Approach made to Govt to buy Caroni

FORMER Attorney Gen-eral, Ramesh Lawrence Maharaj silenced several hundred canefarmers and former sugar workers when he announced that an unnamed company had already approached the Patrick Manning administration to purchase Caroni (1975) Limited. He was addressing a mass solidarity rally organised by the Movement for Social Transformation at the Centre Pointe Mall car park, Chaguanas yesterday. Maharaj also outlined two plans of action that the Movement would be undertaking on behalf of the former sugar workers in order to force Government to implement several additional clauses contained in the Voluntary Separation of Employment Packages: payment of pensions and priority in the distribution of Caroni’s lands.

However, the small flag-waving crowd went into stunned silence when Maharaj announced that he had been “in touch” with an unnamed company for the purchase of the former sugar company. “We have been able to speak to a company who have become very interested in buying Caroni Limited and who have made an offer. Its foreign investors want to buy Caroni Limited and the assets of Caroni Limited,” he said. Maharaj added: “They have also undertaken to the Government to re-employ all the workers of Caroni and also to give the facilities to the cane farmers to be able to supply the cane.” “As a matter of fact, I saw a copy of the letter that was sent to the Prime Minister, and I can tell you, I have spoken to Trinidadians living in New York, who are prepared to invest in any company in Trinidad and Tobago in order to ensure that the sugar worker gets his job and that Caroni Limited becomes a viable concern.”

Maharaj pointed out that with the right combination of management and experience, the sugar industry would be able to make an invaluable contribution to the country’s GDP. The National Team Unity leader also revealed that an order of “mandamus” would be served on Government, in order to force Government to deposit the outstanding deficit into Caroni’s pension fund. He said the amount was close to almost $500 million. A number of public meetings are also planned to coincide with the legal action, Maharaj also revealed, saying that within the next two weeks the order would be served on the Government.