October 27, 2016: ‘As a facilitator, I focus on a very simple concept, which is being honest, doing the right thing’, bearing in mind the implications of your actions in public office. Further, that ‘confidentiality is the lifeblood of good governance’. Principled advice given by Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries at a ‘Corporate Governance’ training session for Directors and Officers of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), the Cocoa Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (CDCTTL), and the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO) was held on Tuesday 25th October, 2016. He commended the ‘initiative to bring the Boards together for this training’.
Senator Rambharat called on the Directors and Officers to be prudent in the conduct of their duties on a daily basis, noting that ‘we must ensure that in whatever we do, we do the right thing so that later on we can defend what we did’, urging that they ‘focus on the big picture’. He also assured the Directors that he understands that he has ‘ultimate responsibility for what the Agencies and the Ministry do under [his] watch’.
The Agriculture Minister was applauded for his unique action in issuing letters of expectation to each Board when appointed, setting out in detail their statutory responsibilities, along with his expectations on their role and function.
The Agriculture Minister’s work experience undoubtedly qualified him to speak on the issue of good governance, having served as External Counsel Advisor in State Enterprises, In-House Counsel in the State Sector; Corporate Secretary; Chief Executive Officer; and Chairman. He was thus well poised to offer practical advice on the conduct of Board Meetings, reading and reviewing of Board Meeting Minutes and Papers; contributions to Board Papers; the role of the Corporate Secretary; Materiality and Context; Confidentiality and Trust; Terms of Reference for Board Committees; among others.
The all-day Corporate Governance Training for Directors and Officers of ADB, CDCTTL and NAMDEVCO was held on Tuesday 25th October, 2016.
Cross section of audience.
Senator the Honourable Clarence Rambharat, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (c) in conversation with Mr. Ronnie Bissessar, facilitation (r) and Mr. Winston Rudder, Chairman, ADB & CDCTTL
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For further information please contact:
The Communications and Events Unit
Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
868-622-1221