Jones: We’ve Cleared The Air

BARBADOS:  Several of the misgivings regarding the Hope Agricultural Institution have been resolved.
This assurance has come from Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, who recently held a meeting with stakeholders at his Ministry’s Culloden Road office.

Mr. Jones met with representatives of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), including its Chief Executive Officer, James Paul, “to consider working cooperatively and collaboratively in the realisation and establishment of the Hope Agricultural Training Institute”.
Acknowledging that during the past month there “were gaps in communication which lead to misunderstandings arising as to the scope and objectives of the project”, the Minister stated that measures have been put in place to prevent further confusion.
He then assured the BAS officials that all information going forward would be shared. “To achieve this, we’ve put in place an implementation committee which has on board several of the stakeholders in agriculture,” he said.
The Education Minister revealed that the committee would comprise representatives from the BAS, the Barbados Vocational Training Board, the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, the Barbados Community College, and the Ministry of Agriculture, among others.
Mr. Jones added that a Memorandum of Understanding would be put in place to “set the parameters as we work together over the coming years”. Earlier this month, concerns were voiced over the repurposing of 45 acres of quality grassland at Hope Plantation in St. Lucy.
The objective of the Hope Agricultural Institution is to act as a partial training ground for students of the Barbados Community College and Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic, as they seek to complete their Associated Degree and Diploma and Certificate in Agriculture programmes.
jamal.weekes@barbados.gov.bb