Government is trying to answer the call to put more resources into agriculture, says accountant Peter J. Carter.
In his brief review of the most recent Financial Statement And Budgetary Proposals, Carter told a public forum on Friday that at least two incentives in the Budget showed Government was seeking to respond to the “poignant challenge” from the sector.
Speaking at the Democratic Labour Party’s weekly luncheon discussion at The Auditorium on Friday, Carter, a partner in the firm of PJC Chartered Accountants, pointed to the $3 million tractor cultivation scheme which, though not new, was offering higher rebates for farmers, lowering the factoring threshold from $10 000 to $5 000, and adding credit unions to the list of financial institutions that can participate in the factoring arrangement.
“I think to some extent Government is attempting to answer the call to begin to put more into agriculture, because at the end of the day that is what is required. We have to put more into agriculture; more money, more resources.
“Recently I think there was a particularly poignant challenge to Government in relation to the amount of money it puts into agriculture.
“Perhaps this is an answer to the call,” he told the audience that included agricultural consultant Dr Chelston Brathwaite and City of Bridgetown credit union founder Peter Earle. (RJ)
