Last week, 7News told you about the tense relations between the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association and BSI regarding the bagasse issue. As we've told you, the company has been using the bi-product to generate electricity which is sells to Belize Electricity Limited. The farmers say that they provide the cane which turns into the bagasse, therefore they are entitled to some compensation for it.
We've only been able to provide you with the cane farmer's position, but tonight, we share the strong response from BSI. They say that for 30 years they've taken on the responsibility and the liability of getting rid of bagasse, with absolutely no assistance of the cane farmers.
The company says that all through that time, they've bared the brunt of the financial cost to manage the environmental challenges of the bagasse storage and disposal, which represented a total value of 20 million dollars.
BSI adds that they came up with the idea to use bagasse to generate electricity, which started to materialize as early as 2001, and they've made the biggest private sector investment in the country of 130 million dollars to get the project off the ground, once again, without any assistance from the cane farmers.
They reason, therefore, that it is not just or fair to the company for the cane farmers to expect a return on an investment for which they have contributed absolutely nothing.
The release says, quote, "Commercial relationships and operations are governed by law and there is no legal obligation on the part of the Company (or Belcogen) to share in any way the proceeds of the sale of electricity to BEL."
That says it clearly more than anything else, but nevertheless, BSI says that it is willing to keep an amicable relationship with the cane farmers.
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