Combating Praedial Larceny and Empowering Farmers

(Excerpts of Senator Israel Bruce’s Presentation at a Public Meeting in Diamonds, South Central Windward)
I want to talk to you about the significant challenges we face in this community. And more importantly, Diamonds, the path forward. A path that you and I can walk together. Let me start by addressing the pressing issues that have plagued our agricultural community.
The Diamonds you and I know has always been a thriving agricultural community. I am alive of the issues that are affecting you, the farmers and agricultural producers right here in Diamonds. I am too much aware that the theft of your produce and your livestock is a problem recurring, recurring and recurring. Many of you have experienced heartbreak of having your hard-earned crops and livestock stolen. This is not just an economic loss to you. It is a personal violation of your rights. It is a blow to your livelihood.
And no farmer should have to endure this problem. I know the problem. But knowing the problem is near not enough. And so, as a member of Team NDP, I come to you tonight not only to identify the problems, but to speak to the prospective solutions to those problems.
When I entered the parliament of St Vincent and the Grenadines as a Senator, this government decided that they were going to get rid of the Rural Constables Program. I suggested to the Minister of Agriculture, the Minister of Finance and the Prime Minister that they were going to make a wrong move. I said the farmers of Diamonds and South Central Windward and St. Vincent and the Grenadines rely on the rule of constables working in tandem with the regular police to help to fight livestock and crops crime. They did not listen to me.
You, the farmers, know that too often you leave your animals sometimes in the field and you are hoping to meet them the next day. I was in ‘Mozambique’ not too long ago, a few days ago and I spoke to a constituent who said to me, “Senator Bruce, I had a goat and I had some men coming to work for me, to help to put on an addition to my house. And the plan was to kill the goat so I could cook something whilst they’re helping me. I got up the morning and Senator, that goat was gone and the one that was even pregnant. That too was gone. They’ve thief everything.”
The problem is that the planters and the rearers are few but the thieves are many. And I am telling you, I am sending a clear message tonight. This is a message for the farmers. That Israel Bruce and the new Democratic Party are here to the rescue. We will develop and deliver a robust plan to combat praedial larceny, as Alan Cruickshank called it thief.
So here is where we go. In the Parliament of St Vincent and the Grenadines, I will pilot a Bill that will make the penalties harsher for those people who are stealing your crops and your animals. I will ensure that we review the farmers ID program so that persons who are not farmers but have farmers ID and they are using the farmers ID to sell stolen goods, I am going to attack that, I’m going to cut it out and I’m going to give farmers a true chance.
Farmers have said, Bruce, even when the police come, it is taking us too long to have a resolution of our problems. We don’t get our justice fast enough. And we have to go and find money to replant. But hear what? Help is coming. Bruce is coming to the rescue. Because we will put in place a Night Court where it will sit to take on matters of praedial larceny so the thieves will come to justice swiftly. Farmers, we’re coming to your rescue. We will use information technology, using the skilled people in our team to ensure that we can track your animals, but we can also track the thieves. Farmers, I want you to know that help is on the way.
I also know that farmers plant but ‘you are catching your nenen’ to find good markets for the things that you plant. I have said to my colleagues on day number two, because the one might be for the celebrations, we don’t plan to celebrate for long, we plan to work. So I get to work on day number two. And the people in the Ministry of Trade will be called to duty. We will immediately explore markets in the region and outside of the region.
I talk this all the time. I travel to and from Tortola, Virgin Islands. When I go to a Rite Way Supermarket, when I go to One Mart Supermarket and the others, I see all kind of agricultural produce on the shelves hardly any from St. Vincent and the Grenadines. We are two hours away.
A representative that has the people of Diamonds at heart will get up off his bottom or her bottom will and go there and look for markets for you the farmers. I am telling you that I am committed from day two my people, to go there and look for market for the farmers of Diamonds and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Bruce to the rescue.
I come through Diamonds as often as I can. And I see the number of young men and women, more men than women, on the several blocks in Diamonds. It’s not because Diamonds people are lazy. I know Diamonds people are not lazy people. The young men in Diamonds are willing to work. And we, we in the New Democratic Party are prepared to seek out quality jobs for you, the young people of Diamonds.