Yesterday, the press also asked the chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Board for his take on the the Briceno Government's Sugar Industry (Amendment) Bill of 2021 - which met major opposition in the Senate.
That's the controversial piece of legislation that was defeated in the Senate because the majority in the Upper House is concerned about giving too much power to the Minister of Agriculture to influence the decision-making process within the 4 cane farming associations.
When he was asked for his opinion on it, SICB Chairman Marcos Osorio went into detail about the problem the government was seeking to resolve with this amendment:
Marcos Osorio - Chairman, SICB
"The present law does not provide for the SICB to ensure that any of the associations are compliant with their bi-laws as is. Before the amendment of 2015, yes, the law provided for the SICB to be able to intervene to ensure that there is fair treatment for members of an association and that the association is in compliance with their own bi-laws which is what governs them. But the amendment of 2015 removed that section of the law when providing for freedom to associate, and this is where we have been having challenges. The amendment provides for the SICB to register the associations. The associations need to comply by providing a copy of their by-laws to the SICB upon registration, and if there any amendment in the future, that as soon as those amendments are approved by their general assembly, which their maximum authority, or their decision-making body, a copy - of the amendments - is also provided to the SICB, along with their regulations and standing orders if they have any. The amendment ends there, so the challenges where what happens when a farmer feels that his management is not treating him fairly, and then the farmer would want the intervention of the Control Board. The Control Board, at this time, simply cannot do anything because the law is not providing that means for the SICB. So, what we're saying with the amendment is that we need - we opened the door, but we did not close it. So, we are saying we need to now close the door. What we mean by that is where the SICB can receive complaints, bring both parties, serve as an intermediary to try and reach an agreement, with the hope that the SICB's intervention brings a solution to whatever issue there exists between a farmer and his association. So, in terms of the matter of the minister, I think there is full agreement with the government that this section will be removed. It was never intended for anything to reach the minister, but we were saying that we need to have some sort of backstop."
Osorio told us that he hopes that a legislative change will be implemented that allows his organization to keep the associations honest. He thinks that a system of penalties and sanctions for non-compliance, similar to the standards needed for Fairtrade certification, would be appropriate.
