Praedial thieves costing Trelawny farmers millions

Western Bureau:

Kevin Condappa, director of agricultural services in the Ministry of Agriculture, says Jamaican farmers are losing millions of dollars in actual and potential earning annually, as a result of praedial larceny.

“Praedial larceny affects our food security negatively … it affects our import bill,” said Condappa, who was addressing a recent praedial larceny workshop at the Falmouth Police Station in Trelawny. “We import vast quantities of ginger and garlic from China. If farmers are not afraid to farm, we would be able to produce for ourselves.”

In bemoaning the nation’s inability to effectively combat praedial larceny, Condappa called for more resources to be placed in the fight to protect farmers from the thieves who are preying on them.

However, Superintendent Kirk Ricketts, the commander of the Trelawny police, said, while the police are now not able to fully respond to the praedial larceny scourge, better days are on the horizon.

“We cannot respond as we should at this time, but there is going to be an improvement going forward. Four new vehicles are to be assigned to the unit (the police’s praedial larceny unit). This will greatly improve our capacity to respond,” said Ricketts.

JUNGLE JUSTICE

According to him, many farmers are not reporting incidents of praedial larceny and are seemingly more interested in taking the law into their own hands, resulting in persons being killed.

“In Trelawny, the justice system is being derailed as it relates to praedial larceny. There is a high level of under-reporting,” stated Ricketts. “In 2019, there were only 13 reports. However, from our intelligence, we know there is far more incidence of praedial larceny. There is a culture of farmers taking the law into their own hands.”

“The police would like to prevent the incidences of aggravated assaults and murders,” added Ricketts.

However, in defence of the ‘jungle justice’ being practised by some farmers, a farmer, who did not identify himself, told the workshop that seeking justice through the court system was not beneficial, leading to their preference to take the law into their own hands.

“When I lose a bull valued at $300,000 and, after a year in court, the thief is sentenced to six months in prison and I get nothing, makes no sense. We the farmers prefer to kill them.”

In a bid to create a greater layer of protection for the farmers, Deputy Superintendent Winston Milton told The Gleaner that, going forward, the police will be creating more watch groups to protect the farmers.

“Going forward, the police will be establishing more Farmers’ Watch Groups. Currently, there are three in South Trelawny. The police will be forging greater partnerships with the stakeholders. We will update our cattle slaughter register and increase our presence in the markets,” said Milton.