Letters

NO DISEASES

I would like to let all our friends in the beekeeping world in on the current best kept secret our Island of Vieques in Puerto Rico has been successfully quarantined to protect our honey bees.

The Secretary of Agriculture of Puerto Rico in a timely and far-sighted attempt to “prevent the introduction into the Island of Vieques of diseases and dangerous pests of honey bees (Apis mellifera)” signed into Law the Domestic Quarantine Act in 5 February 1988. Hurricane Hugo hit our Island with ravaging winds on 18 September 1989 and many colonies were lost; however, due to very hard work, their numbers have increased. Healthy queen bees, devoid of any chemical treatment, will be available in the market very soon.

Due to our climate, our bees work year-round. Why do you not rest for while? Come and visit the most beautiful Island in the Caribbean! See for yourselves our mite and disease-free bees.

Manuela Santiago Collazo, Mayor of Vieques, Puerto Rico

CHEAPER HIVES

I write to say that Beekeeping and Development is very good paper to me. Why? Because edition 20 (September 1991) has helped me greatly in that the cover picture and its accompanying article on Guinea-Bissau gave me an insight to the use of local materials. Before reading the article I had been making hives with hard wood like “odum”" and “emire” at the cost of some 7000 Cedis (£9) per hive. Now I make hive using hardwood for the ends and rafia branches for the sides and base. The top-bars are also made of hard wood. This has reduced the cost by 75% and it is very light and portable. I am teaching beekeeping in 10 junior secondary schools. Last year only four of them could afford hives of the hard wood type. Since I introduced the cheaper, improvised hives, the hive population in each of the 10 schools is now more than five per school.

I give Beekeeping and Development gold plus four stars.

O K Anno, Secretary, Begoro Beekeepers’ Society, Ghana

BANKERS NOT INTERESTED

Issue No 20 of Beekeeping and Development (September 1991) made me wonder why beekeepers are underrated by the financial sector compared with other crop producers.

Reading an article written by Angelo Isola I was so amazed to learn that beekeepers in Guinea- Bissau are treated in the same way as our beekeepers. Tabora Beekeepers’ Co-operative Society has been working under the same problems for many years. The bankers are not interested in the development of the beekeeping industry. Why is this? Is there no-one interested in honey production for our current generation?

We are lucky only in that we still get honey from some of our faithful members. However I do feel that the situation must change in the near future so that the beekeepers are paid promptly upon delivery of their honey and beeswax. To continue punishing these hardworking citizens is like saying honey is not delicious!

Justin Madaha, Manager, Tabora Beekeepers’ Co-operative Society, Tanzania.