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And while those various forms of support are priority, the real urgency right now is to stop the fires, and multiple seasoned experts tell us told us that there has to be a nationwide stop order for all agricultural fires. The Minister of The Blue Economy doesn't agree though. And here's why:
Andre Perez, Minister or Blue Economy
"It's impossible to see a stop order, we are talking about the north where cane farmers are working that's how they traditionally been doing it to burn their cane so that it can be taken off to the factories. And the traditional slash and burn down south that is done we, it's the time around where the farmers prepare their lands in preparation for the rains that are coming and now looking for the future certainly we have to look at other alternatives in terms of education and not only that but providing alternatives by way of the agricultural department and how to best deal with preparing the lands so I don't see any way how putting a stop order is going to make any difference."
"Certainly we are a as government we are working collectively with everyone and I can tell you of course our international partners have reached out to us by the embassy and we have prepared reports already we have submitted what is needed and thankfully we have friends that are reaching out to us for what is needed so certainly in terms of providing for the livelihoods especially for the farmers who have lost millions of dollars in terms of plantations lost and crop lost. Certainly that is the aim that the department of agriculture will be doing as well."
