Minister of Agriculture Gives Update on B.S.I./B.S.C.F.A. Dispute

Jose Abelardo Mai

Cabinet recently set up a ministerial sub-committee to meet with the Belize Sugar Industries Limited and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association to chart a way forward on how they will find common ground on their differences. Minister of Home Affairs will chair the sub-committee. Today, Minister of Agriculture, Jose Abelardo Mai gave us an update on how that process is going.

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“The meetings we’ve had, BSI has been very cordial, very respectful. Um, we’ve met with the BSE here also, and I should say that the very important topic is the fiat for the b c. Which they believe, um, has been withheld, unfairly withheld from them. And based on the criteria on the requirements for fair trade funding they have complaint to the International Organization Flow Cert, which is the policing body and flow cert, I believe has suspended B.S.I from what I understand, and I think they’re doing an audit of B.S.I. We do not know what reason, the exact reason is, but is it, is as a result of the complaint. Now they have to correct – they have to put the correct images in place for the suspension to be lifted. Understand that Julia Clark from who manages Fair Trade will be in the country on Monday and Tuesday to speak with B.S.C.F.A on that matter. So before we move forward to our commercial of inquiry and everything else, the Fair Trade matter has to be solved. If it is that the Fair Trade has been unfairly withheld, then it has to be given back to them. And so that is where we are right now, but we are hoping that Tate Lyle , B.S.I and B.S.C.F.A will settle this matter so that we can move forward to the commission of inquiry.”