So if that's the rationale behind the Belmopan hospital, what's the reasoning for the one million dollar donation to the Belize Sugar Cane Farmers Association? The move by the government has been met with much criticism, with some saying it excludes other associations and industries. But today the PM explained that those other sugar cane farming associations are currently receiving Fairtrade money, which BSCFA isn't getting.
John Briceno, Prime Minister
"I think that's not a fair criticism on their part. Remember the BSCFA has not been getting Fairtrade monies, the other three have been getting Fairtrade monies and the money they get form Fairtrade is to be able to buy fertilizers. Since the BSCFA, which is the largest association, they have a little over 50% of the farmers as members, have not gotten anything, so we believe that we had to do something, just like what we did with the stevedores about a year and a half ago. We assisted them I think with one and a half million dollars, we have done that again to try and help them through this critical time."
