And while they signed inside, our news team was outside. Now, typically, the officials would bring in the waiting media to witness the signing, but the Briceno show don't roll like that, so Jomarie Lanza and Codie Norales waited for them outside until the very end at around 11:00 pm. Jomarie Lanza reports.
At 6:00pm yesterday all interested parties were ordered to fall in line and head to the Yo Creek agricultural station where they spent the next five hours hammering out their differences, in order to put together a finalize a new addendum to the commercial agreement. And just after 11:00, the gates at the agricultural station opened, with the director of finance Shawn Chavarria leaving first, after rendering his signature on the new agreement. Here's what he shared told us about the agreement and the process to get there:
Shawn Chavarria, BSI, Director of Finance
"Nothing beats a face to face, the parties coming together and understanding what are the issues what separates the two sides and I think having a face to face really allowed both sides to narrow the points down and understand what are the different positions. And I think once that was understood and explained then it made it easier for the parties to come together."
"Once it was understood what would be the purpose of the analysis and what it would relate to I think that would have allowed us to move forward and so we we are able to find that and make it specific that it is related to port charges, and the analysis will look at that particularly the throughput fees and the terminal handling fees. And I think that was understood by the sides then we were able to move forward."
"It's an analysis to determine if these costs are charged to BSI and paid by BSI and to do that comparative analysis to see if indeed the industry, the farmers and the mill are saving money so I think with that we were able to move forward and be able to sign the agreement today."
Next out was the Prime Minister who said face to face was the difference maker:
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"We just had a very successful negotiations with both teams. I'm very grateful to the two sides that wanted to bring this to an end. So I thank the BSCFA and ASR BSI for cooperating for us to do what is right to sign and agreement in the best interest of everyone. So I want to thank everybody and also to you all for keeping Belizeans informed so. I have recorded a statement which I will also be sending out to all of you so you can use later on okay."
Reporter-
"Are you able to say the length of the agreement though PM."
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"It's the two years that we agreed and the agreement can be made public probably tomorrow but both sides have signed so thank you very much everybody."
But what is the sticking point of these negotiations? After having worked closely with both sides the Minister of Agriculture told us more about what went down inside Yo Creek last night.
Jose Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"The sticking point which you all know about was the duration, the cost the economic study these were brought to the table again. What's the Prime Minister did this time instead of going back-and-forth with the attorneys he summoned both attorneys and their part is to be here today so we had a face-to-face negotiations and that I believe played out very well. I think it is easier to do that it is more practical explanations can be made questions can be answered doubts can be clarified and that was the format in which the association was held today so I think after many many days of negotiations and arguments and different views being seen or heard we finally reached to a signed agreement today so I am very happy for the farmers I'm very happy for the industry I think it is a step in the right direction. The next important option would be to implement the commission of inquiry, and we hope that we won't have as much assistance from either of the parties as such so I am hopeful that that will be done and be over in less than one year hopefully and we can have a sound fair commercial agreement and updated modernized and relevant sugar, industry act, and so I am hopeful for that. I think we've come along way. I think everyone understands the importance of the industry. Everybody realizes that the commission of inquiry is the critical critical action that needs to be implemented for everybody in the industry to be satisfied, it could be the farmers right it could be BSI is right, but the commission of inquiry will reveal all of that in time."
