Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Kazim Hosein met representatives of the Cocoa Development Company (CDC) of Trinidad and Tobago on Monday to discuss the company’s operations.

In a statement on its Facebook page, the ministry said Hosein and a team from the ministry met representatives of the company, including chairman Jacqueline Rawlins “to discuss the company's operations and to also ascertain a road map for its future.”

[caption id="attachment_949395" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Kazim Hosein and representatives from the ministry meet with representatives of the Cocoa Development Company on Monday. Photo courtesy Ministry Agriculture, Land and Fisheries[/caption]

Hosein had sought a meeting with the company after its participation in a parliamentary state enterprises committee meeting on March 28. He said he had noted statements made by the company, and reported in the media, and would be seeking a meeting with them for a briefing on the current issues as well as to discuss future plans.

During the meeting, acting permanent secretary Susan Shurland spoke about a Cabinet note being drafted to deal with concerns raised by CDC officials, including funding and filling of vacant posts. She also said the CDC currently received subventions totalling $2 million annually to meet certain expenses, and consideration is being given to whether additional funding could be sourced from an agricultural stimulus package announced in last year's budget.

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