The PUP SUPPORTS SUGAR CANE FARMERS

On the 18th of January 2010, the People’s United Party under the leadership of Hon John Briceno released a powerful statement in support of the Sugar Cane Farmers in the northern districts of Orange walk and Corozal.
The release called on government to take bold leadership and to provide guidance to the sugar industry at a time when it is undergoing stormy days. It is important to note that the PUP’s radio station in Orange Walk has been hitting government daily, in particular the Minister of Agriculture for allowing the tense situation between the farmers and BSI to escalate to what may have been chaos.  It is only because of this that Gaspar Vega rushed to intervene to try to find a solution to the numerous problems. Rene Montero, Minister of Agriculture was present at the sugar industry stakeholders meetings but as usual kept silent for fear of saying something irrelevant and out of context. His silence only confirmed farmers’ worst fears. Montero knows nothing and cares about nothing in the sugar industry.
It is the PUP and its new leader, John Briceno that have called on GOB to ensure that BSI and farmers negotiate on the revenues from the sale of bagasse to BELCOGEN. Farmers will recall that this has been a sensitive topic which BSI has been dodging ever since the farmers requested payment. When asked about bagasse payments to cane farmers on popular Orange Walk morning show “Despierta Belice”, BSI executives dipped and slipped the topic repeatedly.  The PUP has told the GOB that no more slipping and dipping will be tolerated; BSI must negotiate and arrive at a fair compromise on revenue sharing for bagasse with cane farmers.
The PUP has gone further to ensure that the interests of 6000 plus cane farmers and their families are safeguarded by requesting that the farmers have qualified representation on the Board of Directors of BSI.  This request is a result of past decisions taken by BSI allegedly being skewed – making BSI the lone beneficiary at the expense of the cane farmers. The PUP has demanded that an end be put to this type of sinister behavior.
Sugar Cane Farmers will recall that it was during the time of the PUP that 48 Million Euros (equivalent to approximately 140 million Belize dollars) was secured for the sugar cane industry from the European Union. All that is required from this UDP government is to spend it wisely by developing programs that would ensure the survival of the sugar cane industry.  Even this simple test they have failed. All they have done with the EU money is to upgrade a number of main roads in the Orange Walk and Corozal districts. No comprehensive, sustainable field rehabilitation program has been developed, much less implemented by the Ministry responsible for the sugar industry. At the lower level, farmers do appreciate the tireless efforts of the technical staff of the SICB. They can certainly acknowledge the long hours of work and weekends which the technical staff of the SICB dedicates to serving the farmers and they are most grateful.  The problem lies at the highest level of the line – Ministries where policy direction and decisions are seriously deficient.
The People’s United Party stands in solidarity with cane farmers and understands the hardships, frustrations and inconveniences that they have been undergoing recently.
The People’s United Party will do its best to ensure that cane farmers are treated with all fairness, respect and the dignity they deserve and we demand that GOB and BSI do the same. After all it is the sugarcane farmers that are sitting at the wheel of the economic train in the north.

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