ANTIGUA DAILY NEWS: Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, Hilson Baptiste has issued a stern warning to neighbouring islands that wish to have their goods imported into Antigua and Barbuda that they need to meet specified standards or risk losing their produce.
“We are what we eat they say. I have to make sure we have food, the best quality food on the shelves for the people of this country for our people’s consumption.
“All we are saying is that when you are bringing food into Antigua packaging must be right and handling must be perfect. Don’t bring them in no old crocus bags or in dirty boxes like we are dogs, otherwise they will be dumped in the sea or in the garbage.
We have standards for our consumption and you must respect that when you bring food to Antigua. Come down on a Tuesday morning and you will see how they handle things, like garbage.” said Baptiste referring specifically to food items coming from Dominica which amount to some $7 million per year.
He said the time has come for the marketing of produce to be done properly as is required and specified by the laws of the country. Baptiste also stood in defence of local farmers saying that it is unfair that they spend so much making investments and working so hard to get their produce out and still have to compete with imports from other countries that will not meet required standards.
He stated that if he looks at import warrants and sees that what is being brought into the country is available locally then he will not be signing the documents.
“We are not saying that people cannot bring food into this country but they also have to meet certain standards,” Baptiste stressed.
Passer-By..The minister is what the minister is. He does not know any better. He has stooped to the level of poor taste. In other words he is low class. You put a pig in a palace and he will continue to behave like a pig.
He is putting Dominica down so he can feel better. But he is not.
If there is a problem with pacakaging it is realy a problem of economics..$$$$$$.It cost alot of money to produce quality products. Hucksters are poor individuals who often buy their products from farmers. The Antiguan Minister should write to the Minister of Agriculture in Dominica with a proposal to think of ways to better package the products.
(i) The government of Dominica should buy all the products from the Farmers, employ the hucksters to package the goods and then ship it to Antigua
(ii) The Agriculture department should have a depot with packaging materials where the huskters themselves will pay for packaging their own goods.
These are my suggestions..Since money is involved the produce will now cost three times the regular price to the Antiguans. They want looks over quality. The minister is not concerned about health he is concerned about beauty. Beauty we have. We have beautiful people and beautiful natural splendor. I hope the Antiguan minister looks as beautiful as the Dominican People. Let us work together. Each one teach one. We are from the same region. Other races are getting along..Let’s get together as a People.
PROUD ANTIGUAN!!! YEAH WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER TO THE CARIBBEAN TELL US, STINKING GUTTERS, BAD TALKERS, ENVY AND JEALOUSY, BACK BITERS, AND PEOPLE WHO CANNOT MAKE A DIFFERNCE?
IT TAKES PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE SANTO DOMINGO, JAMAICA, ST LUCIA, AND MORE TO HAVE YOUR COUNTRY TO LOOK LIKE HOW IT IS,
FIRST OF ALL YOU ALL HAVE NO AMBITION BUT ALL YOU LOVE MONEY AND HATE WORK
I KNOW THAT THE MINISTER IS ENTITLED TO HIS COMMENT,BUT THERE IS A RIGHT WAY TO CHANNEL HIS CONCERN.HE SHOULD BE SPEAKING DIRECTLY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF DOMINICA ABOUT HIS CONCERN,AND NOT BE INSULTIVE OF THE PEOPLE THAT BEEN FEEDING YOU WITH GOOD PRODUCE AND A LOT OF HARD WORK OVER THE YEARS.MY MOTHER(BLESS HER SOUL) AND BROTHER HAS BEEN IN THE HUSKSTERING BUSINESS YEARS AGO,AND IT IS A LOT OF HARD WORK FOR LITTLE RETURNS.I HAVE BEEN ON MANY TRIPS WITH HER TO ANTIGUA,AND I MADE A PROMISE TO MYSELF THAT I WOULD NEVER DO THAT LINE OF WORK,BECAUSE OF THE HARDSHIP AND INSULTS THAT THEY TAKE FROM SOME OF THIS PEOPLE.I CONSIDER ANTIGUA MY SECOND HOME,BUT IT IS VERY RUDE OF THE MINISTER TO ADDRESSE THE HARD WORKING MEN AND WOMEN AND OUR PRODUCT IN THAT MANNER,BECAUSE HIS COMMENT JUST ISN’T TRUE.WE AS CARIBBEAN PEOPLE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER AND STOP FIGHTING AGAINST EACH OTHER.
Disrespectful Minister of Agriculture. Anyway – customer is customer. Take customer complaints to get better, preferably the best.
I´m german economist walking around your island last month some hundred miles. Talked to a lot of farmers, merchants and consumers to learn more about your agriculture. Apart from banana it´s more horticulture than agriculture. Concerning horticulture you could sell much more to neighbour islands, provided that products and presentation would match to international needs. St. Lucia e.g. imports film wrapped iceberg lettuce bowls or 2 or 3 mini romaine lettuce (1 lb) in welded perforated plastik bags. Take any advantage to improve products and presentation and agriculture will have a come back.
People take the advice as a good and not as a negative thing. Remember over the years St Martin have been struggling with the same issue. Why is it the hucksters cannot respect their trade and livelihood. You have the best produce on the market but your presentation needs lots of work. Notice how you are losing monies in those markets by competitors like Santo Domingo and we know Santo Domingo produce is nothing in comparison. However their presentation puts yours to shame. Take that warning serious and put your best in what feeds you. Things are changing all over when will you make change when you are eleminated out of the market.
Repect your trade keep in mind what you present is a refection of the people of Dominica.
A FEW POINTS
MR BATISPE I AM DEEPLY SADDEN BY YOUE COMMENTS, HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN SO QUICKLY OR HAVE YOU BECOME TOXXX LARGE THAT U CAN’T REMEMBER , OR IS IT MENOPAUSE AFFECTING YOU. HAVE U FORGOTTEN THE CANTEEN AT SANDALS, ONLY HUNGRY PEOPLE SWALLOW BECAUSE IT WASN’T SUITED FOR EATING AND NOT FORGETTING IT WAS CLASHING WITH A DUMSITE OF SANDALS FIVE STAR RESORT, FLIES, STENCH, DIRT WATER. WHAT ABOUT THE HOUSING SCHEME IN THE SWAMP DOWN JENNING AREA, THIS IS INFESTATION, WHAT ABOUT THE SUPERMARKETS IN TOWN. IF U SAY THAT THERE IS A COMPETITION WITH THE LOCAL FAMERS I FULLY UNDERSTAND, IS IT A REVENGE ON DOMINICAN BECAUSE OF YOUR OWN IGNORANCE WITH YOUR XDOMINICAN CONTERPART. TRY TO CORRECT TO MESS THAT YOU ALL HAVE CREATED INSTEAD OF TRYING TO DIVERT ATTENTION ELSEWHERE, YOU SHOULD BE THE LAST ONE SPEAKING, YOU SHOULD BE ASHAME ASHAME ASHMAE OF YOUR SELF, ONE THING YOU MUST REMEMBER IS THAT YOU ARE A LIVING TESTIMONY OF THAT SAME CONTRIBUTION, IF IT WAN;T WHERE WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN? HAVE YOU EVER WONDER? DON’T BE UNGREATFUL, BECAUSE OF A TIE TODAY, REMEBER THE MAIN SUPREME IS ABOVE ALL
Yes Mr Minister dump it all, Dominicans are just a bunch of IDIOTS they were the ones to carry the plant over to antigua, but not only that, the all mighty SKERRIT was the good one to loan them Dominica money which we could use t o better our interest,GOOD FOR DOMINICA . our Minister fo Agri . must be a damn JACK…, not to level it off with those Antiguan goats. ITS THE NEXT LEVEL DOMINiCA ITS JUST THE BEGINING OF SORRY ALL OVER THE WORLD.
after you are done dumping send the people home to milk and honey. Its the next level LMAO
I AM A BORN DOMINICAN WHO RESIDES IN ANTIGUA. I AM DEEPLY SADDEN BY THE MINISTER COMENTS, ONE MUST LOOK INTO THEIR BACKYARDS FIRST, OR SHOULD I SAY THOSE WHO LEAVE IN GLASS HOUSES SHOULD NOT THROUGH STONES. LET ME BEGIN BY SAYING IF THE MINISTER GOES INTO CERTAIN SUPERMARKET RIGHT IN THE HEART OF TOWN, HE WOULD NEVER REPEAT THOSE WORDS…THE MINISTER SHOULD NOT TROUBLE THE SPLINTER AND JUMP THE WOOD. IF HE SAYS THAT THEY ARE COMPETING WITH THE LOCAL FAMERS HER I UNDERSTAND FULLY WELL, BUT I REALLY FIND HE PASS HIS PLACE. READ THE HISTORY OF WHAT HE DID TO A DOMINCAN WOMAN IN PUBLIC, SO HE THOUGHT SHE WOULD JUST LAY BACK AND ABSORB HIS INORANCE SO I SEE THAT AS REVENGE ON DOMINICAN HE IS SEARCHING… SHAME SHAME SHAME ON YOU BAPTISE, DEAL WITH THE MESS OF YOU ALL POLITICS AND TRY NOT TO RAISE THE FENCE… MR BATISE THE LIST GOES ON AND ON AND ON SHAME SHAME SHAME ON YOU, HOPE U REMEMBER TO THANKS DOMINICAN FOR ALLOWING ANTIGUAN TO BE ALIVE TODAY, DON’T FORGET THAT, BECAUSE YOU ARE ONE OF THE SURVIVAL
i see the same thing in the vi u start selling plants then they dont need da produce no more.
Arjay, I live in Antigua and I work at one of the ports of entry, the food is packaged properly and are inspected by plant quarantine for dirt , insects etc. The fruits are of excellent quality.
Hilson Baptiste is upset that Dominica refused to allow him to let Antigua transport the produce using their own boats, they are also investing alot in Agriculture because they realise the amount of money by Dominica when we export fruits to Antigua.
Soon from now, you will hear that Antigua is producing it’s own food we will not import food from Dominica anymore. Thats how the UWP think.
The hucksters bag their produce because boxes deteriorate very quickly. God will continue to bless Dominica, our food is of good quality, it has made us strong and improved the longevity of life in Dominica.
The Antiguan minister is saying what i am hoping my trade minister would say one day . ‘If it is available locally do’nt allow it to be imported .” Protect your local farmers. To much of what can be produced locally is imported into Dominica , including bottled water from Antigua. SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.
Whether or not one agrees with the Antiguan government’s position, the minister’s words should give us pause to think about the issue at hand. Can we afford to jeopardize a food export market estimated at $7 million? I think not.
All the players including, government(s), DEXIA, Huckster Association and farmers need to move quickly to address Antigua’s concerns. It would be foolhardy to simply say that Antigua is bluffing; they have a right to set standards for produce imported into their country. If we want continued access to that market we need to take heed and respond appropriately.
In this regard I would say that while Son of Soil, Thunder Horse, True Dominican, da, c.a.w and gwatance are entitled to their opinion, they have not grasped the potential impact of import restrictions by the government of Antigua.
They has a right to say that. The Dominica huskers who took the plants and sell to the Antiguans and now they are saying that their produce is not selling. Dominica has always been the food supplier to that country.
You never bite the hand that feeds you.
Dominica is a bless country and we will always have to provide be it water, food or shelter.
Well if the food are not being presented in a proper manner then the huskers need to do better.
The huskers association of Dominica need to talk to their members on the art form of exporting food products for the consumption.
what is the qualification of a politation do
The hucksters need to get their act together, it’s nothing like people on Dominica’s back. For years organizations like the Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA) and the Dominica Hucksters Association has been having countless trainings on better presentation of agricultural produce to markets especially Antigua and St Maarten. We cannot continue to export produce in used fertiliser and other dirty bags. Produce must be packaged properly since they are for human consumption. WE ARE TO BUCK UP IF WE DO NOT WANT TO LOSE THIS MARKET.
hello, what you talking about? My mother is a huckster, and I help her to pack yams and all manner of produce. The vast majority of hucksters take great pride in their produce, my mom rejects some of the produce that the famers sell her simply because it does not look attractive. She packs them according to size in specific numbers and ensures that they are washed and dried, she uses approved association boxes which she buys at $6.00 each. I have had to wash and scrub grapefruits under her watch, and she is very meticulous about her trade, and when i accompany her to the association shed in fond cole, I see other hucksters cleaning their ginger and other produce and I assure you that these people go through great pains to secure their market. Hucksters have to get licenses and their trade is certainly regulated, it is not some random enterprise where they just ‘amassay food and ship it off’ Is one thing to correct our mistakes, but sometimes these other islanders have their secrete vendetta and want to victimise our hard working people who labour so diligently in their trade. My mom braves the seas every other week, and I have accompanied her on some of her trips during my summer vacation and she has endured a lot of hackling and ill treatment from these people, especially some of the custom officer, and for no apparent reason! Because they cannot find fault with her produce. She has since abandonned that route and taken to the french isles because antiguans just too wicked and spiteful.
Baptiste wanted to hire boats from Antigua to bring the produce to Antigua and put our people out of business. He was subsequently turned down by the government of Dominica.
Dominica’s produce are always well presented when exported or else, plant quarantine would not have allowed them to leave or accepted in Antigua.
Antigua Government has always been jealous of our achievments and they’re looking to keep us down, don’t worry they will come back crawling on their knees for our food.
Great point whoever you are, as a former agricultural officer, I remember exporters coming to the Botanical Gardens for their permit.. Antigua, wah you a chat bout! DA produce nice.
please we cant be jealous of a country like your, we surpass that stage to ivy dominica, Dominica dont have shit to offer us
Here we go again, shooting the messenger, we are good at that, aren’t we!? We are, oh so sensitive when someone dares to utter a word that can even only be perceived to be offensive to our inflated egos! Let’s listen to the customer for a change and we may learn something. The Antiguans are our customer it’s their money that pays for these goods and that is what we are after! Surprised that Owen Arthurs’ report states that we are least prepared for the CSME, never mind the rest of the world?We can do better! Let’s abandon our ivory tower, stop gazing at our “lombwi” and join the global market!
Casandra read inbetween the lines. Note the tone of the quotes!! Sensitive, no I say he should address any problems properly, and in the aftermath, if there are no results then he can say what he is saying.. It sounds like a vendetta agains the natural ital, ground provisions and fruits from DA!
If he is right about the packaging however, this should be looked at by DEXIA and they should educate and come up with something reasonable.
But all in all that man need to check himslef! DA will continue to be the bread and water basket long after he gone!
I can say that The foods coming from Dominica is not in no dirty box that man lie because they told him he can’t get to buy out our food and sell it back to us he vex
you do not know that, if you was living in antigua you could have not better knowledgeable about the Minister concern
God bless and prosper Dominica. Never stop fearing God fellow Dominicans. We are blessed beyond doubt.
Everybody on Dominica back man
think they made that regardless dominica doing alright. to them who is dominica. they think dominicans are dogs- high GPAs and well skilled people-that’s dominicans
Eh Eh they doh hungry again? doh worry just now alu will ask for us to bring them straight from the tree, antiguans too dam comparazon, while it is true our goods need to be properly packaged and look presentable, but for hungry antiguans to be even saying they will dump them? give them their chance whip god start to whip them
GWATANCE you do not seem to understand whats at stake here. LOOK CLOELY at gwatance harbour when the people are shipping their produce. 7mills is a too much money to throw away. Dominicans lets do the right thing. PACKAGE OUR GOODS PROPERLY. Lets not throw away money because of ignorance. Change with the times.
GWATANCE, you pass you place when you say Antiguans are hungry, there is no one in this country can be hungry when we are better off then Dominican. Thats y your people is running to live in our beloved country. you pass your place ah ah