 Agriculture on the move! Agriculture on the move! Agriculture on the move! Agriculture on the move! Good day viewers and welcome to the program Agriculture on the move I am Philip Sidney your host Our discussion today surrounds a trade fair which will be taking place on Saturday in the Constitution Park in Castries You'll hear all about it because it's a symbiotic relationship between St Lucia and the French Antilles So, with me to discuss this activity and more activities is Mr Marish Mordez who is a councillor at the Castries Constituency Council and she is Samuel who is the president of the St Lucia Association and the French Association Welcome to the program Lady and Gentleman Thank you very much We have a lot of history in the sense that the municipal agriculture many many moons ago have always organized a fair in Martinique an exhibition in Martinique Last time I led about 98 persons from St Lucia both agro processors also we had culture so we have had that relationship for many many moons but I wanted to give us a brief history of the St Lucia French Association Good morning viewers Mr Sidney it is just that the association was created in Martinique where Ms Elizabeth Grant wanted to look on to the welfare of St Lucia living in Martinique She is a lady from England so she said what better way and to form an organization where the voice can be heard and with that regard an association was formed by the under the name of Associates of Settlishy Martinique the association from Babono we were invited to Martinique in 1989 when we were asked to create a branch of this association in St Lucia so in 1990 that was done from a branch of this association of Babono under the leadership of myself and Mr Michael Toussaint and Mr Spoyot who is our parliamentary rep right now Mr Toussaint led the first delegation to Martinique in 1990 we also had Mr Monly from GIS who travelled with us at the time so it went a long way and then with that there was a bank start it started with the cultural exchange we had spots and exhibitions they had the Laros group they had the Fédons from Babono and this really attract the eyes of the public in the French country so after this every year they send in their invitation for the group to have a summit tour so we continued doing the summit tour as an exchange as a yearly program but I have to say heads up to the members because with the pride using their own money to get the national costume the jeep where they parade and display the St Lucia culture in the French countries and hence the reason that they should be part of it which is like Guadalupe, Cayenne and the other countries where did agriculture come in but I know it came in into the old melee and I remember they came to St Lucia and we hosted them as the Ministers of Agriculture and from there they had this relationship well the agriculture came in when we were invited to offer agricultural in with your pilots as delegation from the St Lucia with the association we participated the first year but I like with me I always like to see things goes well for our country so when they call on us the second year I figure like we should involve the government so hence the reason that we came to the government as usual and then the delegation was we will introduce to you and that is how the delegation end with your pilot for the second time but the time when you went with the delegation it was the second time because when we went the first time we felt we needed more than that it could have been further than that and St Lucia could have benefited much more in fact we benefited a lot I remember we had Viking traders and Baron's Fools who were on that tour with us and from there Baron Fools took off took off and right now Baron Fools is big worldwide because of the data systems I think they gave them over there was an eye-opener because they told them the label had to be revised you know how the back would and also how the fringe so that came along with Baron so I am very happy that St Lucia was able to showcase our value at the products on the markets since then I think products have been on the market shelves in Martinique and I think it's an ongoing thing but moving forward what's happening coming this weekend okay well this coming weekend as you see Territor for say there's only a week formally known as I said certainly see Martinique will be celebrating 32 years in existence in St Lucia so having this celebration it was supposed to have been in 2020 but however due to Covid we had to cancel this celebration we are twinning with association all the cooks from Guadalupe all the cooks so we had the first twinning with them in 2019 so we are now doing the second twinning during our celebration on the 20th 19th up to the 20th of November so we have a very big delegation coming in from the 18th to the 20th how many people expect to come from Martinique and Guadalupe Martinique and Guadalupe we have close to 100 and one of the main activities is to have this street fair where they will be able to view our products again because we have a lot of products on hand right now since then we have had a mango festival we have had a banana festival so there is a lot to showcase and I am hoping that there will be again that discussion when it comes to marketing so I know that the castors constituency council is playing a key role in that regard so Mr. Modest tell me exactly what are you all in that event well the castors constituency council join up with the association so that they can put on this exhibition and twinning arrangements all these things the logistics that we are putting in place so we are expecting the program to come prize of the president of the regional council from Guadalupe we begin arrangements for his transportation and so on we will be arriving on Friday afternoon and we will be between the prime minister so we are facilitating all these things on the ground apart from that the exhibition which will be held in the constitution park we are putting all the fixtures in place for that also and the entertainment part of it also we are arranging so almost everything will be happening within that area of the castries town hall and the constitution park taking in consideration that we would have preferred to have it on Derek Wolcott square but due to the weather and the situation on the ground that we have moved in and I think it would be a good place a place that is always filled up with people there is a lot of traffic there there is a lot of traffic there and the entertainment part where we are going to have our locals and Shanti and Robbie and so on we will be part of the entertainment we have this special guest that we got introduced to from Martinique and the tune if both of us after a week it will be out on the radio on the TV on Facebook and so on that it's really I'm tying in with the theme for this whole production which is Essence of St. Lucia the first set list so everything is there everything is there a group that has a lot of people there are 6 months turmeric balls tablets everything is there so the exhibition a lot of people could say everything is there we come here we come here and everything is there everything is there and each we come here we come here to do an exhibition so everything is there everything is there everything is there everything is there I'm from Europe and from the national to the exhibition so we invite all of these who come here to mix everything and we come here in the morning in the evening in the evening ok I want to see what you are doing let me know I'm here to see the president of the Languado and he came to chat with the secretary he is here to meet the minister to discuss other collaborations because he wants to develop that kind of collaboration we also have the other ones we come here to discuss And then we went to the hotel, and after that, we went to dinner and all of that was closed on Friday night. OK, thank you. When did you start working? On Saturday. I started working on Saturday. On Saturday, I started working on Saturday. On Saturday, I started working on Saturday. And then all of that was done by the participation of the association, the association, all of the association with Martinique, Al underground, all of the companies. So I really wanted to start a company because it's because it has so many opportunities. It's custodial space. I don't have it on me. And they even taught me discussions at the Roundtable Discussions He is the president who has made a contribution to settle here in Ambulance, who is also working here, even some day at the Disney. But even if we don't have Ambulance to help us, he has to make a contribution, he has to make it clear. So, the Fire Service Office, the Prime Minister, and then the Delegation and Scimitar Plans to make it clear, he has to make a contribution because he has the opportunity to make it clear that he has the opportunity to make a contribution to Ambulance. Okay, what's going to happen in the morning is that we, first we're going to have this press conference, press briefing. The Minister of Local Government will deliver his remarks and so on. We're expecting the Prime Minister to be there also at that time. So, we're going to have this short press conference just to, because we also will be having members of the press from Martinique. Some of them are traveling with the council in general and the president and so on. So, all these things will be in place. We'll start there. From there, we declare the exhibition open, which will be in the Constitution Park. And then the activity will go on, the music, the dancing. And I think it's a good opportunity for some of our people that are producing things. Sometimes people have ideas. I know for a fact a friend of mine got an opportunity to, for the first time to exhibit at the Taiwanese train show, you know, and so on. And all the time she was being laid back and things like that. But when you get opportunities, you have to take it. Now, if you're not there to be, to know what is happening and to take part, I mean, you'll just be left behind. So, if sometimes somebody may have an idea, you come there and you'll speak to somebody from Martinique. And the next thing you find that you're in production or in partnership with... Very, very, very good point. I want to continue that point, but we have due for our break now. If you're watching our recreational move, we'll be back soon. Okay. Welcome back to the program, agriculture on the move. And of course, our discussion, if you tune in late, we are talking about the French Association and Saint Lucia having an activity here this weekend. The main showcase is the trade show in the Constitution Park. And it's keeping with our food and nutrition security, which is the mantra of the Ministry of Agriculture. And with me, of course, Mr. Modest from the Castaways Consequences Council, and of course, Mr. Amiel, who is a president of the Association. The Minister of Agriculture, I know he was invited to be present, right? Am I correct, Prime Minister? Okay, so that again, we need to showcase what we produce here. The Ministry's tagline is to eat fresh Saint Lucia's best, because we want to be self-sufficient to ensure that we reduce on our food import bill. So I'm thinking this opportunity, because so far, I have probably about 30 to 35 persons who are going to be exhibiting on that day, because I've given the opportunity to coordinate that aspect of it. And just before I came here, I've been in touch with a number of persons, the agro processors, we just finished a CMOS Festival. We also finished, not too long ago, we had a mango festival and a banana festival. So all of this is a mili-milange, that's what you're going to have here. We're hoping we have to have Viking traders, also Barron's food, hopefully. And all of the new entrepreneurs who are doing their own cottage industry at their homes, we have, of course, our famous Saint Lucia network of rural women from Barbano and also from Miku, of course the Miku dark chocolate, this one. So I'm hoping that there will be market opportunities for our people here. In Saint Lucia and Martinique. You mentioned about other things like the craft from Martinique, also with coming down with some to showcase somebody. Tell us about that. Well, what we have is like the Martinique and Guadeloupe. We have a stand for the Guadeloupe for the French. They will be showcasing a little of, because, you know, with them traveling by air, it's not possible to bring everything. So they will be showcasing a little of their local products as well. OK, maybe not too much to sell, but just to showcase what we are having. And also they will be having the samples as well. They'll be sampling the teapons. And so we'll be able to see and taste the real teapons. Like, you know, we are sampling what they do, but they will be able to do it. And, you know, let us sample the teapons, because, you know, they are famous in the Raman. Definitely, definitely, definitely. Mr. Bodez, moving forward, how do you see the Castevis constituency council and other councils around the island, you know, coming together to ensure that to embrace that activity? Well, after after the cultural presentation and so on, later we're going to have a round table discussion with most of the the mayors from from around the island and those that are coming in from from Martin can go out to look so that we can talk about the the the possibilities that will be around that we can both take part in. So we from there will be able to identify what we can do, what we can we can get from them, what they can get from us. And so so the exchange will rarely start from from that end. So sort of now it's like a testing ground. So we come in together, we have the first test, we check everything, see what you have or see what some of the capabilities that we have in processing. You have so many things I'm sure that we'll be able to identify and work together. So the I think one of the groups from what look specifically asked for this cultural group from that side. Yes, we'll do it. Yes, I don't know. So you will be there, you know, so they'll be part of the entertainment segment down on Saturday. And Robbie will be here. Robbie, Ashanti have Ashanti and we may have one or two others because we don't want to make the thing too long, but at the same time compact that everybody can enjoy, you know, because on Saturday, you know, people are up and about. Correct. So we'll be able to do all these things in in in quick time. And then after that, they will hear from the the the the real juice of of of the Saturday activity, which is the gentleman from Martinique I want to feel. He can show us some moon and moon. Well, I mean, I don't know how to show them. You know, I don't know. Wait a minute, music is a show. And you see, he got the trip. We'll go there to YouTube, we'll go to performance. I feel like I'm going to be a trainee. So I think it's all good, let's just hope that the weather give us some sunshine and everything will be alright. I know you all mentioned about the youth, the youth ambassador, tell us about that. Well there is a youth ambassador to Kuika, that's one of the group that we are twin with as well, between that group from 2016 and he's actually coming down to San Lucia to meet with the youths in order to do exchange with them. We have one of the teachers, it's George from SAFA, that they already contacted her so she will be meeting with them. But they really need to meet with the youths, I'm hoping that they will be meeting with the youths from Babylon. So there's a lot that can happen between the young people and the French countries. And I'm just hoping that San Lucia we will grab the opportunity because a lot of things that we can do, we can learn from them and they too are interested in learning from us. And with regards to that I must say that when we first went to have a meeting with the minister for local government, he didn't know, I don't think, I mean maybe he heard about the association prior to him being in government. And he just grabbed the opportunity, he did not hesitate to call the mayor and said to the mayor, I'm here with Ms. Samuel and Mr. Daniel and I would like you to meet them today, make some time today to meet them because he was really impressed with the project that was presented to him. And I have to say a heart's up to Mr. Robert Lucia-Fedrick because he's a man of his word and he's a man of action. And I'm hoping that we are not going to disappoint him as well as the vendors. His first discussion on TV he said that nobody touched my vendors. And the mayor as well, the mayor for castries, when we went to her, she grabbed the opportunity and said to us, our vendors, our vendors. And I know Mr. Sidney and you know what we can do in order to enhance the product from San Lucia. The role women from Barbono, they have traveled with us on modern one occasion. They've been to Marigala, they've been to Guadalupe, they've been to Martinique. They've been all over because they were introduced to us by Tipo when we went in 2012. So therefore it is nothing new. The president for the association that we attend with, by the time we went in 2019 and did the first twinning, the social art and crafts center they were there and in less than a month they ordered 150 funds from them. In less than a month and they had to go and collect it in Martinique because it was during COVID and there was no transaction. So therefore and they wanted more than that. So they're coming down to do these things. So I'm telling you it is just an opportunity. The market opportunity is there. However that discussion need to be have in the sense that the number of stuff that when I call it embargo they don't want to come into Martinique. I don't know whether in that discussion this time around at your own table discussion that can come to the fore. And I'm sure the minister for local government will attest to that when it comes to our lobby going to Martinique. I think we need to know there are reasons. I don't know the reasons why we cannot ship our lobby to Martinique. But I think maybe this weekend is an opportunity at our wrong table discussion to find out exactly what is the bottleneck that's preventing St. Lucia to ship. You know the lobby to Martinique. Life's stock. It's very simple. It's the same as when you come in from Martinique or French countries. We know about the livestock because we understand about the disease transfer and stuff. But the lobby I don't understand it. We need to have... No it's seafood. And you know the French love lobby. They come down here and they really really enjoy it. But I just want to know why because I don't think we are able to understand the reasons behind it. But so maybe that's an opportunity that we can have around the top. There's always a way around things. If in the sense that if we know for example why they are not allowing it. Then we're okay. Or they will tell you it should be treated in that way and that way. And you know so that you need to bring it in. So there must be a way around. That's what I'm saying. So I'm thinking we need to have that round table talk. You know to understand exactly. Just discuss it. You know to know exactly why it cannot be done. Because I mean we just have to throw away. You understand. And it is being consumed in Martinique and St. Lucia. And as you know St. Lucia. Martinique comes down here and they really really enjoy it. I was about to end any final words from you Madam President. Well final words is like I just have to say thank you to everyone. For the support throughout the years. For our with the association. St. Lucia have really embraced. I know we've helped quite a few people in war. In many things. Okay. But we are now in process of having discussion with the other president. For the cancer society is going to be here. And he's really interested in meeting with the health department. Which we have had a discussion prior to arriving to St. Lucia. So I think it's going to be a lot. And I have to thank everybody and ask St. Lucia to come out. Let the people see that they left the country and come here and we embrace them. It is an opportunity for us to just grab it. And it is not going to be the first. It's not going to be the last. Okay. So thanks very much for everyone who has been viewing us. Boris. Well, finally. I would like to say to all of you who are here. Who have come to the Constitution Park. Some of you who have come. From the beginning to the beginning. To the end. Who have come here. I think this is a good exhibition. Who have come here. Who have come here. That exhibition. It's also a good exhibition. Because you see the people here. And you can hear the people who have come here. And they also come here to see The exhibition. Yes, that exhibition. But I'm not going to be in the exhibition. You're going to be in the exhibition. You are going to be in the exhibition. You are going to be in the exhibition. All of that is going to be done. And I would like to thank all of you. For visiting here. I think it's important to have some time to make sure that the point is right. I think it's important to continue the meeting and to make sure that everything is going well. Actually, I would like to thank Councilor McDonnell, Councilor Phyllis, Councilor Gregory, and the others who have participated in this meeting. Thank you. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being here President and I'm hoping for a successful activity. Thank you very much. You've been watching Agriculture on the Move. Thank you for viewing the program. And remember, Agriculture is our business. It's fresh. St. Lucia's best. The money stays here. I'm Philip Sidney. Goodbye. Thank you. Agriculture on the Move.