Compensation for farmers affected by floods will be the first issue Minister of Food Production Vasant Bharath addresses tomorrow morning. The former St Augustine MP said the system used to determine compensation for farmers dated back to 1976 and had to be revised. Bharath was sworn in as Minister of Food Production during Friday's swearing-in of a new Cabinet under the People's Partnership.
He said he was excited about his new role and admitted there was much work to be done since the Ministry of Agriculture had been a neglected ministry under the past administrations. Under the People's Partnership Government, the ministry has been renamed the Ministry of Food Production.
Bharath, in a telephone interview yesterday, said: "From what I am told the existing compensation package for relief for farmers is from 1976. "That system has to be revised." He said social structures had to be put in place for the farmers and listed the cost of chemicals, labour, transporting goods to the market and access roads as a few. Bharath said that on Saturday, he met with farmers from Las Lomas and St Helena areas whose crops were destroyed by last week's floods. Bharath was ousted as the St Augustine MP as the seat was given to Prakash Ramadhar who contested under the Congress of the People. He said that on Friday morning, hours before the swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet, he was asked to serve by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar.
He said: "I was called by the Prime Minister on Friday and asked to serve and said I will be honoured to do that." He said, however, that there was a lot of work that needed to be done. "The thrust of our work will be to reduce the cost of food and to ensure there is sustainable food development so there are no shortages in the short term," Bharath said. "We have to put in access roads and farmers have to be given incentives to go back to the fields. "Under the new Government, food is one of the significant priority areas." Asked what was the first thing he will attend to tomorrow, Bharath said: "The issue of compensation for farmers is on the front burner, given the recent flooding and damage they have suffered. I am sure that will be on my desk on Tuesday morning."