Cocoa producers have lost millions of dollars in revenue because of the landslides at Gran Couva. Diane Chinpire, Assistant Secretary of the board of directors of the Montserrat Cocoa Farmers Cooperative Society Limited (MCFCSL) said since the major landslide occurred in November 2022 farmers have been losing money daily. She said because Cameron Road, the bypass road, cannot take vehicles that weigh more than 3 tonnes, money has to be spent to move and load beans onto a smaller truck and transport them to another location. From there it has to be loaded onto containers for export.
Chinpire accused government of not doing enough to help squeeze cocoa producers in the area, which she said was evident by the lack of action in dealing with landslides immediately.
“We have the best cocoa in T&T and they are neglecting the industry. Farmers don’t want to come here and deliver wet beans, we have problems getting labour, transport remains a challenge to get produce in and out of the area, the farmers are the ones losing all around. We have the upcoming Cocoa Festival in April which attracts around 2,500 patrons, this year we are hoping that we may get the same amount of people. But because of the landslides people don’t want to come. Artisan chocolate producers do not want to come to get supplies of the cooperative and farmers are losing out,” she said.
Bertram Manhin, 89, the owner of the La Vega Estate, an agro-tourism venture in Gran Couva, said his business may have lost around $500,000 since the landslide occurred. Manhin said most of the losses resulted from increased transportation costs to get goods in and out of the 240-acre estate. Manhin said sales have also dropped by more than 10 per cent because people are afraid of coming to the area because of the landslide. “The road was bad before and it kept a lot of people out, we told them, it was fixed. But then the landslide came and people had the impression that we were marooned, but there is a detour. They had stopped heavy traffic on the detour and it cost us a lot of money to rent a spot on the outside and to get trucks to bring things to that spot,” he lamented.
Manhin said he did not have to retrench any of his 50 employees but was forced to cut their working hours. Manhin said it would help a lot if the government moved quickly to find a solution. At the Brasso end of the road, half of the road has collapsed allowing for light one way traffic
Resident Vashtree Beesan, said she has to walk over a landslide to get a taxi.
“When taxis are working they don’t drop you home and you have to walk up. Up by me, the whole road could drop down anytime.”
Franklyn Wells, 54, claimed landslides are causing sleepless nights in the community.
“Real vehicle have to pass here, two house fall down here, that backroad (referring to Cameron Road) not so wholesome, if a back truck pass there the whole road could collapse. If them truck get away going down that hill, people dead yuh know,” he claimed.
Residents said they feel neglected.
Earlier this month they protested the poor road conditions and landslides.
