Agricultural Show: MOU Signed For Three Years
The AG Show Ltd. signed a three year MOU with the Government to manage the annual Agricultural Show, with next year’s event set to take place from April 20th to 22nd, 2017 at the Botanical Gardens in Paget.
AG Show Ltd President Antwan Albuoy said, “AG Show Ltd. has signed a three year MOU with the Bermuda Government to manage the annual Agricultural Show.
“Judging from the size of the crowds during the 2016 Exhibition and from the feedback we received from the general public, it is safe to say that the 2016 Show was a success. Approximately $45,000 was raised for the various charities, which participated as food/snack/craft vendors [or teamed with a commercial operators].”
Mr. Albuoy went onto say, “Today we stand here excited to tell you that the plans for the upcoming show are well on their way and that we are accepting proposals for the provision of services and goods and applications from Registered Charities to provide food /snack/craft stalls for the upcoming show.
“ASL is looking to add new divisions to the annual event and also bring back a crowd favorite, the tug-of-war competition.”
AG Show Ltd. Chairman David Lopes said, “ASL is happy to announce that we have agreed to donate up to $75,000, for repairs to the Education Building. The Education Building is one of the, if not the oldest buildings at Botanical Gardens.
“During the Exhibition, the building is used to display the primary school aged students entries. The building is in need of repair and ASL has agreed to donate the proceeds from the 2016 gate admissions for the repairs to ensure that the building can continue to be used for future shows.
7-minute live video replay of today’s press conference
The Minister of the Environment Cole Simons said, “The Bermuda Government congratulates AG Show Ltd and the many government workers who together produced a successful 2016 Agricultural Show.
“The Botanical Gardens is a place where the community can gather, socialize and interact with each other, and this traditional, much loved annual event is a perfect example of that interaction.
“The Department of Parks team will once again be an integral part of readying the Botanical Gardens for the show, and I am grateful for their dedication.”
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Ag Show Privatized
Ag Show given a lifeline. Remember, there is no money. Do we need to keep reminding you why?
Ya like de banks, hotels, buisnesess ……………
“Keep telling a LIE, until it becomes the truth…”
@Jus Askin’: The AG Show is using volunteer work to raise funds so that the cost of the Show does not fall on the taxpayer. In addition stop with YOUR lie that somehow any govt worker is being put out. NOT ONE govt worker is being asked to sacrifice anything. At the same time tens of thousands of dollars are being raised for charity.
@ Knock Knock
Do You know that charities make tens of thousands from the Ag show every year it is held?
It actually is the yearly event that most charities look forward to.
So when OBA decided there were “no monies available” to host it, many charities were hit hard as well as the people that benefit from their services
A party that proves time and time and time again that Bermudians Do Not Matter
The Ag show pays for itself every time it is held and it has an immediate return, so the cost is a temporary burden on the taxpayer
“NOT ONE govt worker is being asked to sacrifice anything” WOW
You definitely don’t work for government
Look at it as taken out of political hands & put into volunteer hands again where it belongs.
So do you think that volunteeres dont have political influence?
LMFAO
Of course volunteers have political influence.
This just proves that privatization works. Time to privatize W&E & Parks and they’re would be still money left over to repair our infrastructure
More Unemployed Locals is what You really Mean
What are you afraid off .?as long as you pull your weight you should have nothing to be afraid off,unless your trying to say something and while your at it try not to paint everyone with the same brush….
I Am Afraid of More and More Bermudians becoming Unemployed and Displaced
FYI I don’t paint
Privitization is another form of surpressing organized labour and promoting cheap labor without representation which leads to a higher profit margin.
Explotation of cheap labor is de in thing.
Get of the juice dood.
Prove me wrong.
Tic Toc
LMFAO
Even if they donate $75,000 the building is going to cost three times as much to repair so their donation isn’t going to really help to get the building done! Also in the coming years what are the AG Shows plans with the profit they receive from the next three years?!
Why do people throw around privatization like a bad word? Don’t believe everything you hear on the news, read in the newspaper or get from your favorite politician.
Anytime when workers dont have any form of representation against some greedy employers is a perfect recipe for exploitation and abuse of workers rights, but I know that dont go well with Capitalist and right-wing ideology.
I wish that Government would make use of the un=employed, the prisoners and some Bermuda College students to revive the Ag Show. Does the current 3 year deal allow for these persons I have listed? The Airport redevelopment project is a already in private hands somehow, somewhere they found money for the Americas Cup but cannot find a funds to assist unemployed Bermudians for a few months, give them some dignity, give them an opportunity to focus and realise a few small goals. Mr. Lopes and others can help in directing these persons.
ok really, so what about the hustle truck, which pays $500 a week with a three week minimum, or workforce development with free training and assistance in getting employment. what about financial assistance which helps hundreds every month including giving them insurance.
not really sure what more you want government to do. there are tax breaks for hiring Bermudians, breaks on import duty.
really what more do you want government to do. there are programs out there to help but people don’t want to do what is required to receive the assistance.
government cannot continue to give breaks etc without finding new avenues of revenue to supplement these initiatives, which was the down fall of the previous government, but every time they are making ways into bringing in revenue people want to stop them and protest.
we have to stop looking at our individual circumstances and look at the collective whole of the country. And honestly after you look at the country as a whole can you honestly say they are not making headway in improving the country in order to help everyone.
signed an unemployed black woman who understands.
Ag Show brings in revenue and hires Parks Staff
The airport brings in revenue
Both now in other people’s hands to collect what should be going to government
Government gives breaks to those who dont need it.
Mmmmmm
I firmly believe that a look at the total cost of running the Ag Show should be made, each year, over the last 7 or 8 years, to see if they broke even or became more and more expensive to operate. This information may very well be public knowledge, but I myself have not seen the figures. Do we need to put 25 people on the payroll for six weeks, along with the 30 to 40 volunteers. And one very, very important question, is why has a deal been signed for three years, didnt a private concern run it last year, should we not have gleaned enough information to say say we can adjust this and that to ensure that it returns to government hands within a year. Is the money to pay these folks coming from gate receipts only ? and charity stalls ? Remember that private business is always looking to increase their business, and in a sluggish economy, why not. How-ever government has a duty to look out for its returning students, it has a summer work program, so why not include the Ag Show, for those students/young people unable to find work. Some of the tasks may not require a high skill set, so hire accordingly.
Very valid points ‘mmm’
You know where the Leader of the Opposition has their office?
Go ask him. Write down what he says and then ask the Auditor General for a report (if she can incorporate) the 14 year reign of the PLP and where all the bloody money went and the debt left to the people and for the OBA to try and sort out and keep us afloat.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
* The same entity, AG Show Ltd. (ASL), which ran the 2016 Exhibition is the same entity who just signed a 3 year MOU with Govt.
*As we mentioned early this year, the estimate cost to run the Exhibition, not including labour, is about $200-$250K. I don’t know what Govt salaries are but if you want to factor in labour, add an additional $75-$100K…maybe even more.
*Govt has run it from it’s very existence. They have gleaned over THEIR books and realise they can’t afford to run it; which is why it was cancelled in 2015.
* AG Show Ltd. isn’t being paid. We are all volunteers.
The Airport is proposed to be privatised.
Well isn,t that interesting, it cost $200,000.00 to run the Ag Show, and that does not include labour…and Ag Show Ltd ran it last year only with volunteers….that is incredible…so some very die hard volunteers gave more than a hundred hours to see a public event take revealing Bermuda,s plant and animal life…Hats off to them, in particular an event for our children.