Food plan for Trinidad and Tobago

THE EDITOR: If Danny Montano’s food plan had been taken to Cabinet for approval it probably would have made headlines and generated debate for a few days. After that it would have been back to high prices at the market and grocery stores. What we need is a practical initiative like the food plan that existed during 1986-1991. That food plan involved the rehabilitation of abandoned estates and using the thousands of unemployed in growing perishable and long-term crops. Truck loads of produce came out from Lopinot, Diego Martin, Caroni, Tamana and Cumuto. The production of food crops was the first stage.

The next stage in the plan was to have large storage facilities for seasonal crops such as peas and sorrel so that these goods could be had right through the year. The construction of these had started. During that time local preservatives hit the supermarket shelves. Up to today diced pawpaw is a ready alternative to imported raisins. Further, during that glorious time of food, experiments were done in potato and wheat cultivation. It was found that these two staples could grow in Trinidad. The results are there at CARDI. The diversification of Caroni lands had also begun around that time. Caroni still has the potential to satisfy the nation with what it needs in agricultural produce.

Today, how serious are these Cabinet plans when it comes to actual food production? A four hundred square foot patch of grass at the corner of Lopinot Road and the Bus Route has seen no less than six fortnights with gangs of 12 persons. They have produced marigolds and lantanas. These “crops” are beautiful but not edible. The saving grace of this Cabinet plan that pumped a quarter million dollars by this big drain near the Bus Route on Lopinot Road is two plum trees that were stuck in the ground and should be getting ready to flower by now. If only the energies and monies so wasted had been transferred to planting vegetables on the same patch of land, a small effort would have been made in tackling our present food dilemma.

Better yet, some passing landowner would have even been inspired to plant four acres of vegetables to benefit the same CEPEP workers. If both PNM and UNC governments were interested in agriculture we all would have been better off today. Trinidad must know that it is only through a serious commitment to hard work, initiative and the constructive use of political power will we be able to get out of the frightening morass we are in. This oil boom is the very last for us — when we can’t afford to import food, what will people do? As a population that has been exploited time on end, the time is ripe for us to remind ourselves, our neighbours and friends of the past instance when serious efforts were made to provide cheap, plentiful food for all. And it was achieved. That was 1986-1991.

JEROME CHAITAN
Lopinot Village
Arouca