Carlos Magana, he rose to national prominence during the violent unrest in the sugar industry in February of this year. As Chief Executive Officer for the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association, he was the power broker in a very high stakes battle against government, BSI, and the unforgettable core sampler.
But since February, the discord in the Sugar Cane industry has continued to simmer internally. Now, the combination of disdain from the Sugar Industry Control Board and the growing debts and distrust within the general membership, have left Magana in a position with few powerful friends.
And while Magana’s leverage may have been marginal, he says he was told his job was secure. And that’s why it’s big news tonight that the single most powerful individual in the sugar industry has been toppled, and quite unceremoniously so.
Eric Ek, the Chairman of the Committee of Management wrote Magana a letter today saying that, “We regret to inform you that your employment with the...Association is terminated on July 7TH., 2009.”
It concludes: “We sincerely regret this action is necessary.”
Straight like that.
Our friends at Channel 10 in Orange Walk spoke with Magana at the Cane Farmer’s Association Office where he said he was taken completely off guard and alleged that his demise was politically orchestrated.
Carlos Magana, Chief Executive Officer for the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association
"To my surprise I was at a board meeting of the sugar industry control board this morning when the secretary called and said, 'Mr. Magana, come immediately, I have a letter that I need to hand to you.' I said, 'But what's it say?'
'Please come, and I will hand it over to you.'
And when I came and I read the letter I was totally shocked. I have not been presented with an evaluation; I have not been called in to (have them) tell me, 'you know what you are terminated because of X-Y-Z; you have not complied with X-Y and Z...nothing, it was simply a direct, you're terminated and that's it.
I believe that the chairman when signing this letter did not really follow the instruction of the board of directors in which it said 'nothing will happen and your contract continues running until there's a negotiation.' And now he and other four members of the committee of management - that is what I have as an understanding - traveled to Belmopan yesterday afternoon where they were to meet with political leaders - which political leaders I would not be able to say.
And I went to the secretary of the committee of management and I said, "Can I see the minutes where this decision was taken?" There are no minutes. So that even puts a different spin to all of this. Then if there are no minutes from the committee of management, then Manuela, who took the decisions? How was the decision taken? I have spoken to other directors of the association and they don;t know anything about this. So I question again, "Who took the decision?"
I've been trying to contact Mr. Erick Eck who is the chairman of the association but he is not answering his phone. Why? When I spoke to the Chairman of the Committee of Management, he then mentioned to me I will be with you, I will support you, we will continue working.
What really caused it? They are going to have their points of view, yes. From Thursday when they notified me of certain things I reacted and I mentioned to them that I do not adhere to those things. They as a committee, they definitely know that they cannot find any misappropriation when it comes to the office of the CEO. And we can hold that to records."
Magana says he will be gathering evidence to illustrate how wrong-headed his dismissal is and present that at a press conference.