McIntyre goes after Prevost

McIntyre (left), Prevost

Trade Minister Dr. Collin McIntyre is refuting claims that government has politicized the agriculture sector.

McIntyre was responding to statements by Parliamentary Representative for Roseau Central Norris Prevost that the Roosevelt Skerrit-led administration is responsible for the downfall of the once mighty sector.

Prevost said at Market Day with a Difference in Roseau on Saturday that the revival of agriculture in Dominica will lead to the revival of Dominica.

He said government should remove politics from agriculture and take example from countries like China which now boasts of a striving agriculture sector because it was no longer in the hands of politicians.

However Dr. McIntyre said the UWP should take the blame for the continued decline of the sector and the negativity associated with it.

He said most of the destructive criticisms come from members of United Workers Party.

“We know some of those famous talk shows in the mornings where farmers are bashed, criticized and brought down,” he said.

He told Prevost that rather than turning the blame on government, he should, “turn the blame on the same folks on those radio stations, who are criticizing the farmers of Dominica and trying to bring agriculture down.”

“There is no politics in agriculture in Dominica because when we deliver fertilizers to farmers, we don’t look for colors, we look for our farmers,” he said.

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21 Comments

  1. Toosalu
    November 1, 2011

    Dr. Mac, we all love you! Great response to the negativity by the opposition, who still walks out on parliament. These guys are immature individuals. They struggle to imprison Skerrit and cabinet, but they still don’t even put an effort to ‘oppose’ in parliament. Dr. Mac, you’re the best. We miss you as Minister of Agrictulture and we hope that you’ll keep doing your best.

  2. Shy
    October 31, 2011

    Now my people be honest with your selves did anyone undrstand what this f88888l was saying, he not making any sence at all but dont worry soon and very soon it shall come to an end.

  3. Aye Dominique
    October 31, 2011

    You see Mc Intyre response, this in a nut shell is what he has to offer.

    Ask him what he doing with 99.9% of his time, he cannot tell you because Dominicans will ask for their salary back…

  4. julius
    October 31, 2011

    Thinking of Computers, “what u put is what u get out” also applies to politicians. Those representing you are a product of your voting decisions. They are all alike. They are in for a short period therefore are only focused on their own agenda. Farmers for their part should organised themselves, understand better what they are doing in terms of product selection, its marketabilty, process and try to this without government assistant, but rest assured that united together they will more influence on governments and representatives alike.

  5. Patriotic Citizen
    October 31, 2011

    What is he honestly trying to point out? He bashes out at another politician for bashing out at his LACK of performance and talks about not getting POLITICS involved in the sector?? While he himself is doing it?

    Wow, these Politicians are…. I don’t even have appropriate words to attribute to their character

  6. good2 know
    October 31, 2011

    After 12 years in office the government is publishing it on grading system and their report card. It seem that independence time is the end of the term. I am so happy that they are also finding it fit to do their own analysis.
    Justina charles: we have failed miserably with maintaining our sports facilities but blame the opposition.
    Roosevelt skerrit:
    we did not maintain feeder roads in salisbury and the rest of Dominica but it the opposition fault.
    McTyre:
    the market and agriculture has seen no improvement but is because the opposition is absent from parliament.
    Ian Douglas:
    tourism is going down but is the oppisiton fault they encourage us to waste the money at melville hall.
    …….
    expect more of that “utter rubbish” (Cyrille Carette, 2011)
    Can you believe these guys? Is that what Dominicans put in charge to run the affairs of our country?
    The mischievousness of these guys is overwhelming…
    I await the next F on the report card….of the Dominica Labour Party On the 3rd of November speech…Trust me it will come..

  7. too late to cry now
    October 31, 2011

    Mr. McIntyre, your response is very weak and shows a lot of lies and immaturity. I do not know which talk show you are refering to because I listen to all talk shows on the island and I don’t hear anyone trying to bring down agriculture. In fact whether you are red, blue or green, one would have to agree that if anything, Q95 pays a leading role in trying ti discuss agricuture and their information is very encouraging to all.
    The reality is, farmers have abandoned their farms and if you were to take a drive to some of our villages, you would realize that farmers that use to be on their farm a few years ago, have completely abandoned them. If you think it is a lie, ask Mr Skerrit and if he is honest, he would be the first one to tell you that it is very difficult to find a grain of fig in most homes in his constituency. In fact he would be the first one to tell you that a part from his father ‘Big Steve’ who sells a hand of fig for $5.00 on the street at times, no one else has fig far less dasheen.

    • Jah!
      November 1, 2011

      What exactly are you talking about?? Who exactly did the pre requisite meticulous research which has proven beyond a reason of doubt that Agriculture is on the decline? Where you present at the stadium during Caribbean Agriculture Week of Activities? Did you listen to Mr. Knight of the NDFD stating that their largest portfolio is that of farmers? HAVE YOU GONE TO THE NORTH EAST OF THE ISLAND TO SEE THE KIND OF DASHEEN AND PLANTAIN FARMS OUT THERE?? Have you even gone to the north of the island and see acres of dasheen planted by my uncle?? Have you evaluated the growing young farmers now interested in agriculture and willing to take the place of the old?? You people, without carrying out punctilious research and gathering undisputable statistical evidence just come and shit from your mouth on this medium… Get your facts striat before you deficate your verbal diarea on this site!!!

  8. Porssie Radical
    October 31, 2011

    I am trying to figure out what it is that Dr Mc-Intyre is really saying. The man is yet to refute the fact that his government has neglected the farmers – I guess he can’t because the evidence is here for all to see. If our government’s only response is to blame Q95 that is a big shame. I expect responses of that nature from Kelver, Toulon, Crazy T , Mervin P, Skerrit – but most definitely not from a man with a doctorate. I shall now address the minister as Collin –. I cannot conceptualize Q95’s participation in the demise of agriculture. Is it Q95 who must restore the feeder roads, secure markets for farmers and facilitate an environment for a progressive agricultural sector?
    If such level of discourse and reasoning is coming from our leaders what sort of behavior do we expect from the young and impressionable. When we are so quick to blame the youths it would be wise to step back and think of how much we the adults affect the behavior of the young people. The phrase “ Mama manger rasin dar z’enfant glasi” does not only apply to our blood line and family for it takes a village to raise the kid.

    As an old school guy and because it is the creole season – I would like ask Collin Mc to refer to an old song by Exile One – “ Reflechir avant ou parler”

    • Jah!
      November 1, 2011

      Work is being done on all angles; millions of dollars are being pumped into the Agricultural Sector by this Government yearly. You know that take the politically biassed BLUE blindfold away from your eyes and see the truth. You people will be the demise of this our beautiful country!!!

  9. patriot
    October 31, 2011

    prevost u could contribute to the sector by demolishing that building in salisbury and starting some agricultural project there instead of running your mouth like that.

  10. Cerberus
    October 31, 2011

    I had to rub my eyes reading this. The only talk show with the emphasis on farming I know off is tuesday mornings on Q95’s “Matt in the morning” but invariably the participants are in support of farming and farmers but they do bash the government. Incidentally, the UWP government was only in power for some 4 1/2 years, and that is over 11 yeara ago and can hardly be responsible for what pertains today. Our costs of production are high and, quite frankly uncompetitive when we talk about exporting agricultural produce but we must maintain an agricultural base if we are to have food security and maintain some semblance of employment. What has not been said is, that it is financially more attractive for the government for us to import food as this generates considerable revenue through high import duties and taxes, such as Vat, as opposed to local output which is free of income tax, pays no import duty, receives direct subsidies and largely escapes Vat because it is mostly handled by market traders. It is undeniable therefore that food imports are far more beneficial to govt. coffers than is local output (included in this are life stock and fishing,of course). The government should come clean on this and be frank so that we can decide on appropriate measures and establish clear policies rather than engage in political posturing and bashing.Hunger is not red, blue or green for that matter!!

  11. patriot
    October 31, 2011

    collin why waste your precious time and respond to this soon to be retiree?

    • ZAPATOS
      October 31, 2011

      Collin do not answer Prevost,just keep your cool because in four tears or so the voters and the HOUSE WILL BE BOYCOTING him.You will be LAUGHIONG LAST AND BEST.In fact Ministers of Government,Labourites all Dominicans should stop giving cridance to the ranting and raving of UWP AND THEIR q95 supporters because they are trying to creat incidents to cause confusion and the breakdown of law and order .They have nothing to offer except advocating violence.

    • October 31, 2011

      Enjoy your youth days, one day your day will come when some youth will call you the very same name, old woman/man, this is a journey we all have to go through fool

  12. Dominican
    October 31, 2011

    Is it a lie to say that the UWP puts out alot of negativity about agriculture? Is that a lie? Come on. I believe people must call a spade a spade. I do not hear one positve thing coming out of the mouth of the opposition when it comes to agriculture. If I was choosing a career today I would never choose agriculture because according to the UWP, government against it, government not helping, government not for the farmers, government not doing this, government not doing that, government, government, government. Sometimes I wonder if government running the farms too.

    If you keep telling people that things are hopeless, they eventually lose hope. This is the environment and the culture that the constant negativity breeding in our people today. It’s time to show the positive side of life.

  13. BA YO BWA
    October 31, 2011

    Dr. McIntyre, it is so sad that you have a medical degree and was raised by a farmer, yet you are so naive about the ministry you are charged with operating. How can a talk show bring down an industry? Does that make sense to you? What fertilizer is government distributing? Are you refering to fertilizer from your bobol? Well, we all know that only a few bags of fertilizer was disributed to a select few. How about the owner of the radio station, which by the way also has talk shows, who has countless bags of fertilizer in his possession and has no farm now?

    Mr. McIntyre, I would suggest that you stop putting your foot in your mouth.y. This government has done very little for agriculture therefore contributing to its final demise. I have heard Matthew Walter read speeches about agriculture t. Ambrose George made a living from selling agricultural products. Now he has another source of income. You people need to grow up and be serious. Those are real and serious issues. You cannot deny what is plain; the industry is dead and you do not care. All this government is interested in, is free foreign money and selling Dominica by pieces. We take grant blood money to build material things to impress a very blind populace. Yet, we do nothing to provide a means for those same people to generate their own income. SHAME!!

  14. Wesleyman
    October 31, 2011

    Is Dr.Mc Intyre in his comment inferring that if someone get on a talks ow and bash the farmers that that is the real reason for governments inactivity in the farming sector, is the real reason why when I visit my beloved country, that I see all the farms covered in vine, because someone gotbon a talkshow and bashed the farmers? There are lots of other bashing that takes place and the government chides to ignore that, like for instance the talk shows were bashing the government giving a contract to buy garbage bins to a company owned by your brother who is in fact a taxi driver, and that did not stop that project from going forward, the talk showsbare asking to see the passports of the prime minister and minister of education, you are choosing to ignore that bashing, but they bash the farmers and that ties your hands. I side with neither of these two gentlemen because they
    Both have political reasons for their statements, the people I side with are those poor farmers who can’t find markets, those poor farmers who don’t have roads to get to their farms, those struggling men and women for whom farming as become a hubby because they cannot carve out a living from that, and yes oh yes I side with the farmers who say we can’t depend on the government anymore for help, we will setbup our coorporation so that by God we can make a living out of farming so we can educate our children, that we the heroes in this whole thing should be.

    • Mr Speaker
      October 31, 2011

      Well said brother..

  15. Lougaoo Mem
    October 31, 2011

    Lies, lies, and more lies. When will they stop for the best interest of the farming communities, and our beloved country?

  16. for sure
    October 31, 2011

    mcintyre you d** lie

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