The Regional Agri Investment Forum and Expo II got underway in Port of Spain on Friday with calls for the Caribbean private sector to fully back the region’s efforts to significantly reduce its multi-billion dollar food import bill.“I join my colleagues, who spoke before and appeal to the private sector, not to be resistant to these developments and these initiatives, but to get on board and be the distributor of the local produce rather than being the commission agent of the imported produce,” host Prime Minister Dr. Keith Rowley, told the more than two-hour opening ceremony.“It is not going to happen overnight because food takes time to grow, animals take time to grow, use that time to change the formulae of trade, to change the distribution pattern. If we are going to feed ourselves by doing local production and you are a distributor, get on board in the local production,” Rowley said, emphasising that is why the event is called an investment forum.“Invest now of your time, your finance, your expertise in your business and in your countries, in your region and be part of the solution and not be part of the problem,” Rowley said, acknowledging that there were many business houses in the region that “make a good profit of being the commission agent to somebody who is farming outside of our region.
