Cane farmers have given the Government a seven-day ultimatum to say when they will be paid the outstanding $57 million owed following an agreement with the European Union.
Attorney for the cane farmers, Gerald Ramdeen, issued the ultimatum in a letter yesterday to Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley. Cabinet in March agreed to distribute the money as final payment to the cane farmers from the agreement between Government and the EU following the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd. Ramdeen said by letter to the ministry dated March 8, the cane farmers agreed to accept the money “without prejudice to their right to challenge the decision and or failure of the Government to pay the remaining $45 million as promised by the previous (People’s Partnership) administration.”
Ramdeen said the Government had not as yet responded to the cane farmers’ letter and they have not received any money. In his letter to the Prime Minister, he said, if the PNM Government refused to pay the cane farmers because of their stated intention to initiate legal action to get the rest of the money, it would amount to serious abuse of state power.
Ramdeen said the Government, via a letter from the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Planning and Development, dated August 29, requested a 30-day extension to respond to the proposal submitted by the cane farmers.
He said that the 2016/2017 National Budget will be presented in Parliament on September 30 and the cane farmers were “not prepared” to wait until then to know whether they will be paid.
“The cane farmers are no longer prepared to await the pleasure of your administration to receive their payment,” the letter stated. He said they were not prepared to have “funds being held in trust for them be placed into the consolidated fund.” Ramdeen said if Rowley failed to meet the seven-day deadline “the cane farmers will embark upon a campaign through the courts and by public demonstration to compel the Government to honour their promise.”