ANTIGUA-AGRICULTURE-One-On-One With Ruth Spencer

ST. JOHN’S, Antigua, Nov. 23, 2014, CNS – Ruth Spencer, the National Coordinator, GEF/SGP & ECMMAN Project is very passionate about development that impacts people and brings about lasting changes in their lives, hence her focus on development economics. When I left for study it was in a cold January and the only course open at Anderson College – a church school – was the "Three Worlds of Development." I had no background in economics and I was the only female in the class but I scored top in the class. That class opened my eyes and that was my start. I graduated with honors, got a scholarship from Eli Lily foundation to Washington D.C. through an alumnus in the Dept. of Commerce and I was the first foreign student to intern with the Dept. of Commerce. They kept inviting me back and treated me like royalty. I did two summer internships and a January term in the office of International Marketing at the Caribbean Desk. From there I headed to Yale to do a Masters in International and Foreign Economics and graduated at 21 years old. I met Professors Ranis and Fei who had developed the Labour Surplus theories and some extraordinary people who have impacted my life including Richard and Nancy Ruggles in National Income Accounting. After graduation, I returned to the Caribbean and did a year at CARICOM in Guyana before taking up a position with Meals for Millions/Freedom From Hunger Foundation for 20 years. It was the most rewarding experience of my life with so many opportunities to serve.

1. What do you love most about the Caribbean? The smallness of the islands enabling us to know each other, the fresh sea breezes, the opportunities to obtain local fresh fruits and vegetables.

2. What brings you the greatest joy? Helping to provide solutions and seeing other people succeed. It comes out naturally with me. If I cannot help directly, I always provide an alternative.

3. What is the best advice you've been given? Never put off for tomorrow what can be done today

4. What is on your bookshelf? Funds for NGO's. I try to go through the regular emails

5. What charity do you support?  Homeless and Neglected Children

6. What is on your bucket list? Because I am so involved and intimate with many groups and individuals impacting lives at the community level I feel obligated to assist in raising funds for the programmes of many of the local groups and agencies and churches. Many individuals come to me for assistance in fund raising and I have never declined to assist.

7. What is on your perennial to-do list? To make changes and renovation in my home of  35 years.

9. Who are your Caribbean heroes? Mr. David Edwards of Freetown, a fisher man who for many years was the bar tender in a property at Mill Reef owned by John and Earl Gould of Massachusetts. David was employed 30 years with this family and was great friends with Kingman Brewster, former Yale President who always visited Antigua and who always brought him ties. I have learnt so much from Mr. Edwards and how he fought to enable fisher folk to be able to have a fish landing site right in Mill Reef.  Prime Minister Gaston Browne is new but I like his aggressiveness and his openness in sharing with the public. I was actually able to compete in an essay competition on Bilateral and Multilateral Agencies sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for I got a lot of information on his strategy dealing with agencies like the IMF and his bilateral approach to tackle the country’s debt.

10. Who is on the guest list for your ideal dinner party? I would like to meet Hilary Clinton in person. She is a strong and fearless woman

11. What quote do you live by? Do unto others as you would have them do to you.

12. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you?  If I have an unsolved issue sleep will not come until I come up with a solution or alternative.

13. What would you want to say to the Caribbean about any one of these: Agriculture, Arts & Culture, Climate Change, HIV/AIDS, Tourism? Agriculture is vital to our development and survival as a nation for health and nutrition, for our independence and for our food security. We must support the farmers by providing water, through digging water catchments and other types of irrigation systems and we must return to the traditional methods of planting, reducing the use of chemical and pesticides.

14. Any final words? I had an opportunity in the 1990's to be a partner in a Renewable Energy company out of Martinique – Sun Wind Energies – owned by Jack Simonin. He really helped to create my interest in RE and we set up a wind powered system at the Estate House in Blubber Valley. I wish I could locate him. I have been trying for several years but he just seemed to have disappeared.