Hague Agricultural Show hit by partisan rancour - Pastor rebuked for his contentious prayer

Western Bureau:

If last Wednesday’s launch of the 65th renewal of the Hague Agricultural and Livestock Show is anything to go by, the event, which is slated for Ash Wednesday, could have a contentious political overtone, as Victor Wright, the member of parliament for North Trelawny, is distancing himself from the event.

Wright, in whose constituency the Hague show ground is located, ignored an invitation to attend the launch and bring greetings, stating that the planning committee is made up of hypocrites with undeclared political motives.

“I was invited but chose not to go,” Wright told The Gleaner. “The committee is made up of a bunch of hypocrites. They are using it to endorse my opponent (the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) candidate Tova Hamilton) in the next general election.”

“I will not be sponsoring the committee, but I will contribute to the branch leaders attached to the Jamaica Agricultural Society,” added Wright.

Claims rubbished

When told of the sentiments expressed by Wright, Tristan Turner, the president of the Trelawny Association of Branch Societies, rubbished the claim and accused Wright of being the hypocrite.

“Mr Wright is guilty of more hypocrisy than the committee. I have written to him and got no answer. I arranged a face-to-face meeting with him and he accused us of mixing politics with the show, which I denied,” said Turner.

“The letters written to him have been copied to Jamaica Agricultural Society President (Lenworth) Fulton and the minister of agriculture Mr Audley Shaw. It is he who has chosen to disassociate himself from us,” added Wright.

The launch, which went on with Wright, attracted more controversy as at the start of the programme, Reverend Kenroy McLeod, in offering prayer, elicited moans and groans of disgust when he asked God to “help the farmers, many of whom are not bright.”

Guest speaker Floyd Green, the junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, and Fisheries subtly rebuked the pastor, saying the perception that farmers are not bright is not correct.

“We must fight against the perception that farmers are not bright. It’s a mistake to think like that,” said Green. “In St Elizabeth, we have no water for irrigation, but farmers have used innovative and creative ways to feed the nation with cantaloupe and watermelon.

“The farmers of Trelawny have planted yams on hillsides where it would seem impossible, yet they have planted there and reaped enough to be the leading parish in the export of yams. We must create a new image of farmers and farming,” added Green.