As you heard in that interview, the Prime Minister is out of the country. He left on Saturday - thinking at the time that they had a deal which the cane farmers had agreed to - which was a three year commercial agreement. But, there was basically nothing in the deal for the BSCFA - except for the commission of inquiry's findings to be reviewed after year two. But, no matter what it would still roll over into the new year. That's why the farmers ended up rejecting it - even though it was inches away from being signed.
And so, this has now created a political emergency for the PUP in the north - where the blue party controls 7 of the 8 seats.
Their northern caucus issued a statement today - and read it out at the BSCFA meeting. It demands that there be no more tax concessions for ASR BSI and that it does not support the inclusion of throughput fees in the commercial agreement. We note however that the agreement which the Prime Minister thought he got the farmers to agree to - DID SUPPORT the inclusion of those fees. So, this statement contradicts the party leader.
