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AFTER YEARS OF FAILURE AND FALLOUT — AGRICULTURE HITS THE RESET BUTTON

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — November 4, 2025 (SKN Times) — After more than three and a half years of confusion, collapse, and controversy, the Ministry of Agriculture has finally pressed the RESET button — a desperate move many say was long overdue.

Reliable sources have confirmed that Mr. Randell Thompson, Director of the Department of Marine Resources, has been named Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, replacing Mr. Miguel Fleming, whose status remains officially unclarified. Thompson reportedly began introducing himself to heads of departments and staff on Monday, November 2, signaling a quiet but seismic shift at the top of the Ministry.

The Ministry of Agriculture, under the leadership of Minister Samal Duggins, has been mired in an unending series of failures, inefficiencies, and stakeholder dissatisfaction — from disillusioned farmers to frustrated fishers. What was once touted as a flagship ministry for food security, innovation, and sustainability has become, in the words of one senior industry insider, “a revolving door of failed projects, unfulfilled promises, and broken trust.”

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A MINISTRY IN TURMOIL

Since 2022, the Ministry’s performance has been the subject of relentless criticism — with farmers complaining about the collapse of support systems, poor access to fertilizers, inconsistent extension services, and chronic mismanagement of agricultural programmes. The Fisheries Division and the Department of Agriculture have been in visible disarray, while ambitious initiatives like the National Food Security Plan have faded into silence.

According to sector observers, the removal or reassignment of the Permanent Secretary marks a public acknowledgment of internal dysfunction. “This is damage control — pure and simple,” one veteran farmer told SKN Times. “The Ministry has lost the confidence of the agricultural community. A change in PS was inevitable.”

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ENTER RANDELL THOMPSON — THE REBUILDER?

Randell Thompson, an experienced marine manager, entrepreneur, and pastor, brings a diverse professional background to an embattled Ministry in desperate need of credibility. A graduate of the University of the Virgin Islands and Dalhousie University in Marine Affairs, Thompson has spent over a decade in marine and fisheries management.

Currently serving as Director of the Department of Marine Resources, Thompson is known for his strong administrative style and community-minded approach. He also operates Fisher Care Marine, a local marine services enterprise, and has been involved in environmental education and coastal conservation.

Insiders suggest his appointment is part of a larger administrative cleanup designed to “reset and re-energize” the Ministry. Thompson will face the herculean task of reversing years of institutional decay, rebuilding stakeholder confidence, and restoring the credibility of a sector that once formed the backbone of the Federation’s economy.

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MINISTER DUGGINS UNDER FIRE

The reshuffle is widely seen as a tacit admission of failure under Minister Samal Duggins, whose tenure has been dogged by controversy and public backlash. From the mishandling of farmers’ incentives to the collapse of key crop production programmes and the widely mocked “Tabasco Pepper Plantation” project, Duggins’ Ministry has become synonymous with incompetenc, mismanagement and misplaced priorities.

Stakeholders across the agricultural chain — from poultry producers to livestock farmers — have repeatedly expressed frustration at what they describe as “a Ministry adrift.” Many now hope Thompson’s appointment signals the beginning of an overdue course correction.

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THE ROAD AHEAD

The task before Randell Thompson is monumental: rebuilding trust, restructuring broken systems, and delivering tangible results in a sector that has flatlined for nearly four years. His success or failure could determine whether the Ministry finally rises from its ruins — or remains the poster child of dysfunction in the Drew administration.

For now, the public waits to see whether this “reset” is genuine reform — or merely another cosmetic change in a Ministry long defined by chaos.

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SKN Times will continue to monitor developments at the Ministry of Agriculture as the transition unfolds and as the new Acting Permanent Secretary begins his tenure amid mounting pressure for accountability and results.