Few of my experiences with PRAEDIAL

LARCENY
 Published on November 7, 2020
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Ricardo Olando Brown

Agriculture & Integrated Science Teacher at Bustamante High

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The stealing of farm produce and goods is an act that can lessen the livelihood and development
of a nation.

This may seem a rather rash statement but imagine a farmer losing a prize bull or sheep to
someone who sells them for stew or curry. Successive generations that could really improve a
nations stock is lost.

In 2004, I became the appointed president of the Sheep Farmers association, thanks to Mr.
Phillip “Donnie” Bunting. Prior to the formation of the association Mr. Bunting had given me the
instructions to sell all ewes except 20 and three Barbados Black Bellied Ram that were
borrowed, to butchers. I resisted the butchers everywhere possible because most ewes were
pregnant. I refuse to sell a pregnant ewe to butcher. One butcher even offered me money to sell
him one of the rams. Definitely, I refused but they soon found persons to help them move as
much as over 50 sheep and a white Katahdin Ram we had acquired after Kevin Smith passed off.

It was really heart rending to lose animals that you laboured to bring to maturity. We however,
miraculously recovered over 30 of these animals. A worker who claimed to have been
somewhere with his girlfriend saw them and reported it to the boss.
When we recovered the animals an arrest was made but no charges pressed because no one really
followed up the case.

The location continued to lose sheep and fish in volumes. In 2006, one of the worker lost his life
because the stealing of the fish funds was not distributed evenly between his partner. It took
years for the "master mind" of the fish stealing to be caught because he painted a picture to
management that I was the culprit. I remember telling management of my suspicions and even
confession of the fellow how he conducted his activities but it fell on dumb ears. My life has
been threatened indirectly but Thanks to Jehovah-Nissi for His Divine Protection.

The "master mind" activities ended when he was caught by the police after selling fish to a fish
vendor. The vendor was caught by the police who connected the dots to the farm. I was called by
management to confirm if the fellow was a past vendor.

In 2011, I moved from that location and thought that my run in with thieves will be over but it
was definitely not so. Cattle, sheep, goats, farm equipment, crop farm produces and other items
were stolen. It intensified but one of the main perpetrator was gunned down.

From these experiences I have theorized that your:

1. Livestock do not necessary move off your property unless someone inside is involved.

2. You must pay attention to your hired help, his or her communication may save you millions of
dollars. They may not spell out everything to you in black and white, especially if you are the
boss that spill the beans and do nothing about the thief. I told the boss all knew up to a point but
held back when his failures to act put my life at serious risk.

3. Hired help who developed sexual relationships can be dangerous for your operation.

4. Proper background checks must be done of hired farm helps.

5. Whichever approach you may take, the hired help is a thief and until proven
otherwise or he is honest until proven otherwise, there must be one worker that you
trust to develop the business without stealing your goods.