7 News Belize

Wilfredo Magana More Than A Historical Footnote
posted (November 11, 2014)
At the top of the newscast, we told you all about the moves and counter-moves between ASR-BSI on one side and the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association on the other. Both are jostling for control of the cane farmers as the opening of the crop is only a month away. Right now it's too early to tell how it will go - but one man who's observing with bemusement is Wilfredo Magana. You probably don't know his name; he isn't a big time politician or some high rolling shot caller; he's a small cane farmer who - along with other farmers had a radical idea in 2007: they challenged the supremacy of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. At the time, the law said that all cane farmers had to be members of the BSCFA and had to pay what's known as a "cess" back to that organization.

But, Magana and a few fellow farmers said it wasn't fair because it denied them the freedom of association guaranteed to them by the constitution. In 2009 the Supreme Court pronounced that they were right - and that landmark decision is what has enabled BSI-ASR to go around the BSCFA and appeal directly to the farmers to sign independent contracts absent the association.

Today, Magana says he is gratified with the way things have turned out:..

Wilfredo Magana, United Cane Farmers Assoc.
"I am very happy that this is happening that the challenge had to be made in court and in 2008 that's what I did, I took the matter to court."

Jules Vasquez
"Now, you paved the way?"

Wilfredo Magana
"Yes basically..."

Jules Vasquez
"Because it's you who said you don't have to be a member of BSCFA and the court upheld that. So how did you feel yesterday when you heard ASR said okay, you are all free, come direct?"

Wilfredo Magana
"I remember I was coming from work and I was tired and sat down and look at the news. As a matter of fact when I heard Mr. Belizario had re-quote what the court had said. Man, it made me feel happy because with all this time in court and all this sitting on the verandah of the Supreme Court, it just paid off. It's a benefit to me too, but it's not a direct benefit. But to see the cane farmers have that freedom and today they can choose where they want to belong. That's very nice."

Magana says he hopes that the farmers would join his United Cane Farmers Group under a governance structure which is different from the BSCFA. He says his group could also apply for fair trade funding.

As for the "cess" it is still there - but if ASR-BSI successfully bypasses the association with independent farmer contracts - it could be in jeopardy.

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