By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Chief Councillor of the Acklins’ district council yesterday criticised MICAL MP and Minister of Agriculture V Alfred Gray for defending the government’s decision to ship cascarilla plants from that island to Andros.

Mr Gray emphasised that cascarilla plants were shipped for research purposes and not to be distributed among Andros residents.

“I am told there are some people who were concerned about that because they felt the bark belonged to Acklins. Well, obviously, a little education will tell Acklins people, and I intend to do that on Thursday, that all of the Bahamas belongs to all Bahamians. The fact that the government wants to use a few bark plants as research for the school in Andros ought never to be personal,” he said.

In response to Mr Gray’s statements, Roston Cox, 44, told The Tribune yesterday that not only did the minister fail to inform Acklins residents about what would be done with the cascarilla plants, but that he has also failed to do anything meaningful for people on the island.

“Nobody took the time to even discuss this with us,” he said. “The minister was quite right that the people of Acklins were misunderstood, but what do you expect when you as a Member of Parliament didn’t even respond to us?”

“The minister fails to communicate with his constituency. He sends stuff out, but he doesn’t show concern for us at all. I am one of those persons who supported this administration but I am also one of those persons for whom the statement ‘you can fool all the people sometimes, but you can’t fool everybody all the time,’ is true.”

Mr Cox emphasized the importance of cascarilla plants to the economy of Acklins.

“Cascarilla is the only thing we have,” he said. “Without it the economy of Acklins is non-existent, so for the government to take the little we have is terrible. Yes, I believe cascarilla belongs to all the Bahamas, but these cascarilla plants were planted here by our forefathers. Discuss their removal with us and show us how we are going to benefit in the long run first. It’s not that we have a problem, but when you going to act like you the king and everybody must be subjected to you, that’s not right.”

Mr Cox claimed that through the island administrator’s office, Mr Gray released a tender earlier this year for people to provide his ministry with 1,000 cascarilla plants.

“Why would you need 1,000 trees to do research?” Mr Cox asked, adding: “The whole community is waiting to see his explanation. We listened with much excitement and awe when he said the cascarilla doesn’t belong to Acklins.”

Mr Cox also expressed disappointment over the destruction of some cascarilla plants on the island when they were being collected for shipment to Andros.

“When you cut them, they will grow back,” he said, “but whenever you root up one tree, it’s like you killing 100 trees because that’s their offspring. It’s so sad to see those who are supposed to be the protector are the ones leading the destruction of the industry. I think the minister doesn’t get what being a public servant is all about.”

The bark of the cascarilla plant is stripped and shipped to Italy to be used as the flavouring in Campari.