Former Attorney General Anil Nandlall is challenging the validity of the Region Five Rice Assessment Committee and its authority to determine any claim before it, owing in part to the non-appointment of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), which is required to advise on its Chairman.
Recently, the Mahaica, Mahaicony, Abary-Agricultural Development Authority (MMA-ADA) filed a claim with the Committee against several farmers for outstanding payments related to rent and drainage and irrigation fees. The issue is related to an increase in these fees from $1,000 to $7,000 for rent, and from $2,500 to $8,000 for drainage and irrigation, per acre, annually.
Appearing before the Committee on behalf of the farmers this week, Nandlall argued that the Committee is currently constituted in a manner contrary to the Rice Farmers (Security of Tenure) Act, and therefore lacks the jurisdiction to hear or determine this or any claim before it.
