Citrus Growers Assn change composition of Board of Directors
We’re reported that there is turmoil in the citrus industry and a special general meeting was convened to deal several topics vital to its survival. Aside from the difficulties with Bank Holdings of Barbados which the Citrus Growers Association says is colluding with C.P.B.L., the meeting also discussed the composition of the C.G.A. board. The growers were incensed that three former board members, entered into a lopsided agreement with Banks Holdings. The men had left the C.G.A. and the members agreed that they could not return to the board. Henry Canton, Michael Duncker and Frank Redmond initially proposed that the board should be comprised of three small, three medium and three large growers. But C.G.A.’s current chairman, Byron Bowman, successfully steered a vote to that proposal.
Byron Bowman, Chairman, C.G.A.
“The membership of the organization management agrees to the composition of the CGA committee of management. One, the committee exist of nine members of the association who shall be elected by the full members thereof on the principle of one member, one board. Two shall be members of the association who, as small growers, shall each have produced and delivered to the processors, not less than three hundred and not more than ten thousand contract boxes of citrus in the preceding year of operation. Two shall be members of the association who, as large growers, shall each have produced and delivered to the processors over forty thousand contract boxes of citrus in the preceding year of operation. Five directors shall be members of the association from any category, provided they are a full member of the association. All in favor say raise your hands.”
The C.G.A. also unanimously agreed on a motion to seek all possible avenues, including the courts to force Caribbean Products of Belize Limited, a company in which it is the majority shareholder, to an audit and to release information about the company. This afternoon, the CGA advised growers that it had received a late revised price submission for oranges from CPBL, which stands at nine dollar forty-eight cents per box. That represents an increase of one dollar thirty-three cents per box from what was originally proposed.
