|
|
Coffee farmers take protest to finance minister
Scores of coffee farmers from four parishes, supported by officers of the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party, yesterday demonstrated outside the finance ministry's National Heroes Circle office in Kingston, to protest against the non-payment of insurance money owed to them.
A demand by the farmers yesterday to meet with Finance Minister Omar Davies was initially denied, but persistent calls to his office persuaded the minister to meet with a delegation of nine farmers, along with their political representatives - MPs Joseph Hibbert, James Robertson and Pearnel Charles; Senator Anthony Johnson, the Opposition spokesperson on agriculture; and Daryl Vaz, caretaker for Eastern Portland.
Davies, however, told the farmers, who came from the parishes of St Andrew, St Mary, St Thomas, and Portland, that he could not respond to the matter as he was busy making preparations for the budget debate, but that by weekend he would respond to their demands.
"I will have to take a look at your letter to respond accordingly, but I will not be able to do so before weekend," Davies said.
The farmers said they have not received any payment since their crop was destroyed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004.
Their problems were complicated with the collapse of Dyoll Insurance, the company with which the coffee board insured their crop. Dyoll collapsed in the face of its inability to settle claims by policyholders that arose from Hurricane Ivan.
"The farmers have paid their premium, the insurance company overseas has honoured the claim, and that money, which is some $200 million is sitting in escrow awaiting the outcome of a court case; they are entitled to some kind of action now," said Andrew Gallimore, the MP for West Rural St Andrew.
"We are asking the government to provide at least 50 per cent of the claim to the farmers, so the pressure on them can be eased, and that when the court case is concluded then the money that we would have gotten can be reimbursed to the government. That is an amicable way of saving the industry at this time," said Derrick Simon, chief representative for the farmers.
"Since the passage of Hurricane Ivan. farmers who grow coffee have been treated really bad. The premium on the insurance that we pay guaranteed us protection in case of such devastation, and now we cannot get our money because of a court case that is taking forever," Simon added.
In the meantime, Opposition Spokesman on Agriculture Senator Anthony Johnson said the issue of insurance payments was only a small part of an even larger problem affecting coffee farmers, and listed poor roads and the lack of a proper water supply as among the other problems.
Coffee farmers have been awaiting a ruling by the Supreme Court on the issue of payment of insurance money due to them, which should see them receiving $200 million.
|
|
