The cane farmers meeting finished at 1:15 today and the Prime Minister held his press conference at 2:00. A great many subjects were discussed – and we’ll deal with all of them, but first, the PM’s official reaction to the cane farmer’s decision. He spoke to Magana just before the press conference and was less than sympathetic. He dealt first with the demand the Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board Nemencio Acosta and Corozal North Area Representative be fired immediately.
Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
“I told Mr. Magana that that’s not going to happen, at least not in the current circumstances. We naturally have to look at all that has gone on and the various roles played by various people. But to demand that without any kind of due process, without any kind of examination of the circumstances, government would simply by way of giving into what, to put it plainly I see as a form of blackmail, to fire Mr. Acosta is not on.
Let me go to the first demand since the second demand is related to the first. What they are asking for involves as well BSI. And what they are asking for in terms of saying abandon completely the reform measures, or at least that particularly feature of the reform measures, will have fundamental consequences for the industry. This is not my industry. This is not my industry. This is their industry. It is also a national industry.
So if the farmers are to achieve this demand, that core sampling-payment by quality be abandoned forever, I put it no higher than that this will have very grave consequences for the industry. It may well be that if there is a determination to say to hell with the industry that that is what would have to happen. But there is no way I will agree to that. To some extent it is beyond my power. But in so far as I am being required to bless this position, there is no way I will do that without or at least sitting down around the table and so that some home truths might be spelled out and so that we can declare that if this is the road we are to take, we are going down that road with eyes wide open.”
So, there’s no compromise from the highest executive office. But it is of note that later on barrow said that the government is willing to entertain the proposal that other means of quality testing can be employed.
