B.S.C.F.A. Stalls Sugar Cane Delivery
The Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association refuses to deliver its sugar cane to the mill at Tower Hill, only days after the delayed start of the sugar crop. This evening, trucks of sugar cane were lined up outside the mill at a standstill, blocking the ticketing booth. Association members are refusing to take the sugar cane inside until A.S.R./B.S.I. agrees to sign an interim commercial agreement that extends to August thirty-first. B.S.I., on the other hand, says they are prepared to sign an interim agreement that expires on the last day of April. The April thirtieth deadline was initially proposed by the Prime Minister on Thursday of last week, to allow for the start of the sugar crop and for negotiations towards a new commercial agreement to continue. We heard from Marcos Orosio, Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board, this evening.
Marcos Osorio
Marcos Osorio, Chairman, Sugar Industry Control Board
“The little I know in terms of the delivery of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association is that they were scheduled to meet with A.S.R./B.S.I. around mid day with the objective of agreeing to signing the intern commercial agreement, and with an extension to end of August 2022 and not end of April 2022. According to them, B.S.I. insist that they cannot sign the interim agreement today, therefore information from B.S.C.F.A. is in view of that, they will suspend deliveries until they can get the interim agreement signed.”
Reporter
“Why is B.S.I. saying that they are unable to sign the agreement today?”
Marcos Osorio
“I do not have information to that regard, but I know that over the weekend this was being discussed, over the Christmas break. They are saying that their attorneys are on vacation and we cannot get them on board to guide us in this process. So, we are just getting out of Christmas break, so I want to believe that would be the same situation at this moment.”
Reporter
“We just interviewed Shawn from B.S.I. and he is saying we are not willing to take it up until August only April 2022.”
Marcos Osorio
“Well I want to believe they are sticking to the position of the prime Minister. I believe at the end of the day we need to engage in dialogue with B.S.C.F.A. and B.S.I. also to ensure we can get this to an end and resume deliveries.”
