… Impasse at West Bank cane farmers co-opA bitter feud between members and executives of a West Bank Demerara cane farmers cooperative has spilled over and caused the Agriculture Ministry, yesterday,Wholesale Jerseys China, to announced that with production under threat, it is appointing a special team to help diffuse the situation.Following complaints by members, the Ministry of Labour’s Chief Co-operative Development Officer (CCDO) in July last year seized control of the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society.However, one week later, the cooperative was handed back to the executives after it was found that the manner of the takeover was not done in the correct manner.The co-operative,Cheap Jerseys USA, controlling over 600 acres of cane-land on West Bank Demerara, had been embroiled in accusations by a number of members.At least three members who hold over 30 acres between them had complained that the co-operative is badly in need of revamping.It was reported last year July that the co-operative,Cheap Jerseys China, said to have been established since the 1960s, decided to go to arbitration in 2009 to recover outstanding dues. The arbitration panel then handed down a decision that ordered a number of farmers to pay their dues or face their lands being taken away by the co-operative.The co-operative seized the lands and later transferred it to another farmer who had reportedly paid the outstanding rates.Government had announced last year that it had about 20 co-operative societies under investigation for mismanagement. Several of them were seized and interim managements appointed to fix the problems.In addition to poor record keeping, there was widespread evidence of lands being seized,Wholesale NFL Jerseys, profits not being shared and misuse of property.In many cases, there were not proper financial records and timely elections, with minutes not kept in accordance to regulations.There are about 1800 societies registered at the Ministry of Labour with an estimated 300 of these being school societies. Only about 40 per cent of the school societies are operating.Yesterday, Agriculture Minister, Robert Persaud was unhappy over the impasse.“The Ministry of Agriculture wishes to state its disappointment with the continuing impasse at the Belle Vue Cane Farmers Marketing Cooperative Society and the apparent inability of the responsible agencies to deal expeditiously with the issues.”He noted that the production of sugar cane and its crucial value to the national economy cannot be disputed.? Its importance to the livelihoods of rural families and their quality of life is of paramount concern to this government.“It is in this regard, therefore, that the Minister of Agriculture has appointed a team comprising the Secretary to the National Cane Farming Committee,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, Mr. Muthuswammi? Permual, Mr. Cecil Seepersaud? and Mr. Randy Beckles of the Ministry of Agriculture,Discount NFL Jerseys, to enquire into the issues and to make recommendations for their resolution.”The Minister also signaled his intentions to work with other cane farming which is facing similar problems.“The Ministry of Agriculture is aware that problems exist in other cane farming cooperatives, and will work closely with the Cooperatives Division of the Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Security to resolve.”