PARAMARIBO — Within the Caribbean, we have been building on valuable, existing regional cooperation and knowledge exchange for years. But to meet the challenges of our time, we must now further strengthen that foundation. This is the time to join forces, expand value chains across borders and be economically rock-solid together. This is what Minister Mike Noersalim of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries (LVV) said on Friday at the opening of the three-day conference. ‘Swit Okas’ (loosely translated: Sweet Opportunities).
This conference is organized in the context of the 13th Caribbean Beekeepers Congress & CARICOM Regional Honey Show. The minister called on all participants to work together to build a thriving, sustainable and economically powerful beekeeping sector throughout the Caribbean region.
“If we continue to work shoulder to shoulder like the bees, we can meet the challenges of climate and economy and build a sweet, sustainable future together”
LVV Minister Noersalim
According to Noersalim, more people should be encouraged to become beekeepers, especially our youth and women. They can take the sector to a higher level. “We cannot realize such ambitions alone. That is why I would like to take this opportunity to send a special word of thanks to our financiers and development partners,” said the minister.
He sent a special word of thanks to the European Union and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the crucial support for, among other things, the Mangrove+ project. Special appreciation goes to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Caribbean Beekeepers Association (ACBO) for their continued commitment and central role in the organization of this conference.
The minister stated that he has deep respect for Surinamese beekeepers and beekeepers, who have built up and maintained the sector over the years. “Their experience is our most important foundation,” the minister said. He concluded his speech with an old saying that if we want to understand how a healthy society works, we only have to look at a beehive. “No bee works for itself; every movement, every task is for the good of the community. Let that be the most important lesson we take away from this congress. If we continue to work shoulder to shoulder, like the bees, we can meet the challenges of climate and economy and build a sweet, sustainable future together.”
