No AGM, No Audit since 2014. What’s Up with CGA’s Finances?
According to Chanona, a general meeting of the membership of the Citrus Growers Association has not taken place since 2014 when the last AGM was convened at his insistence. Since then there has been no audited financials of the association.
Isani Cayetano
“Mr. Chanona, can you tell me when last the CGA met with its membership and has there been any discussion to call either a special meeting or an extraordinary meeting, if that were the case?”
On the Phone: Anthony Chanona, Member, Citrus Growers Association
“The last special A.G.M. was one that I petitioned along with over a hundred other growers. I need not go into the details but that was met very disrespectfully and following that special A.G.M. in which I challenged them for their audited financials, that was not forthcoming. We met in Red Bank, I think it was 2014. Since that date there has been no approved budget, there has been no election of officers and there’s been no report. I understand that it costs money to have these meetings but that is not an excuse not to have the information provided. We have Whatsapp, we have all these other electronic ways of meeting and we can meet under a citrus tree. We don’t need to meet under a tent and we don’t need translators and we don’t need food. This is our association, this is our business and we are interested in trying to keep our association alive and C.G.A. has been too silent. I am challenging them, calling them out to come to the media and address their actions and they need to meet with staff and allay their fears on how they will be paid. I do not think it is fear for the staff to be in the position it’s in and I really am saddened to learn of this situation. I was made to understand that on the Plant World Nursery issue, C.P.B.L. has stepped into the picture and they have placed personnel at Plant World to secure their advanced investments. So they have taken some action there and rightly so because C.G.A. is cash-strapped. But the same way C.P.B.L. has stepped into Plant World I think the C.G.A. personnel that are managing the association need to step into the picture to pay our creditors and pay our staff.”
