THE Trinidad-based conglomerate, Neal & Massy Holdings Limited, which acquired controlling shares in St. Lucia’s largest supermarket and retail chain, Consolidated Foods Limited (CFL) two years ago, will continue to support local farmers who were operating under the CFL brand.
Gordon Charles, a former CFL director, now a Massy Stores (SLU) Limited director, since all CFL stores have been rebranded to Massy Stores, told farmers Wednesday that it is his company’s distinct pleasure to reaffirm the commitment to St. Lucia through continued support of the growth and development of the agriculture sector.
“Massy Stores is proud to be the largest supermarket operator and the largest buyer of agricultural produce in St. Lucia,” Charles said.
Registered farmers under the CFL brand held their first farmers meeting under the Massy Stores brand in the agricultural community of Union under the theme “Committed to working with the farming community”.
Charles assured farmers that their produce will be displayed prominently in Massy Stores, throughout the country.
“We expect the same dedication and fine quality produce as before,” Charles asked of farmers.
Darius Gabriel, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture also spoke in the same vein and hoped that the programme will expand.
“Your participation in a programme in which you have a guaranteed market should help you to plan better, reduce the burden of constantly seeking markets and reduce losses due to the unavailability of markets,” he told farmers.
According to Gabriel, the comfort of having a guaranteed market should help the farmers focus on producing high valued agricultural commodities for the local market, and if feasible the external market.
Government, he said, has signalled its intention to foster a commercialized and entrepreneurial approach to farming and has created an environment to enable the private sector to effectively participate in the development of the agriculture sector.
“One of the approaches being contemplated for the achievement of the subjective is the generation of new opportunities for incoming employment in rural areas by expanding and diversifying agricultural production. In that regard, the Ministry is currently engaged in the finalization of preparation for implementation of the second phase of the very successful fruit and vegetable demonstration and extension project funded by Taiwan,” Gabriel said.
He added that the Ministry is also in the throes of constructing a national diagnostic laboratory for agriculture and fisheries to enable the timely diagnosis of pests and diseases.
The Trinidad based Neal & Massy entered St. Lucia in 2014 by purchasing controlling shares in CFL. At the time of the buyout neither party revealed many details, especially the amount paid to Neal and Massy Holdings Limited for its majority shareholding status in CFL.
However at the time of the buyout former CFL Chairman, Michael Chastanet said that no jobs would be cut.
Neal and Massy is the sole shareholder of the main supermarket located in the Gablewoods Mall and majority shareholder of CFL, which was the operating entity for Consolidated Foods’ retail stores. Forty percent of CFL remains in local hands.
Why does it take an outsider and businessman or corporation to identify the many new business opportunities that St.Lucia offers. Why do our own businessmen fail to see these opportunities? The labor is readily available, exactly why these businesses are interested in an offer. The land for development lies at our feet. The growth for employment and running that business on a true professional level.
The answer is simple. We do not have people with either the knowledge, the skills nor the ability to see opportunity even if that were to strike them in the middle of their foreheads. Ours is still a culture of dance, sex and festivity. We hate and chase out even our own people when they return home and have had exposures abroad censuring us for our laid back approach to life. When are we going to stop being so small-minded living blithely in our common stupidity while our resources are sold underneath our feet? Why we are so happy to become second class citizens in our own country of birth with outrageous things like CIP, never ceases to amaze me. Our government guarantees the debt of so-called investors before a single local job is created. How’s that for idiotic madness?
St. Lucia. All we have to do is simply practice those beliefs that you know are righteous in your hearts and souls. You have been living in that specially selected section where true beliefs are deeply felt within the humans who dwell there. You.
Time to get started. Let us make a difference. Putting our minds together and knowing we contributed towards making a positive change, not caring who gets the credit. But knowing you were part of that change. That becomes reality and the beginning of a new Legacy to us all.
Let us show the world how proud we are to be called St.Lucians…It starts now….I know we can.