by Linda Straker
- St Clair was recently elected to represent farming and fishing communities
- Board of GTA without representation from agriculture and fisheries sector
- Food represents roughly 30% of total tourist expenditure
Senator Roderick St Clair who was recently elected to represent the farming and fishing communities in the Upper House of Parliament, wants the 2 sectors to have a representative on the Board of the Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA).
“Our farmers and fisherfolks are disappointed by the fact that the Government has appointed an 11-member Board of the Grenada Tourism Authority without representation from the agriculture and fisheries sector,” St Clair in a news release issued on Monday, 23 November 2020.
He said that the appointment of the new Board on 1 November 2020 in accordance with the Grenada Tourism Authority Act, took place even as the Minister for Tourism previously called for deep connections and strengthening the bonds with agriculture, during her speech to observe November Tourism Awareness Month in the region.
“Food represents roughly 30% of the total tourist expenditure, which implies that there is vast potential for farmers and fisherfolks in Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique to benefit if there is inclusiveness at the highest tables in the agro-tourism value chain,” said the release.
“Deepening the connection and bonds means being part of the team that matters and getting to contribute live and first-hand at the policy level. It doesn’t mean sitting on the bench and cheering from the side as bystanders,” St Clair added.
In a September 2019 workshop held to develop Grenada’s agro-tourism policy, Modeste explained to the participants that “the marrying of the 2 sectors (tourism and agriculture) will not only provide benefits for farmers and fisherfolk, but will also be beneficial for the development of the tourism product.”
At the time, the Tourism Minister said: “Tourism has deep connections to other critical sectors such as agriculture, energy, fisheries, entertainment and craft.” She went on to say, “In the future, I would like to see the bonds between these 2 sectors deepen as we seek to provide healthy, fresh foods to our residents and visitors,” St Clair recalled.
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Seriously! You want fishing and farming to be representatives of the board of tourism? How would that possibly benefit the tourism product of this nation. Do people have Grenada high on a list pf must see places for Agro-tourism? Next we’ll be suggesting that hotels have representation at the Grenada Co-Operative Nutmeg Association because some of the hotels sell nutmeg to tourists and should have a say in how its grown.
Please, lets have the subject matter experts and the stakeholders in relevant and associated industries develop strategies for development and growth as opposed to invite all and sundry and create a right ruddy mess!