Farmers get injunction against Caroni

On Monday, Justice Carlton Best granted the injunction, filed by Ramnarace Sookhai and Naraish Sookhai, against Caroni’s attempt to take possession of almost two acres of lands.

Caroni contracted the lands to Sookhai’s harvesting company — Sookhai’s Diesel Service.

Caroni, in restructuring its operations under the Sugar Manufacturing Company Ltd (SMC), had contracted 13 harvesting contractors to reap its cane.

In a lawsuit filed in the San Fernando Court Office, the Sookhais stated that Caroni contracted their company to rehabilitate the lands with the "understanding" that their harvesting company (Sookhai’s Diesel Service) would harvest the cane until the 2007 crop.

Lands contracted to the Sookhais were located in Edinburgh, Caroni, Felicity and Jerningham. Attorney Prakash Deonarine, instructed by Susan Mulchan, submitted before Best in the San Fernando High Court that the Sookhais received a letter from the Sugar Industry Team requesting that they cease undertaking any future crop operations on the lands. The letter was dated February 3, 2005.

Best granted an injunction restraining Caroni from trespassing on to the lands. The Sookhais are seeking damages for breach of contract.