Felicity farmers sue over failure to open new market

THE Felicity Farmers Association filed a lawsuit against the National Agricultural Marketing Development Company (Namdevco), seeking to have the High Court compel it to open the Central Farmers’ Wholesale Market facilities in Woodford Lodge, Chaguanas.

The association's vice president Dhanraj Balkaran, filed the action last Tuesday on behalf of the association, in which he outlined his quest to obtain certain information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

He said that on November 28, 2018, he wrote Namdevco asking just why temporary accommodation earmarked for the Felicity farmers pending formal opening of the market in Woodford Lodge, were being utilised by vendors from far off districts.

Filed by attorney Richard Jaggassar, Balkaran said in the lawsuit that the market was commissioned and construction completed between 2010 and 2015. It was built to house between 75 to 100 vendors but only to accommodate farmers living in Felicity while they await the market's formal opening.

Balkaran said that tents were provided by Namdevco to house the farmers while the market was being built, including a car park and concrete tables. But farmers from far off districts moved in and displaced the Felicity farmers, he said in his lawsuit.

Balkaran is seeking an order of the High court, compelling Namdevco to open the facilities. Jaggassar will argue the lawsuit when it comes up for hearing before Justice Avason Quinlan-Williams sometime this month in the San Fernando High Court.