ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC):

The Dominica Government says it will provide funds to help the banana industry recover in the short term following the destruction caused by Hurricane Dean last weekend.

Agriculture Minister Dr. Colin McIntyre said that the Roosevelt Skerrit administration would make EC$2 million (US$740,000) available to farmers as a first step towards the rehabilitation of the industry that was battered by the strong winds and rains associated with the storm.

"We understand their livelihoods and we understand seriously that the banana plant is down. As a government, we have immediately made monies available to them. Initially, we mentioned two million and at the end of this we will be providing some more assistance," McIntyre said.

He said the agricultural sector would need in excess of EC$20 million (US$7.4 million) to recover from the destruction caused by 'Dean', adding "it is going to take a lot more than that for agriculture and this is just based on preliminary data".

Earlier this week, Skerrit told reporters that the agricultural sector had been severely affected by the storm.

"Agriculture, especially the banana sector, has suffered at least 99.9 per cent damage. Going across the country, there were very few banana trees standing and certainly (there have been) significant costs," Skerrit said.

The prime minister said evaluation teams have been sent out to assess the situation.

President of the Windward Island Farmers Association (WINFA), Marcella Harris, said the organisation supports the initiative to help farmers get back on their feet.

"WINFA fully supports the Prime Minister and we echo his voice in what we are sending out to farmers now that we must get back to the field.

"We have to get our banana fields replanted and the PrimeMinister has given his government's full support to replanting bananas on Dominica," she added.