Attorney General Anand Ramlogan will review the T&T National Adaptation Strategy (TTNAS) signed in 2008 between the European Union (EU) and the Government.The TTNAS was a Euro 72 million package meant to provide funding for initiatives and compensation to support the transition of cane farmers out of the industry, with the closure of Caroni 1975 Limited.President of the Cane Producers Association, Seukeran Tambie, said the AG had agreed to review the TTNAS after concerns were raised by farmers concerning their entitlement to access the funds.
He was addressing the media yesterday after meeting with Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar, Minister of Food Production, Land and Marine Affairs Vasant Bharath and Minister of Planning Dr Bhoendradatt Tewarie.The meeting was held at the Diplomatic Centre, La Fantasie, St Ann's.He said farmers had been arguing they had legal rights to directly access some of the Euro 72 million.Tambie said the association asked Persad-Bissessar to have the AG examine the details of the TTNAS.
He said the AG committed himself to review the TTNAS to determine whether or not farmers could directly access funds and deliver his findings in two to three weeks.Tambie said farmers were prepared to accept the AG's finding no matter the outcome.He said another development coming out of the meeting was the creation of a new inter-ministerial committee to ensure all initiatives of the TTNAS were carried out in accordance with the agreement.
Tambie said the committee would be headed by Tewarie.He said Tewarie had agreed to address the farmers' claim that the $82 million paid out in compensation did not come in the form of monetary payments but came in the form of transitional support.Tambie said Tewarie had further assured he would ensure initiatives detailed in the TTNAS, such as training in agricultural production and incentive programmes, would be made accessible to farmers.He expressed his confidence in the Prime Minister and AG.