CLARKE
After languishing for almost two years the island's more than 6,000 coffee farmers should get some relief in the form of an interim payment from the Government, pending the outcome of an appeal filed by the liquidators of the now defunct Dyoll Insurance Company against a Supreme Court directive to pay over approximately US$3 million in insurance claims to the farmers.
At a post Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Monday, Agriculture and Lands Minister, Roger Clarke, announced that the Government was going to make an advance payment to the farmers on July 28.
Mr. Clarke did not say how much would be given to the farmers in the interim, but said that should have been determined when he met with Finance and Planning Minister, Dr. Omar Davies, yesterday. A sum had not been agreed on up to press time yesterday.
LEGAL BATTLE
The trustees representing the coffee farmers insurance fund and the liquidators of Dyoll Insurance Company have been locked in a legal battle since 2004 when a US$3 million claim was submitted for damage to coffee farms by Hurricane Ivan. The liquidators of the collapsed insurance company on Monday filed an appeal against a directive from Supreme Court judge Mr. Justice Bryan Sykes last week that the farmers were entitled to the claims and the money should be paid to them instead of being incorporated into the common pool of funds to be paid out to all the creditors of Dyoll Insurance Company.
Prior to the liquidators filing the appeal, agricultural stakeholders expressed fear that an appeal of the Supreme Court's directive could further delay payment to the farmers up to two more years.
FURTHER DELAY
Senator Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), in addressing farmers at the 111th annual general meeting of the society last Wednesday at the Jamaica Conference Centre, urged the liquidators not to appeal the Supreme Court's directive, arguing that the money belonged to the farmers and further delaying payment could place the coffee industry in jeopardy.
"It would be a great injustice to the system of justice if the farmers continue to wait for an outcome of an appeal of this matter," he argued.
In reacting to the liquidators appeal, Senator Grant yesterday recommended "that the Coffee Insurance Trust, through the Coffee Industry Board, apply to the Supreme Court for a discharge of the court's judgement pending the liquidators' appeal, if they persist to proceed with such."
