APRIL is being observed as Farmers’ Month, as usual, but it could turn out to be the worst such celebration in years for Jamaica’s farmers.

In addition to the drought feeding numerous bush fires, without enough water to put them out, and now the serious challenge of electing a new board for the 128-year-old Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), there is trouble ahead..

The current board met on Wednesday, March 29, with the majority of members supporting the need for an annual general meeting (AGM) for the election of a new board to be held on July 12, and insisting that the process must follow the constitutional requirements for an election.

Following the March 29 meeting the JAS is expected to report to the Supreme Court by July 3, 2023 to confirm whether or not the society has been following the guidelines provided for in its constitution, as the court adopts a supervisory role on the matter.

One likely competitor for the presidency of the almost 130-year-old organisation, trade unionist/farmer Clifton Grant, says he is awaiting a decision by his election team going forward and is focusing on some of the most outstanding issues facing the JAS.

Grant has insisted the new AGM date would not affect the efforts by the JAS to produce another successful Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in August, a hallmark event that has been embedded in the unique culture and the broad fabric of the Jamaican people from as early as 1953.

For this and other reasons, Ian Hill of the Westmoreland Association of Branch Societies had filed an injunction in the Supreme Court last October to have nominations for the positions of president, first vice-president and second vice-president reopened. He contended that the nominations, which were opened in October 2021 and closed in November 2021, were not in keeping with the historical provisions of the JAS. The case was mentioned in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, March 29, this year.

In the interim, six individuals had been duly nominated and approved by the board — Clifton Grant and Albert Green for the post of president; Owen Dobson and Tamisha Lee for first vice-president; and Kayan Whyne and Trevor Bernard for second vice-president. That court action, however, stalled a long-overdue annual general meeting at which Fulton and his first vice-president, Denton Alvaranga, were expected to tender their resignations

The Supreme Court has now suggested April 16 as the most convenient date for its next sitting to accommodate Fulton who has been in the presidency since 2018, two years more than he should be allowed, as the JAS constitution limits consecutive presidency to three years and only two terms.

According to the monthly tabloid, The Agriculturist, Fulton wants to move on from the presidency, after suffering the stroke. However, he is unable to do so due to the postponement of hearings by the Supreme Court.

The JAS president is insisting that, as an incorporated body, a procedure should be followed in which “every year there are meetings, including the election of officers”.

Fulton was noted as stating that the practice has been breached and that the decision not to elect officers has continued, unconstitutionally, hampering the society from fulfilling its obligations to the agricultural sector, including electing officers as JAS executives. Even worse, it says Fulton has been insisting that there is uncertainty surrounding the funding of the JAS, without full support from the Government through the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

“We have been gearing up to secure alternative funding sources but we need more time to replace the Government’s contributions,” he was reported as saying recently.

It was noted that there was also uncertainty about the newly formed oversight body, the Transformation Implementation Unit headed by Maria Thompson Walters of PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) and representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, who have met with the JAS only once since the unit was established in 2022.

JAS financial statements have revealed that for the period ending March 2021 incomes included $123.88 million of which $117.47 million, or approximately 94 per cent, was in Government subsidies, plus rental income at 4.8 per cent, and dues and affiliation fees at 1.2 per cent.