P.U.P. Northern Caucus Issues Release on Sugar Woes

The Northern Caucus of the People’s United Party this afternoon issued a statement on the state of affairs in the lifeblood of the north.  The caucus calls on the Sugar Industry Control Board to declare the crop open by January fourteenth 2015 and on the B.S.C.F.A. and ASR/B.S.I. to return to the negotiating table. The caucus also makes five recommendations. First, that the Zafra’s starts with an interim agreement similar to last year’s. Second, that an independent expert be allowed to look at both formulas proposed by ASR/B.S.I. and the B.S.C.F.A. for reasonable and just payment of the bagasse. Third, that G.O.B. passes legislation allowing the B.S.C.F.A. to be a member of the Sugar Marketing Committee which negotiates the sale of all sugar and other by products. Fourth, that the two percent or more shareholdings of B.S.I. owned by G.O.B. should be transferred to the B.S.C.F.A. which would allow the farmers to be a member of the board of directors of ASR/B.S.I.  And fifth, that works on sugar roads begin immediately.