Opposition leader Ralph Thorne continues to clash with the government side in the estimates debate and has accused the administration of being less than forthright with the public in its presentation – a charge rejected by the government side.

The exchanges occurred as the focus turned to the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security during the continuing examination of government’s revenue and expenditure.

Leading his ministry’s presentation, the Minister, Indar Weir, sought to highlight his ministry’s achievements, such as the recovery of produce farming output following a post-covid decline.

The minister reported that livestock production declined last year largely due to climate conditions but promises that several stimulus measures are coming for that sector.

He also provided an update on the privatization of the sugar industry pointing out that workers are getting severance and shares and that many of them will be rehired.  Mr. Weir terms it the biggest worker enfranchisement deal in the history of the country.

But there will be one final sugar subsidy.

He announced plans for a ground-breaking 60 million dollar high-tech innovation center.

But Opposition leader Ralph Thorne, while promising to be even more probing later in the debate posed a number of questions including about the proposed medical marijuana industry as he repeatedly accused the government of being less than forthright.

The agriculture minister rejected the charge of not being forthright stressing that the reports were prepared by civil servants not by politicians.