Minister of Agriculture, Jose Mai, has taken some criticism after seeming to disregard the stevedores when he said they should find something else to do now that a large percentage of sugar is going to Big Creek.
Well, today he didn't back track on those words. Instead, he clarified that, while he never meant to step on any toes, the hard truth is that that's just what they have to do - find something else. But he said that the government has to help them do just that.
Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"My statement on LoveFM was never meant to offend or to hurt anybody's feelings, I'll be very honest. But sometimes the truth is not always nice. The truth can be brutal at times."
"In 1983 I think it is Libertad factory closed down and we had to find something else to do, the farmers had to find something else to do. In 2015 the papaya industry closed down. 400 plus persons had no jobs overnight and they had to find something to do. So my comments on LoveFM were not meant to be demeaning, they were not meant to offend anybody, it was just the truth and I said again and I say this will all humility and respect to everybody that when things like this happens we have to find something else to do. But my responsibility as the minister for agriculture is to create an environment where everybody can make money including stevedores."
"Right now, we are doing fine with import substitution which is a part of our agriculture policy. We now have to look at ways to earn foreign exchange earnings. That means that my ministry has to go out, find something that we can produce and export so that the farmers, the transporters and the stevedores can make money."
Reporter
"Stevedores feel as though the government disregarded them when they made the decision to send the sugar to Big Creek. The Prime Minister says he wants to meet with the stevedores. Is this something that's also in your plan?"
Hon. Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"I don't have a problem meeting with the stevedores, if that will help. But again, I will tell you something, let us not get sidetrack and let us not get lost in what is being said on the media and so on, talk shows - the government does not employ stevedores, the stevedores are employed by the port. It is the port responsibility to deal with their stevedores. So, I meeting them I have no problem with that, but that won't solve the problem."
