Agriculture Minister Gives Update on Sugar Impasse

When the media caught up with Agriculture Minister Jose Abelardo Mai today, we asked for an update on the dispute within the sugar industry in the north. A.S.R./B.S.I. is taking the issue of now having to apply for export permits to the court and a task force, led by Minister of Home Affairs and New Growth Industries Kareem Musa, is looking at resolving the disagreement. Minister Mai says that a verbal report has been submitted to cabinet, but that a Commission of Inquiry was approved.

Jose Abelardo Mai

Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture

“Right now had submitted a verbal report to cabinet on where we were. That was interrupted by B.S.I. now taking the regulations to court. The court, the judge recommended that we continue to issue export permits for sugar to B.S.I., maintain the status quo until the matter is before the court because B.S.I. had applied for an injunction. That is where we are right now, stuck at that point. Nevertheless though, do not forget, cabinet had improved a commission of inquiry. So right now we are analysing and studying how to move forward with the commission of inquiry. The commission of inquiry has nothing to do with the application to the court for an injunction on the export permits for sugar.”