The trustees of the coffee farmers insurance fund are to administer the $60 million, as well as $25 million of the grant portion. The Coffee Industry Board is to administer the other $15 million.
SOME LEVEL OF RELIEF
"What the Government has decided to do is to bring some level of relief to those farmers," Mr. Clarke said. The minister assured that the Government would recover the advanced portion of the money as the farmers would still receive about 12 cents for every dollar in the event that they lose the appeal. The coffee farmers have submitted a claim for US$3 million.
He noted that the ministry had intended to pay over the money on July 28, but certain legal issues, as well as, the trustees not having a taxpayer registration number (TRN) resulted in the delay.
The Agriculture and Lands Minister pointed out that a special award has also been made for lowland coffee farmers who were not entitled to any of the insurance proceeds. "We thought it fit that if we're dealing with farmers we would give them a level of compensation, so $15 million has been allocated to the lowland (coffee) farmers," Mr. Clarke said.
St. Clair Shirley, who accepted the money on behalf of the trustees, expressed his appreciation for the interim payment. At the same time, he expressed disappointment with the decision of the liquidator of the collapsed Dyoll Insurance Company to appeal the Supreme Court's directive to pay over the farmers' claims. "I personally was a little disappointed with the liquidator because in our interim meetings, he made it abundantly clear to us that he would abide by the decision of the court," he said.
Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, welcomed the intervention, but is insisting that farmers receive the funds before the end of August. Distribution of cheques to farmers is expected to begin in the next three weeks.
in the photo: Roger Clarke (left), Minister of Agriculture and Land, hands over portions of the $100 million earmarked for distribution to coffee farmers to Graham Dunkley (centre), director general of the Coffee Industry Board, and St. Clair Shirley, one of the trustees of the Coffee Farmers Insurance Fund, yesterday.
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