Green declines to comment on threat of legal action after JAS holds AGM

By Kimone Witter 

   

Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green has declined to comment on the threat of legal action following Wednesday's holding of the Jamaica Agricultural Society's Annual General Meeting, despite an injunction to prevent its occurrence.

 

Attorney-at-law Hugh Wildman, who represents JAS member Lawrence Robertson, says he will be going back to the Supreme Court to address the breach.

 

Mr. Green told Radio Jamaica News on Thursday morning that the ministry will issue a statement.

 

The Supreme Court imposed an injunction following an application from Mr. Robertson who said the statute governing the JAS was being flouted in the holding of the AGM.

 

Mr. Robertson called for the finances of the JAS to be audited before the AGM could be held.

 

The court ruled that the interim injunction granted July last year shall remain in place until final determination of the substantive claim, with the first hearing set for September 19 this year.

 

But a letter sent to JAS board members on June 3, under the signature of Minister Green, outlined that after careful review and assessment of necessary court documents, the Ministry's Legal Services Unit determined that the interim injunction that was granted to Mr. Robertson against the JAS board has no bearing on the intended AGM for the 2024 elections.

 

The Legal Services Unit also determined that the injunction relates specifically to the implementation of decisions made by the Board in July 2023.

 

The Unit also indicated that failure to hold the AGM could give rise to contempt of court proceedings if an order made by the court on May 9, this year was not followed.

 

That order mandated that the JAS hold its AGM in July this year in accordance with its by-laws and the JAS Incorporation Act.

 

 

In the meantime, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green has urged the Jamaica Agricultural Society to quickly fix its internal issues.

 

Mr. Green, who was speaking at the JAS annual general meeting on Wednesday, said the disorder could be a turnoff to the farmers it is seeking to represent. 

 

"It is important that JAS as an organisation ensure (sic) that it operates in a fashion that can stand up to public scrutiny. The JAS is of no help to anyone if they cannot fix their own house. And I'll tell you frankly, as a government we want a strong JAS because the JAS is the voice of the farmer, should be the voice of the farmer. But if the JAS is spending more time arguing about elections than out there in the field feeding back to us who get damaged [in Hurricane Beryl], we have a problem," he asserted. 

 

A new president and board of directors of the Jamaica Agricultural Society were selected at Wednesday's AGM.

 

Owen Dobson, who was Second Vice President, under the leadership of Lenworth Fulton, was appointed president.

 

But Mr. Fulton has said Wednesday's annual general meeting was illegitimate and no decision taken will be able to withstand legal scrutiny.