At the beginning of October, when we last reported on the state of industrial relations between the the Belize Sugar Industries and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, there was major concern that a commercial agreement still couldn't be worked out to govern the sugar crop season for 2014-2015.
That's because, as we've told you extensively, the factory owners and the cane farmers cannot agree on a payment for bagasse, which would have been included in the commercial agreement. Since both sides have not been negotiating, there is the very real concern that there could be yet another late start for the crop. That issue is on everyone's minds since the unresolved bagasse issue contributed to last year's late start, when the farmers refused to deliver their cane.
Yesterday, we stopped in at the cane farmers association, and the CEO told us that the unresolved commercial agreement should not force a late start, from the farmers' perspective. Here's how he explained it:
Oscar Alonzo, CEO - BSCFA
"The normal process is that BSI would indicate to us that they have completed all their maintenance work on the factory to that they are finish and we ready to start on such a date. Apparently it seems that such has not been completely yet. Although on Monday and yesterday we participated with them with the balancing and checking of the scales, together with the Belize Bureau of Standards. There are several steps that one needs take and the company needs to take in order to determine if everything is in place for them to then announce a date or to state what would be a possible date for the starting of the crop. It is in their hands basically, but still from our point of view we had agree that we want a commercial agreement to govern the crop. We are still at a stalemate with that, an impasse and those are some of the factors that you have to figure into in terms of the commencement of the crop."
And, while that unresolved commercial agreement will not cause a deterioration of industrial relations, the direction of the bagasse discussions could certainly influence it. We'll have more from the CEO of the association in tomorrow's newscast, as he explains what BSI is pressing for, and their reaction to it.
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