A half-minister of agriculture?

WHAT ARE we to make of the game of musical chairs that appears to be playing out when it comes to the administration of agriculture?

An official has resigned as minister citing family commitments in Canada, and, in so doing, has instructed the country to “rock so!” A new minister has been appointed to replace him, aided by not one but two other ministers.

Now, we are told, the minister who has quit is to return to lead an agency that does not yet exist, which is to be set up to address a mandate that is not yet clearly understood by anyone outside of Cabinet.

Evidently, the Prime Minister values the expertise of ex-minister Clarence Rambharat highly.

Mr Rambharat has gone on record to disclose his efforts at tackling the long-standing problem of fraud and corruption in land records. He is a key figure in at least 50 cases.

That laudable agenda, however, is no substitute for what is urgently needed: a Cabinet plan to boost the sector.

And as important as whistleblowers are, it is for the police to investigate corruption, gather evidence and determine the way forward, not political actors.

Or, at least, that is how it should be.

Someone who should understand these principles is Opposition Leader Kamla Persad-Bissessar, who has also been, like Mr Rambharat, investigating. She has raised questions about a government official’s ties to a company that appears to be operating on lands once earmarked for former Caroni (1975) Ltd workers.

Again, we agree that if any wrongdoing is in evidence, it should be investigated by the law-enforcement authorities.

What is not appropriate is for our political parties to attempt to try various matters in the court of public opinion, using radio interviews and political platforms to spar over issues that are for the police.

With local government elections due, the parties have clearly begun a process of heated campaigning. Each seems to be laying the groundwork for the issues which it hopes or expects will define the campaign.

But the citizens of this country do not have the luxury of waiting for the plots of all these various suspense thrillers and mysteries to be solved.

The focus of new Agriculture Minister Kazim Hosein right now should be on doing things like addressing the concerns of the Cocoa Development Company Ltd, which is issuing dire warnings about its operations.

It should also be on addressing issues such as rising egg and feed prices, and addressing the calls made last week at a regional summit for co-operation on food security.

It is good so many senior officials now care about land and agriculture.

Better, however, would be an ease-up on the purses of beleaguered citizens trying to fill their food baskets.