THE AGRICULTURAL Produce Amendment Bill, designed to assist in the prevention of praedial larceny which is claimed to cost the country's farmers in excess of $4 billion each year, was piloted in the House of Representatives on Tuesday by the Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Roger Clarke. In bringing this bill to Parliament Mr. Clarke was belatedly fulfilling a promise made by the Prime Minister to the Jamaica Agricultural Society in July of 2002 to urgently put in place an effective praedial larceny control programme.
The key feature of the bill and the programme is the implementation of a receipt book system that would identify "ownership and source of agricultural produce, crop and livestock, being transported or traded within the island". It has taken much too long for this programme to get off the ground. Indeed, we had this same concern a year and a half ago in an editorial which also expressed the view that the receipt book system was the key ingredient.
At the time we were advised that the delay arose from some expressed concerns about the constitutionality of some features of the bill. It was therefore sent for study by a select committee of Parliament. The process has certainly taken an inordinately long time to Tuesday's introduction to Parliament. But what is most amazing is the Opposition's objection to elements of it at this time. We would have thought that these would have been better dealt with during the long period of study and that our parliamentarians would have arrived at an accord against the scourge of praedial larceny.
We believe that the receipt book system to be administered by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is the best attempt so far to combat the praedial larceny problem. If properly implemented the system should make it extremely difficult for the thieves to prosper.
Farmers have been suffering for far too long and every effort should be made to make this programme work, notwithstanding the observations of some Opposition MPs that the literacy levels among Jamaican farmers might pose particular problems.
The more immediate concern is the bureaucracy that the proposed system implies will have to be in place and the level of monitoring and follow-up that will be needed for it to function well. These potential problems are not insurmountable however. It is vital that the biggest deterrent to the viability of agriculture should be tackled without further delay.
THE OPINIONS ON THIS PAGE, EXCEPT FOR THE ABOVE, DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE GLEANER.
