Stakeholders Must Work Together to Develop Rural Communities – Samuda

Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Karl Samuda, has said that all critical stakeholders must work together, to ensure that the vast potential that exists in rural communities are tapped into and developed.
Mr. Samuda, who delivered the keynote address at the dedication of a sausage factory in Maggotty, St. Elizabeth, on Saturday (September 10), operated by the Catholic Church, stressed that the partnership would help to ensure economic independence for the country.
A health clinic constructed on the same premises by the Catholic Church, was also dedicated.
“Rural development is what we must tackle in earnest. It is out here that we have a vast amount of land, It is out here that so many people with equal hopes and aspirations for a great future reside, it is here that we have some of the finest brains, so the quality of life for persons in the rural areas must be improved. And, it can only be improved through the collaborative approach of three crucial sectors – the church, the Government and the private sector,” the Minister argued.
The Minister commended the Catholic Church for the project, noting that it would provide employment in the community and purchase products from local producers.
“The project fits perfectly into the strategies and policy of the Government. We have to do the things that will enable everyone who inhabits this great country of ours to enjoy the best quality of life, to get a good education, to go about their business at ease, have a good health service, so that children can learn and absorb what they are taught, because they are in a healthy state,” the Minister said.
Mr. Samuda argued that to realise the kind of economic independence that is needed, the country must introduce technology into the mix, “that will make us competitive, and perfect the art of producing sausages.”
“The ultimate goal is to satisfy the local demand, while extending ourselves in the wider markets of the world, in order to earn foreign exchange to make our people truly independent,” the Minister said.