PHILIPSBURG--President of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams has endorsed Health Minister Claret Connor’s plan to distribute breadfruit trees across St. Maarten and has proposed that the initiative be expanded to include other fruit trees and quick-harvest vegetables.
In a letter to Connor, Wescot-Williams suggested distributing banana, coconut, avocado, mango and tamarind trees, which she said grow easily on the island. She also proposed producing short instructional videos featuring local growers to show residents how to plant and care for the trees. The videos could be shared through social media, schools and community groups to help residents successfully grow food at home.
“This is a practical, down-to-earth step toward food security, and it deserves our full support,” Wescot-Williams said. “Breadfruit has fed our people for generations. We can build on that.”
Wescot-Williams said residents do not need a farm to grow their own food. Her backyard has breadfruit, avocado, banana, coconut and mango trees, as well as a small compost barrel for kitchen scraps. “You don’t need a farm. A yard, a little care and some patience will put fruit on your table.”
She said practical guidance could help residents care for the trees and ensure that the initiative produces lasting results. “A tree handed out is a good start. A tree that bears fruit for 20 years is the goal,” she added.
Wescot-Williams also said she would again take up the issue of vervet monkeys destroying local crops, noting that the problem discourages residents from planting food.
In 2021, Parliament passed her amendment to the 2021 budget, setting aside NAf. 100,000 for the Nature Foundation St. Maarten’s Monkey Management Project.
“Many residents have given up on planting because the monkeys get the harvest before they do,” Wescot-Williams said. “If we are serious about growing our own food, we must address this too.” She said addressing the monkey problem should accompany efforts to encourage residents to grow more of their own food.
