In light of the global Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and a growing concern for food security, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Natalio Wheatley has anounced cabinet’s decision to allot $2 million dollars to activate and sustain the fishing and farming industries.
In an official release to the public, the Minister said, “your Government recognizes that we face a serious threat, and we must become more self-sufficient… That is why, this morning, the Cabinet of the Virgin Islands approved a sum of $2 Million to stimulate the local Fishing and Farming sector.” The Minister further expressed that the funding will be used to purchase the needed supplies to get our farmers back on their grounds; and, access to this funding means that we will ramp up production and provide the local market with the food necessary to sustain ourselves in this Virgin Islands economy.
As a result, fulltime commercial fishers and farmers across the territory are asked to contact the Department of Agriculture at 468-6123 to register for this program and give information on the type of support that is needed to move forward.
In closing Minister Wheatley said “your Government from day one said that next to Financial Services and Tourism, Fishing and Agriculture must be a major economic pillar. Now is the time and your Government has the plan on how we will sustain ourselves during this difficult time and beyond together as one Virgin Islands people.”
The stimulus package devised by Cabinet is titled, “the Rapid Response Fishing and Farming Production Program.”
As of March 20th, 2020, there were 209,839 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in 169 countries with 8778 deaths. To date, there are no confirmed cases in the British Virgin Islands.
Nevertheless, the Government of the Virgin Islands continue to implement a myriad of proactive measures to protect the residents from a possible crisis in the territory