T&T Cabinet agrees to pay cane farmers final TT$58m payment
(Trinidad Guardian) Cabinet has decided to pay cane farmers the final settlement of TT$57,965,675 of the compensation package promised back in 2007.
Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis made the announcement in a media release issued on Thursday by the ministry.
Robinson-Regis did not say when this sum, which represents the second and third tranche of the transitional payment, would be made.
Permanent secretary Joanne Deoraj met with representatives of the cane farmers on Thursday, informing them of the decision.
“This will also be provided to the cane farmers in writing. I am intent on meeting with the cane farmers in person to discuss this further, and my ministry will also work with the farmers to determine how this amount will be shared,” RobinsonRegis said.
She said the present Government inherited the matter of a compensation package to the former cane farmers as part of the final settlement to the 2007 transitional payment.
Tranche I has already been issued to the cane farmers, of which 2,740 farmers from the eligible farmers 3,481 farmers have been issued payments, in the value of TT$24,151,385.
The Government was served a pre-action protocol letter by attorney Gerald Ramdeen in March to pay the outstanding money or face the court.
Ramdeen, who represented 2,334 cane farmers, said most of the farmers were elderly people who were prepared to fight to the end to get their money.