Rayon Dyer, Gleaner Writer

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton.

Black River, St. Elizabeth

Come next year, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is to be reformed to serve farmers in a more broadbased way, according to Dr. Christopher Tufton, Minister of Agriculture.

He was speaking at the official opening of the Pedro Craft shopping complex and My Choice Supermarket and Wholesale in Pedro Craft, St. Elizabeth, on Saturday.

To the more than 200 persons in attendance at the ceremony, Dr. Tufton said, "Come next year, you will see a new look for RADA that would be geared towards doing a lot for the farmers across Jamaica."

He said that a current assessment of the agency suggests that there would, in the near future, be a need for more extension officers and more specialised expertise coming from the extension officers, as well as training and retraining of the extension officers. These requirements, he said, will be critical in the delivery of technical services by the agency.

The Agriculture Minister also noted that the people of Black River would get a new market come next year, with additional facilities for fish vending and vending areas for fresh produce, among other things.

Providing employment

Also in attendance at the ceremony was newly-elected Mayor of Black River, Jeremy Palmer, who lauded the management of the Pedro Craft shopping complex for choosing the area. He said such a development would go a far way in providing employment for many residents of southern St. Elizabeth.

"I want to encourage all the people in the area to support these businesses. This is good for the community and the development has come in a very timely way to the parish," Mayor Palmer said.

The establishment of the shopping complex and My Choice Supermarket and Wholesale are the brainchild of businessman Norman Horne and his brother Manley Horne.

The Horne family invested some $200 million in the community to realise both the supermarket and the shopping complex.

More than 100 jobs, both direct and indirect, are included among those created.

In a statement read by Deanall Barnes, Mr. Horne said the establishment of the shopping complex and supermarket were the beginning in the creation of a one-stop shopping experiencing for the people of southern St. Elizabeth.

"This vision is about job creation, it's about market opportunity for farmers of fresh produce in this community," the statement read.