The Dominica Agricultural Producers and Exporters Limited (DAPEX), formerly the Dominica Banana Producers Limited (DBPL), held its 8th Annual General Meeting at the newly refurbished Banana Industry Trust, Inland Reception and Distribution Centre at Marigot on Tuesday, 31st August.
The meeting recognised the name change of the company from Dominica Banana Producers Limited (DBPL) to Dominica Agricultural Producers and Exporters Limited (DAPEX), reflecting the company’s new strategic direction to trade in both banana and general agricultural produce.
The feature speaker at the meeting, Kingsley Thomas, General Manager/Consultant of the AID Bank, encouraged farmers and shareholders to support their institutions and organisation and strive to become independent in their business operations. He made several proposals including areas of cooperation between the AID bank and DAPEX which can strengthen the business collaboration between the two organisations.
The shareholders adopted a resolution directing the board of directors of DAPEX to engage with all relevant and appropriate authorities with the objective to bring about a change in the operations of two organisations in the Dominica banana industry, which will reduce unnecessary duplication of management structure and activities. These changes should increase efficiencies, reduce cost to farmers and realise overall increase benefits to farmers, the industry and the country as a whole.
The shareholders re-elected the current board of directors to continue to serve for another year.
All well and good, I just hope that there are farmers on that board as well because too often we see all these organizations being formed to look out for the interest of the farmer and they end up looking looking out for their own pockets.