est. 2007

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How Money Can Triumph Over A National Strategic Plan For Agriculture

Posted as a comment by John Robert Goddard in his article published in 2001 in Agricultural History figures it was an imbalance between factory and field which set the stage for the collapse of the Sugar Industry. He reckons if I understand it right that there were two factors which were the origin of this…

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Posted as a comment by John

plantationRobert Goddard in his article published in 2001 in Agricultural History figures it was an imbalance between factory and field which set the stage for the collapse of the Sugar Industry. He reckons if I understand it right that there were two factors which were the origin of this imbalance:

  1. One factor “intrinsic” to the industry was the change in the industry’s leadership from factory-owners/planters to purely planters.”
  2. The other factor was a pattern of “questionable” land use decisions taken by government agencies which alienated arable land in unpredictable ways, making it impossible for the industry’s leadership to match factory capacity to field supply.

“In one striking case the two came together when the building contractor, C.O. Williams, became simultaneously the island’s largest landowner and an aggressive advocate of non-sugar agriculture”

“Williams played a paradoxical role during this time. Single headedly he stripped the factory division of 50,000 tonnes (metric tons) of cane supply while charged with guiding the industry as a member of the BSIL board.”

The article goes further:

“The phenomenon of conflict of interest mentioned earlier with regard to the management structure of BSIL, reappeared with regard to the dairy industry as well. C.O. Williams became not only the largest dairy farmer during the 1980’s, but chairman of the island’s only dairy as well. Control of dairy farming and the dairy coincided with upward pressure on milk prices paid by domestic consumers.

According to data compiled by the Llandell Mills Commodities Group, by the late 1980’s, Barbadian consumers were paying five times the price of milk as consumers in other territories. Thus the reallocation of cane lands by the C.O. Williams Group reflected price structures distorted by monopolistic practices rather than longer term economic trends.”

We look on in shock and awe as agricultural land is concretised without realising that this result was set in train by decisions taken years ago. The article published in the Agricultural History in 2001 by Robert Goddard is worth reading.

  1. David Avatar
    David

    We believe this comment is an important one. We agree with Ready-Done in an earlier comment on another blog that we can easily become immerse in discussing about the problems at the expense of looking at a way forward. What we find interesting in this comment is the strong external forces characterized by monopolistic behaviour and money and how it can/does influence government policy.

    Thanks John for your meaningful contributions on these matters.

  2. General Lee Avatar
    General Lee

    As you drive around Barbados, St. Thomas, St. John and St. George especially, there are large tracts of land growing wild bush and grass.
    These former plantations will remain idle until the owners get planning permission to develop them, as “land don’t spoil” and these owners can afford to play the waiting game.

    Punitive taxes should therefore be levied on this unproductive land, that makes it extremely difficult for these owners , even with the deepest pockets, to continue this practice.

    How else can we convince large land owners that they should produce something other than condos, villas and golf courses?

  3. Poor great Avatar
    Poor great

    General Lee wants CLICO as one the largest landowners in St.John to have to work the land? (and probably make a loss). He like he mad.

    What do the nationalists on BU think about Donald Trump owning Sam Lords Castle? Oh those nasty foreigners, when will Owen Arthur stop selling Barbados land? …oh wait Arthur ain’t in power no more! wuhloss.

  4. General Lee Avatar
    General Lee

    Poor great
    Have you ever marveled at how after the election results reveal that a new Government has been elected, the very next morning the country carries on as if nothing major has occurred?
    The point is, people know deep down that politicians are basically all the same, so it matters not that “Arthur ain’t in power no more” for, to whom it concerns, it is business as usual.
    Notice that the people who were making money then are the same people making money now and those who were sucking salt, now realize that they had only just begun.

  5. Poor great Avatar
    Poor great

    Wuh foolishness you writing about politicians all de same? Wuh every ting Arthur do is de work of de devil. Thompson is de nearest ting to de second coming! I tell my frens dat nobody could cut up agricultural land widout approval of two thirds of parliament. It say so on page 42 of the DLP manifesto. My buddies tell me to wake up and stop talking pup.

  6. David Avatar
    David

    @John et al

    Please use this blog to comment on any and all factors which is/may affect land policy in Barbados.

  7. Sir Bentwood Dick Avatar
    Sir Bentwood Dick

    Basically, agriculture and by extension, both Barbados’s heritage and Barbados’s future real and economic viability, have been placed posterior up, on the table, for a jolly hard and enthusiastic ramming.

    It continues to be so.

    That is it in plain terms.

  8. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    lol, Sir Bentwood Dick, you is live yup to your name. lol.

    About land use in Barbados, we don’t really got much land to use, so in the broad terms we going to have to be more productive with the land currently in use, and be very wise with future land use. This is regardless of what the land is used for, wither it be housing or agriculture.

    For one, with proper enforced building codes why couldn’t we build residential 3 stories houses? it would effectively house 1/3 more population on the same land space. Or proper roadways instead of just putting a road were ever ya feel like?

    Like every thing else money is the driving force of the current land use dilemma, like general lee suggested Taxes should be aimed to make letting agriculture land sit idle detrimental, and yet virtually nonexistent if in production.

    I believe the current tax structure, at implimentation was put in place to make the agriculture sector surive. But now it must be changed to make the sector work.

    If the Plantation owners say they cant afford to operate, they should be encouraged to lease some of the land, in a way similar to how land for the landless operates.

  9. General Lee Avatar
    General Lee

    Today we are reading that a hotel, 250 villas and a golf course will be planted at Lancaster Plantation sometime in the future.

    Apparently no one informed this billionaire, before he signed on the dotted line, that there was a policy that prohibited the removal of land from agricultural production and that, even though permission was granted for his other property, he should not assume it will be business as usual. 😉

  10. Checkit-out Avatar
    Checkit-out

    Can anyone (eg. John or BU) post the URL for getting a copy of Robert Godard’s 2001 Article in Agricultural History? I’ve tried googling it but with no success so far. It seems that his article should have very valuable insights as to the reasons for the purported “decline” of the planter class.

    Last time I looked there were no observable signs to me of any such decline but I probably did not look hard enough.

  11. Poor Great Avatar
    Poor Great

    General Lee

    the main philosophical and strategic response to the economic challenges faced by the present Government is called the “Team Barbados” approach. As PM Thompson said in the recent budget presentation:

    “We must also be clear as to what we are marketing. We are not just marketing hotels and sand and sea or tax breaks, we are marketing “the Barbados experience” which
    includes all that the entire Team Barbados has to offer in terms of our environment, our friendly people, our international business services, our high quality of life, our cultural
    services, our tourism experience, our educational standards, our infrastructure, our history, our reputation and our good name. What Team Barbados is marketing is
    Barbados – a country that wants to succeed and do even better.

    We must maintain our presence in the marketplace and make our marketing more impactful and efficient. We have increased the Budgets of the Tourism Authority and Invest Barbados significantly for the task.”

    Further PM Thompson stated:

    “We must encourage our Diaspora Networkers to help in marketing our country. Many Barbadians living overseas ask me, “how can I help?” Every Barbadian everywhere and anyone interested in the success of our country anywhere must be brought into the Team Barbados Network. We must use every conceivable device including formal and informal communications like Facebook, blogs, you tube and so on to invite visitors and investors to see Barbados as their place of opportunity and enjoyment.”

    Now think carefully about not removing land from agricultural use. Can you see the difference between this administration and the previous one?

  12. Checkit-out Avatar
    Checkit-out

    I found and downloaded Robert Goddard’s article through Google Scholar but it costs $10.00 US.

  13. General Lee Avatar
    General Lee

    Poor Great

    Comprehension was not my favourite subject while at school, so forgive me if I see no difference in land use policy.

    Pretty words, describing an ugly painting, does not make the painting better looking to those who can see.

    Like I said earlier, business as usual.

  14. Poor Great Avatar
    Poor Great

    General Lee

    don’t doubt yourself, yuh can comprehend very well. De present Guvment sees the salvation of Barbados in getting “visitors and investors to see Barbados as their place of opportunity and enjoyment.”!! The previous administration just wanted visitors and investors to see Barbados as their place of opportunity and enjoyment …. but dey dint have no name fuh this. Big difference!! Yuh dun know.

  15. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    Checkit-out, now share Goddards article it with us. E mail to David.

  16. Checkit-out Avatar
    Checkit-out

    I sent a copy of the pdf file to BU. Enjoy!

  17. David Avatar
    David

    We have the Goddard document but now we are placed in the awkward position of having to make public a document which is being sold?

    Not sure if we feel comfortable posting it!

  18. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    Agreed David, maybe someone can contact Robert Goddard and ask his permission. Or better yet ask him to e mail to BU.

    John, what exactly is “Agricultural History”? Is it copyrighted or available for public dissemination?

  19. Checkit-out Avatar
    Checkit-out

    David

    As I indicated in my email to you. It should not be posted. The article is copyrighted.

    The best bet would seem to be to contact Robert Goddard and ask him for permission for interested persons to have some access to it through BU’s email. By the way, I paid for two copies, one of which you could consider is the one I sent you.

  20. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    David don’t brake the law.

    I would like to see the document as well, usually the disclaimer says you can distribute a document once you don’t sell it and you must let the source be known.

    So if you can distribute for free, send it to me please.

  21. David Avatar
    David

    Thanks again Checkit-out!

    We had a read of the document which is revealing indeed.

    A point which the author raised which may not be directly relevant to this discussion is the lack of leadership by the government during the period when the management of the sugar industry became unbalance i.e. factory/planter vs field players within the management of the sector. The government had to guarantee Sugar Bonds for millions yet the BSIL Board given its flawed composition was allowed to make decisions which saw the industry taking debt at a distasteful rate.

    The nail in the coffin we agree was when Sir COW Williams was allowed to purchase several plantations and switched many of his plantations to non-sugar agriculture. it sounded the death knell for many factories because they lacked the throughput to be profitable.

  22. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    Now we got to see if a hotel, 250 villas and a golf course to be planted at Lancaster Plantation would be better for the island, not just now, but for the next generations. and Team Barbados.

    He is doing one good by building a water Tank, to hold water for the golf course.

    But I thought this was mandatory, it should be.

    There should be lots of government enforced measures put in place to minimize the impact on the environment. And the strain on the countries infrastructure.
    Surely that water could also be used to flush the toilets with etc…

    We must also be clear as to what we are marketing, the Barbados experience, or should i say ‘big investment’ in Barbados should know that in order to be accepted here, they must promote ‘green’ building techniques and technologies throughout the process.

    That ya got to respect we land and team Barbados if ya want to live here.

  23. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    Small notice that was published in the press early to mid May.

    PUBLIC NOTICE – Pickering Development –The Public is invited to attend a Public meeting Wednesday June 10th @ 7:30pm at North Stars Cultural and Social Club, Crab Hill, St. Lucy to discuss the proposed residential and commercial development at Pickering, St. Lucy.

    Copy of EIA can be viewed at Town Planning, North Stars Club, Post Office Benthams, Crab Hill Police Station, Speightsown Library.
    ————————————————–
    Some info from EIA
    According to the EIA application is to convert 180 acres of agricultural land (96 @ Broomfield & 84 at Springhall) to residential, hotel, commercial, heritage and community.

    Breakdown as follows:

    Commercial 14.82 acres
    Residential 118.06 acres
    Heritage 12.94 acres
    School 3.19acres
    Open 14.86 acres
    Agriculture 5.52 acres
    Infrastructure 9.03 acres

    The person who checked says that as far as they could see the EIA did not say who the applicants were but they may have just missed it. I think this unlikely because any EIA I have seen will say up front who the applicants are. If this has been omitted I consider it a serious omission.

    Anyone knows who owns Broomfield and Springhall?

  24. John Avatar
    John

    … I think Evelyn Greaves, former DLP Cabinet Minister and senior union man owns Pickering Plantation but could be wrong … maybe a group but always hear his name mentioned with this development.

    Think Sir COW lives at Bromefield, probably owns it too.

    Springhall, …. I think the GOB owns that one and has leased parts to small farmers for years.

    Did not realise the development took in lands of SpringHall and Bromefield as well.

  25. John Avatar
    John

    Spring Hall and Pickerings are adjacent to one another but if my memory serves me right, Hannays, Trents and Bourbon separate these two from Bromefield.

    Interesting that the three are lumped together.

  26. John Avatar
    John

    Trents was once the scene of confusion between a BLP MP of the day, and the DLP.

    Seem to remember there was even a march.

    That was probably back in the 1980’s.

  27. E I GRANT Avatar
    E I GRANT

    Time for a march now ! walooss waloss,
    I din know till today dat DEMS owned plantations too. And UNION man too!
    I thought that to own plantation was sin and terrible wrong against the citizens of the country, for black citizens should only be toilers of the land. Tings changing bosie cant belie ve my eyes.

  28. Kitty Avatar
    Kitty

    General Lee wants CLICO as one the largest landowners in St.John to have to work the land? (and probably make a loss). He like he mad.
    ______

    This is such an assinine statement. General Lee, you got a real problem though. Are you another BLP lackey with nothing to say and who hopes that everything fails so that the criminals the Auditor General speaks about can come back to rip us off?

  29. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    I have to wonder. Can one easily find such a large piece of land for sale that is not a plantation?

    And if not, what is the type of taxes put on changing it from agriculture to non-agriculture land?

  30. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    Ready-Done, there is no tax in changing the classification just the cost associated with the application, EIA etc.

  31. John Avatar
    John

    Ready Done

    I think the answer to your question is in the legal definition of a plantation which I do not know.

    I have seen wills which refer to “my plantation” and the land in question is only a few acres.

    If Mr X buys 100 acres of land from say Staple Grove, or Pickrings or whatever other plantation, does the 100 acres become Mr. X’s plantation?

    I think in the past it would have become known as a plantation, now I am not so sure.

    I would guess that the sale of 100 acres belonging to a plantation now, whether for agricultural or non agricultural use would require TCP permission to subdivide.

    But since many plantations are made up of smaller plantations, eg, until 1780 Maxwell Plantation was comprised of two plantations, in theory it should be possible to sell a plantation which is part of another plantation without going through Town Planning.

    Your question I think is not as straightforward as it would appear and it becomes more complicated by what the man in the street thinks of as a plantation …… which is not necessarily what a plantation used to be.

  32. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    I assumed that is were the root of this problem lies.

    NO taxes for changing from agricultural to non-agricultural land? this is unbelievable, taxes should be put on this process to make this practice at least as ‘expensive’ as if buying non agricultural land to begin with.

    This is a outrage.

    These savings are not even passed on to the homeowner.

    Their has to be a difference in legally defining a ‘plantation’ that is 2 acres from a ‘plantation’ that is what the average bajan calls a plantation. If their isent someone needs to get to work.

  33. Ready-Done Avatar
    Ready-Done

    John let me get this strait,

    I own plantation X witch is 1001 acres and it is compromised of many smaller plantations the smallest of which is a ‘house spot’ on 1 acre- in theory i can sell the other 1000 acres with out town and country being notified?

    What is the significance of avoiding town & country? and what is TCP?

  34. John Avatar
    John

    If there is such a plantation in existence, I guess so!!

    It is only from the 1960’s that the Town Planning Act came into force. I have come across something referred to as the “Executive Committee” which seems to have had some sort of control on the sale of land.

    TCP = Town and Country Planning, sorry.

    Owners of plantations routinely left a few acres to their “deputies” and their children from early on, no permissions required.

    People returning from Panama in the early 1900’s bought lots on the Bay Estate probably with no control.

    A land owner was able to sell freely as far as I can determine prior to the 1960’s.

  35. John Avatar
    John

    Subject to correction, in St. Peter there are two small plantations which are a part of Portland Plantation, one is Meanwell (15 acres), the other Small Hope (35 acres).

    I think a plantation formerly known as Adventure (68 acres) is now a part of Castle, also in St. Peter.

    Every parish has examples.

  36. Mike Ashby Avatar
    Mike Ashby

    @ Nostradamus

    What are the options or alternatives for land-use/ management for the land of concern as outlined in the ‘EIS’?

  37. David Avatar
    David

    Found this document online and thought it interesting. Seems to be written by the man of the moment Lindsay Holder.

  38. Straight talk Avatar
    Straight talk

    Oh no David.

    Just when I was warming to the guy, you expose us to this carbon footprint stamped upon crap, and back down he goes to an establishment apologiser.

  39. Nostradamus Avatar
    Nostradamus

    @Mike Ashby
    Not sure I understand your question but here goes.The EIA makes the case that the owners of the agricultural land in question have been consistently losing money in sugar and the water resources are not available for alternative irrigated agriculture.

    The only option is housing and commercial development. Let me make it clear that I am not for or against the development, I simply do not have enough information. Hopefully the process set out in the PDP 2003 will be followed and then the issue will be properly ventilated and all will have a chance to contribute.

  40. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    @ST
    ..so what are you telling me ST, just because a man can see the obvious folly in the BLP led immigration policies he went up in your estimation?

    ..man what estimation what?!?

    ST, the man was a chairman of BADMC… the single worst run organization this side of the great flood… and that ethanol proposal was particularly ill conceived….. I would not be surprised if that paper was THE basis for the proposed ‘project’ LOL

    ….try and be more discriminating with your estimation do… LOL

  41. sandra king Avatar
    sandra king

    i have one question to put to you lot what about setting up a monthly offshorse or a creidt saving for bajan london who not working and can buy a house or despoit of 65.000 dollars or open a saving investment in londo and tranfers it weekly to barbados account for to with visa and those with out visa for london who will love to buy a house in barbados.

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