So, while the Prime Minister will no doubt take a victory lap for defusing this moment of hardship within the sugar industry, his earlier intervention attempts were consistently failing to deliver results, and that's why the caneros came down hard on him yesterday. You'll remember how they went to stage a brief protest in front of his house in Orange Walk Town yesterday evening.
Shortly before that, several farmers were calling for his resignation. Tonight, we show you an excerpt of the protester with the loudest voice on the topic. It's in Spanish, and so we have provided English subtitles:
Cane Farmer, (Translated)
"We have a very big problem, but the Prime Minister is making it bigger. Okay, well, I ask you here. I have 3 things to tell you. We are asking the Prime Minister to prepare his papers and resign! There are 26 seats. There are 26 seats in Belmopan and among them, they can select a minister who is not Johnny Briceno. Second, gentlemen. Right now, the thing is to go to the Prime Minister's Home. We are not going with any violence. We will go peacefully because if not today, there will be nothing for tomorrow or Monday."
"Because Caneros Today, if not today, there will be nothing for tomorrow or Monday. Now gentlemen, the third thing I have to say, with the permission of the directors and yourselves. We'll send this message to the Prime Minister: that we want a 3-year agreement with BSI, and nothing less. And we need it Monday in black and white. And if he does not bring us that paper here, please, go back!"
Of that, perhaps the best that cane be said is that since we've known the BSCFA - they have called for the resignation of just about every Prime Minister who's held the office - but this is the first one from Orange Walk - so, there's that...
