B.S.C.F.A. Victorious in Sugar Impasse
Tonight, the B.S.C.F.A. and B.S.I. have yet to officially sign an agreement, despite members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association accepting the terms of the latest proposal on Thursday. The B.S.C.F.A. informed its members late this evening that the official document sent by A.S.R./B.S.I. reportedly contained language that was not initially agreed upon. A.S.R. then sent a letter to the Prime Minister, clarifying that there was an error on its part and a follow up agreement would be sent. So, tonight there is still no signed document between the two parties. The cane farmers accepted four proposals, including a two-year agreement without a rollover clause. Additional costs will be investigated in the first three months, with the government covering them during that period. The final steps involve reviewing the language of the official document before signing. News Five’s Hipolito Novelo has the latest.
Hipolito Novelo reporting
The impasse between B.S.I. and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, B.S.C.F.A., is over. After days of intense negotiations, a chaotic scene on the Philip Goldson Highway, and after tires were set on fire across the road, cane farmers agreed to the latest proposal on Thursday evening. Today, farmers are satisfied and see this as another victory against ASR/B.S.I.. Chairman of the B.S.C.F.A.’s Finance Committee, Javier Keme, says four proposals were accepted.
Javier Keme
Javier Keme, Chairman, Finance Committee, B.S.C.F.A.
“The agreement is a two-year term agreement without any rollover clause. It is a two-year agreement. On the other side, the other request from our membership was met as a commitment from the government, which is the implementation of the Commission of Inquiry immediately or within the first 30 days from today. The next one is if they would advocate or approach Tate and Lyle for us to sign an agreement with Tate and Lyle. And if that doesn’t materialize and we don’t get our premium next year, there is a commitment of the government to assist the BSCFA with an amount of up to one million dollars in sort of fertilizers. That is basically the four compromises. There is a condition on the costs, on the additional costs, which was one of the most difficult points in contention. And, it was agreed that it will not be charged to the B.S.C.F.A.. It will be paid by the government of Belize in the first three months during which time an investigation will be done to justify if it is a charge that it merits to be included in the agreement and it will, if it is, it will be included after the three months.”
And if the government fails to help the B.S.C.F.A. get a Fairtrade premium payment this year and provides them with a million dollars, does that mean that the issue of the Fairtrade premium payment will be put to rest?
Javier Keme
“I wouldn’t put it that way. The B.S.C.F.A. is a very, a very strong organization, and we are embarked in seeking other ways of funding the organization. So we have that year to work with, and we will work with that, and we will ensure that when that time comes, if we don’t have again, a letter of announcement, we will have other, other sources of funding.”
And with that, the impasse between the farmers and the miller has been resolved for the term of this agreement. It’s been a challenging road for the B.S.C.F.A. to get to this point and, according to Keme, the government played a crucial role.
Javier Keme
“We had tried since 2015, different ways, even mediation. And it hadn’t worked. I would even say that it had failed up to today because the condition of not less than three years on behalf of B.S.I. was never agreed by them. So they were not letting go on the three years. So, I don’t know what pressure the government implemented for them to agree to the two years. But, that is why I have always said that when our Prime Minister says that he can’t do anything to solve this issue, I didn’t agree because I know that he has the authority that something can be done.”
And if nothing was done, the farmers were ready to ramp up their industrial actions. Now, the final step for the B.S.C.F.A. is to ensure that the official document contains appropriate and satisfactory language before they sign it.
Alfredo Ortega
Alfredo Ortega, Vice Chairman, Committee of Management, B.S.C.F.A.
“Once we get the information tomorrow, or the draft agreement, we’ll be sending it to our lawyer we need that all the words within that are covered that will not haunt us in the next day or the next year. So we’ll be sending it to Hawaii and once Hawaii gives the blessing to it, then we’ll be prepared to make a signature to it.”
According to the Vice Chairman of B.S.C.F.A.’s Committee of Management, Alfredo Ortega, the sacrifices made to get to this point were worth it.
Alfredo Ortega
“The farmers were very happy that at least we got something that can make us work, that can make the farmer work. And, the sentiment of the farmers, they are very happy that the sacrifice that they have done for these days were really good. We get at least something out of nothing, and the plan is to move forward and we will continue with our vigil today until tomorrow that we have a signed agreement. Then from there, we move on.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo.
