Citrus growers petition for resignation of board member, Denzil Jenkins

Denzil Jenkins

At the end of last month Denzil Jenkins, a board member of the Citrus Growers Association, threw his hat into the ring for electoral politics. And that’s causing unrest in the citrus belt where citrus growers are petitioning his resignation from the C.G.A., his post as chairman of Investment Company Limited, and board member of C.P.B.L.  Jenkins has declared his candidacy for standard bearer for the Stann Creek West constituency where he will challenge incumbent Melvin Hulse in an upcoming UDP convention.  His political bid has raised the ire of the organization’s members who have circulated a petition requesting his removal.  They point out that prior to Jenkins, board members Anthony Chanona and Henry Canton withdrew their names from the C.G.A. before declaring candidacies for mayor of Belmopan and area representative for Stann Creek West respectively.  News Five spoke by phone with Daniel Bolon, a member of C.G.A., who says that Jenkins’ refusal to step down is a conflict of interest as the organization is non-political.

Isani Cayetano

“Can you begin sir, by first of all, explaining to me what the situation is with regards to Mister Jenkins’ candidacy and the fact that it is a conflict of interest given the fact that he holds three positions within the C.G.A., the I.C.L. and C.P.B.L.?”

Via Phone: Daniel Bolon, C.G.A. Member

“Well basically he has announced his candidacy to be challenging the current area representative under the U.D.P. noh. As you know, Citrus Growers Association is a non-political organization and we believe that it is only fair that he steps down from all the boards that he is sitting on and he then continues his political work because we don’t believe campaigning for such a political party and representing us in all the different boards that is concern is to be not politically affiliated. That is our concern and that’s why I came up with the idea that I should write up a petition and several growers have talked about it and we have signed it and sent it into the C.G.A. addressing it to the committee of management.”

Isani Cayetano

“What has been the response from the committee of management with regards to this petition that you have circulated?”

Via Phone: Daniel Bolon

“Well initially, when I come up with the idea, I said to the growers let’s try to give them three days for them to response and we sent it in Monday and we expected to get an answer from them today, but up to now they have not called me, but the girl who I sent to drop the letter for me on Monday. First of all they went to the C.G.A., they gave it to the secretary because I told him that I wanted the secretary to sign on the petition that she received it and then we would have kept a copy. But she won’t do that because the C.E.O. instructed her not accept the petition letter. So what we did, we put it back in a sealed envelope and give it to Ian Rosado to deliver it to the secretary. And yesterday, I called the secretary and find out if she received the letter. She said she is not sure, she will check and she would have get back to me, but up to now, they have not get back to me. So we decided to piublish it because then it si only fair that we be heard.”

Isani Cayetano

“What is the protocol for such…?”

Via Phone: Daniel Bolon

“Well it is a normal practice at C.G.A. when someone wants to run for a political career. Like in the case of Dr. Henry Canton when he ran back then, he had to resign from the board and did his political work; the same with Anthony Chanona. So we are basically asking the same procedure because as we saying, it is a non-political organization and we want to keep it that way because it’s not only a U.D.P. or a P.U.P. in the C.G.A., it’s all growers—regardless of what political and religion we are one growers so we want to maintain it that way.”

It’s going to be a three man race in that division. Whoever wins for the U.D.P. will go up against the P.U.P.’s Rodwell Ferguson and the P.N.P.’s Basilio Mes.