Sugar Cane Farmers Association debts causing internal conflicts
There is more trouble brewing at the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. Two months ago, via a Supreme Court order, Brodies confiscated five vehicles belonging to the BSCFA due to an outstanding debt of one hundred thousand dollars. The association eventually settled the debt and the vehicles were returned but the matter still did not provide a lifeline for the failing body that governed the association. Weeks after the embarrassment, cane farmers issued a vote of no-confidence to the Committee of Management and the remaining directors because they did not get the green light from the general assembly as required. According to industry sources, FLO-CERT Representative in Central America, Duiren Kearan and Tate and Lyle’s Julia Clarke, pushed for payment because they did not want assets bearing the Fair-Trade logo to be auctioned or be victims of adverse publicity. Well, a similar situation has propped up again, and this time it is for a larger sum. The BSFCA is in the hole to the commercial banks and others, for five hundred thousand dollars. And again, the recommendation is that payment be made immediately to the creditors to avoid any embarrassment of the Fair-Trade logo. For payment to be made, the approval of the general assembly is again needed but would require an emergency meeting which has not been called. According to an outraged farmer, the Fair-Trade representatives are saying ‘break your laws but don’t embarrass Fair-Trade.’
Didn’t we just hear a few days ago that our brothers to the north were doing well & the sugar cane industry was the one industry that showed growth. Was someone blowing smoke again?
The cane farmers are broke the association and BSI the thief. Looks as if someone wants the land the farmers own! Are they working together, the association and BSI???
GOB needs to step in and take control of this situation because this can result in being a big blow to Belize’s economy.
I believe that the association representatives are not doing their part to fix this mess which they caused to the farmers. The only thing which they think about is to thief and thief and thief!!!! The poor farmers are suffering. sugar cane one of the biggest industries in Belize and one of the brokest industries. With no help from no one not even the goverment.
SOMETHING IS NOT SWEET HERE…………..we need the rest of the story.
It is corruption that has piled up since the creation of the association. There was no one to monitor their spending. The directors of the association that were elected by the farmer had no experience regarding administration, how to conduct a meeting or even worse how to bargain with with highly educated and experience BSI executives. This was a piece of cake for BSI. Then you can guess the rest. Despite this flaw, the association needs help for the sake of those farmers that work hard on the field and has given a lot to this country. This industry has educated lots of people and has sustained the country even before the its independence.