Heartfelt congratulations to my colleague and friend, Senator the Honourable Nigel de Freitas on his new role as President of the Senate of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

I am confident that Senator de Freitas would continue to serve our beloved country with humility and distinction. For the last ten months, I had the honour of working alongside Senator de Freitas as he held the portfolio of Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries with responsibility for lands. He has indeed left an indelible mark at the Ministry, having spearheaded many projects, including the digitization thrust. He worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition, understanding the importance of land management and services to the public such as the farmers’ badge registration Programme. Senator Nigel de Freitas also worked to improve efficiency in several operational areas of the Ministry, including our processing systems around land tenure and lease Distribution to long-awaited recipients of standard Agricultural and Residential Leases. He served brilliantly as the Chairman of the Joint Select Committee on the Fisheries Management Bill and was integral to the success of the TT Agri-Investment Forum & Expo II.

Senator Nigel de Freitas’ work ethic, camaraderie and attention to detail are some of his most admirable traits; he imparted and shared his professional knowledge with all. We extend sincere gratitude to his beautiful wife, Mrs de Freitas for sharing him with us for a short but fulfilling time.

On a personal note, I am genuinely heartened to witness Senator de Freitas’ growth trajectory. He is a young man who chose a path of selfless service to his country and people, and his sterling contributions will no doubt continue to inspire other youth.

On behalf of myself as the first servant in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Sen. the Hon. Avinash Singh, the Executive and staff at the Ministry, I sincerely thank and congratulate our former Minister in the Ministry, Sen. the Hon. Nigel de Freitas on his election as the President of the Senate.

May Almighty God bless and guide you as you accept this new role.

Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein
Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein, accompanied by a technical team from the Ministry, conducted site visits across the severely affected farming communities in Aranguez, Orange Grove and Plum Mitan, yesterday (November 30^th, 2022).

Following the adverse weather conditions over the last few days, several parts of the country were adversely impacted by severe flooding, especially our primary producers in agriculture. In this regard, Minister Hosein, along with the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh, Permanent Secretary (Ag.), Mrs. Coomarie Goolabsingh and other key officials from the Ministry were on the ground engaging in discussions with affected farmers, in efforts to address issues being faced, while accepting suggestions for possible solutions.

Some of the concerns raised at the various sites were land tenure issues, regular cleaning of the tributaries and main watercourses as well as infrastructural and repair works. The farmers outlined that continued losses are pushing younger persons away from the sector. After taking note of the concerns expressed, Minister Kazim Hosein reaffirmed, “I intend to work with and for all farmers. I have listened to your concerns and possible solutions and assure you that I will do my best with the help of the technical staff at the Ministry to address these issues. We must work together for the benefit of each other and to ensure food availability for all citizens.”

A recurring sentiment among the farmers from each community was that of appreciation for the visits by the Minister and his team. They further indicated their willingness to work closer with the Ministry in improving local food production and achieving food security.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries wishes to advise that assessments have begun and will continue by the Extension Officers of the respective counties as soon as flood waters have receded across the impacted areas.

 

 

Agriculture Minister says…“Multi-faceted Approach implemented to assist flood-affected farmers”

Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein, empathizes with farmers adversely impacted by the torrential rains which occurred over the past few days. He wishes to inform all those affected that “the Government has implemented a multi-faceted approach involving several ministries and agencies to ensure that all registered farmers and affected citizens receive assistance in the shortest possible time.”

He continued by saying, “I have witnessed the impact of flooding on the farming community and I wish to assure all those affected that this government will mobilize the necessary resources to not only bring relief but also return a level of normalcy and productivity to this valuable sector.”

Minister Hosein reiterated the response provided by the Honourable Prime Minister during the Questions segment in the Parliament on Friday 11^th November, 2022, whereby on the urgent request of the Honourable Prime Minister, a Coordinating Unit was established. This Unit will involve coordinated efforts among the Ministry of Rural Development and Local Government, Ministry of Works and Transport, Ministry of Public Utilities, Ministry of National Security, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries as well as the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Management, WASA, T&TEC, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force, Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service, National Quarries Company Limited, and SWMCOL; all in an effort to lend support to those affected across the country.

The Minister further encouraged all registered farmers to visit their nearest County Offices throughout the country to make their flood damage claims. Farmers are advised that claims should be made to the relevant County Agricultural Offices as soon as possible and / or within ten (10) working days. After the water subsides, an Agricultural Extension Officer will contact farmers and visit their respective holding in order to verify the accuracy of the claims made, following which, the claims will be sent for timely processing.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and by extension the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago remain committed to ensuring that every effort is made to assist all affected farmers during this difficult time.

The following are contact information for the County Offices;

• County St. George West (112 Farm Road, Curepe)

Contact: 662-5127/1886

• County St. Andrews/St. David (El Reposo Demo. Station, Sangre Grande)

Contact: 316-2916

• County Caroni (Lightpole 525, Old Southern Main Rd., Chase Vlg.,)

Contact: 797-2740

 

Regional Administration South (Inverness Ave., San Fernando) – Main Office South

Contact: 225-4727/225-4637

• County St. Patrick East (Ramjattan St., Penal)

Contact: 647-8871

• County St. Patrick West (Cedros Breeding Unit – Reid Rd., Point Fortin)

Contact: 648-2384/1426

 

-END-

 

October 27, 2022. In keeping with the Government’s thrust for the public service to digitize and make more efficient, the quality of service delivery meted out to its stakeholders, the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein, met with the Minister of Digital Transformation, Senator the Honourable Hassel Bacchus and his technical team, yesterday (Wednesday 26^th October, 2022) at the Head Office of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) in Chaguanas.

This meeting sought to apprise the Ministry of Digital Transformation (MDT) of the many initiatives advanced by the Ministry pursuant to its digitization efforts as well as solicit from the MDT, any technical advice and co-operation, where necessary. Among the issues discussed were; the procurement/acquisition of equipment; an upgrade of its I.C.T server and hyper-converge infrastructure; a network change-out and migration; the utilization of drone technology and software that will allow for access to spacial data; legislative reform and; the incorporation of a mediation system to link the Ministry’s data management systems/platforms.

At the culmination of these discussions, Minister Hosein thanked Minister Bacchus and his team for engaging the MALF in this initial exercise as he pledged the full commitment of the Agriculture Ministry in bringing the optimization process to fruition.

Also representing the MALF at the meeting were the: Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Senator the Honourable Avinash Singh; Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (with responsibility for Lands) Senator the Honourable Nigel de Freitas; Permanent Secretary (Ag.) Mrs. Coomarie Goolabsingh; Deputy Permanent Secretary (Ag.) Mrs. Ramdai Sookdeo; Chief Technical Officer (CTO) Dr. Simone Titus; Advisor to the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Ms. Leah Balkaran; and other members of staff including the ICT Manager, Mr. Nigel Soogrim; Manager of Corporate Communications Mr. Dominic Hinds; Senior Land Information Officer Ms. Tricia Melville and Senior Information System Support Specialist Mr. Rondell George.

In addition, were other MDT representatives who comprised the: Digital Transformation Advisor Mr. Devindra Ramnarine; Chief Digital Officer Mr. Wendell Mitchell; Deputy Chief Digital Officer Mr. Wayne Nakid and; Strategic Project Delivery Manager Mr. Anish Roopnarinesingh.

-END-

In delivering remarks, at the University of the West Indies’ ‘Candlelight Vigil for World Food Day 2022’ on Monday 17th October, the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein reiterated the importance of farmers, fisher folk and key stakeholders across the agriculture sector.

During his remarks, Minister Hosein commended the U.W.I. for their continued efforts and support saying, “we remain grateful for the advice and guidance from key partners like the U.W.I. and F.A.O. as we continue to make steps to reduce our food import bill and increase local production across the value and distribution chains”. He further re-affirmed the Ministry’s commitment to ensuring that no-one is left behind in the global fight against hunger, malnutrition and poverty.

Minister Hosein’s key message during his remarks was directed to the perpetrators who continue to steal from hardworking livestock and crop farmers and fisher folk. He issued a stern warning to all lawbreakers and thieves saying, “Grow Your Own Food; Leave the Animals and Crops of Farmers Alone. The price of animals is very expensive so when a livestock farmer loses an animal, he suffers a grave loss. Similarly, when a farmer loses his crops – the damage is debilitating.” The Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries further emphasized saying that all farmers and fisher folk work tirelessly to make an honest living and it is very unfair that lawless individuals would steal their produce and boats among other items.

At the World Food Day 2022 Candlelight Vigil, last evening, Minister Hosein reassured the public that the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) is working closely with the Ministry of Public Administration (MPA) to ensure that the Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS) is adequately staffed and equipped to provide efficient services to farmers and fisher folks across the country, especially in rural communities. Additionally, he stated that the public should expect strengthened joint patrols with the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service (TTPS), Trinidad and Tobago Municipal Police Service (TTMPS) and the Praedial Larceny Squad (PLS) in the farming communities.  

In concluding, the Agriculture Minister encouraged members of the public to report incidents of theft and suspicious activity to the TTPS, TTMPS and the PLS in their respective county.

-END-

The Government has recognized that in order to achieve food and nutrition security, it must continue to focus on improvements to crop quality, especially those varieties tolerant to pests, diseases and climatic changes. So said the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Nigel De Freitas, as he delivered the feature address on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein at the World Food Day Exhibition hosted by the World Food Day National Committee of Trinidad and Tobago (WFDNCTT) on Saturday 15th October, 2022 at the MALF Head Office in Chaguanas.

“Our strategy is to diversify the agricultural sector and enhance our food security systems. In this regard, key commodities have been targeted for development, including: strategic crops for food sovereignty and food security; vegetable crops for higher self-sufficiency; and crops required for agro-processing and the production of value-added products”, he added.

Minister de Freitas further stated that blockchain technology would soon be introduced by the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO). He said artificial intelligence along with geographical information systems (GIS) technologies will be used in establishing a traceability system on the entire food value chain. This initiative will also facilitate the forecasting of production data, with stakeholders being able to access information in real time.

Also speaking at the event were the: Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Ms. Coomarie Goolabsingh; Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Representative to Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname, Mr. Rueben Robertson and Chairman of the WFDNCTT and Director (Ag.), Extension Training and Information Services Division, Ms. Deanne Ramroop.

Today’s event which was held in commemoration of World Food Day (observed on October 16 annually) was themed, “Leave No One Behind: Better production, better nutrition, a better environment and a better life”. The programme included a “live” plant clinic (diagnosis of insect pest and diseases); demonstrations on composting; alternatives to livestock feed; a seed, seedling and sapling distribution; information on natural pesticides and advice on emerging vertical farming technologies. Also participating was the Ministry of Trade and Industry which shared information from its Consumer Affairs Division and TTbizlink Unit.

The WFDNCTT is a Cabinet appointed committee under the purview of Agriculture Ministry with a mandate to create public awareness and guidance on the complex issue of ensuring food security for all. It draws attention to the management and protection of national food systems, the country’s nutritional status, and the right to food and food access for vulnerable and food insecure groups of the national community, based on the WFD theme identified each year.

 

The Government’s commitment to safeguarding the development of the nation’s dairy sector continues to be strengthened through the injection of private sector investment. Such was the prevailing sentiment of the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Senator the Honourable Kazim Hosein on Friday 30th September, 2022, in his address at the official opening of Nestle’s Head Office and Plant-Based Production Line in Valsayn.

In his identification of the Nestle brand as “an integral part” of the food landscape in Trinidad and Tobago since 1914, Minister Hosein lauded the company’s efforts at increasing local dairy production through initiatives such as the Model Farm Development Project in Turure. He said: “Nestle’s passion and persistence in achieving its objectives, are closely aligned with the Government’s vision and the Ministry’s aim to reduce our food import bill and attain food security by increasing local milk production and providing access to sustainable business  avenues for our local farmers.”

The Minister added that he was particularly pleased with the fact that despite the economic and other challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic, Nestle was able to open a new Plant-Based Production Line at its factory which, according to him, will no doubt, create jobs; attract quality, local produce and; diversify its range of product options available to consumers. “I wish to commend Nestle for its commitment and drive in ensuring the progress of the agriculture sector and look forward to our continued dialogue on the sustainability of the dairy sector in Trinidad and Tobago,” Minister Hosein ended.

Also speaking at the official opening and joining Minister Hosein on the tour of the new facilities were the: Minister of Trade and Industry, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon; Head of Market at Nestle Anglo Dutch Caribbean, Mr. Josue De La Maza; and Chief Executive Officer of Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA), Dr. Ramesh Ramdeen.

Ministry opens Hunting Season from October 1^st, 2022

 September 30, 2022:-  The Public is hereby advised of the following:

a) In accordance with the Conservation of Wild Life Act Chapter 67:01, the close Season outlined in the Fifth Schedule is April 1st to September 30th therefore the hunting season is opened throughout Trinidad and Tobago from October 1st to March 31st annually. It is important to note however, that the period for hunting is October 1st to February 28th 2023 which is also the validity of the State Game Licenses (Regulation (2) (d).

b) The month of March is designated for the disposal of all Game Species/Wild meat. Hunting is strictly prohibited (Legal notice No. 116 of 2002).

c) The period for hunting of the Lizard species, Iguana, ends on December 31st and is prohibited within the municipal boundaries of Port of Spain (Legal notice No. 281 of 2019) and (Regulations (6) (1) (c) and (7) (1A).

d) The hours of hunting in any Forest Reserve are from 5:00am until 7:30 pm daily (Regulation (7) (1).

e) The mandatory data form attached to the State Game Licenses must be correctly completed and returned to the Forestry Division on or before May 31^st (Regulation 2 (1) (e) and 2 (3). Failure to comply is an offence which carries a maximum fine of $5,000.00 dollars (Legal notice No. 280 of 2019).

f) Each Hunter is allowed a maximum of three (3) State Game Licenses (Regulation 2 (2). The Game animals listed in part I of the Second Schedule that can be hunted are Alligator or Cayman/ Lizard, Agouti, Armadillo (Tattoo), Deer (in Trinidad only), Lappe and Quenk (Pecary or Wild Hog).

g) Please be advised that the Waterfowl season has been revoked therefore the hunting of Animals listed under Part II of the Second Schedule is strictly prohibited (Legal notice No. 280 of 2019).

h) Cage Birds listed in Part III of the Second Schedule that can be hunted are Cravat or Trinidad Euphonia, Parakeet or Green-rumped Parrotlet and Semp or Violaceous Euphonia (Legal notice No. 137 of 2016).

 

ANIMALS PROHIBITED FROM HUNTING

Any animal not listed in the Second and Third Schedules of the Conservation of Wild Life Act Chapter 67:01.  Section (2).

Hunters are therefore advised to comply with the wild life laws of Trinidad and Tobago. Any breaches under the Conservation of Wild Life Act Chapter 67:01, carry fines of $1,500.00 to a maximum of $10,000.00 dollars (Act 19 of 2018) and any breaches under the Regulations carry fines of $2.000.00 to a maximum of $5,000.00 dollars (Legal notice No. 280 of 2019).

 

RETURN OF MANDATORY DATA FORMS

Mandatory Data forms are to be returned in Trinidad, on or before 31st May 2023, at the following Forestry Division Offices:

1. Damrie Hill, Sangre Grande
2. Long Circular Road, St. James
3. Pleasantville, San Fernando
4. Rio Claro
5. Farm Road, St. Joseph
6. Chaguanas District Revenue Office

Mandatory Data forms are to be returned in Tobago, on or before 31st May 2023, at the:

Division of Food Security, Natural Resources, the Environment and Sustainable Development

Department of Natural Resources and Forestry

Milshirv Administrative Complex,

Corner Milford and Shirvan Road,

Tobago.

 

Mr. Denny Dipchansingh

Conservator of Forests