As part of today's marathon House Meeting, the Briceno Government also tabled an amendment to the Sugar Industry Act.
It arises from the current impasse between the millers, ASR/BSI, and one of the 4 cane farming associations, BSCFA. Although the 2 sides seem to have completely divergent opinions on how to resolve their dispute, all parties agree that the sugar industry cannot afford any sort of setback, especially because there is a bumper crop for sugar cane waiting in the fields.
Well, the Government says that there is another big issue within the sugar industry that they must make a legislative change to address. The proposed amendment to the Sugar Industry Act seeks to empower the Agriculture Minister to receive and address disputes and complaints. GOB officials say that these special provisions are to reign in rogue leaders of the cane farming associations who refuse to hold annual elections. They insist that the executive members of certain associations are starting to behave like dictators while managing the business of their general membership.
But, the Opposition thinks that the draft legislation will give the Minister of Agriculture too much authority to meddle in the affairs of cane farmers. They insist that the contemplated change to the law is a direct infringement on the autonomy of the cane farming associations.
Here's an excerpt of the robust debate in the House when the topic of this bill came up this afternoon:
Hon. Hugo Patt, UDP Area Rep., Corozal North
"While I don't have the doubt in my mind that this is a genuine piece of legislation that is being passed, I am concern going forward. What if we were to have a minister of agriculture that is extreme, that is inconsistent in his decisions and yet we would have a piece of legislation that actually grants the minister of agriculture, if I may call it, unlimited powers. Section 38A in my opinion is going too far from that, member. My advice, we are rushing through a piece of legislation that as I said instead fixing one problem, we might just fix one and we end up creating another."
Hon. Tracy Taegar-Panton, UDP Area Rep., Albert
"These amendments as presented seem to provide unilateral authority and power to the regulator and more specifically to the minister."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I've been in many discussions with the minister of agriculture, members of the sugar board and also members of different associations expressing their frustration that there is absolutely nothing can be done when an association goes rogue. I've even sent the letters from members of associations to the attorney general's office, I've sent it to a private attorney and all of them are saying that we are powerless. There is absolutely nothing that we can do in enforcing or ensuring that these associations follow their bi-laws, not us, their bi-laws and these leaders know it, so they blatantly rub it in your face saying that there is nothing that we can do unto them. We are not making these amendments today because we want to interfere. We believe that these associations should manage their own affairs independently of any interference be it from the manufacturer, be it from the sugar board or political interference. All we want to ensure is that these associations hold their elections every year."
Hon. Ramon Cervantes, PUP Area Rep., Orange Walk
"There is a system, it says where a person is aggrieved by a decision of the board, that person shall refer the complaint to the minister for a decision. What does this mean? It means that the aggrievances go to a board. It doesn't go directly to the minister, but if the board is unable to come to a decision, if there is an impasse, it goes to the minister so as to speed things up."
Hon. Patrick Faber, Leader of the Opposition
"I joined with my colleague from Corozal North to say that I believe the minister has good intentions and I can understand the frustration, but the answer to this cannot be to big stick it by putting legislation and also in fact the legislation is a concern, but the bigger concern is the power that is going to be left in the hands of the minister and as I have said that is with all due respect to the current minister who I believe genuinely wants to solve this issue."
"You see the prime minister and his government came in on a platform of good governance and one of the pillars of that good governance plan that they shared was that they would reduce ministerial power. Correct me if I am wrong and here you have I believe this is the 3th or 4th piece of legislation, I think I raised it the last time that it happened that is making amendments and putting greater power in the hands of the minister."
Hon. Jose Aberlardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture
"This was a tough decision. We didn't arrive at it overnight. As a matter of fact, the same things that member for Corozal discussed and leader and you, member for Albert - same things we discussed. I don't crave power, but our hands were tied."
