B.S.C.F.A. Holds Emergency Meetings in Response to BSI Sidestepping

Even as B.S.I. was trying to convince farmers to jump the B.S.C.F.A. ship, that body was holding emergency meetings with the eighteen directors of the different branches. Today’s round of meeting ended at just after midday and the media was on hand to get a preliminary response from the B.S.C.F.A. reps. It was a little short on details, since the Association is planning a press conference for Wednesday, but we did get an idea of at least a preliminary course of action.

Ezekiel Cansino, Chairman, Committee of Management, B.S.C.F.A.

“We have reached to a decision to direct a letter to the SICB to take immediate responsibility for this issue, and also a copy will be directed to the Deputy Prime Minister and to the Prime Minister of Belize.”

Oscar Alonzo, Chief Executive Officer, B.S.C.F.A.

Oscar Alonzo

“It has been mentioned that this has caught us by surprise, but indeed it has not because we have been hearing this sort of approach being mentioned by B.S.I. over the course of the negotiations. The fact is that we were wondering whether they would have continued to proceed with it.”

Reporter

“Are you concerned that B.S.I. is moving so swiftly that it may take the cane-farmer support from behind the B.S.C.F.A. and that when you all say this is where we stand the ‘we’ will be a very small group?”

Ezekiel Cansino

Ezekiel Cansino

“We don’t believe that could happen. The farmers that were present today were contacting their respective branch directors before they went and we advised them to go, to be informed, and many of them said that they will not be signing anything yet until the B.S.C.F.A. advises them what will be the arrangement that we will be doing with B.S.I.”

Oscar Alonzo

“We have always encouraged our members to seek information from all sources in order for them to make decisions that will ensure their well-being and protect their interests, so we have not deterred the farmers from assisting in these, as B.S.I. calls them, pre-harvest conferences, but we have advised farmers to be very careful in not being persuaded by B.S.I.-ASR to sign any contract without it being reviewed carefully and to bear in mind that the Association is in the process of trying to obtain such a contract that would be beneficial to all members.”

As we mentioned, the Association will be revealing more details on a course of action in a full press conference on Wednesday. The B.S.C.F.A. is also planning to call a meeting with the General Assembly very soon.