The government has announced plans to move ahead with the clearing of plots of land on Friars Hill Road in the Dunbar estate area for a new housing project.
Addressing the issue during Thursday’s post-cabinet media briefing, Ambassador Hurst stated, “I am certain that the cabinet would tell them to do whatever they must do in the time period that is left, but we’re going to build houses there, and we’re no longer going to use it as an experimental station.” He emphasized that a brief timeline for equipment removal would be given to affected farmers, who remain government employees.
Acknowledging the relocation of experiments outside of St. John, Ambassador Hurst responded to resistance, suggesting there might be more suitable places for experiments. He highlighted economic considerations, stating, “We think that there might be better places in which to undertake experiments. We certainly know that 10 pounds of potatoes or sweet potatoes could not yield any more than maybe $200, even if they yield at $500. It still compares poorly to the cost of a house.”
The impact on farmers and ongoing agricultural research is now a focal point of community discussion.
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In the hills are where HOUSING PROJECTS belong.
This is simply PPP – Piss Poor Planning!
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
Dear ABLP, less talking and more action.
Talk is cheap, Antiguans have had 40-odd years of it now.
STOP THE JIBBER JABBER – WE FED UP WITH IT!
Common sense is an obsolete term with these clowns. @Ras Smood it is as simple as you suggested; build on the hills and use the flat land for agriculture. Look at the location of all the colonial estates; Chicken Hill, Parham Hill, Donovans,Betty’s Hope, Sanderson; the white man built these on hills and used the arable lands for sugar and cotton. Why these dumb a$$$$ don’t see that? You can just bet they are at the heart of some kick back.
Max Hurst just runs his mouth without any proof. Christian Valley is deserted for the most parts; the others are non-functional. What the hell is he talking about?
I can only wonder what Antiguans who voted this dunce, greedy corrupt government back into power were thinking. They were NOT thinking. Now I have to suffer with them.
The vilified IMF that the DAWG said he would never go to and the Labourites and Gastonites deem a deadly sin, has come to the fore because of the mismanagement of the country’s finances.
Look how the DAWG has gone crawling back, cap in hand, to the IMF, returning to his own vomit!
@Watching…it’s not just building, on the hillsides.
The three(3) basic staples of HUEman life, as in #food, #shelter, #clothing still apply to us HUEmans, as we march towards infinity!
In respect to food and shelter, they have to be conceptualised, designed, implemented simultaneously.
Water which is vital to both food and shelter has to be prioritised, and even more so, in a drought prone Nation, as Antigua, Barbuda & REDONDA.
Utilizing the hillsides for both food and shelter, while leaving the flat lands to serve other purposes, such as, Agriculture with research facilities.
Designing housing developments on the hillsides, allows for better infrastructure which once swailed properly will send run offs from the rains into storage areas from small lakes to water catchments designed, as green spaces to preserve and enhance, our fragile flora and fauna.
In addition, sewage collection and recycling for potable water(used for agriculture as well) are better suited on slope hills utilizing their natural run offs.
Another advantage, to buildijg, on hillsides, because we are proned to hurricanes, the orientation of buildings, to deflect the wind also comes into play.
Give thanks for #reasoning.
Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere C. Edwards
@Watching.
Nothing more to add. You have done a good job in your post with perhaps one little caveat; you mentioned the word ‘ commense
word ‘ commonsense’ in the same sentence with this bunch of knuckeheads. The more I read and see the video of the uprooting of plants and vegetables on this site, the more I despair; words fail me. If Gaston Browne isn’t the worst prime minister to have burdened Antigua and Barbuda then would someone please tell me. You mentioned our ‘ visionary’ Prime Minister, ah well, has gone back cap in hand to the IMF; can this be true, is it for real or just a New Year rib tickler? You must be joking.
‘commonsense’ not commense(????)
@Ras Smood, excellent info boss, just excellent. Sure you don’t want to be an advisor to our defunct town and country planner?
I don’t think thoughts of growth and expansion ever entered the fray. We know this government doesn’t plan. They just talk to appear relevant then when it fails, they are too arrogant to admit their errors.
But, the people got the government they deserved.
Big up.
Watching, ah wah ah guarne?! Hope ebrie well, #blessed and #irie, positively and with positivity, no doubt!
I n I, can appreciate the positive vibes, regarding my thoughts, in the reasoning.
I will guarantee you @Watching, and any other HUEman thru the ESSENCE of Nature’ Ether, known as god to include, any other #given_name, it would not cost my People, of this beautiful Nation, my beloved a farthing much less a penny, in any form of salary. All they gotta do, is offer me some tamarind, mangoes, yam(which by the way, you plant in may – yam🔂may), potatoes, amaranth(spinach/calaloo) etc! I’ll take plant those too myself!
Over this, once in a life travels to this realm, I’ve physically returned to my beloved Wadadli, and offered my thoughts, ideas, abilities to capabilities with one simple thought; and this is, money(in whatever form) doesn’t pay me. The knowledge, wisdom and humility, of my being does.
I’ve being positively blessed, by the ESSENCE of Nature’ Ether and I’m simply sharing some of these blessings with my people!
If Mr. Flax or whomever was the Moderator(s), for the Yahoo Group: A Antigua Me Cum From decades ago would have a snap shot, of possibilities for St. John’s! They said, it was too futuristic and would cost too much.
I smile, out of pain to witness what has become of St. John’s, to some degree; because, as a major transshipment hub, in the never changing TRIANGLAR TRADE ROUTE – Africa to Europe to the Americas back to Africa, our vital infrastructure should be in better shape.
So, yes @Warching, my Nation. owes me nothing. It has given the joys and happiness, of being born in such a fantastic place, in this dispensation, as a HUEman, therefore, outside of the genes which I inherited, t has given me a Sense of Purpose, beyond measure. It’s similar to what the Black pineapple 🍍takes from the soil, to make it, so #Smood and tasty.
Jumbee Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦶🏿Garrat_Bastard
Vere Cornwall Edwards
A significant and critical part of Antigua’s agricultural system faces an uncertain future resulting from the Government decision to use these prime agricultural lands for housing development. We are literally burying Agriculture and ruling it out of the country’s development in the future.
Prime farm lands is land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food and other agricultural crops with minimal inputs of fertilizer, pesticides and labour and without intolerable soil erosion.
Farming is central to our economy and we cannot on one hand encourage farmers to grow more food and continue to limit them by removing prime agricultural lands and use them for housing development.
No one is against increasing the country’s housing stock but there are many other areas that are more suitable for housing development.
At this rate, Antigua and Barbuda would soon become a country of imports and not being self sufficient in even the root crops that we should be producing .
This is a poorly thought out decision and the government needs to rethink its decision.
only a certain few will be able to get a house there.
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