Earlier in the news, we showed you the debate over the Briceno Government's proposed Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill of 2021.
The government's justification for this change is that leaders of sugar cane farming associations have been attempting to establish dictatorial leadership in avoidance of free and fair elections for their executive officers. The Opposition Party has signaled its concern about this change, and they say that too much authority is being given to the Agriculture Minister to meddle in the affairs of cane farmers.
Well, late this evening, the leadership of the Progressive Sugar Cane Farmers Association and the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association sent out a joint press release to complain bitterly about this piece of draft legislation.
Their statement says quote, "We are extremely dismayed by the passage of amendments to the Sugar Industry Act earlier today by the House of Representative WITHOUT any consultation or true dialogue with either Association, who together have registered cane farmers and are collectively vital actors in the sugar industry...
For the record, we had both sent written communications to the Sugar Industry Control Board and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security as well as other key actors in the Sugar Industry setting forth clearly legitimate reasons why elections were being postponed…
...We view the passage of this legislation through the first stage without dialogue with ourselves as a heavy-handed and very troubling step. The Associations are newly independent and were given birth after the affirmation by the Supreme Court of Belize of the applicability of the constitutional right to freedom of association to the sugar industry. This right, in our opinion, would be rendered meaningless without the Associations' having the corresponding freedom to govern themselves and conduct their elections independently. This raises therefore greater concerns about the concentration of power in any Minister of Agriculture to have the final say to resolve disputes as today's behavior could well be regarded by some as an omen. Both associations are resolved to have the constitutionality of what has transpired thoroughly examined and to seek legal redress if so advised." End quote.
