Dear Editor,

I read with interest in a recent publication that the United Kingdom is to allocate £55 million to create a sustainable irrigation system for agriculture in Jamaica. I’m imploring Asif Ahmad, the United Kingdom’s high commissioner to Jamaica, not to go ahead with this proposal, unless there’s oversight as to how the money will be spent.

Not too long ago the European Union gave a substantial grant to form the Cane Expansion Fund. This was to benefit small farmers in forms of loans of five per cent for planting, harvesting, and replanting of sugar cane, as well as purchasing farm equipment. Well, we all know how that worked out.

The fat cats from the All-Island Cane Farmers Associations and the Ministry of Agriculture poorly managed these funds, and the stories abound of the building of townhouses and an array of other things not associated with sugar cane. To make matters worse, the All-Island Cane Farmers Association defended these loans with which the auditor general disagreed and flagged as ‘not for purpose’. The fund was to benefit the small farmers.

It was also stated that one billion dollars of what they took would be written off. Nothing should be written off, in my view; this is not free money. The worse part of it was that the present Government promised to deal with the matter. Up until now we haven’t heard anything from them about that promise.

I have a few suggestions. The Office of the Contractor General should have got involved, then the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency and the fraud squad. Those found guilty should have had their assets confiscated until every cent is paid back.

I would urge the international donor agencies to, as a rule, manage closely any funds or grants given to Jamaica to ensure it achieves the desired results.

A very concerned citizen