Mediation Between A.S.R./B.S.I. and B.S.C.F.A. Failed

Jose Abelardo Mai

Late this evening, Minister of Agriculture Jose Abelardo Mai, confirmed with News Five that mediation between A.S.R./B.S.I. and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association has failed. He conceded that while mediation was a worthwhile effort, many expected it to fail. We asked him about the Sugar Industry Control Board’s decision to propose that the 2022/2023 crop commence on the twenty-seventh of December, under the condition that an agreement is signed between both parties. He says that the decision was made unanimously by the board and in the abundance of caution. Here is what he told us.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“Unfortunately, mediation failed. There was no agreement reached out between the BSCFA and ASR/BSI. Many would say that was expected. It was expected not to succeed. Nevertheless we have to begin the crop. The harvest has to start. But, the sugar board believes the crop cannot start without BCSFA having an agreement with ASR/BSI. So while ASR had announced the crop to start the nineteenth of December, the Sugar Board unanimous decided that the crop would begin on the twenty seventh of December, providing that an agreement be reached between those two main parties. It was a unanimous decision and no one objected to it, which is why it was unanimous. We believe that the decision was made in the best interest of the industry, because to begin the crop with three associations and the bigger association not being able to deliver their sugarcane would have been in my view, chaos. And the government of Belize would never allow chaos or riot again to occur in the industry.”