EDITORIAL: Stamping out praedial larceny
FOR too long now, the unlawful harvesting of crops has been an ever-present troubling issue in Barbados, with many small to medium-sized farming operations feeling the brunt of those who dare engage in this illegal activity.
Numerous local farmers have thrown their hands in the air in desperation, after losing a significant percentage of their agricultural produce to crop thieves, knowing full well that even when a report is made to the local police, the chances of recovering crops and even livestock will be small to none. Most of the preventative efforts geared against praedial larceny have centred around farmers themselves taking matters into their own hands.
However, the Government of Barbados has moved to ensure that the current legislation, which is already “on the books” to deal with praedial larceny, is much more effective and has much more weight. This is exactly what most farmers have been calling for, given the fact that praedial larceny has put a damper on the local agricultural sector and those involved in it, who can’t bear to see their hard labour go for naught and potential profits which should have been coming to them, slip into the pockets of unscrupulous and heartless individuals who want to reap rewards without effort. Added to this however, is the call for praedial larcenists to be dealt with severely when they come before the courts, after being caught. A slap on the wrist will not do, farmers insist.
Indeed, this matter is not one to scoff at, as praedial larceny has been cited as one of the major challenges impacting the growth of the agricultural sector in Barbados. Many local farmers feel that the issue of praedial larceny is not being viewed in the same light as other criminal activity. Barbadians frown on those who shoplift, those who are brazen enough to commit robbery and theft, those who burglarise private dwellings or commercial properties, yet the activity of stealing or even vandalising agricultural produce is treated in some cases as no big deal and the farmers who have to absorb all losses, are expected to start from scratch, in what is often a very labour intensive and expensive endeavour.
While full enforcement of the law is really what the farming community wants to see in Barbados, farmers and those involved in agri-business should feel somewhat heartened that a move is being made to strengthen legislation that already exists to deal with praedial larceny. The Praedial Larceny Prevention Act CAP 142A, said to have been proclaimed in 1992, has been said not to be a strong enough deterrent to thieves, though some argue that it is the lack of enforcement of the law that is really the issue.
However, via various amendments to praedial larceny legislation, greater effort is being made to ensure the traceability of agricultural produce via a system of coding; and provision is also being made for agricultural inspectors, who will have the legal authority to verify ownership of produce being sold. Of course, this will call for farmers to remain up to date with their registration and certification, but ultimately, with the inspectors doing their job as intended and working jointly with law enforcement officials, we may see a few loose ends being tied up and possibly a few more arrests being made. While we wait to see the full outcomes, the farming community must continue to advocate for praedial larceny to get greater attention and be stamped out in Barbados.