CADES BAY, Nevis (Monday 22nd March 2021)-  Well-known Nevisian farmer, Dr. Kelvin Daly has taken to social media showing yet again the extent of damage done to his farm at Cades Bay, Nevis.
 
Daly, a former educator and agriculture department administrator, uploaded video footage of the destruction of a passion fruit orchard which his farm was growing to support local food production.
 
The footage, which was posted on the morning of Monday 22nd March 2021, has been widely circulating on social media platforms-Facebook and WhatsApp.
 
Daly’s farm has lost sixty-four (64) maturing passion fruit vines of the yellow variety which would easily produce thousands of this exotic fruit. The vines were all uprooted along with a number of posts Daly had planted to support the vines. The vandalism to this farm also included the destruction of over 900 feet of irrigation system and the removal of 8,000 sq. ft. of overhead trellises. 
 
In an interview with Dr. Daly, the Labour Spokesman learns that he has been farming on the land, for now, twenty-two (22) consecutive years. He said that he started farming there in 1998 and over the years, the farm has been quite productive.
 
As gathered, he has planted and reaped many crops including tomatoes, sweet peppers, cabbages, zucchinis pole beans, cassava, watermelons, honeydew melons, and sweet corn.
 
Dr. Daly went on to say that season peppers have been among his best crops which from time to time are sold to Rams Supermarkets and other grocery retail outlets across the Federation. This year, the farm was now venturing into passionfruit production. 
 
He said that his farm has been a supporter of many community organizations and events that have sought his support.
 
“We have donated of our produce to the hospital, here in Nevis, as well as to each of the homes for the elderly,” Dr. Daly stated. 
 
Less than one week ago on Tuesday, March 16, Dr. Daly came upon a male trespasser while on his farm and was able to film and share the incident via social media.
 
The identified intruder, said to hail from the Cotton Ground community in Nevis, was seen pulling up a number of poles that were earmarked to support additional passionfruit vines.  
 
Nevis’ Premier Mark Brantley made mention of the farm matter on a recent edition of his weekly radio show called ‘On The Mark’ Premier Brantley referred to farmer Daly as having gone to Cades Bay “to create confusion” and to “disturb the young people.”
 
In response, Dr. Daly said that he found the comments by the Premier to be “unfortunate” and “disingenuous”.