Distressed by bureaucracy, inefficiency of agri grant disbursement system

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Please allow me to use this medium to air some questions with regard to the European Union's (EU) grant to sugar-cane farmers who have significantly reduced their cane production, if not totally ceasing to produce sugar cane, over the last few years.

As a former sugar-cane farmer who had abandoned production, I was informed in June 2011 that my name had appeared on a list of persons who were deemed eligible for this EU grant. After being instructed by the persons responsible for registering farmers to follow certain steps and to be present at specific locations miles away from my home on three different occasions (had to miss a lecture on one occasion), the registering process was completed.

Farmers were told at the time of registration that the process of disbursement to farmers would commence in about one to two months. In September, I started making enquiries with regard to what was happening, since I had not received any further information.

Long-winded inefficiency

In November, after a number of calls to the financial institution responsible for facilitating payments to the farmers, I was told that not only was there no money there for me as yet, but that they were informed by the relevant person/s at the Sugar Industry Authority that the method of disbursement to farmers had been altered, such that the total amount of the grant was to be paid out over a period of 24 months, with no upfront lump sum as was indicated at the time of registration.

To date, I know that some farmers have begun to receive payments from October. All queries as to why some farmers who registered on the same day as myself have received payment/s and I have not. I have been met with a general air of intolerance and a lack of any explanation other than "you have to wait". Why does it take months to disburse monies that are supposedly available to people who have been duly registered?

When the grant is disbursed in the manner proposed over 24 months, exactly what is a farmer expected to use that paltry sum to accomplish on his/her farm? I dare say he/she can do absolutely nothing constructive other than going to the rum bar to drown one's despair in some 'cane oil'.

Does the EU feel that this grant programme is achieving the intended goal/s, which I thought was to encourage cane farmers to either get back into production or increase their current level of production? Can someone please give cane farmers some respect by at least giving adequate information with regard to this programme?

The lack of clarity and efficient customer service has left this farmer bemused, confused, but, certainly not amused.

- Arnold Sahadeo, Ewarton, St Catherine, benolsahadeo@yahoo.com