In keeping with their annual tradition, the Ministry of Agriculture presented food hampers to various institutions which assist the less fortunate around the island, on Wednesday.
The annual donation is meant to assist the caregivers meet the dietary needs of their dependents through locally grown, fresh and nutritious ground provisions, vegetables, fruits and meats. It also make sure they receive a hearty meal during the holidays.
Speaking at the first handing over ceremony, held at the Grotto Home, Director of Agriculture, Ricky Brumant, explained that the Minister’s Food Basket is the Ministry’s way of giving back to the community.
“We believe around Christmas time is an opportunity to give and share, and every year, as the Ministry of Agriculture, we do this activity where we give to… the different places that we have where they are given support from Government, and from the public as well,” he said.
Among materials donated were provision, fruit, and meat—all of which were harvested from agricultural stations, or donated by Dominican farmers.
Brumant thanked farmers for assisting with the effort.
“We are grateful to them,” he stated. “They are those who are mindful of the needs of certain persons in our communities in this country, and we want to thank them.”
He encouraged the various institutions to call on the government when they are in need of assistance beyond the Christmas season.
Staff member of the Grotto Home, Lucita John, thanked the Ministry for its much-anticipated annual donations.
“We, at the Grotto Home are happy to receive this gift for Christmas,” John said. “We know that Christmas is a time for giving and sharing, and we also look forward every year.”
Other care institutions visited and presented with donations include the Dominica Infirmary, Princess Margaret Hospital, Each One Teach One, Chances, Portsmouth Hospital, and Grange Home for the Aged.
Wonder if it will include tomatoes, which are like gold dust at the moment selling at up to $10.00/lb. and the govt. is not allowing any imports giving our local producers a monopoly to make a killing, especially since they pay no tax on their profits. tomatoes are red so they must be voting red and say merci Papa Skerrit.
I wonder weather the food was grown or brought from outside. Just watch the plantain.
the gesture is good but this only cheap publicity stunts it would be good if all the idle agricultural lands were back into production develop a program to give young farmers the incentives to go back to the land. there must be a mass repartriation to agriculture.
Ohhhhhhhhh Jesus Christ, that is news. Give me a damn break. At Christmas that is what the government have for these vulnerable, deprived people. The farmers are the ones who ought to be in headline donating their hard earned sweet and money, not this corrupt, untrusted bunch of political fellows.
I get the impression that either this scheme of donating to these groups originates from the PM`s office, in that advises each ministry to do or show something is happening.
What political hypocrisy. This corrupt Labour party has nothing substantial too ffer its people, so they hijack the fanfare and publicity of the farmers and now donating the same famers hard earned good.