Cane farmers battle it out in court

Also in the Supreme Court, the case of the breakaway cane farming group, United Cane Farmers Association (U.C.F.A) came up before Justice Oswald Legall. That association is still seeking to find a way to legally move forward in an industry that has been dominated by the Belize Cane Farmers Association (B.C.F.A.). The solicitor general and Marcel Cardona appeared on behalf of B.C.F.A.; Young’s Law Firm for Belize Sugar Industries and Hubert Elrington appeared on the behalf of U.C.F.A. Elrington says that there has been enough adjournments and it’s time to get the industry reorganized and moving in the right direction.

Hubert Elrington, Attorney for U.C.F.A.
“The United Cane Farmers Association is saying there is enough adjournments and enough delays. We are asking the judge to grant us certain orders and declarations, which we will be doing this week right here. If we are able to obtain those orders and declarations, I think it will create a situation where all sides will have the time they need or they say they need to reorganize the industry. Everybody is saying, the other side is saying the law is in several respects, unconstitutional, it has to change. But so far we have not been able to come up with the formula to get the new law into place.”

Jose Sanchez
“These cane farmers need to work. How long will it be before United Cane Farmers actually do the work they set out to do?”

Hubert Elrington
“We are hoping that by once the orders are in place that we seeking, everybody will be able to work quite comfortably. And move and organize and do what they think is necessary. So we were really optimistic that this will produce the kind of breakthrough that will allow all parties to move forward.”