And, hostages no more for sure…today's announcement from BSI/ASR says, quote,
"Any group of farmers (which wishes) to sign an agreement with BSI can request a copy of the agreement from BSI."
It adds that, quote, "BSI expects soon to have sufficient cane committed…which would allow for the parties to then agree on a start of crop date."
BSI says "the agreements need to be signed by the individual farmers…to complete the signing process." So what are they singing unto? Well, it's the
"cane compromise" hammered out by Prime Minister Dean Barrow – and depending on who you listen to: it's either a raw deal, a fair deal, or the best
deal the farmers are going to get. Labour Minister Godwin Hulse said today, it's not perfect, but it's not terrible either:…
Hon. Godwin Hulse - Minister of Labour
"It's not the best thing since slice bread but as a business person and who have been involved in this process a long time, I look at incremental
improvements, here we go. 65/35 remains, there's no change their. The next trip value, what the deductions from that are the same as they have always
been. The payment of 80% after the first week of delivery, continues and the reason for that is because it is a rolling estimate, so they can't pay
100%. The remaining 20% is paid in 2 increments, I think it's 5 Wednesdays after the crop ends and the first week in November has always happened, so
all of that remains. What has changed? Previously, there was no payment at all from bagash and now there is. Whether you agree with the formula or not
there is some payment with a view that in 3 years time you can revisit that formula."
Julez Vasquez
"But ownership of the cane, a lot of that pains the farmers greatly, surrendering ownership."
Hon. Godwin Hulse
"I really can't wrap my mind around that, I must be honest, I cannot wrap my mind around that because; My understanding from the farmers, the reason
why the wanted to own the cane, and I'll be honest as I always am, if I was negotiating this and I say you want to own the cane, I have no problem with
you own the cane because nothing changes. The fact of the matter is, I think the reason they wanted to own the cane or have the concept of ownership of
the cane is so that if there is any additional products to be derived from the cane that they sell, they want to be able to share in a part of the
venue and that has been included in the agreement. Now they're been paid for sugar and molasses and bagash and there is a clause in that says any
additional thing that comes up."
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