Despite urging from the animal's handler to go at a faster pace, this patron was quite tentative as he enjoyed a donkey ride. - Photo by Christopher Serju
Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer
MORANT BAY, St Thomas:
While appealing to the business sector for support, Rupert Scott, second vice-president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), St Thomas branch, also wants farmers in the parish to do more to raise the level of its annual agricultural, industrial and food show.
Scott is convinced that if the local farmers come out in high numbers and display good quality crops and livestock, they will attract much more patrons, thus advertisers will be more inclined to lend their support to the St Thomas show, which is the least recognised of all the similar parish events. Having recognised this, organisers this year stepped up their efforts to raise the profile of the show which was held in Morant Bay on Saturday, June 22.
Participants displayed an impressive range of products made from local crops, with one booth showcasing some 16 products from carrot, as well as the wide range of breadfruit products displayed by the 4-H branch, in addition to other innovations as Marcia Baker's guava/pumpkin cheese. However, the absence of a livestock segment detracted from the show.
In fact, this was restricted to a Rottweiler and donkey, both of which contributed to Greater Port Morant's winning effort, with Danvers Pen a close second and Somerset taking third.
Must-see event
Admitting that the show had come a long way over the years, Scott told The Gleaner much still needs to be done to transform it into a must-see event, with the farmers having a key role.
He explained: "A show without our farmers is not a good sign, so we need to urge that they come out (and) from next year onwards, we are going to have a special drive to ensure that farmers are here on the ground to give the show its support.
"Also, you can't have a proper show without the business community supporting you and we need that support now," noted Scott. "Other parishes have been different but I think we need to put more effort into walking with them hand in hand, so we need a closer bond with the chamber of commerce to ensure that the business community is behind us in the shows."