T&T: Food baskets' distribution reduced to 400 from 600 each constituency

Trinidad and Tobago: Government has reduced the food baskets distribution to 400 from 600 for each constituency in the wake of a lack in food supplies due to heavy rainfall in the country.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley had earlier announced on May 3 that Government would be allocating $5 million to provide food support for the people of Trinidad and Tobago. A day later, NAMDEVCO had requested Members of Parliament to provide the names of 600 persons in each constituency who will be beneficiaries of food packages which consist of fresh fruit, vegetables and poultry. Later on May 10, a new notification was released by NAMDEVCO stating that the initial request has been revised and that only 400 names were to be submitted by member parliaments. While providing this information, MP for Couva North, Ravi Ratiram said NAMDEVCO claimed that they were experiencing shortfalls, due to farmers being affected by recent heavy rainfall, “Even though we are in the midst of the dry season. There has been no official explanation given by Government as to why these vital packages have been downsized to only two-third of what was initially promised.” This was evidenced by a commitment made by Minister of Finance Colm Imbert yesterday stated during a media briefing that, "The Ministry of Agriculture is committed to providing in this month, 25,000 food baskets. The target is to produce and deliver 25,000 food baskets in all 41 constituencies in T&T so that would be something in the vicinity of 600 food baskets per constituency.”

“Can MP’s expect another letter in the coming days stating that NAMDEVCO cannot even fulfil the revised amount?” Said Ravi Ratiram.

MP said, “Once again, Colm Imbert has proven that this Government cannot be trusted to keep any promises that they make; this is just another mortared layer of failed assurances that the Rowley-led PNM has plastered over our citizens, for almost six years ongoing.”

"I call on the Minister of Agriculture to seek the support of his Cabinet colleagues in ensuring that all watercourses are cleaned and maintained, post-haste, with the start of the rainy season mere weeks away. Once again, I call on the GovernmentGovernment to get serious about agriculture and not let simple upkeep issues unnecessarily stymie agricultural production, planning and output," said MP Ratiram.