No Livestock and Livestock Products Board; former agriculture minister threatens legal action

FORMER Agriculture Minister Devant Maharaj has threatened to take his successor, Clarence Rambharat, to court over the failure to appoint and operationalise the Livestock and Livestock Products Board.

Maharaj, in a pre-action protocol letter sent to Minister Rambharat, last week, gave the minister 28 days in which to appoint a new board failing which a judicial review claim will be filed in the High Court.

The former minister, who is represented by a team of attorneys led by Senior Counsel Anand Ramlogan, has accused the minister of breaching his statutory duty by failing to appoint a new board.

“The absence of a functioning Livestock and Livestock Products Board is causing serious prejudice to our client and by extension the people of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The said Board is largely utilised by members of the livestock industry to keep abreast with the policies and/or guidelines implemented and further as a forum to voice any negative and/or positives comments which in return benefits both the ministry and the members of the Livestock industry. The continuing failure by the minister to appoint a Livestock and Livestock Products Board negatively impacts on the members of the Livestock industry as they are now deprived of their right to go before the said Board to promote greater efficiency in the Livestock industry.”

Minister Rambharat is quoted as saying that a comprehensive view of the livestock sector was done and a final report submitted in late 2017.

He said certain recommendations in the report will be taken to Cabinet next month, including recommendations on the Livestock and Livestock Products Board.