State to pay $.4m to cane farmers

SIX former sugarcane farmers are to receive in excess of $.4 million in payments due to them as the Court of Appeal has dismissed three appeals of the State.

Justices of Appeal Allan Mendonca, Judith Jones and Peter Rajkumar dismissed the State’s appeal of the decisions of Justices Davindra Rampersad, Eleanor Donaldson-Honeywell and Avason Quinlan Williams in separate cases.

As a result of the appellate court’s decision, former cane farmers Dewantie Mohammed and Manzool Mohammed will receive $112,448.86; Kaloutie Bissessar and Mathura Bissessar will receive $63,476.04 and Sita Maharaj and Manohar Ramnarine will get $278,301.41.

The six belonged to a group of 2,323 private cane farmers who were promised payment of $130 million by the former People’s Partnership administration in three tranches which were to be the last transitional payments to them from the closure of Caroni (1975) Ltd.

The farmers, in 2015, received a first payment of $27 million.

The farmers claimed when the People’s National Movement (PNM) administration entered office, they were offered only $57.9 million as full and final settlement instead of the $103 million they said was owed to them in two tranches.

They rejected the Government’s offer and instead sued the State for the entire sum they said was owed to them.

Their claims were filed in March 2018, and there were several extensions sought by the State to file a defence in all three cases. None was filed until August.

The State argued that the extensions were necessary to obtain instructions from the relevant ministries.

The separate applications were heard and dismissed by the three judges, which was appealed.

In its ruling, the appellate court judges held that the State had not satisfied the requirements to justify the grant of an extension of time for the filing of a defence. They upheld the decisions and orders of the three high court judges, dismissing the appeals.

The farmers’ attorney, UNC senator Gerald Ramdeen, also informed the court that there were more than 200 other claims filed on behalf of former private cane farmers who are all seeking the full amount they say are promised to them.

Also representing the farmers were Umesh Maharaj and Dayadai Harripaul. The State was represented by Vanessa Gopaul instructed by Savatri Maharaj.