Dear Editor,
I am writing in response to: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20200322/coronavirus-and-food-security-caribbean
Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul is yet another in a long line of regional agricultural experts who are pushing for more attention by governments to act on food security across the Caribbean, and while we applaud this focus and she has successfully summarized most of the consistent issues and challenges, her proffered solutions are limited to increasing local production through traditional farming practices.
Increasing food production by local farming has been a consistent theme and is certainly relevant. By providing our local farmers with technical advice, supplies, land, and expertise on climate smart farming methods, we may be able to increase local production to produce higher yields. But the fact remains that you can only grow certain indigenous crops in the limited arable land available in the region, and in the sub-tropical climate conditions we experience here.
Fresh produce imports, on the other hand, are heavily weighted to cold weather crops that are difficult or sometimes impossible to grow in the region, and even then, certainly not on a year-round basis. What limited greenhouse production exists has not been able to withstand the severe weather threats of the region and has been completely destroyed in island nations like Puerto Rico, BVI, Anguilla, Dominica, and others that have been hit hard recently.
The local population and the tourism industry require massive amounts of food every day – not just when the seasons allow for minimum local production, which is why our region is so heavily dependent on imported fresh food. For the moment importation is the only reliable and consistent food supply chain to meet current demand.
If we are going to build food security for the Caribbean region for the long term, we need to also employ new technologies in protected agriculture (CEA). These are systems that do not require arable land, that use very little water, and that can increase yields tenfold over traditional soil-based farming. This food can be grown organically since no harmful pesticides are required to protect the crops in the sterile growing environment, thereby eliminating health risks to consumers. These systems are also now 100 per cent Cat5-hurricane-resistant, which eliminates any risk of crop devastation either by storms, flooding, or drought.
The Caribbean region needs to rethink putting so much emphasis on increasing food production through traditional methods, and start doing what the rest of the world is doing by adopting new food production technologies. As Einstein stated: “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.”
Our company and its world-leading engineering partners have developed the strongest greenhouse system in the world, engineer-certified and insurable up to 175mph sustained wind loads. They can be built very quickly and used to host high-yield sub-tropical hydroponic systems specifically designed to use lower amounts of energy and water. They are designed to integrate our most powerful energy source – the sun – to provide both natural solar energy, and to produce additional energy through integrated solarPV systems. A 100,000 sf greenhouse would produce over 1.2 million pounds per year of assorted lettuces, leafy greens, and fresh herbs harvested on a regular weekly basis. High yields in all vine crops including tomatoes, peppers, and berry fruits – also heavily imported – will also be grown. At this rate of production we could theoretically start to eliminate the regional dependency on food imports altogether, and ensure that we are harvesting high nutrient food every day of the year – even during a hurricane event.
This would eventually drive down the cost of many fresh produce categories and make this healthier food more accessible to all local consumers. This food could be grown not only to sell directly through supermarkets and wholesalers, but customized crop production could be grown at a scale to supply local agri-processing companies, who often need to import ingredients for their locally branded food products. This would also allow smaller “craft industry” food producers to expand to become regional and even international export companies. It would create high-skilled, well-paying jobs for young women and men to attract them back to agriculture as a career.
Our company is currently partnered with several private finance companies, institutional lenders, and major food retailers based in the region, who share a similar vision with us and want to change how we grow and supply food in every island of the Caribbean using state-of-the-art climate-smart protected agriculture. Our farms will go operational in several islands over the next few months and will then expand very quickly in other islands over the next few years.
We believe by changing the approach and investing in high-yield production technologies that are completely climate resistant, we can start to eliminate all threats to local food production in the region and achieve Caribbean food security forever.
Ralph Birkhoff
Co-founder of Alquimi Renewables, LLC based in the USA and Caribbean which operates regionally under Island Growers and Island AgTech.
Dear Editor,
The World Health Organization has estimated that the prevalence of sexual violence affects one-third of all women worldwide; that’s an astonishing 1.3 billion women, or more than three times the entire population of the United States of America. This is a startling revelation, which may not necessarily be reflected by, or adequately represent the true reality of this public health problem.
Broadly defined, “Sexual violence is any sexual act or attempt to obtain a sexual act by violence or coercion, acts to traffic a person or acts directed against a person’s sexuality, regardless of the relationship to the victim.” And yes, relationship status, marriage or otherwise, does not exempt one from being held accountable for unlawful sexual acts committed against the wishes of the victim; rather it’s an unconditional consent that exonerates one.
More women are becoming empowered to speak out and seek justice for the sexual wrongs that were committed against their person. Their courage has been bolstered in recent times by the advent of movements such as #metoo which has gained momentum over the years and whose virality has helped tremendously in the public awareness and sensitisation campaign on sexual violence against women.
The #metoo movement is in part a community of mostly women united in opposition to coercive, unwanted and inappropriate sexual acts or advances committed against largely vulnerable women. Of late this movement has been infiltrating the corridors of power and privilege, a milieu where most women felt not so long ago was immune from punishment for unlawful sexual acts perpetrated by males. Seemingly the scale of justice has tipped in favour of these women resulting in figures such as Bill Cosby, Harvey Weinstein and Jeffrey Epstein being tried by a court of law and convicted for sexual crimes committed against marginalised women. These were once powerful and influential men from the upper echelons of society.
Men who were once perceived, wrongly so, as “untouchables” in a society guided by such principles as justice and liberty for all are increasingly made to account for their illicit acts carried out against mostly impuissant women. This exploitative form of behaviour by some of the “movers and shakers” of civilized society against women who are no more than “struggling dreamers” is no longer perpetuated in silence.
Women are challenging their traditional Victorian expectation of “gentle quietude”, they are vocalising and resisting attempts to have their rights, womanhood and bodies violated.
Power, privilege, low levels of education amongst males, cultural norms, attitudes accepting of violence and a sense of entitlement over women are some of the underlying factors contributing to sexual violence against women. However, the misuse of power and privilege often times overshadows the other factors largely because of who the perpetrators are and the attention usually given to them. But many women are the silent victims of sexual violence perpetrated by men afflicted with the other factors listed, in particular men’s sense of entitlement over women especially in intimate sexual relationships, which according to the World Health Organization accounts for over 40 percent of the total cases of sexual violence against women.
It’s important to note too that women’s refusal to engage in undesirable sexual acts is not always met with the use of physical force. They are also subjected to sexual remarks which can be best described as disgusting and disrespectful . In many instances too they are issued with threats, most notably in the workplace. And failure to comply with inappropriate requests can result in demotions, termination of employment and reversal of career advancement.
Women who were once discouraged from openly relating their unwelcome sexual experiences with men notably high up on the socio-economic ladder are now encouraged to speak up through solidarity movements like #metoo. Interestingly enough, though, one should take cognizance of the fact that all of this exposure, unveiling, allegations and convictions are occurring in a functioning democratic society (US) with strong institutions of accountability and legal recourse. Women are more likely regardless of their social or economic status to be more forthcoming with reports and complaints of unlawful sexual acts if they are confident and place a high degree of trust in the justice system within their locale.
Acts of courage and fortitude by women who dared to publicly condemn and point fingers at powerful male elites of society are a standing reproach against sexual violence and example par excellence to women from all walks of life wherever they are on the socio-economic pyramid.
Given then the gains alluded to above, do you think a #metoo movement in these parts, specifically the Caribbean archipelago, can have the same or similar impact as their US counterpart?. Can such a movement be a game-changer in a region with institutions for recourse that are perceived to be weak and corrupt? How difficult will it be for such a movement to positively influence unhealthy behaviours in a society where men were conditioned to view women as mere possessions or objects to be owned and gratified? Will such a movement become frustrated by the fact that violence was once institutionalised in these parts where its employment was permissible in schools to obtain compliant behaviour?. How will a #metoo movement deal with cultural norms that expose young boys to violence against women at an early age where they witness first-hand mothers being repeatedly whipped by fathers?
While It’s not the task of a metoo movement to undo or reverse the above, however, what the aforementioned highlights is the role violence or physical force has played as an effective means to achieve desired ends, sexual compliance included. Colonial overtones and explanations aside, the fact of the matter is that quite a number of males from the Caribbean region are not mentality equipped to resist the use of physical force or coercion against women when given the irreversible and legitimate “no” for solicited sexual acts. This “no’’ instead brings out the beast in some of these men – the primal appeal we all have where the brute and savage in us wants to go back to the woods. Us wanting to escape the cognitive mode of experience where the id overpowers the ego, Dionysus displaces Apollo and passions rule.
A human mind that is not adequately educated to respectfully respond to and value the rights and autonomy of others, specifically women, will almost always manifest behaviour that it is only conscious of and was conditioned for. The mind is unable to display conduct outside the periphery of its awareness and which it wasn’t trained to exhibit. While power and privilege undeniably play a role in sexual violence against women in these parts it is nevertheless likely to persist covertly because of the perception shared by “powerless” women. Vulnerable and disempowered women are more likely to condone inappropriate sexual acts and remarks from the powerful and privileged class of males. This is so primarily because they are of the view that those acts if reported will go unpunished with the likelihood of repercussions for them.
Women in more advanced societies with stronger institutions that guarantee the protection of individual rights are more likely to be judicially compensated for unlawful sexual acts or advances, which in turn can have the effect of serving as a deterrent to potential male offenders. Nonetheless, movements such as #metoo have demonstrated despite ongoing challenges that solidarity and activism can be empowering for those who have been wronged but needed just an organised and courageous voice to speak out .
Orlando Patterson
By Melissa Martin
Disasters are definitely serious; however, appropriate humor serves to bring temporary relief from anxiety and fear. One reaction to the recent world pandemic is the hoarding of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. Yes, humans want to continue to have wiping materials on hand for their posterior regions. And a liquid to wage war on germs. But people, please stop the mania. COVID-19 is a respiratory virus – not a stomach or intestinal virus. Go buy some essential oils. And stock up on Spam – there’s a lot of that left over on grocery shelves.
I chuckled after viewing a series of coronavirus-inspired cartoons in a newspaper story. Lucy and Alice Parker and their friend Hanna Ahlberg experienced 12 days of quarantine in an abandoned hospital in Vietnam after being on an airplane flight with an infected passenger.
“However, in true British spirit the girls are trying to keep calm and carry on. And in an effort to keep their spirits up, Alice and Hanna have taken to creating some satirical coronavirus cartoons on their iPads. Under quarantine, they have plenty of time on their hands after all. The graphic designers quickly began brainstorming different ideas commenting on the global panic surrounding coronavirus. …The cartoons lightly poke fun at the recent coronavirus-inspired hysteria in a series of comic single panels. In one cartoon, blocky figures create a fortress of hoarded toilet paper. In another, a cautious Lego-like character showers under a giant vial of hand sanitizer.” www.chaohanoi.com.
A sense of healthy humor can be a line of defense when it comes to coping with stressful situations. Laughter affects mental health by releasing endorphins, natural chemicals in the body. Endorphins promote a sense of well-being and relieve stress. Laughing decreases cortisol, the stress hormone.
“Humor and laughter can offer post-disaster healing, but timing and receptivity are critical considerations,” says Steve Wilson from the World Laughter Tour. “The benefits of laughter are plentiful and far-reaching. In today’s culture, people are more stressed, less relaxed and often lacking in work/life/family balance. Life is meant to be enjoyed with passion, zest, enthusiasm and in the camaraderie of like-minded individuals. Laughter therapy can bring the happiness back into your life, while helping to relieve or eliminate many health problems that are associated with stress.”
Reflecting on his time in a Nazi concentration camp, Viktor Frankl stated, “It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds.”
“Humor allows us to detach from the trauma for a few moments and gives respite from the emotional chaos. Laughter provides an emotional catharsis. Feelings of anger, tension, and fear can be neutralized and released with laughter. After the laughter we feel strong, resilient, and hopeful. Laughter invites celebration and reminds us of the joy in life,” according to an article on the website for The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor.
However, humor needs to be used effectively and appropriately when applied during a disaster to reduce stress. Hurtful humor is not funny. And tasteless jokes are, well, tasteless – no flavor.
I think I’ll leave a basket of Spam and essential oils on my neighbor’s porch.
“I have seen what a laugh can do. It can transform almost unbearable tears into something bearable, even hopeful.” – Bob Hope
~ Melissa Martin, Ph.D., is an author, columnist, educator, and therapist. She lives in the United States. ~
Now that we have to social distance I understand better the need to do so. And I dare say it was not explained very well for the simple man. Having studied statistics, the graph was all I needed to see. Social distancing meant the flattening out of the curve so it would approximate a normal distribution as opposed to a spike. A spike being an instantaneous onslaught on the medical system. I have found that for many this was as clear as mud, so here is a better explanation.
Look at social distancing as a “filter” that separates the sick from the well. If everyone is separated for 14 days it is likely during that time those with the disease will start to manifest symptoms. They are then caught in the filter, and now government can assess the extent of the problem and address it. In places like St. Maarten where testing is an issue or like the US where there is a shortage of kits relative to a vast population we get an immediate rule of thumb. The better the social distancing the more effective the filter.
Here is an even simpler definition: “Protect Yourself”
Michael Vieira
Dear Editor,
We are living in some challenging times. And critical decisions have to be made that will determine our future on this island.
Let me say now we do not need politics to be played and no bashing of government. We need solutions to help create a better quality of life.
Where I and most people see it differently is that I do not believe shutting down everything is the solution. I agree to close down the island for two weeks.
But you cannot keep a country locked down for too long. Reason: it is man’s nature to be free and the human needs food and water.
So, the approach to take is safety first but then close after economics has to be in harmony with it.
What happens after 2 weeks is gone, most of those jobs and more will be eliminated. The economic factor is no cash flow, more uncertainty and then desperation.
How I see it, we must come up with a balancing program of safety and economics. It is better we have a slower economy than nothing at all.
After two weeks we can think about opening high schools and leave all elementary schools closed.
Any child with flu-like symptoms stays home, we still maintain the safety and hygienic measures.
I am trusting after two weeks we should by then have some kind of testing facility at the airport and harbor. If not, we have to expedite these measures so the economy can start to produce.
We know we do not have resources like the United States and China, but we have to make our own expertise function.
We presently are living with many people infected with AIDS and herpes, and people with the flu. Life did not end, the island did not shut down.
We have to continue to live and survive to be smarter at it. But I guarantee you shut down 2 more weeks after the first two weeks will create panic and chaos.
People will be inspired and have hope once they see the end of the tunnel have light. Money can be less and some uncomforted they can live with. But complete lockdown is not possible.
All people of St. Maarten and government, let’s come up with solutions to make safety work with economics. That is the way out.
Surely we need our Lord and Savior Jesus, let’s pray to him to give us the wisdom to find a solution to this crisis and pandemic. Patience is a virtue, but time is running out.
Choices have consequences, choose wisely. In God we trust.
The Patriot Miguel Arrindell
