OBA MP and business owner Jeff Sousa has launched a non-political campaign to save the Agricultural Show.

He is in the process of establishing a a committee to help organise the 77th annual event for which Government cut funding this year as part of industrial negotiations.

Mr Sousa met with Public Works Minister Craig Cannonier who told him that Government would allow the event to take place at The Botanical Gardens and would prepare the grounds in advance.

He said: “It is something that I am very passionate about; I have been involved in the Ag Show for 40 years. I am just a lead person — the stimulus — so many people will make this happen.

“I am appealing to the community to donate time and funds. It is going to be on us to raise funds for things like show tents and the speaker systems and security and we will need a large volunteer corps. This is something that will be truly community driven and I know that the community would support it.”

Mr Sousa has launched a Facebook group called Volunteer for the 77th Ag Show where members of the public can contact him about getting involved.

The Ag Show usually costs in the region of $400,000. Mr Sousa said the event would need to be scaled down to a certain extent as a result in the cut in funding.

“This will certainly be a scaled-down version — just as an example there will not be overseas entertainment, if anything it will be local entertainment. There are so many talented Bermudians and often they use events like this to showcase their talent.

“It is really for the children, the example is that the schools and schoolchildren have been preparing for this for some time in terms of art and crafts. The seniors also love coming out to this event. Also, most of the stands at the Ag Show are run by registered charities — this is a major fundraiser for those charities.”

Mr Sousa said that while agriculture no longer played a major role in Bermuda’s society, it remained an important part of its heritage.

“It is so important for the fabric of our society. This is a time that all of Bermuda comes together. I am a gentleman who has been going to Cup Match for 30 years, I’ve been going to Bermuda Day ever since it started — there is no event in the Bermuda calendar that brings the cross section of Bermuda together as the exhibition does.

“This is the 77th year; we are talking about over three quarters of a century — we are not an agricultural community today but our origins … we had pirates and privateers, whalers and fishermen, and then agriculture we were supplying the east coast of the United States and then from that tourism took place.”

Anyone wishing to volunteer or donate towards the Ag Show can e-mail Mr Sousa on jeff@slm.bm