Tonight, the UDP is pointing to a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association saying that it demonstrates a clear bias.
That's because it says that Cabinet has agreed to provide one million dollars towards acquisition of fertilizer for members of the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association.
Today, the UDP Deputy Leader Hugo Patt - who is not a member of the BSCFA - said what about the other cane grower associations and the other agro industries?:
Hugo Patt, UDP Deputy Leader
"You cannot just decide to favour one association over the others and there is where we have an issue, because while we welcome the assistance being given to the BSCFA, what about the other 3 associations as well. I mean it is not only that one association in particular or the members of one association in particular are being hit hard with the high cost of production inputs, everybody is getting hit and going a bit further, what about the other industries within the agro-productive sector? I mean you cannot just be not only arbitrary, but I feel that this is very discriminatory and so we call on the government to issue equivalent assistance to not only the other 3 associations, but to the other industries within the agro-productive sector."
Jules Vasquez
"How many farmers are being left out by a move like this?"
Hugo Patt, UDP Deputy Leader
"Actually, I wouldn't have the direct numbers, but if I can speak for the association for which I belong, we have over 400 farmers. Not to mention the progressive sugarcane farmers - that association in particular is quite karge and so I think we're talking safely about some 40-45% of the farmers are being left out."
Jules Vasquez
"But even if you give the other associations, well then, the other ago-industry will start to complain, because everybody is suffering under tge crushing cost of fertilizer. We think of the banana industry, you know that is a very fertilizer intensive industry."
Hugo Patt, UDP Deputy Leader
"Precisely. My point is if you're going to give to one, you have to give to the others. I mean you are government responsible for a whole industry, for a whole sector of our society. You cannot be favouring one over the other. While there are ways in which you will help the different industries, but if you are taking one million dollars out of tax payers' money to favour one particular association, man, you ought to have thought that there are other associations within the sugar industry and you ought to have thought that you have a responsibility as well for the other industries within the agro-productive sector."
