by ADONIJAH

THANKS, but no thanks.

That is farmer and social comentator Richard Hoad's response to the challenge issued, by means of an advertisement, to himself and Dr Frances Chandler to "return the lands at Vaucluse Plantation to profitable agriculture of some sort".

The challenge, issued in yesterday's DAILY NATION by managing director of Vaucluse Michael Cozier, also included "a similar proposal to raise the agricultural operations at Foursquare Estates Ltd to an acceptable profit level".

Despite being "more than tempted to have a go at making Vaucluse bloom again", Hoad stated: "I must respectfully decline Mr Cozier's kind offer as I honestly don't know what I would do with the millions Vaucluse would undoubtedly generate."

He added: "However, I have had phone calls from persons like one who worked at Vaucluse when it was yielding 17 000 tons of cane. Some seem more than willing to accept the challenge.

"Mr Cozier should also take note of successful Barbadian farmers like Michael Pile at Brighton and try to discover how come they got it so right while his group obviously got it so wrong – if indeed 'profitable agriculture' was their goal," Hoad concluded.

Cozier, who is also business manager of Foursquare Estates, stated in the advertisement that agricultural operations at Vaucluse were discontinued "due to accumulated operational debt", while Foursquare Estates Ltd was "struggling to make ends meet from its agricultural operations".