MEMBER of Parliament for Manchester North East, Audley Shaw says he plans on providing financial assistance to the farmers in his constituency who want to establish their own greenhouse.

However, it will not come without their input as Shaw said they will be required to front one-third of the funds and the remainder will be provided through a revolving loan scheme for small farmers.

Shaw, who is also Jamaica’s finance minister, said he will be working to keep the cost of the greenhouse at $300,000.

He explained that in this fiscal year 2009/10, there are plans to use some of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) to start this revolving loan scheme.

This is welcoming news for many in this farming community as farmers are becoming extremely receptive to the idea of greenhouse technology, which is said to produce greater yields.

Shaw has also provided much-needed financial support to establish the Christiana Potato Growers Co-operative Association mother farm greenhouse project in Devon which sees some six greenhouses on a 40-square feet land.

“We will be providing training for farmers and we are taking them in groups to visit the site,” he told the Sunday Observer.

Shaw, who fully expended his CDF for the last fiscal year, was also extremely proud of the many rehabilitated roads in the constituency which have been greatly welcomed by the farmers who need a proper road network to get their produce to market.

“I have been doing a lot of roads in the constituency, even when I was in Opposition,” the MP said, explaining that he received some of these roads from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund and the European Union.

The following is how exactly Shaw said the $40-million CDF given to each MP was spent in his Manchester North East constituency.

EDUCATION ($7 million)

. Assisted over 100 students with payment for tertiary education and 20 students at the secondary level.

. Over 2,000 students were assisted with books.

. $500,000 towards Christiana High school’s greenhouse project.

. Funding was provided for 15 teachers at the primary level to attend a literacy conference at Northern Caribbean University.

. $150,000 to Mt Olivet Primary School’s agricultural improvement project.

ROADS ($12.8 million)

25 roads repaired and a sidewalk built in Chudleigh.

DISASTER MITIGATION ($3 million)

New drains built and others cleaned throughout the constituency. Curve and channels were also built in Savoy Crescent and Brockery.

WATER ($4 million)

Installation of a distribution pipeline at Craighead and pipeline installed at Silent Hill. Black tanks placed throughout the constituency to alleviate water woes, and water purchased for a number of areas within the constituency.

HOUSING ($3.2 million)

Provision of housing material for over 200 indigents.

WELFARE ($3 million)

Financial assistance for people to bury their dead, do medical tests and buy medication as well as other social programmes.

SPORTS ($2.5 million)

$2.5 million to, among other things, purchase sporting gear and equipment, do repairs to community play area and sponsor road race, football and cricket competitions.

AGRICULTURE ($3 million)

Provision of seeds and training to farmers and repair of Brontie Farm Road. $1.5 million was used as payment for CDF consultant.