By ANNELIA NIXON

Tribune Business Reporter

anixon@tribunemedia.net

Cultivation centres in New Providence and Eleuthera are in the final stages of development with Eleuthera's Hatchet Bay location set to be completed by the end of the 2025-2026 fiscal year.

Jomo Campbell, agriculture and marine resources minister, said the New Providence cultivation site is about 95 percent complete, and Opposition leader, Michael Pintard, can expect an invitation to the opening given that he was part of the project.

He added that the centre in Hatchet Bay, Eleuthera, which is about 75 percent complete, was originally earmarked for Grand Bahama. “As it relates to food security, capital development, the construction of two cultivation centres has exhausted the lump sum of those funds," Mr Campbell said. 

"There's one cultivation centre that is presently being completed at GRAC, the Gladstone Road Agricultural Centre. And that is approximately 95 percent completed. And with all fun and jokes aside, it's a building that we're going to be pleased to open, and the member for Marco City will be invited...

"The reason being is that was a project that the member for Marco City was a part of, the cultivation site where you went for the processing unit. It has been renamed. It's the same project. And so I'm saying, an invitation will be extended for the opening. We are 95 percent complete and, in addition to that, there is also a cultivation centre of the very same nature that is now in Hatchet Bay," Mr Campbell added.

"One was previously earmarked for Grand Bahama, but that was moved now to Hatchet Bay. And those two sites have exhausted the lump sum, the lion's share of that. I know the final figure for the one in Hatchet Bay was just shy of $635,000. So those, those two structures are in the final stages.

"The one in Nassau, the one here in New Providence at the Gladstone Road site, more so than the one in Hatchet Bay, but we're working on that one. We're about 65 to 75 percent completed for the one in Hatchet Bay, which was previously earmarked on another island," he continued.

"But the one here for GRAC is 95 percent complete. For the one in Hatchet Bay, we're estimating completion by the end of fiscal year, 2025-2026. The one in Nassau, we estimating completion... I'll check, I'll confirm that day for you.”

Mr Campbell also explained that under the advice of Mr Pintard, he has increased processing and production. The Government is currently constructing a food processing kitchen, while some funding will go towards the animal control unit and “the new Arawak Cay of the South in Golden Gates".

Mr Campbell's comments came in response to inquiries by Adrian Gibson, the Long Island MP, about an allocation "increase from $112,000 for 2024-2025 to $700,000” for construction of buildings.

“Actually, what this is,is, I don't know if you recall, in our mid-term Budget exercise I was advised to ensure that we increase processing. If you're familiar with the presentation of your leader for Marco City [Mr Pintard], he had advised me that we should look to increase processing and production after my response - when I gave my mid-term Budget - as advice to me, which I took.

“... And in following advice, in order to facilitate the processing, what we are now doing is we are in the process of building a food processing kitchen, something that was in one of those black folders. I saw the notations. We are in the process of building the food processing kitchen, and it will be built based on an international code of practice for principles of good general hygiene. And that will go towards the facilitation of processing value-added by-products, the jams that I spoke about.

“You know, jam processing is now also a part of the educational curriculum for the BGCSE and the family life examinations. We did an exercise with the students from Donald Davis to assist them in that. And so this is what we are doing. We take advice for the betterment of the Bahamian people, regardless of where it comes from, Long Island," Mr Campbell added.

"And in addition to that, $250,000 - a quarter million - also goes towards the renovation of the animal control unit which, again, if you had consulted with the leader, he could tell you the state that that was in by the Botanical Gardens because it's nothing new to me. It's nothing new to this administration.

"But we have to be about the business of fixing things. So we're going to fix that to the tune of $250,000... Additionally, the balance of those funds will go towards the construction of the restrooms, the manager's office, and any other building that is necessary for the building and establishment of the new Arawak Cay of the South in Golden Gates.”