From left: Commissioner Derrick Simmons, fisherman Malachi Hendrix, farmer Clifton van Putten and ENI director Anthony Reid in front of the water truck.
ST. EUSTATIUS--Small farmers and animal owners in St. Eustatius who have had difficulty accessing adequate supplies of water now have some relief. The public entity St. Eustatius has provided a water truck to the farmers’ cooperative to transport water from various water sources to the farmers and animal owners. At the same time, the fishers’ cooperative has been supplied with a trailer to assist fishermen with the transport of their boats.
Both the water truck and the trailer were financed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Kingdom Relations BZK through the COVID-19 relief package approved in 2020 to help small businesses and other organisations cope with the pandemic.
Director of Economy, Nature and Infrastructure (ENI) Anthony Reid said the truck was one step towards the goal of resolving the perennial problem surrounding water supplies for the farmers, while the trailer has removed a headache some boat owners faced.
“The government of St. Eustatius will continue to work along with the different organisations and civil groups for the betterment of the agriculture sector on the island. We understand that access to water continues to be one of the fundamental limiting factors affecting the agricultural sector.
“The addition of the water truck is not yet the ultimate solution, but isolated and scattered farmers can now have fresh water transported to them,” said Reid. “Fishermen who do not have access to a boat trailer can now have their boats mobilised.”
As part of the BZK relief package, the two cooperatives received assistance to help fund the registration of their businesses and other areas of need. Some fishermen and farmers used this fund to register with the Chamber of Commerce or to cover their annual contributions to the Chamber.
Commissioner of Agriculture Derrick Simons said, “The government is committed to facilitating the local economy and entrepreneurs. Every single step towards sustainable food production and ultimately improved food security is a step in the right direction.”
