But as Farmers’ Week starts tomorrow and continues throughout next week, structural work on the grounds is scheduled to start soon, a visual reminder that the long-awaited greenhouses soon will become a reality.

The $5.5 million project broke ground at the Tortola location in October, when large machinery was dispatched to take on the arduous process of excavating the land.

After what Clyde Lettsome, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Labour, described as a short delay, construction to erect three greenhouses on the location will begin in the coming days.

 “I think things have slipped a little bit,” Mr. Lettsome said of the delay. “We were hoping that by the time Farmers’ Week had started, that we would have been well under way to constructing [the facilities].

“We’re very anxious to see these greenhouses move up and rise into the air.”

Along with the Tortola greenhouse location, South Sound, Virgin Gorda, also will get similar facilities.

The project contract was signed on Feb. 6, 2009, by NRL Minister Omar Hodge on behalf of the government and by representatives of the Miami-based consulting firm International Business and Trade (IBT), LLC, for a total of $5,481,084.

IBT is tasked with constructing the facilities, while MSC Fabricas Agricolas, a Spain-based agricultural development firm, will head production and oversight efforts to make the greenhouses operational.

David Bensadon, IBT managing director, said he’s confident the Tortola facilities will be functional in about four months.

By that time, excavation is scheduled to start at the VG location, Mr. Bensadon said.

The full article appears in the Feb. 4, 2010 issue.