CANE FARMERS IMPOSE INDEFINITE STRIKE UNTIL DEMANDS ARE MET

Cane Farmers in their meeting held yesterday at the People’s Stadium in Orange Walk have decided to continue the strike indefinitely until three demands that were made to the government are met. The demands are that the core sampler be eliminated completely from the industry; the second demand is that if the core sampler is not eliminated there will be no further negotiations with the Government of the Belize Sugar Industry and the third demand is that Nemencio Acosta be removed as the Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board. Prime Minister Dean Barrow in a press conference held yesterday said that those request will not be adhered to.

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“Starting with the last one first; I have told Mr. Magana that that is not going to happen. At least not in the current circumstances; we naturally have to look at all that has gone on and the various roles played by various people. But to demand that without any kind of due process, without any kind of examination of the circumstances Government would simply, give in to what I see as a form of blackmail, fire Mr. Acosta is not on. Let me go to the first demand since the second demand is related to the first. What they are asking for involves as well BSI and what they are asking for in terms of saying abandon completely the reform measures or at least that particular feature of the reform measures will have fundamental consequences for the industry. This is not my industry, this is their industry, and it is also a national industry. I said yesterday that these reform measures are also being required by our external partners. The EU which had to cut back on its prices in order to compensate agreed a financing package to the industry. This is known as their company measures for sugar and as a result of that all the sugar roads are to be rehabilitated. The entire road network in the north is to be rehabilitated but part and parcel of this financing mechanism is the implementation of the reform measures by the industry. This is why the people are giving us the money. They are saying look we have got to look we have had to cut back on the prices, we know that that causes some dislocation, we know in order for you to survive you need some money to become viable: here is money to help. But there is no point in us fixing the roads if in fact you will not be able to produce more efficiently. If the factory will not be able to operate with the right quality, the proper cane throughput. So if the farmers are to achieve this demand that core sampling payment by quality be abandoned forever, I put it no higher than that this will have grave consequences for the industry. It may well be that if there is a determination to say to hell with the industry that that is what would have to happen. But there is no way I will agree to that, to some extent it is beyond my power. But in so far as my being required to bless this position, there is no way will do that. Long story short, in so far as it is within my power, I do not adhere to this demand. That of course leaves the third demand, which is premised from the first, that there is to be no discussion unless the first demand is met. I turn it completely around. There will have to be discussion before any contemplation of possible movement on the first demand can take place.”

That means that the strike continues and cane farmers will not be delivering sugarcane to the BSI factory until there is some kind of truce.