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Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"How can we come here today, how can this government come here today to this honorable house, placed before us a bill of such importance, affecting a vital national industry, the sugar industry - placed that bill on our table at 10am, when the meeting is scheduled to start?"

"Again, I appeal to the Honorable Prime Minister to withdraw the bill. Let us have a proper discussion and review of the bill and have an opportunity...."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"The Leader of the Opposition well knows that there was going to be this house meeting this morning and he well knows that we have to pass this bill today because we need to get the crop underway. A crop that has been delayed Mr. Speaker in consequence of the machinations, bad-mind and sabotage of a number of people including the Leader of the Opposition."

After that early skirmish, the meeting proceeded with Deputy Prime Minister introducing the Amendment to the Sugar Act. He explained what it's all about -while the opposition had its own interpretation:..

Hon. Gaspar Vega, Area Rep - Orange Walk North
"At the end of the day Mr. Speaker, these amendments will ensure that all cane farmers, regardless of their association in which they belong, are equally recognized and respected within the laws governing the sugar industry. I want to be crystal clear on the scope and extent of the amendments being made here today. The amendments before this honorable house, are limited to the obligations of the consent order of the Supreme Court and only that. It now allows for multiple association to be established and recognized under the amendment act. We truly hope that this is the last crop to be delayed in this fashion."

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition "This industry Mr. Speaker, as anyone who knows that is involve in the industry has had a long history of growth and development based on a working partnership, a working tri-partite relationship and partnership, which has have its problems from time to time. No partnership is perfect, but it has worked for the industry. It has served the interest of the industry. It has served the interest of our cane farmers. It has served the interest of the miller and it has served the national interest, the interest of our nation - economy. And that tri-partite relationship Mr. Speaker is of course, the cane farmers - the caneros, the miller - BSI/ASR and the government of Belize. All three of those parties Mr. Speaker, plays a very vital and critical role in ensuring the viability and success of the industry. So, all three partners are vitally important to that partnership and each must be valued and respected."

"That long standing partnership is now under serious threat by no other than this very same UDP government, which has formed an alliance with the multinational ASR to destroy the venerable institution that is the BSCFA, which has served this country for 55 years. What a shame and a disgrace. We all want an agreement. We all want the crop to start, but that agreement Mr. Speaker, we insist must respect our farmers. Must respect them as equal partners in this sugar industry and must value their role, not only today, but today and into the future."

"We hear the Prime Minister back tracking, talking about 'well, we will make sure the BSCFA is preserved and that they will be able have a role, we don't to see the demise.' How hypocritical, suggesting that you are going to preserve the BSCFA when you and your government have been actively working to orchestrate the demise and destruction of the BSCFA."

Hon. John Briceno, Area Rep - OW Central
"Today, I speak as a canero, because I also have cane fields and I have some cane that was not delivered last year because of the problem and I want to see the cane crop to open as quickly as possible, because if we don't open it on time, that cane is going to spoil. And, like me, there are many other cane farmers that did not deliver and lost all their cane last year. More importantly today, I speak for those 5,000 cane farmers who sole life depends on the sugar industry. And I dislike the idea that we are playing politics with an industry that is so vital to our national development."

Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"When the Leader of the Opposition, goes on to say that these amendments are an assault on the dignity of the cane farmers, is he saying that to enshrine a law, the rights that the constitution of this country gives to all cane farmers, somehow is an assault on the dignity of the very people whose rights are being vindicated? It makes no sense. The BSCFA remains in place. There have been those that have gone off on their own to form the new associations. That is not necessarily a bad thing and even if it were a bad thing, this did not happen in consequence of any actions on the part of the government. This happened as a result of the unrelenting campaign raged by the minority in the BSCFA that league itself with the People's United Party, to derail the agreement that had been reached with ASR. And all that they tried to do, all the conspiracies, all the evil plots that were hatched - ultimately, admittedly, after tremendous stress and strain, came to... We now that this agreement signed by all parties and those misfits, those evil doers, have been isolated and hopefully sidelined in the BSCFA."

Rt. Hon. Said Musa, Area Rep - Fort George
"The largest sugar producer in the world has sat by and allowed this company to humiliate, insult and oppress the cane farmers of this country and I accused the government today of being collaborationist with this oppression that has taken place with the cane farmers of Belize."

"Even when he called me senile, I listen to him. Well Mr. Prime Minister, I may be getting too old for this business, I may be, but I am old enough to know that when I see a liar, I will have to point him out. I am old enough to know when I see a manipulator, I have to point him out and I am old enough to know that all their ingenuity and disingenuity that you may come with Mr. Prime Minister will not allow the Belizean people to be fooled."

After the PUP walkout - they walked down the Assembly stairs to address the protestors who had been gathered there since morning. The leader was Audrey Matura-Shepherd - and at its height, the crowd numbered 65. The Leader of the opposition told Matura, who had fought so hard against the same agreement that has now been signed, that the PUP is with them:..

Hon. Francis Fonseca, Leader of the Opposition
"We just came out of the national assembly where the government as you know is ramming through legislations today to amend the sugar industry act to effectively destroy the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association. Every member in the People's United Party stood in the national assembly of this country and condemn the actions of the government and we express our full and unwavering support for the cane farmers of this country."

Later on we'll have more from the Matura protest.