Six new directors have been appointed to the board of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), a statutory body under the purview of the Ministry of Agriculture.
Deputy chairman Davini Ramoutar, Deowatie Lalchan, Renee Mc Clashie-Mayers and William Benjamin, the representative from the Tobago House of Assembly, received their instruments of appointment from Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, in a ceremony at the ministry’s head office in St Clair, Port-of-Spain, witnessed by Permanent Secretary, Joy Persad-Myers.
Chairman Winston Rudder and director Sekou Mark will receive their instruments of appointment at a later date.
Rambharat said Rudder brings extensive experience as a former Permanent Secretary of the ministry and past director of the ADB. He said Rudder will be returning to the country by mid-month, following which the new board’s first meeting will be convened. He said one additional director may be appointed following consultation with the board.
Rambharat advised the new directors to focus on the legislation under which the ADB was created. He noted his comments in the Senate on the Auditor General’s report of the ADB’s 2012 accounts and said he expected the board to ensure that the audit findings were investigated.
The minister also impressed upon the directors the need to take personal responsibility for their individual declarations of interests, an issue which he said was critical to good governance.