He has confirmed that he has been issued a threat by a player in the poultry industry, but Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Pearnel Charles Jr has four simple words for that individual: “I have no fear.”

The threat, according to Charles Jr, was issued almost two weeks ago, after he stated that consideration would be given to removing or reducing the Common External Tariff (CET) on the importation of chicken leg quarters, which now stands at 280 per cent, and added that $50 million would be set aside by his ministry to assist chicken farmers who needed support, as the price of the commodity jumped to historic heights.

He declined to state the nature of the threat, and insisted that he would not be filing a report to the police, as he did not think that the perpetrator was “worth that kind of attention”.

“I have no fear in making the decisions that are tough. No threat or challenge will deter me from doing what is best for the people of Jamaica and I will ensure that the decisions I make are done based on an assessment of accurate information and with the effort to develop an industry that respects the people — particularly at a time when we face the greatest challenge,” Charles Jr mentioned to the Jamaica Observer in an interview late last week.

“Politics is not an easy profession, and making decisions that impact persons economically always comes with some kind of positive or negative consequence. So, I appreciate that my utterances have caused apprehension for some and great hope for others.

“I am not surprised that you have a section of the country that is pleased, surprised, that I am bold in speaking about competition, new entrants and the need for change, and you have another section that has responded in a way that can be seen as defensive. I have responsibilities to both sections, and I have made it clear that there will be no threat, or attempt to persuade me one way or the other, that will succeed, if it is not based on seeking the best interest of the people.

“I am not in any way trying to attack broiler companies, or attack any element. I am here to do my job, which is to make sure that Jamaica benefits, that Jamaica has a resilient and robust poultry industry and agricultural sector, that our broiler companies can be profitable, our small farmers can have consistent access to the input and baby chicks that they need, and that the consumers can have access in as affordable a way as possible to the most important protein that they know,” Charles Jr said.

As for the involvement of the police in the matter, Charles Jr insisted that it was not necessary to file an official account of what transpired during what he said was a telephone conversation.

“No, personally, I would not give the energy to it, because those things cannot sway me and will not sway me. It’s not the first time. When you are working in this type of climate, those things will happen,” he said.

“It is my responsibility to find the balance that is necessary to protect small farmers, large farmers and consumers; to develop our local production capacity and to build a poultry industry and agriculture and fisheries sector that will be able to contribute to our growth and achieve food security.

“To do so we are going to have to make some very strong decisions that may call on us to adjust our approach and to make assessments of how we move forward. It will not be easy. Change is never easy, but the Government will have to examine how the poultry industry will operate to the benefit and interest of Jamaica — not a small section of Jamaica, but all Jamaica,” the minister insisted. “Right now, you have single mothers who can’t eat; you have farmers, taxi men, teachers and police who we have to consider. Chicken is the most affordable protein, and I have said it in my parliamentary statement that we must consider farmers and consumers alike and whether they can access this important protein.”

Charles Jr, who is Member of Parliament for Clarendon South Eastern, insisted that henceforth, decisions that will be made by his ministry must be based on the truth, and will be fact-driven.

“For decades we have had regimes that have ensured to the benefit of our broilers companies who have been able to hire several contract farmers, been able to support small farmers, and to grow the industry into vertically integrated, highly profitable companies, and now we are moving to another phase where we have to assess if that regime is the right regime for this time or if there is need for us to examine whether the balance of probabilities is not leaning one way against the other,” he argued.

“I am challenged with a reality that there is great uncertainty as to what are the facts…what is true. You would see what has taken place in the public domain, where you have several big players saying things that are contradictory. I have given instructions for the technical officials in my ministry to undertake our own assessment to ensure that we have accurate information for the consideration of myself as minister, and the Cabinet, so that the decisions that we make will be based on the facts and not just on what we find on social media.

“It is also important to make it clear that my only announcement that was made in Parliament was about a $50-million relief. Secondly, I pronounced on the need for us to build up on our local industry, so that Jamaica can feed itself, so Jamaica can start to do the research and development to provide the input for our feed or fertiliser, so that Jamaica can have a wider range of options, including develop our fish programme and we have greater options for our people,” the minister said.

“And so, small farmers, contract farmers, backyard farmers, broiler companies…all can benefit. Unfortunately, some have chosen to focus only on one paragraph of my presentation, which clarifies for me that there is a need for me to focus on it as well,” Charles Jr stated.

As far as what is to be done with the CET, the agriculture and fisheries minister insisted that no decision had been taken, but consultations continue.

“Let it be clear, what I have done is simply put on the table that this option rests in the remit of the minister, and so it is always in the consideration of any minister that if the time is deemed appropriate, this is an option that can be utilised to the benefit of the Jamaican people,” he explained.

“At this time we are doing an assessment of the poultry industry, based on several calls we have received from small farmers, about delays they have been having in respect of having access to chicks; the several calls we have received from retailers, including KFC, who have come out and expressed difficulties with shortage and delays in delivery, including supermarkets, who have also expressed difficulties in delays and shortages; and our own assessment of the supermarkets where we have seen what can only be defined as very low supplies of chicken meat.

“And so we are looking at cogent facts to be able to make the consideration, whether it is about the Common External Tariff or some other measure. But we will have to be in a position as a ministry to take action if necessary, for it’s not for us to sit down and wait. We have constant assessments being done, and this is one of the normal processes that the ministry carries out,” he said.

Meetings with stakeholders, Charles Jr said, have been held and, according to him, they were all “positive”.

Among the meetings convened, he said, was one with Jamaica’s two large broiler companies — Jamaica Broilers and Caribbean Broilers — which he described as “productive” and at which issues like challenges the companies faced, based on the increases in the input prices globally, and those associated with the novel coronavirus pandemic, were raised.

“We came out of that meeting with a commitment to ensure that we work together for the benefit of small farmers and the benefit of consumers,” the minister continued.

“We have had engagements with contract farmers, small farmers and all stakeholders, and I will continue to listen to them, hear their challenges and to see how we can design the best way forward. That must be the goal,” Charles Jr said.