equal to half of the amount he made available to an entertainment establishment, for every farmer of potential farmer. This entertainment business was given $500,000.00, so half that per person for this new position on agriculture.
Team Dominica really have you guys talking in tongues, reversing positions, and just plain flip flopping all over the place..
I know that one of Dominica’s best agricultural scientist has offered help that was refused, I do not claim to be able to untie his shoe in that regard, but I can make available to you and your government a paper that I wrote entitled “agriculture as a base for economic growth”.Since it may be that Dr. Shillingford’s proposal may have been too much for you and your government to understand and to implement.
d man never one day said AGRICULTURE. HE was minister for ARI CULTUR
Matthew, after the kind of embarrassment and insult you gave to the people of Paix Bouche on Monday, you are back again with more? Why don’t you Paix bouche awe? You had 15 years to tell Skerrit what you wanted to tell him and you never told him and now you on your way out you want to tell him through the private sector? Matthew, it was you that compared that same Skerrit to Jesus and because your jesus never listened to your prayers in 15 years and instead decided to kick both you and your son out of his temple, you want to tell him one last thing to see if he will not send you out on good terms? Shame on you Matthew! You better look for another Jesus if you want to be father in law.
Condie TSB ” defen levay zot!”! Mathew now you awake from your slumber? Just go, fade away . What is wrong with Mathew lately?
Hehehe @ Admirer.. Cheri Mathew come out self self wi. I simply can’t, look DNO have yet another article with him, this time on China. How they does call rat that running in people foot? Wat vente Blanc? eh beh is Mathew Walters, the man refuse to go away silently he will do until his feelings get hurt and he dat doh sheeyan already. I’m done with this man.
Is he going senile. Walter you and the lazy gang and incompetent Skerrit KILLED AGRICULTURE, and now you are out of your long hibernation, and you are calling for change in mindset towards agriculture? THAT’S WHY YOU ALL MUST BE KICKED OUT Lock Stock and Barrell.
After agriculture was killed Skerrit created a begging OR MENCDICANCY SYNDROME syndrome on island. This will be HIS MOST DAMNING LEGACY. If only youMATTHEW WALTER had shame you would have asked for several dumpers of sand, AND YOU WOULD GO BURY YOUR BIG HEAD IN IT, BUT Alas Matthew Has No Shame! “The Incoming Prime Minister LENNOX LINTON and his Team Will Address The Agriculture Concern”.
HOW LONG MATTHEW?
NOT LONG MATTHEW!
i heard Walter on d b s and could not believe it was the same man at the helm of agriculture in Dominica all these years .One would think he was an opisition member calling on govt to wake up and do something because the country is going to hell in an empty basket . me tink lennox and company have them runing for the hills confused like a manicou in the high beams of a car
Johnny come lately look de moo moo talking utter rubbish again this is the only minister I had great respect for me I cannot vote these people again
Too little too late. Can Matthew Walter just keep quiet and wait for the next few weeks to go into complete oblivion. No one will remember you Matthew Walter, you got nothing to show for 15 years as a minister and 20 years as MP for Paix Bouche Constituency.
Nothing, Nothing, Nothing!
Ssh, Dominicans voted for this man for 15 years, something is wrong with their mind set and just imagine they will continue to vote for him as long as the leader say so, how more stupid can these people be, only more stupid than him.
was thinking the same thing, they kept voting him in over and over again, yet they are here on DNO wiith all this negativity, if he was so bad why vote him in? You people never cease to amaze me.
who tell Eunica and workers to go and trouble the man noh. Workers allu never hear ‘let sleeping “people”, lie! lol
Mr Walter have a fire under his foot – he talking about everything… well given his vigorous chats these days, I am assuming his many years of silence was due to vigorous work being done to improve the agriculture industry – now MR Walter, after 14 years of working diligently in silence (getting a salary and perks) please sir, present you findings and tell me
“I Matthew Walter do state on this day .. that I have after 14 years, granted, this, that and the other’ all of which have had positive impact on the agricultural sector of Dominica, particularly : Here is Paix Bouche we are doing this that and the other….”
Please sir, say that for me to hear. PS this that and the other are my words so you have to replace them with your achievements.
lol lol lol.. all of a sudden Walter leve and he just talking talking talking – Mr Walter who give your engine fuel? After 14… nearing 15 years? MR Walter after that session of talking you going to need to stay moomoo for another 20 years – just to recuperate… rest the voice sir, we know you not accustom of parle-ing and we doh want you to hurt the throat!
Forget about agriculture, is so you start already.. just continue!
You know what I suspect, he now recognize a serious challenge in his constituency. so he wake up.
Boss may i suggest you go back to sleep. we will wake u after elections
Oh! oH! This one still alive?
Time up pack Up!
I’m fed up with this bunch of jokers, please go!
Walter has been a minister since 2010 and this guy has no claim to fame. What a shame! He is nothing more than talk, talk and more talk. Now is thought up something to talk about again and this time he is on the back of the private sector. Walter, do you know the number of suggestions and proposals brought before your ministry and Cabinet to make agriculture and business? Ok, let’s take another look at the question! Are you satisfied with the progress and performance of your team of agriculture officers? The State pays millions every year to the agriculture division workers, and what have we gotten? Really, what do these guys do? If I am a businessman with some cash to spend, agriculture would be one of the last places I would consider because the division of agriculture is a waste of time and effort, just like the Minister.
waste of time but we help provide food for you, protect you from zoonotic disease and other imported plant diseases just visit us and ask any question about what we do ,how we do it , what tools or equipment we have and under what conditions or just look around for yourself then you will understand.
Is this Minister Hon. Mathew Walter for real? it was a former minister who sat in the same cabinet of Ministers with Hon Walter who coined the phrase “has bin industry” refering to the banana Industry whis is a major part of the agriculture sector, loss of memory syndrom as uaual.
This man isn’t serious. Where has he been all these years? And he says that the “private sector” needs to get involved? Mr Minister, are you asking the businesses of Dominica to invest in farming? Your government has put the agriculture industry of Dominica on life support! Now you’re asking private businesses to get involved in it? Do you know what you’re talking about? Or is this an April Fools joke? It must be.
mr walter you have only now fined your tongue. shame on you and your government. you intentionally oppress the farmers and you know it, your friend in high place told the world agriculture was a has been THE DOLLAR MINISTER you remember? as he was known
Is this some kind of a joke or something. Man, is best you just shut up and say nothing. Just saying making you look worse. You kill agriculture, put it on the back burner now you have the audacity to talk about mindset.
all of that sudden he starts to open his mouth because someone is nominated that will not work again must be a change is a must
After your government with you as the driver have killed the Agricultural Industry you talking? Alas garcon all you not easy eh! I find these days you well outside with your cheap nonsensical talks.
A minister who has just woken up to the reality that he has lost the plot. Too late Matthew! Does Roosevelt respect you?
Isnt he and his government that killed agriculture???
Have u ever heard of the Bello company sir?
I have heard dem crying for government assistance over de last couple years .
Your ministry searching in venezuela to create a latin-american brand of coffee to compete against Cafe Dominique.
de science you referring to is what?
fertilizer from morocco?
in your last days as Agriculture Minister you suddenly find a voice? Are you able to back up that voice with government action and intervention? IMMEDIATELY????????
is there anything else your ministry can do other than control disease and pests and distribute fertilizer?
What took you so long?
what are you really saying?
are we supposed to take you seriously at all?
Just a whole lot of blah blah blah, with no action plan and no strategy.
“We do not see the interest of the private sector in investing in agriculture,” he pointed out. “I think we must stop giving lip service to agriculture, we must begin to tell the people and to show the people that agriculture is vital to any economy, that agriculture can make and build good families.
These words were spoken TODAY by Matthew Walter, as reported by DNO. Coming from the Minister of Agriculture, after at least five years at the helm of the Ministry of Agriculture and almost fifteen years of rule by his party, is simply incredible!
I see the Moomoo talking now on industry he helped die. Took you long enough Mr. Walter! Boy Team Dominica sure have you all day parlaying now. Just be mindful that Change is on the way…
“I AM FOR CHANGE, ARE U?”
Assertive, NOT Agressive!