Earlier in the news, we showed the debate over the Briceno Government's Supplementary Appropriation #4. That Bill, which has been passed by both the House and the Senate, has gotten the parliament's approval for the 1.5 million dollars that was paid to the stevedores.
As we told you, part of the bitter dispute that resulted in this payment included the major loss of earnings that the stevedores suffered when BSI/ASR's bulk exports of raw sugar migrated from the Port of Belize to the Port of Big Creek. This morning, the company made a post on their Facebook page that says their new facilities to accommodate their migration to Big Creek are completed. Those facilities include a 30 thousand metric tons warehouse. Yesterday, the first load of sugar was unloaded into the warehouse.
The company says, quote, "This thirty-million dollar investment reduces one of the industry's bottlenecks and exemplifies one of the ways that BSI continues to "grow the industry pie" by reducing freight costs and demurrage charges, resulting in savings of approximately BZ$1.4 to $2.5 million to cane farmers." End quote.
This shift is estimated to allow the loading of the sugar on a new conveyor system, which increases the rates from 500 to 5,000 tonnes per day.
