Agriculture Minister meets Cocoa Development Company

Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Kazim Hosein met representatives of the Cocoa Development Company (CDC) of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday to discuss the company’s operations.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the ministry said Hosein and a team from the ministry met representatives of the company, including chairman Jacqueline Rawlins “to discuss the company's operations and to also ascertain a road map for its future.”

Hosein had sought a meeting with the company after its participation in a parliamentary state enterprises committee meeting on March 28. He said he had noted statements made by the company, and reported in the media, and would be seeking a meeting with them for a briefing on the current issues as well as to discuss future plans.

During the meeting, acting permanent secretary Susan Shurland spoke about a Cabinet note being drafted to deal with concerns raised by CDC officials, including funding and filling of vacant posts. She also said the CDC currently received subventions totalling $2 million annually to meet certain expenses, and consideration is being given to whether additional funding could be sourced from an agricultural stimulus package announced in last year's budget.