Senior Minister urges Marriot to be a responsible partner with the farming community

Hon. Dr Timothy Harris in Parliament

ZIZ News…Oct 6, 2011 – The partnership which the farming community had hoped to build with the federation’s largest hotel the Royal St. Kitts Marriott Hotel has not brought the promised benefits to the farming community, so says Dr the Hon Timothy Harris as he wrapped up the debate on the Cooperative Bill 2011.

Dr Harris said that he regretted that the Farmers Cooperative having engaged Marriott and undertook insurance coverage on the insistence of Marriott as a condition for it supplying local farm produce to the hotel, would later found that Marriott was an uncooperative partner. The Senior Minister and his technical staff met with senior management of Marriott on the matter. Despite the commitments by Marriott, the word of the Marriott came to nought.

Dr Harris said the matter which was pursued by the former Minister of Agriculture is still being considered by his Ministry.

Dr Harris said he was at lost to understand how the largest beneficiary of state concessions, waivers of taxes and duties and a host of other facilitation could not appreciate a need to assist the small farming community.

Minister Harris said while the country welcomes foreign entities and needs them, equally they have to be some buy in by foreign entities to Government’s policy that ways have to be found to empower locals and allow them to share meaningfully in the growth and development of the country.