Independent commission to provide recommendations to resolve JAS issues

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green summoned the Jamaica Agricultural Society’s (JAS) executives to a meeting on Monday, to explore the recent issues raised regarding the organisation’s annual general meeting, election processes and the various court actions that have been filed alleging procedural breaches.

Arriving from that discussion, it was agreed that Green would appoint a five-member independent commission to conduct a review of the electoral processes of the JAS and provide recommendations as to the way forward. The commission will engage various stakeholders, including the staff of the JAS, and is expected to conclude its work over the next eight weeks. The relevant parties also agreed that the commission will be allowed to undertake its work unimpeded and in a spirit of unity, as it strives to find an amicable solution that is in the best interest of the organisation and the farmers served by it.

Additionally, it was agreed among the parties that the ministry would seek to fast-track the implementation of the transitional plan for the JAS in a bid to deal with some of the structural challenges facing the organisation.

The parties also agreed that the entire focus of the organisation over the next few weeks will be on producing the best ever Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show, and that the various parish branches would be fully mobilised.

The ministry is assuring over 240,000 farmers that it will continue to work with the JAS to ensure that their interests are being served.