Last night, we showed you how a snippet of the infighting that seems to be taking shape in the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association.
Their current leadership says that a former member is trying to force a special general meeting to trigger an election for posts on the Association's board. Our news team has been taking a closer look at that situation unfolding in one of the 3 smaller cane farming associations, and the context of the controversy.
Our Daniel Ortiz has been following the story, and he put together this report:
From an outsider's vantage point, Vladimir Puck, the Chairman of the Corozal Sugar Cane Producers Association, and his other colleagues on the Board of Directors are under siege.
His beatdown on the Boxing Day Holiday, allegedly orchestrated by former members of his Association, during the first few hours of the troubled start of this new Sugar Crop Season, was the first public indication of he was being back into a corner.
Reports are that several of those former association members are behind that Special General Meeting for which Health Minister Michel Chebat has granted permission to hold this coming Sunday.
Industry Insiders suggest to us that one of the items on that Sunday agenda is an election for the executive leadership Posts.
Yesterday, Chairman Puck came out swinging against the meeting; he and the current leaders called it "Fraudulent"
Vladimir Puck - CSCPA Chairman
"This is a petition that we saw from this gentleman, Mr. Everaldo Uk requesting to conduct a special meeting is the big question, he formally is not a member of this organization, he has been expelled for the past 2 years, so it is something that is very concerning, how can a non-member be applying for something as important as an AGM looking at the situation with covid which makes it worse."
Daniel Ortiz
"What will happen since you all disagree that this person who you say is a non-member has urged for an AGM?"
Vladimir Puck
"Well firstly, general meetings are held in the month of November and those things that we need to have in mind, the same thing as October is used to do elections, so those are the time set, so it is very surprising that at this point in time anyone can apply for a special meeting for an organization which is private and conduct one as such. Number one is that this gentleman is not a member of the CSCPA that is the first rule that is being broken there."
Daniel Ortiz
"What will happen this weekend?"
Vladimir Puck
"Well that will happen this weekend, That's a very good question, I can clearly say it is an illegal meeting and that is being addressed at this moment as we speak by our legal minds."
And then, there's the Briceno Administration's attempt to crack down on all cane farming associations because some of the smaller ones are allegedly behaving undemocratically. The Government says that they have failed to follow their own by-laws to hold annual elections for executive leadership posts.
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"We are not asking much from them, all we are asking for them to have an elections."
Vladimir Puck
"The covid, when it reached our shores in Belize two years ago, the laws regard covid they had to abide by them, we couldn't conduct any business in relations to sugar: elections nor general meetings. Every year we dissolve the board when the time of elections have ended, as the chairman I dissolve the board and then nominations begins and I have had the privilege of being nominated consecutively."
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The Belize Sugarcane Farmers Association which is the biggest by far, if they could have had their elections safely, why is it that the other small associations can't have their elections? why not? but some of them are hiding under the umbrella of covid."
With that kind of pressure from all around, it's no wonder that simple fact-checking attempts from the press caused the embattled Chairman to get defensive.
Vladimir Puck
"I see your point, you are trying to push something, but there are things that you wouldn't understand, it would need more time. I would request any of you to come any day at our office and we can clearly explain how fair trade and how our bylaws function."
But, there's also an interesting intrigue at play. Industry insiders tell us that this upcoming Special General Meeting is likely to be overseen by the Sugar Industry Control Board and its Chairman, Marcos Osorio. Sources tell us that back in late 2019 into early 2020 when Osorio was terminated from the leadership of SIRDI, Vladimir Puck was on the SICB, and was among those members who voted for him to be fired.
File: December 20, 2019
Marcos Osorio - Former Director, SIRDI
"I hold no hate or nothing towards anyone. Everyone is free to make a decision."
But, if the Special General Meeting occurs, and Puck and his colleagues are voted out of the leadership of the CSCPA, then Osorio gains a strategic advantage against a former adversary. If you ask the Government though, long-overdue elections would cure a major irregularity that supposedly puts Fairtrade premiums for all cane farmers at risk.
Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"No accountability to their membership, as to the monies they get from Fairtrade and how that money is being spent. We also have to protect the monies that's coming in from Fairtrade, because if Fairtrade start to think that these monies are not being shared our fairly and transparently and equally as per the agreement, they could very well stop giving the farmers Fairtrade money, not only to that association, but to all the 5,000 plus farmers which also include ASR/BSI because they get Fairtrade money also on their deliveries."
This evening, we contacted Marcos Osorio for comment on this loud complaint from the CSCPA that this Special General Meeting is fraudulent.
Up until news time, he has not responded to our requests for comment. As you saw, the current leadership of the association is urging the members to stay at home and not participate. They have also reminded those members that the spread of omicron has already started in Belize.
