THE Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) says it wants an early resolution to the non-payment of money due to more than 10,000 coffee farmers from proceeds of insurance coverage, subsequent to Hurricane Ivan last September.

In a letter to Graham Dunkley, director general of the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) and John Lee of
PriceWaterhouseCoopers, liquidator for the Dyoll Insurance Company, JAS president Senator Norman Grant said that the matter was extremely important as the coffee farmers have gone 14 months without any support, despite facing a number of disasters.

"It is totally unacceptable to have the farmers waiting, without knowing exactly what is the timetable for settlement," Senator Grant said.

He noted that the coffee farmers did not receive any support from the government in the Hurricane Ivan restoration process, "because it was indicated that they would have been compensated by the insurance scheme that is operated by the Coffee Industry Board".

The coffee farmers, Grant said, were anxiously awaiting the decision of the board and the liquidator.
In the meantime, he demanded that a statement be issued immediately, outlining the status of the court proceedings and the likely date for the payments to be made.

"We are maintaining that the total payment of US$3.2 million that is due to the farmers should be made and would ask that you also confirm the full amount that will be paid to the farmers," Grant's letter said.

After the failure of Dyoll, creditors were told to expect between 25 and 35 per cent of what they are due.

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